Horizontal directional drilling area network and methods

An apparatus for use with a horizontal directional drilling system including a drill rig and a subsystem for monitoring the location of an inground tool along an underground borepath, said inground tool configured for transmitting a locating signal through the ground for above ground reception, said apparatus comprising:

• a geographic database that provides region specific parameters for the locating signal based on location;
• an arrangement for correlating a current location of the system with the geographic database to identify at least one local requirement for the locating signal at the current location;
• and
• a controller for setting the locating signal to conform to the local requirement.

An apparatus for customizing a telemetry signal in a horizontal directional drilling system including a drill rig and an inground tool that is movable by the drill rig along an underground borepath, said apparatus comprising:

• a telemetry transceiver that is in data communication with said drill rig and configured at least to transmit the telemetry signal;
• a geographic database of region specific parameters that specifies at least one local requirement based on location for the telemetry signal;
• an arrangement for identifying a current location of the horizontal directional drilling system and for correlating the current location with said geographic database to identify the local requirement for the telemetry signal at the current location;
• and
• a controller for setting at least the telemetry signal to conform to the local requirement.

An apparatus for customizing a horizontal directional drilling system based on region specific parameters, said system including a drill rig and a subsystem for monitoring the location of an inground tool along an underground borepath, said apparatus comprising:

• a geographic database of region specific parameters that specifies location based operational parameters for the horizontal directional drilling system;
• an arrangement for identifying a current location of the system and for correlating the current location with said geographic database to identify at least one local requirement for the current location;
• and
• a controller configured to compare the local requirement for the current location to a current operational mode of the system and to issue a notification responsive to a difference therebetween.

An apparatus for customizing a horizontal directional drilling system based on region specific parameters, said system including a drill rig and a subsystem for monitoring the location of an inground tool along an underground borepath, said apparatus comprising:

• a geographic database of region specific parameters that specifies location based operational parameters for the horizontal directional drilling system;
• an arrangement for identifying a current location of the system and for correlating the current location with said geographic database to identify at least one local requirement for the current location;
• and
• a controller configured to compare the local requirement for the current location to a current operational mode of the system and, in response to a mismatch between the local requirement and the current operational mode, disable override of the local requirement.