Downlinking communication system and method using signal transition detection
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for transmitting a command from a surface location to a bottom hole assembly located in a borehole, the method comprising:
- (a) pumping drilling fluid downhole through a drill string to the bottom hole assembly;
(b) changing a flow rate of the drilling fluid to encode a downlinking signal, the downlinking signal including at least a synchronization phase and a command phase, each of the synchronization phase and the command phase including at least one distinct pulse;
(c) detecting the downlinking signal at the bottom hole assembly;
(d) causing a downhole controller to differentiate the downlinking signal;
(e) causing the downhole controller to decode the synchronization phase to determine at least one of a bit length and a duration of the command phase; and
(f) causing the downhole controller to decode the command phase to determine the command based on at least one of the bit length and the duration determined in (e).
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Abstract
A downlinking signal is transmitted downhole from the surface using drilling fluid as the communications medium. The downlinking signal includes at least a synchronization phase and a command phase. The downlinking signal is differentiated upon reception such that attributes of the synchronization phase may be used to determine corresponding attributes of the command phase. Commands may be transmitted downhole while drilling and simultaneously while using mud-pulse telemetry uplinking techniques.
46 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for transmitting a command from a surface location to a bottom hole assembly located in a borehole, the method comprising:
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(a) pumping drilling fluid downhole through a drill string to the bottom hole assembly; (b) changing a flow rate of the drilling fluid to encode a downlinking signal, the downlinking signal including at least a synchronization phase and a command phase, each of the synchronization phase and the command phase including at least one distinct pulse; (c) detecting the downlinking signal at the bottom hole assembly; (d) causing a downhole controller to differentiate the downlinking signal; (e) causing the downhole controller to decode the synchronization phase to determine at least one of a bit length and a duration of the command phase; and (f) causing the downhole controller to decode the command phase to determine the command based on at least one of the bit length and the duration determined in (e). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for communicating at least one command from a surface location to a bottom hole assembly located in a borehole, the system comprising:
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a pump for pumping drilling fluid from the surface through a drill string to the bottom hole assembly; a flow control apparatus for controlling a flow rate of the drilling fluid, the flow rate encoding a downlinking signal, the downlinking signal including at least a synchronization phase and a command phase, each of the synchronization phase and the command phase including at least one distinct flow rate pulse; a downhole detector configured to detect the downlinking signal; and a downhole controller configured to decode the downlinking signal, the downhole controller configured to (i) differentiate the downlinking signal, (ii) decode the synchronization phase to determine at least one of a bit length and a duration of the command phase and (iii) decode the command phase to determine the command. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification