Patent ID: 6250402
Filing Date: 2001-06-26
Classification: B82Y,E21B,G01R,G01V,H01Q

Abstract:
In a system in which a boring tool is moved through the ground having a pitch orientation in a region, an improvement for steering the boring tool using an electromagnetic locating signal which is transmitted from the boring tool as the boring tool moves through the ground, the improvement comprising the steps of:a) establishing a target location towards which the boring tool is to be steered;b) selecting a flux pathline having a pathline slope and extending between the boring tool and the target location by specifying a selected pitch orientation for the boring tool upon reaching the target location, the selected flux pathline defining a plane in said region; andc) guiding the boring tool along the selected flux pathline to the target location such that a particular ratio between a vertical component of the locating signal measured within the plane of the selected flux pathline and a horizontal component of the locating signal measured within the plane of the selected path flux line is present at said target location which particular ratio is equal to the specified pitch orientation of the boring tool at the target location.