1. A method to determine a formation property, comprising:
providing a modular downhole apparatus, the apparatus being incorporated into a drill string comprising one or more downhole tools and drill pipe, the drill pipe being of the same or various lengths;
transmitting a signal from a first module having one or more antennas, wherein the first module has connectors on both ends and is removeably connected to the drill string;
receiving the signal in a second module having one or more antennas, wherein the second module has connectors on both ends and is removeably connected to the drill string; and
determining the formation property using the received signal.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting is performed using one or more frequencies.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more frequencies comprise at least two frequencies per decade and span at least two decades.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more frequencies are chosen for maximum sensitivity based on a spacing between the first module and the second module.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more frequencies are chosen such that |k|\xb7L\u03b50.1;10, wherein L is the spacing between the first module and the second module and k is a propagation coefficient defined as: k2=\u03b5\u03bc\u03c92+i\u03c3\u03bc\u03c9, where \u03b5 is the electromagnetic permittivity, \u03bc electromagnetic permeability, \u03c3 conductivity, and \u03c9 the angular frequency.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting is in accordance with a selected pulse scheme.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the selected pulse scheme comprises a sequence of transmitter pulses, each having a controlled magnitude, a controlled duration, and a controlled timing interval between each pair of neighboring pulses.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the selected pulse scheme comprises a train of transmitter pulses having different frequencies.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising improving the accuracy of an inversion andor the flexibility of a deep resistivity measurement.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the improving the accuracy of the inversion andor the flexibility of the deep resistivity measurement comprises transmitting and receiving at various frequencies.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising selecting the various frequencies while drilling.
12. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting and receiving at different frequencies based on one or more formation properties.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the formation properties include at least one of an expected bed thickness and a resistivity ratio.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of dispensing articles, comprising:
connecting a flow control device containing a memory device and having an article storage container connected thereto to a station;
interrogating said memory device;
setting the minimum and maximum sizes of an entry aperture of said flow control device based on said interrogating;
setting the minimum and maximum sizes of an exit aperture of said flow control device based on said interrogating;
varying the sizes of said entry aperture and said exit aperture between said minimum and maximum sizes;
determining a number of articles dispensed; and
collecting the articles in a receptacle after they have been dispensed.
2. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising controlling said varying based on said determining.
3. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising closing said entry aperture and said exit aperture at the conclusion of said dispensing.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein said entry aperture and said exit aperture cannot be opened upon disconnecting said flow control device from said station.
5. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising inhibiting said setting, counting and collecting in response to said interrogation identifying a problem.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said varying is performed in accordance with a duty cycle having a predetermined profile and frequency.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein said varying is performed in accordance with a deadtime between duty cycles.
8. A method, comprising:
connecting a flow control device containing a memory device and having an article storage container connected thereto to a station;
setting the minimum and maximum sizes of an entry aperture of said flow control device based on default values;
setting the minimum and maximum sizes of an exit aperture of said flow control device based on default values;
varying the sizes of said entry aperture and said exit aperture between said minimum and maximum sizes at a frequency based on default values;
determining if articles are dispensed at a desired rate and, if so, saving said default values to said memory device and, if not, adjusting said default values until articles are dispensed at said desired rate.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising dispensing the articles and closing said entry aperture and said exit aperture at the conclusion of said dispensing.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein said entry aperture and said exit aperture cannot be opened upon disconnecting said flow control device from said station.
11. The method of claim 8 wherein said varying is performed in accordance with a duty cycle having a predetermined profile and frequency.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein said varying is performed in accordance with a deadtime between duty cycles.