| CPC G05D 7/0623 (2013.01) [G05B 6/02 (2013.01); G05B 15/02 (2013.01); G05D 7/0652 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
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1. A system, comprising:
a plurality of first fluid valves;
a plurality of second fluid valves, wherein the first and second fluid valves are disposed in one or more wellbores extending beneath a well site surface and are configured to prevent the flow of a formation fluid from propagating toward the well site surface;
a plurality of first valve controllers each communicatively coupled to a corresponding one of the first fluid valves within the one or more wellbores;
a plurality of second valve controllers each communicatively coupled to a corresponding one of the second fluid valves within the one or more wellbores; and
a transmitter disposed at the well site surface and configured to simultaneously:
transmit a first electromagnetic signals at a first frequency associated with the first valve controllers; and
transmit a second plurality of electromagnetic signals at a second frequency different from the first frequency and associated with the second valve controllers;
wherein the first plurality of electromagnetic signals comprises a plurality of first instruction messages that include first data indicative of respective target positions of the first fluid valves, and wherein the first plurality of electromagnetic signals periodically include a first electromagnetic signal comprising a synchronization message indicating when or where within the first electromagnetic signal to begin decoding the first electromagnetic signal;
wherein the second plurality of electromagnetic signals comprises a plurality of second instruction messages that include second data indicative of respective target positions of the second fluid valves, and wherein the second plurality of electromagnetic signals periodically include a second electromagnetic signal comprising a synchronization message indicating when or where within the second electromagnetic signal to begin decoding the second electromagnetic signal;
wherein the first valve controllers each comprise a first receiver, a first processor, and a first tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media comprising first instructions configured to be executed by the corresponding first processor;
wherein the first instructions are configured to cause each first valve controller to:
receive the first electromagnetic signal from the transmitter via the corresponding first receiver;
identify the first data indicative of the respective target positions of the first fluid valve corresponding to that first valve controller by decoding the first electromagnetic signal;
modify the position of the first fluid valve corresponding to that first valve controller based on the first data; and then
maintain radio silence for a first target time period, wherein when in radio silence, each first valve controller maintains the corresponding first fluid valve in position regardless of whether another electromagnetic signal is received by any of the first valve controllers;
wherein the second valve controllers each comprise a second receiver, a second processor, and a second tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media comprising second instructions configured to be executed by the corresponding second processor; and
wherein the second instructions are configured to cause each second valve controller to:
receive the second electromagnetic signal from the transmitter via the corresponding second receiver;
identify the second data indicative of the respective target positions of the second fluid valve corresponding to that second valve controller by decoding the second electromagnetic signal;
modify the position of the second fluid valve corresponding to that second valve controller based on the second data; and then
maintain radio silence for a second target time period, wherein when in radio silence, each second valve controller maintains the corresponding second fluid valve in position regardless of whether another electromagnetic signal is received by any of the second valve controllers.
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