Advanced inground device power control and associated methods

• US 9,425,619 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Merlin Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Merlin Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Chau, Albert W., Phillips, Scott, Medeiros, Benjamin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Amrany, Adi
• Application Number:
  US14/214,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20140265619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 307/150, 307/154
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/00 Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 44/005 Below-ground automatic control systems
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/01 Devices for supporting measuring instruments on drill bits, pipes, rods or wirelines; Protecting measuring instruments in boreholes against heat, shock, pressure or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/024 of devices in the borehole determining slope or direction of the borehole E21B47/022
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/09 Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wells , e.g. the position of an extending arm; Identifying the free or blocked portions of pipes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/125 using earth as an electrical conductor by electromagnetic energy E21B47/13
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/13 by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/046 horizontal drilling drilling with mechanical conveying means E21B7/003
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/00 Circuit arrangements for dc mains or dc distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices

Abstract

A transmitter is powered by a regulated battery voltage and is installable in one of a plurality of different housings, each housing is characterized by a different design and each can form part of an inground tool for performing an inground operation in which a drill string extends from a drill rig to the inground tool. An antenna driver drives an antenna based on the regulated voltage to emanate an electromagnetic signal for remote reception. A controller limits power consumption from the regulated voltage so as not to exceed a power consumption threshold, irrespective of installation of the transmitter in any one of the housings when the transmitter would otherwise exhibit a different power consumption for each housing design. A corresponding method is described. Features relating to power consumption threshold modification based on temperature as well as mechanical shock and vibration are described.

Claims

1. A transmitter that is powered by a battery and is receivable in each one of a plurality of different housings each of which housings is characterized by a different housing design and each of which forms part of an inground tool for performing an inground operation in which a drill string extends from a drill rig to the inground tool, said transmitter comprising:

a regulator for generating a regulated voltage from said battery;

an antenna driver powered from the regulated voltage for electrically driving an antenna to emanate an electromagnetic signal for remote reception based on power consumption from the regulator; and

a controller that monitors the power consumption and selectively limits the power consumption based on at least one power consumption threshold while continuing to drive the antenna to emanate the electromagnetic signal, when the transmitter is installed in one of the plurality of housings where the transmitter would otherwise exhibit a different power consumption that exceeds the power consumption threshold when so installed based on each housing design exhibiting a different housing-attributable signal attenuation of the electromagnetic signal.

2. The transmitter of claim 1 wherein the controller responds to a manually entered setting to specify the power consumption threshold for limiting the power consumption.

3. The transmitter of claim 1 wherein the controller automatically limits the power consumption.

4. The transmitter of claim 1 wherein said controller automatically measures the power consumption of the transmitter after stabilization following power-up.

5. The transmitter of claim 4 wherein said controller to adjusts the power consumption of the transmitter in response to the measurement thereof so as not to exceed the power consumption threshold.

6. The transmitter of claim 1 wherein the power consumption threshold is 0.5 Watt.

7. The transmitter of claim 1 forming part of an inground electronics package which further comprises a receiver that initiates transmission of said electromagnetic signal responsive to receiving an instruction and subsequent measurement of the power consumption.

8. The transmitter of claim 1 wherein said controller is configured for measuring measures the power consumption of the transmitter and initiating a calibration procedure responsive to detecting that the power consumption is less than the power consumption threshold.

9. The transmitter of claim 1 wherein said controller is configured for measuring the power consumption of the transmitter and decreasing the power consumption responsive to detecting that the power consumption is greater than the power consumption threshold.

10. The transmitter of claim 9 wherein said controller is configured for iteratively measuring the power consumption of the transmitter and adjusting the power consumption until the power consumption converges on the power consumption threshold.

11. The transmitter of claim 10 wherein said controller is configured to transmit a data packet that indicates a new power level after adjusting the power consumption.

12. The transmitter of claim 9 wherein said controller is configured for adjusting the power consumption by adjusting a duty cycle of the electromagnetic signal.

13. The transmitter of claim 9 wherein said controller is configured for adjusting the power consumption by adjusting a gain of the antenna driver.

14. The transmitter of claim 1 further comprising:

a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of the transmitter and wherein said controller is further configured for adjusting the power consumption threshold based on the temperature.

15. The transmitter of claim 14 wherein said controller is configured for reducing the power consumption threshold responsive to detecting that the temperature is at or below a temperature threshold.

16. The transmitter of claim 15 wherein said temperature threshold is 0°

C.

17. The transmitter of claim 15 wherein the temperature threshold is represented by a function that varies with temperature.

18. The transmitter of claim 1 further comprising:

an accelerometer for generating accelerometer readings responsive to mechanical shock and vibration of the inground tool and wherein said controller is configured for changing the power consumption threshold based on the accelerometer readings.

19. A method for operating a transmitter that is powered by a battery and configured for installation in one of a plurality of different housings, each of which housings is characterized by a different housing design and each of which can form part of an inground tool for performing an inground operation in which a drill string extends from a drill rig to the inground tool, said method comprising:

generating a regulated voltage from said battery;

electrically driving an antenna using power consumption from the regulated voltage to emanate an electromagnetic signal from the transmitter for remote reception; and

monitoring the power consumption and, responsive thereto, limiting power consumption of the transmitter from the regulated voltage while continuing to drive the antenna to emanate the electromagnetic signal based on a power consumption threshold, when the transmitter is installed in any one of the plurality of housings when the transmitter would otherwise exhibit a different power consumption that exceeds the power consumption threshold when so installed based on each housing design exhibiting a different housing-attributable signal attenuation of the electromagnetic signal.