Computer-implemented system for recording oil and gas inspection data

• US 7,664,685 B1
• Filed: 06/11/2007
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2002
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: PPI Technology Services LP (Cardno Limited)
• Original Assignee: PPI Technology Services LP (Cardno Limited)
• Inventors: Whiteley, Thomas G., Lane, Bryan, Wimberley, Wilson S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart; Matthew S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Goyea; Olusegun
• Application Number:
  US11/761,259
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 705/5, 705/28, 702/186, 702/188, 702/184, 707/1, 707/10, 701/33, 709/217, 714/E11.204, 738/658, 345/1.1
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/005 using pigs or moles G01M3/246, G01M3/2823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/02 Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/04 Manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/30 Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing

Abstract

A system for recording oil and gas inspection data comprising an inspection database server; a server-side vendor inspection database; at least one inspector client device; an inspector-side vendor inspection database; at least one customer client device; wherein at least one inspector inputs oil and gas inspection data to the inspection database server; wherein the inspection database server comprises computer instructions for instructing the inspection database server to provide at least one report; wherein the at least one inspector client device and the at least one customer client device are operable to access the oil and gas inspection data, the at least one report, or combinations thereof; and wherein the computer instructions instruct the inspection database server to formulate the at least one report for selected oil and gas inspection data and communicate the at least one report for viewing by at least one customer upon demand.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for recording oil and gas inspection data in an on-line computing environment, comprising:

an inspection database server comprising a processor in communication with a distributed computer network;

at least one server-side vendor inspection database in communication with the inspection database server for receiving and storing customer information and inspector information;

at least one inspector client device adapted for communication with the inspection database server, wherein the at least one inspector client device comprises an inspector client device processor in communication with inspector client device data storage;

at least one inspector-side vendor inspection database in the inspector client device data storage and in communication with the inspector client device processor for receiving and storing oil and gas inspection data about at least one vendor;

wherein at least one inspector inputs the oil and gas inspection data to the at least one inspector-side vendor inspection database using the at least one inspector client device;

at least one customer client device in communication with the inspection database server, wherein the at least one inspector client device is adapted to communicate the oil and gas inspection data to the at least one customer client device and the inspection database server,

wherein the at least one server-side vendor inspection database is synchronized sequentially and simultaneously for real time receiving and updating with the at least one inspector-side vendor inspection database using the distributed computer network to automatically communicate the oil and gas inspection data to the inspection database server;

wherein the at least one inspector client device is adapted to simultaneously and automatically communicate the oil and gas inspection data to the at least one customer client device and the inspection database server;

wherein the inspection database server comprises;

server computer instructions for instructing the inspection database server to provide at least one report using the oil and gas inspection data;

at least one remote device for capturing the oil and gas inspection data and allowing the information to be transferred to the inspection database server, the at least one inspector client device, the at least one customer client device, or combinations thereof, for monitoring and remotely tracking in real time the oil and gas inspection data;

wherein the at least one inspector client device further comprises client computer instructions for instructing the at least one inspector client device to use the oil and gas inspection data to produce at least one customized report, at least one standardized report, or combinations thereof using the oil and gas inspection data, and to store the at least one customized report, the at least one standardized report, or combinations thereof in the inspector client device data storage; and

the at least one report is generated automatically at predefined intervals for communication to the at least one inspector, the at least one customer, or combinations thereof;

wherein the at least one inspector client device and the at least one customer client device are operable to access the oil and gas inspection data, and the at least one report, on the inspection database server; and

wherein the server computer instructions instruct the inspection database server to formulate the at least one report for selected oil and gas inspection data and communicate the at least one report to the at least one customer device for viewing by at least one customer upon demand.

2. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the at least one inspector client device is a mobile type desktop computer, a hand held mini-computer, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, or a laptop computer.

3. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, further comprising at least one third party client device in communication with the inspection database server for accessing the oil and gas inspection data, the at least one report, or combinations thereof.

4. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the inspection database server is adapted to categorize the oil and gas inspection data.

5. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the customer information comprises accounting information, and wherein the inspection database server further comprises computer instructions to instruct the processor to generate at least one accounting report, at least one bill, at least one invoice, at least one supporting document, or combinations thereof using the accounting information.

6. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the at least one remote device is for receiving the oil and gas inspection data, the at least one report, or combinations thereof.

7. The computer-implemented system of claim 6, wherein the at least one remote device is a radio frequency identification tag reader-writer for writing the oil and gas inspection data, the at least one report, or combinations thereof to at least one radio frequency identification tag.

8. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, further comprising at least one administrator interface for inputting customer information, inspector information, modifications, and combinations thereof in the inspection database server.

9. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, further comprising at least one security feature for controlling access to the inspection database server.

10. The computer-implemented system of claim 9, wherein the at least one security feature is a user name and password, an encryption means, or combinations thereof.

11. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the at least one report is at least one customized report, at least one standardized report, or combinations thereof.

12. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the at least one report is assigned at least one unique identifier.