Patent · US Active

Symbol synchronization for downhole OFDM telemetry

US8749400B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
6References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 18, 2008
Grant dateJun 10, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 16, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L2025/03414
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Enhanced symbol synchronization methods suitable for use in narrowband orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) telemetry systems. In at least some embodiments, a logging while drilling (LWD) tool assembly communicates with the surface using low frequency electromagnetic (EM) signals. The telemetry transmitter employs OFDM modulation to fully exploit the narrow range of available bandwidth, resulting in signals that have relatively long frames. At the surface a receiver digitizes the receive signal and applies an enhanced symbol synchronization technique to identify frame boundaries before demodulation is attempted. The enhanced symbol synchronization technique employs a pulse train filter to clean up a cyclic prefix correlation signal that otherwise behaves badly in the narrowband regime. The improved timing information from the enhanced symbol synchronization significantly reduces the error rate in the demodulated signal.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.