System for acquiring data from facilities and method CIP

A system for transmitting a pressure reading obtained from a remote oil and gas facility, said oil and gas facility having a pressure, the system comprising:

• at least one field instrument located at said remote oil and gas facility including
• a digital sensor means, for producing a representative first digital output reading;
• an analog pressure sensor means, for producing a representative analog pressure output reading;
• means, electrically connected to said analog pressure sensor means, for converting the analog pressure output reading into a second digital output reading;
• means, for receiving and storing said first and second digital output readings;
• means, electrically connected to said receiving and storing means, for locally accessing said first and second digital output readings;
• means, for transmitting said first and second digital output readings;
• database means located at a central location distant from the remote oil and gas facility, operatively associated with said transmitting means, for storing said first and second digital output readings in a plurality of data tables, said database means including a data manager means for receiving, retrieving and communicating said digital pressure output readings.

A process for collecting, transmitting and monitoring sensed characteristics from a remotely locating facility, the process comprising:

• at said remotely located facility,
• sensing a sensed reading indicative of a characteristic of said facility by way of an analog sensor;
• converting the analog sensor reading to a first digital reading;
• collecting the first digital reading;
• collecting a second digital reading with an external digital sensor;
• transmitting the second digital reading to said control means;
• transferring the digital readings to a control means for receiving, processing, and storing the digital readings in a storage means;
• transferring the digital readings in said storage means to a modem communications means for communicating digital data, wherein said modem communications means is located at said remotely located facility;
• converting the digital readings to a digital packet data in the modem communications means;
• transmitting the digital packet data with the modem communications means;
• receiving the digital packet data at a data base engine at a central location remote from the remote location located at the central location.

A process for sensing a characteristic at a remote location and transferring data indicative of the sensed characteristic to a data base located at a central location, remote from the remote location, said process comprising:

• at the remote location:
• sensing the characteristic at the remote location;
• producing a digital output reading indicative of the sensed characteristic;
• storing the digital output reading in memory located at the remote location;
• at the central location:
• storing at a data base data received from the remote location;
• wherein the digital output readings are stored in the memory until the digital output readings can be transmitted to and received by a communication unit at the central location;
• and
• wherein a processor at the remote location determines whether or not data can be transmitted to and received by the communication unit at the central location, and, causes the data to be sent to the communication unit at the central location when the processor determines that the communication unit at the central location can receive the data.

A device for communicating press information from a facility to a database engine, the device comprising:

• an internal analog pressure sensor means, connected to said pressure line, for sensing the pressure and generating an analog reading that is converted to a first digital pressure output reading in response to the pressure.
• an external digital pressure sensor means, for producing a second digital pressure output reading;
• control means, for receiving, storing and retrieving said digital pressure output readings;
• first serial communication means for communicating said second digital pressure output reading to said control means;
• a liquid crystal display readout means, operatively communicated with said control means, for displaying said digital pressure output readings;
• means, operatively connected to said control means, for transmitting said digital pressure output readings stored in said control means to a data base engine located at the central location, and wherein said transmitting means includes an antenna member connected to a second adaptor means for sealingly receiving said antenna member within a third opening in said enclosure;
• power means, positioned within said chamber, for supplying a power source to said pressure sensor means, said digital means, said LCD readout, said control means, and said transmitting means;
• second serial communication means, electrically connected to said control means, for communicating said digital pressure output readings to a local terminal;
• storage means for storing said reading at the remote location;
• wherein the control means monitors the means for transmitting the readings such that, if the readings can not be transmitted to the data base engine located at the central location, the control means stores the readings at the storage means until the readings can be transmitted.

A system for sensing a characteristic at at least one remote location and transferring data indicative of the sensed characteristic to a data base located at a central location, remote from the remote location, said system comprising:

• at the remote location:
• a sensor for producing a digital output reading indicative of the sensed characteristic;
• memory for storing the digital output reading;
• a first communication unit for sending and receiving information to and from the remote location and the central location;
• a processor for controlling the first communication unit to send and receive information, controlling the sensor to produce the digital output reading and storing the digital output reading in the memory;
• at the central location:
• a second communication unit for sending and receiving information to and from the first communication unit at the remote location;
• a data base for storing data received from the remote location;
• wherein the processor causes the digital output readings to be stored in the memory until the digital output reading can be transmitted to and received by the second communication unit;
• and
• wherein the processor determines whether or not data can be transmitted to and received by the second communication unit at the central location, and, controls the first communication unit to send data corresponding to the digital output reading when the second communication unit can receive the data.