Underground drilling device and method employing down-hole radar

• US 6,755,263 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2002
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
• Original Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
• Inventors: Austin, Gregg A., Bischel, Brian J., Alft, Kevin L., Kelpe, Hans
• Primary Examiner(s): PEZZUTO, ROBERT ERIC
• Application Number:
  US10/283,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20030056983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 175/26, 175/38, 175/73, 175/27, 175/42, 175/40, 175/48, 175/76, 175/50, 175/61, 731/53, 731/529.5, 731/55, 342/22, 166/66.4, 340/853.1, 340/853.3, 340/853.4, 702/6, 702/7, 702/9
• US Class Current: 175/61
• 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 7/06 Deflecting the direction of boreholes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/065 using oriented fluid jets

Abstract

Systems and methods for sensing at an underground drilling device in communication with an above-ground locator involve transmitting a radar probe signal from the underground drilling device. A radar return signal is received at the underground drilling device. The radar return signal is processed at the underground drilling device to produce sensor data. The sensor data is transmitted in a form suitable for reception by the above-ground locator.

Claims

1. An underground drilling device for use with an above-ground locator, comprising:

a cutting tool assembly comprising a cutting tool and a sensor housing;

a radar unit provided in the sensor housing;

a transmitter provided in the sensor housing; and

a processor provided in the sensor housing and communicatively coupled to the radar unit and the transmitter, the processor receiving radar data from the radar unit and producing sensor data for transmission via the transmitter in a form suitable for reception by the above-ground locator.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor communicates with the aboveground locator via a wireless link.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor communicates with the aboveground locator via a hardwire link.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the processor communicates with the aboveground locator via (1) a hardwire link to a drilling machine to which the underground drilling device is coupled and (2) a wireless link from the drilling machine to the above-ground locator.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein a multiple-axis magnetometer is provided in the sensor housing.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein a multiple-axis accelerometer is provided in the sensor housing.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein a gas sensor is provided in the sensor housing.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein an acoustic sensor, a seismic sensor, or an ultrasonic sensor is provided in the sensor housing.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein a resistive sensor or a capacitive sensor is provided in the sensor housing.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein a vibration sensor, a temperature sensor or a pressure sensor is provided in the sensor housing.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein a magnetic or electromagnetic sonde is provided in the sensor housing.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the radar data comprises object detection data indicative of an object in proximity to the cutting tool assembly, and the processor produces an alert signal in response to the object detection data.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor data produced by the processor comprises geophysical data indicative of geology in proximity to the cutting tool assembly.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor data represents radar data at least partially processed by the processor.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor data represents substantially unprocessed radar data.

16. The device of claim 1, further comprising a receiver provided in the sensor housing.

17. A method of sensing at an underground drilling device in communication with an above-ground locator, comprising:

transmitting a radar probe signal from the underground drilling device;

receiving a radar return signal at the underground drilling device;

processing the radar return signal at the underground drilling device to produce sensor data; and

transmitting the sensor data in a form suitable for reception by the aboveground locator.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein transmitting the sensor data comprises transmitting the sensor data to the above-ground locator via a wireless link.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein transmitting the sensor data comprises transmitting the sensor data to the above-ground locator via a hardwire link.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein transmitting the sensor data comprises transmitting the sensor data to the above-ground locator via (1) a hardwire link to a drilling machine to which the underground drilling device is coupled and (2) a wireless link from the drilling machine to the above-ground locator.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising displaying the sensor data at the above-ground locator.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising transmitting the sensor data from the above-ground locator to a drilling machine to which the underground drilling device is coupled.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising displaying the sensor data at the drilling machine.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the sensor data further comprises magnetometer data.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the sensor data further comprises accelerometer data.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein the sensor data further comprises gas sense data.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein the sensor data further comprises temperature data or pressure data.

28. The method of claim 17, further comprising detecting an object in proximity to the underground drilling device using the radar return signal.

29. The method of claim 17, further comprising detecting one or more geophysical characteristics of earth in proximity to the underground drilling device using the radar return signal.

30. The method of claim 17, wherein the sensor data represents at least partially processed radar return signal data.

31. The method of claim 17, wherein the sensor data represents substantially unprocessed radar return signal data.

32. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving data transmitted from the above-ground locator at the underground drilling device.