Intelliserv, Inc.

Novell, Inc.

Intelliserv International Holding, Ltd

Monte L Johnson

David Baird Bartholomew

David R Hall

David S Pixton

Mark Stillings

H Tracy Hall

Roger O Koehler

Justin Moon

Joe R Fox

Jason C Flint

Michael Rawle

Mark Dakins

Lori Olson Gauthier

Troy Thomas

An apparatus in accordance with the invention includes, in one embodiment, a substantially planar recessed surface for mounting and retaining a component. The platform is configured to electrically couple the component to a transmission line at a non-end point thereof. An outer contour of the component does not exceed an outer contour of the platform, and the outer contour of the platform does not exceed an outer contour of the transmission line. The transmission line is configured to link to a downhole network, and the component is configured to affect a signal on the transmission line.

Platform for electrically coupling a component to a downhole transmission line

A transmission system in a downhole component comprises a plurality of data transmission elements. A coaxial cable having an inner conductor and an outer conductor is disposed within a passage in the downhole component such that at least one capacitor is disposed in the passage and having a first terminal coupled to the inner conductor and a second terminal coupled to the outer conductor. Preferably the transmission element comprises an electrically conducting coil. Preferably, within the passage a connector is adapted to electrically connect the inner conductor of the coaxial cable and the lead wire. The coaxial capacitor may be disposed between and in electrically communication with the connector and the passage. In another embodiment a connector is adapted to electrical connect a first and a second portion of the inner conductor of the coaxial cable and a coaxial capacitor is in electrical communication with the connector and the passage.

Downhole transmission system comprising a coaxial capacitor

A system for loading a hardware configuration into downhole configurable hardware includes a surface control unit in communication with a downhole tool string component over a downhole network. The surface control unit initially has the hardware configuration and transmits it through the downhole network to the configurable hardware. The hardware configuration is implemented in the configurable hardware. The configurable hardware is preferably an FPGA.

System for configuring hardware in a downhole tool

An apparatus and method for discovering and monitoring a collection of nodes in a downhole network may include receiving data packets originating from several downhole nodes. These packets may be read to extract a unique identifier and hop count for each of the nodes. This information may then be used to create entries in a network topology table corresponding to each of the downhole nodes. Each entry may contain unique identifier identifying the respective node, a hop count identifying a location of the node within the downhole network, and a direction identifier. The method may further include modifying one or more entries in the topology table having a conflicting hop count and direction identifier.

Directional topology discovery for downhole networks

An apparatus and method for discovering and monitoring a collection of nodes in a downhole network may include receiving data packets originating from several downhole nodes. These packets may be read to extract a unique identifier and hop count for each of the nodes. This information may then be used to create entries in a network topology table corresponding to each of the downhole nodes. Each entry may contain unique identifier identifying the respective node and a hop count identifying a location of the node within the downhole network. The apparatus and method may further include modifying one or more entries in the topology table having conflicting hop counts to ensure that the hop counts of each entry are unique.

Topology maintenance and discovery facility for downhole networks

Token authorized packet exchange between a plurality of store-and-forward nodes in a downhole networking environment and respective applications for data processing and communication are described herein.

Physically segmented logical token network

Token authorized node discovery between a plurality of store-and-forward nodes in a downhole networking environment and respective applications for data processing and communication are described herein.

Node discovery in physically segmented logical token network

A system for loading an executable code into volatile memory in a downhole tool string component comprises a surface control unit comprising executable code. An integrated downhole network comprises data transmission elements in communication with the surface control unit and the volatile memory. The executable code, stored in the surface control unit, is not permanently stored in the downhole tool string component. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the downhole tool string component comprises boot memory. In another embodiment, the executable code is an operating system executable code. Preferably, the volatile memory comprises random access memory (RAM). A method for loading executable code to volatile memory in a downhole tool string component comprises sending the code from the surface control unit to a processor in the downhole tool string component over the network. A central processing unit writes the executable code in the volatile memory.

System for loading executable code into volatile memory in a downhole tool

A precise downhole clock that compensates for drift includes a prescaler configured to receive electrical pulses from an oscillator. The prescaler is configured to output a series of clock pulses. The prescaler outputs each clock pulse after counting a preloaded number of electrical pulses from the oscillator. The prescaler is operably connected to a compensator module for adjusting the number loaded into the prescaler. By adjusting the number that is loaded into the prescaler, the timing may be advanced or retarded to more accurately synchronize the clock pulses with a reference time source. The compensator module is controlled by a counter-based trigger module configured to trigger the compensator module to load a value into the prescaler. Finally, a time-base logic module is configured to calculate the drift of the downhole clock by comparing the time of the downhole clock with a reference time source.

Apparatus and method for compensating for clock drift in downhole drilling components

A method and apparatus for use in assessing down-hole drilling conditions are disclosed. The apparatus includes a drill string, a plurality of sensors, a computing device, and a down-hole network. The sensors are distributed along the length of the drill string and are capable of sensing localized down-hole conditions while drilling. The computing device is coupled to at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors. The data is transmitted from the sensors to the computing device over the down-hole network. The computing device analyzes data output by the sensors and representative of the sensed localized conditions to assess the down-hole drilling conditions. The method includes sensing localized drilling conditions at a plurality of points distributed along the length of a drill string during drilling operations; transmitting data representative of the sensed localized conditions to a predetermined location; and analyzing the transmitted data to assess the down-hole drilling conditions.

Method and apparatus of assessing down-hole drilling conditions

A method and system for use in synchronizing at least two clocks in a downhole network are disclosed. The method comprises determining a total signal latency between a controlling processing element and at least one downhole processing element in a downhole network and sending a synchronizing time over the downhole network to the at least one downhole processing element adjusted for the signal latency. Electronic time stamps may be used to measure latency between processing elements. A system for electrically synchronizing at least two clocks connected to a downhole network comprises a controlling processing element connected to a synchronizing clock in communication over a downhole network with at least one downhole processing element comprising at least one downhole clock. Preferably, the downhole network is integrated into a downhole tool string.

Method and system for downhole clock synchronization

A method for triggering an action of at least one downhole device on a downhole network integrated into a downhole tool string synchronized to an event comprises determining latency, sending a latency adjusted signal, and performing the action. The latency is determined between a control device and the at least one downhole device. The latency adjusted signal for triggering an action is sent to the downhole device. The action is performed downhole synchronized to the event. A preferred method for determining latency comprises the steps: a control device sends a first signal to the downhole device; after receiving the signal, the downhole device sends a response signal to the control device; and the control device analyzes the time from sending the signal to receiving the response signal.

Method for triggering an action

A system and method separate the order in which event handlers register from the order in which the event handlers are notified of events. This allows any convenient registration order to be used together with a notification order that corresponds to a network architecture, a memory hierarchy, or another familiar scale. The notification order is determined by the event producers, and therefore may be reversed without re-registering the event handlers. Events may be broadcast, may carry data between event handlers, and may be consumed to prevent further notifications.

Growing community of inventors

Orem, UT, United States of America

Monte L Johnson