Patent Publication Number: US-8967295-B2

Title: Drill bit-mounted data acquisition systems and associated data transfer apparatus and method

Description:
FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates generally to earth-boring drill bits carrying data acquisition systems. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to facilitating data transfer from a data acquisition system mounted in a drill bit to a sub above the drill bit. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The oil and gas industry expends sizable sums to design cutting tools, such as downhole drill bits including roller cone rock bits and fixed cutter bits, which have relatively long service lives, with relatively infrequent failure. In particular, considerable sums are expended to design and manufacture roller cone rock bits and fixed cutter bits in a manner that minimizes the opportunity for catastrophic drill bit failure during drilling operations. The loss of a roller cone or a polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutter from a fixed cutter bit during drilling operations can impede the drilling operations and, at worst, necessitate rather expensive fishing operations. If the fishing operations fail, sidetrack-drilling operations must be performed in order to drill around the portion of the wellbore that includes the lost roller cones or PDC cutters. Thus, during drilling operations, bits are pulled and replaced with new bits out of an abundance of caution, even though significant service could still be obtained from the replaced bit. These premature replacements of downhole drill bits are expensive, since each trip out of the well prolongs the overall drilling activity, and consumes considerable manpower, but are nevertheless done in order to avoid the far more disruptive and expensive process of, at best, pulling the drill string and replacing the bit or fishing and sidetrack drilling operations necessary if one or more cones or PDC cutters are lost due to bit failure. 
     In response to the ever-increasing need for downhole drilling system dynamic data, a number of “subs” (i.e., a sub-assembly incorporated into the drill string above the drill bit and used to collect data relating to drilling parameters) have been designed and installed in drill strings. Unfortunately, these subs cannot provide actual data for what is happening operationally at the bit due to their physical placement above the bit itself. 
     Data acquisition is conventionally accomplished by mounting a sub in the bottom hole assembly (BHA), which may be several feet to tens of feet away from the bit. Data gathered from a sub this far away from the bit may not accurately reflect what is happening directly at the bit while drilling occurs. Often, this lack of data leads to conjecture as to what may have caused a bit to fail or why a bit performed so well, with no directly relevant facts or data to correlate to the performance of the bit. 
     Recently, data acquisition systems have been proposed to install in the drill bit itself. For example, Baker Hughes Incorporated, assignee of the present invention, has developed a data acquisition system marketed under the trademark DATABIT®, embodiment of which are disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,604,072; U.S. Pat. No. 7,497,276; U.S. Pat. No. 7,506,695; U.S. Pat. No. 7,510,026; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,849,934, each of which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and the disclosure of each of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     However, data reporting from these systems has been limited. Specifically, real-time data retrieval from a bit-mounted data acquisition system has been unavailable due to the lack of a robust technique for transferring data from the drill bit to the surface. As a consequence, data from such systems is, conventionally, only accessible when the drill bit has been tripped out of the well bore and the data acquisition system retrieved from the drill bit for data download. Such an approach limits the usefulness of information to the operator, who does not become aware of issues that may, if they could be addressed substantially in real time, enhance drilling performance and minimize the potential for damage to the drill bit. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure includes a drill bit and a data acquisition system disposed within the drill bit and configured for transfer of data sampled by the system from physical parameters related to drill bit performance. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, a data acquisition module comprises a housing having a longitudinal bore therethrough and including a base configured for disposition within a bore of drill bit shank and an extension having electrical contacts disposed on an exterior surface thereof. 
     In another embodiment, a drill bit for drilling a subterranean formation comprises a bit body, a shank secured to the bit body, and a data acquisition module having a longitudinal bore and comprising base disposed within a bore of the shank and an extension protruding from the base beyond the shank and carrying electrical contacts on a peripheral exterior surface thereof. 
     In a further embodiment, a bottom hole assembly includes a sub comprising electrical contacts on an interior surface thereof operably coupled to electrical contacts on an exterior surface of a portion of a data acquisition module extending into the sub from a base received within a bore of a drill bit shank. 
     In yet another embodiment, a method of transferring data comprises acquiring data from at least one sensor carried by a drill bit and transferring the acquired data from at least a location within a shank of the drill bit through at least one physical data transfer path to an interior surface of a sub to which the shank is secured. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a conventional drilling rig for performing drilling operations; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a conventional matrix-type rotary drag bit; 
         FIG. 3A  is a perspective views of a shank, an electronics module, and an data acquisition module carrying the electronics module; 
         FIG. 3B  is a cross-sectional views of a shank and an the data acquisition module and electronics module of  FIG. 3A ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an electronics module configured as a flex-circuit board enabling formation into an annular ring suitable for disposition in the shank shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B ; 
         FIG. 5  is a functional block diagram of an embodiment of a data acquisition system including a data acquisition module configurable according to the disclosure; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic, exploded partial cross-sectional view of a data acquisition module according to an embodiment of the disclosure, the data acquisition module having a base disposed within a shank of a drill bit and an extension protruding from the shank into an interior of a sub secured to the bit shank and carrying components for further data transfer to a location remote from a bottom hole assembly including the drill bit and the sub. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof and, in which are shown by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and that structural, logical, and electrical changes may be made within the scope of the disclosure. 
     In this description, specific implementations are shown and described only as examples and should not be construed as the only way to implement the present invention unless specified otherwise herein. It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the various embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced by other partitioning solutions. 
     Referring in general to the following description and accompanying drawings, various embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated to show its structure and method of operation. Common elements of the illustrated embodiments may be designated with similar reference numerals. It should be understood that the figures presented are not meant to be illustrative of actual views of any particular portion of the actual structure or method, but are merely idealized representations employed to more clearly and fully depict the present invention defined by the claims below. The illustrated figures may not be drawn to scale. 
       FIG. 1  depicts an embodiment of an apparatus for performing subterranean drilling operations. A drilling rig  110  includes a derrick  112 , a derrick floor  114 , a draw works  116 , a hook  118 , a swivel  120 , a Kelly joint  122 , and a rotary table  124 . A drill string  140 , which includes a drill pipe section  142  and a drill collar section  144 , extends downward from the drilling rig  110  into a borehole  100 . The drill pipe section  142  may include a number of tubular drill pipe members or strands connected together and the drill collar section  144  may likewise include a plurality of drill collars. In addition, the drill string  140  may include a measurement-while-drilling (MWD) logging subassembly  145  and cooperating mud pulse telemetry or wired data transmission subassembly, which may be referred generically to as a communication system  146 , as well as other communication systems known to those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     During drilling operations, drilling fluid is circulated from a mud pit  160  through a mud pump  162 , through a desurger  164 , and through a mud supply line  166  into the swivel  120 . The drilling mud (also referred to as drilling fluid) flows through the Kelly joint  122  and into an axial bore in the drill string  140 . Eventually, it exits through apertures or nozzles, which are located in a drill bit  200 , which is connected to the lowermost portion of the drill string  140  below drill collar section  144 . The drilling mud flows back up through an annular space between the outer surface of the drillstring  140  and the inner surface of the borehole  100 , to be circulated to the surface where it is returned to the mud pit  160  through a mud return line  168 . 
     A shaker screen (not shown) may be used to separate formation cuttings from the drilling mud before it returns to the mud pit  160 . The communication system  146  may utilize a mud pulse telemetry technique to communicate data from a downhole location to the surface while drilling operations take place. To receive data at the surface, a mud pulse transducer  170  is provided in communication with the mud supply line  166 . This mud pulse transducer  170  generates electrical signals in response to pressure variations of the drilling mud in the mud supply line  166 . These electrical signals are transmitted by a surface conductor  172  to a surface electronic processing system  180 , which is conventionally a data processing system with a central processing unit for executing program instructions, and for responding to user commands entered through either a keyboard or a graphical pointing device. The mud pulse telemetry system is provided for communicating data to the surface concerning numerous downhole conditions sensed by well logging and measurement systems that are conventionally located within the communication system  146 . Mud pulses that define the data propagated to the surface are produced by equipment conventionally located within the communication system  146 . Such equipment typically comprises a pressure pulse generator operating under control of electronics contained in an instrument housing to allow drilling mud to vent through an orifice extending through the drill collar wall. Each time the pressure pulse generator causes such venting, a negative pressure pulse is transmitted to be received by the mud pulse transducer  170 . An alternative conventional arrangement generates and transmits positive pressure pulses. As is conventional, the circulating drilling mud also may provide a source of energy for a turbine-driven generator subassembly (not shown) which may be located near a bottom hole assembly (BHA). The turbine-driven generator may generate electrical power for the pressure pulse generator and for various circuits including those circuits that form the operational components of the measurement-while-drilling tools. As an alternative or supplemental source of electrical power, batteries may be provided, particularly as a backup for the turbine-driven generator. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a drill bit  200  of a fixed-cutter, or so-called “drag” bit, variety. Conventionally, the drill bit  200  includes threads at a shank  210  at the upper extent of the drill bit  200  for connection into the drillstring  140 . At least one blade  220  (a plurality show) at a generally opposite end from the shank  210  may be provided with a plurality of natural or synthetic diamonds (polycrystalline diamond compact)  225 , arranged along the rotationally leading faces of the blades  220  to effect efficient disintegration of formation material as the drill bit  200  is rotated in the borehole  100  under applied weight on bit (WOB). A gage pad surface  230  extends upwardly from each of the blades  220 , is proximal to, and generally contacts the sidewall of the borehole  100  during drilling operation of the drill bit  200 . A plurality of channels  240 , termed “junkslots,” extend between the blades  220  and the gage pad surfaces  230  to provide a clearance area for removal of formation chips formed by the cutters  225 . 
     A plurality of gage inserts  235  are provided on the gage pad surfaces  230  of the drill bit  200 . Shear cutting gage inserts  235  on the gage pad surfaces  230  of the drill bit  200  provide the ability to actively shear formation material at the sidewall of the borehole  100  and to provide improved gage-holding ability in earth-boring bits of the fixed cutter variety. The drill bit  200  is illustrated as a PDC (“polycrystalline diamond compact”) bit, but the gage inserts  235  may be equally useful in other fixed cutter or drag bits that include gage pad surfaces  230  for engagement with the sidewall of the borehole  100 . 
     Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the present invention may be embodied in a variety of drill bit types. The present invention possesses utility in the context of a tricone, also characterized as or roller cone, rotary drill bit or other subterranean drilling tools as known in the art that may employ nozzles for delivering drilling mud to a cutting structure during use. Accordingly, as used herein, the term “drill bit” includes and encompasses any and all rotary bits, including core bits, roller cone bits, fixed cutter bits; including PDC, natural diamond, thermally stable produced (TSP) synthetic diamond, and diamond impregnated bits without limitation, hybrid bits including both fixed and movable cutting structures, eccentric bits, bicenter bits, reamers, reamer wings, as well as other earth-boring tools configured for acceptance of an electronics module  290  ( FIGS. 3A and 4 ). 
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  illustrates an embodiment of a shank  210  secured to a body of drill bit  200 .  FIG. 3A  depicts data acquisition module  270  comprising a base B received in shank  210  of drill bit  200 , and an embodiment of an electronics module  290  (shown schematically in  FIG. 3B ). An extension E is also depicted in broken lines in  FIG. 3A , and described in more detail with regard to  FIGS. 3B and 6 . The shank  210  includes a bore  280  formed through the longitudinal axis of the shank  210 . In conventional drill bits  200 , this bore  280  is configured for allowing drilling mud to flow therethrough. In the present invention, at least a portion of the bore  280  is given a diameter sufficient for accepting the electronics module  290  configured in a substantially annular ring, yet without substantially affecting the structural integrity of the shank  210 . Thus, the electronics module  290  residing in base B may be placed down in a portion within the shank  210  of the bore  280 , disposed about a base body  275  of data acquisition module  270 , which extends through the inside diameter of the annular ring of the electronics module. 
     The base B of data acquisition module  270  includes a longitudinal bore  276  formed therethrough, such that the drilling mud may flow through the data acquisition module  270 , through the bore  280  of the shank  210  to the other side of the shank  210 , and then into the body of drill bit  200 . In addition, the base B of data acquisition module  270  includes a first flange  271  including a first sealing ring  272 , protruding laterally from base body  275  near the lower end of the base B, and a longitudinally separated second flange  273  including a second sealing ring  274  protruding laterally from base body  275 , near the upper end of the base B of data acquisition module  270  to create a fluid tight annular chamber  260  ( FIG. 3B ) with the walls of central bore  280  and seal the electronics module  290  in place within the shank  210 . 
       FIG. 3B  is a cross-sectional view of the data acquisition module  270  having base B carrying electronics module  290  disposed in the shank, illustrating the annular chamber  260  formed between the first flange  271 , the second flange  273 , the base body  275 , and the walls of the bore  280 . The first sealing ring  272  and the second sealing ring  274  form a protective, fluid tight, peripheral seal between the base B of data acquisition module  270  and the walls of the bore  280  to protect the electronics module  290  from adverse environmental conditions. The protective seal formed by the first sealing ring  272  and the second sealing ring  274  may also be configured to maintain the annular chamber  260  at approximately atmospheric pressure. 
       FIG. 3B  also illustrates an extension E protruding longitudinally from base B (a separation between base B and extension E being indicated by broken line SEP) beyond the end of shank  210 . Extension E comprises, on a peripheral exterior surface thereof, electrical contacts C which may comprise, for example, annular rings of electrically conductive material for communication between electronics module  290  within base B and components residing in a sub  500  ( FIG. 6 ) to which shank  210  is secured. As used herein the term “communication” means and includes signals in the form of data communication from or to electronics module  290 , or both, as well as communication of power, without limitation. 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the first sealing ring  272  and the second sealing ring  274  are formed of material suitable for high-pressure, high temperature environment, such as, for example, a Hydrogenated Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (HNBR) O-ring in combination with a PEEK back-up ring. In addition, the end-cap  270  may be secured to the shank  210  with a number of connection mechanisms such as, for example, a secure press-fit using sealing rings  272  and  274 , a threaded connection, an epoxy connection, a shape-memory retainer, welded, and brazed. It will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art that the base B of data acquisition module  270  may be held in place quite firmly by a relatively simple connection mechanism due to differential pressure and downward mud flow during drilling operations. 
     An electronics module  290  configured as shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 3A  may be configured as a flex-circuit board  292 , enabling the formation of the electronics module  290  into the annular ring suitable for disposition about the base body  275  of data acquisition module  270  within chamber  260  of bore  280 . This flex-circuit board embodiment of the electronics module  290  is shown in a flat uncurled configuration in  FIG. 4 . The flex-circuit board  292  includes a high-strength reinforced backbone (not shown) to provide acceptable transmissibility of acceleration effects to sensors such as accelerometers. In addition, other areas of the flex-circuit board  292  bearing non-sensor electronic components may be attached to the end-cap  270  in a manner suitable for at least partially attenuating the acceleration effects experienced by the drill bit  200  during drilling operations using a material such as a visco-elastic adhesive. 
     A functional block diagram of an embodiment of a data acquisition system  300  configurable according to an embodiment of the disclosure and including a data acquisition module  270  including electronics module  290  is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The electronics module  290  includes a power supply  310 , a processor  320 , a memory  330 , and at least one sensor  340  configured for measuring a plurality of physical parameter related to a drill bit state, which may include drill bit condition, drilling operation conditions, and environmental conditions proximate the drill bit. In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , the sensors  340  include a plurality of accelerometers  340 A, a plurality of magnetometers  340 M, and at least one temperature sensor  340 T. 
     The plurality of accelerometers  340 A may include three accelerometers  340 A configured in a Cartesian coordinate arrangement. Similarly, the plurality of magnetometers  340 M may include three magnetometers  340 M configured in a Cartesian coordinate arrangement. While any coordinate system may be defined within the scope of the present invention, an exemplary Cartesian coordinate system, shown in  FIG. 3A , defines a z-axis along the longitudinal axis about which the drill bit  200  rotates, an x-axis perpendicular to the z-axis, and a y-axis perpendicular to both the z-axis and the x-axis, to form the three orthogonal axes of a typical Cartesian coordinate system. Because the data acquisition module  270  may be used while the drill bit  200  is rotating and with the drill bit  200  in other than vertical orientations, the coordinate system may be considered a rotating Cartesian coordinate system with a varying orientation relative to the fixed surface location of the drilling rig  110 . 
     The accelerometers  340 A of the  FIG. 5  embodiment, when enabled and sampled, provide a measure of acceleration of the drill bit  200  along at least one of the three orthogonal axes. The data acquisition module  300  may include additional accelerometers  340 A to provide a redundant system, wherein various accelerometers  340 A may be selected, or deselected, in response to fault diagnostics performed by the processor  320 . 
     The magnetometers  340 M of the  FIG. 5  embodiment, when enabled and sampled, provide a measure of the orientation of the drill bit  200  along at least one of the three orthogonal axes relative to the earth&#39;s magnetic field. The data acquisition module  300  may include additional magnetometers  340 M to provide a redundant system, wherein various magnetometers  340 M may be selected, or deselected, in response to fault diagnostics performed by the processor  320 . 
     The temperature sensor  340 T may be used to gather data relating to the temperature of the drill bit  200 , and the temperature near the accelerometers  340 A, magnetometers  340 M, and other sensors  340 . Temperature data may be useful for calibrating the accelerometers  340 A and magnetometers  340 M to be more accurate at a variety of temperatures. 
     Other optional sensors  340  may be included as part of the data acquisition module  270 . Examples of sensors that may be useful in the present invention are strain sensors at various locations of the drill bit, temperature sensors at various locations of the drill bit, mud (drilling fluid) pressure sensors to measure mud pressure internal to the drill bit, and borehole pressure sensors to measure hydrostatic pressure external to the drill bit. These optional sensors  340  may include sensors  340  that are integrated with and configured as part of the data acquisition module  300 . These sensors  340  may also include optional remote sensors  340  placed in other areas of the drill bit  200 , or above the drill bit  200  in the bottom hole assembly. The optional sensors  340  may communicate using a direct-wired connection, or through an optional sensor receiver  360 . The sensor receiver  360  is configured to enable wireless remote sensor communication  362  across limited distances in a drilling environment as are known by those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     One or more of these optional sensors may be used as an initiation sensor  370 . The initiation sensor  370  may be configured for detecting at least one initiation parameter, such as, for example, turbidity of the mud, and generating a power enable signal  372  responsive to the at least one initiation parameter. A power gating module  374  coupled between the power supply  310 , and the data acquisition module  300  may be used to control the application of power to the data acquisition module  300  when the power enable signal  372  is asserted. The initiation sensor  370  may have its own independent power source, such as a small battery, for powering the initiation sensor  370  during times when the data acquisition module  300  is not powered. As with the other optional sensors  340 , some examples of parameter sensors that may be used for enabling power to the data acquisition module  300  are sensors configured to sample; strain at various locations of the drill bit, temperature at various locations of the drill bit, vibration, acceleration, centripetal acceleration, fluid pressure internal to the drill bit, fluid pressure external to the drill bit, fluid flow in the drill bit, fluid impedance, and fluid turbidity. In addition, at least some of these sensors may be configured to generate any required power for operation such that the independent power source is self-generated in the sensor. By way of example, and not limitation, a vibration sensor may generate sufficient power to sense the vibration and transmit the power enable signal  372  simply from the mechanical vibration. 
     The memory  330  may be used for storing sensor data, signal processing results, long-term data storage, and computer instructions for execution by the processor  320 . Portions of the memory  330  may be located external to the processor  320  and portions may be located within the processor  320 . The memory  330  may be Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), Nonvolatile Random Access Memory (NVRAM), such as Flash memory, Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), or combinations thereof. In the  FIG. 6  embodiment, the memory  330  is a combination of SRAM in the processor (not shown), Flash memory  330  in the processor  320 , and external Flash memory  330 . Flash memory may be desirable for low power operation and ability to retain information when no power is applied to the memory  330 . 
     A communication port  350  may be included in the data acquisition module  270  for communication to external devices such as the communication system  146  and a remote processing system  390 . The communication port  350  may be configured for a direct communication link  352  to the remote processing system  390  using a direct wire connection or a wireless communication protocol, such as, by way of example only, infrared, BLUETOOTH®, and 802.11a/b/g protocols. Using the direct communication, the data acquisition module  270  may be configured to communicate with a remote processing system  390  such as, for example, a computer, a portable computer, and a personal digital assistant (PDA) when the drill bit  200  is not downhole. Thus, the direct communication link  352  may be used for a variety of functions, such as, for example, to download software and software upgrades, to enable setup of the data acquisition module  300  by downloading configuration data, and to upload sample data and acquisition data. The communication port  350  may also be used to query the data acquisition module  270  for information related to the drill bit, such as, for example, bit serial number, data acquisition module serial number, software version, total elapsed time of bit operation, and other long term drill bit data which may be stored in the NVRAM. 
     The communication port  350  may also be configured for communication with the communication system  146  in a bottom hole assembly via a communication link  354  according to the present disclosure. The communication system  146  may, in turn, communicate data from the data acquisition module  270  to a remote processing system  390  using mud pulse telemetry  356  or other suitable communication means suitable for communication across the relatively large distances encountered in a drilling operation. 
     The processor  320  in the embodiment of  FIG. 5  is configured for processing, analyzing, and storing collected sensor data. For sampling of the analog signals from the various sensors  340 , the processor  320  of this embodiment includes a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the present invention may be practiced with one or more external DACs in communication between the sensors  340  and the processor  320 . In addition, the processor  320  in the embodiment includes internal SRAM and NVRAM. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the present invention may be practiced with memory  330  that is only external to the processor  320  as well as in a configuration using no external memory  330  and only memory  330  internal to the processor  320 . 
     The embodiment of  FIG. 5  uses battery power as the operational power supply  310 . Battery power enables operation without consideration of connection to another power source while in a drilling environment. However, with battery power, power conservation may become a significant consideration in the present invention. As a result, use a low power processor  320  and low power memory  330  may enable longer battery life. Similarly, other power conservation techniques may be significant in implementation of embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be noted that extension E of data acquisition module  270  may be employed to house additional batteries, or sub  500 , as described below, may house additional batteries. 
     The embodiment of  FIG. 5  illustrates power controllers  316  for gating the application of power to the memory  330 , the accelerometers  340 A, and the magnetometers  340 M. Using these power controllers  316 , software running on the processor  320  may manage a power control bus  326  including control signals for individually enabling a voltage signal  314  to each component connected to the power control bus  326 . While the voltage signal  314  is shown in  FIG. 5  as a single signal, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that different components may require different voltages. Thus, the voltage signal  314  may be a bus including the voltages necessary for powering the different components. 
       FIG. 6  depicts data acquisition module  270  having a base B disposed in bore of shank  210  of a drill bit  200 . First and second sealing rings  272  and  274  engage with the wall of bore to provide a sealed chamber for electronics module  290 . As shown, electronics  290  may be physically connected via a communication element  400  in the form of, for example, an electrical conductor or a fiber optic cable to one or more sensors S disposed within the body of drill bit  200 . A connector  402  connected to communication element  400  operably couples to a connector  404  communicating with electronics module  290  through another communication element  406 . As can be seen in  FIG. 6 , the communication between the one or more sensors S and electronics module  290  is effected between first sealing ring  272  and second sealing ring  274  within the sealed chamber. Extension E of data acquisition module  270  is received within bore  502  of sub  500 , which is secured to shank  210  of drill bit  200  by engagement of threads  212  on the exterior of shank  210  with threads  506  on the interior of distal end  508  of sub  500 . When shank  210  is secured to distal end  508  of sub  500 , contacts C, comprising annular rings, of data acquisition module, are longitudinally aligned with annular contacts CS of sub  500  and in lateral contact with contacts CS to provide a communication path between data acquisition module  270  and sub  500 . Sub  500  may house, by way of non-limiting example, communications elements extending to a long-range communication system  146  above sub  500  in the bottom hole assembly or within sub  500  itself for transmitting data from electronics module  290  to the surface and, optionally, transmitting data from the surface to electronics module  290 . Such data transmission may be effected, by way of example and not limitation, using an AXCELERATE™ Wired-Drillpipe Telemetry system or an AXCELERATE™ High-Speed Mud Pulse Telemetry system, each system available from operating units of Baker Hughes Incorporated, assignee of the present invention. 
     Although the foregoing description contains many specifics, these are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure, but merely as providing certain embodiments. Similarly, other embodiments of the disclosure may be devised that do not depart from the scope of the present invention. For example, features described herein with reference to one embodiment also may be provided in others of the embodiments described herein. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated and limited only by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the foregoing description. All additions, deletions, and modifications to the invention, as disclosed herein, which fall within the meaning and scope of the claims, are encompassed by the present invention.