Smartbeam visibility network

• US 7,911,344 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2007
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Visible Assets Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visible Assets Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: August, Jason, Stevens, John, Tkachenko, Alexander, Waterhouse, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCNALLY, KERRI L
• Application Number:
  US11/960,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20090160620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,189 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/10.1, 340/540, 340/665
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/004 with electronic identification means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/008 incorporating GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/021 Electronic training devices specially adapted for dogs or cats
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/02 Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

A method for providing real-time visibility on a construction project includes steps of: attaching a low-frequency, ultra low-power, two-way transceiver radio tag to each construction material to be used in the construction project; storing data relating to the construction material in the tag; and reading the data from the transceiver of the tag by interrogating the radio tag with radio frequency interrogation signals.

Claims

1. A method for providing real-time visibility on a construction project, said method comprising steps of:

attaching a low frequency, ultra low power, two-way transceiver radio tag to each item of construction material to be used in the construction project, said radio tag comprising;

a tag antenna operable at a low radio frequency not exceeding 450 kilohertz,

a transceiver operatively connected to said antenna, said transceiver being operable to transmit and receive data signals at said low radio frequency,

a data storage device configured to store data comprising identification data for identifying said radio tag,

a data processor operable to process data received from said transceiver and said data storage device and to send data to cause said transceiver to emit an identification signal based upon said identification data stored in said data storage device, and

an energy source for activating said transceiver and said data processor;

storing, in the data storage device of the radio tag, data relating to said construction material;

networking the radio tags;

reading the identification data from the transceiver of at least one of the radio tags, wherein reading the identification data comprises interrogating said at least one radio tag with radio frequency interrogation signals at a low radio frequency not exceeding 450 kilohertz via said tag antenna; and

during construction, cross-checking actual placement of the construction material with a specification to determine if the placement is correct, wherein the cross-checking is performed by the radio tags attached to the construction material.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising steps of:

associating radio tags with personnel working with the construction material; and

cross-referencing the radio tags associated with the personnel with the radio tags attached to the construction material, tools, and equipment.

3. A method for providing real-time visibility on a construction project, said method comprising steps of:

attaching a low frequency, ultra low power, two-way transceiver radio tag to each item of construction material to be used in the construction project, said radio tag comprising;

a tag antenna operable at a low radio frequency not exceeding 450 kilohertz,

a transceiver operatively connected to said antenna, said transceiver being operable to transmit and receive data signals at said low radio frequency,

a data storage device configured to store data comprising identification data for identifying said radio tag,

a data processor operable to process data received from said transceiver and said data storage device and to send data to cause said transceiver to emit an identification signal based upon said identification data stored in said data storage device, and

an energy source for activating said transceiver and said data processor;

storing, in the data storage device of the radio tag, data relating to said construction material;

networking the radio tags;

reading the identification data from the transceiver of at least one of the radio tags;

attaching the low frequency, ultra low power two-way radio transceiver tags to tools and equipment to be used in the construction project;

networking the radio tags attached to the tools and equipment such that said radio tags communicate with each other; and

cross-referencing the radio tags attached to the tools and equipment with the radio tags attached to the construction material.

4. A method for providing real-time visibility on a construction project, said method comprising steps of:

attaching a low frequency, ultra low power, two-way transceiver radio tag to each item of construction material to be used in the construction project, said radio tag comprising;

a tag antenna operable at a low radio frequency not exceeding 450 kilohertz,

a transceiver operatively connected to said antenna, said transceiver being operable to transmit and receive data signals at said low radio frequency,

a data storage device configured to store data comprising identification data for identifying said radio tag,

a data processor operable to process data received from said transceiver and said data storage device and to send data to cause said transceiver to emit an identification signal based upon said identification data stored in said data storage device, and

an energy source for activating said transceiver and said data processor;

storing, in the data storage device of the radio tag, data relating to said construction material;

networking the radio tags;

reading the identification data from the transceiver of at least one of the radio tags;

receiving a status signal from at least one sensor located in at least one of the radio tags, the at least one sensor operable to generate the status signal upon sensing a pre-determined status condition;

receiving a time signal corresponding to the status signal, said receiving of the time signal further comprising steps of;

receiving stored corresponding pairs of status and time signals as a temporal history of events experienced by the construction material; and

receiving the temporal history as a report; and

transmitting signals to at least one of the radio tags to cause a programmed data processor to modify its programming, in response to information contained in the report.

5. A system for providing visibility for a building project, the system comprising a network of:

a low frequency networked radio tag attached to construction materials, said radio tag configured to receive and send data signals, the radio tag comprising;

a tag antenna operable at a low radio frequency not exceeding 450 kilohertz,

a transceiver operatively connected to the tag antenna, said transceiver configured to transmit and receive data signals at the low radio frequency;

a data storage device configured to store data comprising identification data for identifying the construction materials, and

a data processor configured to process data received from the transceiver and the data storage device and to transmit data to cause said transceiver to emit an identification signal based upon the identification data stored in said data storage device,

wherein the data storage device is further configured for storing a building specification for the construction materials, wherein the building specification comprises a computer aided design specification transmitted from a computer.