Common interface architecture for horizontal directional drilling machines and walk-over guidance systems
First Claim
1. A system for boring a horizontal borehole with a drill rig, comprising:
- a drill bit having a steering characteristic;
a sonde configured to measure a rotational orientation of the drill bit, wherein the sonde is configured to couple with the drill bit in a random rotary position relative to the steering characteristic of the drill bit;
calibration circuitry configured to output a calibrated signal based on the measured rotational orientation that indicates the rotational orientation of the steering characteristic, the calibration circuitry configured to account for a difference between the rotational orientation of the sonde and the rotational orientation of the steering characteristic of the drill bit in outputting the calibrated signal; and
a display device configured to indicate a rotational orientation of the steering characteristic of the drill bit based on the calibrated signal.
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Abstract
A system and method of interfacing a drilling machine with one of a number of different walk-over guidance systems involves receiving an ID signal from a particular walk-over guidance system selected for use with the drilling machine. A protocol library associated with the particular walk-over guidance system is accessed in response to the ID signal. The protocol library is used to effect communication between the particular walk-over guidance system and a control system of the drilling machine during cooperative use of the particular walk-over guidance system and drilling machine. Using the protocol library involves converting, as prescribed by the protocol library, locator signals received from the particular walk-over guidance system from a locator protocol to a common protocol used by the control system of the drilling machine. Locator and drilling machine data of various types can be presented to a drilling machine operator via an on-board display.
57 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for boring a horizontal borehole with a drill rig, comprising:
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a drill bit having a steering characteristic; a sonde configured to measure a rotational orientation of the drill bit, wherein the sonde is configured to couple with the drill bit in a random rotary position relative to the steering characteristic of the drill bit; calibration circuitry configured to output a calibrated signal based on the measured rotational orientation that indicates the rotational orientation of the steering characteristic, the calibration circuitry configured to account for a difference between the rotational orientation of the sonde and the rotational orientation of the steering characteristic of the drill bit in outputting the calibrated signal; and a display device configured to indicate a rotational orientation of the steering characteristic of the drill bit based on the calibrated signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of representing a steering characteristic of a drill bit in horizontal directional drilling, comprising:
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measuring a rotational orientation of a drill bit using a sonde, the drill bit having a steering characteristic and the sonde coupled with the drill bit in a random rotary position relative to the steering characteristic of the drill bit; calibrating the measured rotational orientation to account for a difference between the rotational orientation of the sonde and the rotational orientation of the steering characteristic of the drill bit; outputting a calibrated signal based on the calibration that indicates the rotational orientation of the steering characteristic, receiving the calibrated signal; and representing the rotational orientation of the steering characteristic on a display based on the calibrated signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for representing a steering characteristic of a drill bit on a display in horizontal directional drilling, comprising:
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a drill bit having a steering characteristic; means for measuring a rotational orientation of the drill bit from a random rotary position relative to the steering characteristic of the drill bit; and means for calibrating the measurement to account for a difference between the random rotary position from which the rotational orientation of the drill bit is measured and the steering characteristic of the drill bit in representing the rotational orientation of the steering characteristic on the display.
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Specification