IP Library Granted Patent US 11,434,754
Granted Patent B2
US 11,434,754 · App. 16/998,079 · Granted Sep 6, 2022

Automated telemetry for switching transmission modes of a downhole device

Inventors: Kenneth Miller (Houston, TX); David Erdos (Houston, TX); Abraham Erdos (Houston, TX)
Assignees: Erdos Miller, Inc.; Black Diamond Oilfield Rentals, LLC
E21B47/13E21B47/18H04B1/401H04B13/02H04Q9/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,434,754
App. No.
16/998,079
Granted
Sep 6, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

In some embodiments, a system including a tool drill string having a downhole device is disclosed. The downhole device includes a memory storing instructions and a downhole processor configured to execute the instructions to operate in a first transmission mode by default. The downhole processor is communicatively coupled to an uphole processor via the first transmission mode. The downhole processor is further to transmit, via a second transmission mode, a message to the uphole processor, determine whether a response is received, via the second transmission mode, from the uphole processor, and responsive to determining the response is received from the uphole processor, switch from the first transmission mode to the second transmission mode.

Claims (53)

1. A system including a tool drill string having a downhole device, the system comprising:

a memory storing instructions; and

an uphole processor configured to execute the instructions to:

communicatively couple, using a mud pulse transmission mode, to a downhole processor included in the downhole device, wherein the uphole processor communicatively couples to the downhole processor through a first transceiver included in a first component of a contact module, the first component is coupled to a second component of the contact module, and the second component comprises a terminator that electrically isolates an external contact of the contact module from an internal bus electrically connecting the contact module to the downhole device;

receive a handshake message sent by the downhole processor via an electromagnetic transmission mode different than the mud pulse transmission mode;

in response to successfully receiving the handshake message from the downhole processor via the electromagnetic transmission mode, transmit, while maintaining a channel with the downhole processor via the mud pulse transmission mode, a response message via the electromagnetic transmission mode to the downhole processor, wherein the response message causes the downhole processor to switch from the mud pulse transmission mode to the electromagnetic transmission mode.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the downhole processor is further to:

determine whether a condition is satisfied;

responsive to determining the condition is satisfied, switch from the electromagnetic transmission mode to the mud pulse transmission mode.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the condition comprises:

a mud flow state being less than a threshold,

a depth of the downhole device,

an amount of time that has expired,

a connection of a tool drill string being installed, or

some combination thereof.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the downhole processor is further to:

responsive to determining the condition is satisfied, transmit, via the electromagnetic transmission mode, a second message to the uphole processor;

determine whether a second response is received, via the electromagnetic transmission mode, from the uphole processor; and

responsive to determining the second response is received from the uphole processor, switch from the mud pulse transmission mode to the electromagnetic transmission mode.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the downhole processor is further to:

determine whether the condition is satisfied; and

responsive to determining the condition is satisfied, switch from the electromagnetic transmission mode to the mud pulse transmission mode.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the downhole processor is further to:

responsive to determining the handshake message is not received from the uphole processor, continue operating in the mud pulse transmission mode.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the handshake message comprises a directional survey in which the downhole device is located.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the downhole processor is further to continue operating in the mud pulse transmission mode after switching to the electromagnetic transmission mode and select to use the electromagnetic transmission mode while the mud pulse transmission mode is unused.

9. A method for operating an uphole processor and a downhole device included in a tool drill string, the method comprising:

communicatively coupling, using a mud pulse transmission mode, the uphole processor to a downhole processor included in the downhole device, wherein the uphole processor communicatively couples to the downhole processor through a first transceiver included in a first component of a contact module, the first component is coupled to a second component of the contact module, and the second component comprises a terminator that electrically isolates an external contact of the contact module from an internal bus electrically connecting the contact module to the downhole device;

receiving, at the uphole processor, a handshake message sent by the downhole processor via an electromagnetic transmission mode different than the mud pulse transmission mode;

in response to successfully receiving the handshake message from the downhole processor via the electromagnetic transmission mode, transmitting, while maintaining a channel with the downhole processor via the mud pulse transmission mode, a response message via the electromagnetic transmission mode to the downhole processor, wherein the response message causes the downhole processor to switch from the mud pulse transmission mode to the electromagnetic transmission mode.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining whether a condition is satisfied;

responsive to determining the condition is satisfied, switching from the electromagnetic transmission mode to the mud pulse transmission mode.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the condition comprises:

a mud flow state being less than a threshold,

a depth of the downhole device,

an amount of time that has expired,

a connection of a tool drill string being installed, or

some combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

responsive to determining a condition is satisfied, transmitting, via the electromagnetic transmission mode, a second message to the uphole processor;

determining whether a second response is received, via the electromagnetic transmission mode, from the uphole processor; and

responsive to determining the second response is received from the uphole processor, switching from the mud pulse transmission mode to the electromagnetic transmission mode.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

determining whether the condition is satisfied;

responsive to determining the condition is satisfied, switching from the electromagnetic transmission mode to the mud pulse transmission mode.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

responsive to determining the handshake message is not received from the uphole processor, continuing to operate in the mud pulse transmission mode.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the handshake message comprises a survey including lithological information of a formation in which the downhole device is located.

16. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause a processing device to:

communicatively couple, using a mud pulse transmission mode, an uphole processor to a downhole processor included in a downhole device, wherein the uphole processor communicatively couples to the downhole processor through a first transceiver included in a first component of a contact module, the first component is coupled to a second component of the contact module, and the second component comprises a terminator that electrically isolates an external contact of the contact module from an internal bus electrically connecting the contact module to the downhole device;

receive a handshake message sent by the downhole processor via an electromagnetic transmission mode different than the mud pulse transmission mode;

in response to successfully receiving the handshake message from the downhole processor via the electromagnetic transmission mode, transmit, while maintaining a channel with the downhole processor via the mud pulse transmission mode, a response message via the electromagnetic transmission mode to the downhole processor, wherein the response message causes the downhole processor to switch from the mud pulse transmission mode to the electromagnetic transmission mode.

Assignments (5)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 21, 2026
From: BASIN ENERGY LLC; BLACK DIAMOND OILFIELD RENTALS LLC; BASIN MANAGEMENT LLC; WENZEL US LLC; WENZEL DOWNHOLE TOOLS ULC
To: CHILDS, JOHN W.; JOHN W. CHILDS 2021 B-H CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUST
Reel/Frame 075630/0673 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2022
From: MILLER, KENNETH; ERDOS, DAVID; ERDOS, ABRAHAM
To: ERDOS MILLER, INC.; BLACK DIAMOND OILFIELD RENTALS, LLC
Reel/Frame 060658/0033 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 21, 2022
From: CRESCENT CAPITAL BDC, INC.
To: BLACK DIAMOND OILFIELD RENTALS LLC
Reel/Frame 060581/0914 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 20, 2022
From: BASIN INDUSTRIES LLC; BASIN MATERIAL HANDLING LLC; BLACK DIAMOND OILFIELD RENTALS LLC; PINNACLE OILFIELD INSPECTION SERVICES LLC; BASIN RENTALS LP
To: CALLODINE COMMERCIAL FINANCE, LLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 060765/0369 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 22, 2020
From: BLACK DIAMOND OILFIELD RENTALS LLC
To: CRESCENT CAPITAL BDC, INC.
Reel/Frame 054142/0090 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63013199 · Apr 21, 2020
Related Publication 20200378245A1 · Dec 3, 2020