Surface Communication System for Communication with Downhole Wireless Modem Prior to Deployment

Abstract

An apparatus is made of a surface communication system for communicating wirelessly with a first wireless modem ( 25 Mi−2) mounted within a section of tubing ( 14 ), and configured to communicate wirelessly with a second wireless modem ( 25 Mi−1) through a tubing including the section of tubing and within a well at a distance in excess of 500 feet, comprising: a transceiver assembly ( 32 ) adapted to be positioned on the section of tubing and in close proximity with the first wireless modem ( 25 Mi−2); transmitter electronics ( 36 ) configured to provide low power signals to the transceiver assembly to cause the transceiver assembly to generate low power wireless signals into the section of tubing to be received and interpreted by the first wireless modem; and receiver electronics ( 38 ) configured to receive and interpret high power signals from the transceiver assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surface communication system for communicating wirelessly with a first wireless modem mounted within a section of tubing, and configured to communicate wirelessly with a second wireless modem through a tubing including the section of tubing and within a well at a distance in excess of 500 feet, comprising:
 a transceiver assembly adapted to be positioned on the section of tubing and in close proximity with the first wireless modem;   transmitter electronics configured to provide low power signals to the transceiver assembly to cause the transceiver assembly to generate low power wireless signals into the section of tubing to be received and interpreted by the first wireless modem; and   receiver electronics configured to receive and interpret high power signals from the transceiver assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The surface communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the transceiver assembly includes at least one of a piezoelectric element and a magnetorestrictive element. 
     
     
         3 . The surface communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the low power wireless signals are acoustic signals. 
     
     
         4 . The surface communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitter electronics stores at least one acoustic file indicative of a predetermined command. 
     
     
         5 . The surface communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the surface communication system further comprises a user input device passing commands to the transmitter electronics, and wherein the transmitter electronics provides the low power signals responsive to receiving the commands. 
     
     
         6 . The surface communication system of  claim 1 , wherein power levels of the low power signals and the high power signals are predetermined. 
     
     
         7 . The surface communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the transceiver assembly, the transmitter electronics and the receiver electronics are parts of a cellular telephone. 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising the steps of:
 programming a surface communication system with at least one instruction to be transmitted to a first wireless modem, the first wireless modem configured to communicate wirelessly with a second wireless modem within a well at a distance in excess of 500 feet;   placing a transceiver assembly of the surface communication system in close proximity to the first wireless modem prior to deployment of the first wireless modem in the well; and   transmitting a low power wireless signal from the transceiver assembly to the first wireless modem including the at least one instruction.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein programming the surface communication system is defined further as downloading an instruction set to the surface communication system from an external user input device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of installing the first wireless modem within a section of tubing. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of placing the transceiver assembly in close proximity to the first wireless modem is defined further as placing the transceiver assembly on the section of tubing. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first wireless modem is rigidly mounted within a housing, and wherein the step of placing the transceiver assembly in close proximity with the first wireless modem includes placing the transceiver assembly in contact with a surface of the housing, the housing forming a communication channel to pass the low power wireless signal to the first wireless modem. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the low power wireless signal is encoded with an instruction to change a configuration of the first wireless modem from a first state to a second state. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first wireless modem is a part of a downhole tool having electronics separate from the first wireless modem and in communication with the first wireless modem, and wherein the low power wireless signal is encoded with an address of the first wireless modem, and an instruction to change a configuration of the electronics of the downhole tool from a third state to a fourth state. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of receiving a confirmation signal from the first wireless modem through stress waves generated by the first wireless modem transmitting acoustic signals.