Patent ID: 9423503
Filing Date: 2016-08-23
CPC Classification: E21B,G01S,G01V

Claim Text:
1. A method for tracking a beacon along a desired borepath, the method comprising: measuring an amount of interference present at each of a plurality of different frequencies at a first and a second location, along the desired borepath, with a tracker to determine a noise floor for each of the plurality of frequencies at the first and second locations; selecting a first preferred frequency at which to emit a beacon signal at the first location based on the desired borepath, the noise floor for each of the plurality of frequencies measured at the first location, and an amount of power required to emit the first preferred frequency at the first location; selecting a second preferred frequency at which to emit the beacon signal at the second location based on the desired borepath, the noise floor for each of the plurality of frequencies measured at the second location, and an amount of power required to emit the second preferred frequency at the second location; configuring the beacon to emit the beacon signal at the first preferred frequency and power level when the beacon is at the first location and to emit the beacon signal at the second preferred frequency and power level when the beacon is at the second location; moving the beacon below ground from the first location to the second location during a horizontal boring operation; determining a position of the beacon relative to the tracker by detecting the beacon signal at the first preferred frequency proximate the first location; and determining a second position of the beacon relative to the tracker by detecting the beacon signal at the second preferred frequency proximate the second location.