Patent US3737845A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3737845A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Subsurface well control apparatus and method
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-02-17
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Granted: 1973-06-05
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Expires: 1991-02-17
Abstract
Abstract A new and improved method and apparatus for reliably and accurately controlling one or more operations of subsurface well drilling and well control equipment, and for reducing the likelihood of inadvertent actuation of such apparatus from stray or other undesired or spurious signals, is disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 H Maroney
- 👤 L Hathcote
- 👤 T Sparkman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 09:20
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B34/00; E21B34/16; E21B47/00; E21B47/12; E21B47/13
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
155 words
An appartus for controlling the operation of subsurface well drilling and well control equipment, comprising: a. transmitter means for sending a predetermined number of electrical current pulses of a preselected frequency through the earth in the vicinity of the subsurface well equipment; and b. subsurface equipment control means, comprising: 1. coil means mounted with the subsurface well equipment for sensing the transmitted pulses; 2. selective filter means for excluding and rejecting signals other than the preselected excluding frequency sensed by said coil means; 3. control circuit means responsive to the predetermined number of pulses for generating a control signal, said control circuit means including timing means for deactivating said control circuit means in response to passage of a predetermined time interval wherein stray and spurious signals occuring outside the time interval are prevented from generating a control signal; and 4. switch means repsonsive to the control signal for controlling operation of the subsurface well equipment.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
155 words
An appartus for controlling the operation of subsurface well drilling and well control equipment, comprising: a. transmitter means for sending a predetermined number of electrical current pulses of a preselected frequency through the earth in the vicinity of the subsurface well equipment; and b. subsurface equipment control means, comprising: 1. coil means mounted with the subsurface well equipment for sensing the transmitted pulses; 2. selective filter means for excluding and rejecting signals other than the preselected excluding frequency sensed by said coil means; 3. control circuit means responsive to the predetermined number of pulses for generating a control signal, said control circuit means including timing means for deactivating said control circuit means in response to passage of a predetermined time interval wherein stray and spurious signals occuring outside the time interval are prevented from generating a control signal; and 4. switch means repsonsive to the control signal for controlling operation of the subsurface well equipment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
selective filter means for excluding and rejecting signals other than the preselected excluding frequency sensed by said coil means;
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
selective filter means for excluding and rejecting signals other than the preselected excluding frequency sensed by said coil means;
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein said transmitter means includes: transmitter counter means for receiving selected input counts, said counter means controlling said transmitter means and permitting transmission of selected predetermined numbers by said transmitter means in accordance with the input count.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
131 words
selective filter means for excluding and rejecting signals other than the preselected frequency sensed by said coil means, said selective filter means comprising digital filter means for timing the period of the signals sensed by said coil means, said digital filter means blocking signals of duration outside the frequency limit of said filter means, wherein stray and spurious signals are prevented from reaching said control circuit means and causing an erroneous signal to be generated; 3 control circuit means responsive to the predetermined number of pulses for generating a control signal, said control circuit means including timing means for deactivating said control circuit means in response to passage of a predetermined time interval wherein stray and spurious signals occuring outside the time interval are prevented from generating a control signal; and
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
131 words
selective filter means for excluding and rejecting signals other than the preselected frequency sensed by said coil means, said selective filter means comprising digital filter means for timing the period of the signals sensed by said coil means, said digital filter means blocking signals of duration outside the frequency limit of said filter means, wherein stray and spurious signals are prevented from reaching said control circuit means and causing an erroneous signal to be generated; 3 control circuit means responsive to the predetermined number of pulses for generating a control signal, said control circuit means including timing means for deactivating said control circuit means in response to passage of a predetermined time interval wherein stray and spurious signals occuring outside the time interval are prevented from generating a control signal; and
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said selective filter means comprises: digital filter means for timing the period of the signals sensed by said coil means, said digital filter means blocking signals by duration outside the frequency limit of said filter means, wherein stray and spurious signals are prevented from reaching said control circuit means and causing an erroneous signal to be generated.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
55 words
control circuit means responsive to the predetermined number of pulses for generating a control signal, said control circuit means including timing means for deactivating said control circuit means in response to passage of a predetermined time interval wherein stray and spurious signals occuring outside the time interval are prevented from generating a control signal; and
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
control circuit means responsive to the predetermined number of pulses for generating a control signal, said control circuit means including timing means for deactivating said control circuit means in response to passage of a predetermined time interval wherein stray and spurious signals occuring outside the time interval are prevented from generating a control signal; and
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
switch means repsonsive to the control signal for controlling operation of the subsurface well equipment.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
switch means repsonsive to the control signal for controlling operation of the subsurface well equipment.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein said control circuit means comprises: a plurality of control output means, each of said output means responding to an individual preselected code wherein plural selected subsurface equipment operations are individually controlled in response to the presence of the individual preselected codes.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
switch means responsive to the control signal for controlling operation of the subsurface well equipment.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
switch means responsive to the control signal for controlling operation of the subsurface well equipment.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
49 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein said control circuit means comprises: a. receiver counter means for counting the pulses sensed by said coil means; and b. means for providing an output signal in respone to a predetermined count in said receiver counter means to control the subsurface well equipment.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of controlling the operation of subsurface well drilling and well equipment, comprising the steps of: a. sending a predetermined number of pulses of electrical current of a preselected frequency through the earth in the vicinity of the subsurface well equipment; b. sensing the transmitted pulses; c. excluding signals other than the preselected frequency of transmitted pulses; d. generating a control signal in response to the presence of the predetermined number of pulses; e. limiting the time interval of said step of generating to prevent stray and spurious signals from being included in said step of generating; and f. controlling operation of the subsurface well equipment in response to the control signal.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of controlling the operation of subsurface well drilling and well equipment, comprising the steps of: a. sending a predetermined number of pulses of electrical current of a preselected frequency through the earth in the vicinity of the subsurface well equipment; b. sensing the transmitted pulses; c. excluding signals other than the preselected frequency of transmitted pulses; d. generating a control signal in response to the presence of the predetermined number of pulses; e. limiting the time interval of said step of generating to prevent stray and spurious signals from being included in said step of generating; and f. controlling operation of the subsurface well equipment in response to the control signal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 6, further including the steps of: a. receiving a selected input count; and b. transmitting pulses of electrical current of the preselected frequency equal in number to the selected input count during said step of sending.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 6 whrein said step of excluding includes the steps of: a. timing the period of the signals received during said step of sensing; and b. blocking signals of time duration outside the limits of the predetermined frequency of the pulses formed during said step of sensing.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 6, wherein said step of controlling comprises the step of: controlling a selected one of pulural subsurface equipment operations in accordance with the number of pulses sent during said step of sending.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 6, wherein said step of generating compriss the steps of: a. counting the sensed pulses; and b. generating a control signal in response to a predetermined count from said step of counting.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
49 words
An apparatus for controlling the operation of subsurface well drilling and well control equipment, comprising: a. transmitter means for sending a predetermined number of electrical current pulses of a preselected frequency through the earth in the vicinity of the subsurface well equipment; and b. subsurface equipment control means, comprising:
Claim 24
Independent Claim
49 words
An apparatus for controlling the operation of subsurface well drilling and well control equipment, comprising: a. transmitter means for sending a predetermined number of electrical current pulses of a preselected frequency through the earth in the vicinity of the subsurface well equipment; and b. subsurface equipment control means, comprising:
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-06-04 | 1976-12-04 | 1977-06-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-04 | 1980-12-04 | 1981-06-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-04 | 1984-12-04 | 1985-06-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |