Apparatus identification systems and methods

Abstract

A member having a body, the body having at least a portion thereof comprising a generally cylindrical portion, the generally cylindrical portion having a circumference, wave energizable identification apparatus with an antenna within and encircling the generally cylindrical portion of the body, and methods to use such a member.

1 . A member comprising 
 a body,    the body having two spaced-apart ends and at least a portion comprising a generally cylindrical portion, the generally cylindrical portion having a circumference,    radio frequency identification apparatus with integrated circuit apparatus and antenna apparatus within the generally cylindrical portion of the body, and    the antenna apparatus encircling the circumference of the cylindrical portion at an end of the body.    
   
   
       2 . The member of  claim 1  wherein 
 the body has a first end spaced-apart from a second end, and    the radio frequency identification apparatus positioned within the first end of the body.    
   
   
       3 . The member of  claim 2  wherein 
 the first end of the body has a recess in the first end, and    the radio frequency identification apparatus is within the recess.    
   
   
       4 . The member of  claim 3  wherein 
 a protector in the recess covers the radio frequency identification apparatus.    
   
   
       5 . The member of  claim 2  wherein the body comprises a pipe.  
   
   
       6 . The member of  claim 5  wherein the first end is a pin end of the pipe.  
   
   
       7 . The member of  claim 5  wherein an end of the pipe has an exterior shoulder and the radio frequency identification apparatus is within the shoulder.  
   
   
       8 . The member of  claim 2  wherein the second end is a box end of the pipe.  
   
   
       9 . The member of  claim 2  wherein the first end is threaded externally and the second end is threaded internally.  
   
   
       10 . The member of  claim 1  wherein 
 the member is a piece of drill pipe with an externally threaded pin end spaced-apart from an internally threaded box end, and the body is generally cylindrical and hollow with a flow channel therethrough from the pin end to the box end,    the pin end having a pin end portion with a pin end recess therearound, and    the radio frequency identification apparatus within the pin end recess and the antenna apparatus encircling the pin end portion.    
   
   
       11 . The member of  claim 10  wherein a protector in the pin end recess covers the radio frequency identification apparatus therein.  
   
   
       12 . The member of  claim 11  wherein the protector is a cap ring within the pin end recess which covers the radio frequency identification apparatus.  
   
   
       13 . The member of  claim 11  wherein the protector is an amount of protective material in the recess which covers the radio frequency identification apparatus.  
   
   
       14 . The member of  claim 10  further comprising 
 the box end having a box end portion having a box end recess therein,    a box end radio frequency identification apparatus within the box end recess, the box end radio frequency identification apparatus having antenna apparatus and integrated circuit apparatus, said antenna encircling the box end portion.    
   
   
       15 . The member of  claim 14  wherein a protector in the box end covers the radio frequency identification apparatus therein.  
   
   
       16 . The member of  claim 4  wherein the recess has a cross-section shape from the group consisting of square, rectangular, semi-triangular, rhomboidal, triangular, trapezoidal, circular, and semi-circular.  
   
   
       17 . The member of  claim 1  wherein the generally cylindrical portion is part of an item from the group consisting of pipe, drill pipe, casing, drill bit, tubing, stabilizer, centralizer, cementing plug, buoyant tubular, thread protector, downhole motor, whipstock, mill, and torus.  
   
   
       18 . The member of  claim 1  further comprising 
 the member comprising a piece of pipe with a pin end, the pin end having a recess therein, and sensible indicia in the recess.    
   
   
       19 . The member of  claim 18  wherein the sensible indicia is from the group consisting of raised portions, indented portions, visually sensible indicia, spaced-apart indicia, numeral indicia, letter indicia, and colored indicia.  
   
   
       20 . The member of  claim 1  further comprising 
 the body having a side wall with an exterior surface and a wall recess in the side wall, the wall recess extending inwardly from the exterior surface, and    secondary radio frequency identification apparatus within the wall recess.    
   
   
       21 . The member of  claim 1  wherein the radio frequency identification apparatus comprises a plurality of radio frequency identification tag devices.  
   
   
       22 . A tubular member comprising 
 a body with a first end spaced-apart from a second end, the first end comprising a pin end having a pin end recess in the first end and identification apparatus in the pin end recess, and    a protector in the pin end recess protecting the identification apparatus therein.    
   
   
       23 . A method for sensing a wave energizable identification apparatus in a member, the member comprising a body, the body having at least a portion thereof comprising a generally cylindrical portion, the generally cylindrical portion having a circumference, wave energizable identification apparatus with antenna apparatus within the generally cylindrical portion of the body, and the antenna apparatus encircling the circumference of the cylindrical portion of the body, the method including 
 energizing the wave energizable identification apparatus by directing energizing energy to the antenna apparatus,    the wave energizable identification apparatus upon being energized producing a signal,    positioning the member adjacent sensing apparatus, and    sensing with the sensing apparatus the signal produced by the wave energizable identification apparatus.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the sensing apparatus is on an item from the group consisting of rig, elevator, spider, derrick, tubular handler, tubular manipulator, tubular rotator, top drive, mouse hole, powered mouse hole, or floor.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the sensing apparatus is in communication with and is controlled by computer apparatus, the method further comprising 
 controlling the sensing apparatus with the computer apparatus.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the energizing is effected by energizing apparatus in communication with and controlled by computer apparatus, the method further comprising 
 controlling the energizing apparatus with the computer apparatus.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the signal is an identification signal identifying the member and the sensing apparatus produces and conveys a corresponding signal to computer apparatus, the computer apparatus including a programmable portion programmed to receive and analyze the corresponding signal, and the computer apparatus for producing an analysis signal indicative of accepting or rejecting the member based on said analysis, the method further comprising 
 the wave energizable identification apparatus,    producing an identification signal received by the sensing apparatus,    the sensing apparatus producing a corresponding signal indicative of identification of the member and conveying the corresponding signal to the computer apparatus, and    the computer apparatus analyzing the corresponding signal and producing the analysis signal.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the computer apparatus conveys the analysis signal to handling apparatus for handling the member, the handling apparatus operable to accept or reject the member based on the analysis signal.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the member is a tubular member for use in well operations and the handling apparatus is a tubular member handling apparatus.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the tubular member handling apparatus is from the group consisting of tubular manipulator, tubular rotator, top drive, tong, spinner, downhole motor, elevator, spider, powered mouse hole, and pipe handler.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the handling apparatus has handling sensing apparatus thereon for sensing a signal from the wave energizable identification apparatus, and wherein the handling apparatus includes communication apparatus in communication with computer apparatus, the method further comprising 
 sending a handling signal from the communication apparatus to the computer apparatus corresponding to the signal produced by the wave energizable identification apparatus.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the computer apparatus controls the handling apparatus.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the member is a tubular member and wherein the sensing apparatus is connected to and in communication with a tubular inspection system, the method further comprising 
 conveying a secondary signal from the sensing apparatus to the tubular inspection system, the secondary signal corresponding to the signal produced by the wave energizable identification apparatus.    
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the signal produced by the wave energizable identification apparatus identifies the tubular member.  
   
   
       35 . A method for handling drill pipe on a drilling rig, the drill pipe comprising a plurality of pieces of drill pipe, each piece of drill pipe comprising a body with an externally threaded pin end spaced-apart from an internally threaded box end, the body having a flow channel therethrough from the pin end to the box end, radio frequency identification apparatus with integrated circuit apparatus and antenna apparatus within the pin end of the body, and the antenna apparatus encircling the pin end, the method including 
 energizing the radio frequency identification apparatus by directing energizing energy to the antenna apparatus,    the radio frequency identification apparatus upon being energized producing a signal,    positioning each piece of drill pipe adjacent sensing apparatus, and    sensing with the sensing apparatus a signal produced by each piece of drill pipe's radio frequency identification apparatus.    
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein the sensing apparatus is in communication and is controlled by computer apparatus and wherein the radio frequency identification apparatus produces an identification signal receivable by the sensing apparatus, and wherein the sensing apparatus produces a corresponding signal indicative of the identification of the particular piece of drill pipe, said corresponding signal conveyable from the sensing apparatus to the computer apparatus, the method further comprising 
 controlling the sensing apparatus with the computer apparatus,    wherein the energizing is effected by energizing apparatus in communication with and controlled by computer apparatus, the method further comprising controlling the energizing apparatus with the computer apparatus,    wherein the signal is an identification signal identifying the particular piece of drill pipe and the sensing apparatus conveys a corresponding signal to computer apparatus, the computer apparatus including a programmable portion programmed to receive and analyze the corresponding signal, the computer apparatus for producing an analysis signal indicative of accepting or rejecting the particular piece of drill pipe based on said analysis, the method further comprising    the computer apparatus analyzing the corresponding signal and producing the analysis signal, and    the computer apparatus conveying the analysis signal to handling apparatus for handling the member, the handling apparatus operable to accept or reject the member based on the analysis signal.    
   
   
       37 . A system for handling a tubular member, the system comprising 
 handling apparatus, and    a tubular member in contact with the handling apparatus,    the tubular member comprising a body with a first end spaced-apart from a second end, the first end comprising a pin end having a pin end recess in the first end and identification apparatus in the pin end recess, and a protector in the pin end recess protecting the identification apparatus therein.    
   
   
       38 . The system of  claim 37  wherein the handling apparatus is from the group consisting of tubular manipulator, tubular rotator, top drive, tong, spinner, downhole motor, elevator, spider, powered mouse hole, and pipe handler.  
   
   
       39 . A ring comprising 
 a body with a central hole therethrough, the body having a generally circular shape,    the body sized and configured for receipt within a circular recess in an end of a generally cylindrical member having a circumference,    wave energizable identification apparatus within the body,    the wave energizable identification apparatus having antenna apparatus, and    the antenna apparatus extending around a portion of the body.    
   
   
       40 . The ring of  claim 39  further comprising 
 sensible indicia on or in the body.    
   
   
       41 . A ring comprising 
 a body with a central hole therethrough, the body having a central hole therethrough the body sized and configured for receipt within a circular recess in an end of a generally cylindrical member having a circumference,    identification apparatus within or on the body, and    the identification apparatus comprising sensible indicia.    
   
   
       42 . A method for making a tubular member, the method comprising 
 making a body for a tubular member, the body having a first end spaced-apart from a second end, and    forming a recess around the end of the body, the recess sized and shaped for receipt therein of wave energizable identification apparatus.    
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 42  including installing wave energizable identification apparatus in the recess.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 43  further comprising 
 installing a protector in the recess over the wave energizable identification apparatus.    
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 44  wherein the tubular member is a piece of drill pipe with an externally threaded pin end spaced-apart from an internally threaded box end, the recess is a recess encircling the pin end, and the wave energizable identification apparatus has antenna apparatus, the method further comprising 
 positioning the antenna apparatus around and within the pin end recess.    
   
   
       46 . A method for enhancing a tubular member, the tubular member having a generally cylindrical body with a first end spaced-apart from a second end, the method comprising 
 forming a circular recess in an end of the tubular member, the recess sized and shaped for receipt therein of wave energizable identification apparatus, the wave energizable identification apparatus including antenna apparatus with antenna apparatus positionable around the circular recess.