Abstract: A smart lower end system that can detect multiple events and failures during the generation of pressure pulses by a pulser is disclosed. Pulser failures may occur if the pilot valve fails to fully close or open, if the signal shaft fails to move and close pilot valve orifice, or if movement of the pilot valve or signal shaft is restricted. The components of the smart lower end system may cycle between sleep and wake states to allow for low power operation.

Abstract: A pulser driver assembly of a measurement-while-drilling tool that includes an improved flow switch is disclosed. The flow switch uses multiple accelerometers of different types that measure acceleration changes in a system. The accelerometer data is then filtered and processed by an onboard microcontroller. The filtered data is then passed to a fuzzy logic voting algorithm which systematically and robustly characterizes the signal, and identifies the flow state.

Abstract: An improved downhole battery control, monitoring, and management system is described wherein battery pack parameters can be measured and used to determine optimal and efficient battery usage scenarios for a downhole measurement system. A battery local controller network is configured and used to monitor, control, and manage the batteries deployed in a downhole measurement system. Battery parameters such as voltage, power usage, energy consumption, uptime, temperature, current, and other parameters may be monitored and/or communicated on the battery local controller network and used to make management decisions about which batteries to utilize in a given time period.

Abstract: A smart lower end system that can detect multiple events and failures during the generation of pressure pulses by a pulser is disclosed. Pulser failures may occur if the pilot valve fails to fully close or open, if the signal shaft fails to move and close pilot valve orifice, or if movement of the pilot valve or signal shaft is restricted. The components of the smart lower end system may cycle between sleep and wake states to allow for low power operation.

Abstract: A pulser driver assembly of a measurement-while-drilling tool that includes an improved flow switch is disclosed. The flow switch uses multiple accelerometers of different types that measure acceleration changes in a system. The accelerometer data is then filtered and processed by an onboard microcontroller. The filtered data is then passed to a fuzzy logic voting algorithm which systematically and robustly characterizes the signal, and identifies the flow state.

Abstract: An improved gamma controller health detection assembly to facilitate reliable downhole measurement of naturally occurring radiation is disclosed. The gamma controller assembly includes one or more gamma sensors, a micro-controller, memory, and input/output ports among other components. The gamma sensors detect radiation and output pulses that are received by the microcontroller. The sensor data can be checked, selected, and averaged by the microcontroller, and sent uphole to another microcontroller or computer that can then further process, communicate, and display the data. The sensor data can be averaged and stored to memory or stored as independent values to memory. The gamma controller health detection assembly can be configured to run algorithms that detect if one or more gamma sensors appear to be malfunctioning or have previously malfunctioned.

Abstract: An improved azimuthal gamma radiation measurement assembly configured to facilitate downhole measurement of naturally occurring radiation and the correlation of measurement information with highly accurate orientation information. The azimuthal gamma radiation measurement assembly includes a resolver section that receives azimuthal gamma sensor inputs, correlates those inputs with orientation information, and logs the combined data set for further evaluation.

Abstract: An improved gamma controller assembly to facilitate reliable downhole measurement of naturally occurring radiation is disclosed. The gamma controller assembly includes multiple gamma sensors, a micro-controller, memory, and input/output ports among other components. The multiple gamma sensors detect radiation and output pulses that are received by the microcontroller. The sensor data can be checked, selected, and averaged by the microcontroller, and sent uphole to another microcontroller or computer that can then further process, communicate, and display the data. The sensor data can be averaged and stored to memory or stored as independent values to memory. The gamma controller assembly can be configured to run algorithms that detect if one gamma controller appears to be malfunctioning and, if an apparent malfunction has occurred, adjust the sensor data that is being sent uphole.

Abstract: An improved gamma controller health detection assembly to facilitate reliable downhole measurement of naturally occurring radiation is disclosed. The gamma controller assembly includes one or more gamma sensors, a micro-controller, memory, and input/output ports among other components. The gamma sensors detect radiation and output pulses that are received by the microcontroller. The sensor data can be checked, selected, and averaged by the microcontroller, and sent uphole to another microcontroller or computer that can then further process, communicate, and display the data. The sensor data can be averaged and stored to memory or stored as independent values to memory. The gamma controller health detection assembly can be configured to run algorithms that detect if one or more gamma sensors appear to be malfunctioning or have previously malfunctioned.

Abstract: An improved gamma controller assembly to facilitate reliable downhole measurement of naturally occurring radiation is disclosed. The gamma controller assembly includes multiple gamma sensors, a micro-controller, memory, and input/output ports among other components. The multiple gamma sensors detect radiation and output pulses that are received by the microcontroller. The sensor data can be checked, selected, and averaged by the microcontroller, and sent uphole to another microcontroller or computer that can then further process, communicate, and display the data. The sensor data can be averaged and stored to memory or stored as independent values to memory. The gamma controller assembly can be configured to run algorithms that detect if one gamma controller appears to be malfunctioning and, if an apparent malfunction has occurred, adjust the sensor data that is being sent uphole.