Multiple wellbore tool apparatus including a plurality of microprocessor implemented wellbore tools for operating a corresponding plurality of included wellbore tools and acoustic transducers in response to stimulus signals and acoustic signals

A method of operating a wellbore tool adapted to be disposed in a fluid filled wellbore, said wellbore tool including a sensor adapted to respond to a stimulus propagating in the wellbore fluid, an included wellbore tool adapted to be operated and adapted to generate a confirmation signal having a signature encoded therein indicative of at least an initiation of the operation of said included wellbore tool, a transducer adapted to transmit acoustic signals into and receive acoustic signals from an acoustic data bus, and a controller interconnected between said sensor, said included wellbore tool, and said transducer adapted for operating said included wellbore tool or said transducer, said controller storing information, comprising the steps of:

• propagating said stimulus in the wellbore fluid, said stimulus having a first signature;
• sensing, by said sensor, said stimulus and generating an output signal having said first signature;
• comparing, in said controller, said first signature of said output signal from said sensor with said information stored therein;
• generating from said controller an instruction signal when said first signature corresponds to a first part of said information stored in said controller and generating from said controller a signature signal when said first signature corresponds to a second part of said information stored in said controller;
• operating said included wellbore tool in response to said instruction signal from said controller and generating said confirmation signal having said signature encoded therein from said included wellbore tool;
• and
• transmitting a first acoustic signal from said transducer into said acoustic data bus in response to said signature signal from said controller or in response to said signature encoded in said confirmation signal.

A multiple wellbore tool apparatus adapted to be disposed in a fluid filled wellbore, comprising:

• a plurality of wellbore tools, a first one of said plurality of wellbore tools including,
• an input stimulus sensor adapted for sensing an input stimulus having a first signature propagating in the wellbore fluid and generating an output signal having said first signature in response thereto,
• an included wellbore tool adapted to be operated and adapted to generate a confirmation signal having an address encoded therein indicative of at least an initiation of the operation of said included wellbore tool;
• an acoustic transducer adapted for transmitting an acoustic signal into an acoustic data bus and receiving an acoustic signal from said acoustic data bus, and
• controller means connected between said input stimulus sensor, said acoustic transducer, and said included wellbore tool for receiving said output signal having said first signature from said input stimulus sensor and attempting to translate said first signature of said output signal from said input stimulus sensor into either a first instruction signal or a signature signal having a second signature,
• said included wellbore tool being operated in response to said first instruction signal when said first signature of said output signal is translated into said first instruction signal and generating said confirmation signal having said address encoded therein in response thereto,
• said acoustic transducer transmitting said acoustic signal having said second signature into said acoustic data bus in response to said address encoded in said confirmation signal or in response to said signature signal having said second signature from said controller means when said first signature of said output signal from said input stimulus sensor is translated by said controller means into said signature signal having said second signature.

A method of operating a multiple wellbore tool apparatus adapted to be disposed in a fluid filled wellbore including a plurality of wellbore tools where each of said plurality of wellbore tools includes a sensor adapted for sensing a stimulus having a first signature propagating in the wellbore fluid, an included tool adapted to operate and adapted to generate a confirmation signal having an address encoded therein indicative of at least an initiation of the operation of said included tool, an acoustic transducer adapted to transmit an acoustic signal having a signature into an acoustic signal data bus and to receive an acoustic signal having a signature from said acoustic signal data bus, and a controller adapted for storing information interconnected between said sensor, said included tool, and said acoustic transducer, comprising the steps of:

• (a) propagating said stimulus having said first signature in the wellbore fluid;
• (b) sensing, by said sensor of each of said plurality of wellbore tools, said stimulus having said first signature;
• (c) comparing, by said controller of each of said plurality of wellbore tools, said first signature of said stimulus received in said sensor with said information stored in each said controller;
• (d) generating, by a controller of a first one of said plurality of wellbore tools, an output signal when said first signature of said stimulus propagating in the wellbore fluid corresponds to said information stored in said controller of said first one of said plurality of wellbore tools, said output signal being either an instruction signal or a signature signal having a second signature;
• (e) operating said included tool of said first one of said plurality of wellbore tools when said output signal from said controller of said first one of the plurality of wellbore tools is said instruction signal, said included tool of said first one of said plurality of wellbore tools generating said confirmation signal having said address encoded therein indicative of at least said initiation of said operation of said included tool of said first one of said plurality of wellbore tools;
• and
• (f) transmitting, by said acoustic transducer of said first one of said plurality of wellbore tools, an acoustic signal having said second signature into said acoustic signal data bus either when said output signal from said controller of said first one of said plurality of wellbore tools is said signature signal having said second signature or in response to said address encoded in said confirmation signal.

A system for operating a multiple wellbore tool apparatus adapted to be disposed in a wellbore, comprising:

• a first wellbore tool adapted to be operated;
• a second wellbore tool connected to said first wellbore tool adapted to be operated;
• acoustic receiver means for receiving an acoustic command signal in the wellbore;
• and
• control means, connected to said acoustic receiver means, said first wellbore tool, and said second wellbore tool and responsive to said acoustic receiver means in said wellbore, for generating control signals for said first wellbore tool and said second wellbore tool, a first one of said control signals operating said first wellbore tool, said first wellbore tool generating a first confirmation signal having an address encoded therein indicative of at least an initiation of the operation of said first wellbore tool, a second one of said control signals operating said second wellbore tool in response to the address encoded in said first confirmation signal, said second wellbore tool generating a second confirmation signal having an address encoded therein indicative of at least an initiation of the operation of said second wellbore tool.

A system for performing operations in a wellbore, comprising:

• a first apparatus including a first acoustic receiver, a first controller responsive to said first acoustic receiver, a first included wellbore tool responsive to said first controller, and a first acoustic transmitter responsive to said first controller;
• a second apparatus including a second acoustic receiver and a second controller responsive to said second acoustic receiver;
• and
• master acoustic transmitter means for transmitting a first control signal to which said first acoustic receiver is responsive so that said first acoustic receiver actuates said first controller to operate said first included wellbore tool, the first included wellbore tool generating a confirmation signal having an address encoded therein indicative of at least an initiation of the operation of said first included wellbore tool, to further operate said first acoustic transmitter in response to the address encoded in said confirmation signal to transmit a second control signal from said first acoustic transmitter to which said second acoustic receiver is responsive to thereby operate said second controller.

A system adapted to be disposed in a wellbore, comprising:

• a first housing, a sensor disposed in said first housing adapted for receiving a stimulus having a first signature and generating an output signal having said first signature, and a controller disposed in said first housing and connected to the sensor adapted for storing information and generating either an instruction signal or a signature signal when said first signature of said output signal from said sensor corresponds to part of said information stored in said controller;
• a second housing detachably connected to said first housing, a first included wellbore tool disposed in said second housing and detachably connected to said controller in said first housing, said first included wellbore tool being operated in response to said instruction signal from said controller, said first included wellbore tool generating a first confirmation signal when said first included wellbore tool is operated;
• an acoustic receiver-transmitter disposed in said first housing and connected to said controller in said first housing adapted for transmitting an acoustic signal in response to either said signature signal from said controller in said first housing or said first confirmation signal from said first included wellbore tool in said second housing;
• another said first housing including said acoustic receiver-transmitter adapted for receiving said acoustic signal and said controller:
• and
• a third housing detachably connected to said another said first housing, a second included wellbore tool disposed in said third housing and detachably connected to said controller disposed in said another said first housing,
• said acoustic receiver-transmitter in said another said first housing receiving said acoustic signal from said acoustic receiver-transmitter in said first housing and generating an output signal response thereto,
• said controller in said another said first housing receiving said output signal from said acoustic receiver-transmitter in said another said first housing and generating a second instruction signal in response thereto,
• said second included wellbore tool in said third housing being operated in response to said second instruction signal from said controller in said another said first housing and generating a second confirmation signal when said second included wellbore tool is operated,
• said first confirmation signal including a first address encoded therein, said second confirmation signal including a second address encoded therein.