System for continuous asset verification

• US 7,707,076 B1
• Filed: 06/11/2007
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• 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:
  US11/761,249
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28, 705/23, 340/572.1, 340/572.8, 340/825.49, 340/568.1, 340/569, 340/10.6, 340/539.1, 340/988, 700/225, 700/215, 700/226, 235/385, 235/492, 701/213, 343/873, 379/37, 220/200
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A system for continuous asset verification for at least one piece of well equipment using at least one radio frequency identification tag comprising: at least one radio frequency identification tag for removably attaching to at least one piece of well equipment; a first processor for storing information about the well equipment and for communicating the information to the radio frequency identification tag; a transportable data storage device for receiving and storing from the first processor the information; a controller comprising a second processor adapted to engage with the transportable data storage device, thereby forming a smart controller, wherein the smart controller is adapted for scanning for radio frequency identification tag at least one predefined interval to detect the information; a third processor for communicating with the transportable data storage device and storing the information.

Claims

1. A system for continuous asset verification for at least one piece of well equipment using at least one radio frequency identification tag during transport, during storage, at a point of origin, at a destination, or combinations thereof, comprising:

at least one radio frequency identification tag comprising radio frequency identification tag data storage for receiving information on well equipment, wherein the radio frequency identification tag is removably attachable directly to a plurality of well equipment, thereby forming a plurality of traceable well equipment;

a first processor separate from the radio frequency identification tag in communication with a first processor data storage for storing at least one piece of information about the at least one piece of well equipment and for communicating the at least one piece of information to the at least one radio frequency identification tag;

a transportable data storage device for receiving and storing from the first processor the at least one piece of information about the at least one piece of well equipment; and

further having a trip plan in the transportable data storage device associated with each piece of well equipment;

a controller comprising a power source and a second processor, having a second processor memory, adapted to engage with the transportable data storage device, thereby forming a smart controller, wherein the smart controller is adapted for scanning the at least one radio frequency identification tag during at least one predefined interval to detect the at least one piece of information in the radio frequency identification tag data storage during transport of the well equipment, wherein the smart controller further comprises a global positioning system transceiver and a radio frequency identification reader-writer;

wherein the smart controller further comprises computer instructions for instructing the second processor to map a trip route using the trip plan for locating the smart controller using a mapping software program;

wherein the second processor further comprises computer instructions for instructing the second processor to use the global positioning system transceiver to synchronize coordinates received by the global positioning system transceiver to the trip plan and to provide at least one time stamp for the plurality traceable well equipment during transport, wherein the at least one time stamp comprises a date, a time, and a set of coordinates;

a third processor for communicating with the transportable data storage device and storing the at least one piece of information, and further comprising computer instructions for instructing the third processor to provide a notification to a user that the traceable well equipment deviated from the trip plan;

a fourth processor for receiving the at least one piece of information from the smart controller through a network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one radio frequency identification tag is an active radio frequency identification tag comprising a radio frequency identification tag power source and a means for broadcasting within a defined range.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the third processor further comprises computer instructions for instructing the third processor to generate at least one report on the at least one piece of information.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one radio frequency identification tag is a tamper resistant radio frequency identification tag.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one radio frequency identification tag is a reusable radio frequency identification tag.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the transportable data storage device is an external memory storage device, an internal memory storage device, or combinations thereof.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one piece of information comprises from three to five types of information, and wherein each type of information is selected from the group consisting of:

part number, size, job number, serial number, brand name, color, material, and combinations thereof.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart controller further comprises a wireless transmitter-receiver for communication with the network, a universal serial bus interface, or combinations thereof, and wherein the smart controller is in communication with the global positioning system transceiver and the radio frequency identification reader-writer through the network, the universal serial bus interface, or combinations thereof.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one network is a local area network, a wide area network, the internet, a cellular network, a wireless fidelity network, or a satellite network, or combinations thereof.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart controller further comprises computer instructions for instructing the second processor to implement a standby or sleep mode to conserve power.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart controller further comprises computer instructions for instructing the second processor to use at least one priority code for mapping the trip route.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the fourth processor further comprises computer instructions for permitting at least one customer to access the at least one piece of information while the traceable well equipment is in transit, storage, at a point of origin, at a destination, or combinations thereof.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the fourth processor further comprises computer instructions for providing to the at least one customer a member of the group consisting of:

a shipping status, a map presentation of a location of the traceable well equipment, an e-mail notification to a recipient list based on priority codes, or and combinations thereof.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the power source comprises at least one battery, at least one battery pack, at least one solar panel, at least one fuel cell, or combinations thereof.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart controller further comprises an environmentally resistant housing that is shock proof to at least two gravities, submersible to at least three feet, and able to withstand temperatures up to at least 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising a fifth processor for loading the at least one piece of information onto the at least one radio frequency identification tag.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the destination is a member of the group consisting of:

a well location, a work site, a manufacturing location, an assembly location, a storage area, a transport vehicle, or and a holding area.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one piece of well equipment is a member of the group consisting of:

a manufactured bar of material, a tubular, a completion tool, a drilling tool, a buoy, a piece of pressure control equipment, a land well structure, a surface sea well structure, subsea well equipment, a well completion assembly, an oil or gas rig motor, an oil or gas meter, a piece of gas compression equipment, a piece of surface process equipment, or and combinations thereof.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one radio frequency identification tag further comprises shipping device data, shipping device status flags, payload status flags, or combinations thereof.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one radio frequency identification tag further comprises a unique number, a shipment manifest number, or combinations thereof for each radio frequency identification tag on the traceable well equipment.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising a mounting bracket for securing the smart controller to the traceable well equipment, and a mounting bracket sensor located on the mounting bracket, wherein the mounting bracket sensor includes a contact switch disposed on the radio frequency identification tag, providing an alarm to the controller when the at least one piece of well equipment is moved or providing an alarm when the radio frequency identification tag removably attached to the at least one piece of well equipment is removed from the at least one piece of well equipment.