Tracking oilfield assets with a universal identification protocol

• US 9,418,266 B1
• Filed: 09/26/2013
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Malone, Michael Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US14/037,886
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 340/8.1, 340/572.2, 340/572.7, 702/188, 702/180, 702/34, 702/41, 702/127, 731/520.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking

Abstract

Systems and methods for tracking assets are provided. In some aspects, a method includes generating a tracking identifier for an asset and storing the tracking identifier in a wireless tag associated with the asset. The tracking identifier includes a protocol identifier that identifies a protocol used for generating the tracking identifier. The tracking identifier also includes an asset identifier that identifies a class to which the asset belongs. The tracking identifier also includes at least one data load that identifies an element specific to the asset. The tracking identifier also includes at least one data load type identifier that identifies a type of a corresponding element specific to the asset or provides an end-of-data indication. The tracking identifier also includes at least one data load size identifier that identifies a size of a corresponding data load.

Claims

1. A method for tracking assets, the method comprising:

generating a tracking identifier for an asset; and

storing the tracking identifier in a wireless tag associated with the asset;

wherein the tracking identifier comprises;

a protocol identifier that identifies a protocol used for generating the tracking identifier;

an asset identifier that identifies a class to which the asset belongs;

at least one data load that identifies an element specific to the asset;

a first data load type identifier that identifies a type of a corresponding element specific to the asset and a second data load type identifier that provides an end-of-data indication; and

at least one data load size identifier that identifies a size of a corresponding data load.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless tag is at least one of integrated with, coupled to, and embedded within the asset.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless tag is at least one of a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag or a near-field communication (NFC) tag.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the protocol identifier precedes the asset identifier, which precedes the first data load type identifier, which precedes the at least one data load size identifier, which precedes the at least one data load, which precedes the second data load type identifier.

5. The method of claim 4,

wherein the at least one data load size identifier comprises a first data load size identifier,

wherein the at least one data load comprises a first data load that identifies a first element specific to the asset, and

wherein the protocol identifier precedes the asset identifier, which precedes the first data load type identifier, which precedes the first data load size identifier, which precedes the first data load, which precedes the second data load type identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the protocol identifier precedes the asset identifier, which precedes the at least one data load size identifier, which precedes the first data load type identifier, which precedes the at least one data load, which precedes the second data load type identifier.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the tracking identifier further comprises a third data load type identifier,

wherein the at least one data load size identifier comprises a first data load size identifier and a second data load size identifier,

wherein the at least one data load comprises a first data load that identifies a first element specific to the asset and a second data load that identifies a second element specific to the asset, and

wherein the protocol identifier precedes the asset identifier, which precedes the first data load type identifier, which precedes the first data load size identifier, which precedes the first data load, which precedes the third data load type identifier, which precedes the second data load size identifier, which precedes the second data load, which precedes the second data load type identifier.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein a size of the protocol identifier is at least five bytes,

wherein a size of the asset identifier is at least one byte,

wherein a size of each of the first and second data load type identifiers is at least one byte, and

wherein a size of each of the at least one data load size identifier is at least one byte.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the protocol identifier or the at least one data load is encoded in the American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII).

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the class comprises at least one of an iron/discharge manifold equipment class or a general vehicle class.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the type of the corresponding element specific to the asset comprises at least one of a manufacturer serial number, a SAP equipment identification, or a manufacturer name.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the tracking identifier for the asset comprises receiving an input and generating the tracking identifier based on the input.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for the tracking identifier; and

transmitting the tracking identifier in response to receiving the request.

14. A system for tracking assets, the system comprising:

a tracker identification module configured to generate a tracking identifier for an asset; and

a storage module configured to store the tracking identifier,

wherein the tracking identifier comprises;

a protocol identifier that identifies a protocol associated with generating the tracking identifier;

an asset identifier that identifies a class to which the asset belongs;

at least one data load that identifies an element specific to the asset;

a first data load type identifier that identifies a type of a corresponding element specific to the asset and a second data load type identifier that provides an end-of-data indication; and

at least one data load size identifier that identifies a size of a corresponding data load.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a communication module configured to receive input to generate the tracking identifier, wherein the tracking identifier is generated by the tracker identification module based on the input.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising a communication module configured to receive a request for the tracking identifier and to transmit the tracking identifier in response to receiving the request.

17. A method for tracking assets, the method comprising:

transmitting, to a wireless tag associated with an asset, a request for a tracking identifier for the asset; and

receiving the tracking identifier from the wireless tag in response to the request,

wherein the tracking identifier comprises;

a protocol identifier that identifies a protocol associated with generating the tracking identifier;

an asset identifier that identifies a class to which the asset belongs;

at least one data load that identifies an element specific to the asset;

a first data load type identifier that identifies a type of a corresponding element specific to the asset and a second data load type identifier that provides an end-of-data indication; and

at least one data load size identifier that identifies a size of a corresponding data load.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining asset identification information based on the received tracking identifier, the asset identification information comprising at least one of the protocol, the class, the element specific to the asset, the type of the element, the size of the at least one data load, or the end-of-data indication; and

displaying the asset identification information.

19. The method of claim 18,

wherein determining the asset identification information based on the received tracking identifier comprises verifying the protocol identified by the protocol identifier, and

wherein if the protocol is verified, determining the asset identification information based on the received tracking identifier further comprises:

determining the class based on the asset identifier;

determining whether a first data load of the at least one data load is available based on the first data load type identifier;

determining the size of the first data load based on the at least one data load size identifier;

determining an element specific to the asset identified by the first data load; and

identifying the end-of-data indication based on the second data load type identifier.