REGULATING ASSET USE BY USER ENTITY

• US 20140304016A1
• Filed: 04/03/2013
• Published: 10/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Fanini, Otto N., Bynum, Todd A.
• Application Number:
  US13/856,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20140304016A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/02 Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining

Abstract

Methods and systems for regulating use of an asset by a user entity. The user entity may be bound by an asset use agreement providing the user entity a right to use the asset subject to at least one use limitation. Regulating use of the asset may be carried out using at least one processor in communication with a sensor, wherein the sensor is configured to sense a condition associated with the asset relating to at least one use limitation. The method may include generating a violation notification message for a managing entity when the at least one processor identifies a violation by the user entity of the at least one use limitation. The managing entity may be the entity responsible for regulating the user entity'"'"'s use of the asset. The managing entity may be remote from the asset and/or the processor.

Claims

1. A method of regulating use of an asset by a user entity with at least one processor in communication with a sensor, the user entity bound by an asset use agreement providing the user entity a right to use the asset subject to at least one use limitation, wherein the sensor is configured to sense a condition associated with the asset relating to the at least one use limitation, the method comprising:

generating a violation notification message for a managing entity when the at least one processor identifies a violation by the user entity of the at least one use limitation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the at least one processor to:

perform at least one of i) transmitting the violation notification message; and

ii) storing the violation notification message in a tamper-resistant computer-readable storage medium;

perform at least one of i) generating the violation notification message responsive to a request message; and

ii) identifying the violation condition autonomously; and

identify the violation condition in response to a request message from at least one of;

i) the remote managing entity; and

ii) a second remote entity;

wherein the at least one use limitation relates to the use of an oilfield tool in a borehole intersecting an earth formation, and the at least one use limitation comprises at least one of i) at least one contractual condition of the asset use agreement;

ii) at least one legal condition governing at least one of the user entity, the managing entity, and the asset provider; and

iii) at least one operation condition; and

wherein the remote managing entity comprises at least one of i) an owner of the asset;

ii) a lessor of the asset;

iii) a licensor licensing rights relating to the asset;

iv) a designated enforcement entity; and

v) a contractor; and

wherein the condition relates to spatial information comprising position information and at least one of;

i) depth information, and ii) altitude information;

wherein at least one of the at least one processors is co-located at the asset; and

wherein the use limitation relates to at least one of i) permitting use of the asset only in one or more particular countries; and

ii) prohibiting use of the asset in one or more particular countries.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one use limitation comprises at least one of i) at least one contractual condition of the asset use agreement;

ii) at least one legal condition governing at least one of the user entity, the managing entity, and the asset provider; and

iii) at least one operation condition.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote managing entity comprises at least one of i) an owner of the asset;

ii) a lessor of the asset;

iii) a licensor licensing rights relating to the asset;

iv) a designated enforcement entity; and

v) a project manager.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition comprises spatial information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the spatial information comprises at least one of:

i) depth information; and

ii) altitude information.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the spatial information comprises position information including geographical coordinates.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one processors is remote from the asset.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one processors is co-located at the asset.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising using the at least one processor to disable the asset responsive to receiving a disable command from the remote managing entity.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the at least one processor to perform at least one of i) generating the violation notification message responsive to a request message;

and ii) identifying the violation condition autonomously.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the at least one processor to identify the violation condition in response to a request message from at least one of:

i) the remote managing entity; and

ii) a second remote entity.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the violation notification message.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the violation notification message in a tamper-resistant computer-readable storage medium.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the use limitation relates to permitting use of the asset only in one or more particular countries, prohibiting use of the asset in one or more particular countries, or combinations thereof.

16. A system for regulating use of an asset by a user entity, the user entity bound by an asset use agreement providing the user entity a right to use the asset subject to at least one use limitation, the system comprising:

an asset;

a sensor responsive to a condition associated with the asset relating to the at least one use limitation;

a communication interface at the asset;

at least one processor in communication with the sensor, the at least one processor configured to;

use the response from the sensor to identify a violation by the user entity of the at least one use limitation; and

generate a violation notification message for the managing entity.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one use limitation comprises at least one of i) at least one contractual condition of the asset use agreement;

ii) at least one legal condition governing at least one of the user entity, the managing entity, and the asset provider; and

iii) at least one operation condition.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium product having instructions thereon that, when executed, cause at least one processor in communication with a sensor to perform a method of regulating use of an asset by a user entity, the user entity bound by an asset use agreement providing the user entity a right to use the asset subject to at least one use limitation, wherein the sensor is configured to sense a condition associated with the asset relating to the at least one use limitation, the method comprising:

generating a violation notification message for a managing entity when the at least one processor identifies a violation by the user entity of the at least one use limitation.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium product of claim 19 further comprising at least one of:

(i) a ROM, (ii) an EPROM, (iii) an EEPROM, (iv) a flash memory, (v) a magnetic memory, and (vi) an optical disk.