TECHNIQUE TO VERIFY UNDERGROUND TARGETS UTILIZING VIRTUAL REALITY IMAGING AND CONTROLLED EXCAVATION
First Claim
1. A method of excavating a borehole extending from a probe entry point to a predetermined underground target point within a formation, comprising the steps of:
- obtaining three-dimensional coordinates of the predetermined underground target point;
operating a cutting head of an excavation probe to initiate the borehole at the probe entry point;
determining a real-time three-dimensional position of the cutting head within the formation;
displaying the real-time three-dimensional position of the cutting head on a virtual reality display;
displaying the predetermined underground target point on the virtual reality display; and
directionally guiding the cutting head to the predetermined underground target point utilizing the virtual reality display.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for locating and verifying a position of an underground target utilizes a virtual reality display to guide a cutting probe to the target. Initial coordinates of the target may be obtained from prior survey data and a vertical access borehole is excavated at the initial coordinates in a first attempt to verify the target position. If the target it not encountered at the initial coordinates, a lateral sensor is positioned within the vertical access borehole to determine three-dimensional coordinates of the target. A second borehole is then excavated by a cutting head that is guided to the three-dimensional target coordinates with the assistance of a virtual reality display that shows both the target coordinates and a real time position of the cutting head. A down-hole camera or other sensor positioned within the second borehole may verify the presence or condition of the target.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method of excavating a borehole extending from a probe entry point to a predetermined underground target point within a formation, comprising the steps of:
-
obtaining three-dimensional coordinates of the predetermined underground target point; operating a cutting head of an excavation probe to initiate the borehole at the probe entry point; determining a real-time three-dimensional position of the cutting head within the formation; displaying the real-time three-dimensional position of the cutting head on a virtual reality display; displaying the predetermined underground target point on the virtual reality display; and directionally guiding the cutting head to the predetermined underground target point utilizing the virtual reality display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A method of locating and verifying a position of an underground target, comprising the steps of:
-
obtaining initial coordinates of a surface point positioned above the underground target; excavating a vertical access borehole from the surface point to a target depth of the underground target; if the vertical access borehole engages the underground target, verifying a three-dimensional position of the underground target; and if the vertical access borehole does not engage the underground target, then performing the further steps of; lowering a lateral sensor into the vertical access borehole; operating the lateral sensor to locate the underground target and provide three-dimensional coordinates of the underground target; and excavating a second borehole extending from a second surface point toward the three-dimensional coordinates of the underground target; and directing the second borehole into engagement with the underground target to verify the three-dimensional position of the underground target. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A system for locating and verifying a position of an underground target based on initial surface coordinates and a purported target depth of the underground target, comprising:
-
a first drilling apparatus adapted to excavate a vertical access borehole to the purported target depth within a formation at the initial surface coordinates of the underground target; a lateral sensor adapted to be positioned within the vertical access borehole to determine three-dimensional coordinates of the underground target within the formation; a second drilling apparatus having a cutting head adapted to excavate a second borehole extending from a surface point toward the three-dimensional coordinates of the underground target; and a virtual reality display adapted to display the three-dimensional coordinates of the underground target in relation to a real-time three-dimensional position of the cutting head to directionally guide the cutting head into engagement with the underground target. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification