Multi-Scheme Downhole Tool Bus System and Methods

Abstract

A multi-scheme downhole tool bus system is provided. The system may comprise a tool bus master and a number tool bus slaves coupled together via a communications link The communications link may include an uplink communication and a downlink communication. The uplink communication and the downlink communication may include a number of communication schemes or data rates.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A downhole tool bus system comprising:
 a tool bus master;   one or more tool bus slaves communicatively coupled to the tool bus master via an uplink communication and a downlink communication;   wherein the uplink communication and the downlink communication each includes one or more communication schemes.   
     
     
         2 . The downhole tool bus system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more communication schemes include a first communication scheme at a first data rate and a second communication scheme at a second data rate. 
     
     
         3 . The downhole tool bus system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the first communication scheme is the same as the second communication scheme. 
     
     
         4 . The downhole tool bus system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the first communication scheme is different than the second communication scheme. 
     
     
         5 . The downhole tool bus system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the first communication scheme is biphase and the second communication scheme is 8b/10b. 
     
     
         6 . A tool bus slave system comprising:
 a transceiver electronics receiver;   a transceiver electronics transmitter;   a first communication scheme demodulator;   a first communication scheme modulator;   a second communication scheme demodulator;   a second communication scheme modulator;   wherein demodulator and modulator are synonymous to decoder and encoder respectively in digital baseband transmission, and wherein a multi-coding scheme is received on the transceiver electronics receiver and transmitted on the transceiver electronics transmitter.   
     
     
         7 . The tool bus slave system recited in  claim 6 , wherein:
 the first communication scheme of the multi-coding scheme is processed by the first communication scheme demodulator and the first communication scheme modulator; and   the second communication scheme of the multi-coding scheme is processed by the second communication scheme demodulator and the second communication scheme modulator.   
     
     
         8 . The tool bus slave system recited in  claim 6 , wherein the first communication scheme of the multi-coding scheme is processed by the first communication scheme demodulator and the second communication scheme modulator. 
     
     
         9 . The tool bus slave system recited in  claim 6 , wherein the first communication scheme is biphase and the second communication scheme is 8b/10b. 
     
     
         10 . A method for communicatively coupling a tool bus master to one or more tool bus slaves comprising:
 communicatively coupling the tool bus master to the one or more tool bus slaves via an uplink communication and a downlink communication;   wherein the uplink communication and the downlink communication each includes one or more communication schemes.   
     
     
         11 . The method recited in  claim 10 , wherein the one or more communication schemes include a first communication scheme at a first data rate and a second communication scheme at a second data rate. 
     
     
         12 . The method recited in  claim 11 , wherein the first communication scheme is the same as the second communication scheme. 
     
     
         13 . The method recited in  claim 11 , wherein the first communication scheme is different than the second communication scheme. 
     
     
         14 . The method recited in  claim 11 , wherein the first communication scheme is biphase and the second communication scheme is 8b/10b.