US 4,432,064 AGranted

Apparatus for monitoring a plurality of operations

AssigneeHalliburton Company

InventorsKenneth D. Barker, Edward P. Arnold

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Abstract

An apparatus for monitoring a plurality of operations, particularly on an offshore drilling rig, comprises a portable housing, a plurality of dedicated monitoring units associated with the housing, and a master microcomputer unit associated with the housing for handling information transfers between each of the dedicated monitoring units. Each monitoring unit includes a dedicated central processing unit which controls the operation of that unit. Control is maintained over a number of transducers which detect various physical conditions associated with the monitored operation. The electrical signals obtained from monitoring the conditions are processed and displayed on respective display consoles located in the housing. Intercommunication among the various units is achieved through serial input/output devices establishing communication channels between each unit and the master microcomputer unit.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for monitoring a plurality of operations, comprising:

first input means for detecting a first physical condition identified with a first operation of said plurality of operations and for converting said first condition into a first electrical input signal;
first microcomputer means, responsive to said first electrical input signal, for producing a first output signal electrically representing information about said first physical condition, said first microcomputer means including:
first electronic microprocessor means;
first electronic memory means;
first input signal conditioning means for transforming said first electrical input signal into a digital signal usable by said first microprocessor means;
first priority control means for establishing priority control commands for said first microprocessor means;
and
first bus means for providing communication links between said first microprocessor means, said first memory means, said first input signal conditioning means and said first priority control means;
first output means for displaying said first output signal in a humanly understandable form;
second input means for detecting a second physical condition identified with a second operation of said plurality of operations and for converting said second condition into a second electrical input signal;
second microcomputer means, responsive to said second electrical input signal, for producing a second output signal electrically representing information about said second physical condition, said second microcomputer means including:
second electronic microprocessor means;
second electronic memory means;
second input signal conditioning means for transforming said second electrical input signal into a digital signal usable by said second microprocessor means;
second priority control means for establishing priority control commands for said second microprocessor means;
and
second bus means for providing communication links between said second microprocessor means, said second memory means, said second input signal conditioning means and said second priority control means;
second output means for displaying said second output signal in a humanly understandable form;
master microcomputer means for handling information transfers between said first and second microcomputer means;
and
communication interface means for providing a first communication path between said master microcomputer means and said first microcomputer means and for providing a second communication path between said master microcomputer means and said second microcomputer means.

18 more elements

A system for monitoring a plurality of conditions on an offshore drilling rig, comprising:

blender monitor means for monitoring the operation of blending materials for use at said offshore drilling rig, said blender monitor means including:
a plurality of blender transducers for converting transfers of blending material into proportionate electrical signals;
signal conditioning means for transforming the blender proportionate electrical signals into corresponding blender digital signals;
microprocessor means, responsive to said blender digital signals, for calculating blender output values electrically representing the detected conditions of the blending operation;
display means for visually displaying said blender output values;
and
first serial transmitter and receiver means for serially transferring information from and to said blender monitoring means;
pumping monitor means for monitoring the operation of a plurality of pumps pumping substances at said offshore drilling rig, said pumping monitor means including:
a plurality of pumping transducers for converting physical pumping conditions into pumping proportionate electrical signals;
signal conditioning means for transforming the pumping proportionate signals into corresponding pumping digital signals;
microprocessor means, responsive to said pumping digital signals, for calculating pumping output values electrically representing the detected conditions of the pumping operations;
display means for visually displaying said pumping output means;
and
second serial transmitter and receiver means for serially transferring information from and to said pumping monitor means;
cementing monitor means for monitoring the operation of cementing a well drilled at said offshore drilling rig, said operation of cementing including utilizing cementing pumps for pumping cementing materials to the well, and said cementing monitor means including:
a plurality of cementing transducers for converting physical cementing conditions into cementing proportionate electrical signals;
signal conditioning means for transforming the cementing proportionate electrical signals into corresponding cementing digital signals;
microprocessor means, responsive to said cementing digital signals, for calculating cementing output values electrically representing the detected conditions of the cementing operation;
display means for visually displaying said cementing output values;
and
third serial transmitter and receiver means for serially transferring information from and to said cementing monitor means;
and
master communication control means for handling information transfers between said blender, pumping and cementing monitor means, including:
master microcomputer means;
fourth serial transmitter and receiver means communicationally linked with said first serial transmitter and receiver means, for serially transferring information between said master microcomputer means and said blender monitor means;
fifth serial transmitter and receiver means, communicationally linked with said second serial transmitter and receiver means, for serially transferring information between said master microcomputer means and said pumping monitor means;
and
sixth serial transmitter and receiver means communicationally linked with said third serial transmitter and receiver means, for serially transferring information between said master microcomputer means and said cementing monitor means.

25 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.