Toroidal coupled telemetry apparatus

Claim 1

A downhole toroidal coupled telemetry apparatus for telemetering downhole measurements-while-drilling information from a drill collar of an operating drill string within a wellhole to the surface of the earth by launching electromagnetic signals into the earth bulk and picking up said signals, transmitted through the earth, at the surface of the earth at one or more locations adjacent to but spaced from the drill string, said toroidal coupled telemetry apparatus comprising: an axially elongate annular core of magnetic-permeability coaxially mounted interiorly within the wall of the drill collar of the drill string; a plurality of primary electrical conductor windings axially wrapped around the exterior surface of said annular core, said primary electrical conductor windings extending axially around said annular core interiorly within the wall of the drill collar of the drill string; means positioned within said drill collar for imputing a variable electric current to said primary windings, said current being operable to carry downhole data sensed simultaneously with and during a drilling operation; an electrically insulated zone within the sidewall of the drill collar for providing electrical isolation between two areas of the sidewall of the drill collar; and at least one secondary electrical conductor winding axially wrapped around the exterior surface of said annular core for receiving variable electrical signals induced by said primary electrical conductor windings and carrying downhole data to be transmitted to the surface of the earth, said at least one secondary electrical conductor winding being connected at one end to the drill collar on one side of said electrically insulated zone within the sidewall of the drill collar and connected at the other end to the drill collar on the other side of said electrically insulated zone wherein electrical signals from said secondary electrical conductor carrying downhole data will be electromagnetically launched into the earth bulk surrounding the drill collar and transmitted to the surface by electromagnetic waves through the earth and picked up at the surface of the earth at one or more locations adjacent to but spaced from the drill string.