Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
340853700 | Repeater in subsurface link (e.g., cable, etc.) | 13 |
20090189777 | TOPOLOGY MAINTENANCE AND DISCOVERY FACILITY FOR DOWNHOLE NETWORKS - An apparatus and method for discovering and monitoring a collection of nodes in a downhole network may include receiving data packets originating from several downhole nodes. These packets may be read to extract a unique identifier and hop count for each of the nodes. This information may then be used to create entries in a network topology table corresponding to each of the downhole nodes. Each entry may contain unique identifier identifying the respective node and a hop count identifying a location of the node within the downhole network. The apparatus and method may further include modifying one or more entries in the topology table having conflicting hop counts to ensure that the hop counts of each entry are unique. | 07-30-2009 |
20090289808 | RELIABLE DOWNHOLE DATA TRANSMISSION SYSTEM - A downhole signal transmission system provides electric radiofrequency signals that are coupled to electrically conductive or non-conductive fluids through electrical insulators. A plurality of signal repeaters are tuned to the frequencies of the radiofrequency signals, and a plurality of transmission lines terminated by resonance circuits are also provided such that the terminating resonance circuits resonate on the frequencies of the electric radiofrequency signals. The plurality of signal repeaters and plurality of transmission elements are arranged to be redundant such that a failure of one or more of the signal repeaters or a failure of one or more of the transmission elements does not substantially affect the operation of the data transmission system. The signal repeaters and transmission elements also are arranged such that a failure of any of the signal repeaters or a failure of any of the transmission elements is communicated to the surface. During operation, the signal repeaters receive and transmit radiofrequency signals and the transmission elements transport radiofrequency signals between the repeaters. The downhole pipe section in which the downhole data transmission system is implemented includes rotary connections and a tubular pipe section arranged to transport radiofrequency signals over transmission elements wherein the inner cross section of the pipe section is approximately circular and the transmission elements take up approximately less than 5% of the cross sectional area around the periphery of the pipe. | 11-26-2009 |
20100182161 | WIRELESS TELEMETRY REPEATER SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Various electromagnetic LWD telemetry systems are disclosed having a wireless repeater positioned on or near the seabed. The wireless repeater receives and demodulates electromagnetic uplink signals and retransmits the uplink signals from the seabed as electromagnetic or acoustic signals. A receiver on the drilling platform or suspended from the water's surface receives the uplink signal and forwards it to a facility for processing and storage. In some embodiments, the wireless repeater takes the form of a sub threaded inline with the drill string with an electromagnetic signal sensor positioned inside the drill string. In other embodiments, the wireless repeater takes the form of a unit that rests on the seabed with electromagnetic signal sensors inserted into the sea bottom. | 07-22-2010 |
20100302060 | METHODS FOR CLOSK SYNCRONIZATION IN WELLBORE INSTRUMENTS - A method for synchronizing a clock in a device at the Earth's surface with a device disposed in a wellbore includes generating a time datum for a signal generated at at least one of the surface and in the wellbore proximate an end of the pipe string. A time delay is determined between detection of the signal at the at least one repeater and retransmission of the signal from the at least one repeater. The time datum is appended with a signal corresponding to the time delay. The retransmitted signal is detected at the other of proximate the end of the pipe string and at the surface. | 12-02-2010 |
20110018734 | WIRELESS TELEMETRY THROUGH DRILL PIPE - The present disclosure relates to a telemetry tool for use in a well. The telemetry tool has a hollow, conductive waveguide through which a non-conductive fluid can flow. A transmitter and a receiver are disposed in the hollow interior of the waveguide, separated by some desired distance. A signal is transmitted by the transmitter, propagated by the waveguide, and received by the receiver. | 01-27-2011 |
20110025526 | Communication System for a Hydrocarbon Extraction Plant - A method of enabling communication between components of a hydrocarbon extraction plant, the plant having an underwater hydrocarbon extraction installation including at least one hydrocarbon extraction well with an associated tree, comprises providing a plurality of RF communication means at respective components of the installation. | 02-03-2011 |
20110050452 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMMUNICATING DATA BETWEEN WELLBORE INSTRUMENTS AND SURFACE DEVICES - A method for communicating signals between an instrument in a wellbore and a device at the Earth's surface using a wired drill pipe telemetry channel includes allocating signals generated by at least one instrument in the wellbore to a plurality of buffers. Each buffer represents data having a respective communication priority. Signals from each buffer are communicated to the wired drill pipe telemetry channel according to a predetermined priority procedure. The procedure allocates telemetry channel priority related to the communication priority. | 03-03-2011 |
20120274477 | RELIABLE DOWNHOLE DATA TRANSMISSION SYSTEM - A downhole signal transmission system provides electric radiofrequency signals that are coupled to electrically conductive or non-conductive fluids through electrical insulators. A plurality of signal repeaters are tuned to the frequencies of the radiofrequency signals, and a plurality of transmission lines terminated by resonance circuits are also provided such that the terminating resonance circuits resonate on the frequencies of the electric radiofrequency signals. The plurality of signal repeaters and plurality of transmission elements are arranged to be redundant such that a failure of one or more of the signal repeaters or a failure of one or more of the transmission elements does not substantially affect the operation of the data transmission system. The signal repeaters and transmission elements also are arranged such that a failure of any of the signal repeaters or a failure of any of the transmission elements is communicated to the surface. | 11-01-2012 |
20120286967 | Downhole Data Transmission System - A method and system are disclosed herein relating to transmitting data within a borehole. The method and system include having a transmitter disposed at a first location within the borehole and configured to generate a first signal, and more than one receiver and/or repeater disposed at a second location within the borehole. The receivers and/or repeaters are configured to receive the first signal, and further are configured to communicate with each other. | 11-15-2012 |
20130278432 | Simultaneous Data Transmission of Multiple Nodes - Systems and methods of communicating wellbore data are disclosed. One method includes transmitting a first uplink signal with a downhole transceiver to a plurality of repeaters communicably coupled to the downhole transceiver, the plurality of repeaters including individual repeaters axially spaced from each other along a length of a pipe string. The first uplink signal is successively transmitted through the individual repeaters, and a second uplink signal is then transmitted with the downhole transceiver to the plurality of repeaters wherein the individual repeaters again successively transmit the second uplink signal. The first and second uplink signals are simultaneously transmitted through the plurality of repeaters, but transmission of the first uplink signal precedes transmission of the second uplink signal. The first and second uplink signals are eventually received with a surface transceiver in communication with the plurality of repeaters. | 10-24-2013 |
20150077265 | TELEMETRY ON TUBING - In some embodiments, an apparatus and a system, as well as a method and an article, may operate to program a first acoustic repeater to transmit information at a first operating frequency; to couple the first acoustic repeater circumferentially around a coiled tubing portion, an inner diameter of the first acoustic repeater being about equal to an outer diameter of the coiled tubing portion; to program a second acoustic repeater to receive information transmitted by the first acoustic repeater; and to receive sensor information transmitted at the first operating frequency by the first acoustic repeater and relayed by the second acoustic repeater, the second acoustic repeater being coupled to the coiled tubing portion uphole from the first acoustic repeater. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. | 03-19-2015 |
20150337651 | Reliable Downhole Data Transmission System - A downhole signal transmission system provides electric radiofrequency signals that are coupled to electrically conductive or non-conductive fluids through electrical insulators. A plurality of signal repeaters are tuned to the frequencies of the radiofrequency signals, and a plurality of transmission lines terminated by resonance circuits are also provided such that the terminating resonance circuits resonate on the frequencies of the electric radiofrequency signals. The plurality of signal repeaters and plurality of transmission elements are arranged to be redundant such that a failure of one or more of the signal repeaters or a failure of one or more of the transmission elements does not substantially affect the operation of the data transmission system. The signal repeaters and transmission elements also are arranged such that a failure of any of the signal repeaters or a failure of any of the transmission elements is communicated to the surface. | 11-26-2015 |
20160047233 | Microwave Communication System for Downhole Drilling - In one embodiment of the invention, an air drilling downhole telemetry and control system is disclosed, comprising a telemetry and control interface, a topside unit, one or more repeater units, a bottom hole unit, and an air filled drill string composed of a drill pipe acting as a circular waveguide, wherein the topside unit is disposed at the surface end of the drill string, the repeater units are disposed along the drill string, and the bottom hole unit is disposed at the terminal end of the drill string, and each unit is a communications node along a communications link existing between the telemetry and control interface and the bottom hole unit. Each unit comprises a communications subsystem, a power subsystem, and optionally a telemetry and control subsystem. The communications subsystem contains a message buffer system capable of temporarily storing communications during a communications link disruption event. Obstructions along the drill string, such as one-way valves, are incorporated into the repeater units disposed along the drill string. | 02-18-2016 |