Abstract: A system for, and method of deploying a selected one of a plurality of tools into a subterranean well and a well employing the system or the method. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a tool selector capable of receiving each of the plurality of tools into a separate location thereof and placing a selected one of the plurality of tools proximate an entrance to the subterranean well in response to a tool selection command and (2) a tool displacement mechanism, couplable to the selected one of the plurality of tools, that causes the selected one of the plurality of tools to enter and traverse at least a portion of the subterranean well.

Abstract: For use with a computer system having a dynamic data referencing (DDR) module, a plurality of external data references accessible via the DDR module, the computer system capable of executing a user application that operates on a plurality of generic variables, a system and method for dynamically binding the external data references to the generic variables. The system includes a DDR routine within the user application that allows creation of an alias variable for at least some of the plurality of generic variables. The alias variable is adapted to identify a given external data reference. The user application employs the alias variable at runtime to request the DDR module to bind a given generic variable to the given external data reference to allow communication of data between the user application and the external references.

Abstract: A system for, and method of, emulating, on a non-native computer, a native environment for a visual display object file for a real time process control system and a real time process control system employing the emulator. The visual display object file contains a drawing command, an address pointer for communicating data with the real time process control system and a rule for interpreting data received from a touch-sensitive screen.

Abstract: There is disclosed a telephone instrument having controller and audio unit portions coupled together by a control bus and a user data bus having four audio states. The audio unit portion comprises a state machine that allows operating modes of the telephony instrument to be monitored and controlled. The state machine places the user data bus in a first predetermined state and the controller portion responds by placing the control bus in a selected state. The state machine detects the selected state and, in response thereto, places the user data bus in a second predetermined state. The second predetermined state indicates whether the first predetermined state was intended to be one of the four audio states or one of at least two mode control states. The user data bus and the control bus cooperate to provide a sequential output having at least six states, thereby allowing the operating modes to be monitored and controlled without modifying the bus drive circuitry.

Abstract: A testing system for, and method of, simulating signal flow through a logic block pattern of a real time process control system. The system includes: (1) a memory that contains a data base of input data associated with simulated sensors and a rule base containing control rules and constituting a logic block pattern and (2) a processor that operates in an arbitrary time base to apply the input data to the control rules to simulate signal flow through the logic block pattern and thereby produce simulated output data and real time control system responses thereby testing the logic block pattern, the memory and the processor being detached from the real time process control system to prevent use of resources thereof in connection with the logic block pattern testing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a computer system, a method of creating and allowing access to a parameterized collection class and a real time process control system. The computer system includes: (1) a memory containing an operating system capable of operating on one or more parameterized collection classes, or objects, (2) a persistent data store, associated with the memory, in which a parameterized collection class is memory-mapped and (3) a processor, associated with the memory and the persistent data store, that: (a) instantiates an occurrence of the parameterized collection class in the memory, the parameterized collection class thereby becoming persistent, and (b) provides direct access by at least one routine executing in the processor to the persistent parameterized collection class, the persistent parameterized collection class surviving termination of the routine.

Abstract: In a well having a substantially annular completion structure therein, the completion structure having portions of lesser and greater inner diameter and an axially-shiftable element associated with the portion of greater inner diameter, the axially-shiftable element having an inner diameter greater than a diameter of the portion of lesser inner diameter, a shifting tool for, and method of, axially shifting the axially-shiftable element.

Abstract: A well flow conductor and method of manufacture therefor. The well flow conductor includes: (1) a composite liner tube composed of a plurality of overlapping, resin-bonded composite plies and adapted to conduct a fluid flow therethrough and (2) a composite outer structure surrounding the composite liner tube and composed of a plurality of overlapping, resin-bonded composite plies arranged in a plurality of opposed helices about a centerline of the composite liner tube, the opposed helices intersecting at predetermined axial and radial locations on an outer surface of the composite liner tube to form nodes extending radially outwardly from the outer surface to form standoffs therefrom, the standoffs capable of centralizing the well flow conductor within an interior of a casing having a larger radius than that of the well flow conductor.

Abstract: A torque-resistant hydraulically settable packer is coaxially positionable within a subterranean well flow conductor and has a tubular body that carries a circumferentially spaced series of radially outwardly movable slip anchors having, on outer side surfaces thereof, gripping teeth with lengths that are sloped relative to the longitudinal axis of the tubular and to a plane perpendicular. Inner side surfaces of the slip anchors are engaged by circumferentially spaced flat outer side surface areas formed on the facing frustroconical ends of an opposed pair of annular setting wedge members coaxially carried by the tubular body and being axially drivable to radially outwardly shift the slip anchors to their setting positions.

Abstract: A liner hanger and a method of hanging a liner.

Abstract: A diverter for a subterranean well, a diverter retrieving tool and methods of diverting objects traversing the well and retrieving the diverter. The diverter comprises: (1) a body having a lower portion adapted to be coupled to a diverter anchoring structure and an upper portion having a slanted diverting surface, the diverter adapted to be placed within a main borehole of the subterranean well at a predetermined location and orientation proximate a junction of a lateral borehole with the main borehole, the slanted diverting surface adapted to redirect an object having a particular diameter and coming into contact with the diverter into the lateral borehole and (2) a compliant spring member associated with the slanted diverter surface.

Abstract: Several Radial Mode Coriolis mass flow rate meter geometries and electronic circuits are described that may be made to be sensitive to pressure or density changes. In one embodiment, the meter comprises: (1) a flow conduit for containing a fluid having a physical characteristic, the fluid adapted to flow in the conduit at an unknown rate, (2) a drive circuit for creating a vibration in the flow conduit, the fluid altering the vibration as a function of the physical characteristic and the flow rate, (3) a detector circuit for measuring the altered vibration at a working point and producing a signal representing an uncompensated mass flow rate of the fluid and (4) a computation circuit for calculating a compensated mass flow rate of the fluid proportional to the uncompensated rate by 1/.OMEGA.1.sup.n, where .OMEGA.1 is a driven natural frequency of the flow conduit and n is a number chosen as a function of the working point, the compensated rate thereby reduced of effects of the physical characteristic.

Abstract: A flow meter apparatus for measuring attributes of a fluid using the Coriolis principle is disclosed. The apparatus comprises (1) a body capable of being inserted into and surrounded by the fluid, (2) an actuator, disposed within the body, for vibrating a surface of the body in a radial mode of vibration, the vibrating surface developing Coriolis forces within the fluid, (3) a detector, coupled to the surface, for measuring motion of the surface, the motion being a function of Coriolis forces developed in the fluid and (4) a circuit, coupled to the measuring detector, for determining an attribute of the fluid as a function of the motion of the surface. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a conduit surrounds the apparatus and is coupled to the detector. The apparatus allows precise detection of mass flow rate, pressure, density and viscosity of the fluid surrounding the apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an improved purging of a liquid drain system for a liquid separator used in a moisture laden process vacuum system wherein the liquid separated from the flow stream by the separator is collected in an accumulator which in turn is periodically pressure purged to quickly remove the liquid contents of the accumulator while such accumulator is out of fluid communication with the liquid separator so that the vacuum process need not be interrupted. A pressure responsive drain valve is connected between the separator and the accumulator. The pressure used to purge the accumulator also activates the normally opened drain valve to inhibit the fluid flow between the separator and the accumulator. A pressure responsive drain is connected to the accumulator and opens in response to the increased pressure used to purge the accumulator and close the normally opened drain valve.

Abstract: This invention relates to an integrated drive generator of the type employed onboard aircraft for power generation and prime mover starting. Prior art integrated drive generators which provided for a prime mover starting mode drove a prime mover through a constant speed transmission in order to provide motive power to the engine. The present invention provides a power path for prime mover starting which couples the motor/generator directly to the prime mover and decouples the motor/generator from the transmission by means of properly oriented one-way clutches.

Abstract: This invention relates to a stator winding cooler for a generator having a stator, a fluid-filled rotor mounted for rotation relative thereto and a fluid supply delivering fluid to within the rotor. The stator winding cooler comprises a fluid sprayer disposed within the rotor for accepting fluid within the rotor and delivering the fluid to windings on the stator to cool the windings, the fluid sprayer having a variable orifice therein to render rates of fluid flow through the fluid sprayer insensitive to variations in rotor speed. The stator winding cooler is so designed to function in conjunction with the generator which operates at variable speed. The rate of fluid flow through the fluid sprayer is desired to be held constant to avoid over-spraying end windings at high generator speeds. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, oil, which is used as the cooling fluid, is also passed through a fixed metering orifice within the fluid sprayer which provides a maximum flow rate therethrough.

Abstract: This invention relates to internal concentric shaft disconnect mechanism for use in an integrated drive generator of the type employed onboard aircraft for power generation. The integrated drive generator employs a concentric input shaft/output shaft arrangement wherein it is desired to disconnect the inner input shaft from the outer output shaft. Accordingly, this invention provides a releasable coupling slidably mounted on and drivingly connected to the output shaft for coupling the input shaft to the output shaft, the releasable coupling having a retaining pin. An annular cam is slidably mounted on the integrated drive generator frame radially outwardly of the output and input shafts and has inner ramped surfaces thereon for engaging the retaining pin, the retaining pin releasing the releasable coupling to thereby decouple the input shaft from the output shaft when the cam is activated by sliding movement to thereby provide shaft disconnect internally of the concentrically mounted input and output shafts.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of testing an n-bit programmable counter. It is desired to test the n-bit programmable counter in fewer than 2.sup.n cycles. Accordingly, a counter value output on the counter is coupled to a variable increment rate input on the counter. Each bit of the counter is reset to a binary 0 initial state. A binary 1 state is loaded into a carry-in bit of the counter and the counter is iteratively doubled, by means of the coupling between the counter value output and the variable increment rate input, until a carry-out bit of the counter assumes the binary 1 state to thereby allow the counter to be fully tested in n+1 iterations. The counter value output and the variable increment rate input are decoupled from the counter when the counter is not being tested. The counter is provided with a parallel load input to allow simultaneous resetting of each bit. Intermediate counter values may be checked to provide a means for localizing errors within the counter.

Abstract: A sleeve seal heating system for a multi-stage compressor is disclosed. The multi-stage compressor includes a mechanism for dissipating heat disposed between and in fluid communication with a pair of compressor stages in the multi-stage compressor. The present invention contemplates the inclusion of a mechanism for selectively bypassing the heat dissipating mechanism disposed between and in fluid communication with each pair of compressor stages to thereby warm a succeeding stage, causing the stage to become substantially operative. The mechanism for bypassing comprises a bypass valve. The bypass valve is controlled to bypass the mechanism for dissipating heat when a seal in the succeeding stage is not substantially operative. Each compressor stage comprises a piston reciprocating within a piston chamber, the piston chamber being in valved communication with and between a fluid input and a fluid output.

Abstract: This invention relates to a bus configuration for a dual channel variable speed constant frequency motor/generator aircraft power system providing for both power generation and engine starting. The subject invention provides for isolation of faults which can occur in long power feeders. Further, the subject invention provides for a novel start mode of operation which allows one channel to provide power to the other channel, thereby avoiding inefficient multiple converter operation and potentially faulty power buses. The bus configuration provides for coupling a first motor/generator to a second motor/generator via a first converter to thereby allow th first motor/generator, operating as a generator, to supply variable frequency power to the first converter, the first converter supplying variable frequency power to the second motor/generator to operate the second motor/generator as a motor.