Mining drill with gradient sensing
First Claim
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1. A drill for excavating a bore in the earth, the drill comprising:
- a steerable boring tool configured to excavate a bore;
a plurality of sensors coupled to the boring tool, wherein the sensors are spaced apart from one another at a plurality of azimuthal locations around the steerable boring tool and wherein the sensors are configured to detect a mineral property in the earth adjacent the steerable boring tool; and
a controller coupled to the plurality of sensors, the controller configured to determine a sensor value-function associated with each of the plurality of sensors where each sensor value-function includes the mineral property detected by the associated sensor as an input, compare the sensor value-functions, determine a locally preferred drilling direction in response to the comparison, and provide an output indicative of the locally preferred drilling direction to the steerable boring tool to steer the steerable boring tool in the locally preferred drilling direction.
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Abstract
A drill for excavating a bore in the earth includes a steerable boring tool configured to excavate a bore and sensors coupled to the boring tool. The sensors are spaced apart from one another at multiple azimuthal locations around the steerable boring tool and the sensors are configured to detect a mineral property in the earth adjacent the steerable boring tool.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A drill for excavating a bore in the earth, the drill comprising:
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a steerable boring tool configured to excavate a bore; a plurality of sensors coupled to the boring tool, wherein the sensors are spaced apart from one another at a plurality of azimuthal locations around the steerable boring tool and wherein the sensors are configured to detect a mineral property in the earth adjacent the steerable boring tool; and a controller coupled to the plurality of sensors, the controller configured to determine a sensor value-function associated with each of the plurality of sensors where each sensor value-function includes the mineral property detected by the associated sensor as an input, compare the sensor value-functions, determine a locally preferred drilling direction in response to the comparison, and provide an output indicative of the locally preferred drilling direction to the steerable boring tool to steer the steerable boring tool in the locally preferred drilling direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A drill for excavating a bore in the earth, the drill comprising:
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a steerable boring tool configured to excavate a bore; a sensor coupled to the steerable boring tool, the sensor configured to be rotatable among a plurality of azimuthal positions relative to the steerable boring tool to detect a mineral property in the earth adjacent the steerable boring tool at each of the azimuthal positions; and a controller coupled to the sensor, the controller configured to determine an azimuthal position value-function associated with each of the azimuthal positions where each azimuthal position value-function includes the mineral property detected by the sensor at the associated azimuthal position as an input, compare the azimuthal position value-functions and determine a locally preferred drilling direction in response to the comparison, and provide an output indicative of the locally preferred drilling direction to the steerable boring tool to steer the steerable boring tool in the locally preferred drilling direction.
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27. A method of steering a boring tool to follow a mineral deposit, the method comprising:
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detecting a mineral property in the earth adjacent a boring tool at a plurality of azimuthal positions about the boring tool; determining an azimuthal position value-function associated with each of the azimuthal positions, wherein each azimuthal position value-function includes the mineral property detected at the associated azimuthal position as an input; comparing the azimuthal position value-functions; determining a laterally dependent value-function in response to the comparison of the azimuthal position value-functions; determining a preferred drilling direction in response to the laterally dependent value-function; and steering the boring tool in the preferred drilling direction.
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Specification