Macro assisted control system and method for a horizontal directional drilling machine
AssigneeVermeer Manufacturing Company
InventorHans Kelpe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method provide for controlling an HDD machine to move a cutting tool along an underground path in accordance with a pre-established bore plan. Cutting tool movement is detected from above-ground. During HDD machine operation, one or more control programs are accessed. Each of the control programs can cause the HDD machine to execute a sequence of pre-defined HDD machine actions. A particular control program of the one or more control programs is executed to augment movement of a drill pipe or the cutting tool.
Claims57
A method of controlling a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) machine having a cutting tool coupled to a drill pipe, comprising:
- controlling the HDD machine to move the cutting tool along an underground path in accordance with a pre-established bore plan;
- detecting, from above-ground, cutting tool movement;
- accessing, during HDD machine operation, one or more control programs, each of the control programs causing the HDD machine to execute a sequence of pre-defined HDD machine actions;
- and
- executing a particular control program of the one or more control programs to augment movement of the drill pipe or cutting tool.
A system for controlling a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) machine having a cutting tool coupled to a drill pipe, comprising:
- an above-ground locator;
- a user interface comprising a user input device;
- and
- a controller, communicatively coupled to the user interface, configured to control the HDD machine to move the cutting tool along an underground path in accordance with a pre-established bore plan, the controller, during HDD machine operation, accessing one or more control programs each causing the HDD machine to execute a sequence of pre-defined HDD machine actions, the controller executing a particular control program of the one or more control programs to augment movement of the drill pipe or cutting tool.
A system for controlling a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) machine having a cutting tool coupled to a drill pipe, comprising:
- means for controlling the HDD machine to move the cutting tool along an underground path in accordance with a pre-established bore plan;
- means for detecting cutting tool movement from above-ground;
- means for accessing, during HDD machine operation, one or more control programs, each of the control programs causing the HDD machine to execute a sequence of pre-defined HDD machine actions;
- and
- means for executing a particular control program of the one or more control programs to augment movement of the drill pipe or cutting tool.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.