Bore location system and method of calibration

• US 6,854,535 B1
• Filed: 12/03/2002
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Merlin Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Merlin Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Mizuno, Morio
• Primary Examiner(s): Bagnell, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gay, Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US10/308,673
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 175/24, 175/40, 175/45, 175/62, 166/250.01, 166/225.1, 166/255.2, 340/853.3, 340/853.4, 340/853.6, 340/856.1, 340/856.3, 731/520.1, 731/524.3, 731/524.5, 731/524.6, 324/351, 324/369
• US Class Current: 175/62
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/024 of devices in the borehole determining slope or direction of the borehole E21B47/022

Abstract

A method for calibrating a pitch measurement of a horizontal underground bore location system includes providing a probe having a pitch sensor that measures deviation between a predetermined orientation and a measurement axis. A receiver has an antenna that detects a signal radiated by the probe and has receiver circuitry that detects the deviation from the received signal. A bore head is aligned with the predetermined orientation. The probe is placed in the bore head. The receiver detects the deviation when the bore head is aligned with the predetermined orientation. The receiver offsets deviation measurements thereafter detected from the probe by the measured deviation.

Claims

1. A method for calibrating a horizontal underground bore location system, said method comprising the steps of:

a. aligning a probe in a bore head, said probe having a pitch sensor that measures deviation between a first predetermined orientation and a measurement axis defined by the pitch sensor and having a transmitter that radiates an electromagnetic signal that carries the deviation measured by the pitch sensor, by aligning a longitudinal axis of the bore head with said first predetermined orientation and placing the probe into the bore head and aligning said measurement axis with said first predetermined orientation by adjusting the probe'"'"'s position in the bore head;

b. providing a receiver that receives the electromagnetic signal and detects said measured deviation;

c. aligning the receiver in a second predetermined orientation with respect to the probe;

d. measuring said deviation between said first predetermined orientation and said measurement axis in cooperation with adjusting the probe'"'"'s position in the bore head to minimize the deviation;

e. receiving, at the receiver, the electromagnetic signal radiated from the probe and deriving said deviation measured at step (d) therefrom; and

f. after minimizing the deviation, storing said deviation derived at step (e) in memory as a calibration error.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein said bore head is a boring head.

3. The method of claim 1, including, following step (t), offsetting deviation measurements thereafter detected by said receiver from said probe by said calibration error.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein the pitch sensor includes an accelerometer.

5. A method for calibrating a horizontal underground bore location system, said method comprising the steps of:

a. aligning a probe in a boring head, said probe having a pitch sensor that measures deviation between a first predetermined orientation and a measurement axis defined by the pitch sensor and having a transmitter that radiates an electromagnetic signal that carries the deviation measured by the pitch sensor;

b. aligning the probe in a second predetermined orientation with respect to a receiver;

c. measuring said deviation between said first predetermined orientation and said measurement axis;

d. receiving, at the receiver, the electromagnetic signal radiated from the probe and deriving said deviation measured at step (c) therefrom; and

e. storing said deviation derived at step (d) in memory as a calibration error.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein step (a) further includes aligning a longitudinal axis of the boring head with said first predetermined orientation.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein step (a) further includes placing the probe into the boring head and aligning said measurement axis with said first predetermined orientation.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the last-mentioned aligning step of step (a) includes adjusting the probe'"'"'s position in the boring head, while monitoring said deviation derived at step (d), until minimizing the monitored deviation.

9. The method of claim 5, including, following step (e), offsetting deviation measurements thereafter detected by said receiver from said probe by said calibration error.

10. The method as in claim 9, wherein the pitch sensor includes an accelerometer.

11. A method for calibrating a pitch measurement of a horizontal underground bore location system, said method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a probe having a pitch sensor that measures deviation between a predetermined orientation and a measurement axis defined by the pitch sensor and having a transmitter that outputs an electromagnetic signal that carries the deviation measured by the pitch sensor;

b. providing a receiver that detects the signal output by the probe and having receiver circuitry that derives said deviation from the detected signal;

c. aligning a bore head with the predetermined orientation;

d. placing the probe in the bore head and aligning the measurement axis with the predetermined orientation by adjusting the probe'"'"'s position in a cavity of the bore head; and

e. following step (d), causing the receiver to derive said deviation when the bore head is aligned with the predetermined orientation from step (c) and monitoring said deviation in cooperation with adjusting the probe'"'"'s position until the monitored deviation is minimized;

f. wherein, following step (e), the receiver offsets deviation measurements thereafter detected from the probe by the deviation measured at step (e).

12. The method as in claim 11, wherein the bore head is a boring head.

13. The method as in claim 11, wherein the pitch sensor includes an accelerometer.

14. The method as in claim 13, wherein the pitch sensor reacts to an acceleration force of 0.001 g or less.

15. The method as in claim 14, wherein the probe includes circuitry that derives said deviation from samples of an output signal from the accelerometer, wherein the probe circuitry samples the accelerometer at a rate of approximately 24 samples/second over at least a three second sampling period.

16. The method as in claim 11, wherein the predetermined orientation is horizontal.

17. A method for calibrating a pitch measurement of a horizontal underground bore location system, said method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a probe having a pitch sensor that measures deviation between horizontal and a measurement axis defined by the pitch sensor and having a transmitter that radiates an electromagnetic signal that carries the deviation measured by the pitch sensor;

b. providing a receiver having at least one antenna that derives the signal radiated by the probe and having receiver circuitry that derives said deviation from a signal output from the antenna;

c. aligning a bore head with the predetermined orientation;

d. placing the probe in the bore head and aligning the measurement axis with horizontal by adjusting the probe'"'"'s position in the bore head;

e. following step (d), causing the receiver to derive the pitch sensor'"'"'s deviation from horizontal when the bore head is aligned with horizontal from step (c) in cooperation with adjusting the probe'"'"'s position in the bore head to minimize the deviation; and

f. wherein, following step (e), the receiver offsets deviation measurements thereafter detected from the probe by the deviation measured at step (e).

18. A method for calibrating a pitch measurement of a horizontal underground bore location system, said method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a probe having a pitch sensor that measures deviation between a predetermined orientation and a measurement axis defined by the pitch sensor and having a transmitter that radiates an electromagnetic signal that carries the deviation measured by the pitch sensor, wherein the pitch sensor includes an accelerometer that reacts to an acceleration force of 0.001 g or less and wherein the probe includes circuitry that derives said deviation from samples of an output signal from the accelerometer at a resolution of at least 0.05 degrees;

b. providing a receiver having at least one antenna that derives the signal radiated by the probe and having receiver circuitry that derives said deviation from a signal output from the antenna;

c. aligning a boring head with the predetermined orientation;

d. placing the probe in the boring head and aligning the measurement axis with the predetermined orientation;

e. while monitoring said deviation derived by the receiver, adjusting the probe'"'"'s position in a cavity of the boring head until minimizing the monitored deviation; and

f. causing the receiver to detect the deviation minimized at step (e);

g. wherein, following step (f), the receiver offsets deviation measurements thereafter detected from the probe by the minimized deviation.

19. The method as in claim 18, wherein the predetermined orientation is horizontal.