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Title: Apparatus and method for compensating for clock drift in downhole drilling components

Abstract

A precise downhole clock that compensates for drift includes a prescaler configured to receive electrical pulses from an oscillator. The prescaler is configured to output a series of clock pulses. The prescaler outputs each clock pulse after counting a preloaded number of electrical pulses from the oscillator. The prescaler is operably connected to a compensator module for adjusting the number loaded into the prescaler. By adjusting the number that is loaded into the prescaler, the timing may be advanced or retarded to more accurately synchronize the clock pulses with a reference time source. The compensator module is controlled by a counter-based trigger module configured to trigger the compensator module to load a value into the prescaler. Finally, a time-base logic module is configured to calculate the drift of the downhole clock by comparing the time of the downhole clock with a reference time source.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5]
  1. Provo, UT
  2. Lehi, UT
  3. Orem, UT
  4. Springville, UT
  5. (Provo, UT)
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Novatek Engineering, Inc
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
913580
Patent Number(s):
7253671
Application Number:
10/878,147
Assignee:
IntelliServ, Inc. (Provo, UT)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01V - GEOPHYSICS
H - ELECTRICITY H03 - BASIC ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY H03K - PULSE TECHNIQUE
DOE Contract Number:  
FC26-01NT41229
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
42 ENGINEERING

Citation Formats

Hall, David R, Pixton, David S, Johnson, Monte L, Bartholomew, David B, and Hall, Jr., H. Tracy. Apparatus and method for compensating for clock drift in downhole drilling components. United States: N. p., 2007. Web.
Hall, David R, Pixton, David S, Johnson, Monte L, Bartholomew, David B, & Hall, Jr., H. Tracy. Apparatus and method for compensating for clock drift in downhole drilling components. United States.
Hall, David R, Pixton, David S, Johnson, Monte L, Bartholomew, David B, and Hall, Jr., H. Tracy. Tue . "Apparatus and method for compensating for clock drift in downhole drilling components". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/913580.
@article{osti_913580,
title = {Apparatus and method for compensating for clock drift in downhole drilling components},
author = {Hall, David R and Pixton, David S and Johnson, Monte L and Bartholomew, David B and Hall, Jr., H. Tracy},
abstractNote = {A precise downhole clock that compensates for drift includes a prescaler configured to receive electrical pulses from an oscillator. The prescaler is configured to output a series of clock pulses. The prescaler outputs each clock pulse after counting a preloaded number of electrical pulses from the oscillator. The prescaler is operably connected to a compensator module for adjusting the number loaded into the prescaler. By adjusting the number that is loaded into the prescaler, the timing may be advanced or retarded to more accurately synchronize the clock pulses with a reference time source. The compensator module is controlled by a counter-based trigger module configured to trigger the compensator module to load a value into the prescaler. Finally, a time-base logic module is configured to calculate the drift of the downhole clock by comparing the time of the downhole clock with a reference time source.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2007},
month = {8}
}