Patent ID: 8051912

Claim:
A downhole submersible pumping system disposable in a wellbore comprising: a pump; a pump motor having a housing and coupled to the pump; a shaft coupling the pump to the pump motor; a flat three-phase power cable in electrical communication with the motor to transmit three-phase power thereto, the power cable comprising three insulated conductors each conducting electricity having a different phase and positioned within a protective cable armor containing the insulated conductors therein, the insulated conductors comprising first and second end conductors separated by a center conductor aligned within the protective cable armor to provide a flat profile; an inductive coupling device adjacent the power cable, the inductive coupling device comprising: a first core having a first winding surrounding at least a portion of the first core and positioned external to the protective cable armor adjacent the first end conductor and spaced apart from the center and second end conductors, the first winding inductively coupled to the first end conductor to provide electrical power to a signaling unit when three-phase electrical power is applied to the three-phase power cable, and a second core having a second winding surrounding at least a portion of the second core and positioned external to the protective cable armor adjacent the second end conductor and spaced apart from the center and first end conductors, the second core also spaced apart from the first core, the second winding inductively coupled to the second end conductor to provide electrical power to the signaling unit when three-phase electrical power is applied to the three-phase power cable; and the signaling unit in electrical communication with the power cable via the inductive coupling device and configured so that when three-phase electrical power is transmitted through the power cable, the signaling unit receives power from an inductive coupling with a first magnetic field generated around the first end conductor and a second magnetic field generated around the second end conductor, and receives data signals, transmits data signals, or both receives and transmits data signals through an inductive coupling.