Common interface architecture for horizontal directional drilling machines and walk-over guidance systems

• US 20030063013A1
• Filed: 09/24/2002
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
• Original Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
• Inventors: Rempe, Scott, Jin, Jeremy
• Granted Patent: US 7,218,244 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/853.3
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 44/00 Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/0232 at least one of the energy sources or one of the detectors being located on or above the ground surface
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/046 horizontal drilling drilling with mechanical conveying means E21B7/003

Abstract

A system and method of interfacing a drilling machine with one of a number of different walk-over guidance systems involves receiving an ID signal from a particular walk-over guidance system selected for use with the drilling machine. A protocol library associated with the particular walk-over guidance system is accessed in response to the ID signal. The protocol library is used to effect communication between the particular walk-over guidance system and a control system of the drilling machine during cooperative use of the particular walk-over guidance system and drilling machine. Using the protocol library involves converting, as prescribed by the protocol library, locator signals received from the particular walk-over guidance system from a locator protocol to a common protocol used by the control system of the drilling machine. Locator and drilling machine data of various types can be presented to a drilling machine operator via an on-board display.

Claims

1. A method of interfacing a drilling machine with one of a plurality of disparate walk-over guidance systems, comprising:

receiving an ID signal from a particular walk-over guidance system selected for use with the drilling machine;

accessing a protocol library associated with the particular walk-over guidance system in response to the ID signal; and

using the protocol library to effect communication between the particular walk-over guidance system and a control system of the drilling machine during cooperative use of the particular walk-over guidance system and drilling machine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein using the protocol library comprises converting, as prescribed by the protocol library, locator signals received from the particular walk-over guidance system from a locator protocol to a common protocol used by the control system of the drilling machine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein using the protocol library comprises mapping input and output parameters, as prescribed by the protocol library, associated with a locator protocol and a common protocol used by the control system of the drilling machine to effect communication between the particular walk-over guidance system and the control system of the drilling machine.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting data produced by one or both of the particular walk-over guidance system and a control system of the drilling machine to an operator at the drilling machine.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting data produced by one or both of the particular walk-over guidance system and a control system of the drilling machine to an operator of the particular walk-over guidance system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a communications protocol selected to effect communication between the particular walk-over guidance system and the drilling machine control system is of a first type, and a communications protocol of a second type different from the first type is employed to effect communication between other nodes of the drilling machine control system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a first communications link is employed to effect communication between the particular walk-over guidance system and the drilling machine control system, and a second communications link is employed to effect communication between other nodes of the drilling machine control system.

8. A system of interfacing a drilling machine with one of a plurality of walk-over guidance systems, comprising:

a protocol module, provided at the drilling machine, that receives an ID signal from a particular walk-over guidance system selected for use with the drilling machine;

a protocol library system accessible to the protocol module, the protocol module associating the received ID signal with the particular walk-over guidance system and selecting a protocol library appropriate for the particular walk-over guidance system; and

a control system, the control system using the protocol library to effect communication between the particular walk-over guidance system and a control system of the drilling machine during cooperative use of the particular walk-over guidance system and drilling machine.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the control system uses the selected protocol library to convert locator signals received from the particular walk-over guidance system from a locator protocol to a common protocol used by the control system of the drilling machine.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the control system uses the selected protocol library to map input and output parameters associated with a locator protocol associated with the particular walk-over guidance system and a common protocol used by the control system of the drilling machine to effect communication between the particular walk-over guidance system and the control system of the drilling machine.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising an on-board display provided at the drilling machine, the control system presenting data produced by one or both of the particular walk-over guidance system and a control system of the drilling machine to an operator using the on-board display.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising a locator display provided at a locator of the particular walk-over guidance system, the control system presenting data produced by one or both of the particular walk-over guidance system and a control system of the drilling machine to an operator using the locator display.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the control system receives operator changes in a bore plan and uses the selected protocol library to display suggested drilling machine actions via an on-board display in response to the bore plan changes.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the control system receives operator changes in a bore plan and uses the selected protocol library to automatically implement drilling machine actions responsive to the bore plan changes.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the control system receives data from a cutting tool coupled to the drilling machine via the particular walk-over guidance system, the control system processing the cutting tool data and cutting tool calibration data to generate an indication of cutting tool orientation.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein a communications protocol selected to effect communication between the particular walk-over guidance system and the drilling machine control system is of a first type, and a communications protocol of a second type different from the first type is employed to effect communication between other nodes of the drilling machine control system.

17. The system of claim 8, wherein a first communications link is employed to effect communication between the particular walk-over guidance system and the drilling machine control system, and a second communications link is employed to effect communication between other nodes of the drilling machine control system.

18. A method of interfacing a drilling machine with one of a plurality of disparate components of a drilling system, comprising:

receiving an ID signal from a particular component of the drilling system selected for use with the drilling machine;

accessing a protocol library associated with the particular drilling system component in response to the ID signal; and

using the protocol library to effect integration between the particular drilling system component and a control system of the drilling machine.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the drilling system component comprises a walk-over guidance system.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the drilling system component comprises a pipe-handling system.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the drilling system component comprises a drilling fluid dispensing system.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the drilling system component comprises a strike alert system.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the drilling system component comprises a power management system.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the drilling system component comprises an on-board display of the drilling machine.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the drilling system component comprises a wire line tracking system.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the drilling system component comprises a stake down system.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the drilling system component comprises a bore planning system.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein a communications protocol selected to effect communication between the particular drilling machine component and the drilling machine control system is of a first type, and a communications protocol of a second type different from the first type is employed to effect communication between other nodes of the drilling machine control system.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein a first communications link is employed to effect communication between the particular drilling machine component and the drilling machine control system, and a second communications link is employed to effect communication between other nodes of the drilling machine control system.