Intra-bottom hole assembly (bha) wireless communication system

Abstract

A method is disclosed for receiving, from a downhole system, data at a transmitter module of an intra-bottom hole assembly (BHA), wherein the transmitter module comprises a magnetic transmission antenna; transmitting, via a wireless short-range communication using the magnetic transmission antenna, the data to a receiver module of the intra-BHA, wherein the transmitter module and the receiver module form an intra-BHA network using the wireless short-range communication; receiving, via the wireless short-range communication, the data at the receiver module; transmitting the data to a measurement while drilling (MWD) tool; receiving, at the MWD tool, the data; and transmitting, via a type of telemetry, the data from the MWD tool to a surface processor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 using a first command received from a surface processor, controlling, BHA component of a downhole system by changing an operating parameter;   receiving, from the downhole system comprising the BHA component, data at a transmitter module of the intra-BHA;   transmitting, via a wireless short-range communication using the transmitter coil, the data to a receiver module of the intra-BHA, wherein the transmitter module and the receiver module are both disposed in a pressure barrel, form an intra-BHA network using the wireless short-range communication;   receiving, via the wireless short-range communication, the data at the receiver module;   transmitting the data to the MWD tool;   receiving, at the MWD tool, the data; and   transmitting, via a type of telemetry, the data from the MWD tool to a surface processor.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver module comprises one or more magnetometers. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitter coil comprises one or more coil windings. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitter module is configured to transmit the data at a frequency below 1 kilohertz. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether the downhole system is currently performing a drilling operation; and   based on the downhole system currently performing the drilling operation, using the transmitter coil to transmit the data.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether the downhole system is performing a drilling operation; and   based on the downhole system not currently performing the drilling operation, transmitting the data using an acoustic transmitter.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the data is transmitted by the acoustic transmitter at a frequency range between 1 kilohertz and 5 kilohertz. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data is transmitted using one or more techniques comprising binary keying, pulse position modulation, quadrature phase shift keying, or some combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . A system comprising:
 a downhole system;   a transmitter module of an intra-bottom hole assembly, wherein the transmitter module comprises a transmitter coil;   a receiver module of the intra-BHA; and   wherein:
 use a first command received from a surface processor, controlling, BHA component of a downhole system by changing an operating parameter; 
 receive, from the downhole system comprising the BHA component, data at a transmitter module of the intra-BHA; 
 transmit, via a wireless short-range communication using the transmitter coil, the data to a receiver module of the intra-BHA, wherein the transmitter module and the receiver module are both disposed in a pressure barrel, form an intra-BHA network using the wireless short-range communication; 
 receive, via the wireless short-range communication, the data at the receiver module; 
 transmit the data to the MWD tool; 
 receive, at the MWD tool, the data; 
 transmit, via a type of telemetry, the data from the MWD tool to a surface processor. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the receiver module comprises one or more magnetometers. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the transmitter coil comprises a ferrous core and one or more coil windings. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the transmitter coil is configured to transmit the data at a frequency below 1 kilohertz. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein a processing device is configured to:
 determine whether the downhole system is currently performing a drilling operation; and   based on the downhole system currently performing the drilling operation, use the transmitter coil to transmit the data.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein a processing device is configured to:
 determine whether the downhole system is performing a drilling operation; and   based on the downhole system not currently performing the drilling operation, transmit the data using an acoustic transmitter.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the data is transmitted by the acoustic transmitter at a frequency range between 1 kilohertz and 5 kilohertz. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data is transmitted using one or more techniques comprising binary keying, pulse position modulation, quadrature phase shift keying, or some combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . An intra-bottom hole assembly (BHA) comprising:
 a transmitter module, wherein:
 using a first command received from a surface processor, controlling, BHA component of a downhole system by changing an operating parameter; 
 the transmitter module comprises a transmitter coil, and is configured to receive, from the downhole system comprising the BHA component, data at the transmitter module of the intra-BHA, and to transmit, via a wireless short-range communication using the transmitter coil, the data to a receiver module of the intra-BHA, wherein the transmitter module and the receiver module are both disposed in a pressure barrel, form an intra-BHA network using the wireless short-range communication 
 the receiver module is configured to receive, via the wireless short-range communication, the data, and transmit the data to a measurement while drilling (MWD) tool configured to receive the data and to transmit, via a type of telemetry, the data to a surface processor. 
   
     
     
         18 . The intra-BHA of  claim 17 , wherein the receiver module comprises one or more magnetometers. 
     
     
         19 . The intra-BHA of  claim 17 , wherein the transmitter coil comprises a ferrous core and one or more coil windings. 
     
     
         20 . The intra-BHA of  claim 17 , wherein the data is transmitted using one or more techniques comprising binary keying, pulse position modulation, quadrature phase shift keying, or some combination thereof.