Patent ID: 7269095

Claim:
A seismic survey network comprising a plurality of data processing modules including data acquisition modules and a central data processing unit having a second clock module, each of said data acquisition modules having a first clock module and one or more seismic sensors with respective specific identities operatively connected thereto for transmission of seismic data to the respective data acquisition module; said data acquisition modules programmed to convert instants of seismic data values at predetermined time intervals to signal transmissions in the form of digital packets of seismic data that are respectively distinguished by a first timestamp corresponding to the first clock module time of the instant that the respective seismic data is received by the data acquisition modules; seismic data packets generated by a first data acquisition module being transmitted along a transmission routing means for receipt and retransmission of said seismic data packets by at least one other data acquisition module prior to receipt by said central data processing unit; said central data processing unit having means for transmitting synchronization signals including a second timestamp to said other data acquisition module; each of said second timestamps corresponding to the time value of said second clock module when a respective synchronization signal is first transmitted by said central data processing unit; said other data acquisition module having means for receiving and retransmitting said synchronization signal to said first data acquisition module along said transmission routing means in a transmission direction opposite from said seismic data packets; said data acquisition modules further having clock synchronization means for revising the present time value of a respective first clock module to the present time value of said second clock module by accounting for an expected synchronization signal travel time.