Local area network data transfer system

Abstract

A data monitoring system includes a display unit for communicating with an operation that has characteristics which are to be monitored, a recording unit located remotely from the environment of the monitored operation, and a local area network interconnect circuit for connecting the display and recording units. The local area network circuit allows multiple display units to be connected to a single pair of electrical conductors. Each display unit has at least one dual microcomputer configuration interconnected by a shared dual port random access memory. A third microcomputer is located in the recording unit for communicating over the local area network circuit with one of the microcomputers in the display unit.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A data transfer system for transferring, across an area of a well site, data related to the control of an oil or gas well operation with which a plurality of different detectable characteristics are associated, comprising:

interface means, located near the detectable characteristics, for communicating with the operation, said interface means including:

means for converting signals representing the plurality of different detectable characteristics into digitally encoded data; and

means, connected to said means for converting, for transmitting the digitally encoded data;

central processing means, located across an area of the well site remotely from the detectable characteristics and said interface means, for receiving the digitally encoded data; and

local area network means for connecting said interface means and said central processing means so that the digitally encoded data is received by said central processing means from said interface means only through a single information transfer conduit extending across an area of the well site, said local area network means including one and only one data transmission cable which defines said single information transfer conduit and which is connected between said interface means and said central processing means, said data transmission cable including a single pair of electrically conductive wires, connected between said means for transmitting and said central processing means, over which all transmitted digitally encoded data derived from the plurality of detectable characteristics is transferred.

2. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said one and only one data transmission cable further includes one and only one other single pair of electrically conductive wires, connected between said means for transmitting and said central processing means, over which timing signals are transferred.

3. A data transfer system for transferring data related to the control of an oil or gas well operation with which a first plurality of different detectable characteristics and a second plurality of different detectable characteristics are associated, comprising:

first interface means for communicating with the operation, including for communicating with the first plurality of different detectable characteristics;

second interface means for communicating with the operation including for communicating with the second plurality of different detectable characteristics;

central processing means for receiving information from, and for sending information to, said first interface means and said second interface means;

local area network means, connected between said first interface means and said central processing means, for connecting said first interface means and said central processing means so that the information received from, and the information sent to, said first interface means and said second interface means is transferred between said first interface means and said central processing means only through a single information transfer conduit, said single information transfer conduit having a predetermined length sufficient to allow said central processing means to be located beyond the immediate environment of the oil or gas well operation when said first interface means is located within such immediate environment so that the ability of said central processing means to operate is not adversely affected by the oil or gas well operation; and

a branch information transfer conduit connected between said first interface means and said second interface means in communication with said single information transfer conduit, said branch information transfer conudit having a length substantially shorter than the length of said single information transfer conduit so that said second interface means remains within substantially the same environment as said first interface means.

4. A data transfer system for transferring data related to an operation, comprising:

a display unit, adapted for being located near the operation where a plurality of detectable characteristics of the operation are to be monitored, said display unit including:

a portable housing;

first data acquisition means, mounted in said portable housing, for encoding a first one of the detectable characteristics into a first encoded signal and for transmitting said first encoded signal;

second data acquisition means, mounted in said portable housing, for encoding a second one of the detectable characteristics into a second encoded signal and for transmitting said second encoded signal; and

third data acquistion means, mounted in said portable housing, for encoding a third one of the detectable characteristics into a third encoded signal and for transmitting said third encoded signal;

recording means, adapted for being located at a distance from said display unit, for receiving and recording said first, second and third encoded signals; and

a single pair of electrical conductor having one end of the pair connected through said portable housing to said first, second and third data acquistion means and having the other end of the pair connected to said recording means, over which said single pair of conductors all said first, second and third encoded signals are transferred from said display unit to said recording means.

5. A system as defined in claim 4, wherein said recording means includes:

a second portable housing;

a floppy disk drive mounted in said second portable housing;

a printer mounted in said second portable housing;

a keyboard mounted in said second portable housing; and

a single board computer means, mounted in said second portable housing and connected to said single pair of electrical conductors and responsive to entries made through said keyboard, for receiving said first, second and third encoded signals over said single pair of electrical conductors and for recording said first, second and third encoded signals on floppy disks mounted in said floppy disk drive and for generating a visual output through said printer in response to said first, second and third encoded signals.

6. A system as defined in claim 4, wherein each of said first data acquisition means, said second data acquisition means and said third data acquisition means includes:

a dual port random access memory;

first microcomputer means for processing the respective encoded signal and for storing the respective encoded signal in said random access memory through one port thereof; and

second microcomputer means for obtaining the respective encoded signal from said random access memory through the other port thereof and for transferring the obtained encoded signal to said recording means over said single pair of electrical conductors.

7. A method of acquiring data from a flow process at a well site, comprising:

detecting at the flow process a plurality of characteristics occurring within the flow process;

converting at the flow process the detected characteristics into encoded signals representing the detected characteristics; and

transmitting the encoded signals to an end of a single pair of transmission conductors located at the flow process and transferring the encoded signals through the single pair of transmission conductors to the other end of the transmission conductors located at a location remote from the flow process.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, further comprising recording the transferred encoded signals on a digital storage diskette connected at said other end of the transmission conductors.

9. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein transmitting and transferring the encoded signals includes:

moving, with a first microprocessor, the encoded signals into a digital memory;

moving, with a second microporcessor, the encoded signals from the digital memory onto the single pair of transmission conductors; and

receiving with a microprocessor at the location remote from the flow process, all the encoded signals moved onto the single pair of transmission conductors.

10. A method as defined in claim 9, further comprising:

entering, through the first microprocessor and into the digital memory, control signal;

moving, with the second microprocessor, the control signal from the digital memory onto the single pair of transmission conductors; and

actuating the microporcessor at the location remote from the flow process with the control signal.

11. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein:

the step of detecting includes:

locating a first data acquistion unit at the process, said first data acquisition unit including a first microcomputer, a second microcomputer, a first memory having a first port connected to said first microcomputer and having a second port connected to said second microcomputer, and a first serial output means connected to said second microcomputer and to said end of said single pair of transmission conductors for outputting encoded signals onto said single pair of transmission conductors;

locating a second data acquisition unit at the process, said second dta acquisition unit including a third microcomputer, a fourth microcomputer, a second memory having a first port connected to said third microcomputer and having a second port connected to said fourth microcomputer, and a second serial output means connected to said fourth microcomputer and to said end of said single pair of transmission conductors for outputting encoded signals onto said single pair of transmission conductors;

connecting a first transducer to said first microcomputer;

connecting a second transducer to said third microcomputer;

receiving at said first microcomputer first transducer signals from said first transducer; and

receiving at said third microcomputer second transducer signals from said second transducer;

the step of converting includes:

processing said first trnasducer signals through said first microcomputer to provide encoded first transducer signals as a part of said encoded sigals; and

processing said second transducer signals through said second microcomputer to provide encoded second transducer signals as a part of said encoded signals; and

the step of transmitting includes:

processing said encoded first transducer signals through said first memory, said second microcomputer and said first serial output means so that said encoded first transducer sigals are communicated to said other end of said single pair of transmission conductors; and

processing said encoded second transducer signals through said second memory, said fourth microcomputer and said second serial output means so that said encoded second transducer signals are communicated to said other end of said single pair of transmission conductors.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to data transfer systems and methods and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to systems and methods for acquiring data from a flow process, such as a cementing operation, at an oil or gas well site.

To accurately control a process, several conditions or characteristics existing throughout the process need to be monitored so that one knows whether the process is being performed as it should be. For example, during a cementing operation at an oil or gas well site, a cement slurry is produced and pumped into the well. To monitor the quality of the slurry and its placement in the well, various pressures, flow rates and densities associated with the slurry and its flow need to be known. Such a process is carried out over a considerable physical area of the well site, and the conditions or characteristics to be known exist at various spaced locations throughout the process area, so that human observation of locally disposed gauges or readouts would not alone provide satisfactory monitoring of the job. Therefore, there is the need for an automated monitoring system and method by which data representing conditions or characteristics to be monitored can be collected and centrally observed so that more accurate control of the process can be achieved.

This general need has been recognized, and we are aware of two systems which have been proposed particularly for use in monitoring characteristics associated with a cementing job at a well site. The PACR system of Dowell Schlumberger monitors pressure, flow rate and density and provides a graphic display and magnetic tape recording. In this system, each sensor for detecting the respective characteristics requires individual cabling to be run directly to the central recording unit. Furthermore, this system is limited to monitoring three density, three pressure and six flow rate characteristics. Additional characteristics can be monitored, but this requires a complete duplicate PACR system. Another system, the PDR system of Halliburton Company (the assignee of the present invention) has limitations similar to the PACR system.

Although the PACR and PDR systems provide automated monitoring of a number of characteristics associated with a process, they have relatively limited capacities before entire duplicate systems need to be used. Furthermore, if such duplicate systems are used, then there is no one central recording station compiling all the monitored information.

Another shortcoming of the PACR and PDR systems is that they require individual conductors from each transducer or detector to be run to the central recording unit. This is relatively expensive in that such runs of cabling can be long. Such multiple conductors require additional maintenance and can create hazardous situations to personnel when they are strung throughout the well site.

A further limitation is that the PACR and PDR systems are not readily adaptable for accommodating dispersed locations where conditions or characteristics are to be monitored as well as where equipment is to be subsequently controlled to change the conditions or characteristics. That is, these systems are primarily, if not exclusively, unitized data acquisition systems to which multiple cables are run for conveying the monitored signals. They do not include modularized components which can be dispersed throughout a process area for both monitoring conditions and controlling the process.

Therefore, there is the need for an improved system and method which have significant expansion capabilities without requiring entire duplicate systems. This need contemplates a dispersible or modular design. Such modules should be of a type which are to be located where the conditions or characteristics to be monitored exist and they should have both data monitoring as well as equipment controlling capabilities. Such an improved system and method should also be designed so that a large area can be covered without requiring extensive cabling across the area.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes the above-noted and other shortcomings of the prior systems by providing a novel and improved data acquisition system and method. This system and method have significant expansion capabilities through their modular implementation. A large area can be covered by respective modules; however, extensive cabling is not needed in view of the unique local area networking design implemented in the present invention. Furthermore, the modules of the present invention can be located within the process environment near where the conditions or characteristics to be monitored exist, but attached to only a single pair of data transmission conductors extending to a central data recording unit. The modules directly associated with the process also have control capabilities by which the process can be controlled.

Broadly, the data transfer system of the present invention includes interface means for communicating with conditions or characteristics of an operation to be monitored; central processing means for receiving information from, and for sending information to, the interface means; and local area network means for connecting the interface means and the central processing means so that the information received from, and the information sent to, the interface means is transferred only through a single information transfer conduit.

In the preferred embodiment, the interface means includes display means, adapted for being located near where a plurality of detectable characteristics are to be monitored, for receiving electrical inputs representing magnitudes of detected ones of the characteristics and for digitally encoding the electrical inputs. The central processing means includes recording means, adapted for being located at a distance from the display means, for recording the digital encodings of the electrical inputs. The local area network means of this embodiment includes a single pair of electrical conductors over which all the digital encodings of the electrical inputs are transferred from the display means to the recording means.

With respect to a flow process at a well site, the present invention also provides a method of acquiring data, which method comprises detecting from spatially separated locations of the flow process a plurality of characteristics occurring within the flow process; converting, at at least one location near the flow process, the detected characteristics into digital electrical signals representing the magnitudes of the detected characteristics; and transferring the digital electrical signals over a single pair of transmission conductors to a single location remote from the flow process.

Therefore, from the foregoing, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved data acquisition system and method. Other and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description of the preferred embodiment is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a data acquisition system constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A-2B are a representative block diagram of the system of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a display unit of the system of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the display unit.

FIG. 5 is a sectional elevational view of one of the data acquisition modules contained within the display unit as taken along line 5--5 in FIG. 3.

FIGS. 6A--6B are a schematic circuit diagram of the circuit contained on a display board of the data acquisition module shown in FIG. 5.

FIGS. 7A-7B a schematic circuit diagram of the circuit contained on a microprocessor circuit board of the data acquisition module shown in FIG. 5.

FIGS. 8A-8C are a schematic circuit diagram of the circuit contained on an input/output/power board of the data acquisition module shown in FIG. 5.

FIGS. 9A-9B are a schematic circuit diagram of the circuit contained on a random access memory/battery backup board of the data, acquisition module shown in FIG. 5.

FIGS. 10A-10B are a schematic circuit diagram of the circuit contained on a local area network board of the data acquisition module shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a recorder unit of the system of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is an end view of the recorder unit.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of the recorder unit with the keyboard panel removed.

FIG. 14 is a schematic sectional view of the recorder unit taken along line 14--14 in FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a flow chart of a program for controlling a control microcomputer in the data acquisition module.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart of a program for controlling a transmission microcomputer of the data acquisition module.

FIG. 17 is a flow chart of a program for controlling a microcomputer in the recorder unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The data transfer system constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes interface means for communicating with an operation, such as an oil or gas well cementing operation which is to be controlled in response to the data transferred through the present invention. Associated with such an operation are different detectable conditions or characteristics. In FIG. 1, the interface means is particularly embodied as a display unit 2, adapted for being located near where a plurality of detectable characteristics are to be monitored, for receiving electrical inputs representing magnitudes of detected ones of the characteristics and for digitally encoding the electrical inputs. These inputs in the preferred embodiment are received from suitable transducers which convert the characteristics, such as pressure, flow rate and density, into the corresponding electrical signals representing the magnitudes or values of the characteristics. In FIG. 1, two pressure transducers 4, 6, two flow rate transducers 8, 10 and a density transducer 12 are illustrated as being connected by suitable electrical conductors to the display means 2. In the preferred embodiment particularly adapted for use in monitoring conditions of a cementing job at an oil or gas well site, the pressure transducer is of a type as known to the art, as are the other transducers, such as flowmeter or tachometer transducers and digital or U-tube densometers. These transducers or, more generally, these detectors have predetermined or predeterminable response characteristics which can be used for calibrating purposes as subsequently described.

The system of the present invention also includes a central processing means for receiving information from, and for sending information to, the interface means. In FIG. 1 the central processing means is shown embodied as a recording unit 14, adapted for being located at a distance from the display unit 2, for recording the digital encodings of the electrical inputs received at the display unit 2.

The data transfer system also broadly includes local area network means for connecting the interface means and the central processing means so that the information received from, and the information sent to, the interface means is transferred only through a single information transfer conduit. This is distinguishable from the PACR and the PDR systems described hereinabove which require individual conduits or conductors from their transducers to their central recording unit. In the FIG. 1 embodiment of the present invention, the local area network means particularly includes a single electrical cable 16 connected between the display unit 2 and the recording unit 14. In the preferred embodiment the cable 16 includes two pairs of electrical conductors. One pair of electrical conductors is dedicated to transferring the digital encodings of the electrical inputs; the other pair is dedicated to indicating the instants in time during which the digital encodings being transferred on the one pair are valid. In the broadest aspects of the present invention, this other pair is not needed for providing a conduit through which the digital data representing the monitored conditions can be transferred, if the validity of the digital encodings is inherent in the manner of encoding or otherwise assured. The local area network means also includes connecting circuitry within the display unit 2 and the recording unit 14 as will be more particularly described hereinbelow.

The structure and methodology of the display unit 2, the recording unit 14 and the local area network interconnect circuit will be more particularly described hereinbelow with reference to the remaining drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the following hardware and software descriptions are not to be taken as limiting the scope of the present invention because it is contemplated that other types of hardware and software can be utilized in practicing the invention.

Display Unit 2

The external appearance of the preferred embodiment of the display unit 2 is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The display unit 2 includes a portable housing 18 having a body 20 in which the electrical components of the display unit 2 are contained. The housing 18 also has a removable lid 22 and a plurality of mechanical connectors 24 to which cables are connected for providing electrical continuity into and out of the housing 18. As shown in FIG. 4, the connectors 24 include two pressure transducer connectors 26, 28, two flow rate transducer connectors 30, 32 and one density transducer connector 34. The connectors 24 also include a connector 36 to which the cable 16 is connected and a power-in connector 38 to which an external power cable 39 (FIG. 1) is connected for transferring power from an external power supply to the display unit 2. A power-out connector 40 is also mounted in the side of the body 20 of the housing 18 so that a power cable 41 can be connected to provide power to an external device, such as another display similar to the display means 2 or, as illustrated in FIG. 1, to the recording unit 14. Although FIG. 1 shows the display unit 2 and the recording unit 14 sharing power from the external power supply via the cable 41, it is contemplated that this will be done only when the two units are relatively close together. When the units 2, 14 are in the field and spaced across a well site from each other, the more likely configuration will be for each to have its own local external power supply (e.g., a truck battery) connected thereto. This configuration reduces the "long-distance" cabling to just the single data transmission cable 16, thereby maximizing the reduced cabling advantage of the present invention over the PACR and PDR systems.

Although not shown in the drawings, another connector is contemplated to be included on the housing 18. This connector will permit different display units to be locally interconnected in a manner which permits each display unit access to the single data transmission cable 16 which runs from only one of the display units to the single recording unit 14. That is, in the system of the present invention, a plurality of display units 2 can be interconnected in a daisy chain manner whereby only a single cable 16 needs to be run from one of the display units to the recording unit 14. When additional display units 2 are used, the monitored data from the other units are transferred onto the cable 16 through branch information transfer conduits or cables similar to but shorter than the cable 16. These branch cables are physically connected between two of the display units 2, but ultimately in communication with the single information transfer conduit 16 extending to the recording unit 14. Each such branch information transfer conduit has a length which, in the preferred embodiment, is substantially shorter than the length of the single information transfer conduit 16 so that all the display units remain within substantially the same environment of the monitored process. That is, all of the display units are relatively closely located since they are used to detect different characteristics associated with the overall operation they are monitoring. Thus, all the display units are located within the environment of the monitored operation; however, the single recording unit 14 used with all of the display units is remotely located outside of the immediate environment or vicinity of the operation so that the recording means 14 need not be constructed to withstand whatever adverse conditions might exist within the environment of the monitored operation. In the preferred embodiment, the overall system is expandible to accommodate thirty-two inputs on the single pair of data transmission conductors in the cable 16.

Contained within the housing 18 of each display unit 2 are three data acquisition modules 43. In the preferred embodiment these data acquisition modules define pressure data acquisition means for receiving and encoding at least one pressure signal, flow rate data acquisition means for receiving and encoding at least one flow rate signal, and density data acquisition means for receiving and encoding at least one density signal. Each of these data acquisition modules is connected to the single pair of electrical conductors defining the monitored data transferral conduit contained within the cable 16.

Data Acquisition Module 43

Although each data acquisition module might be adapted to receive and encode a different type of characteristic (e.g., pressure, flow rate or density), each module is a similarly constructed apparatus having the components generally identified in FIG. 2A. Broadly, each data acquisition module comprises input means for receiving electrical signals from at least one transducer (it should be noted, however, that a data acquisition module has uses other than acquiring data so that it is operational even without being connected to any transducers; for example, a module could simply provide a clock or an alarm clock function or it could perform mathematical operations on data inputs based on internally stored tables of information). Each module further comprises digital storage means for storing digital signals corresponding to the electrical signals received by the input means; control microcomputer means, connected to the input means and the digital storage means, for transferring the digital signals into the digital storage means; and transmission microcomputer means, connected to the digital storage means, for transferring the digital signals out of the digital storage means onto a transmission line. The digital storage means defines connector means for connecting the control microcomputer means, which performs direct communications with the oil or gas well operation in the preferred embodiment, and the transmission microcomputer means, which passes the information to the recording unit 14.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the input means includes two connectors for connecting to two transducers. For the pressure data acquisition module of the display means 2, these two connectors are the connectors 26, 28, whereas for the flow rate data acquisition module, these two connectors are the connectors 30, 32. In the preferred embodiment, FIG. 4 shows that only one connector (i.e., connector 34) is associated with the density data acquisition module; however, the density data acquisition module has the general configuration shown in FIG. 2A.

The input means of each data acquisition module 43 also includes digitizing means for connecting the two connector means with the control microcomputer. In FIG. 2A, the preferred embodiment of the digitizing means is shown as being adapted for receiving two different types of transducer outputs. One is a voltage or current output and the other is a frequency output. To accommodate the voltage or current output, the digitizing means includes a voltage to frequency converter 42 which converts the respective transducer signal into an electrical signal having a frequency. To accommodate the frequency transducer output, the digitizing means includes an amplify and square means 44 for providing another electrical signal having a frequency in response to the applied frequency signal from the respective frequency transducer. Also included within the digitizing means is a counter means 46 for providing a digital signal to the control microcomputer in response to the frequency of one of the two electrical signals provided by the voltage to frequency converter 42 and the amp and square circuit 44. To selectably connect one of these two signals to the counter means 46, the digitizing means further includes switch means 48.

The digital storage means of each data acquisition module 43 constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a dual port random access memory 50 having a first port connected to the control microcomputer and having a second port connected to the transmission microcomputer. The random access memory 50 provides commonly accessible storage locations in which information is stored by one of the two microcomputers and retrieved by the other of the two microcomputers. Such other one of the microcomputers is actuated to retrieve the information by monitoring a respective status word contained in a predetermined storage location within the random access memory 50. In the preferred embodiment there is a status word storage location in which the control microcomputer writes to actuate the transmission microcomputer to perform a function on the memory, and there is a second status word storage location different from the first one, in which the transmission microcomputer writes a second status word to actuate the control microcomputer to perform a function on the random access memory 50.

The control microcomputer is shown in FIG. 2A as including a microprocessor 52 connected to the counter 46 and the random access memory 50. The microprocessor 52 is also connected to program storage means 54 for retaining a program to operate the microprocessor 52, and the microprocessor 52 is connected to a random access memory 56 having a capacity for storing up to several hours of monitored data (of course, such capacity need not always be fully used because transfers over the cable 16 to the recording unit 14 for storage in the memory there can be made).

Associated with the control microcomputer, and forming another part of the data acquisition module 43, is a serial transmitter and receiver means 58 for transmitting external information from and receiving external information for the microprocessor 52 separately from that information transferred via the random access memory 50. A parallel input/output means 60 for providing local information transfer to and from the microprocessor 52 is also included in the module 43. Through the I/O circuit 60, analog switches 62 and a display 64 are controlled and inputs from a keyboard 66 are received. Also connected to the microprocessor 52 are digital to analog conversion means 68 for providing analog control signals to one or more external devices in response to the monitor microcomputer. Each module 43 is also designed for having internal power supply capabilities as indicated by the power supplies 69 included in FIG. 2A.

The transmission microcomputer is shown in FIG. 2A as including a microprocessor 70 connected to the random access memory 50; program storage means 72, connected to the microprocessor 70, for retaining a program to operate the microprocessor 70; random access memory 74 connected to the microprocessor 70; and serial input/output means 76 also connected to the microprocessor 70. The serial input/output means 76 communicates the digital signals from the digital storage means defined by the random access memory 50 to the common pair of conductors in the cable 16. Time data is also communicated through the serial input/output means to another common pair of conductors of the transmission line. This is indicated by the LAN (local area network) block in FIG. 2A.

These elements of each data acquisition module 43 are mounted in a housing 78 (FIG. 5) having a receptacle member 80 and a detachable cover member 82 in which two display openings 84, 86 are defined and to which the keyboard 66 is retained. Vertically arrayed within the receptacle member 80 are a plurality of printed circuit boards on which the circuits defining the aforementioned elements of the data acquisition module 43 are mounted. These boards include: (1) a display board 88 having display circuit means mounted thereon for providing a visual output observable through the two display openings 84, 86; (2) a control microcomputer board 90 having the microprocessor 52 and related circuitry mounted thereon for receiving inputs from the keyboard 66 and for controlling the display circuit on the board 88; (3) an input/output/power board 92 having the various aforementioned input and output circuits mounted thereon as well as having power input circuit means mounted thereon for providing suitable electrical voltage to the data acquisition module in response to the external power source; (4) a local area network board 94 having the random access memory 50 and the microprocessor 70 and its related circuitry mounted thereon; and (5) a random access memory board 96 having the random access memory bank 56 mounted thereon for storing data received from the microprocessor 52 and having internal power supply circuit means for energizing the random access memory 56 when the power input circuit on the board 92 is not providing electrical energy to the data acquisition module 43. A termination board 98 is also included with the enclosure defined by the housing 78. Each of the boards 88-96 and their related circuits will be more particularly described with reference to FIGS. 6-10, in which drawings the circuits defining the elements shown in FIG. 2A are identified by the same reference numerals used in FIG. 2A. These boards will be further described as follows; however, a more detailed description of these circuits and their operation will not be given because they are apparent from the drawings.

Display Board 88

The circuit for the display board 88 is shown in FIGS. 6A-6B. The circuit includes two 6-digit liquid crystal displays 100, 102 visible through the display openings 84, 86. The board operates by decoding with a decoder 104 the upper four bits of an 8-bit byte. The lower four bits of the byte are the bcd digits to be displayed. Three decimal points can be driven by the decoder. The addresses are:

    ______________________________________
    0          Upper Display, First Digit (Leftmost)
    1          Upper Display, Second Digit
    2          Upper Display, Third Digit
    3          Upper Display, Fourth Digit
    4          Upper Display, Fifth Digit
    5          Upper Display, Sixth Digit (Rightmost)
    6          Lower Display, First Digit (Leftmost)
    7          Lower Display, Second Digit
    8          Lower Display, Third Digit
    9          Lower Display, Fourth Digit
    10         Lower Display, Fifth Digit
    11         Lower Display, Sixth Digit (Rightmost)
    12         Lower Display Decimal Point
    13         Upper Display Decimal Point
    14         Unused
    15         Unused
    The digits displayed are:
                      0 = `0`    8 = `8`
                      1 = `1`    9 = `9`
                      2 = `2`   10 = `L`
                      3 = `3`   11 = `H`
                      4 = `4`   12 = `P`
                      5 = `5`   13 = `A`
                      6 = `6`   14 = `--`
                      7 = `7`   15 = BLANK
    ______________________________________

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    From         To         Multiply by
    ______________________________________
    PSI          MPa        .00689
    PSI          Bar        .06804
    BPM          Gal        42
    BPM          Liters/Min 158.97
    BPM          M.sup.3 /Min
                            .15877
    LB/GAL       KG/M.sup.3 119.94
    LB/GAL       Spec Gravity
                            .11984
    .degree.F.   .degree.C. .55556
    ______________________________________

    ______________________________________
    Channel 04 = Pressure   05 = Combined Rate
    display:
            06 = Combined Total
                            08 = Single Rate
            09 = Single Total
                            10 = U-Tube Densometer
    ______________________________________

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    CODE           DESCRIPTION
    ______________________________________
    H A L P 1      Divide by zero
    H A L P 2      Heap Overflow
    H A L P 3      String Overflow Check
    H A L P 4      Array and Subrange Check
    H A L P 5      Floating Point Overflow
    H A L P 6      Floating Point Overflow
    ______________________________________

    ______________________________________
    50   Display Time   64     Measure Input Frequency
    51   Set Year       65     Multipoint Calibration
    52   Set Month      70     Channel Type
    53   Set Day        71     Box Address
    54   Set Hour       90     Scale Factor
    55   Set Minute     91     Offset Factor
    56   Set Seconds    99     Cold Start
    00   Density Mode   22     100 Sec Frequency
    04   AUTOCAL Air    23     DAC Minimum
    05   AUTOCAL Water  24     DAC Maximum
    06   AUTOCAL Lo Cal 25     500 Sec Frequency avg
    07   AUTOCAL KCL    36     Display Calibration Points
    10   And Concentrate
                        37     New Lo Cal Data
    14   Base Fluid
    15   New Base Fluid
    16   Sand
    17   SUPER PROP .RTM.
    18   New Proppant
    20   1 Sec Frequency
    21   10 Sec Frequency
    ______________________________________
     (NOTE: Codes greater than 18 require 6771 access number after code. Then
     RUN)

    ______________________________________
    CODE  EVENT            CODE    EVENT
    ______________________________________
    41    JOB START        57      BOTTOM PLUG
                                   DROPPED
    42    JOB PAUSE        59      DISPLACEMENT
    43    PRESSURE TEST    61      PLUG LANDED
    45    CIRCULATE        63      USER 1
    47    LEAD CEMENT      65      USER 2
    49    SPACER 1         67      USER 3
    51    TAIL CEMENT      68      JOB RESUME
    53    SPACER 2         69      JOB END
    55    TOP PLUG DROPPED
    ______________________________________
     NOTE: Codes 63, 65, 67 can be used for any special event as needed. Code
     69 will stop the recording system and print a job summary. Code 42 will
     stop the recording process. Code 68 will restart the recording after a jo
     pause from code 42.

    ______________________________________
    MAIN MENU
    ______________________________________
    1 - Start Job 2 - Setup Strip Chart 3 - Tabular Playback
    4 - Format Disk 5 - Print Title Page 6 - Return to DOS
    7 - Help 8 - Data Acquisition Unit 9 - Playback Strip Chart
    10 - Data Acquisition Playback
    ______________________________________

• Inventors
  Sears, III, Leslie R.; Pitts, Alan J.; Crain, Stephen F.; Woodall, Edward L.; Green, Michael L.; Roberts, Don M.; Daunis, Eugene J.; Clark, Mark A.;
• Assignee
  Halliburton Company (Duncan, OK)
• Published
  Jun-14-1988
• Current US Classes:
  340/3.21
  340/3.32
  340/870.01
  370/908
  702/6
  707/102
• Application #
  847397
• International Classes
  G06F 015/46
• Field of Search
  364/556 364/557 364/558 364/505 364/131 364/132 364/133 364/421 364/422 364/200 364/900 367/71 367/69 367/25
• Examiner
  Fleming; Michael R.
• Agent
  Duzan; James R., Gilbert, III; E. Harrison
• US Patent References:
  4212057
  4265266
  4350979
  4353482
  4371929
  4424559
  4430828
  4432064
  4454577
  4497031
  4507735
  4509901
  4527247
  4538221
  4538222
  4561057
  4571693
  4571993
  4593365
  4593370
  4628436
  4636934
  4639882
  4661932
  4672529
  4672530
  4686625
  4688168