Communication systems and methods

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling communication of data in a communications network within a well environment is provided. The apparatus includes a computer processor configured to undertake a method. The method includes analyzing previously recorded well parameter data recorded in the and/or one or more further well environments; determining, based on the analyzed well parameter data, a communication protocol for a node of the communications network; and uploading the determined communication protocol to the node. When deployed in the well environment, the node is configured to transmit and/or receive communications signals to/from one or more further nodes in the communications network using the determined communication protocol.

1 . An apparatus for controlling communication of data in a communications network within a well environment, the apparatus comprising a computer processor configured to undertake the method of:
 analyzing previously recorded well parameter data recorded in the and/or one or more further well environments;   determining, based on the analyzed well parameter data, a communication protocol for a node of the communications network; and   uploading the determined communication protocol to the node,   wherein, when deployed in the well environment, the node is configured to transmit and/or receive communications signals to/from one or more further nodes in the communications network using the determined communication protocol.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to undertake the step of determining the communication protocol based on noise data relating to noise on one or more communication signals transmitted at a time corresponding to the previously recorded well parameter data. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the noise data and the well parameter data are timestamped,
 and wherein the processor is further configured to align the noise data and the well parameter data temporally.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the determined communication protocol comprises instructions for the node to use a particular frequency, power, modulation scheme or time for the transmission and/or receipt of communication signals based on one or more well parameters in the well environment. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more well parameters comprise one of: temperature, pressure, flow rate, composition of a fluid in the well environment, physical parameters in the well environment and a state of operation of a downhole device. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the communication protocol using a machine learning algorithm. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the machine learning algorithm comprises regression analysis. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A node for use in a communications network for deployment in a well environment, wherein the node comprises a memory having stored thereon a communication protocol, the node comprising:
 a transmitter and/or a receiver for transmitting and/or receiving communication signals;   one or more sensors for sensing one or more well parameters associated with the well environment; and   a processor configured to control the transmission and/or reception of communication signals based at least in part on the communication protocol and the sensed one or more well parameters.   
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The node according to  claim 10 , wherein the one or more well parameters comprise one of: temperature, pressure, flow rate, composition of a fluid in the well environment, physical properties of a fluid in the well environment and a state of operation of a downhole device. 
     
     
         13 . The node according to  claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to control the transmission and/or reception of communication signals by setting one or more of power, frequency, modulation scheme and time of transmission of the communications signals. 
     
     
         14 . The node according to  claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to update the communication protocol based on the one or more sensed well parameters. 
     
     
         15 . The node according to  claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to monitor noise data on a transmitted and/or received communication signal,
 and is further configured to update the communication protocol based at least in part on the noise data.   
     
     
         16 . The node according to  claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to timestamp the noise data and sensed well parameter data,
 and is further configured to align temporally the noise data and the well parameter data for updating the communication protocol.   
     
     
         17 . The node according to  claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to update the communication protocol based at least in part on a frequency and/or amplitude of the noise data. 
     
     
         18 . The node according to  claim 10 , comprising the receiver, wherein the receiver is configured to receive, from a further node, further well parameter data relating to one or more further well parameters,
 and wherein the processor is further configured to update the communication protocol based on the further well parameter data.   
     
     
         19 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A communications network for deployment in a well environment, comprising one or more nodes according to  claim 10 . 
     
     
         22 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A node for use in a communications network, the communications network comprising a plurality of nodes deployed in a well environment, the node comprising:
 a receiver for receiving communication signals, wherein communication signals received from one or more of the plurality of nodes comprise well parameter data relating to one or more well parameters associated with the and/or one or more further well environments;   a processor configured to determine a communication protocol based at least in part on the received well parameter data, and to control the transmission and/or reception of communication signals based at least in part on the communication protocol and the well parameter data.   
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The node according to  claim 24 , wherein the processor is configured to determine noise on the and/or one or more further received communication signals and is further configured to determine the communication protocol based on the determined noise. 
     
     
         27 . The node according to  claim 24 , further comprising one or more sensors for sensing one or more well parameters associated with the well environment, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the communication protocol based at least in part on the sensed one or more well parameters. 
     
     
         28 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The node according to  claim 24 , comprising a transmitter, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit data indicative of the determined communications protocol to at least one of the plurality of nodes for updating the communications protocol for controlling the transmission and/or reception of communication signals by the at least one of the plurality of nodes. 
     
     
         31 - 33 . (canceled)