Smartbeam visibility network

• US 8,125,340 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2010
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• 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, M Jason, Stevens, John, Tkachenko, Alexander, Waterhouse, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunnings, Travis
• Application Number:
  US12/897,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20110018690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 512 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, said data storage device being configured to write data before and after the radio tag is attached to an item of construction material,

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, specification data relating to said construction material on which the tag is affixed;

networking the radio tags; and

reading the specification data from the transceiver of the radio tag.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein reading the identification data comprises interrogating said radio tag with radio frequency interrogation signals at a low radio frequency not exceeding 450 kilohertz via said tag antenna.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising a step of:

during construction, cross-checking actual placement of the construction material with a specification by communicating with at least one other networked radio tag attached to an item of construction material to be used in the construction project to determine if the placement is correct.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the cross-checking is done remotely.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

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

wherein the radio tags are networked such that said radio tags communicate with each other.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of transmitting the identification data from the radio tag to a central data processor.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising transmitting the data such that the data is viewable via a web browser.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the storing step further comprises storing encrypted data.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the storing step further comprises storing a unique identifier corresponding to the construction material, the unique identifier stored in the data storage device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the unique identifier is used as a key to access data about the construction material.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of:

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

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the pre-determined status condition comprises a sudden temperature increase.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising steps of:

receiving a time signal corresponding to the status signal, said receiving step 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.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of receiving a time signal is performed automatically upon receipt by the transceiver of the status signal.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising a step of:

emitting a warning signal upon receipt of the status signal.

16. A system for providing real-time 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 specification data relating to the construction materials, wherein the data storage device is configured to write data before and after the tag is attached to an item of construction material, 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 and specification data based upon the identification data and specification data stored in said data storage device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the low frequency networked radio tags are attached to building tools and equipment.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the network further comprises radio tags associated with personnel working with the construction materials.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the identification data comprises an Internet protocol address, and the data processor is operable for communication with an Internet router using said Internet protocol address, such that at least a portion of the identification data can be transmitted through the Internet router to be viewable through a web browser.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the radio tag further comprises at least one sensor operable to generate a status signal upon sensing a pre-determined status condition.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein another radio tag within the network is operable to receive the transmitted status signal through its transceiver and wherein the another radio tag is operable to respond to this signal.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the transceiver is operable to automatically emit a warning signal at the low radio frequency upon generation of the status signal by the at least one sensor.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the radio tag further comprises:

a clock operable to generate a time signal corresponding to the status signal, and wherein the data storage device is operable to store corresponding pairs of status and time signals as a temporal history of conditions experienced by said construction material.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the transceiver is operable to automatically transmit the temporal history at the low radio frequency upon receipt by said transceiver of a data signal that corresponds to the identification data stored in the data storage device.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the radio tag further comprises:

an onboard crystal used for data encryption.

26. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

an energy source operable for activating the transceiver and the data processor.

27. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a reader in operative communication with the tag antenna, said reader configured to receive data signals from the radio tag.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

at least one field antenna disposed at an orientation and within a distance from the radio tag that permits effective communication therewith at the low radio frequency.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the at least one field antenna comprises a large loop, wherein a distance from the at least one field antenna to the tag does not exceed a major dimension of said large loop.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the at least one field antenna is positioned vertically.

31. The system of claim 28 wherein the at least one field antenna is a loop antenna.

32. The system of claim 28 wherein the at least one field antenna, the reader, and a transmitter are combined into a handheld device configured for reading and transmitting signals to and from the radio tag.

33. The system of claim 27 further comprising:

a central data processor in operative communication with the reader.

34. The system of claim 27 wherein the reader, at least one field antenna, and a transmitter are combined into a handheld device configured for reading and transmitting signals to and from the radio tag.

35. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a transmitter in operative communication with the tag antenna, said transmitter being operable to send data signals to the radio tag.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein the transmitter is in communication with at least one field antenna.

37. The system of claim 35 wherein the transmitter, at least one field antenna, and a reader are combined into a handheld device configured for reading and transmitting signals to and from the radio tag.

38. The system of claim 35, further comprising:

a central data processor in operative communication with the transmitter.

39. The system of claim 16 wherein the data storage device is further configured for storing a building specification for the construction material.

40. The system of claim 16, wherein actual placement of the construction materials is cross-checked with a specification in real-time by communication between networked radio tags attached to items of construction material to be used in the building project.