Person on board system and method

• US 8,970,367 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2013
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jose Meraz
• Original Assignee: Aquila Offshore, LLC
• Inventors: Meraz, Jose
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Hoi
• Application Number:
  US13/894,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20140340220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/286.11, 340/286.14, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 235/382
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 26/008 central annunciator means of the sensed conditions, e.g. displaying or registering

Abstract

A system and method provides updated personnel count information for offshore locations for daily use and use during emergencies that is coordinated with a cloud database. The system allows persons not at an offshore rig or installation to monitor the presence, excuse, or absence of personnel at fixed mustering stations and moveable mustering stations such as lifeboats and the launch status of particular lifeboats. The system provides simplified touch screen information that is intuitively available to obtain user profiles for persons missing, present and excused from being present at mustering stations as well as participation in drills or emergency situations.

Claims

1. A person on board system for an offshore location, comprising:

a plurality of identification cards each comprising a machine detectable identifier;

a plurality of detectors operable for detecting said machine detectable identifier;

a cloud database for storing a plurality of user profiles associated with said plurality of identification cards;

a plurality of computers at said offshore location configured with a software program for interfacing with said cloud database and respective of said plurality of detectors;

a computer positioned away from said offshore location configured for accessing said cloud database;

at least one registration station at said offshore location comprising at least one of said plurality of computers operably connected with said cloud database and at least one of said plurality of detectors for scanning identification cards entering said offshore location and for populating said cloud database with on board personnel;

a first fixed mustering station positioned on a first side of said offshore location, said first fixed mustering station comprising at least one of said plurality of computers operably connected with said cloud database and at least one of said plurality of detectors for registering a location of said plurality of identification cards at said first mustering station;

a first moveable mustering station comprising a first lifeboat; and

a first lifeboat sensor to detect movement of said first lifeboat.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one said plurality of computers comprises a touchscreen, wherein said touchscreen displays pictures of said on board personnel who are missing, excused, and present at said fixed mustering station during at least one of a drill or emergency.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein touch selected of said pictures of said on board personnel on said touchscreen are responsive to access a respective of said plurality of user profiles.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a signal wire operable for signaling a drill, emergency or abandonment, and a separate data line for communicating between said plurality of computers and said cloud database.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second fixed mustering station positioned on a second side of said offshore location, said second fixed mustering station comprising at least one of said plurality of computers and at least one of said plurality of detectors for registering said location of said plurality of identification cards within said second fixed mustering station;

a second moveable mustering station comprising a second lifeboat and a second lifeboat sensor to detect movement of said second lifeboat;

a control station operably connected to said first fixed mustering station, said first moveable mustering station, said second fixed mustering station, and said second moveable mustering station for receiving data comprising said location of said plurality of identification cards;

a server in communication with said cloud database and said control station; and

a radio transmitter operable for communication with said cloud database.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of said plurality of computers is operable for producing a daily list of said on board personnel and assigned beds and a list of beds available.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a moveable detector operable for locating identification cards of missing personnel in said offshore location.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of identification cards each comprise an antenna and said plurality of detectors each comprise an antenna.

9. A method for a person on board system for offshore locations, comprising:

providing a plurality of identification cards each comprising a machine detectable identifier;

providing a plurality of detectors operable for detecting said machine detectable identifier at a plurality of said offshore locations;

providing a cloud database for storing a plurality of user profiles associated with said plurality of identification cards;

providing that said user profiles comprise a plurality of certifications for work offshore wherein at least one certification is required for entering a respective of said plurality of offshore locations;

providing a plurality of computers at said plurality of offshore locations configured with a software program for interfacing with said cloud database and said detectors;

providing at least one registration station at each of said plurality of offshore locations comprising at least one of said plurality of computers operably connected with said cloud database and at least one of said plurality of detectors for scanning identification cards entering said offshore location and for populating said cloud database with on board personnel for each of said offshore locations; and

providing a first fixed mustering station positioned on each of said plurality of offshore locations, said first mustering station comprising at least one of said plurality of computers hosting said software program operably connected to at least one of said plurality of detectors for registering a location of said plurality of identification cards within a desired zone of said first mustering station.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising providing that at least one said plurality of computers comprises a touchscreen, wherein said touchscreen comprises pictures of said on board personnel who are missing, excused, and present at said fixed mustering station during at least one of a drill or emergency.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising providing that individual said pictures of said on board personnel on said touchscreen are responsive to touch to provide information about individual of said on board personnel.

12. The system of claim 9 further comprising providing a signal wire on each of said plurality of offshore locations operable for signaling a drill or an emergency or an abandonment, and providing a separate data line for communicating between said plurality of computers and said cloud database.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising providing a first lifeboat in close proximity to said first fixed mustering station for said plurality of offshore locations, each said first lifeboat being equipped with a sensor emitting tracking location to said cloud database.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a first moveable mustering station comprising a first lifeboat, and providing a first lifeboat sensor to detect movement of said first lifeboat.

18. The method of claim 9 further comprising providing a first lifeboat in close proximity to said first fixed mustering station for said plurality of offshore locations, said first lifeboat being equipped with a sensor emitting tracking location to said cloud database.

15. A method for a person on board system for offshore locations, comprising:

providing a plurality of identification cards each comprising a machine detectable identifier;

providing a plurality of detectors operable for detecting said machine detectable identifier at an offshore location;

providing a cloud database for storing a plurality of user profiles associated with said plurality of identification cards;

providing a plurality of computers at said plurality of offshore locations configured with a software program for interfacing with said cloud database and said detectors;

providing at least one registration station at each of said plurality of offshore locations comprising at least one of said plurality of computers operably connected with said cloud database and at least one of said plurality of detectors for scanning identification cards entering said offshore location and for populating said cloud database with on board personnel for each of said offshore locations;

providing a first fixed mustering station positioned on each of said plurality of offshore locations, said first mustering station comprising at least one of said plurality of computers hosting said software program and being operably connected to at least one of said plurality of detectors for registering a location of said plurality of identification cards within a desired zone of said first mustering station; and

providing that at least one said plurality of computers comprises a touchscreen, wherein said touchscreen comprises pictures of said on board personnel who are missing, excused, and present at said fixed mustering station during at least one of a drill or emergency and that individual said pictures of said on board personnel on said touchscreen are responsive to touch to provide information about selected of said on board personnel.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising providing that said user profiles comprise certifications for work offshore required for entering respective of a plurality of offshore locations.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising providing that said touch screen comprises a button utilized to excuse personnel from a drill.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a first moveable mustering station comprising a first lifeboat, and providing a first lifeboat sensor to detect movement of said first lifeboat.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a moveable detector that is wirelessly connected to at least one of said plurality of computers.