Phase shifted locating signal as compensation for a coupling configuration phase shift in discriminating a false locating signal

• US 7,586,308 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2008
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Merlin Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Merlin Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Mercer, John E., Chau, Albert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patidar; Jay M
• Application Number:
  US12/137,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20080246482A1
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• Field of Search: 324 66- 67, 324326-329, 324/225
• US Class Current: 324/326
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/08 operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices with electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/12 operating with electromagnetic waves operating with millimetre waves G01V8/005
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/165 operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by the object or by the detecting device with electromagnetic waves G01V3/17
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/17 operating with electromagnetic waves operating with millimetre waves G01V8/005

Abstract

When a first cable is driven at a locating signal frequency to emit a locating signal, the locating signal can be coupled to a second cable to cause the second cable to generate a false locating signal. As part of discriminating the false signal from the locating signal, the locating signal is generated at the locating signal frequency and phase shifted to produce a phase shifted locating signal frequency. A reference signal is impressed with the phase shifted locating signal frequency. A coupling configuration couples the locating signal frequency onto the first cable to generate the locating signal subject to a coupling configuration phase shift. The phase shifted locating signal, as part of the reference signal, can compensate for the coupling configuration phase shift in the locating signal as emitted by the first cable.

Claims

1. For use in a region which contains at least first and second in-ground cables, each of which cables includes an electrically conductive component such that, when the first cable is driven at a locating signal frequency to emit a locating signal in an electromagnetic form, the locating signal can be coupled to the second cable in a way which causes the second cable to generate a false locating signal in electromagnetic form, as part of an overall procedure for discriminating between the locating signal and the false locating signal, a method, comprising:

generating said locating signal frequency;

phase shifting the locating signal frequency by a given phase shift to produce a phase shifted locating signal frequency;

producing a reference signal and impressing the phase shifted locating signal frequency thereon, to provide for distinguishing between the locating signal and the false locating signal; and

using a coupling configuration, coupling the locating signal frequency onto the first cable to generate the locating signal in a way which subjects the locating signal frequency to a coupling configuration phase shift such that the phase shifted locating frequency, as part of the reference signal subsequent to a transfer thereof, can compensate for the coupling configuration phase shift of the locating signal frequency in the locating signal as emitted by the first cable.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said locating signal frequency is at least approximately in a fixed phase relationship with said locating signal and including distinguishing between the locating signal and the false locating signal based, at least in part, on said fixed phase relationship.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said fixed phase relationship is of a known magnitude and phase angle in relationship to said locating signal frequency.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said coupling configuration is further configured for driving said locating signal onto the first cable using inductive coupling such that the coupling configuration phase shift is at least approximately 90 degrees and including configuring the phase shifter to produce the given phase shift at least approximately at 90 degrees such that the phase shifted locating frequency and the locating signal are at least approximately in phase.

5. The method of claim 1 including transferring the reference signal to the coupling configuration and configuring said coupling configuration for driving the locating signal onto said first cable along with the reference signal in which the phase shifted locating signal frequency serves as a modulation envelope that is subject to the coupling configuration phase shift such that the first cable emits the reference signal having a phase shifted modulation envelope which phase shifted modulation envelope is essentially identical to the modulation envelope of the reference signal prior to being subjected to the coupling configuration phase shift.

6. The method of claim 1 including producing said reference signal to include a carrier frequency that is modulated by said phase shifted locating signal frequency.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein producing includes generating a ratio of the carrier frequency to the locating signal frequency of at least 5.

8. The method of claim 6 including generating the locating signal frequency in a range from approximately 1 Hz to 80 KHz and the carrier frequency in a range from approximately 10 Hz to 300 KHz.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said phase shifting produces said given phase shift based on a phase shift between the locating signal and the false locating signal that is in quadrature.

10. The method of claim 1 including configuring a single telemetry arrangement for sending the reference signal to a receiver which forms part of the overall system.

11. The method of claim 10 including configuring said telemetry arrangement to modulate an RF carrier with said reference signal and to transmit the RF carrier above ground for reception by said receiver.