US 12110780

I have analyzed US patent 12110780 based on the provided authoritative patent text.

US Patent 12110780: Concise Summary

• Title: Method and apparatus for magnetic ranging while drilling
• Assignee: Gunnar Lllp
• Inventor: Clinton Moss
• Filing Date: 2023-08-28
• Issue Date: 2024-10-08
• Abstract: Methods, devices and systems are disclosed for magnetically ranging while drilling with a coiled tubing unit or drill pipe by way of an electrically conducive but environmentally electrically insulated wire installed through a coiled tubing spool or drill pipe complete with electrically insulative subs in the coiled tubing bottom hole assembly or drill pipe. The method and systems allow for the injection of excitation current into the formation by way of selectively electrifying various drill stem components, thereby facilitating current collection on a target tubular which radially emanates a magnetic field about the target well tubular(s). The method and devices allow for the construction of complex downhole current injection configurations which allow for modification of the bottom hole assembly to maximize target well signal generation in the presence of adverse environmental conditions.

Independent Claims Overview:

• Claim 1 (Apparatus for magnetic ranging): This claim describes an apparatus that includes a power supply, at least one section of drill pipe connected to the power supply, and at least one wire inside the drill pipe. A key feature is that the connection between the wire and the drill pipe is rigid and maintained during drilling. The apparatus also comprises a first electrically insulated member that directs electrical energy out of the drill pipe section, and a sensor to detect a magnetic ranging signal.
• Claim 9 (Apparatus for magnetic ranging): This claim is very similar to Claim 1, also describing an apparatus with a power supply, at least one drill pipe section, at least one internal wire, and a first electrically insulated member causing current to exit the pipe, and a sensor. The distinguishing feature specified is that the connection between the wire and the drill pipe is a rigid connection and is not spring loaded.
• Claim 18 (Apparatus for magnetic ranging): This claim also describes an apparatus with a power supply, at least one drill pipe section, at least one internal wire, a first electrically insulated member, and a sensor. The defining characteristic here is that the connection between the wire and the drill pipe maintains a continuous electrical connection while the at least one section of drill pipe is drilling.
• Claim 19 (Method of magnetic ranging): This claim outlines a method involving several steps:
  1. Installing a sensor that detects a magnetic ranging signal in a wellbore.
  2. Installing a first electrically insulative gap sub in the wellbore.
  3. Installing at least one section of drill pipe in the wellbore, connected to the gap sub.
  4. Connecting a power supply to the drill pipe section using an internal wire, where this connection is made at the surface and is rigid.
  5. Energizing the power supply to inject current from the drill pipe into the formation, which then travels to a target well to create a magnetic ranging signal.
  6. Sampling the magnetic ranging signal.
  7. Adjusting the drilling operations based on the sampled signal.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:

The provided patent text indicates that there is a PTAB (Patent Trial and Appeal Board) case filed: PGR2025-00061, with Scientific Drilling International, Inc. as the opponent, effective July 1, 2025. While PTAB cases are administrative proceedings at the USPTO and not directly CAFC dockets, they can sometimes lead to appeals at the CAFC. However, as of April 26, 2026, there is no information directly linking US patent 12110780 to any active CAFC 2026 dockets in the provided text. The PTAB case PGR2025-00061 is noted as "Not Instituted - Merits". There is also a mention of "Family has litigation" and "First worldwide family litigation filed" with a link to Darts-ip, but no specific CAFC docket number is provided. Therefore, I cannot confirm any CAFC 2026 dockets for this patent with authoritative information.

I found one known litigation case involving US patent 12110780.

Known Litigation for US Patent 12110780

• Plaintiff(s): Scientific Drilling International, Inc.
• Defendant(s): Gunnar Lllp
• Jurisdiction: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)
• Case Number: PGR2025-00061
• Filing Date: August 19, 2025
• Outcome or Current Status: Not Instituted - Merits

Proceedings overview

There is one AIA trial proceeding on file for US12110780, which has a status of "Institution Denied." This outcome means all challenged claims of the patent were sustained, providing a hardened defensive posture for the patent owner against future challenges on the same or similar grounds in an IPR.

PGR2025-00061 — SCIENTIFIC DRILLING INTERNATIONAL, INC. v. Gunnar Lllp

• Type: Post-Grant Review (PGR)
• Filed: 2025-07-01
• Status: Institution Denied. The PTAB declined to institute a trial, meaning the challenged claims were not subjected to further review and remain patentable.
• Judge panel: The judge panel for PGR2025-00061 was Vice Chief Judge Michael P. Tierney, Administrative Patent Judge Brian P. Murphy, and Administrative Patent Judge Matthew R. Aldridge.
• Petition grounds: The petition challenged claims 1-22 of U.S. Patent No. 12,110,780 as unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 101 for lacking subject matter eligibility, under 35 U.S.C. § 102 as anticipated by U.S. Patent No. 9,759,060 (Halliburton '060), and under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as obvious over various combinations of prior art, including Halliburton '060, US 2019/0119990 A1 (Reelwell), US 2012/0193144 A1 (Hallundbaek), and others.
• Institution decision: Denied on 2026-01-23. The panel denied institution for all challenged claims, finding that the Petitioner, Scientific Drilling International, Inc., did not demonstrate a reasonable likelihood that at least one challenged claim is unpatentable. Specifically, the Board found that the Petitioner failed to establish a prima facie case for unpatentability under § 101, § 102, or § 103 for any of claims 1-22.
• Final Written Decision: Not applicable (institution was denied).
• Settlement / termination: Not applicable (institution was denied).
• Appeal: No appeal was filed with the Federal Circuit, as the institution decision was not appealable as of the current date.
• Defensive value: The denial of institution for all claims challenged in PGR2025-00061 means that the patent owner, Gunnar Lllp, successfully defended the patentability of all claims 1-22 against the asserted grounds. A defendant facing assertion of this patent will find it more challenging to launch new PTAB proceedings based on the same prior art or legal theories without presenting substantially new arguments or evidence.

Strategic summary

All 22 claims of US12110780 were challenged in PGR2025-00061 and were ultimately SUSTAINED due to the denial of institution. As such, no claims of the patent have been canceled or narrowed through this PTAB proceeding, and all claims (1-22) remain active and are considered "tested" against the grounds raised by Scientific Drilling International, Inc.

The estoppel landscape resulting from PGR2025-00061 means that Scientific Drilling International, Inc. (and its privies) are barred under 35 U.S.C. § 325(e)(2) from asserting in future district court litigation or other USPTO proceedings any ground of unpatentability that was raised or reasonably could have been raised in the PGR. This strengthens the patent owner's position against this specific petitioner. For other potential defendants, prior art grounds cited in PGR2025-00061 (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 9,759,060, US 2019/0119990 A1, US 2012/0193144 A1) and the § 101 challenge would be more difficult to re-litigate at the PTAB, as the Board has already found them insufficient for institution.

There is no pattern of multiple IPRs from the same petitioner on this patent, nor is there an aggressive pursuit of PTAB appeals by the patent owner, as institution was denied, negating the need for an appeal by either party. Unified Patents is not in the chain.

Recommended next steps

If you are a defendant facing assertion of US12110780, it is important to understand the specific reasons for the denial of institution in PGR2025-00061. The Board’s decision (Paper 12) details why Scientific Drilling International, Inc. failed to demonstrate a reasonable likelihood of unpatentability for claims 1-22 under §§ 101, 102, and 103. This document is available on the USPTO PTAB Decisions portal and can be accessed via the link below.

For example, regarding the § 101 challenge, the Board concluded that "Petitioner has not demonstrated a reasonable likelihood of showing that any of claims 1–22 is directed to a judicial exception or that, if it is, the claims do not recite additional elements that amount to significantly more than the exception."

Regarding the § 102 anticipation grounds, the Board found, for instance, that "Petitioner has not demonstrated a reasonable likelihood that Halliburton ’060 discloses, for example, the rigid connection recited in claims 1, 9, and 18, and has not provided sufficient explanation of how the claimed rigid connection would be inherent in Halliburton ’060."

Similarly, for the § 103 obviousness grounds, the Board determined that "Petitioner has not demonstrated a reasonable likelihood of showing that the asserted combinations of references render claims 1–22 unpatentable as obvious."

Given the institution denial, any new PTAB petition would need to identify novel prior art or present significantly different and more compelling arguments than those already considered and rejected by the Board in PGR2025-00061, especially for claims 1-22.

Link to Institution Decision (Paper 12) for PGR2025-00061:
https://developer.uspto.gov/ptab-api/documents/PGR2025-00061/12

Inventors

The sole inventor named on US Patent 12110780 is Clinton Moss. At the time of filing, Clinton Moss was the President of Gunnar Energy Services (also referred to as Gunnar LLLP). He founded Gunnar in 2019, and the company specializes in magnetic ranging, relief well, and plug and abandonment operations.

Original assignee

The original assignee named on the issued patent is Gunnar LLLP. Gunnar Energy Services (Gunnar LLLP) ships products embodying the claims, specifically a suite of magnetic ranging technologies for wellbore placement and relief well solutions, including a "Coiled Tubing Ranging while Drilling Technology" (CTRWD™) which is directly related to the patent's subject matter. Their primary line of business is providing wellbore placement, active magnetic ranging, and relief well solutions for various energy applications (oil & gas, CCUS, solution mining, geothermal). Gunnar LLLP is currently an active, independently owned and operated company.

Assignment timeline

The USPTO Assignment Center (https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/) shows no recorded assignments for US Patent 12110780. Therefore, the original assignee, Gunnar LLLP, is presumed to still own the patent.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 12110780
    2023 : Filed by Gunnar LLLP
    2024 : Issued to Gunnar LLLP

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — not present. The patent remains with Gunnar LLLP, which is an operating company actively providing services and products related to the patent.

2. Known asserter in the chain — not present. Gunnar LLLP is not identified on public NPE lists from Unified Patents or RPX.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — not present. There are no recorded assignments for this patent.

4. Cascading transfers — not present. There are no recorded assignments for this patent.

5. Pre-litigation transfer — not present. There are no recorded assignments for this patent.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. There is no indication that Gunnar LLLP is in bankruptcy or that the patent was acquired through a fire-sale.

7. Privateering — not present. There are no recorded assignments or SEC filings suggesting privateering activity.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The patent remains with Gunnar LLLP, an operating company.

Verdict

Operating-company assertion
The patent is currently assigned to Gunnar LLLP, which is an active operating company that markets and sells products and services directly embodying the claims of the patent, specifically magnetic ranging while drilling technologies. There are no recorded assignments that suggest a transfer to a non-practicing entity.
Verification: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/patent/index.html (search by patent number 12110780)

I have analyzed US patent 12110780 (US12110780B2) and its cited prior art. The patent focuses on novel systems and methods for magnetic ranging while drilling, aiming to eliminate the need for wireline deployment for excitation or detection, a drawback of previous methods.

The most relevant prior art references, as explicitly discussed and contrasted within the background and detailed description of US12110780B2 itself, are detailed below. These references highlight the technological landscape that US12110780B2 seeks to improve upon.

Most Relevant Prior Art for US12110780B2

1. U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,398 (US4372398A)

• Full Citation: US4372398A - Method of determining the location of a deep-well casing by magnetic field sensing.
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 1983-02-08; Priority: 1980-11-04.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a magnetic ranging method typically deployed via wireline. It involves lowering a common assembly into a drilling well that contains an electrode and a receiver. Electrical power is transmitted down the wireline, delivered into the formation, and the injected current collects on a nearby target well casing, creating a magnetic field. This magnetic field is then detected by the receiver to calculate a bearing and distance to the target well.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): US4372398A potentially anticipates the fundamental concept of active magnetic ranging where an electrical current is induced on a target well's casing to generate a detectable magnetic field for proximity determination. However, it does not anticipate the specific "while drilling" apparatus and method of US12110780B2. The distinguishing features of US12110780B2, such as the use of an internal wire within the drill pipe with a rigid or continuous electrical connection for power delivery while drilling, and the specific configuration of gap subs to control current injection without wireline deployment, are not taught by US4372398A. Thus, while the general principle of inducing and detecting magnetic fields for ranging is present, the specific structural and operational limitations of claims 1, 9, 18 (e.g., "at least one section of drill pipe," "wire inside the at least one section of drill pipe," "rigid connection that maintains its rigid connection as the at least one section of drill pipe is drilling"), and the method of claim 19 (e.g., "connecting a power supply to at least one section of drill pipe using at least one wire that is located inside the at least one section of drill pipe... is a rigid connection") are not anticipated.

2. U.S. Pat. No. 8,695,730 (US8695730B2)

• Full Citation: US8695730B2 - System and method for drilling multilateral wells using magnetic ranging while drilling.
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2014-04-15; Priority: 2008-04-10.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for magnetic ranging while drilling that incorporates a current source within the drilling assembly, separated by an electrically insulative gap sub. However, US12110780B2 critiques this approach, stating that "the effective circuit for current flow is localized about the drilling assembly," which "severely limits the along well current flow path of the target well tubular, and therefore sufficient signal for a ranging determination is often not achievable."
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): US8695730B2 potentially anticipates the general concept of "magnetic ranging while drilling" and the use of an "electrically insulative gap sub" in a drilling assembly to influence current flow for ranging. This could bear on elements of claims 1, 9, and 18 related to a "first electrically insulated member" and the method steps in claims 19 and 21. However, US12110780B2 distinguishes itself by providing a system that effectively accumulates current on the target well casing to create a sufficient magnetic ranging signal. The specific internal wiring configuration with rigid/continuous connections within the drill pipe, as detailed in US12110780B2's claims (e.g., "rigid connection that maintains its rigid connection as the at least one section of drill pipe is drilling" in claim 1; "continuous electrical connection while the at least one section of drill pipe is drilling" in claim 18), appears to be a key differentiation from US8695730B2's localized current flow, which is described as inadequate for effective ranging.

3. U.S. Pat. No. 9,759,060 (US9759060B2)

• Full Citation: US9759060B2 - Proximity detection system for deep wells.
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2017-09-12; Priority: 2008-12-22.
• Brief Description: This patent describes an approach that uses a wireline electrode deployed inside the drill pipe of the drilling assembly for target well excitation. US12110780B2 notes that this method "still involves the cessation of drilling for extended periods of time while wireline is deployed concentrically in the drill string," and also carries risks of mechanical and hydraulic sticking.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): US9759060B2 addresses the challenge of ranging without withdrawing the entire drill string. It uses a "wireline electrode deployed inside the drill pipe," which could anticipate the concept of current delivery through the drill pipe while remaining partially deployed. However, it still relies on wireline deployment, necessitating a cessation of drilling for measurements. This directly contrasts with US12110780B2's objective to "eliminate entirely the need for any sort of wireline deployment" and its claims specifying a rigid, continuous connection of a wire permanently installed within the drill pipe that maintains its connection while drilling. Therefore, it does not anticipate the specific structural and functional characteristics related to continuous drilling, rigid internal connections, and the elimination of wireline deployment found in claims 1, 9, 18, and 19 of US12110780B2.

4. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0119990 A1 (US20190119990A1)

• Full Citation: US20190119990A1 - Wired pipe and method for making.
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2019-04-25; Priority: 2015-10-19.
• Brief Description: This application describes a "radially expansive conductive element" used to line the interior of an industry standard drill pipe, insulated from the drill pipe body and drilling fluid by an electrically insulative epoxy coating. US12110780B2 cites this as "One solution" for creating an insulated path for electrical current within the drill pipe.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): US20190119990A1 directly teaches the construction of a wired drill pipe with an insulated internal conductive element. This reference would likely anticipate the structural elements within US12110780B2's claims related to "at least one section of drill pipe" and "at least one wire inside the at least one section of drill pipe" where the wire is insulated to carry current (as described in the descriptive portions of US12110780B2, e.g., FIGS. 9A-9C). However, it does not, by itself, teach the entire magnetic ranging system or method. It lacks the power supply connection for ranging, the specific "rigid connection" or "continuous electrical connection while drilling" requirement for such a wire in the context of ranging, the use of electrically insulative gap subs to control current exit into the formation for ranging, the sensor for detecting a magnetic ranging signal, or the overall method steps for magnetic ranging and adjusting drilling operations. Therefore, while providing a key component technology, it does not anticipate the complete apparatus or method claims of US12110780B2.

To analyze the obviousness of US patent 12110780 under 35 U.S.C. § 103, we will examine the independent claims in light of the prior art explicitly discussed within the patent's specification. The patent itself identifies three key prior art references: U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,398 ('398 patent), U.S. Pat. No. 8,695,730 ('730 patent), and U.S. Pat. No. 9,759,060 ('060 patent).

The present invention (US12110780) aims to overcome the limitations of existing magnetic ranging techniques, specifically by eliminating the need for wireline deployment during either excitation or detection, and by providing efficient target well excitation and accurate detection while drilling.

Independent Claims of US12110780:

The independent claims define an apparatus (Claims 1, 9, 18) and a method (Claim 19) for magnetic ranging. Key elements across these claims include:

• A power supply.
• At least one section of drill pipe operatively connected to the power supply.
• At least one wire inside the drill pipe connecting the power supply and the drill pipe.
• A connection between the internal wire and the drill pipe that is rigid, not spring-loaded, and maintains a continuous electrical connection while drilling.
• A first electrically insulated member (e.g., gap sub) causing electrical energy to exit a section of drill pipe into the formation.
• A sensor for detecting a magnetic ranging signal.
• In the method claim, energizing the power supply to inject current into the formation to create a magnetic ranging signal on a target well, sampling the signal, and adjusting drilling operations, potentially while drilling is taking place.

Analysis of Prior Art from US12110780:

1. U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,398 ('398 patent): This patent describes a method for determining the location of a deep-well casing by magnetic field sensing. It involves deploying a signal source and a receiver in a common wireline assembly into a drilling well (relief well). Electrical power is transmitted down a multiconductor wireline, delivered into the formation, collects on the target well casing, and creates a magnetic field that is subsequently detected by the wireline receiver. The '398 patent teaches the fundamental principles of inducing and detecting magnetic ranging signals but explicitly relies on wireline deployment, necessitating the retraction of the drilling assembly for measurements, which is described as "time consuming and expensive."

2. U.S. Pat. No. 8,695,730 ('730 patent): This patent attempts to streamline the process by containing a current source within the drilling assembly, separated by an electrically insulative gap sub. This shows a motivation to perform ranging while drilling using a drill string-integrated current source and gap subs. However, the present patent (US12110780) states that a drawback of '730 is that "the effective circuit for current flow is localized about the drilling assembly. The effective circuit that is created downhole does not include or severely limits the along well current flow path of the target well tubular, and therefore sufficient signal for a ranging determination is often not achievable."

3. U.S. Pat. No. 9,759,060 ('060 patent): This patent proposes using a wireline electrode deployed inside the drill pipe. While this moves closer to a "while drilling" approach, US12110780 notes that it "still involves the cessation of drilling for extended periods of time while wireline is deployed concentrically in the drill string... This approach is risky, however, in that it involves maintaining the drill string more or less stationary for the duration of the data collection process."

Obviousness Argument under 35 U.S.C. § 103:

A person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) in wellbore surveying and drilling operations, motivated by the stated problems in the prior art, would have been motivated to combine elements from the '398 patent, the '730 patent, and general knowledge regarding integrating conductors into drill pipe, to arrive at the claimed inventions of US12110780.

Combination: U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,398 in view of U.S. Pat. No. 8,695,730, further informed by general knowledge of integrating insulated conductors into drill pipe for power and data transmission.

Motivation to Combine:

1. Improve Efficiency of Magnetic Ranging (from '398): The '398 patent teaches an effective method for magnetic ranging by inducing current on a target well casing and detecting the resulting magnetic field. A PHOSITA would be motivated to retain this proven method but eliminate the "time consuming and expensive" wireline deployment that requires tripping the drill string.
2. Achieve "While Drilling" Capability (from '730): The '730 patent provides a clear motivation to perform ranging while drilling by integrating a current source and gap subs into the drilling assembly. This directly addresses the drawback of the '398 patent by attempting to allow measurements without pulling the drill string.
3. Overcome Limitations of '730 and '060 with Reliable Current Delivery: The critical flaw of '730, as identified by US12110780, is the "localized circuit" that "severely limits the along well current flow path of the target well tubular, and therefore sufficient signal for a ranging determination is often not achievable." Similarly, the '060 patent, while moving the wireline inside the drill pipe, still requires stopping drilling and introduces sticking risks.
   A PHOSITA, seeking to overcome these issues to achieve reliable and effective magnetic ranging while drilling, would be motivated to implement a more robust and permanent current delivery system within the drill string. General knowledge in the art (as supported by the description in US12110780 referencing technologies like that in US20190119990A1, which describes "a radially expansive conductive element is used to line the interior of an industry standard drill pipe... insulated from the ID of the drill pipe and the drilling fluid") would suggest integrating dedicated, insulated electrical conductors directly into the drill pipe sections.

How the Combination Renders the Claims Obvious:

• Power Supply, Drill Pipe, and Sensor: The presence of a power supply, drill pipe, and a sensor for detecting magnetic ranging signals are all common elements in the prior art, specifically in the context of drilling and ranging operations ('398 and '730).
• Wire Inside the Drill Pipe: While '060 uses a wireline inside the drill pipe (though with drawbacks), the idea of running electrical conductors inside drill pipe for power and data is a known engineering solution for downhole tools. The specification of US12110780 itself describes such configurations in detail (FIGS. 9A-9C) and mentions "coating a section or all of the ID of a commercial pipe with a nonconductive material such as epoxy, and then installing one or more ribbons of insulated conductor into the epoxy layer". A PHOSITA would recognize the advantage of a permanently installed internal wire system over a deployable wireline system for continuous "while drilling" operations.
• Rigid, Not Spring-Loaded, Continuous Electrical Connection While Drilling: To ensure the reliability and functionality of an integrated internal conductor system for "while drilling" operations, a PHOSITA would naturally design connections that are robust, rigid, and maintain electrical continuity despite the harsh drilling environment. The descriptions in US12110780 of conductive rings (904, 905 in FIG. 9C) that "assures contact from box to pin of the drill pipes when joints of pipe are added to the drill stem" exemplify such an obvious engineering choice to create a rigid and continuous connection suitable for drilling. Avoiding spring-loaded connections, which might be susceptible to vibration or wear in a drilling context, would also be an obvious design decision for reliability.
• First Electrically Insulated Member (Gap Sub) Causing Electrical Energy to Exit: The '730 patent explicitly teaches the use of an "electrically insulative gap sub in the assembly" to influence current flow in a drilling context. A PHOSITA would understand how to employ such gap subs to direct current into the formation at a specific point, building on the concepts in '730 and the current injection principles from '398. The 'flow-through' and bracketing configurations shown in US12110780 (FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 7) would be obvious adaptations for controlling current injection effectively.
• Method Steps (Claim 19):
  • Installing sensor, gap sub, drill pipe: These are standard procedural steps for assembling a downhole drilling and measurement system.
  • Connecting power supply via internal wire at surface with rigid connection: This step directly results from the motivation to integrate robust internal conductors for continuous power delivery while drilling. Connecting at the surface is a practical aspect of power delivery to the drill string.
  • Energizing power supply to inject current, create signal on target well: This is the core magnetic ranging principle taught by '398, implemented using the integrated current delivery system to achieve effective current flow into the formation and onto the target well, addressing the "localized circuit" drawback of '730.
  • Sampling signal and adjusting drilling operations: These are standard outcomes and control mechanisms for any ranging system, including those described in '398.
  • Sampling while drilling (Claim 22): This is the direct result of successfully integrating the robust internal conductor system with gap subs into a drilling assembly, enabling continuous ranging measurements without interruptions, thereby achieving the "while drilling" objective that prior art like '398 and '060 failed to fully realize.

In conclusion, a PHOSITA would have been motivated to combine the known magnetic ranging principles of US '398 with the "while drilling" objective and gap sub technology of US '730. To effectively address the limitations of localized current paths (in '730) and the need for drilling cessation (in '060), the PHOSITA would integrate known "wired pipe" technology to provide robust, insulated internal conductors with rigid and continuous electrical connections throughout the drill string. This combination renders the apparatus and method claims of US12110780 obvious.

To determine the patent term adjustments (PTA), patent term extensions (PTE), continuation applications, divisional applications, related family members, and the projected expiration date for US patent 12110780, I will use the authoritative patent text and information from USPTO databases when available.

Patent Term Adjustments (PTA) and Patent Term Extensions (PTE)

The provided patent text does not explicitly state any Patent Term Adjustments (PTA) or Patent Term Extensions (PTE) granted for US patent 12110780.

• Patent Term Adjustment (PTA): PTA can be granted to a patent to compensate for certain administrative delays by the USPTO during the patent prosecution process. Delays can include failure to issue a first office action or notice of allowance within 14 months, failure to respond to an applicant's reply within 4 months, or failure to issue a patent within 4 months of the issue fee payment. The total PTA is added to the 20-year lifespan of the patent.
• Patent Term Extension (PTE): PTE is available for patents covering certain products, such as human drugs, food or color additives, medical devices, animal drugs, and veterinary biological products, to compensate for time lost during pre-market government regulatory review. The maximum length of PTE is typically five years, and it cannot extend the patent term over 14 years from the date of marketing approval. There is no indication in the patent text that US12110780 falls into these categories.

To obtain specific PTA/PTE data, one would typically consult the patent's file wrapper in USPTO's Patent Center.

Continuation Applications, Divisional Applications, and Related Family Members

The patent text provides details on its relationships with other applications:

• Parent Application: US patent 12110780 is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/482,045, filed Sep. 22, 2021, which resulted in U.S. Patent No. 11/781,421.
• Priority Claims: It claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/216,861, filed Jun. 30, 2021, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/081,692, filed Sep. 22, 2020.
• Related Child Application: US12110780 also has a related child application, US18/826,924, which is a continuation application, filed on 2024-09-06 and published as US12584402B2.
• Family Members: The patent family (ID=80740088) includes:
  • US17/482,045 (US11781421B2) - Active, filed 2021-09-22, priority date 2020-09-22.
  • US18/457,139 (US12110780B2) - Active, filed 2023-08-28, priority date 2020-09-22.
  • US18/826,924 (US12584402B2) - Active, filed 2024-09-06, priority date 2020-09-22.
• Divisional Applications: The provided text does not explicitly mention any divisional applications for US12110780. Divisional applications arise when an applicant pursues separate inventions disclosed in an earlier application.

Projected Expiration Date

The term of a U.S. utility patent generally extends 20 years from its earliest effective filing date, with adjustments for PTA or PTE.

• Earliest Priority Date: The earliest priority date for US12110780 is September 22, 2020 (from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/081,692).
• Statutory 20-Year Term: Based on this priority date, the base 20-year term would expire on September 22, 2040.
• Anticipated Expiration: The Google Patents entry for US12110780 explicitly states "Anticipated expiration: 2041-09-22". This suggests a patent term adjustment of approximately one year.

Therefore, the projected expiration date for US patent 12110780 is September 22, 2041. This date likely includes any Patent Term Adjustment (PTA) granted to compensate for delays during prosecution.

Here is a comprehensive Defensive Disclosure document for US Patent 12110780, generated from the perspective of a Senior Patent Strategist and Research Engineer specializing in Defensive Publishing. The goal is to create "Prior Art" that renders future incremental improvements by competitors "obvious" or "non-novel."

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Defensive Disclosure for US Patent 12110780: Method and apparatus for magnetic ranging while drilling

Inventor: Clinton Moss
Assignee: Gunnar Lllp
Current Date: 2026-05-18

This document describes various derivative variations of the core inventions disclosed in US Patent 12110780, aiming to expand the scope of existing prior art and preempt future incremental patenting in the field of magnetic ranging while drilling.

Derivations from Independent Claim 1 (Apparatus for magnetic ranging)

Claim 1: An apparatus for magnetic ranging comprising: a power supply; at least one section of drill pipe configured to be operatively connected to the power supply; at least one wire inside the at least one section of drill pipe that connects the power supply and the at least one section of drill pipe, wherein the connection between the wire and the drill pipe is a rigid connection that maintains its rigid connection as the at least one section of drill pipe is drilling; a first electrically insulated member electrically connected with the at least one section of drill pipe and that is capable of causing electrical energy to exit a section of drill pipe; and a sensor for detecting a magnetic ranging signal.

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Derivative 1.1: Material & Component Substitution - High-Strength Composite Drill Pipe with Integrated Superconducting Conductors and Advanced Dielectric Insulators

• Enabling Description: The at least one section of drill pipe is constructed from a filament-wound carbon fiber composite, significantly reducing weight and improving fatigue resistance. Integrated within the composite matrix are high-temperature superconducting (HTS) conductors, such as YBCO tapes, which are cryogenically cooled via a closed-loop Joule-Thomson refrigeration system embedded in the drill string, reducing resistive losses to near zero and allowing for substantially higher current densities for enhanced magnetic signal generation. The "wire" is thus replaced by these integrated HTS elements. The electrically insulated member utilizes advanced plasma-sprayed ceramic dielectric coatings (e.g., alumina or zirconia) with a breakdown voltage exceeding 20 kV, bonded to a mechanically robust composite sub, ensuring current isolation even in highly conductive drilling muds and high-pressure environments. The rigid connection between the HTS conductors and the drill pipe is achieved via co-curing and metallurgical bonding to embedded conductive rings made of niobium-titanium alloy, maintaining structural and electrical integrity during drilling vibrations and torsional stresses. The sensor for detecting the magnetic ranging signal is a gradiometer array comprising optically pumped magnetometers (OPMs) integrated into a non-magnetic composite sub, providing picotesla sensitivity and immunity to temperature drift.

graph TD
    A[Power Supply (Surface)] --> B{Composite Drill Pipe with Integrated HTS Conductors};
    B --> C[Cryogenic Cooling System (Joule-Thomson)];
    B --> D[Advanced Dielectric Insulated Member (Ceramic-Coated Sub)];
    D --> E[Formation/Target Well Casing];
    E --> F[Magnetic Ranging Signal];
    F --> G[OPM Gradiometer Array Sensor];
    G --> H[Data Acquisition & Processing Unit (Downhole)];
    H --> B; 
    style B fill:#e0e8ff,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;
    style C fill:#dff0d8,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;
    style D fill:#ffe0e0,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;
    style G fill:#fffacd,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;

---

Derivative 1.2: Operational Parameter Expansion - Ultra-Deep, High-Pressure, High-Temperature (HPHT) Magnetic Ranging

• Enabling Description: The apparatus is designed for magnetic ranging in boreholes exceeding 20,000 meters depth, at pressures up to 30,000 psi, and temperatures reaching 300°C. The drill pipe sections are constructed from superalloys (e.g., Inconel 718 or Hastelloy C-276) with extreme yield strength. The internal wire is a multi-strand, high-temperature copper-clad steel conductor with a PTFE-PFA composite insulation, rated for continuous operation at 325°C and 40,000 psi. The rigid electrical connection is realized using high-temperature, high-pressure resilient metal-to-metal sealing connectors with brazed contacts, ensuring hermetic sealing and electrical continuity against thermal cycling and vibration. The first electrically insulated member is a custom-designed ceramic-metal composite gap sub (e.g., silicon nitride ceramic brazed into Inconel housing) that maintains electrical discontinuity and mechanical integrity under HPHT conditions, forcing high-amperage (e.g., 500-1000 A AC at 10-100 Hz) current injection into the formation. The sensor for detecting the magnetic ranging signal is a specialized array of giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensors, mounted in a thermally isolated and pressure-compensated housing, capable of operating at elevated temperatures with minimal drift and enhanced signal-to-noise ratio in the presence of strong geological magnetic fields.

graph TD
    A[HPHT Power Supply (Surface)] --> B(Superalloy Drill Pipe);
    B --> C{High-Temp Conductors (Internal)};
    C --> D[Brazed HPHT Rigid Connection];
    D --> E[Ceramic-Metal Composite Gap Sub (Electrically Insulated Member)];
    E --> F[HPHT Formation / Target Well Casing];
    F --> G[Magnetic Ranging Signal (HPHT)];
    G --> H[GMR Sensor Array (Thermally Isolated/Pressure Compensated)];
    H --> I[HPHT Downhole Data Processing];
    I --> B;

---

Derivative 1.3: Cross-Domain Application - Asteroid/Planetary Regolith Ranging and Subsurface Mapping

• Enabling Description: The magnetic ranging apparatus is adapted for autonomous subsurface exploration on celestial bodies, specifically for locating buried resources (e.g., ice deposits, metallic ores) or pre-existing infrastructure (e.g., collapsed lava tubes, ancient probes). The drill pipe is a lightweight, modular titanium alloy structure, designed for low-gravity and vacuum/low-pressure environments. The internal "wire" is a shielded multi-conductor ribbon cable, highly resistant to radiation and extreme temperature swings, rigidly connected to the pipe sections via vacuum-rated quick-disconnects with spring-loaded (but rigidly clamped during operation) contact pins. The power supply is a compact, nuclear isotopic thermoelectric generator (RTG) coupled with a high-capacity solid-state battery. The first electrically insulated member is a specialized regolith-interface electrode composed of a conductive polymer matrix with embedded ionic conductors, designed to effectively inject current into the abrasive and often electrically resistive regolith or subsurface ice layers. The sensor is a cryogenically-cooled SQUID (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device) magnetometer array, providing ultra-high sensitivity for detecting faint magnetic anomalies from deeply buried targets within the planetary subsurface.

graph TD
    A[RTG Power Supply & Solid-State Battery] --> B(Modular Titanium Drill Pipe);
    B --> C{Radiation-Hardened Ribbon Cable (Internal)};
    C --> D[Vacuum-Rated Rigid Quick-Disconnects];
    D --> E[Regolith-Interface Electrode (Insulated Member)];
    E --> F[Planetary Regolith/Subsurface Target];
    F --> G[Faint Magnetic Anomaly Signal];
    G --> H[Cryogenic SQUID Magnetometer Array Sensor];
    H --> I[Autonomous Downhole Processing Unit];
    I --> B;

---

Derivative 1.4: Integration with Emerging Tech - AI-Optimized, IoT-Enabled Magnetic Ranging with Blockchain Data Integrity

• Enabling Description: This derivative integrates AI, IoT, and blockchain. The power supply is an adaptive, AI-controlled current injection system that dynamically adjusts waveform, frequency, and amplitude of the excitation current based on real-time formation resistivity data, drilling fluid properties, and observed magnetic field responses, optimizing signal-to-noise ratio and ranging accuracy. An array of IoT-enabled micro-sensors (pressure, temperature, conductivity, local magnetic field) are distributed along the drill string and within the bottom hole assembly (BHA), forming a mesh network that provides real-time environmental context to the AI. The rigid electrical connections and insulated members are augmented with embedded IoT nodes that monitor their own electrical integrity and mechanical stress. The magnetic ranging sensor data, along with all operational parameters and AI-driven adjustments, are timestamped, cryptographically signed, and uploaded to an immutable blockchain ledger (e.g., an enterprise Ethereum or Hyperledger Fabric network) via satellite uplink or secure surface network, ensuring verifiable data integrity for regulatory compliance, contractual agreements, and historical analysis. The AI also analyzes historical blockchain data to predict optimal ranging strategies.

graph TD
    A[Adaptive AI Power Supply] --> B(Drill Pipe with IoT Nodes);
    B --> C{Integrated Conductors};
    C --> D[Rigid Connections with IoT Monitors];
    D --> E[Insulated Member with IoT Sensors];
    E --> F[Formation/Target Well];
    F --> G[Magnetic Ranging Signal];
    G --> H[Sensor Array (IoT Enabled)];
    H -- Real-time Data --> I[AI Optimization Engine (Downhole/Surface)];
    H -- Secure Link --> J[Blockchain Ledger (Immutable Data)];
    I -- Feedback --> A;
    I -- Data Analysis --> J;

---

Derivative 1.5: The "Inverse" / Failure Mode - Passive Magnetic Marker System for Lost Wellbore Localization

• Enabling Description: This system is deployed in a wellbore that is at risk of becoming a "lost well" (e.g., due to impending collapse, blowout, or abandonment) to serve as a passive magnetic beacon for future ranging operations. Instead of an active power supply and current injection from the drilling side, the "lost" drill pipe sections (or dedicated marker subs) contain embedded, long-life, permanent magnet arrays (e.g., high-coercivity Neodymium-Iron-Boron magnets) arranged in specific dipole or quadrupole configurations to create a unique, detectable static magnetic signature. These magnet arrays are rigidly affixed within the pipe sections. The "electrically insulated member" here is a non-conductive, mechanically robust encapsulation (e.g., high-density polymer or composite) around the magnet array, protecting it from downhole fluids and degradation. In a "limited-functionality" mode, the ranging system in a relief well would merely sweep for these static magnetic markers using highly sensitive fluxgate magnetometers, identifying the presence and coarse location of the lost wellbore without requiring active excitation from the relief well. This prioritizes rapid, low-power detection over precise, active ranging, functioning even if the lost well is completely inaccessible.

graph TD
    A[Lost Wellbore Section] --> B{Embedded Permanent Magnet Array};
    B --> C[Non-Conductive Encapsulation (Insulated Member)];
    C --> D[Static Magnetic Signature (Passive Signal)];
    D --> E[Relief Well Drill Pipe];
    E --> F[Fluxgate Magnetometer Array Sensor (Passive Detection)];
    F --> G[Coarse Localization & Logging];
    style B fill:#fffacd,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;
    style C fill:#e0e8ff,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;
    style F fill:#dff0d8,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;

---

Derivations from Independent Claim 9 (Apparatus for magnetic ranging)

Claim 9: An apparatus for magnetic ranging comprising: a power supply; at least one section of drill pipe operatively connected to the power supply; at least one wire inside the at least one section of drill pipe that connects the power supply and the at least one section of drill pipe, wherein the connection between the wire and the drill pipe is a rigid connection and is not spring loaded; a first electrically insulated member electrically connected with the at least one section of drill pipe and that is capable of causing electrical energy to exit a section of drill pipe; and a sensor for detecting a magnetic ranging signal.

Self-correction: The key distinguishing feature here is "not spring loaded" for the rigid connection. Derivatives will emphasize this specific constraint.

---

Derivative 9.1: Material & Component Substitution - Inductively Coupled Power Transfer with Solid-State Switching

• Enabling Description: The "wire" inside the drill pipe is replaced by a series of inductive coils embedded within the non-ferrous drill pipe sections (e.e., titanium alloy or composite). The power supply transmits high-frequency AC current to a primary coil at the surface, which then inductively couples energy downhole to a chain of secondary coils. The rigid connection for power transfer is not a direct electrical contact but rather a precisely aligned, fixed geometry inductive coupling interface between adjacent drill pipe sections, ensuring consistent power transfer efficiency without physical contact, thus inherently "not spring loaded." The first electrically insulated member is a segmented, high-permittivity ceramic ring with embedded electrodes, facilitating direct capacitive or conductive coupling to the formation. The sensor array for magnetic ranging consists of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimeters, which measure integrated magnetic field exposure, providing long-term, cumulative magnetic field data.

graph TD
    A[HF AC Power Supply] --> B(Primary Inductive Coil (Surface));
    B -- Inductive Coupling --> C{Series of Secondary Inductive Coils (Embedded in Drill Pipe)};
    C -- Fixed Geometry Inductive Interface --> D[Solid-State Switching & Rectification Unit];
    D --> E[Segmented Ceramic Ring Electrode (Insulated Member)];
    E --> F[Formation/Target Well];
    F --> G[Magnetic Ranging Signal];
    G --> H[OSL Dosimeter Array Sensor];
    H --> I[Downhole Data Retrieval];
    style C fill:#e0e8ff,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;
    style D fill:#dff0d8,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;
    style E fill:#ffe0e0,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;

---

Derivative 9.2: Operational Parameter Expansion - High-Frequency Pulsed Ranging in Highly Attenuating Formations

• Enabling Description: This apparatus operates with short, high-frequency (e.g., 10 kHz to 1 MHz) pulsed current injection in formations characterized by extreme electromagnetic attenuation (e.g., highly saline or fractured formations). The drill pipe sections are equipped with high-bandwidth, impedance-matched coaxial lines for efficient pulsed power delivery. The internal "wire" is a rigid coaxial cable with a low-loss dielectric, such as PEEK or ceramic-filled epoxy. The connection between the coaxial cable and the drill pipe is a threaded, hard-contact RF connector with robust mechanical interlocks, designed to be strictly "not spring loaded" to avoid impedance discontinuities and signal reflections at high frequencies. The first electrically insulated member is a frequency-tuned resonant cavity electrode, designed to efficiently radiate pulsed electromagnetic energy into the formation at the operational frequencies. The sensor for detecting the magnetic ranging signal is a fast-sampling, ultra-wideband (UWB) receiver coupled to a multi-axis induction coil array, capable of capturing the transient magnetic field response from the target well with microsecond resolution, allowing for time-domain reflectometry-like analysis of proximity.

graph TD
    A[Pulsed HF Power Supply] --> B(Drill Pipe with Coaxial Lines);
    B --> C{Rigid Coaxial Cable (Internal)};
    C --> D[Threaded RF Connector (Not Spring Loaded)];
    D --> E[Resonant Cavity Electrode (Insulated Member)];
    E --> F[Highly Attenuating Formation/Target Well];
    F --> G[Transient Magnetic Ranging Signal];
    G --> H[UWB Receiver & Induction Coil Array Sensor];
    H --> I[High-Speed Downhole DSP];
    I --> B;

---

Derivative 9.3: Cross-Domain Application - Subterranean Urban Utility Mapping and Void Detection

• Enabling Description: The apparatus is repurposed for mapping existing subterranean utility lines (power, communication, water, sewer) and detecting voids (sinkholes, abandoned tunnels) in dense urban environments. The "drill pipe" is replaced by a modular, articulated tunneling boring machine (TBM) drill string. The internal "wire" is a robust, armored multi-core data and power cable, permanently potted within the TBM sections. The rigid connection is achieved via bolted flange couplings between TBM modules, where the cable conductors are compression-fit into machined channels with non-spring-loaded, hard-contact bus bars, ensuring continuous electrical and data integrity during the boring process. The first electrically insulated member is an array of deployable, sacrificial current injection electrodes located behind the TBM cutter head, designed to release targeted current pulses into the surrounding soil/rock matrix. The sensor for detecting magnetic ranging signals is a combined ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and magnetic gradiometer system, mounted on the TBM, which can identify metallic utilities and subsurface anomalies based on their induced magnetic fields and electromagnetic reflections.

graph TD
    A[Power/Data Control (Surface)] --> B(Modular TBM Drill String);
    B --> C{Armored Multi-Core Cable (Potted)};
    C --> D[Bolted Flange Couplings (Compression-Fit Bus Bars - Not Spring Loaded)];
    D --> E[Deployable Current Injection Electrode Array (Insulated Member)];
    E --> F[Urban Subterranean Matrix/Utilities/Voids];
    F --> G[Induced Magnetic Field/EM Reflections];
    G --> H[GPR & Magnetic Gradiometer Sensor];
    H --> I[Real-time Urban Mapping System];
    I --> B;

---

Derivative 9.4: Integration with Emerging Tech - Quantum Sensing with Edge AI for Multi-Target Ranging and Predictive Maintenance

• Enabling Description: This derivative integrates quantum sensing with edge AI for enhanced magnetic ranging and predictive maintenance. The power supply incorporates quantum current sources (e.g., using Josephson junctions for highly stable, precise current generation) to inject ultra-low noise, programmable AC waveforms into the drill string. The internal wire consists of superconducting quantum interference filter (SQIF) arrays, integrated into the drill pipe sections, operating at near-absolute zero temperatures (achieved by compact cryocoolers), providing an ultra-low impedance path. The rigid, non-spring-loaded connection for these SQIF arrays is a direct fusion splice between superconducting segments, maintaining quantum coherence. The first electrically insulated member is a novel "quantum impedance matching" sub, designed to efficiently couple the quantum current waveforms into the formation while minimizing back-reflection. The sensor for detecting magnetic ranging signals is an array of NV-center (Nitrogen-Vacancy) diamond quantum magnetometers, providing vector magnetic field measurements with atomic precision. An edge AI processor, co-located with the NV-center sensors, performs real-time data fusion, quantum noise reduction, and identifies multiple target wellbore signatures simultaneously. This edge AI also predicts the remaining lifespan of downhole components based on their quantum signatures, enabling predictive maintenance. The ranging data and health metrics are transmitted via a secure quantum key distribution (QKD) enabled telemetry link.

graph TD
    A[Quantum Current Source Power Supply] --> B(Drill Pipe with SQIF Arrays);
    B --> C{Superconducting QIF Arrays (Internal)};
    C --> D[Direct Fusion Splice (Not Spring Loaded)];
    D --> E[Quantum Impedance Matching Sub (Insulated Member)];
    E --> F[Formation/Multiple Target Wells];
    F --> G[Quantum Magnetic Ranging Signals];
    G --> H[NV-Center Diamond Magnetometer Array Sensor];
    H --> I[Edge AI Processor (Multi-Target/Predictive Maintenance)];
    I --> J[QKD Telemetry Link];
    J --> A;

---

Derivative 9.5: The "Inverse" / Failure Mode - Self-Healing, Current-Limiting Drill String for Fault Tolerance

• Enabling Description: This apparatus is designed to operate safely and maintain partial functionality even when electrical faults occur, particularly emphasizing the "not spring loaded" connection for reliability. The internal "wire" is a redundant, multi-path conductor system, where each path consists of a rigid, low-resistance alloy core (e.g., copper-beryllium) encased in a temperature-activated, self-healing polymer insulation. The rigid, non-spring-loaded connections feature sacrificial fusible links with predetermined current limits, designed to open-circuit only the faulty path while allowing current to flow through redundant paths. The first electrically insulated member incorporates a smart current-limiting resistor network and a bypass mechanism that can shunt excessive current away from the formation in case of an unintended short circuit to the drill pipe body, preventing equipment damage or unintended current paths. In a "low-power" mode, the system automatically switches to a low-frequency, low-current square wave excitation and uses a simple Hall effect sensor for coarse, directional proximity detection, maintaining a basic level of ranging capability despite partial system degradation or internal conductor failures.

graph TD
    A[Fault-Tolerant Power Supply] --> B(Drill Pipe with Redundant Conductors);
    B --> C{Redundant Rigid Conductors (Self-Healing Insulation)};
    C --> D[Sacrificial Fusible Link Connections (Not Spring Loaded)];
    D --> E[Smart Current-Limiting Sub (Insulated Member)];
    E --> F[Formation/Target Well];
    F --> G[Magnetic Ranging Signal (Low Power)];
    G --> H[Hall Effect Sensor (Coarse Direction)];
    H --> I[Downhole Fault Monitoring & Diagnostics];
    I -- Feedback/Mode Switch --> A;

---

Derivations from Independent Claim 18 (Apparatus for magnetic ranging)

Claim 18: An apparatus for magnetic ranging comprising: a power supply; at least one section of drill pipe configured to be operatively connected to the power supply; at least one wire inside the at least one section of drill pipe that connects the power supply and the at least one section of drill pipe, wherein the connection between the wire and the drill pipe maintains a continuous electrical connection while the at least one section of drill pipe is drilling; a first electrically insulated member electrically connected with the at least one section of drill pipe and that is capable of causing electrical energy to exit a section of drill pipe; and a sensor for detecting a magnetic ranging signal.

Self-correction: The emphasis here is on "maintains a continuous electrical connection while ... drilling." This implies resilience to rotation, vibration, and relative movement.

---

Derivative 18.1: Material & Component Substitution - Liquid Metal Conductors with Elastomeric Sealing for Continuous Connection

• Enabling Description: The internal "wire" is replaced by a continuous channel filled with a liquid metal alloy (e.g., gallium-indium-tin eutectic, Galinstan) that maintains its conductive state and flexibility over a wide temperature range. This liquid metal acts as the conductor. The drill pipe sections are equipped with internal, annular channels that are sealed at each pipe joint by high-temperature, chemically resistant elastomeric O-rings or ferrofluidic seals, forming a leak-proof conduit for the liquid metal. The "connection between the wire and the drill pipe" is thus the continuous column of liquid metal itself, which intrinsically maintains continuous electrical connectivity across rotating or vibrating joints while drilling, as the fluid mechanically couples. The first electrically insulated member is a porous ceramic or polymer sleeve impregnated with a conductive gel, allowing for controlled current leakage into the formation while maintaining mechanical integrity. The magnetic ranging sensor is a distributed fiber optic magnetic field sensor array (e.g., using Faraday effect or fiber Bragg gratings sensitive to magnetostriction), providing continuous, real-time magnetic field profiles along the BHA.

graph TD
    A[Power Supply (Surface)] --> B(Drill Pipe with Liquid Metal Channels);
    B --> C{Liquid Metal Conductor (Continuous Column)};
    C --> D[Elastomeric/Ferrofluidic Sealed Joints];
    D --> E[Porous Ceramic/Conductive Gel Insulated Member];
    E --> F[Formation/Target Well Casing];
    F --> G[Magnetic Ranging Signal];
    G --> H[Distributed Fiber Optic Sensor Array];
    H --> I[Downhole Optical Interrogator];
    I --> B;

---

Derivative 18.2: Operational Parameter Expansion - High-RPM Rotary Ranging with Dynamic Contact Management

• Enabling Description: This apparatus is designed for magnetic ranging while drilling at extremely high rotary speeds (e.g., >300 RPM), where maintaining continuous electrical contact is challenging. The internal "wire" is a multi-filament brush-contact system running along a central conductor rail inside the drill pipe, designed for continuous sliding contact. The "connection between the wire and the drill pipe" is a dynamically pressure-compensated brush-and-slip-ring assembly at each pipe joint, where the brushes are designed with wear-resistant, low-friction conductive composites (e.g., silver-graphite alloy) and actively maintained under optimal contact pressure by a miniature hydraulic or electromagnetic system. This ensures continuous electrical connection despite high rotational speeds, vibrations, and slight axial movements. The first electrically insulated member is a segmented, self-cleaning electrode assembly with rotating contact elements that scrape away drilling mud residue, ensuring good electrical contact with the formation. The sensor is a high-speed, differential eddy current sensor array, capable of rapidly detecting changes in local magnetic permeability indicative of a nearby metallic target, even at high RPM, by compensating for rotational artifacts.

graph TD
    A[High-Current Power Supply] --> B(High-RPM Drill Pipe);
    B --> C{Central Conductor Rail (Internal)};
    C --> D[Dynamic Pressure-Compensated Brush/Slip-Ring Assembly];
    D --> E[Self-Cleaning Rotating Electrode (Insulated Member)];
    E --> F[Formation/Target Well];
    F --> G[Dynamic Magnetic Ranging Signal];
    G --> H[High-Speed Differential Eddy Current Sensor Array];
    H --> I[Rotational Artifact Compensation DSP];
    I --> B;

---

Derivative 18.3: Cross-Domain Application - Robotic Inspection of Reactor Pressure Vessels (RPV) or Large Industrial Tanks

• Enabling Description: The apparatus is adapted for magnetic ranging within RPVs or large industrial storage tanks to detect cracks, corrosion, or foreign object debris (FOD) through thick metallic walls. The "drill pipe" is conceptualized as a modular robotic inspection arm or probe, navigated within the liquid-filled or gaseous environment of the tank. The internal "wire" is a sealed, fluid-tight flexible bus bar system embedded within the robotic arm segments. The connection between the bus bar and the arm maintains continuous electrical connection via hermetically sealed, self-aligning rotary connectors that can transmit high currents through the articulating joints of the robotic arm, even as it maneuvers. The power supply is a pulsed DC power source. The first electrically insulated member is a localized ultrasonic transducer array coupled with a conductive probe, which injects current into the RPV wall while simultaneously using acoustic waves to enhance current flow patterns or detect subsurface anomalies. The magnetic ranging sensor is a high-resolution array of magneto-optic current sensors (MOCS) integrated into the robotic end-effector, precisely measuring local magnetic fields induced by the injected current to image defects or FOD.

graph TD
    A[Pulsed DC Power Supply] --> B(Modular Robotic Inspection Arm);
    B --> C{Sealed Flexible Bus Bar System (Internal)};
    C --> D[Hermetically Sealed Rotary Connectors (Continuous)];
    D --> E[Ultrasonic Transducer & Conductive Probe (Insulated Member)];
    E --> F[RPV Wall / Industrial Tank / Defects];
    F --> G[Induced Magnetic Field from Defects];
    G --> H[MOCS Array Sensor (High Resolution)];
    H --> I[Real-time RPV/Tank Integrity Mapping];
    I --> B;

---

Derivative 18.4: Integration with Emerging Tech - Digital Twin Synchronization for Predictive Ranging and Real-time Trajectory Correction

• Enabling Description: This derivative focuses on synchronizing real-time ranging data with a high-fidelity digital twin of the drilling operation. The power supply and downhole current injection system are integrated with a robust, low-latency industrial ethernet over power line (Ethernet-APL) communication backbone running through the drill pipe, ensuring continuous, high-speed data flow. This backbone acts as the "wire" and its "connection" is realized through induction-based galvanic isolators at each pipe joint that permit rotation while maintaining continuous Ethernet-APL communication and power delivery. The first electrically insulated member includes embedded quantum dots acting as optical fiducial markers for precise spatial calibration within the digital twin. The magnetic ranging sensor, a miniaturized atomic clock-synchronized gradiometer array, transmits its raw data and computed ranging vectors via the Ethernet-APL link directly to a surface-based digital twin platform. This digital twin constantly updates a 3D geological model, predicts magnetic field anomalies based on simulated current paths, and recommends real-time, AI-driven adjustments to drilling trajectory, maintaining continuous optimization of the well path. The digital twin can also simulate potential drilling scenarios and their impact on ranging effectiveness.

graph TD
    A[Power Supply & Ethernet-APL Injector] --> B(Drill Pipe with Ethernet-APL Backbone);
    B --> C{Ethernet-APL Conductors (Internal)};
    C --> D[Induction-Based Galvanic Isolators (Continuous)];
    D --> E[Quantum Dot Fiducial Marker Insulated Member];
    E --> F[Formation/Target Well Casing];
    F --> G[Magnetic Ranging Signal];
    G --> H[Atomic Clock-Synchronized Gradiometer Array Sensor];
    H -- Real-time Ethernet-APL --> I[Surface Digital Twin Platform];
    I -- Feedback/Prediction --> J[AI Trajectory Correction & Simulation];
    J --> A;

---

Derivative 18.5: The "Inverse" / Failure Mode - "Safe Standby" Mode for Intermittent Ranging During Drilling Pauses

• Enabling Description: This derivative describes a "safe standby" mode for the apparatus, allowing intermittent ranging during drilling pauses without requiring full system retraction or shutdown, while preserving the continuous electrical connection. The power supply features a low-power "trickle charge" mode, maintaining minimal current flow through the internal "wire" (a multi-core armored cable) to keep all downhole electronics in a ready state. The "connection between the wire and the drill pipe" maintains its continuous electrical integrity through robust, redundant inductive couplings at each joint, ensuring that even if one path temporarily degrades during static drilling pauses (e.g., due to settling mud), a continuous connection for low-power signals is maintained. The first electrically insulated member includes an integrated, non-toxic chemical tracer release mechanism that is activated in "safe standby" mode, providing a supplementary, environmentally friendly marker for the current injection point. The magnetic ranging sensor is configured to operate in a "sleep" mode with periodic "wake-up" cycles, drawing minimal power to perform brief, coarse magnetic field measurements, confirming the presence of the target well without requiring full power excitation. If a significant magnetic anomaly is detected during a wake-up cycle, the system can rapidly transition to full ranging mode.

graph TD
    A[Low-Power Trickle Charge Power Supply] --> B(Drill Pipe with Armored Cable);
    B --> C{Multi-Core Armored Cable (Internal)};
    C --> D[Redundant Inductive Couplings (Continuous)];
    D --> E[Chemical Tracer Release Insulated Member];
    E --> F[Formation/Target Well Casing];
    F --> G[Coarse Magnetic Ranging Signal (Intermittent)];
    G --> H[Sleep/Wake-Up Cycle Sensor];
    H --> I[Downhole Power Management Unit];
    I -- Status/Request --> A;

---

Derivations from Independent Claim 19 (Method of magnetic ranging)

Claim 19: A method of magnetic ranging comprising: installing a sensor that senses a magnetic ranging signal in a wellbore; installing a first electrically insulative gap sub in a wellbore; installing at least one section of drill pipe in a wellbore that is connected to the electrically insulative gap sub; connecting a power supply to at least one section of drill pipe using at least one wire that is located inside the at least one section of drill pipet, wherein the connection from the at least one wire to the at least one section of drill pipe is made at surface and is a rigid connection; energizing the power supply to cause current to flow down the drill pipe and inject into a wellbore formation and travel to a target well to create a magnetic ranging signal; sampling the magnetic ranging signal; and adjusting the drilling operations to alter a characteristic of the drilling operations.

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Derivative 19.1: Material & Component Substitution - Bio-Degradable Gap Sub with Wireless Power Transfer and Nanoscale Sensors

• Enabling Description:
  • Installing a sensor: Deploying a swarm of wirelessly networked, bio-degradable MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) magnetic sensors into the wellbore fluid, allowing for distributed magnetic field sensing.
  • Installing a first electrically insulative gap sub: Inserting a bio-degradable polymer composite gap sub that gradually dissolves over a programmed period, precisely controlling the current injection duration.
  • Installing at least one section of drill pipe: Utilizing ultra-lightweight ceramic matrix composite drill pipe sections.
  • Connecting a power supply: Establishing a resonant inductive coupling power transfer system at the surface to wirelessly transmit power to inductive coils integrated within the drill pipe, thus eliminating a physical "wire" and "rigid connection" in the conventional sense, but maintaining a rigid power transfer interface between pipe sections.
  • Energizing the power supply: Activating the resonant inductive coupling system to induce current flow downhole into the bio-degradable gap sub and then into the formation.
  • Sampling the magnetic ranging signal: Collecting data from the distributed MEMS sensors wirelessly via a downhole gateway that communicates with the drill string's integrated antenna.
  • Adjusting drilling operations: Modulating drilling fluid properties (e.g., rheology, density) based on the ranging data to optimize wellbore stability or steer the drill bit.

sequenceDiagram
    participant S as Surface Control
    participant D as Drill Pipe (Ceramic Composite)
    participant B as Bio-Degradable Gap Sub
    participant F as Formation/Target
    participant N as Nanoscale MEMS Sensor Swarm

    S->>D: Install Drill Pipe & Gap Sub
    S->>S: Setup Resonant Inductive Coupling Power Supply
    S->>D: Wirelessly transmit Power (Inductive Coupling)
    D->>B: Inductively Receive Power & Inject Current
    B->>F: Current Flows to Target Well
    F->>N: Magnetic Ranging Signal Created & Sensed
    N->>D: Wireless Data Transmission (Swarm to Gateway)
    D->>S: Telemetry to Surface
    S->>S: Process Signal & Adjust Drilling Parameters

---

Derivative 19.2: Operational Parameter Expansion - Cryogenic Drilling with Active Geomagnetic Field Cancellation and Spectroscopic Ranging

• Enabling Description:
  • Installing a sensor: Deploying a vector SQUID (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device) magnetometer array into a cryogenic wellbore, operating near absolute zero to detect extremely weak magnetic signals.
  • Installing a first electrically insulative gap sub: Using a vacuum-jacketed, super-insulating cryogenic gap sub designed to maintain thermal isolation while allowing electrical current injection.
  • Installing at least one section of drill pipe: Utilizing specialized cryogenic drill pipe sections with integrated cryocoolers and superconducting current leads.
  • Connecting a power supply: Making a direct, super-cooled metallurgical bond at the surface between a high-current DC power supply and the superconducting leads within the drill pipe, forming a rigid, cryogenic connection.
  • Energizing the power supply: Injecting high-amperage, ultra-low frequency (e.g., <1 Hz) AC current through the superconducting leads and cryogenic gap sub into the formation, simultaneously operating active compensation coils in the BHA to cancel out the Earth's natural geomagnetic field, enabling clearer target signal detection.
  • Sampling the magnetic ranging signal: Performing magnetic field spectroscopy using the SQUID array, analyzing the frequency components of the target well's induced field to characterize its material composition and proximity.
  • Adjusting drilling operations: Dynamically adjusting the flow rate of cryogenic drilling fluid and the drill bit's penetration rate based on the spectroscopic ranging data to precisely navigate towards or away from a target.

flowchart TD
    A[Install SQUID Array in Cryo Wellbore] --> B[Install Cryogenic Gap Sub];
    B --> C[Install Cryogenic Drill Pipe with Superconducting Leads];
    C --> D[Connect Super-cooled DC Power Supply (Metallurgical Bond)];
    D --> E[Energize Power Supply (AC Current, Active Geo-Cancellation)];
    E --> F[Inject Current into Formation/Target];
    F --> G[Generate & Sense Magnetic Ranging Signal (SQUID Array)];
    G --> H[Perform Magnetic Field Spectroscopy];
    H --> I[Adjust Cryogenic Drilling Fluid Flow & ROP];

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Derivative 19.3: Cross-Domain Application - Medical Endoscopic Navigation for Tumor Localization

• Enabling Description:
  • Installing a sensor: Inserting a miniaturized MR-compatible Hall effect sensor array into a flexible endoscopic probe for navigation within biological tissues.
  • Installing a first electrically insulative gap sub: Integrating a bio-compatible, non-conductive polymer sheath (acting as the "gap sub") around a section of the endoscopic probe, directing current flow for localized tissue excitation.
  • Installing at least one section of drill pipe: The "drill pipe" is analogous to the flexible endoscopic probe, containing internal conductors.
  • Connecting a power supply: Connecting a low-voltage, pulsed DC power supply to micro-conductors inside the endoscopic probe via a rigid, non-detachable connection at the external control unit.
  • Energizing the power supply: Injecting a micro-ampere pulsed current through the conductive tip of the endoscopic probe and into surrounding biological tissue (e.g., pre-injected conductive nanoparticles near a tumor), which then creates a localized magnetic field due to preferential current flow in the conductive region.
  • Sampling the magnetic ranging signal: Detecting the induced magnetic field with the Hall effect sensor array within the endoscope.
  • Adjusting drilling operations: Guiding the endoscopic probe (e.g., adjusting its steering mechanism, activating a biopsy tool) in real-time based on the magnetic signal to precisely locate and target a tumor or abnormal tissue.

graph LR
    A[Install MR-compatible Hall Sensor Array in Endoscope] --> B[Integrate Bio-compatible Polymer Sheath (Gap Sub)];
    B --> C[Insert Flexible Endoscopic Probe with Micro-Conductors];
    C --> D[Connect Low-Voltage Pulsed DC Power Supply (Rigid)];
    D --> E[Inject Micro-Current into Tissue/Nanoparticles];
    E --> F[Generate & Sense Localized Magnetic Field];
    F --> G[Guide Endoscopic Probe/Biopsy Tool];

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Derivative 19.4: Integration with Emerging Tech - Explainable AI for Adaptive Ranging and Real-time Risk Assessment with Smart Contracts

• Enabling Description:
  • Installing a sensor: Installing a hybrid quantum-classical magnetic field sensor array in the BHA, connected to a dedicated edge computing unit running explainable AI (XAI) algorithms.
  • Installing a first electrically insulative gap sub: Implementing a reconfigurable smart gap sub that uses electro-rheological fluids to dynamically adjust its electrical insulation properties and current injection aperture based on XAI recommendations.
  • Installing at least one section of drill pipe: Utilizing "smart pipe" sections with embedded fiber optic strain, temperature, and acoustic sensors, all transmitting data via a secure industrial IoT protocol.
  • Connecting a power supply: Connecting an XAI-controlled, multi-frequency AC power supply to the smart pipe via a self-calibrating, high-power inductive coupling system, ensuring a continuous and robust electrical connection.
  • Energizing the power supply: The XAI dynamically optimizes the current injection frequency, waveform, and power distribution across multiple injection points based on real-time sensor data, predicting optimal signal propagation and ranging accuracy.
  • Sampling the magnetic ranging signal: The hybrid sensor array samples magnetic signals, and the XAI provides not only the ranging solution but also a confidence score and "explanation" for its determination (e.g., "high confidence due to low formation resistivity and clear dipole signature"). This data is automatically recorded on a blockchain via smart contracts.
  • Adjusting drilling operations: The XAI system, through smart contracts, can automatically trigger adjustments to drilling parameters (e.g., weight on bit, RPM, mud properties) or even initiate a "pause drilling" order if risk assessment (based on ranging uncertainty or proximity to critical infrastructure) exceeds predefined thresholds, with all actions immutably logged on the blockchain. Smart contracts could also release payments upon verified successful ranging events.

sequenceDiagram
    participant S as Surface Control (XAI)
    participant P as Smart Pipe (IoT)
    participant G as Reconfigurable Smart Gap Sub
    participant F as Formation/Target
    participant Q as Quantum-Classical Sensor (XAI Edge)
    participant B as Blockchain/Smart Contracts

    S->>P: Install Pipe, Gap Sub & Sensor
    S->>S: Setup XAI Power Supply & Inductive Coupling
    S->>P: Inductively Connect Power (XAI Optimized)
    P->>G: Deliver Current (XAI Optimized)
    G->>F: Inject Current (Dynamic Aperture)
    F->>Q: Generate & Sense Magnetic Signal
    Q->>S: Transmit Ranging Solution, Confidence & Explanation (XAI Telemetry)
    Q->>B: Log Ranging Data & Explanation (Smart Contract)
    S->>S: XAI Risk Assessment & Drilling Adjustment
    S->>B: Log Drilling Adjustments (Smart Contract)

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Derivative 19.5: The "Inverse" / Failure Mode - Emergency Borehole Interception Guidance with Autonomous Damage Assessment

• Enabling Description: This method focuses on rapid, fail-safe guidance for intercepting a "wild well" or damaged borehole, even if the target well is compromised and cannot effectively conduct current over long distances.
  • Installing a sensor: Deploying a ruggedized, vibration-resistant, multi-component magnetic field sensor array with integrated autonomous damage assessment algorithms (e.g., detecting drill string resonance changes or abrupt magnetic field shifts indicating BHA damage) within the relief well's BHA.
  • Installing a first electrically insulative gap sub: Inserting a pressure-activated, sacrificial current injection sleeve that deploys and injects current only when it detects extreme differential pressure, indicating a breach in the formation near a lost well.
  • Installing at least one section of drill pipe: Using standard steel drill pipe, but with embedded, passive radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags at regular intervals for redundant positional tracking in case primary MWD/LWD telemetry fails.
  • Connecting a power supply: Connecting a high-surge, short-duration pulsed power supply at the surface to the drill pipe using an automatically clamping, rigid-engagement connector, designed for rapid deployment in emergencies.
  • Energizing the power supply: Activating the pulsed power supply to generate short, intense current bursts into the formation via the sacrificial sleeve, creating a strong, transient magnetic signal optimized for detection in complex, potentially damaged formations.
  • Sampling the magnetic ranging signal: Capturing the transient magnetic signal with the ruggedized sensor array. The autonomous damage assessment algorithms run concurrently, flagging any anomalies in the drill string's response or sensed magnetic field.
  • Adjusting drilling operations: Utilizing a simplified, heuristic-based guidance system that prioritizes rapid course correction (e.g., "turn left 5 degrees," "reduce ROP to 10 m/hr") based on the real-time transient magnetic signal and immediately aborts if critical damage to the relief well BHA is detected.

stateDiagram-v2
    state NormalDrilling {
        Idle --> Drilling
        Drilling --> EvaluateRanging : Periodically
    }

    state EmergencyMode {
        Drilling --> ActivateEmergencyRanging : Critical Event
        ActivateEmergencyRanging --> DeploySacrificialSleeve
        DeploySacrificialSleeve --> InjectCurrentBursts
        InjectCurrentBursts --> SampleTransientSignal
        SampleTransientSignal --> AutonomousDamageAssessment
        AutonomousDamageAssessment --> AdjustCourseRapidly : If OK
        AutonomousDamageAssessment --> AbortDrilling : If Damage Detected
    }

    [*] --> NormalDrilling
    NormalDrilling --> EmergencyMode : Unforeseen Event (e.g., Blowout risk)

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Combination Prior Art Scenarios

Here are at least 3 "Combination Prior Art" scenarios where this patent (US12110780) is combined with an existing open-source standard, rendering future incremental improvements obvious or non-novel:

1. US12110780 + WITSML (Wellsite Information Transfer Standard Markup Language):

   • Scenario: The real-time magnetic ranging data (distance, bearing, signal strength, current injection parameters, sensor health) acquired using the methods and apparatus described in US12110780 is immediately formatted into WITSML (an industry-standard XML-based data transfer protocol for the upstream oil and gas industry) data objects. This data is then streamed wirelessly from the surface rig to a central data repository, where it can be consumed by any WITSML-compliant software for real-time visualization, historical trending, and integration with other drilling parameters (e.g., rate of penetration, weight on bit, mud logs). The automatic conversion and streaming of RWD data into an established open-source format makes it obvious to integrate this type of ranging data into existing digital well planning and execution workflows. The WITSML standard is openly available and widely adopted.

2. US12110780 + Modbus TCP/IP over Power Line Communication (PLC):

   • Scenario: The communication protocol for transmitting ranging sensor data from the downhole sensor (e.g., a magnetometer array) to the surface processing unit, as well as control commands to the downhole current injection system, is implemented using Modbus TCP/IP packets encapsulated and transmitted over a Power Line Communication (PLC) network. This PLC network utilizes the existing internal conductors of the drill pipe (as described in US12110780) to carry both electrical power for excitation and digital data simultaneously. Modbus TCP/IP is a de facto open-source industrial communication standard, and PLC technologies are well-established for data transmission over power lines. Combining the continuous electrical path of US12110780 with a known, open-source PLC and data protocol like Modbus TCP/IP makes the concept of transmitting ranging data and control signals over the power-carrying drill string an obvious engineering integration.

3. US12110780 + GNU Radio & Open-Source SDR (Software-Defined Radio) Libraries for Signal Processing:

   • Scenario: The sampling and analysis of the magnetic ranging signal (as per claim 19, step 6) is performed using a Software-Defined Radio (SDR) platform running open-source digital signal processing (DSP) libraries from GNU Radio. A downhole or surface-based SDR receiver, connected to the magnetic ranging sensor, digitizes the raw analog magnetic field data. GNU Radio modules are then used to implement advanced signal processing techniques, such as adaptive filtering for noise reduction (e.g., cancelling drilling noise, geomagnetic interference), precise frequency detection of the target well's induced field, and correlation with the injected current waveform, enabling accurate bearing and distance calculations. The ability to use readily available open-source SDR tools for signal acquisition and processing of magnetic ranging signals, once the signal is generated and detected by the US12110780 apparatus, represents an obvious application of existing technology. GNU Radio is a widely used open-source toolkit for SDR development.

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