Piping assembly control system with addressed datagrams

Abstract

A control system for generating and utilizing at least one or more addressed datagrams that communicate information to and from devices along piping assemblies comprising; one or more transmitters, one or more receivers, and one or more controllers, wherein the transmitters transmit information via one or more addressed datagrams encoded within a working medium to one or more receivers among the piping assemblies, is described. Transmitters convert datagrams into signals that are transmitted within the working medium and the receivers receive signals from the transmitters and also convert signals from the working medium which is converted back into datagrams. The controllers receive and decode the datagrams so that the controllers selectively communicate and perform logical operations on piping assembly devices according to directions received from the addressed datagrams. The entire control system can function as a network of controllers, receivers, transmitters, and/or transponders as required by one or more users.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A control system for downhole well completion with addressable datagrams comprising operations wherein a user sends a set of programmed instructions to a controller or utilizes a probe with a set of instructions downhole into a wellbore via a transmitter and/or transponder and wherein a set of instructions is provided that opens or closes one or more well completion valves located at a specific address within production tubing such that energy pulses are formed by changes in pressures controlled within said tubing that is accomplished by using a pressure responsive member which is adapted to be shifted from one position to another position. 
     
     
         2 . The control system of  claim 1 , wherein said pressure responsive member includes a pressure responsive surface located near or on said valves supplied by a working medium within said wellbore to said pressure responsive surface at a pressure substantially equal to a hydrostatic pressure of said wellbore fluid. 
     
     
         3 . The control system of  claim 1 , wherein said system allows for shifting said pressure responsive member from an initial position to another position in response to programmed datagrams. 
     
     
         4 . The control system of  claim 1 , wherein said pressure responsive member is a piston or a pilot valve. 
     
     
         5 . The control system of  claim 1 , wherein supplying said working medium to said responsive surface includes use of a high pressure chamber either within or in proximity to well completion valve(s) adapted to contain a discrete volume of said working medium such that said system provides for transmitting hydrostatic pressure to a high pressure chamber to pressurize said working medium. 
     
     
         6 . The control system of  claim 5 , wherein supplying said working medium can further include supplying a passage leading from said high pressure chamber to said pressure responsive surface, and using a pilot or other control valve that is operably responsive to datagram instructions that develop commands. 
     
     
         7 . The control system of  claim 6 , wherein said datagrams provide instructions to controllers and/or a network of controllers for locating one or more valves at specific addresses, providing instructions to valve actuators regarding a percentage of opening or closing said valve(s), a time and/or length of time said valve(s) should be opened or closed, under what operating temperatures and pressures said valve(s) should or should not respond, a specified flow rate at which a specified valve or set of valves should open or close partially or fully and also a signal for controlling a flow of said working medium through said supply passage. 
     
     
         8 . The control system of  7 , wherein valve actuators are a control valve that includes a first pilot valve movable between opened and closed positions respectively permitting and terminating flow of said fluid medium through said supply passage. 
     
     
         9 . The control system of  7 , wherein supplying said working medium further includes a first solenoid valve for controlling the position of said first pilot valve. 
     
     
         10 . The control system of  9 , wherein said pilot valve has opposite sides and allows biasing of said pilot valve toward a closed position, said first solenoid valve functioning to either permit hydrostatic pressure to act on both sides of said pilot valve whereby the pilot valve remains biased to a closed position or can communicate with one side of said pilot valve with a low pressure chamber such that hydrostatic pressure acting on the other side of said pilot valve and moves said pilot valve to an open position. 
     
     
         11 . The control system of  claim 10 , wherein said solenoid valve includes first and second normally closed solenoid valve assemblies with a first solenoid valve assembly being located in a high pressure line that extends from said high pressure chamber to one side of said pilot valve and a second solenoid valve assembly being located in a low pressure line leading from an initial side of said assemblies to a low pressure chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The control system of  claim 11 , wherein when only said second solenoid valve assembly is energized, said pilot valve moves to an open position, and when only said first solenoid valve assembly is energized said pilot valve is moved according to biasing toward a closed position. 
     
     
         13 . The control system of  claim 12 , wherein said pressure responsive member has a piston section, said pressure responsive surface being defined by a first surface of a piston section; a cylinder residing within said working member in which said piston section is movable, whereby when said working medium is supplied to a first surface of said piston section, said piston section and member move in one longitudinal direction; and wherein said working member includes an exhaust passage for exhausting working medium exiting from a cylinder when said first pilot valve is in its closed position allowing for moving said piston section and member in an opposite longitudinal direction as said working medium is exhausted. 
     
     
         14 . The control system of  claim 12 , wherein a spring is used for reacting against a second surface of said piston section. 
     
     
         15 . The control system of  claim 13 , wherein an exhaust passage communicates said first surface of said piston section with said low pressure chamber and further includes an additional control valve that operably exhausts responsive to a datagram for controlling exhaust of said working medium through said exhaust passage. 
     
     
         16 . The control system of  claim 15 , wherein an additional control valve includes a second pilot valve that is movable between opened and closed positions thereby respectively permitting and terminating flow of said working medium through said exhaust passage to a low pressure chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The control system of  claim 16 , wherein said additional control valve further includes a second solenoid valve for controlling a position of said second pilot valve wherein said second pilot valve has opposite sides and is biasing said second pilot valve toward its closed position, wherein said second solenoid valve functions to either permit said hydrostatic pressure to act on both sides of said second pilot valve. 
     
     
         18 . The control system of  claim 17 , wherein biasing closes said second pilot valve or communicates one side of said second pilot valve with said low pressure chamber whereby hydrostatic pressure acting on the other side moves said second pilot valve to said open position. 
     
     
         19 . The control pilot valve of  claim 18 , wherein said second solenoid valve includes third and fourth normally closed solenoid valve assemblies, a third solenoid valve assembly being located in a second high pressure line extending from said high pressure chamber to one side of said second pilot valve and a fourth solenoid valve assembly located in a second low pressure line leading from one side of said second pilot valve to said low pressure chamber, whereby when only a fourth solenoid valve assembly is energized said second pilot valve moves to an open position and wherein when only a third solenoid valve assembly is energized, said second pilot valve is moved by biasing to a closed position. 
     
     
         20 . The control pilot valve of  claim 19 , wherein it is possible to include one or more sleeve valves on a pressure responsive member, where said sleeve valves include a housing having a port for communicating with an interior of a housing with a well annulus outside said housing such that said sleeve valves are arranged in one position to span and close off ports within said casing or production tubing and are arranged in another position to open a port and permit circulation of well fluids via said port between an interior and exterior of the housing. 
     
     
         21 . The control pilot valve of  claim 19 , wherein it is also possible to include one or more ball valves coupled to said pressure responsive member, said pressure responsive member including a housing having a flow passage therein such that ball valves are arranged to pivot about an axis that is transverse to a flow passage between a closed position with respect to said closed passage when said working member is in an initial position and an open position with respect to said flow passage when said working member is in another position. 
     
     
         22 . The control system of  claim 18 , wherein a pressure responsive member is a tubular mandrel. 
     
     
         23 . The control system of  claim 22 , wherein said mandrel has an outwardly directed flange with a piston disposed within a flange having opposite sides, one of said sides providing a pressure responsive surface such that when fluid is acting on the other side of said piston it causes returning said mandrel to an initial position when hydrostatic pressure acting on one of the sides of said piston is reduced. 
     
     
         24 . The control system of  claim 23 , wherein to ensure responsiveness of said system, a supply of a high pressure chambers is arranged to contain said working medium and a low pressure chamber in said wellbore is arranged to receive an exhaust of the working medium. 
     
     
         25 . The control system of  claim 24 , wherein a control valve is employed and controlled by said datagram system which alternately supplies working medium from a high pressure chamber for acting on a pressure responsive surface and an exhausting working medium to said low pressure chamber after said working medium has acted on said pressure responsive surface. 
     
     
         26 . The control system of  claim 25 , wherein said system further includes one or more sensors for detecting and receiving said datagrams and associated datagrams and provides output signals and additional datagrams. 
     
     
         27 . The control system of  claim 26 , wherein one or more controllers receive and interpret output using programmed instructions that reside within said datagram and also detect a presence or absence of a signature pattern such as a bar code. 
     
     
         28 . The control system of  claim 27 , wherein said set of instructions and presence of said code provides a triggering operation regarding activating or deactivating a well completion valve or set of valves. 
     
     
         29 . The control system of  claim 28 , wherein said valve(s) include a plurality of solenoid valve assemblies, and further include a driver coupled between said controller(s) and said solenoid valve assemblies for energizing a plurality of solenoid valve assemblies when triggered by said controller(s).