Method and apparatus for achieving parallel cable boring

• US 5,929,758 A
• Filed: 10/29/1997
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huffman, John Sinclair, Eslambolchi, Hossein
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US08/959,873
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 340/540, 340/661, 340/662, 175/45, 175/62, 175/67, 324/326
• US Class Current: 340/540
• 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 47/0228 using electromagnetic energy or detectors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/046 horizontal drilling drilling with mechanical conveying means E21B7/003

Abstract

The position of a boring head (16) during boring operation in the vicinity of an existing utility conveyance (22) that radiates a locating signal can be determined by establishing the ratio of the strength of the locating signal of the cable induced in the boring head to the strength of the locating signal on the conveyance. Should the ratio exceed a prescribed value, indicating that the boring head is too close to the existing conveyance, then an alert is generated. Advantageously, the position of the boring head during a boring operation may be controlled in feed-back loop fashion in accordance with the ratio to maintain the boring head substantially parallel to the existing conveyance.

Claims

1. A method for providing an alert during a boring operation when a boring head is within a minimum allowable separation distance from an existing underground utility conveyance that radiates a locating signal of a pre-selected strength, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting, at the utility conveyance, the strength of the locating signal;

(b) detecting, at the boring head, the strength of the locating signal radiated by the utility conveyance and induced in the boring head;

(c) determining if the strength of the locating signal detected at the boring head exceeds a prescribed fraction of the strength of the locating signal detected at the utility conveyance; and

if so

(d) generating an alert to indicate that the boring head is within the minimum allowable separation distance.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the alert is a visual alert.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the alert is an audible alert.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the alert comprises the combination of an audible and visual alert.

5. The method according to claim 1 further including the step of controlling the boring head during the boring operation in accordance with the ratio of the strength of the locating signal detected at the boring head to the strength of the locating signal detected at the utility conveyance.

6. A method for controlling a boring head during a boring operation to maintain the boring head substantially parallel to an existing underground utility conveyance that radiates a locating signal of a pre-selected strength, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting, at the utility conveyance, the strength of the locating signal;

(b) detecting, at the boring head, the strength of the of the locating signal radiated by the utility conveyance and induced in the boring head;

(c) generating a control signal in accordance with a ratio of the strength of the locating signal detected at the boring head to the strength of the locating signal detected at the utility conveyance;

(d) displacing the boring head during the boring operation relative to the existing utility conveyance in accordance with the control signal such that the control signal remains substantially constant.

7. The method according to claim 6 further including the step of generating an alert when the ratio of the strength of the locating signal detected at the boring head to the strength of the locating signal detected at the utility conveyance exceeds a prescribed value.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the alert is a visual alert.

9. The method according to claim 7 wherein the alert is an audible alert.

10. The method according to claim 7 wherein the alert comprises the combination of an audible and visual alert.

11. Apparatus for providing an alert during a boring operation when a boring head is within a minimum allowable separation distance from an existing underground utility conveyance that radiates a locating signal of a pre-selected strength, comprising:

(a) means for detecting, at the utility conveyance, the strength of the locating signal;

(b) means for detecting, at the boring head, the strength of the locating signal radiated by the utility conveyance and induced in the boring head;

(c) means for determining if the strength of the locating signal detected at the boring head exceeds a prescribed fraction of the strength of the locating signal detected at the utility conveyance; and

(d) means generating an alert to indicate that the boring head is within the minimum allowable separation distance.

12. Apparatus for controlling a boring head during a boring operation to maintain the boring head substantially parallel to an existing underground utility conveyance that radiates a locating signal of a pre-selected strength, comprising the steps of:

(a) means for detecting, at the utility conveyance, the strength of the locating signal;

(b) means for detecting, at the boring head, the strength of the of the locating signal radiated by the utility conveyance and induced in the boring head;

(c) means for generating a control signal in accordance with a ratio of the strength of the locating signal detected at the boring head to the strength of the locating signal detected at the utility conveyance;

(d) means responsive to the control signal for displacing the boring head during the boring operation relative to the existing utility conveyance in accordance with the control signal such that the control signal remains substantially constant.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 further including means for generating an alert when the ratio of the strength of the locating signal detected at the boring head to the strength of the locating signal detected at the utility conveyance exceeds a prescribed value.