Patent ID: 6161630
Filing Date: 2000-12-19
Classification: E21B,G01S,G01V

Abstract:
An apparatus for controlling an underground boring tool, comprising:a boring tool coupled to a drill pipe;a driving apparatus coupled to the drill pipe for driving the boring tool along an underground path;a detector interface that receives telemetry data from at least one of a plurality of antennae substantially in real-time, the telemetry data representative of a location of the boring tool along the underground path; anda control system comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the driving apparatus and the detector interface, the controller receiving the telemetry data from the detector interface and computing the location of the boring tool substantially in real-time, the controller transmitting control signals to the driving apparatus substantially in real-time to control one or both of a rate and a direction of boring tool movement along the underground path relative to the computed boring tool location.