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US5331318A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Communications protocol for digital telemetry system

Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corp
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Filing: 1993-02-26
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Granted: 1994-07-19
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Expires: 2013-02-26
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Abstract

Abstract The present invention relates to a communications protocol for a digital telemetry system which enables more efficient digital data transmission between a plurality of digital communications nodes. The protocol is implemented using uplink and downlink packets and superpackets. Each node forms an uplink packet which contains node data and protocols. Those packets are packaged into uplink superpackets and transmitted to a control node. Downlink superpackets containing information signifying which of the uplink superpackets were received correctly are formed and transmitted to the individual nodes. In response, any uplink superpacket received incorrectly is retransmitted. Additionally, the communications protocol also time stamps messages received from the nodes to provide for digital communications time correlation.

Inventors

  • 👤 Michael A. Montgomery

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 07:16
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B47/00; E21B47/12; G; G01; G01V; G01V1/00; G01V1/22; G01V11/00; G01V11/002; H; H04; H04L; H04L9/00; H04L9/40

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 154 words
A method for controlling access of a plurality of information packets to and from a connecting digital telemetry cartridge, each packet containing data from at least one well-logging tool along a tool bus, comprising the following steps: providing a transmission window of preprogrammed timed length and a selected starting delay to each information packet of the downhole well-logging tool string; receiving a frame start command from the digital telemetry cartridge; activating said starting delay for said provided window; transmitting continuously the data from connecting tools along the tool bus until said starting delay is completed; transmitting data continuously from a particular information packet until the end of said time window, thereby repeatingly transmitting information packet data from well-logging tools to the digital telemetry cartridge; and switching all of the information packets to the receive mode, whereby information transmitted by the digital telemetry cartridge can be received by the well-logging tools along the tool bus.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 154 words
A method for controlling access of a plurality of information packets to and from a connecting digital telemetry cartridge, each packet containing data from at least one well-logging tool along a tool bus, comprising the following steps: providing a transmission window of preprogrammed timed length and a selected starting delay to each information packet of the downhole well-logging tool string; receiving a frame start command from the digital telemetry cartridge; activating said starting delay for said provided window; transmitting continuously the data from connecting tools along the tool bus until said starting delay is completed; transmitting data continuously from a particular information packet until the end of said time window, thereby repeatingly transmitting information packet data from well-logging tools to the digital telemetry cartridge; and switching all of the information packets to the receive mode, whereby information transmitted by the digital telemetry cartridge can be received by the well-logging tools along the tool bus.
Claim 3
Independent Claim 150 words
A method for transmitting data from a plurality of well-logging tools along a tool bus to and from a connecting digital telemetry cartridge having the capability of receiving, detecting and decoding asserted transmission errors, comprising the following steps: providing an information packet with data collection and control fields, a packet sync. word, a packet length word and a cyclic redundancy check word; storing tool data of varying lengths in said provided data collection field; formulating a specific value of each said packet sync., packet length, and cyclic redundancy check word; embedding said provided packet sync. word, a packet length word and a cyclic redundancy check word into said provided control field; transmitting said provided information packet to the digital telemetry cartridge; and detecting transmission errors contained in the packet sync. word, whereby errors detected in transmission will assert the error decoder until successful transmission of the sync. word is received.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 150 words
A method for transmitting data from a plurality of well-logging tools along a tool bus to and from a connecting digital telemetry cartridge having the capability of receiving, detecting and decoding asserted transmission errors, comprising the following steps: providing an information packet with data collection and control fields, a packet sync. word, a packet length word and a cyclic redundancy check word; storing tool data of varying lengths in said provided data collection field; formulating a specific value of each said packet sync., packet length, and cyclic redundancy check word; embedding said provided packet sync. word, a packet length word and a cyclic redundancy check word into said provided control field; transmitting said provided information packet to the digital telemetry cartridge; and detecting transmission errors contained in the packet sync. word, whereby errors detected in transmission will assert the error decoder until successful transmission of the sync. word is received.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 30 words
A method for controlling the access of a plurality of information packets as recited in claim 1 wherein, said frame start command switches all information packets to the transmit mode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 33 words
A method for transmitting data from a plurality of well-logging tools along a tool bus as recited in claim 2 wherein, said packet length word contains the total number of data packet words.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 48 words
A method of transmitting data from a plurality of well-logging tools along a tool bus as recited in claim 4 wherein, said cyclic redundancy check word contains the computed specific value of all of the data in the information package with the exception of the packet sync. word.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3991611A Cited
US4355310A Cited
US4499421A Cited
US4739325A Cited
US4718011A Cited
US4684947A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1997-07-18 1998-01-17 1998-07-19 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-07-18 2002-01-17 2002-07-19 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-07-18 2006-01-17 2006-07-19 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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