Patent ID: 7394257

Claim:
A downhole logging-while-drilling or measurement-while-drilling tool for formation logging, comprising: a tool body configured to move in a borehole; a plurality of sensor modules, at least one sensor module mounted in at least one mounting location on the tool body, wherein the at least one sensor module is interchangeable with other sensor modules that make different measurements; and a measurement system disposed in the tool body operatively coupled to the at least one sensor module, wherein the measurement system includes a capability to automatically identify a sensor module mounted in the mounting location and to configure the measurement system for acquisition and processing according to the identified sensor module; and wherein the mounting location is recessed on the tool body such that the sensor module faces the wall of the borehole, and wherein the mounting location is of a selected shape and dimensions that correspond to the shape and dimensions of the plurality of sensor modules, and wherein the measurement system includes a plurality of modular units including an acquisition module for controlling data acquisitioned by any one of the plurality of sensor modules disposed in the at least one mounting location, the plurality of sensor modules having a common interface for operatively coupling to the acquisition module of the measurement system.