IP Library Granted Patent US 11,480,044
Granted Patent B2
US 11,480,044 · App. 16/274,072 · Granted Oct 25, 2022

Portable local positioning system

Inventors: Seth Menard (Carencro, LA); Marcus Savini (Church Point, LA); Jeremy R. Angelle (Youngsville, LA); Logan Smith (Lafayette, LA); Robert L. Thibodeaux (Lafayette, LA); Brennan Domec (Sunset, LA)
Assignee: FRANK'S INTERNATIONAL, LLC
E21B44/00E21B41/0021F16P3/147G01S5/14G08B21/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,480,044
App. No.
16/274,072
Granted
Oct 25, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for mitigating collision occurrences on a drilling rig, of which an example of the method includes associating ultra wide band (UWB) tags with pieces of rig equipment and rig personnel. The tags are configured to communicate with one or more anchors. The method also includes determining interlock rules associated with each of the pieces of rig equipment, monitoring positions of the pieces of rig equipment and the rig personnel using the tags, in real-time, determining that one or more of the interlock rules are violated by a position of one or more of the pieces of rig equipment, rig personnel, or both, and, in response to determining that the one or more of the interlock rules are violated, at least partially disabling operation of one or more of the pieces of rig equipment.

Claims (52)

1. A method for mitigating collision occurrences on a drilling rig, comprising:

associating ultra wide band (UWB) tags with pieces of rig equipment and rig personnel, wherein the tags are configured to communicate with one or more anchors in real-time;

determining interlock rules associated with each of the pieces of rig equipment;

monitoring three-axis positions of the pieces of rig equipment and the rig personnel using the tags, wherein the three-axis positions of the pieces of rig equipment and rig personnel are monitored together in the three-axis and in real-time;

determining that one or more of the interlock rules are violated by a position of one or more of the pieces of rig equipment, rig personnel, or both; and

in response to determining that the one or more of the interlock rules are violated, at least partially disabling operation of one or more of the pieces of rig equipment.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising visualizing the pieces of rig equipment and rig personnel on a display, in real-time.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining interlock rules comprises defining an unsafe zone around one of the pieces of rig equipment.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the unsafe zone has a size, shape, or both that is at least partially a function of at least one of whether the at least one of the pieces of the rig equipment is in motion or an operational state of the at least one of the pieces of the rig equipment.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining that the one or more of the interlock rules are violated comprises determining that another one of the pieces of rig equipment is positioned at least partially in the unsafe zone.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining that the one or more of the interlock rules are violated comprises determining that one of the rig personnel are positioned at least partially in the unsafe zone.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising notifying at least one of the rig personnel when the one or more of the interlock rules are violated.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that a collision between two pieces of rig equipment, or between one of the pieces of rig equipment and the rig personnel, or both, is imminent based on predictive movements of equipment and/or the rig personnel; and

in response, notifying an operator or at least partially disabling operation of one or more of the pieces of rig equipment.

9. A system for mitigating collision on a drilling rig, the system comprising:

a plurality of ultrawide band (UWB) tags associated with a plurality of pieces of rig equipment, rig personnel, or both;

at least one anchor device in communication with the tags and configured to determine a position of the tags by communication therewith; and

at least one control device in communication with the at least one anchor device, wherein the at least one control device is configured to perform operations, the operations comprising:

associating the UWB tags with the pieces of rig equipment, rig personnel, or both to which the plurality of UWB tags are attached;

determining interlock rules associated with each of the pieces of rig equipment;

monitoring positions of the pieces of rig equipment and the rig personnel using the tags, in real-time;

determining that one or more of the interlock rules are violated by a position of one or more of the pieces of rig equipment, rig personnel, or both;

in response to determining that the one or more of the interlock rules are violated, notifying an operator or at least partially disabling operation of one or more of the pieces of rig equipment; and

communicating a message representing that one or more of the interlock rules is violated to the at least one control device, wherein the at least one control device is configured to move one of the pieces of rig equipment so as to avoid violating the interlock rules.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein determining that the one or more of the interlock rules are being violated comprises determining that a person is in an unsafe zone, and wherein the operations further comprise notifying the person that the person is in the unsafe zone.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a notification device, wherein notifying the person comprises sounding an audible or vibrating alarm of the notification device.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein determining interlock rules comprises defining an unsafe zone around one of the pieces of rig equipment.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein determining that the one or more of the interlock rules are violated comprises determining that another one of the pieces of rig equipment is positioned at least partially in the unsafe zone.

14. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a display coupled to the control device, wherein the operations further comprise visualizing the pieces of rig equipment and rig personnel on the display, in real-time.

15. The system of claim 9 , further comprising notifying at least one of the rig personnel when the one or more of the interlock rules are violated.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that a collision between two pieces of rig equipment, and/or between one of the pieces of rig equipment and the rig personnel, is imminent based on predictive movements of equipment and/or the rig personnel; and

in response, notifying an operator or at least partially disabling operation of one or more of the pieces of rig equipment.

17. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause a computing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:

associating ultra wide band (UWB) tags with pieces of rig equipment and rig personnel, wherein the tags are configured to communicate with one or more anchors in real-time;

determining interlock rules associated with each of the pieces of rig equipment;

monitoring three-axis positions of the pieces of rig equipment and the rig personnel using the tags, wherein the three-axis positions of the pieces of rig equipment and rig personnel are monitored together in the three-axis and in real-time;

determining that one or more of the interlock rules are violated by a position of one or more of the pieces of rig equipment, rig personnel, or both; and

in response to determining that the one or more of the interlock rules are violated, notifying an operator or at least partially disabling operation of one or more of the pieces of rig equipment.

18. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise visualizing the pieces of rig equipment and rig personnel and changes in position thereof on a display, in real-time.

19. The medium of claim 17 , wherein determining interlock rules comprises defining an unsafe zone around one of the pieces of rig equipment.

20. The medium of claim 19 , wherein determining that the one or more of the interlock rules are violated comprises determining that another one of the pieces of rig equipment is positioned at least partially in the unsafe zone.

21. The medium of claim 19 , wherein determining that the one or more of the interlock rules are violated comprises determining that one of the rig personnel are positioned at least partially in the unsafe zone.

22. The medium of claim 19 , further comprising notifying at least one of the rig personnel when the one or more of the interlock rules are violated.

23. The medium of claim 17 , further comprising:

determining that a collision between two pieces of rig equipment, and/or between one of the pieces of rig equipment and the rig personnel is imminent based on predictive movements of equipment and/or the rig personnel; and

in response, notifying an operator or at least partially disabling operation of one or more of the pieces of rig equipment.

24. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

mounting the one or more anchors at one or more reference positions on a structure of the drilling rig, wherein the one or more anchors are in communication with a control device; and

attaching the tags with the pieces of rig equipment and rig personnel,

wherein monitoring comprises monitoring the positions of the pieces of rig equipment and rig personnel based on a distance and direction from the one or more anchors.

Assignments (3)
RELEASE OF REEL/FRAME 057778/0707 Recorded Sep 30, 2025
From: DNB BANK ASA, LONDON BRANCH
To: FRANK'S INTERNATIONAL, LLC
Reel/Frame 073324/0554 →
SHORT-FORM PATENT AND TRADEMARK SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 4, 2021
From: FRANK'S INTERNATIONAL, LLC
To: DNB BANK ASA, LONDON BRANCH
Reel/Frame 057778/0707 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 12, 2019
From: MENARD, SETH; SAVINI, MARCUS; ANGELLE, JEREMY R.; SMITH, LOGAN; THIBODEAUX, ROBERT L.; DOMEC, BRENNAN
To: FRANK'S INTERNATIONAL, LLC.
Reel/Frame 048313/0926 →