Drill Rig Control System

Abstract

12 Abstract A control system for a drill rig comprises a controller on the drill rig; a plurality of devices on the drill rig under the control of the controller; and a wireless transceiver on the drill rig; a remote control station comprising a second wireless transceiver. The remote control station is able to send control commands to the controller using a wireless connection between the wireless transceivers. The devices on the drill rig are organised into a plurality of groups, where one or more of the input devices may be used to provide control commands to the devices on the drill rig according to a selection of one of the groups. 12 Abstract A control system for a drill rig comprises a controller on the drill rig; a plurality of devices on the drill rig under the control of the controller; and a wireless transceiver on the drill rig; a remote control station comprising a second wireless transceiver. The remote control station is able to send control commands to the controller using a wireless connection between the wireless transceivers. The devices on the drill rig are organised into a plurality of groups, where one or more of the input devices may be used to provide control commands to the devices on the drill rig according to a selection of one of the groups. 20 24 20 54 63 02 A ug 2 02 4 A b s t r a c t 2 0 2 4 2 0 5 4 6 3 0 2 A u g 2 0 2 4

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a control system for a drill rig. Background

[0002] Drill rigs are used for exploratory drilling in the field of mineral, and oil and gas exploration, along with other applications, such as drilling for water. The drill rig comprises a mast that handles a string of drill rods that is progressively built as the drill string drills its way into the earth. As the current drill rod is lowered into the ground by the drilling operation, it will be necessary to add another rod to the drill string. A rod handler is used to take the next drill rod from a storage bin and place it in an operational position for attachment to the end of the current drill string so as to extend the length of the drill string once the new rod is attached. The rod handler also returns each rod to the rod storage bin as the string is disassembled.

[0003] It is common for a drill operator to be operating the controls of the drill rig either on the rig itself to from a wire connected remote control panel. Where the operator is controlling the on-rig control panel they do not have a good view of all that is occurring and they also need to be a safe distance from a fall zone. Where the operator is controlling the rig from a remote control panel there are limitations imposed by the current use of a wired connection to the rig.

[0004] There are also some limited wireless controls in use that are specific to controlling certain limited functions by transmitting a proportional signal to the device being controlled.

[0005] The many devices and settings that require control require a considerable number of inputs and information display outputs. In a wired environment this is catered for by providing an input device, such as a joystick, knobs and buttons and display devices, such as meters and digital displays, as is required to provide for the required inputs and outputs.

[0006] The present invention seeks to provide a wireless remote drill rig control system. Summary of the Present Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, there is provided a control system for a drill rig, comprising: a controller on the drill rig; 2024205463   02 Aug 2024 a plurality of devices on the drill rig under the control of the controller; a wireless transceiver on the drill rig; a remote control station comprising a second wireless transceiver, wherein the remote control station is able to send control commands to the controller using a wireless connection between the wireless transceivers, wherein the devices on the drill rig are organised into a plurality of groups, where one or more of the input devices may be used to provide control commands to the devices on the drill rig according to a selection of one of the groups.

[0008] In an embodiment, the display is configured to display information from the devices on the drill rig according to the group selected.

[0009] In an embodiment, the devices are connected to the controller by a bus. In an embodiment the first wireless transceiver is connected to the controller by a bus. In an embodiment the devices are connected to the controller by a plurality of busses. In an embodiment the busses use a plurality of communication protocols, and the controller converts information on one bus using one protocol to another bus using another protocol.

[0010] In an embodiment, the first wireless transceiver comprises a bus to wireless protocol interface.

[0011] In an embodiment, the second wireless transceiver comprises a bus to wireless protocol interface.

[0012] In an embodiment, the bus is a vehicle based bus protocol. In an embodiment the bus is Controller Area Network (CAN) bus. In an embodiment another bus is SAE J1939. In an embodiment another bus may be Local Interconnect Network.

[0013] In an embodiment, the wireless protocol is Bluetooth. Alternatively, the wireless protocol is WiFi or Zigbee.

[0014] In an embodiment, the remote control station is configured as a slave node on the bus.

[0015] In an embodiment, the remote control station comprises input devices for controlling the drill rig and a display screen. 2024205463   02 Aug 2024

[0016] In an embodiment, the display is configured to receive information from the devices on the drill rig. In an embodiment, the display is configured to display the received information from the devices on the drill rig.

[0017] In an embodiment, the controller is configured to receive information from the devices on the drill rig. In an embodiment, the controller uses the received information.

[0018] In an embodiment, the received information is displayed on a display of the remote control station. In an embodiment the received information is sent via the controller.

[0019] According to the present invention, there is provided a controller of a drill rig, comprising: a connection to a plurality of devices on the drill rig under the control of the controller; a wireless transceiver on the drill rig, wherein the controller is configured to wirelessly connect to a remote control station via a second wireless transceiver, and to receive control commands sent from the remote control station via the wireless transceivers, wherein the devices on the drill rig are organised into a plurality of groups, where one or more of the input devices may be used to provide control commands to the devices on the drill rig according to a selection of one of the groups.

[0020] According to the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a drill rig, comprising: establishing a wireless connection between a wireless transceiver on the drill rig and a second wireless transceiver of a remote control station; receiving commands from an operator of the remote control station; sending the commands to a controller on the drill rig via the wireless connection and a bus connecting the first bus based wireless transceiver to the controller; and controlling devices of the drill rig via the bus based on the commands received at the remote control station, wherein the devices on the drill rig are organised into a plurality of groups, where one or more of the input devices may be used to provide control commands to the devices on the drill rig according to a selection of one of the groups.

[0021] According to the present invention, there is provided a control system for a drill rig, comprising: a controller on the drill rig; 2024205463   02 Aug 2024 a plurality of devices on the drill rig under the control of the controller, wherein the devices are grouped into at least two groups; a wireless transceiver on the drill rig; a remote control station comprising a second wireless transceiver, wherein the remote control station is able to send control commands to the controller using a wireless connection between the wireless transceivers; wherein the controller is configured to allocate control commands received at the remote control station to one of the at least two groups of the devices, according to a selection of the group.

[0022] According to the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a drill rig, comprising: grouping devices of the drill rig into at least two groups of devices; establishing a wireless connection between a controller of the drill rig and a remote control station; receiving a selection of one of the groups of devices; receiving commands from an operator of the remote control station using input devices of the remote control station; sending the commands to a controller on the drill rig via the wireless connection; and controlling devices of the drill rig based on the commands received at the remote control station and the selected group of devices.

[0023] In an embodiment, the command is received from the operator of the remote control station using input devices of the remote control station; and the input devices are used according to the selected group of devices.

[0024] In an embodiment, the remote control station comprises a display for receiving information from the devices on the drill rig; and the display is configured to display information received according to the selected group of devices.

[0025] Also according to the present invention there is provided a drill rig comprising a control system as defined above.

[0026] In this specification the terms “having”, “comprising” or “comprises” are used inclusively and not exclusively or exhaustively. 2024205463   02 Aug 2024 Description of Drawings of the Invention

[0027] In order to provide a better understanding of the present invention, preferred embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0028] Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of a drill rig control system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of element of the control system of Figure 1; and

[0030] Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram of organisation of devices on the drill rid into groups according to an embodiment of the present invention. Description of Embodiments of the Invention

[0031] Referring to Figure 1, there is shown an embodiment of a control system 10 for a drill rig, comprising: a drill rig side 14 and a remote controller side 12. The drill rig side 14 is on the drill rig. The remote controller side 14 is a remote control station 16 that is able to be positioned remotely from the drill rig. The remote control station 16 comprises a panel of input devices and one or more displays (see Figure 2). On the drill rig side 14 is a master controller 18, which is connected to a plurality of drill rig devices under the control of the controller 18. In an embodiment, the controller 18 is connected to the devices by at least one bus 22. In this embodiment the bus is a CAN bus.

[0032] In an embodiment, the devices on the drill rig comprise one or more of: a programming interface 30; a telemetry interface 32; a data logger 34; an engine control unit (ECU) 36 connected to an engine of the drill rig by connection 70; sensors 38, 40, such as CAN Open sensors; slave devices 42, 44; input sensors 60 (digital or analogue) connected to the slave device 44; outputs 62 (digital or analogue) connected to the slave device 44. 2024205463   02 Aug 2024

[0033] In an embodiment, the controller 18 is directly connected to other devices, such as (digital or analogue) inputs 50, 52 or (digital or analogue) outputs 54.

[0034] Connected to the controller 18, via the bus 22, is a first bus based wireless transceiver 26. In this embodiment, the wireless transceiver 26 is a CAN bus to Bluetooth bridge. For example the transceiver may be an IXXAT™ CANblue II bridge or a CANIink™ Bluetooth bridge, which bridges the CAN bus 22 to a Bluetooth connection 20.

[0035] The controller 18 may connect to a single consolidated network, or as shown in Figure 1, there may be a plurality of networks, in this case four. The first network is CAN bus network 22 connecting the controller 18 to the transceiver 26, and in this embodiment data logger 34 I telemetry device 32. A second of the networks connects the slave devices 42 and 44 and sensors 38 and 40 the controller using the CAN Open protocol. A third of the networks connects the ECU 36 to the controller 18. This may be a CAN network or another type of vehicle bus network and may employ the SAE J1939 protocol. In an embodiment, another bus may be Local Interconnect Network. The fourth of the networks connects the programming interface 30 the controller 30. It may be a CAN bus, Ethernet or RS232, or other.

[0036] The remote control station 16 comprises a second bus based wireless transceiver 24. In this embodiment, the wireless transceiver 24 is another CAN bus to Bluetooth bridge which bridges devices of the control station 16 to the CAN bus 22 via to a Bluetooth connection 20. Thus, the devices of the station 16 become part of the CAN bus network.

[0037] Referring to Figure 2, in this embodiment the remote control station 16 comprises one or more of the following devices: a display screen 80, and in preferably a CAN bus display; a keypad 82; a joystick 84; and a slave device 86 connected to a proportional input device 88, such as a joystick or dial, and a push button input device 90.

[0038] The devices 80, 82, 84, 88 or 90 of the station 16 are all able to interface directly, or indirectly via CAN bus slave device 86 to the CAN bus of the station 16 and then in turn via the wireless link to the CAN bus 22 of the drill rig, and then to the controller 18 in order for an operator of the control station 16 to give input control commands to the controller 18. In turn, the controller 18 controls the devices 54, 62, of the drill rig according to the received 2024205463   02 Aug 2024 commands. Furthermore, data from input devices 38, 40, 50, 52, 60, and data from the ECU 36 are able to be collected by the controller 18 and then provided via the bus 22 and wireless connection 20, to the display screen 80 for display of the data. This data may also be used by the controller.

[0039] Referring to Figure 3, in this embodiment, the devices on the drill rig are organised into a plurality of groups 110, 112 and 114. For example, these may be solenoid outputs for drill rig devices, such as a mast and its devices, a rod handler and its devices, hydraulic powered systems, pneumatic (compressed air) using systems and / or electrical systems. The group to which commands are being given at a given time may be selected. The input devices of the remote control station may be used to control the selected group at a given time. In this manner less input controls may be required because the one input device can have a mode where it controls device group 110, or a mode where it controls device group 112 or a mode where it controls device group 114, according to whether group 110, 112 or 114 is selected at a given time.

[0040] Some input devices may not operate according to the grouping, such as a dial that selects the mode of control, or an input device that always needs to control the same device on the drill rig, no matter the mode that the other input devices are selected to control. In an example, group 110 is for rig setup, including stabiliser actuation, mast raising; group 112 is for drill rod handling, including taking a drill rod from a drill rod rack, manoeuvring into position on the mast and return from the mast; and group 114 is for drilling operations, drill string rotation, air pressure for RC drilling and sample recovery.

[0041] The method of operation of the present invention will now be described.

[0042] As part of the setup of a drill rig on site, the remote control station 16 is positioned a suitable distance from the drill rig, but preferably with line-of-sight. It is powered up and the transceivers 24 and 26 form a wireless connection 20. This bridges the bus devices of the station 16 with the bus 22 of the drill rig. These devices 80, 82, 84, 88 or 90 can now operate as if they were each directly connected by wire to the controller 18.

[0043] The operator can then control the drill rig’s devices with the input devices 80, 82, 84, 88 or 90 of the station 16 and can receive information about the operations of the drill rig from sensors and other systems (such as the ECU 36) via the display 80.

[0044] In an embodiment according to Figure 3, devices of the drill rig in group 110 can be selected and controlled with the input devices. Then the control can be changed to control 2024205463   02 Aug 2024 device group 112 using at least some of the input devices that were used to control group 110 (for example a single joystick can be used to control two devices on the drill rig). Likewise, the control can be changed to control device group 114 using at least some of the input devices that were used to control group 110 and / or group 112. Likewise the devices on the drill rig being controlled can have instruments providing feedback data sent via the controller to the display 80 and the display can show the user the feedback data according to which of the groups 110,112 or 114 is selected. Some data may be displayed no matter the group selected.

[0045] Modifications may be made to the present invention within the context of that described and shown in the drawings. Such modifications are intended to form part of the invention described in this specification.

Claims

1. A control system for a drill rig, comprising:a controller on the drill rig;a plurality of devices on the drill rig under the control of the controller;a wireless transceiver on the drill rig;a remote control station comprising a plurality of physical input devices and a second wireless transceiver, wherein the remote control station is able to send control commands to the controller using a wireless connection between the wireless transceivers,wherein the devices on the drill rig are organised into a plurality of groups, where one or more of the plurality of physical input devices may be used to provide control commands to the devices on the drill rig according to a selection of one of the groups.

2. A control system according to claim 1, wherein a display screen of the remote control station is configured to display information from the devices on the drill rig according to the group selected.

3. A control system according to claim 2, wherein the display is configured to receive information from the devices on the drill rig.

4. A control system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of physical input devices are mechanical or electromechanical devices.

5. A control system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of physical input devices are analog devices.

6. A control system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of physical input devices comprises at least one joystick.

7. A control system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of physical input devices comprises at least one keyboard or keypad.

8. A controller of a drill rig, comprising:a connection to a plurality of devices on the drill rig under the control of the controller;a wireless transceiver on the drill rig, wherein the controller is configured to wirelessly connect to a remote control station via a second wireless transceiver, and to receive control commands sent from the remote control station via the wireless transceivers,2024205463   02 Aug 2024wherein the devices on the drill rig are organised into a plurality of groups, where one or more of a plurality of physical input devices of the remote control station may be used to provide control commands to the devices on the drill rig according to a selection of one of the groups.

9. A controller of a drill rig according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of physical input devices are mechanical or electromechanical devices.

10. A method of controlling a drill rig, comprising:establishing a wireless connection between a wireless transceiver on the drill rig and a second wireless transceiver of a remote control station;receiving commands from an operator of the remote control station;sending the commands to a controller on the drill rig via the wireless connection and a bus connecting the first bus based wireless transceiver to the controller; andcontrolling devices of the drill rig via the bus based on the commands received at the remote control station,wherein the devices on the drill rig are organised into a plurality of groups, where one or more of a plurality of physical input devices of the remote control station may be used to provide control commands to the devices on the drill rig according to a selection of one of the groups.

11. A method of controlling a drill rig according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of physical input devices are mechanical or electromechanical devices.

12. A control system for a drill rig, comprising:a controller on the drill rig;a plurality of devices on the drill rig under the control of the controller, wherein the devices are grouped into at least two groups;a wireless transceiver on the drill rig;a remote control station comprising a second wireless transceiver, wherein the remote control station is able to send control commands to the controller using a wireless connection between the wireless transceivers;wherein the controller is configured to allocate control commands received at the remote control station to one of the at least two groups of the devices, according to a selection of the group.

13. A method of controlling a drill rig, comprising:grouping devices of the drill rig into at least two groups of devices;2024205463   02 Aug 2024establishing a wireless connection between a controller of the drill rig and a remote control station;receiving a selection of one of the groups of devices;receiving commands from an operator of the remote control station using a plurality of physical input devices of the remote control station;sending the commands to a controller on the drill rig via the wireless connection; and controlling devices of the drill rig based on the commands received at the remote control station and the selected group of devices.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the command is received from the operator of the remote control station using a plurality of physical input devices of the remote control station; and the plurality of physical input devices are used according to the selected group of devices.

15. A method according to either claim 13 or 14, wherein the plurality of physical input devices are mechanical or electromechanical devices.

16. A method according to either claim 13 or 14, wherein the plurality of physical input devices are analog devices.

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