Fail safe downhole signal repeater
First Claim
1. A system for communicating information between surface equipment and downhole equipment comprising:
- first and second repeaters disposed within a wellbore, the first and second repeaters receiving a first signal carrying the information;
a memory device operably disposed within the second repeater for storing the information carried in the first signal; and
a timer device operably disposed within the second repeater, the timer device triggering the second repeater to retransmit the information by generating a second signal, after a predetermined time period, unless the second repeater has detected a third signal carrying the information transmitted by the first repeater.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method of fail safe communication of information between surface equipment and downhole equipment are disclosed. The system comprises two or more repeaters (34, 35, 36) disposed within a wellbore (38) such that two repeaters (34, 35) will receive each signal carrying information that is telemetered. The repeater (35) that is farther from the source (44) will include a memory device (292) that stores the information carried in the signal. A timer device (293) also in the repeater (35) that is farther from the source (44) will trigger the retransmission of the information after a predetermined time period unless the repeater (35) that is farther from the source (44) has detected a signal carrying the information generated by the repeater (34) that is closer to the source (44).
103 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A system for communicating information between surface equipment and downhole equipment comprising:
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first and second repeaters disposed within a wellbore, the first and second repeaters receiving a first signal carrying the information;
a memory device operably disposed within the second repeater for storing the information carried in the first signal; and
a timer device operably disposed within the second repeater, the timer device triggering the second repeater to retransmit the information by generating a second signal, after a predetermined time period, unless the second repeater has detected a third signal carrying the information transmitted by the first repeater. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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- 18. A system for communicating information between surface equipment and downhole equipment comprising first and second repeaters disposed within a wellbore, the first and second repeater each having an electromagnetic receiver, an electromagnetic transmitter and an electronics package, the first and second repeaters receiving a first electromagnetic signal carrying the information, the electronics package of the second repeater including a memory device for storing the information carried in the first electromagnetic signal and a timer device for triggering the second repeater to retransmit the information by generating a second electromagnetic signal, after a predetermined time period, unless the electromagnetic receiver of the second repeater has detected a third electromagnetic signal carrying the information transmitted by the electromagnetic transmitter of the first repeater.
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29. A method for communicating information between surface equipment and downhole equipment, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting a first signal carrying the information by first and second repeaters disposed within a wellbore;
storing the information carried by the first signal in the second repeater; and
transmitting a second signal carrying the information from the second repeater, after a predetermined time period, unless the second repeater has detected a third signal carrying the information transmitted by the first repeater. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
transforming the first signal into an electrical signal;
converting the information carried in the electrical signal from an analog format to a digital format;
processing the information; and
converting the information carried in the electrical signal from a digital format to an analog format.
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32. The method as recited in claim 31 wherein the step of processing the information further includes determining that the first signal is intended for the first repeater.
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33. The method as recited in claim 31 wherein the step of processing the information further includes determining that the first signal is carrying the information and determining that the information carried in the first signal is accurate.
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34. The method as recited in claim 31 wherein the step of processing the information further includes the steps of:
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attenuating noise in the electrical signal to a predetermined voltage;
amplifying the electrical signal to a predetermined voltage;
shunting noise in the electrical signal in first a predetermined frequency range; and
eliminating the unwanted frequencies above and below a second predetermined frequency.
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35. The method as recited in claim 30 further including the step of discarding the information carried by the first signal from the second repeater.
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36. The method as recited in claim 29 wherein the second repeater further performs the steps of:
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transforming the first signal into an electrical signal;
converting the information carried in the electrical signal from an analog format to a digital format;
processing the information; and
converting the information carried in the electrical signal from a digital format to an analog format.
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37. The method as recited in claim 36 wherein the step of processing the information further includes determining that the first signal is intended for the second repeater.
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38. The method as recited in claim 36 wherein the step of processing the information further includes determining that the first signal is carrying the information and determining that the information carried in the first signal is accurate.
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39. The method as recited in claim 36 wherein the step of processing the information further includes the steps of:
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attenuating noise in the electrical signal to a predetermined voltage;
amplifying the electrical signal to a predetermined voltage;
shunting noise in the electrical signal in first a predetermined frequency range; and
eliminating the unwanted frequencies above and below a second predetermined frequency.
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40. The method as recited in claim 29 wherein the first signal is an electromagnetic signal.
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41. The method as recited in claim 29 wherein the second signal is an electromagnetic signal.
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42. The method as recited in claim 29 wherein the third signal is an electromagnetic signal.
Specification