Sensor system and method of communicating data between a downhole device on a remote location

• US 7,982,632 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2007
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Miller, Joseph A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong; Albert K
• Application Number:
  US11/743,373
• Publication Number:
  US 20070284098A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,539 Days
• Field of Search: 340/854.6, 375/254, 375/287, 375/317, 375/319, 166/250.01, 455/296
• US Class Current: 340/854.6
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/12 Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a sensor system having a sensor and at least one communication line operable with the sensor. The transmission medium is configured to convey data transmitted by the sensor to a remote location. The sensor transmits data on the communication line a plurality of times by at least two methods of transmission or modulation. Further disclosed herein is a method based on the foregoing. Further disclosed is a method of communicating by modifying a voltage amplitude of a signal and receiving the communication signal by employing a variable threshold detection circuit in the downhole device. Further disclosed is a system for communicating data between a downhole device and a remote location including a remote device for generating a communication signal, the remote device configured to modify a voltage amplitude of said communication signal.

Claims

1. A method of communicating data between a downhole device and a remote location comprising:

generating a communication signal at the remote location by modifying a voltage amplitude of said signal;

receiving said communication signal employing a variable addressing threshold circuit in the downhole device, wherein said variable addressing threshold circuit is configured to facilitate dynamic determination of a threshold voltage under varying conditions;

measuring voltage of said communication signal at said variable addressing threshold circuit; and

determining the threshold voltage based upon said measured voltage.

2. A method of communicating data between a downhole device and a remote location as claimed in claim 1 wherein said method further includes decoding said signal to recover said communication signal.

3. A method of communicating data between a downhole device and a remote location as claimed in claim 1 wherein said varying conditions include effects impressed on the communication signal by at least one of a configuration and an environmental parameter.

4. A method of communicating data between a downhole device and a remote location as claimed in claim 3 wherein said configuration and said environmental parameter include at least one of:

number of downhole devices connected, temperature, voltage amplitude produced, voltage frequency generated, downhole device current requirements, transmission medium characteristics, transmission medium construction, transmission medium length, transmission medium degradation and leakage in said transmission medium, leakage in transmission medium interconnects.

5. A method of communicating data between a downhole device and a remote location as claimed in claim 1 further including at least one of:

selecting a method of data transmission; and

selecting data transmission parameters.

6. A method of communicating data between a downhole device and a remote location as claimed in claim 5 wherein at least one of said selecting a method of data transmission and said selecting data transmission parameters is calculated to ensure that a transmitted communication signal is outside a noise impressed on said signal.

7. A method of communicating data between a downhole device and a remote location as claimed in claim 1 wherein said communication signal includes at least one of:

an address of a selected downhole device, a method of signal modulation for transmission, and a parameter that said device is to transmit to the remote location.

8. A method of communicating data between a downhole device and a remote location as claimed in claim 7 wherein said method of signal modulation includes at least one of frequency modulation, frequency shift keying, phase shift keying and spread spectrum.

9. A method of communicating data between a downhole device and a remote location as claimed in claim 1 wherein said method further includes transmitting data from said downhole device via a method dictated by said communication signal.

10. A method of communicating data between a downhole device and a remote location as claimed in claim 9 wherein said method of transmitting is by repeating the transmission a plurality of times at different frequencies.

11. A method of communicating data between a downhole device and a remote location as claimed in claim 10 wherein said method of transmitting is by repeating the transmission a plurality of times at different phases.

12. A method of communicating data between a downhole device and a remote location as claimed in claim 10 wherein said method of transmitting is by repeating the transmission a plurality of times by spread spectrum means.

16. A method of communicating data between a downhole device and a remote location as claimed in claim 1 wherein said communication signal includes at least one of:

an address of a selected downhole device, a method of signal modulation for transmission, and a parameter that said downhole device is to transmit to the remote device.

17. A method of communicating data between a downhole device and a remote location as claimed in claim 16 wherein said method of signal modulation includes at least one of frequency modulation, frequency shift keying, phase shift keying and spread spectrum.

19. A method of communicating data between a downhole device and a remote location as claimed in claim 1, further comprising transmitting said measured voltage from the downhole device to the remote location, wherein said remote location is configured to adjust an output voltage of said communication signal using said measured voltage so that said downhole device can discriminate said communication signal.

13. A system for communicating data between a downhole device and a remote location comprising:

a remote device for generating a communication signal, said remote device configured to modify a voltage amplitude of said communication signal;

a transmission medium in operable communication with said remote device;

a downhole device in operable communication with said transmission medium, said downhole device configured to receive said communication signal; and

wherein said downhole device includes a variable addressing threshold circuit to recover said communication signal, wherein said variable addressing threshold circuit is configured to facilitate dynamic determination of a threshold voltage under varying conditions, wherein said variable addressing threshold circuit is further configured to measure voltage of said communication signal at said variable addressing threshold circuit and to determine the voltage threshold based upon said measured voltage.

14. A system for communicating data between a downhole device and a remote location as claimed in claim 13 wherein said remote device is configured to facilitate at least one of:

selection of a method of data transmission; and

selection of data transmission parameters.

15. A system for communicating data between a downhole device and a remote location as claimed in claim 13 wherein at least one of said selection of a method of data transmission and said selection of data transmission parameters ensures that a transmitted communication signal is outside of a noise impressed on said signal.

18. A system for communicating data between a downhole device and a remote location as claimed in claim 13 wherein said downhole device is configured to transmit data to said remote location on said transmission medium in accordance with instructions.

20. A system for communicating data between a downhole device and a remote location as claimed in claim 13 wherein said variable addressing threshold circuit is further configured to transmit said measured voltage from the downhole device to the remote location, wherein said remote location is configured to adjust an output voltage of said communication signal using said measured voltage so that said downhole device can discriminate said communication signal.