earth penetrating apparatus and method employing radar imaging
TRANSCRIPT
US 20070240903Al
(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2007/0240903 A1 (19) United States
Alft et al. (43) Pub. Date: Oct. 18, 2007
(54) EARTH PENETRATING APPARATUS AND METHOD EMPLOYING RADAR IMAGING AND RATE SENSING
(75) Inventors: Kevin L. Alft, Pella, IA (US); Gregory W. Draper, Pella, IA (US); Hans Kelpe, Pella, IA (US)
Correspondence Address: Attention of: Mark A. HollingsWorth HOLLINGSWORTH & FUNK, LLC Attorney at Law 8009 34th Avenue South, Suite 125 Minneapolis, MN 55425 (US)
(73) Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company, Pella, IA
(21) Appl. No.: 11/634,334
(22) Filed: Dec. 5, 2006
Related US. Application Data
(60) Continuation of application No. 11/037,318, ?led on Jan. 18, 2005, noW Pat. No. 7,143,844, Which is a continuation of application No. 10/817,202, ?led on Apr. 2, 2004, noW abandoned, Which is a division of application No. 10/304,185, ?led on Nov. 25, 2002, noW Pat. No. 6,719,069, Which is a division of
application No. 09/867,952, ?led on May 30, 2001, noW Pat. No. 6,484,818, Which is a division of application No. 09/405,890, ?led on Sep. 24, 1999, noW Pat. No. 6,315,062.
Publication Classi?cation
(51) Int. Cl. E21B 47/026 (2006.01)
(52) U.S. c1. .............................................................. .. 175/50
(57) ABSTRACT
An earth penetrating apparatus includes a cutting tool and a sensor housing. A radar unit, rate sensor unit, processor, and transmitter are provided in the sensor housing. An antenna arrangement is coupled to the radar unit and con?gured for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals in a rela tively forWard and/or lateral looking direction relative to a distal end of the cutting tool. The rate sensor unit may include one or both of a gyroscope and an accelerometer. The processor receives radar data from the radar unit indica tive of subsurface strata and obstacles respectively located generally forWard and/or lateral of the cutting tool, and receives displacement data from the rate sensor unit indica tive of one or both of longitudinal and rotational displace ment of the cutting tool. The transmitter is con?gured for transmitting one or both of the radar data and the displace ment data to an aboveground location.
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Patent Application Publication Oct. 18, 2007 Sheet 1 0f 24 US 2007/0240903 A1
Patent Application Publication Oct. 18, 2007 Sheet 2 0f 24 US 2007/0240903 A1
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Patent Application Publication Oct. 18, 2007 Sheet 3 of 24
Determine Entry Location / 550
v' Stabilize and initialize / 552 Boring Tool Heading
\y'
Acquire Down-Hole Boring : 554 Tool Sensor Data' ‘
it .
‘Acquire Up-Hole Sensor (556 ‘ Data (it any)
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_ Acquire / 558
Environmentat/Geophysicat Sensor Data
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Acquire Current Boring ’ 560 Machine Operating Data
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Compute Boring Tool / 562 ' Position Based on Heading --~——f—
and_Thrust Distance
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US 2007/0240903 A1
Determine Entry Location / 570
V
Stabilize and Initialize Boring Tool Heading
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Acquire OrientatiOMP. Y. I’) _ ot Boring Toot
/ 574
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Acquire Up-Hoie Sensor / 576 Data (it any)
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Acquire /‘ 578 Environmentat/Geophysicat
Sensor Data
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Acquire Current Boring / 580 Machine Operating Data
V
Compute Boring Tool /- 582 Position Based on Heading ————e
and Thrust Distance
Jig. 3C
Patent Application Publication Oct. 18, 2007
Determine Entry Location / 600
r''' Stabilize and tnitiatize / 602 Boring Tool Heading
r .
Acquire Boring Toot '77 604 Positional Change Data
- Acquire Up-Hote Sensor 606 Data (it any)
V
Acquire / 608 EnvironmentallGeophysicai
Sensor Data
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Acquire Current Boring / 61o Machine Operating Data
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, Compute Boring Tool / 512
Position Based on Change ——
in Heading and Thrust Distance
Sheet 4 0f 24 US 20
Jig. so
07/0240903 A1
6 0 Determine Entry Location / 2
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Stabilize and Initialize / 622
_ Boring Tool Heading
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Acquire Boring Toot '/ 624 Position Data & ;<-—.
Compute Boring Tool Position
Acquire Up-Hote Sensor / 626 Data (it any)
Acquire ‘ /628
Environmental/Geophysical Sensor Data
V _
Acquire Current Boring ’ G30 Machine Operating Data
if
Recompute Boring Toot / 632 Position Based on all ——-——~ Acquired Intormation
Patent Application Publication Oct. 18, 2007 Sheet 5 0f 24 US 2007/0240903 A1
[ Determinelnitial Entry Location‘ P40
r if- - +@termine Boring Tool Displacement k ' _ t 41
Acquire Boring Tool Orientation 43 (p,y,r) in Real-Time /
l Acquire Environmentai/Geophysical /44' 45
Data in RealTime
l Acquire Boring Machine Operating /47
Data In Real-Time l ____t_____v__i_-______ _ 45 Transmlt Boring Tool, Boring Machine, ,48
and Other Data to Unlversal Controller
— — — — - —‘ Compute Boring Tool Position 49 .
56 /52 Boring /58
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Correction Properly? ' ' Property Anomal
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Correction in Anomaly Real-Tittle i0 Correctable
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Maclune _ 17 ~ Determine
, - _ ' 60_ Corrective
Action Alert / 65
Operator 1 l /57 . . '
0953M Adjust Boring Machine '_,_
62'“ Operation in Real—Time
Mtg. 38
Patent Application Publication Oct. 18, 2007 Sheet 6 0f 24 US 2007/0240903 A1
LDetermine Initial Entr'y Location l/4o'
Acquire Boring Tool Orientation (x,y,z) in Fteal—Time \
+ r ‘ 42.
Acquire Boring Tool Orientation 43. (p,y,r) in Real-Time /
l Acquire Environmental/Geophysical A4" 45'
Data in Real-Time
l Acquire Boring Machine Operating /47'
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l 45/: Transmit Boring Tool, Boring Machine, ,48‘
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Patent Application Publication Oct. 18, 2007 Sheet 9 0f 24 US 2007/0240903 A1
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Patent Application Publication Oct. 18, 2007 Sheet 10 of 24 US 2007/0240903 A1
113
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Patent Application Publication Oct. 18, 2007 Sheet 11 0f 24 US 2007/0240903 A1
197 ' P123 Sense Circuitry 1
x-axis 125 /
z-axis A Y I l U’QB ? ‘
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Patent Application Publication Oct. 18, 2007 Sheet 12 0f 24 US 2007/0240903 A1
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Patent Application Publication Oct. 18, 2007 Sheet 13 0f 24 US 2007/0240903 A1
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Patent Application Publication Oct. 18, 2007 Sheet 15 0f 24 US 2007/0240903 A1
Patent Application Publication Oct. 18, 2007 Sheet 16 0f 24 US 2007/0240903 Al
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Patent Application Publication Oct. 18, 2007 Sheet 18 0f 24 US 2007/0240903 A1