Automated bore planning method and apparatus for horizontal directional drilling
First Claim
1. A method for electronically developing a bore plan of a bore site for use in connection with an underground boring machine, comprising receiving topographical information representative of topography of the bore site;
- receiving utility information representative of one or more utilities situated at the bore site;
receiving bore path information representative of an intended bore path for the bore site; and
generating bore plan data using the received topographic, utility, and bore path information, the bore plan data comprising data representative of an intended bore defined along the intended bore path and with respect to the representative topography of the bore site.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method provide for electronic development of a bore plan for use in connection with an underground boring machine. Electronically developing a bore plan involves receiving bore path plan information representative of an intended bore path at the bore site, which may include topographical and utility related information. A pre-established bore plan is generated using the received bore path plan information. Actual bore path information is acquired indicative of an actual bore path produced by the boring machine. A modified bore plan is generated using the actual bore path information and at least some of the bore path plan information. The modified bore plan comprises data representative of a modified bore path that minimizes a deviation in alignment between the actual bore path and the intended bore path. Selected bore plan data can be displayed in both textual and graphical forms.
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Citations
105 Claims
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1. A method for electronically developing a bore plan of a bore site for use in connection with an underground boring machine, comprising
receiving topographical information representative of topography of the bore site; -
receiving utility information representative of one or more utilities situated at the bore site;
receiving bore path information representative of an intended bore path for the bore site; and
generating bore plan data using the received topographic, utility, and bore path information, the bore plan data comprising data representative of an intended bore defined along the intended bore path and with respect to the representative topography of the bore site. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for electronically developing a bore plan of a bore site for use in connection with an underground boring machine, comprising
displaying a topography input window that receives topographic input data from a user; -
displaying a utilities input window that receives utility input data from the user;
displaying a bore path input window that receives bore path input data from the user; and
displaying a graphical representation of the bore plan comprising graphical representations of each utility and a bore path presented within a topographic representation of the bore site. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method of electronically computing a bore plan of a bore site for use in connection with an underground boring machine, comprising:
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providing target parameters defining each of a plurality of target points along an intended bore path;
providing utility parameters defining one or more utilities situated at the bore site;
providing a maximum bend radius parameter representative of a maximum bend radius of a specified drill rod to be used to produce an actual bore at the bore site; and
calculating a bore that connects with each of the target points, avoids passing through the utilities, and avoids exceeding a maximum bend radius of the specified drill rod using the target, utility, and maximum bend radius parameters. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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56. A system for electronically developing a bore plan of a bore site for use in connection with an underground boring machine, comprising:
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a processor;
memory coupled to the processor;
an input device, coupled to the processor, for inputting topographical information representative of topography at the bore site, utility information representative of one or more utilities situated at the bore site, and bore path information representative of an intended bore path at the bore site; and
a display device coupled to the processor, the processor computing bore plan data using the topographic, utility, and bore path information, the bore plan data presented in textual and/or graphical form on the display as data representative of an intended bore defined along the intended bore path.
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69. A computer readable medium embodying program instructions for electronically developing a bore plan of a bore site for use in connection with an underground boring machine, comprising:
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receiving topographical information representative of topography of the bore site;
receiving utility information representative of one or more utilities situated at the bore site;
receiving bore path information representative of an intended bore path at the bore site; and
generating bore plan data using the received topographic, utility, and bore path information, the bore plan data comprising data representative of an intended bore defined along the intended bore path and with respect to the representative topography of the bore site.
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70. A computer readable medium embodying program instructions for electronically developing a bore plan of a bore site for use in connection with an underground boring machine, comprising:
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displaying a topography input window that receives topographic input data from a user;
displaying a utilities input window that receives utility input data from the user;
displaying a bore path input window that receives bore path input data from the user; and
displaying a graphical representation of the bore plan comprising graphical representations of each utility and a bore path presented within a topographic representation of the bore site.
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71. A computer readable medium embodying program instructions for electronically developing a bore plan of a bore site for use in connection with an underground boring machine, comprising:
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providing target parameters defining each of a plurality of target points along an intended bore path;
providing utility parameters defining one or more utilities situated at the bore site;
providing a maximum bend radius parameter representative of a maximum bend radius of a specified drill rod to be used to produce an actual bore at the bore site; and
calculating a bore that connects with each of the target points, avoids passing through the utilities, and avoids exceeding a maximum bend radius of the specified drill rod.
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72. A method for electronically developing a bore plan of a bore site for use in connection with an underground boring machine, comprising
generating a pre-established bore plan using bore path plan information representative of an intended bore path for the bore site, the bore path plan information comprising two or more target points through which the intended bore path is to pass, the pre-established bore plan representative of an intended bore defined along the intended bore path; -
receiving actual bore path information indicative of an actual bore path produced by the boring machine; and
generating a modified bore plan using the actual bore path information and at least some of the bore path plan information, the modified bore plan comprising data representative of a modified bore path that minimizes a deviation in alignment between the actual bore path and the intended bore path. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90)
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91. A system for electronically developing a bore plan of a bore site for use in connection with an underground boring machine, comprising:
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a processor;
an input device for inputting bore path plan information representative of an intended bore path for the bore site, the bore path plan information comprising two or more target points through which the intended bore path is to pass;
an interface for receiving actual bore path information indicative of an actual bore path produced by the boring machine; and
a display device, the processor computing a pre-established bore plan using the bore path plan information and computing a modified bore plan using the actual bore path information and at least some of the bore path plan information, the modified bore plan comprising data representative of a modified bore path that minimizes a deviation in alignment between the actual bore path and the intended bore path, wherein data associated with one or more of the pre-established bore plan, actual bore path, and modified bore plan are presented on the display in one or both of textual and graphical form. - View Dependent Claims (92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105)
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Specification