# US 10,119,390 B2 · Remote tool position and tool status indication > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,119,390 B2 - Document ID: US10119390B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/036,616 - Filed: 2014-01-22 - Published: 2016-09-15 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-01-22 - Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Applicants: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Inventors: Joshua Max Hornsby - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119390B2 ## CPC - 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 - E21B 47/00: Survey of boreholes or wells (monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid E21B21/08) - E21B 47/13: by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency - E21B 47/16: through the drill string or casing {, e.g. by torsional acoustic waves} - G01V 1/44: using generators and receivers in the same well (G01V1/52 takes precedence) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) ## Abstract A system is described that is positionable downhole in wellbore for determining a parameter of a downhole tool. The system includes a tubing subassembly and a signal generator positioned in the tubing subassembly for outputting, in response to being covered or uncovered by a detectable portion of a downhole tool, a detectable signal for determining a parameter of the downhole tool. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system positionable downhole in wellbore, the system comprising: a tubing subassembly; an acoustic sensor that is operable to detect sound waves reflected from an actuatable member or detectable portion of a downhole tool; and an acoustic signal generator positioned in a compartment of the tubing subassembly for (i) receiving a signal from the acoustic sensor that indicates that the signal generator is uncovered by the actuatable member or detectable portion of the downhole tool and (ii) responsively outputting a detectable signal usable to determine a parameter of the downhole tool in response to the signal from the acoustic sensor; wherein the parameter of the downhole tool includes a first parameter and a second parameter, the first parameter indicates the downhole tool is in a set state or a released state and the second parameter indicates the downhole tool is in a locked state or an unlocked state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic signal generator includes one or more signal generators in the tubing subassembly, at least one signal generator being operable for outputting, in response to being covered or uncovered by the actuatable member or detectable portion of the downhole tool, a second detectable signal that is different than the detectable signal to determine a change in the parameter or to determine the second parameter of the downhole tool. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: the acoustic signal generator includes the acoustic sensor for detecting being covered or uncovered by the detectable portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the acoustic sensor is a sonar sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 additionally comprising a repeating element located between the acoustic signal generator and a control rig. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, additionally comprising a memory, wherein the detectable signal is a log entry in the memory. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: the acoustic signal generator includes the acoustic sensor for detecting being covered or uncovered by the actuatable member or detectable portion; the downhole tool is a separate part from the tubing subassembly; the compartment is positioned such that the detectable portion uncovers the compartment and the acoustic sensor when the downhole tool is in the set state; and wherein the acoustic signal generator is operable for outputting an acoustic signal into a wellbore environment. ### Claim 8 A downhole notification method comprising: detecting an acoustical detection event by an acoustic sensor that is operable to detect sound waves reflected from an actuatable member or detectable portion of a downhole tool, the acoustic sensor communicatively coupled to an acoustic signal generator positioned within a compartment in a tubing subassembly, the acoustical detection event corresponding to an uncovering of the acoustic signal generator by the actuatable member or detectable portion of the downhole tool; and generating a detectable signal, by the acoustic signal generator usable to determine a parameter of the downhole tool, in response to receiving a signal from the acoustic sensor, the signal indicating the acoustic sensor detected the acoustical detection event; wherein the parameter of the downhole tool includes a first parameter and a second parameter, the first parameter indicates the downhole tool is in a set state or a released state and the second parameter indicates the downhole tool is in a locked state or an unlocked state. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the acoustic signal generator includes one or more acoustic signal generators, additionally comprising: detecting a second detection event by the acoustic sensor corresponding to at least one acoustic signal generator being covered or uncovered by the actuatable member or detectable portion; and generating a second detectable signal that is different than the detectable signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the acoustic signal generator is positioned such that the detectable signal correlates to the set state of the downhole tool or the release state of the downhole tool and the locked state of the downhole tool or the unlocked state of the downhole tool. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein: the acoustic signal generator includes the acoustic sensor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the acoustic sensor is a sonar sensor and the detecting is performed by sonar. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the detectable signal includes information indicative of an identification of the acoustic signal generator, a location of the acoustic signal generator, or state of the downhole tool. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, additionally comprising: logging the acoustical detection event in a memory. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, additionally comprising: relaying the detectable signal through a repeater to a control rig. ### Claim 16 A system positionable downhole in wellbore, the system comprising: a tubing subassembly having a compartment; an acoustic signal generator, for determining a parameter of a downhole tool, the acoustic signal generator including a signal generation device and an acoustic sensor that is operable to detect sound waves reflected from an actuatable member or detectable portion of the downhole tool; wherein: the acoustic sensor is positioned in the compartment for detecting the compartment being uncovered by the actuatable member or detectable portion of the downhole tool; the signal generation device is operatively coupled to the acoustic sensor for (i) receiving a signal from the acoustic sensor that indicates that the compartment with the acoustic sensor is uncovered by the actuatable member or detectable portion of the downhole tool and (ii) responsively generating an acoustic signal or an electrical signal usable to determine the parameter of the downhole tool; and the parameter of the downhole tool includes a first parameter and a second parameter, the first parameter indicates the downhole tool is in a set state or a released state, and the second parameter indicates the downhole tool is in a locked state or an unlocked state. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein: the tubing subassembly is a tubing string; the compartment includes an opening to an outer diameter of the tubing string; the actuatable member or detectable portion is a portion of the downhole tool locatable about the outer diameter of the tubing string; and the acoustic sensor is located such that it is coverable by the downhole tool when the downhole tool is in a released position.