Downhole switch and communication protocol
AssigneeAcuity Technical Designs, LLC
InventorsRoger Jackson, Brian Keith Roper, Todd K. Roper
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system includes a surface device, preferably positioned on a surface, a downhole device, and a wireline communications system. A downlink communication between the surface device and the downhole device occurs via Hopped Frequency Shift Keying (HFSK) voltage-modulated signals. An optional uplink communication between the downhole device and the surface device may occur via Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) current-modulated signals. The downhole device may comprise an addressable switch.
Claims16
An addressable switch positioned in a first downhole device, wherein the addressable switch comprises:
- an electrical input and an electrical output, the electrical input being configured to communicate with a surface controller when a unique address is received by the electrical input from the surface controller;
- and
- a downstream switch configured to connect or disconnect the electrical input to the electrical output when the unique address is received by the electrical input;
- a safety circuitry;
- a processor in electrical communication with the downstream switch and the safety circuitry, the processor being configured to send a signal to the safety circuitry to arm a detonator,
- wherein a downlink communication between the surface controller and the electrical input occurs via Hopped Frequency Shift Keying (HFSK) voltage-modulated signals, and
- wherein the addressable switch is configured to transition between a connecting state and a blocking state in response to a first command from the surface controller, and
- when the addressable switch is in the connecting state, and a second addressable switch positioned in a second downhole device is in the blocking state, the surface controller is configured to exclusively communicate with the second downhole device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.