Micro-controller-based switch assembly for wellbore systems and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10914146-B2
Application number	US-201816014125-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2018
Priority date	Jun 21, 2018
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

A method for firing a detonator in a chain of switch assemblies includes a step of lowering the chain of switch assemblies into a wellbore; a step of powering-up a switch assembly of the chain of switch assemblies; a step of independently entering through a set of states during which the switch assembly interacts with a downstream switch assembly and determines a status of one or more elements associated with the switch assembly; and a step of firing a detonator electrically connected to the switch assembly or entering a sleeping state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A switch assembly, which is part of a chain of switch assemblies, the switch assembly comprising:
a power supply;
a micro-controller P B that has no address;
a thru-line switch including a first semiconductor element; and
a detonator switch including a second semiconductor element,
wherein the micro-controller P B is configured to directly communicate with an upstream or downstream switch assembly through a pulsing scheme, and
wherein the micro-controller P B receives no command from a surface controller.

2. The switch assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a transmit module connected to the micro-controller and configured to send voltage pulses along a voltage line; and
a receive module connected to the micro-controller and configured to receive a voltage pulse along the voltage line.

3. The switch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the micro-controller is configured to independently enter through a set of states during which the switch assembly interacts with the downstream switch assembly.

4. The switch assembly of claim 3 , wherein the micro-controller is configured to determines a status of one or more elements associated with the switch assembly.

5. The switch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the micro-controller enters through six different states during operation.

6. The switch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the micro-controller is configured to determine whether a detonator is connected to the switch assembly.

7. The switch assembly of claim 6 , wherein the micro-controller is configured to send a short pulse to the upstream switch assembly to inform the upstream switch assembly that the detonator is attached to the switch assembly.

8. The switch assembly of claim 7 , wherein the micro-controller is configured to determine whether a thru-line that connects the switch assembly to the downstream switch assembly is shorted.

9. The switch assembly of claim 8 , wherein the micro-controller is configured to determine, when the thru-line is shorted, that the switch assembly is the most distal switch assembly from a surface of the earth.

10. The switch assembly of claim 9 , wherein the micro-controller is configured to start a timer.

11. The switch assembly of claim 10 , wherein the micro-controller is configured to close the detonator switch when a line voltage is larger than a firing voltage, and when within a time counted by the timer, to fire the detonator.

12. The switch assembly of claim 8 , wherein the micro-controller is configured to close the thru-line switch when the thru-line is not shorted, to allow communication between the micro-controller and the downstream switch assembly.

13. The switch assembly of claim 12 , wherein the micro-controller is configured to determine whether a pulse from the downstream switch assembly is received, send two long pulses separated by a given time to the surface controller when the pulse from the downstream switch assembly is received, and enter a sleeping state.

14. The switch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the thru-line switch is connected to a setting tool.

Assignees

• Geodynamics Inc

Inventors

• Archibald Roger
• Ansley Jason
• Perry Brad

Classifications

• E21B47/12

  Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling · CPC title

• E21B43/11857

  firing indication systems · CPC title

• F42D1/05 Primary

  Electric circuits for blasting · CPC title

• E21B43/1185 Primary

  Ignition systems · CPC title

• H01H47/02

  for modifying the operation of the relay · CPC title