Inground Transmitter Power Control Across Different Housing Designs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery-powered inground transmitters used in Horizontal Directional Drilling and similar operations face power consumption issues due to varying housing designs, leading to reduced battery life and the need for frequent battery replacements, as different housing designs cause significant signal attenuation and increased power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A transmitter with a regulator to generate a regulated voltage and an antenna driver powered from this voltage, along with a controller to limit power consumption, ensuring it does not exceed a threshold, regardless of the housing design, thereby maintaining consistent power consumption and extending battery life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the transmitter is installed in different housing designs, then the signal transmission capability varies, but the power consumption increases and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The transmitter dynamically adjusts its transmit power level based on real-time monitoring of power consumption and signal quality. The controller continuously adapts the transmission parameters to maintain reliable communication while optimizing battery usage, transitioning from static to dynamic power management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the controller monitors power consumption levels and signal transmission quality, then adjusts the transmit power accordingly. This closed-loop control ensures that the transmitter maintains reliable operation while preventing excessive power consumption that would drain the battery.
2Reliability
If the transmitter operates at higher power to compensate for signal attenuation, then the signal quality improves, but the battery drains faster requiring frequent replacements
Solution Approach 1:
The transmitter employs dynamic power adjustment where the controller continuously monitors both signal quality metrics and power consumption levels. Based on this monitoring, the system adaptively changes the transmit power to the minimum level required to maintain acceptable signal quality, thereby extending battery operational life.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the transmission power parameter dynamically based on monitored conditions. The controller adjusts this critical parameter to optimize the balance between signal quality and power consumption, preventing both excessive power usage and inadequate signal transmission.
3Ease of operation
If the transmitter uses fixed power output, then the system is simple to operate, but it cannot adapt to different housing designs causing power consumption issues
Solution Approach 1:
The transmitter performs self-adjustment of its power output through an automated controller that monitors signal conditions and power consumption. The system serves itself by automatically adapting to different housing designs without requiring manual intervention or complex user configuration, maintaining ease of operation while gaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from fixed, static power output to dynamic, adaptive power management. The controller automatically adjusts transmission parameters in response to different housing designs and environmental conditions, providing versatility while maintaining simple operation through automation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures a constant power draw from the batteries, reducing the frequency of battery replacements and maintaining reliable transmitter operation by adjusting transmit power based on measured consumption and environmental conditions, such as temperature and mechanical stress.
Implementation Method 1
A regulator forms part of the transmitter for generating a regulated voltage from the battery
Implementation Method 2
An antenna driver is powered from the regulated voltage for electrically driving an antenna to emanate an electromagnetic signal for remote reception
Data Source
AI summary
A transmitter is powered by a regulated battery voltage and is installable in one of a plurality of different housings, each housing is characterized by a different design and each can form part of an inground tool for performing an inground operation in which a drill string extends from a drill rig to the inground tool. An antenna driver drives an antenna based on the regulated voltage to emanate an electromagnetic signal for remote reception. A controller limits power consumption from the regulated voltage so as not to exceed a power consumption threshold, irrespective of installation of the transmitter in any one of the housings when the transmitter would otherwise exhibit a different power consumption for each housing design. A corresponding method is described. Features relating to power consumption threshold modification based on temperature as well as mechanical shock and vibration are described.