Oilfield equipment identification apparatus

Claim 1

An interactive apparatus for identifying oilfield equipment and maintaining usage histories for the oilfield equipment, the apparatus comprising: (a) a portable passive circuit for storing and transmitting a unique identification code corresponding to a piece of oilfield equipment, said circuit comprising a first coupling means for receiving an electromagnetic signal of a predetermined frequency, a power means electrically connected to said first coupling means for providing power to said circuit, means for generating a unique identification code in response to activation of said power means, said unique identification code corresponding to the piece of oilfield equipment, and a second coupling means for transmitting said identification code by means of an electromagnetic signal; (b) means for encapsulating said passive circuit; (c) means for affixing said encapsulated circuit to the oilfield equipment; (d) a central computer, said computer adapted for receiving and processing oilfield equipment identification and usage data comprising: means for transmitting data to and receiving data from a reader means, said data including said unique identification code generated by said encapsulated passive circuit, a reader identification code and current usage information for the piece of oilfield equipment, means for the user to create a new usage record in said computer, said new usage record for a specific piece of oilfield equipment and identifying the oilfield equipment type and unique identification code, means for storing and retrieving a plurality of usage records for oilfield equipment, each of said usage records corresponding to an individual piece of oilfield equipment and said unique identification code, means for updating said usage records with said current oilfield equipment usage information; (f) a portable reader means for identifying a piece of oilfield equipment, the reader means comprising means for transmitting an electromagnetic signal of a predetermined frequency, said signal being tuned to said passive circuit first coupling means, means for receiving and decoding said electromagnetic signal generated by said passive circuit, said receiving means being tuned to said passive circuit second coupling means, means for the user to enter current usage information for the piece of oilfield equipment into said computer, means for transmitting data to and receiving data from said central computer, said data including a reader identification code, said unique identification code received from said passive circuit and said current usage information said means corresponding to said central computer transmitting and receiving means, and means for displaying information entered by the user or received from said central computer.