Apr 15, 2025

US12276183 - Perforating-gun initiator circuit

An initiator circuit for a perforating gun includes a microprocessor structured to perform a circuit-startup algorithm comprising determining whether the circuit supply voltage is stable enough for operation and, if it is, or if a predetermined period of time has passed since powering up the circuit, sending a message indicating the circuit (and thus gun) is ready for operation. The sent message may be a communication uplink indicating an address of the circuit and its ready state or a short burst of pulses indicating the circuit's ready state.

Assignee: Probe Technology Services, Inc.
Inventors: Roger Archibald
Filing date: 2022-08-03

The patent describes an initiator circuit for a perforating gun that utilizes a microprocessor to monitor supply voltage stability and powered-up time before signaling readiness for operation. This system enhances operational reliability by ensuring the circuit only activates under stable conditions, thus improving safety and performance.

Claim 1

An initiator circuit for a perforating gun, the initiator circuit comprising: (a) a feedthrough switch; and (b) a microprocessor configured to perform a following algorithm: (i) monitor a powered-up time indicating a time passed since the initiator circuit was powered up; (ii) monitor a supply-voltage supplied to the initiator circuit; (iii) determine a dispersion in the supply-voltage by determining the dispersion in the supply-voltage over a first predetermined period of time; (iv) determine whether the dispersion in the supply-voltage satisfies a predetermined stability condition; (v) determine whether the powered-up time satisfies a predetermined powered-up-time condition; and (vi) send an outgoing message if either the dispersion in the supply-voltage satisfies the predetermined stability condition or the powered-up time satisfies the predetermined powered-up-time condition. (a) a feedthrough switch; and (b) a microprocessor configured to perform a following algorithm: (i) monitor a powered-up time indicating a time passed since the initiator circuit was powered up; (ii) monitor a supply-voltage supplied to the initiator circuit; (iii) determine a dispersion in the supply-voltage by determining the dispersion in the supply-voltage over a first predetermined period of time; (iv) determine whether the dispersion in the supply-voltage satisfies a predetermined stability condition; (v) determine whether the powered-up time satisfies a predetermined powered-up-time condition; and (vi) send an outgoing message if either the dispersion in the supply-voltage satisfies the predetermined stability condition or the powered-up time satisfies the predetermined powered-up-time condition.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12276183

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12276183