System including an arrangement for tracking the positional relationship between a boring tool and one or more buried lines and method
First Claim
1. In a system in which a boring tool including a drill string having a length which is fed out in a way which moves the boring tool through the ground in a region which includes at least one electrically conductive in-ground line, an arrangement for tracking a specific positional relationship between the boring tool and said line, said arrangement comprising:
- a) first means for generating a magnetic locating field from one of either said boring tool or at least from an underground length of said line in a predetermined way;
b) second means carried by said boring tool if said field is generated from said line or connected to said line if said field is generated from said boring tool for detecting an intensity of said magnetic locating field which, in cooperation with the predetermined way in which the magnetic locating signal is generated, provides for an unambiguous measurement of the positional relationship between the boring tool and said line throughout said region using said magnetic locating signal;
c) third means for monitoring a value of at least one parameter relating to the way in which said drill string is fed out; and
d) fourth means for correlating the magnetic locating field intensity with the value of said one parameter in a way which indicates certain changes in the positional relationship between said boring tool and said line without the need to establish an actual distance between the boring tool and said line as the boring tool moves through the ground within said region.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system is disclosed in which a boring tool is moved through the ground in a region which includes at least one electrically conductive in-ground line. The system includes an arrangement for tracking a specific positional relationship between the boring tool and one or more in-ground lines. The arrangement generates a magnetic field from one of either the boring tool or the line. A particular characteristic of the generated field is detected at the boring tool if the field is generated from the line or is detected at the line if the field is generated from the boring tool. The characteristic varies as a function of the specific positional relationship between the boring tool and the line as the boring tool moves through the ground within the region. The arrangement is responsive to the detection of the characteristic and indicates certain changes in the positional relationship between the boring tool and each one of the lines being monitored irrespective of the approach path or orientation of the boring tool with respect to each line.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. In a system in which a boring tool including a drill string having a length which is fed out in a way which moves the boring tool through the ground in a region which includes at least one electrically conductive in-ground line, an arrangement for tracking a specific positional relationship between the boring tool and said line, said arrangement comprising:
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a) first means for generating a magnetic locating field from one of either said boring tool or at least from an underground length of said line in a predetermined way; b) second means carried by said boring tool if said field is generated from said line or connected to said line if said field is generated from said boring tool for detecting an intensity of said magnetic locating field which, in cooperation with the predetermined way in which the magnetic locating signal is generated, provides for an unambiguous measurement of the positional relationship between the boring tool and said line throughout said region using said magnetic locating signal; c) third means for monitoring a value of at least one parameter relating to the way in which said drill string is fed out; and d) fourth means for correlating the magnetic locating field intensity with the value of said one parameter in a way which indicates certain changes in the positional relationship between said boring tool and said line without the need to establish an actual distance between the boring tool and said line as the boring tool moves through the ground within said region. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. In a system in which a boring tool including a drill string having a length which is fed out in a way which moves the boring tool through the ground in a region which includes at least one electrically conductive in-ground line, a method of tracking a specific positional relationship between the boring tool and said line, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) generating a magnetic locating field from one of either said boring tool or at least from an underground length of said line in a predetermined way; b) detecting an intensity of said magnetic locating field from said boring tool if said magnetic locating field is generated from said line or from said line if said field is generated from said boring tool which, in cooperation with the predetermined way in which the magnetic locating signal is generated, provides for an unambiguous measurement of the positional relationship between the boring tool and said line throughout said region using said magnetic locating signal; c) monitoring a value of at least one parameter relating to the way in which said drill string is fed out; and d) correlating the magnetic locating field intensity with the value of said one parameter in a way which indicates certain changes in the positional relationship between said boring tool and said line without the need to establish an actual distance between the boring tool and said line as the boring tool moves through the ground within said region. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. In a system in which a boring tool is moved through the ground by a drill string in a region which includes at least one electronically conductive in-ground line, an arrangement for monitoring a specific positional relationship between the boring tool and said line, said arrangement comprising:
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a) first means for generating a magnetic locating field from one of either said boring tool or at least from an underground length of said line; b) second means carried by said boring tool if said field is generated from sad line or connected to said line if said field is generated from aid boring tool for detecting an intensity of said magnetic locating field indicative of the positional relationship between the boring tool and said line; c) third means carried by said boring tool for producing a locating signal; and d) portable locating means for using said locating signal to determine a position of said boring tool within said region and for indicating the intensity of said magnetic locating field generated from either one of said line of said boring tool. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In a system which includes a boring tool and an above-ground portable locator for locating the boring tool and in which said boring tool is moved through the ground by a drill string in a region which includes at least one electrically conductive in-ground line, an arrangement for monitoring a specific positional relationship between the boring tool and said line, said arrangement comprising:
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a) first means for generating a magnetic locating field from one of either said boring tool or at least from an underground length of said line; b) second means carried by said boring tool if said field is generated from said line or connected to said line if said field is generated from said boring tool for detecting an intensity of said magnetic locating field indicative of the positional relationship between the boring tool and said line; c) third means cooperating with said second means for producing a magnetic field intensity indicative signal; and d) remote display means located at said portable locator and responsive to said intensity indicative signal for indicating the intensity of said magnetic locating field generated from either one of said line or said boring tool. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. In a system in which a boring tool is moved from a drilling rig through the ground by a drill string in a region which includes at least one electrically conductive in-ground line, an arrangement for monitoring a specific positional relationship between the boring tool and said line, said arrangement comprising:
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a) first means for generating a magnetic locating field from one of either said boring tool or at least from an underground length of said line; b) second means carried by said boring tool if said field is generated from said line or connected to said line if said field is generated from said boring tool for detecting an intensity of said magnetic locating field indicative of the positional relationship between the boring tool and said line; c) third means cooperating with said second means for producing a magnetic field intensity indicative signal; and d) remote display means located at said drilling rig and responsive to said intensity indicative signal for indicating the intensity of said magnetic locating field generated from either one of said line or said boring tool. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. In a system in which a boring tool is moved from a drilling rig through the ground by a drill string in a region which includes at least one electrically conductive in-ground line, an arrangement for monitoring a specific positional relationship between the boring tool and said line, said arrangement comprising:
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a) first means for generating a magnetic locating field from one of either said boring tool or at least from an underground length of said line; b) second means carried by said boring tool if said field is generated from said line or connected to said line if said field is generated from said boring tool for detecting an intensity of said magnetic locating field indicative of the positional relationship between the boring tool and said line; c) third means cooperating with said second means for producing a magnetic field intensity indicative signal; d) repeater means located above-ground and responsive to said intensity indicative signal for passing said last-mentioned signal toward said drilling rig; and e) remote display means located at said drilling rig and responsive to said intensity indicative signal from said repeater means for indicating the intensity of said magnetic locating field generated from either one of said line or said boring tool. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. In a system which includes a boring tool and an above-ground portable locator for locating the boring tool and in which said boring tool is moved through the ground by a drill string in a region which includes at least one electrically conductive in-ground line, a method for monitoring a specific positional relationship between the boring tool and said line, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) generating a magnetic locating field from one of either said boring tool or at least from an underground length of said line using generating means; b) detecting an intensity of said magnetic locating field indicative of the positional relationship between the boring tool and said line using detecting means carried by said boring tool if said field is generated from said line or connected to said line if said field is generated from said boring tool; c) producing a magnetic field intensity indicative signal using signal producing means cooperating with said detecting means; and d) indicating the intensity of said magnetic locating field generated from either one of said line or said boring tool using remote display means located at said portable locator and responsive to said intensity indicative signal. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. In a system in which a boring tool is moved from a drilling rig through the ground by a drill string in a region which includes at least one electrically conductive in-ground line, a method of monitoring a specific positional relationship between the boring tool and said line, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) generating a magnetic locating field from one of either said boring tool or at least from an underground length of said line using generating means; b) detecting an intensity of said magnetic locating field indicative of the positional relationship between the boring tool and said line using detecting means carried by said boring tool if said field is generated from said line or connected to said line if said field is generated from said boring tool; c) producing a magnetic field intensity indicative signal using signal producing means cooperating with said detecting means; and d) indicating the intensity of said magnetic locating field generated from either one of said line or said boring tool using remote display means located at said drilling rig and responsive to said intensity indicative signal. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. In a system in which a boring tool is moved from a drilling rig through the ground by a drill string in a region which includes at least one electrically conductive in-ground line, a method for monitoring a specific positional relationship between the boring tool and said line, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) generating a magnetic locating field from one of either said boring tool or at least from an underground length of said line using generating means; b) detecting an intensity of said magnetic locating field indicative of the positional relationship between the boring tool and said line using detecting means carried by said boring tool if said field is generated from said line or connected to said line if said field is generated from said boring tool; c) producing a magnetic field intensity indicative signal using signal producing means cooperating with said detecting means; d) passing a repeater signal toward said drilling rig using repeater means located above-ground and responsive to said intensity indicative signal; and e) indicating the intensity of said magnetic locating field generated from either one of said line or said boring tool using remote display means located at said drilling rig and responsive to said repeater signal from said repeater means. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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Specification