# US 2019/0316737 A1 · Tracking Inspection Attributes In Piping Installations

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- Number: US 2019/0316737 A1
- Document ID: US20190316737A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/259,166
- Filed: 2019-01-28
- Published: 2019-10-17
- Earliest claimed: 2014-01-16
- Assignees: MSP Resourcing Canada Inc.
- Applicants: MSP Resourcing Canada Inc.
- Inventors: Scott Boker; Bryan Janz
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190316737A1

## CPC

- F17D 5/00: Protection or supervision of installations (arrangements for protecting foundations E02D31/00; protecting pipes from damage or internal or external wear F16L57/00, against corrosion and scale F16L58/00; investigation of the fluid-tightness of structures G01M3/00)
- F16L 1/06: Accessories therefor, e.g. anchors
- F16L 55/00: Devices or appurtenances for use in, or in connection with, pipes or pipe systems (F16L1/00 - F16L53/00, F16L57/00, F16L59/00 take precedence; repairing or joining pipes on or under water F16L1/26; cleaning of pipes B08B9/02, e.g. removal of blockages B08B9/027; devices for preventing bursting of water pipes by freezing E03B7/10)
- F17D 3/00: Arrangements for supervising or controlling working operations
- G06F 16/22: Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
- G06F 16/245: Query processing
- H04L 12/16: Arrangements for providing special services to substations
- H04L 67/1097: for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
- H04L 67/12: specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
- F17D: PIPE-LINE SYSTEMS; PIPE-LINES (pumps or compressors F04; fluid dynamics F15D; valves or the like F16K; pipes, laying pipes, supports, joints, branches, repairing, work on the entire line, accessories F16L; steam traps or the like F16T; fluid-pressure electric cables H01B9/06)
- F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

Inspection attributes including non-destructive (NDE) examination information related to piping connections in a finished piping installation, are stored in an attribute database with relative location information. Inspection attributes can be entered and updated in the attribute database in the field using a client-server software application and mobile client devices. Components in the field will be serially marked, which will streamline field data entry. Direct field entry of attribute information in the attribute database represents a significant efficiency enhancement over prior methods. A complete chronological inspection history for component connections is created.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of tracking inspection attributes of component connections in a piping installation, each component connection representing a component connection of at least one connection point of at least two adjacent piping components, said method comprising:
providing a server comprising:
a network interface for communication with at least one field inspection client device;
an attribute database comprising:
a plurality of connection records each identifying a component connection and a physical location of the component connection within the completed piping installation;
a plurality of inspection attribute records each linked to a component connection record, each inspection attribute record storing at least one inspection attribute of the related identified component connection; and
tracking software for administering the attribute database, managing communications with the field inspection client devices and conducting the remainder of the method;
serially marking the component connections in the piping installation;
upon completion of a nondestructive inspection of a component connection, allowing an operator using an operator interface of a field inspection client device and an inspection data entry interface served from the server to the field inspection client device, to enter the serial marking of the component connection and at least one inspection attribute value to be stored in respect of the inspection and the component connection and transmit same to the server in a component connection inspection transmission;
on receipt of a component connection inspection transmission by the server, using the tracking software:
identifying a component connection record in the attribute database corresponding to the connection inspected; and
creating an inspection attribute record in respect of the component connection in the attributes database storing the inspection attribute values received and a timestamp for creation of the record;
wherein as inspection attribute records are added to the attributes database a complete chronological inspection history of the component connection is created for subsequent query and reporting purposes.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein at least one component connection record also stores at least one inspection parameter and generating a user notification when an inspection attribute record is stored to the database indicating an inspection attribute value outside of said acceptable inspection parameters.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the field inspection client device is locationally aware and can present the details of proximate piping components and component connections to the operator for use in the data entry of inspection attribute values, based upon comparison of the location of the field inspection client device with the locations of piping components or component connections stored within the database.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein a component connection is a weld, and at least one inspection attribute stored to the database with respect to the weld are results from inspection of the weld.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein a component connection comprises a connecting component installed between adjacent piping components.

### Claim 6

A server for use in tracking inspection attributes of serially-marked component connections in a piping installation, each component connection representing a component connection of at least one connection point of at least two adjacent piping components, said server comprising:
a network interface for communication with at least one field inspection client device;
an attribute database comprising:
a plurality of connection records each identifying a component connection and a physical location of the component connection within the completed piping installation; and
a plurality of inspection attribute records each linked to a component connection record, each inspection attribute record storing at least one inspection attribute of the related identified component and a timestamp of the creation time of the record;
tracking software for administering the attribute database and managing communications with field inspection client devices via the network interface;
wherein the server can receive via the network interface from a client device a component connection inspection transmission comprising at least one inspection attribute related to an identified component connection, being an entered connection inspection attribute;
and wherein on receipt of a component connection inspection transmission at the server, the tracking software will create an inspection attribute record in the attribute database storing the details of the entered inspection attributes in relation to the identified component connection along with a timestamp of creation of the record;
and wherein as inspection attribute records are added to the attributes database a complete chronological inspection history of the component connection is created for subsequent query and reporting purposes.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The server of claim 6 wherein at least one component connection record also stores at least one inspection parameter, and the tracking software can generate a user notification when an inspection attribute record is stored to the database indicating an inspection attribute outside of said acceptable inspection parameters.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The server of claim 6 wherein at least one field inspection client device is locationally aware and can present the details of proximate piping components and component connections to the operator for use in the data entry of inspection attribute values, based upon comparison of the location of the field inspection client device with the locations of piping components or component connections stored within the database.