Flux orientation locating in a drilling system
US7061244B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 16, 2004 |
| Grant date | Jun 13, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 16, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01V3/165
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An above ground locator includes an apparatus for determining the strength of the locating signal at a selected point relative to the boring tool. The apparatus includes an antenna arrangement configured for measuring the strength of the locating signal at the selected point along first and second orthogonally opposed receiving axes to produce first and second received signals. A phase shifting arrangement phase shifts the first and second received signals in a predetermined way to generate first and second phase shifted signals, respectively. Thereafter, a summing arrangement adds the first and second phase shifted received signals to generate an output signal which is a vector sum of the first and second received signals. In one feature, third and fourth signals derived from the first and second signals are used to eliminate balance point ambiguity which is present using the first and second signals alone. In another feature, signals corresponding to first, second, third and fourth axes are compared in a way which confines the possible locations of an above ground point to one particular type of region out of a plurality of different types of regions. Tracking of the boring tool …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.