Continuous monitoring system of leg position and loading for a drilling rig
AssigneeTecat Performance Systems, LLC
InventorDouglas Martin Baker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention generally relates to a continuous monitoring system and method for monitoring the loads in a support leg of an offshore drilling rig through a remote unit mounted to the climbing pinion shaft of a jacking drive system when the brake is engaged.
Claims11
An integrated wireless data system for measuring load characteristics of a jacking drive system in an offshore drilling rig, comprising:
- a remote unit having at least one sensor and a remote transceiver and an A/D converter and a microprocessor and a switching mechanism and a plurality of antennae for measuring operational data of the jacking drive system;
- said remote unit including a power storage device connected to and providing power to said remote unit;
- a base unit having a base transceiver and a microprocessor connected to and in communication with an alert system for alerting an operator;
- and
- said remote unit and said base unit wirelessly communicating with one another to exchange the operational data in real-time and bi-directionally.
A method for measuring operating characteristics of a jacking drive system under real-world operating conditions, comprising the steps of:
- installing a remote unit on a component of the jacking drive system;
- measuring operational characteristics of the jacking drive system using the remote unit;
- and
- wirelessly transmitting the operational characteristics of the jacking drive system to a base unit located within an access port in a housing of the component.
A method to configure an integrated wireless data system including a base unit in wireless communication with a remote unit and said base unit connected to an alert system to alert an operator when operational data falls outside of a pre-defined range, comprising the steps of :
- collecting the operational data using the remote unit and the base unit of the integrated wireless data system, connecting the base unit to an alert system;
- and
- configuring the alert system to provide at least one of a visual and an audible alert when the operational data falls outside the pre-defined range.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.