IP Library Granted Patent US 11,585,932
Granted Patent B2
US 11,585,932 · App. 16/571,735 · Granted Feb 21, 2023

Systems, methods and apparatus for characterizing stick-up height, position and orientation of a drill pipe

Inventors: Charles Blakely (Houston, TX); Bradley J. Prevost (Pearland, TX)
Assignee: TRANSOCEAN SEDCO FOREX VENTURES LIMITED
G01S17/86E21B19/161G01C9/00G01S17/42G01S17/89
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,585,932
App. No.
16/571,735
Granted
Feb 21, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A processor is operably coupled to a time of flight (TOF) camera, a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor, and an optical camera. The processor can receive a TOF signal representative of a first coordinate associated with a stick-up height of a tool joint of a pipe of a drill string during a tripping operation on a rig drill floor, and a pitch and a roll of the tool joint. The processor can receive a LIDAR signal representative of a second coordinate associated with the stick-up height, and the pitch of the tool joint. The processor can receive an optical camera signal representative of a third coordinate associated with the stick-up height of the tool joint and the roll of the tool joint. The processor can generate a pose estimate and an orientation estimate based on the signals.

Claims (29)

1. An apparatus, comprising

a processor operably coupled to a time of flight (TOF) camera, a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor, and an optical camera,

the processor configured to receive, from the TOF camera, (1) a TOF signal representative of a first coordinate associated with a stick-up height of a tool joint of a pipe of a drill string during a tripping operation on a rig drill floor, (2) a TOF signal representative of a pitch of the tool joint, and (3) a TOF signal representative of a roll of the tool joint, the processor configured to receive, from the LIDAR sensor, (1) a LIDAR signal representative of a second coordinate associated with the stick-up height of the tool joint, and (2) a LIDAR signal representative of the pitch of the tool joint,

the processor configured to receive, from the optical camera, (1) an optical camera signal representative of a third coordinate associated with the stick-up height of the tool joint, and (2) an optical camera signal representative of the roll of the tool joint,

the processor configured to generate a pose estimate of the stick-up height of the tool joint based on the first coordinate, the second coordinate, and the third coordinate, the processor configured to generate an orientation estimate of the tool joint based on the TOF signal representative of the pitch of the tool joint, the TOF signal representative of the roll of the tool joint, the LIDAR signal representative of the pitch of the tool joint, and the optical camera signal representative of the roll of the tool joint,

the processor configured to send an instruction signal such that a roughneck on the rig drill floor moves relative to the tool joint based on the pose estimate and the orientation estimate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the TOF signal representative of the first coordinate, the TOF signal representative of the pitch of the tool joint, and the TOF signal representative of the roll of the tool joint are generated based at least in part on a three-dimensional point cloud.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the LIDAR signal representative of the second coordinate and the LIDAR signal representative of the pitch of the tool joint are based at least in part on a one-dimensional point cloud.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the optical camera signal representative of the third coordinate and the optical camera signal representative of the roll of the tool joint are based at least in part on two-dimensional image data.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the processor is configured to send the instruction signal such that the roughneck on the rig drill floor moves towards and into operable engagement with the pipe of the drill string.

6. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a processor and from a time of flight (TOF) camera, (1) a TOF signal representation of a first coordinate associated with a stick-up height of a tool joint of a pipe of a drill string during a tripping operation on a rig drill floor, (2) a TOF signal representative of a pitch of the tool joint, and (3) a TOF signal representative of a roll of the tool joint;

receiving, at the processor and from a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor, (1) a LIDAR signal representative of a second coordinate associated with the stick-up height of the tool joint, and (2) a LIDAR signal representative of the pitch of the tool joint;

receiving, at the processor and from an optical camera, (1) an optical camera signal representative of a third coordinate associated with the stick-up height of the tool joint, and (2) an optical camera signal representative of the roll of the tool joint;

generating, at the processor, a pose estimate of the stick-up height of the tool joint based on the first coordinate, the second coordinate, and the third coordinate;

generating, at the processor, an orientation estimate of the tool joint based on the TOF signal representative of the pitch of the tool joint, the TOF signal representative of the roll of the tool joint, the LIDAR signal representative of the pitch of the tool joint, and the optical camera signal representative of the roll of the tool joint; and

sending, from the processor, an instruction signal such that a roughneck on the rig drill floor moves relative to the tool joint based on the pose estimate and the orientation estimate.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein:

the TOF signal representative of the first coordinate, the TOF signal representative of the pitch of the tool joint, and the TOF signal representative of the roll of the tool joint are generated based at least in part on a three-dimensional point cloud.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein:

the LIDAR signal representative of the second coordinate and the LIDAR signal representative of the pitch of the tool joint are based at least in part on a one-dimensional point cloud.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein:

the optical camera signal representative of the third coordinate and the optical camera signal representative of the roll of the tool joint are based at least in part on two-dimensional image data.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein:

the sending the instruction signal includes sending the instruction signal such that the roughneck on the rig drill floor moves towards and into operable engagement with the pipe of the drill string.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Dec 20, 2024
From: TRANSOCEAN SEDCO FOREX VENTURES LIMITED
To: TRANSOCEAN SEDCO FOREX VENTURES LIMITED
Reel/Frame 069868/0658 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 12, 2022
From: BLAKELY, CHARLES, MR.; PREVOST, BRADLEY J., MR.
To: NAUTICUS ROBOTICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060486/0899 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 12, 2022
From: NAUTICUS ROBOTICS, INC.
To: TRANSOCEAN SEDCO FOREX VENTURES LIMITED
Reel/Frame 060487/0184 →