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US 6,550,321 B1Granted
Apparatus for measuring and recording data from boreholes
AssigneeSolinst Canada Limited
InventorsRonald Ernest Russell Patey, Kevin Allan Dooley, Douglas James Belshaw
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
For collecting data from a water well, down-hole sensors are housed in modules. The modules are arranged to be screwed together in-line to form a vertical string. Mechanically, the modules are secured to each other only by the screw connection. Data is transmitted to the surface on a 2-wire cable, there being no other electrical connection between the modules and the surface. The modules are connected in multi-drop configuration to the 2-wire cable. Data is transmitted using time-division multiplexing.
Claims24
Apparatus for measuring and recording data from a borehole, wherein:
- the apparatus includes a surface unit and a down-hole unit;
- the apparatus includes a unit-connecting-means, which includes a mechanical suspension means for supporting the down-hole unit from the surface unit;
- the down-hole unit includes a base unit, which remains fixed to a bottom end of the suspension means;
- the down-hole unit includes a plurality of modules, which house respective sensors;
- the unit-connecting-means includes two long, relatively-insulated, metal conductors, running from the surface unit;
- the base unit includes two relatively-insulated metal conductors, which correspond to, and remain in metal-to-metal electrical contact with, the two conductors in the unit-connecting-means;
- each module includes two relatively-insulated metal conductors, corresponding to the two conductors in the base-unit;
- the structure of the base unit, and of each module, is such that the two conductors in the module make metal-to-metal electrical contact with the corresponding two conductors in the base unit,
- the apparatus includes a data transmission system, for transmitting data via the conductors between the surface unit and the modules;
- the modules include:
- each an operable data-reader, which is effective, when operated, to take a reading of the respective sensor;
- each a digitiser, representing that reading digitally, as a series of electrical pulses;
- and
- each an operable data-transmitter, which is effective, when operated, to apply that series of electrical pulses to the conductors in the module;
- the data transmission system includes a multiplexer, for allocating respective transmission periods of time to the modules, each transmission period being a period during which the module can apply its own series of pulses to the conductors;
- and
- the modules include each a line-monitor, for recognizing that module's allocated transmission period, and for operating the data-transmitter of that module, and thereby for applying that module's series of pulses between the two conductors, during that period.
14 more elements
Apparatus for measuring and recording data from a borehole, wherein:
- the apparatus includes a surface unit and a down-hole unit;
- the apparatus includes a mechanical suspension, for supporting the down-hole unit from the surface unit;
- the down-hole unit includes a plurality of modules, which house respective sensors;
- the apparatus includes a data transmission system, which includes a module-controller and a data-logger;
- the module-controller and data-logger include two relatively-insulated metal conductors;
- each module of the plurality of modules includes two relatively-insulated metal conductors, corresponding to the two conductors in the module-controller and data-logger;
- the module-controller is arranged for transmitting control signals from the module-controller to the modules, via the conductors;
- the data-logger is arranged for receiving data signals into the data-logger, from the modules, via the conductors;
- the structure of the module-controller and data-logger, and each module, is such that the two conductors in the module make metal-to-metal electrical contact with the corresponding two conductors in the module-controller and data-logger;
- the data transmission system is arranged for transmitting control signals from the module-controller to the modules, via the conductors, and for receiving data signals from the modules into the data-logger, via the conductors;
- the modules include:
- each an operable data-reader, which is effective, when operated, to take a reading of the respective sensor;
- each a digitiser, for representing that reading digitally, as a series of electrical pulses;
- and
- each an operable data-transmitter, which is effective, when operated, to apply that series of electrical pulses to the conductors in the module;
- the data transmission system includes a multiplexer, for allocating respective transmission periods of time to the modules, each transmission period being a period during which the module can apply its own series of pulses to the conductors;
- and
- the modules include each a line-monitor, for recognizing that module's allocated transmission period, and for operating the data-transmitter of that module, and thereby for applying that module's series of pulses between the two conductors, during that period.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.