System and method for charging a capacitor used to power measurement-while-drilling equipment
First Claim
1. A system for charging a capacitor used to power measurement-while-drilling equipment, the system comprising:
- (a) a power bus and the capacitor, wherein the capacitor is electrically connected to the power bus and wherein the measurement-while-drilling equipment is electrically connected to the power bus when powered by the capacitor;
(b) a first pair of battery terminals for connecting to a first battery;
(c) a second pair of battery terminals for connecting to a second battery and electrically connected in parallel to the first pair of battery terminals;
(d) first switching circuitry operable in a closed state to electrically connect the power bus to the first pair of battery terminals and in an open state to disconnect the power bus from the first pair of battery terminals, and second switching circuitry operable in a closed state to electrically connect the power bus to the second pair of battery terminals and in an open state to disconnect the power bus from the second pair of battery terminals independently from the first pair of battery terminals; and
(e) a controller configured to alternate between;
(i) only charging the capacitor using the first battery by electrically connecting the first pair of battery terminals to the power bus by operating the first switching circuitry in the closed state and electrically disconnecting the second pair of battery terminals from the power bus by operating the second switching circuitry in the open state, wherein durations for which the power bus is connected to the first pair of battery terminals are selected such that the voltage of the first battery remains above a first minimum operating voltage while the capacitor is being charged by the first battery; and
(ii) only charging the capacitor using the second battery by electrically connecting the second pair of battery terminals to the power bus by operating the second switching circuitry in the closed state and electrically disconnecting the first pair of battery terminals from the power bus by operating the first switching circuitry in the open state, wherein durations for which the power bus is connected to the second pair of battery terminals are selected such that the voltage of the second battery remains above a second minimum operating voltage while the capacitor is being charged by the second battery.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for charging a capacitor used to power measurement-while-drilling equipment includes a power bus, which is electrically connected to the capacitor; a first pair of battery terminals; switching circuitry for electrically connecting the power bus to and disconnecting the power bus from the first pair of battery terminals; and a controller, for controlling the switching circuitry, which is configured to charge the capacitor by applying a first pulse width modulated control signal to control the switching circuitry. The first pulse width modulated control signal has a duty cycle selected such that the voltage of the first battery remains above a first minimum operating voltage while the capacitor is being charged.
10 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A system for charging a capacitor used to power measurement-while-drilling equipment, the system comprising:
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(a) a power bus and the capacitor, wherein the capacitor is electrically connected to the power bus and wherein the measurement-while-drilling equipment is electrically connected to the power bus when powered by the capacitor; (b) a first pair of battery terminals for connecting to a first battery; (c) a second pair of battery terminals for connecting to a second battery and electrically connected in parallel to the first pair of battery terminals; (d) first switching circuitry operable in a closed state to electrically connect the power bus to the first pair of battery terminals and in an open state to disconnect the power bus from the first pair of battery terminals, and second switching circuitry operable in a closed state to electrically connect the power bus to the second pair of battery terminals and in an open state to disconnect the power bus from the second pair of battery terminals independently from the first pair of battery terminals; and (e) a controller configured to alternate between; (i) only charging the capacitor using the first battery by electrically connecting the first pair of battery terminals to the power bus by operating the first switching circuitry in the closed state and electrically disconnecting the second pair of battery terminals from the power bus by operating the second switching circuitry in the open state, wherein durations for which the power bus is connected to the first pair of battery terminals are selected such that the voltage of the first battery remains above a first minimum operating voltage while the capacitor is being charged by the first battery; and (ii) only charging the capacitor using the second battery by electrically connecting the second pair of battery terminals to the power bus by operating the second switching circuitry in the closed state and electrically disconnecting the first pair of battery terminals from the power bus by operating the first switching circuitry in the open state, wherein durations for which the power bus is connected to the second pair of battery terminals are selected such that the voltage of the second battery remains above a second minimum operating voltage while the capacitor is being charged by the second battery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for charging a capacitor used to power measurement-while-drilling equipment, the method comprising alternating between:
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(a) only charging the capacitor using a first battery by electrically connecting the first battery to a power bus by closing first switching circuitry and electrically disconnecting a second battery from the power bus by opening second switching circuitry, wherein durations for which the capacitor and the first battery are electrically connected are selected such that first battery voltage remains above a first minimum operating voltage while the capacitor is being charged by the first battery, and wherein the measurement-while-drilling equipment and the capacitor are electrically connected when the measurement-while-drilling equipment is powered by the capacitor; and (b) only charging the capacitor using the second battery by electrically connecting the second battery to the power bus by closing the second switching circuitry and electrically disconnecting the first battery from the power bus by opening the first switching circuitry, wherein durations for which the capacitor and the second battery are electrically connected are selected such that the voltage of the second battery remains above a second minimum operating voltage while the capacitor is being charged by the second battery. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A non-transitory computer readable medium having encoded thereon statements and instructions configured to cause a controller to perform a method for charging a capacitor used to power measurement-while-drilling equipment and that is located within a measurement-while-drilling tool, the method comprising alternating between:
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(a) only charging the capacitor using a first battery by electrically connecting the first battery to a power bus by closing first switching circuitry and electrically disconnecting a second battery from the power bus by opening second switching circuitry, wherein durations for which the capacitor and the first battery are electrically connected are selected such that first battery voltage remains above a first minimum operating voltage while the capacitor is being charged by the first battery, and wherein the measurement-while-drilling equipment and the capacitor are electrically connected when the measurement-while-drilling equipment is powered by the capacitor; and (b) only charging the capacitor using the second battery by electrically connecting the second battery to the power bus by closing the second switching circuitry and electrically disconnecting the first battery from the power bus by opening the first switching circuitry, wherein durations for which the capacitor and the second battery are electrically connected are selected such that the voltage of the second battery remains above a second minimum operating voltage while the capacitor is being charged by the second battery.
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Specification