Method of and apparatus for telemetering information from a point in a well borehole to the earth's surface

Claim 3

In a well drilling rig which includes a hollow drill string assembly within a bore-hole thereby defining a bore-hole annulus, a rotatable bit on the lower end of said hollow drill string, drill fluid restrictive nozzles in said bit, a drilling fluid circulation system including a pump and a source of drilling fluid, and conduit means operatively connecting said pump to said source of drilling fluid and to said hollow drill string; the improvement comprising in combination a down-hole assembly installed within the associated drill string, means to convey the associated drilling fluid under pressure, through said assembly, a motorized valve within said assembly operatively connected between said means to convey associated drilling fluid through said assembly and the associated bore-hole annulus when the valve is open and to shut off said last mentioned means when said valve is closed, at least one information responsive transducer operatively connected to said assembly, electronic means in said assembly to translate information received by said transducer, into means to open and close said valve in a binary coded decimal sequence thereby decreasing and increasing the drilling fluid pressure in said predetermined sequence, means remote from said assembly to detect said decreases and increases in drilling fluid pressure and means to decode and display said detected decreases and increases in drilling fluid pressure, and a source of electrical power for said assembly.

Claim 4

In a well drilling rig which includes a hollow drill string assembly within a bore-hole thereby defining a bore-hole annulus, a rotatable bit on the lower end of said hollow drill string, drill fluid restrictive nozzles in said bit, a drilling fluid circulation system including a pump and a source of drilling fluid, and conduit means operatively connecting said pump to said source of drilling fluid and to said hollow drill string; the improvement comprising in combination a down-hole assembly installed within the associated drill string, means to convey the associated drilling fluid under pressure, through said assembly, a motorized valve within said assembly operatively connected between said means to convey associated drilling fluid through said assembly and the associated bore-hole annulus when the valve is open and to shut off said last mentioned means when said valve is closed, at least one information responsive transducer operatively connected to said assembly, electronic means in said assembly to translate information received by said transducer, into means to open and close said valve in a binary coded decimal sequence thereby decreasing and increasing the drilling fluid pressure in said predetermined sequence, means remote from said assembly to detect said decreases and increases in drilling fluid pressure and means to decode and display said detected decreases and increases in drilling fluid pressure, and a source of electrical power for said assembly.

Claim 5

The assembly according to claim 2 which includes a rate of pressure change switch operatively connected to said motorized valve whereby said valve only operates responsive to a decrease and increase in pressure if the pressure of the drilling fluid changes a predetermined amount in a fixed time or period.

Claim 6

The assembly according to claim 2 in which the assembly includes a cylindrical casing, a drilling fluid conduit extending through said casing, an annular cavity defined between said conduit and said casing, said conduit being offset through part of said casing, said casing including an electronic holding section within said cavity, an electro-mechanical holding section within said cavity adjacent said offset, and a power supply holding section within said cavity, and means to seal off said cavities one from the other, said casing being adjacently connected within said drill string.

Claim 7

The assembly according to claim 2 in which said electronic means in said assembly translates information received by said transducer, into digital signals for opening and closing said valve.

Claim 8

The assembly according to claim 5 which includes remote input means operatively connected to said drilling fluid circulation system to decrease and then increase the associated pump pressure in a sequence to which said means to open and close said valve is responsive thereby initiating the operation of said valve to signal information received from said transducer within said assembly, to said means to decode and display said detected decreases and increases in said drilling fluid pump pressure.

Claim 9

The assembly according to claim 5 in which the assembly includes a cylindrical casing, a drilling fluid conduit extending through said casing, an annular cavity defined between said conduit and said casing, said conduit being offset through part of said casing, said casing including an electronic holding section within said cavity, an electromechanical holding section within said cavity adjacent said offset, and a power supply holding section within said cavity, and means to seal off said cavities one from the other, said casing being adjacently connected within said drill string.

Claim 10

The assembly according to claim 3 in which the assembly includes a cylindrical casing, a drilling fluid conduit extending through said casing, an annular cavity defined between said conduit and said casing, said conduit being offset through part of said casing, said casing including an electronic holding section within said cavity, an electromechanical holding section within said cavity adjacent said offset, and a power supply holding section within said cavity and means to seal off said cavities one from the other, said casing being adjacently connected within said drll string.

Claim 11

The assembly according to claim 5 which includes said means remote from said assembly comprising a pressure-to-voltage transducer operatively connected to said conduit means between said pump and said hollow drill string, electronic means to receive and decode signals from said pressure-to-voltage transducer, operatively connected to said transducer and readout means operatively connected to said electronic means.

Claim 12

The assembly according to claim 9 which includes remote input means operatively connected to said drilling fluid circulation system to decrease and then increase the associated pump pressure in a sequence to which said means to open and close said valve is responsive thereby initiating the operation of said valve to signal information received from said transducer within said assembly, to said means to decode and display said detected decreases and increases in said drilling fluid pump pressure.

Claim 13

The assembly according to claim 2 which includes said means remote from said assembly comprising a pressure-to-voltage transducer operatively connected to said conduit means between said pump and said hollow drill string, electronic means to receive and decode signals from said pressure-to-voltage transducer, operatively connected to said transducer and read-out means operatively connected to said electronic means.

Claim 14

The assembly according to claim 11 which includes remote input means operatively connected to said drilling fluid circulation system to decrease and then increase the associated pump pressure in a sequence to which said means to open and close said valve is responsive thereby initiating the operation of said valve to signal information received from said transducer within said assembly, to said means to decode and display said detected decreases and increases in said drilling fluid pump pressure.

Claim 15

The assembly according to claim 2 which includes remote input means operatively connected to said drilling fluid circulation system to decrease and then increase the associated pump pressure in a sequence to which said means to open and close said valve is responsive thereby initiating the operation of said valve to signal information received from said transducer within said assembly, to said means to decode and display said detected decreases and increases in said drilling fluid pump pressure.

Claim 16

The assembly according to claim 13 in which the assembly includes a cylindrical casing, a drilling fluid conduit extending through said casing, an annular cavity defined between said conduit and said casing, said conduit being offset through part of said casing, said casing including an electronic holding section within said cavity, an electro-mechanical holding section within said cavity adjacent said offset, and a power supply holding section within said cavity, and means to seal off said cavities one from the other, said casing being adjacently connected within said drill string.

Claim 17

An information and transmitting assembly for rotary oil well drilling string comprising in combination a cylindrical casing, a drilling fluid conduit extending through said casing, an annular cavity defined between said conduit and said casing, said conduit being offset through part of said casing, a down-hole assembly installed within said casing, a motorized valve within said casing adjacent said offset, said valve being operatively connected between said conduit and the exterior of said casing when said valve is open and shutting off the connection between said conduit and the exterior of said casing, when said valve is closed, at least one information responsive transducer within said casing, electronic means in said casing to translate information received by said transducer into means to open and close said valve in a binary coded decimal system thereby decreasing and increasing the drilling fluid pressure within said conduit, means remote from said casing to detect decreases and increases in drilling fluid pressure and means to decode and display said detected decreases and increases in drilling fluid pressures and a source of electrical power within said casing.

Claim 18

An information and transmitting assembly for rotary oil well drilling string comprising in combination a cylindrical casing, a drilling fluid conduit extending through said casing, an annular cavity defined between said conduit and said casing, said conduit being offset through part of said casing, a down-hole assembly installed within said casing, a motorized valve within said casing adjacent said offset, said valve being operatively connected between said conduit and the exterior of said casing when said valve is open and shutting off the connection between said conduit and the exterior of said casing, when said valve is closed, at least one information responsive transducer within said casing, electronic means in said casing to translate information received by said transducer into means to open and close said valve in a binary coded decimal system thereby decreasing and increasing the drilling fluid pressure within said conduit, means remote from said casing to detect decreases and increases in drilling fluid pressure and means to decode and display said detected decreases and increases in drilling fluid pressures and a source of electrical power within said casing.

Claim 19

The assembly according to claim 15 which includes remote input means operatively connected to said drilling fluid circulation system to decrease and then increase the associated pump pressure in a sequence to which said means to open and close said valve is responsive thereby initiating the operation of said valve to signal information received from said transducer within said assembly, to said means to decode and display said detected decreases and increases in said drilling fluid pump pressure.

Claim 20

The assembly according to claim 15 which includes a rate of pressure change switch operatively connected to said motorized valve whereby said valve only operates responsive to a decrease and increase in pressure if the pressure of the drilling fluid changes a predetermined amount in a fixed time or period.

Claim 21

The assembly according to claim 15 in which the assembly includes a cylindrical casing, a drilling fluid conduit extending through said casing, an annular cavity defined between said conduit and said casing, said conduit being offset through part of said casing, said casing including an electronic holding section within said cavity, an electromechanical holding section within said cavity adjacent said offset, and a power supply holding section within said cavity, and means to seal off said cavities one from the other, said casing being adjacently connected within said drill string.

Claim 22

The assembly according to claim 15 in which said electronic means in said assembly translates information received by said transducer, into digital signals for opening and closing said valve.

Claim 23

The assembly according to claim 19 which includes remote input means operatively connected to said drillng fluid circulation system to decreae and then increase the associated pump pressure in a sequence to which said means to open and close said valve is responsive thereby initiating the operation of said valve to signal information received from said transducer within said assembly, to said means to decode and display said detected decreaes and increases in said drilling fluid pump pressure.

Claim 24

The assembly according to claim 19 which includes said means remote from said assembly comprising a pressure-to-voltage transducer operatively connected to said conduit means between said pump and said hollow drill string, electronic means to receive and decode signals from said pressure-to-voltage transducer, operatively connected to said transducer and read-out means operatively connected to said electronic means.

Claim 25

The assembly according to claim 21 which includes remote input means operatively connected to said drilling fluid circulation system to decrease and then increase the associated pump pressure in a sequence to which said means to open and close said valve is responsive thereby initiating the operation of said valve to signal information received from said transducer within said assembly, to said means to decode and display said detected decreases and increases in said drilling fluid pump pressure.

Claim 26

The assembly according to claim 15 which includes said means remote from said assembly comprising a pressure-to-voltage transducer operatively connected to said conduit means between said pump and said hollow drill string, electronic means to receive and decode signals from said pressure-to-voltage transducer, operatively connected to said transducer and read-out means operatively connected to said electronic means.

Claim 27

The assembly according to claim 23 which includes remote input means operatively connected to said drilling fluid circulation system to decrease and then increase the associated pump pressure in a sequence to which said means to open and close said valve is responsive thereby initiating the operation of said valve to signal information received from said transducer within said assembly, to said means to decode and display said detected decreases and increases in said drilling fluid pump pressure.