Apparatus for recording and using a downhole sensor and diagnostic events in drilling operations

Abstract

A downhole tool with diagnostic capability by including one or more electrical circuits to the tool with firmware processors that internally record significant system diagnostic events that can be time correlated with known tool operational problems. The concept includes firmware protocol to enable transfer all of the recorded data to an external software analysis program after the tool is removed from a drilling run.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A downhole tool with diagnostic capability comprising: one or more electrical circuits with firmware processors configured to internally record downhole system diagnostic events related to the one or more electrical circuits wherein the diagnostic events can be time correlated with known tool operational problems, wherein said downhole tool is configured to record and transmit measured recorded events to a surface recording and display system: 
     
     
         2 . The downhole tool with diagnostic capability of  claim 1  wherein said one or more electrical circuits comprise a vibration sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The downhole tool with diagnostic capability of  claim 2  wherein said one or more electrical circuits record the vibration events over the lifetime of the electrical circuits. 
     
     
         4 . The downhole tool with diagnostic capability of  claim 1  wherein said one or more electrical circuits comprise a shock sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The downhole tool with diagnostic capability of  claim 4  wherein said one or more ele rical circuits record the shock events over the lifetime of the electrical circuits. 
     
     
         6 . The downhole tool with diagnostic capability of  claim 1  wherein said one or more electrical circuits comprise a temperature sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The downhole tool with diagnostic capability of  claim 6  wherein said one or more electrical circuits record the temperature history over the lifetime of the electrical circuits. 
     
     
         8 . The downhole tool with diagnostic capability of  claim 9  wherein said one or more electrical circuits are printed circuit boards. 
     
     
         9 . The downhole tool with diagnostic capability of  claim 1  wherein the tool is a measurement while drilling (MWD) tool. 
     
     
         10 . The downhole tool with diagnostic capability of  claim 9  wherein said downhole system diagnostic events are compared to time merged surface measured MWD recorded events. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus with diagnostic capability comprising a downhole tool, wherein said tool records and transmits measured recorded events to a display system; and wherein said tool comprises firmware processors that record downhole system diagnostic events related to the one or more electrical circuits that can be time correlated with known tool operational problems. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said tool comprises a vibration sensor. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said tool comprises a shock sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said tool comprises a temperature sensor. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said tool records the temperature history of the record events over a lifetime period of at least one of the electrical circuits. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
 a tool configured to be disposed in a borehole comprising:   at least one electrical circuit disposed in the tool;   at least one firmware processor in communication with the at least lectrica circuit and configured to record and transmit at least one downhole system diagnostic event, wherein the at least one downhole system diagnostic event is indicative of reliability of the at least one electrical circuit.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one downhole system diagnostic event comprises at least one of: i) a power on/off event, ii) a physical shock, iii) a vibration iv) a temperature excursion, v) a battery voltage change, and vi) a mud flow on/off event. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one firmware processor is further configured to record and transmit an environmental variation of the at least one electrical circuit. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the environmental variation of the at least one electrical circuits comprises at least one of: i) a dip angle variation, ii) a magnetic field amplitude variation, iii) a gravity variation, iv) an acceleration x,y variation, v) a magnetometer variation, and vi) a rotation rate variation. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising at least one sensor disposed on the at least one electrical circuit and configured to measure the at least one downhole system diagnostic event.