Use of high speed radio frequency protocols for communication with pipeline pigs and inspection tools

1. A method of high speed radio frequency communication between an outside of a metallic pipeline and an interior volume contained by the metallic pipeline, the method comprising:

passing a high speed radio frequency signal through one or more communication stents located along a wall of the metallic pipeline;

each said communication stent comprising a high speed radio frequency permittive material and a wrapper located about the permittive material, the permittive material and the wrapper differing from one another in compressive strength;

the permittive material and the wrapper spanning at least an entire thickness of the wall of the metallic pipeline.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the high speed radio frequency signal being a signal transmitted from the interior volume to the outside.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the high speed radio frequency signal being a signal transmitted from the outside to the interior volume.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high speed radio frequency permittive material includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate, acrylic glass, polyvinylchloride, nylon, fiberglass, ceramic, mica, glass, and graphite.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a tool configured to transmit, receive, or transmit and receive the high speed radio frequency signal.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the tool is selected from the group consisting of a tool configured to traverse at least a portion of the metallic pipeline, a tool configured to inspect at least a portion of the metallic pipeline, a tool configured to isolate at least a portion of the metallic pipeline, and a tool configured to tap into at least a portion of the metallic pipeline.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high speed radio frequency signal falls within an industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) radio band selected from the group consisting of a 915 MHz band, a 2.45 GHz band, and a 5.8 GHz band.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the permittive material includes one end extending past an inner diameter of the wall of the metallic pipeline to the interior volume.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the permittive material includes one end extending past an outer diameter of the wall of the metallic pipeline to the outside.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

passing a high speed radio frequency signal through at least one other communication portal including a gasket comprising a high speed radio frequency permittive material, the gasket located between a bolted flange connection of the metallic pipeline and exposed to an interior volume of the metallic pipeline.

11. The method of claim 1 , the high speed radio frequency permittive material having a dielectric constant in a range of 2 to 15.

12. The method of claim 1 , the high speed radio frequency permittive material having a dielectric constant of at least 2 and resistant to degradation from contact with the wrapper and a pipeline product contained by the metallic pipeline.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein, the pipeline product includes a hydrocarbon.

14. A system of high speed radio frequency communication between an outside of a metallic pipeline and an interior volume contained by the metallic pipeline, the system comprising:

one or more communication stents located along a wall of the metallic pipeline;

each said communication stent further comprising a high speed radio frequency permittive material and a wrapper located about the permittive material;

the permittive material and the wrapper differing from one another in compressive strength;

the permittive material and the wrapper spanning at least an entire thickness of the wall.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising one or more repeaters located along the metallic pipeline, each repeater being within a signal reception distance of a respective communication portal.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the high speed radio frequency permittive material includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate, acrylic glass, polyvinylchloride, nylon, fiberglass, ceramic, mica, glass, and graphite.

17. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a tool configured to transmit, receive, or transmit and receive the high speed radio frequency signal.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the tool is selected from the group consisting of a tool configured to traverse at least a portion of the metallic pipeline, a tool configured to inspect at least a portion of the metallic pipeline, a tool configured to isolate at least a portion of the metallic pipeline, and a tool configured to tap into at least a portion of the metallic pipeline.

19. The system of claim 14 , further comprising programmable control means located outside of the metallic pipe, the control means configured to transmit, receive, or transmit and receive the high speed radio frequency signal.

20. The system of claim 14 , wherein the high speed radio frequency signal falls within an industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) radio band selected from the group consisting of a 915 MHz band, a 2.45 GHz band, and a 5.8 GHz band.

21. The system of claim 14 , further comprising:

a communication portal including a gasket comprising a high speed radio frequency permittive material, the gasket located between a bolted flange connection of the metallic pipeline and exposed to an interior volume of the metallic pipeline.

22. The system of claim 14 , the high speed radio frequency permittive material having a dielectric constant in a range of 2 to 15.

23. The system of claim 22 , the high speed radio frequency permittive material having a dielectric constant of at least 2 and resistant to degradation from contact with the wrapper and a pipeline product contained by the metallic pipeline.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein, the pipeline product includes a hydrocarbon.

25. The system of claim 14 , wherein, at least one of the communication stents is cylindrical shaped.

26. The system of claim 14 , wherein, the permittive material of at least one of the communication stents includes one end extending into the interior volume of the metallic pipeline and another end extending past the outside of the metallic pipeline.

27. A method of high speed radio frequency communication between an outside of a metallic pipeline and an interior volume contained by the metallic pipeline, the method comprising:

passing a high speed radio frequency signal through a plurality of communication portals located along the metallic pipeline;

at least one communication portal of the plurality including a communication stent comprising a high speed radio frequency permittive material and a wrapper located about the permittive material, the permittive material and the wrapper differing from one another in compressive strength, the permittive material and the wrapper spanning at least an entire thickness of a wall of the metallic pipeline;

at least one other communication portal of the plurality including a gasket comprising a high speed radio frequency permittive material, the gasket located between a bolted flange connection and exposed to the interior volume of the metallic pipeline.

28. The method of claim 27 , the high speed radio frequency permittive material having a dielectric constant in a range of 2 to 15.

29. The method of claim 28 , the high speed radio frequency permittive material having a dielectric constant of at least 2 and resistant to degradation from contact with the wrapper and a pipeline product contained by the metallic pipeline.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein, the pipeline product includes a hydrocarbon.