Tracking of oil drilling pipes and other objects

• US 8,378,841 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2010
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visible Assets Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visible Assets Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: August, M. Jason, Waterhouse, Paul, Stevens, John K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAI, ANNE VIET NGA
• Application Number:
  US12/720,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20100245075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.7, 340/572.8, 340/10.1, 340/10.34, 340/853.1, 340/853.2, 340/854.6, 340/853.3, 166/250.01, 166/250.11, 166/250.12, 166/255.1, 175/40
• US Class Current: 340/854.6
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/006 Accessories for drilling pipes, e.g. cleaners wear protectors E21B17/10; handling drilling pipes E21B19/00; thread protectors B65D59/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

Identification and tracking of hollow pipes at a site where the hollow pipes are to be stored or interconnected, such as an oil drilling site where the aforesaid hollow pipes are to be connected and the drillstring of pipes is to be inserted into a drilled hole on solid ground or under a deepsea drilling platform is achieved. Each hollow pipe is provided with a low frequency radio frequency identification (RFID) tag attached to the pipe'"'"'s outer surface. The RFID tag is operable at a low radio frequency not exceeding 1.0 megahertz and may be disposed within a recess in the pipe'"'"'s outer surface. A tracking system provides communication be the tags and a reader.

Claims

1. A trackable pipe comprising:

a) a hollow pipe comprising a wall portion having an outer surface;

b) a low frequency radio frequency identification (RFID) tag attached to said hollow pipe at said outer surface, said RFID tag being operable at a low radio frequency not exceeding 1.0 megahertz, said RFID tag comprising;

i) a tag transceiver operable to transmit and receive data signals at said low radio frequency not exceeding 1.0 megahertz;

ii) a tag communication antenna operatively connected to the tag transceiver;

iii) a tag data storage device operable to store data comprising identification data for identifying said object;

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

v) a tag energy source for activating said tag transceiver and said tag data processor,

wherein said energy source comprises an electrical energy storage device and an electrical generator operable to energize the aforesaid electrical storage device, and said electrical generator comprises a tag power antenna operable to pick up energy induced by an applied varying external electric field, and

wherein said tag communication antenna comprises a first elongated ferrite core, said tag power antenna comprising a second elongated ferrite core, oriented substantially orthogonally to said first elongated ferrite core and energy storage device is connected to said tag power antenna.

2. The trackable pipe as set forth in claim 1, said wall portion comprising a recess that opens into said outer surface, said RFID tag being disposed within said recess of each hollow pipe.

3. The trackable pipe as set forth in claim 2, said recess being filled with a protective material that surrounds the RFID tag.

4. The trackable pipe as set forth in claim 3, said protective material comprising solidified epoxy.

5. The trackable pipe as set forth in claim 1, said trackable pipe comprising a container, said RFID tag being disposed within said container and said container being filled with a protective potting material, said container being disposed within said recess.

6. The trackable pipe as set forth in claim 1, wherein said RFID tag comprises a sensor operable to measure an environmental condition selected from temperature and pressure, said RFID tag further comprising a clocking device operable to identify times of data transmissions and of measurements of said environmental conditions.

7. The trackable pipe as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tag energy source comprises an energy storage device.

8. The trackable pipe as set forth in claim 7, wherein said energy storage device is a battery.

9. The trackable pipe as set forth in claim 1, wherein said electrical energy storage device comprises a battery.

10. The trackable pipe as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tag communication antenna is tuned to frequency f(com) that is distinct from the frequency f(power) to which tag power antenna is tuned, neither f(com) nor f(power) exceeding 1.0 megahertz.

11. The trackable pipe as set forth in claim 10, wherein f(com) equals an integer multiple of f(power).

12. A system for tracking pipes, said system comprising:

a) a plurality of pipes, each pipe being hollow, axially elongated and comprising a wall portion which comprises an outer surface;

b) a low frequency radio frequency identification (RFID) tag attached to said hollow pipe at the aforesaid outer surface, said RFID tag being operable at a low radio frequency not exceeding 1.0 megahertz, said RFID tag being disposed within the aforesaid recess of each hollow pipe, said RFID tag comprising;

i) a tag transceiver operable to transmit and receive data signals at said low radio frequency not exceeding 1.0 megahertz;

ii) a tag communication antenna operatively connected to said tag transceiver, said tag communication antenna comprising a first elongated ferrite core with a plurality of windings thereon;

iii) a tag data storage device operable to store data comprising identification data for identifying said object;

iv) a tag data processor operable to process data received from said tag 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

v) a tag energy source for activating said tag transceiver and said tag data processor, said tag energy source comprising an electrical energy storage device and an electrical generator operable to energize the aforesaid electrical storage device, said electrical generator comprising a tag power antenna operable to pick up energy induced by an applied varying external electric field, said tag power antenna comprising a second elongated ferrite core oriented substantially orthogonally to said first elongated ferrite core, said energy storage device being connected to said tag power antenna;

c) a reader for reading said identification data, said reader comprising;

i) a reader communication antenna configured to permit effective communication with each said RFID tag at said low radio frequency not exceeding 1.0 megahertz;

ii) a reader transceiver in operative communication with said reader communication antenna, said reader transceiver being operable to transmit and receive data signals at said low radio frequency not exceeding 1.0 megahertz;

iii) a reader data storage device operable to store data;

iv) a reader data processor in operative communication with said reader transceiver and said reader data storage device; and

v) a reader energy source selected from a battery and an A.C. power supply, said reader energy source being operable to activate said reader transceiver and said reader data processor.

13. The system as set forth in claim 12, wherein said wall portion comprises a recess that opens into the aforesaid outer surface, the aforesaid RFID tag being disposed within the aforesaid recess of each hollow pipe.

14. The system as set forth in claim 12, said reader comprising a reader power antenna and a low frequency power generator operable to generate said applied varying external electric field at a frequency that is distinct from said low radio frequency not exceeding 1.0 megahertz.

15. The system as set forth in claim 14, said reader communication antenna and said reader power antenna being positioned and configured to encircle a lateral cross-section of said pipe during movement thereof past said reader communication antenna and said reader power antenna.