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WO2008108667A1 - Système d'identification pour une salle de traite - Google Patents

Système d'identification pour une salle de traite Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2008108667A1
WO2008108667A1 PCT/NZ2008/000041 NZ2008000041W WO2008108667A1 WO 2008108667 A1 WO2008108667 A1 WO 2008108667A1 NZ 2008000041 W NZ2008000041 W NZ 2008000041W WO 2008108667 A1 WO2008108667 A1 WO 2008108667A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
module
identification
monitoring device
electronic control
control device
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/NZ2008/000041
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English (en)
Inventor
Timothy James Otley
David Ken Coates
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Tru Test Ltd
Original Assignee
Tru Test Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Tru Test Ltd filed Critical Tru Test Ltd
Publication of WO2008108667A1 publication Critical patent/WO2008108667A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
    • A01K11/00—Marking of animals
    • A01K11/006—Automatic identification systems for animals, e.g. electronic devices, transponders for animals

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an identification system for a milking parlour.
  • the present invention relates to a method and system for correlating information obtained from a monitoring device with identification information received from a portable electronic identification module arranged to interrogate an electronic identification device, and a method and system for correlating a monitoring device with a portable electronic identification module arranged to interrogate electronic identification devices (EID), each of the module and monitoring devices having a unique identification.
  • EID electronic identification devices
  • EID electronic identification
  • RFID radio frequency identification
  • the term 'RFID tag' means an RFID transponder, which is typically 'passive' (i.e. is energised by way of an external magnetic or electromagnetic field) but may be 'active' (i.e. has its own energy source such as a cell or battery), together with a carrier for the transponder.
  • the carrier is adapted for attachment at, or protection of the transponder and animal within, the appropriate and chosen site on the animal.
  • the ear hence the term 'ear tag'. This is the same for tags that are only coloured and/or printed with the animal's ID. Typically a local or national authority mandates whether the ear tag is to be inserted in the left or right ear.
  • EID appropriate for a milking animal are on a pendant hung around the neck, on one or other of the animal's hind legs (for accessibility with a mobile RFID 'reader' or 'antenna' during milking, whether the reader or antenna be hand held or attached to a per stall location or per stall equipment such as the milking claw) and in the animal's rumen (by way of a 'bolus' carrier that is forced down the animal's throat and then resides within the rumen until intentionally dislodged).
  • This invention is most concerned with overcoming a problem that largely relates to the most popular form of animal RFID tag, the RFID ear tag. However, it can conceivably also apply to the other forms.
  • one or more 'panel' or other forms of antennae can be mounted above the path followed by the rotating stalls, to identify the animal in each stall as it passes underneath.
  • the animal's ID then also needs to be associated with the stall on the rotating platform within which it is held. This can be achieved or assisted using a means of automation, such as a separate (and preferably a different frequency) fixed-in-place RFID reader that reads a unique or counted transponder associated with each stall as it passes, or a coded and/or counted interrupter or reflector associated with each stall as it passes a photoelectric sensor.
  • the stail ID and the animal ID are then associated, typically by way of a time correlation. Any automated equipment associated with a particular stall can thereby be associated with the animal ID.
  • the animal IDs in Visual Identification (VID) format obtained by software look-up of a list of paired VID vs. EID (typically provided by an RFID tag), can present themselves in sequence to a human operator who can assign them to each stall using his/her own perception of the animal (VID) in that stall.
  • VID Visual Identification
  • the assignment of animal ID to stall is at best semi-automated, because there may be an animal in a stall that has lost its RFID tag or other form of EID or has not yet had one fitted, or an animal that has moved, stood or sat in such a way that the RFID tag or other form of RFID has not been read.
  • the human operator needs to visually determine and manually enter the VID of the animal in that stall, to prevent it automatically being assigned the VID associated with the next EID provided by the EID (typically RFID) reader, thereby resulting in an offset of ID for each animal that follows.
  • EID typically RFID
  • a third, and perhaps the most significant, issue associated with a parlour/shed entrance RFID reader system is that the absence of an RFID ear tag or failure to read a particular RFID ear tag results in fewer IDs being collected by the reader for that 'row' of animals than animals that have passed its antenna(e) and are subsequently in that milking 'row'.
  • An object of the present invention is to overcome disadvantages arising from (i) an entrance RFID reader system and (ii) multiplexed antenna(e) or automatically moving antenna(e) by providing an individual per milking position RFID reader which enables effective correlation between the milking position and an animal at the milking position.
  • This offers a novel solution to dairy herd testing organisations, in particular, faced with identifying animals on test day that carry an EID, and in particular an RFID ear tag, or at least provide the public with a useful choice.
  • the present invention provides a method of correlating information obtained from a monitoring device with identification information received from a portable electronic identification module arranged to interrogate an electronic identification device, the method including the steps of: positioning the module in proximity to the monitoring device at a testing station, reading the identification information using the module, wirelessly transmitting the identification information from the module to a central electronic control device, and correlating data from the monitoring device that is entered into the central electronic control device with the identification information.
  • the data from the monitoring device may be milking data.
  • the method preferably including the step of creating a data entry space on the central electronic control device for entering the milking data from the monitoring device.
  • the method preferably including the steps of allocating a testing station identification for the identification information received from the module, and creating a new data entry space associated with the testing station identification on the central electronic control device.
  • the method preferably including the step of allocating a new testing station identification for each set of new identification information received from the module.
  • the method preferably including the step of transmitting the identification information upon manually pressing a button on the module.
  • the method may have a plurality of modules correlated with a plurality of monitoring devices.
  • the present invention provides a method of correlating a monitoring device with a portable electronic identification module arranged to interrogate electronic identification devices (EID), each of the module and monitoring devices having a unique identification, the method including the steps of: positioning the module in proximity to the monitoring device, wirelessly transmitting the module's unique identification to a central electronic control device, registering the unique identification of the module with the central electronic control device, registering the unique identification of the monitoring device with the central electronic control device, and correlating the module with the monitoring device based on the unique identifications that the central electronic control device receives consecutively of in separate sequences.
  • EID electronic identification devices
  • the method may have a plurality of modules correlated with a plurality of monitoring devices.
  • the method may have the module adapted to be temporarily installed as part of an animal testing system for testing a herd of animals while the animals are milked in one of a plurality of testing stations.
  • the method preferably including the steps of selecting a testing station on the central electronic control device., and determining the unique identification of the module associated with the testing station.
  • the method preferably including the steps of the central electronic control device providing a sequential identification for a testing station in which the module is positioned, and correlating an electronic identification received from the module with the sequential identification.
  • the method may have the unique identification transmitted to the central electronic control device via the monitoring device.
  • the method preferably including the steps of activating the monitoring device to provide its unique identification and wait for a unique identification received from a module, and upon receipt of the unique identification received from the module, the monitoring device forwarding the unique identification of the module and its own unique identification to the central electronic control device.
  • the method preferably including the steps of registering a sequential position of the module, and associating the unique identification of the module with the position in the sequence.
  • the method preferably including the steps of repositioning the module and registering a further sequential position of the module.
  • the method preferably including the step of detaching from one and re-attaching the module to another fixed antenna.
  • the method preferably including the step of detaching and re-attaching the module next to another monitoring device.
  • sequential registration may occur upon activation of a switch.
  • sequential registration may occur upon power up of the module.
  • the method preferably including the step of registering a sequential position of the monitoring device with the central electronic control device.
  • the central electronic control device may determine that the monitoring device is correlated with the module when the registered sequential positions of the monitoring device and module are the same.
  • the central electronic control device may compare the sequential position associated with the unique identification of the module with the sequential position associated with the monitoring device and upon determining a match, correlates the module with the monitoring device.
  • the method preferably including the step of the module interrogating an EID device within a preset time slot.
  • the method may have the preset time slot determined by the sequential position of the module.
  • the method preferably including the step of the module interrogating an EID device at preset time intervals.
  • the method preferably including the step of the module interrogating the EID device on a pseudo random basis.
  • the method preferably including the step of the module communicating with an antenna for reading an EID device.
  • the method preferably including the step of detachably connecting the module to the antenna.
  • the method may have the antenna semi permanently installed in a testing station. Further, the antenna may be part of the module.
  • the method preferably including the steps of sending data received by either the module or the monitoring device to the central electronic control device from one of the module or monitoring device. Further, the decision to send data from the monitoring device or module may be based on the comparative signal transmission strength available to the module and monitoring device.
  • the method preferably including the steps of the monitoring device receiving the unique identification of the module it is correlated with and listening for transmissions from that module.
  • the method preferably including the steps of the monitoring device only acting upon transmissions from a module that it is correlated with.
  • the method preferably including the step of receiving the unique identification of the module it is correlated with from the central electronic control device during or after registration.
  • the method preferably including the step of receiving the unique identification of the module it is to be correlated with from the module during registration.
  • the method preferably including the step of wirelessly transmitting the unique identification of the monitoring device to the central electronic control device.
  • the method may have the unique identification transmitted upon activation of a switch.
  • the method may have the unique identification transmitted upon power up of the monitoring device.
  • the method preferably including the step of transmitting the module's unique identification to the monitoring device.
  • the method preferably including the step of wirelessly transmitting both the unique identification of the module and monitoring device from the monitoring device.
  • the method preferably including the steps of reading electronic identification (EID) data from the EID device, and transferring the EID to the central electronic control device.
  • EID electronic identification
  • the method preferably including the step of determining the most statistically correct identification of the animal under test.
  • the method preferably including the step of associating test data received from the monitoring device with the electronic identification data.
  • the method preferably including the step of transferring the EID to the central electronic control device upon request from the monitoring device.
  • the method preferably including the step of transferring the EID or a looked up visual identification (VID) to the central electronic control device via the monitoring device.
  • VID looked up visual identification
  • the method preferably including the step of the module receiving a master real time clock signal from the central electronic device.
  • the master real time clock signal may be sent as part of the registration process. Further, the master real time clock signal may be used to determine a relevant time slot in which the module can send and receive signals.
  • the present invention provides a system for correlating information obtained from a monitoring device with identification information received from a portable electronic identification module arranged to interrogate an electronic identification device, the system including: the module positioned in proximity to the monitoring device at a testing station, the module arranged to read the identification information, and wirelessly transmit the identification information from the module to a central electronic control device, and the central electronic control device arranged to correlate data entered into the central electronic control device with the identification information.
  • the data entered into the central electronic control device may be milking data.
  • the system preferably including the central electronic control device.
  • system may have the central electronic control device arranged to create a data entry space for entering the milking data from the monitoring device.
  • system may have the central electronic control device arranged to allocate a testing station identification for the identification information received from the module, and create a new data entry space associated with the testing station identification. Further, the system may have the central electronic control device arranged to allocate a new testing station identification for each set of new identification information received from the module.
  • the system may have the module arranged to transmit the identification information upon manually pressing a button on the module.
  • the present invention provides a system for correlating a monitoring device with a portable electronic identification module, each of the module and monitoring devices having a unique identification
  • the system including a portable electronic identification module, the module including a transceiver and an electronic identification (EID) data reader arranged to interrogate an electronic identification devices (EID device), wherein: the transceiver includes a wireless communication device arranged to be in wireless communication with a central electronic control device, the module is arranged to register the unique identification of the module with the central electronic control device, the central electronic control device has a registered unique identification of the monitoring device, and is arranged to correlate the module with the monitoring device based on unique identifications received consecutively or in separate sequences.
  • EID electronic identification
  • the system preferably including a plurality of modules and a plurality of monitoring devices.
  • the module may be adapted to be temporarily installed as part of the system to test a herd of animals while the animals are milked in one of a plurality of testing stations.
  • the system preferably including the central electronic control device, wherein the central electronic control device is arranged to select a testing station, and determine the unique identification of the module associated with the testing station.
  • system may have the central electronic control device arranged to provide a sequential identification for a testing station in which the module is positioned, and correlate an electronic identification received from the module with the sequential identification.
  • system may have the transceiver further arranged to wirelessly transmit the unique identification to the central electronic control device.
  • system may have the transceiver further arranged to wirelessly transmit the unique identification to the central electronic control device via the monitoring device.
  • the system may have the monitoring device arranged to provide its unique identification upon activation and wait for a unique identification received from a module, and upon receipt of the unique identification received from the module, the monitoring device is further arranged to forward the unique identification of the module and its own unique identification to the central electronic control device.
  • system may have the module further arranged to register its sequential position with the central electronic control device.
  • the module may include a switch, and registration may occur upon activation of the switch. Further, registration may occur upon power up of the module.
  • the system preferably including the central electronic control device, wherein the monitoring device is arranged to register its sequential position with the central electronic control device.
  • the central electronic control device may determine that the monitoring device is correlated with the module when the registered sequential positions of the electronic collection device and module are the same.
  • the central electronic control device may compare the sequential position associated with the unique identification of the module with the sequential position associated with the monitoring device and upon determining a match, correlate the module with the electronic collection device.
  • the system may have the transceiver arranged to be in wireless communication with the central electronic control device and the electronic collection device.
  • the system may have the EID reader arranged to interrogate an EID device within a preset time slot.
  • system may have the preset time slot determined by the sequential position of the module.
  • the system may have the EID reader arranged to interrogate an EID device at preset time intervals.
  • the module may interrogate the EID device on a pseudo random basis.
  • the system may include an antenna, and the EID reader may be arranged to be in communication with the antenna to read an EID device. .
  • the system may have the module arranged to be detachably connected to the antenna.
  • the system may have the antenna semi permanently installed in a testing station.
  • the module may include the antenna.
  • the system preferably including a single portable electronic identification module, wherein the module is arranged to be detached and re-attached to a fixed antenna located in proximity to one of a plurality of testing stations.
  • the system may have the module arranged to be detached and reattached to one of a plurality of testing stations. Further, one of the module or the monitoring device may be arranged to send data received from either of the module or the monitoring device to the central electronic control device.
  • the decision to send data from the monitoring device or module may be based on the comparative signal transmission strength available to the module and monitoring device.
  • system may have the monitoring device arranged to receive the unique identification of the module it is correlated with and listen for transmissions from that module.
  • the system may have the monitoring device arranged to only act upon transmissions from a module that it is correlated with.
  • system may have the monitoring device arranged to receive the unique identification of the module it is correlated with from the central electronic control device during or after registration.
  • system may have the monitoring device arranged to receive the unique identification of the module it is to be correlated with from the module during registration.
  • system may have the monitoring device arranged to sequentially register with the central electronic control device.
  • sequential registration may occur upon activation of a switch. Further, sequential registration may occur upon power up of the electronic monitoring device.
  • system may have the reader arranged to be interrogated by the monitoring device based on its unique identification.
  • the system may have the reader arranged to register its unique identification with the monitoring device. Further, the system may have the reader arranged to read electronic identification (EID) data from the EID device, and transfer the EID to the central electronic control device.
  • EID electronic identification
  • EID may be used to determine the most statistically correct identification of an animal under test.
  • system may have the central electronic control device arranged to correlate test data received from the monitoring device with the electronic identification data.
  • system may have the reader arranged to transfer the EID to the central electronic control device upon request from the monitoring device.
  • system may have the reader arranged to transfer the EID or a looked up visual identification (VID) to the central electronic control device via the monitoring device.
  • VID looked up visual identification
  • the module may be arranged to receive a master real time clock signal from the central electronic device. Further, the system may have the master real time clock signal sent as part of the registration process. Further, the system may have the master real time clock signal used to determine a relevant time slot in which the module can send and receive signals.
  • a portable electronic identification device reader for temporary installation adjacent to a milking stall or milking 'position' wherein the reader incorporates wireless communication means to permit communication with other system components in a portable 'electronically enhanced' herd testing system.
  • the electronically enhanced herd testing system can include but not be limited to a system which incorporates portable electronic milk meters.
  • system can include mechanical milk meters used in conjunction with a central electronic control device for processing data and into which milk yields are manually entered but which can accept electronic identification data by wireless communication from the portable reader.
  • the central electronic control device is a hand held portable device.
  • the portable reader has a predetermined unique ID (unique at least in the context of there being less than 100 readers present in the parlour/shed) which can be registered with the central electronic control device prior to commencement of a milking session, or at least prior to having to provide an EID for the first animal that presents itself in a milking session at the stall or position with which the portable reader is associated.
  • the reader ID is matched with a registered position of an already or subsequently registered electronic milk meter or other per stall electronic measurement or sample or data collection device.
  • the unique ID of the reader can be pre-programmed, switch programmed or hard wire programmed.
  • the wireless transmission can be by radio frequency, infra red or other suitable wireless transmission technique.
  • the passage of the appropriate reader's unique ID from the central electronic control device to an associated electronic milk meter or other per stall electronic measurement or sample or data collection device allows the electronic milk meter or other per stall electronic measurement or sample or data collection device to interrogate only the appropriate reader for electronic identification data, or alternatively to only register and store the electronic identification data transmitted periodically or pseudo randomly by and received from the reader with that unique ID.
  • the central device in the milking parlour/shed wirelessly interrogates only the appropriate reader for electronic identification data, given a stall/position selected on the central device.
  • the central device might only register and store the electronic identification data transmitted periodically or pseudo randomly by and received from a reader with that unique ID.
  • the reader is arranged to interrogate for the presence of an RFID tag periodically or pseudo randomly, to minimise the possibility of two adjacent readers, or readers within a few positions of each other, interrogating for an RFID tag at the same time.
  • This can be effected by, for instance, assigning a 'time slot' in a predetermined periodic cycle, the period of which may be determined by the central device once it knows how many stalls or positions there are, and whether they are on one (and perhaps the only) or the other side of the parlour/shed. The period can then be communicated to each reader in the parlour/shed directly or via the reader's associated electronic milk meter or other per stall electronic measurement or sample or data collection device.
  • the reader may interrogate for an RFID tag using a pseudo random interval between interrogations, whereby the pseudo random sequence that determines the next interval is seeded using the unique (at least in context) ID of the reader and/or its assigned stall/position number.
  • Figure 1 shows a system according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 shows an alternative system according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 3 shows another alternative system according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • an RFID reader module that forms part of the electronic identification module will for convenience be referred to as a "reader”. Any references to a stall or bail are taken to include any milking position or testing station in the milking parlour.
  • the reader can be of a known construction whereby it can interrogate an electronic identification device (typically an RFID tag) and thereby obtain the unique identification data of the RFID tag.
  • an electronic identification device typically an RFID tag
  • Figure 1 shows a system set up for testing a herd of animals according to this embodiment.
  • An electronic identification module 101 includes a wireless transceiver 103, an RFID reader 105 and an antenna 107.
  • the electronic identification module is portable in nature so that it can be readily installed at one of a number of stalls 109 within a milking parlour for use in testing of a milking herd and subsequently removed from the milking parlour after testing.
  • a number of electronic identification modules are provided and installed in a number of stalls within the parlour, as shown in figure 1. That is, there is a plurality of electronic identification modules provided to the testing parties.
  • the electronic identification module will be positioned in proximity to the testing station. That is it will be located, or attached, adjacent, but typically above, the milking stall/bail and positioned so as to be able to obtain identification information by interrogating an RFID tag carried by an animal in the milking stall/bail or at the milking position.
  • the electronic identification module could also be in front of the milking stall/bail.
  • the electronic identification module is of a standalone form and has an internal battery. It will be understood that, as an alternative, the electronic identification module could have an external (individual or shared) battery. The advantage of an external battery is that it can be easily removed (disconnected) for recharging and replacement. As a further alternative, a mains operated power supply with its safety extra low voltage (SELV) output connected via a cable loom or separate cables to one or more of the electronic identification modules could be used in place of the internal or external battery(ies), or to charge any depleted internal battery during operation of the electronic identification module in the milking parlour.
  • SELV safety extra low voltage
  • a transceiver module and antenna are combined with the reader to form the electronic identification module.
  • the transceiver module can either be fitted internally or connected externally to the reader.
  • the transceiver module is of a type whereby it can be especially programmed and therefore will include "intelligence".
  • the transceiver module can be a 2.4 GHz transceiver module with the intelligence being in the form of software written to run on the microcontroller of the transceiver module. This microcontroller may also serve to provide "intelligent" control of and communication with the RFID reader.
  • the electronic identification module as described operates with an electronic milk meter 113, which is used as a monitoring device and which may also control the dispensing of a representative sample for removal and subsequent analysis. Further it can operate with a central electronic control device 111 in the form of a hand-held portable electronic data device, as well as with manual or mechanical herd testing devices other than or in conjunction with the electronic milk meter.
  • monitoring device may be used whether they are used to monitor samples or data from the herd, such as milk and/or blood samples, weight measurements etc.
  • the electronic identification device is used in conjunction with the central control device (data handling device) and electronic milk meter apparatus as described in and claimed in our New Zealand patent
  • a central control device data handling device
  • data handling device which as described in the patent specification is used to register each of the electronic milk meters 113 present in the milking parlour.
  • a press of the "select" key of each milk meter powers the milk meter up and registers it with the central device.
  • Each milk meter is assigned a stall/bail number in the order of registration of the milk meters.
  • an electronic identification module registration phase takes place during which a press of a "select" key on or attached by cable to, each electronic identification module registers its specifically programmed transceiver module with the central device.
  • each electronic identification module is assigned a stall/bail number in the central device, this assignment being once again in the order in which the electronic identification modules are registered. Accordingly, the electronic identification modules will be registered in the same order as the meters were registered though it is envisaged that registration of meter and electronic identification module associated with a particular stall/bail could take place virtually simultaneously, one after the other or as separate sequences for the electronic milk meters and the electronic identification modules.
  • each electronic identification module could simply be powered up (by connection to battery or operation of say a built-in or an in-line power switch), in turn, at which time (being the only time) the electronic identification module will register with the central device. As described above the electronic identification module will be assigned a stall/bail number within the central deyice, in the order of registration.
  • the central device now has the unique identification for each milk meter and for its corresponding electronic identification module.
  • the unique identification for each electronic identification module will be programmed into the transceiver module at the time of manufacture or could be applied subsequent to manufacture.
  • the central device will pass the master time to the transceiver module associated with the particular electronic identification module.
  • a (volatile) clock within each electronic identification module is synchronised across all electronic identification modules that are part of the system. It is believed that the synchronisation will remain within about 1-2 seconds throughout the milking session.
  • transceiver module associated with each electronic identification module will:
  • Step (iii) above takes advantage and makes use of the number of minutes available to establish the most (statistically) "correct" identification data that the reader sees during an animal's milking.
  • This procedure may need to be balanced against the need and desire to display the animal's visual identification (usually carried on an ear tag) on the central device any time that the "select key" on the milk meter is pressed during the animal's milking.
  • the microcontroller of the transceiver module ascertains (and updates, if necessary), the most statistically correct identification data from the RFID tag for the cow in the stall/bail at the time and transmits this to the milk meter upon request (see below).
  • the central device will pass the unique identification of the transceiver module of the corresponding electronic identification module to the milk meter.
  • the milk meter requests "the most statistically correct" identification data directly from the corresponding reader module.
  • the central device Upon receipt it provides this data from the RFID tag to the central device (provided that it is within range) for look-up and display of the visual identification data with the expectation that on occasions this may change to the more statistically correct visual identification data.
  • An advantage of arranging for the milk meter to communicate directly with the electronic identification module is that the distance and orientation between the two is relatively fixed and limited. This is contrary to the central device which when in a portable form (which will be typical) can be anywhere within the milking parlour at any time.
  • the milk meter On subsequent presses of the Select or End of Milking key on the milk meter the milk meter will already have the unique identification for the electronic identification module so this does not need to be transmitted each time by the central device, though it could be if required.
  • the milk meter requests the current/up-dated and most statistically correct identification data from the electronic identification module. .
  • This repeated procedure traverses an animal's milking and all subsequent animals milking in the session for each stall/bail.
  • a portable electronic identification module is thus provided which can be readily installed adjacent (e.g. above) a stall/bail or milking position in the milking parlour for use during a testing session of the milking herd.
  • the electronic identification module can then be removed at the end of each testing session (or the end of the sessions if there are multiple sessions).
  • the apparatus provides a means whereby the electronic identification data carried by the animal in the stall/bail can be automatically supplied to the electronic milk meter (or some other electronic device, e.g.
  • an end of milking key is activated as with the arrangement as described in New Zealand patent 507954 this could instigate a signal to the reader such that the reader will clear its memory of the statistically correct identification data that it has secured for the animal having just been milked or completing milking (which may still be in the milking stall/bail) and await new identification data from the next incoming animal.
  • the arrangement might be such that, after receiving the end of milking signal, the reader will ignore all the continued statistically correct identification data until new data is received, whereupon, once new statistically correct identification data is established (from the incoming cow) by the reader, this will be supplied to the milk meter.
  • Figure 2 shows a system set up for testing a herd of animals according to this embodiment.
  • the antenna of the electronic identification module is not fixed within the electronic identification module but is located and semipermanently fixed in position within the testing station, or stall.
  • the electronic identification module 201 includes a wireless transceiver 203 and a RFID reader 205.
  • the antenna 207 is fixed in position in one of the plurality of stalls 209 in the region where the cow's RFID tag is expected to present itself during milking.
  • the electronic identification modules, along with milk meters 213, whether electronic or mechanical, and a central controller 211 are provided in order to test the herd as the antenna are already fixed in place.
  • a milking parlour or some other arrangement of milking plant has the antennae (semi)permanently installed, such that each antenna, or perhaps an arrangement of antennae, is associated with a particular position, whether it be a milking stall, bail or cluster.
  • the purpose of this arrangement of antennae is to allow a per-stall radio frequency identification (RFID) of a cow or other milked animal whilst it is being milked, or whilst it is located in its identified position in order to have the milking cluster attached.
  • RFID radio frequency identification
  • the positions of the antennae can be optimised when they are fixed on a (semi) permanent basis. That is, the position and any individual tuning allowed for in the antenna assembly can.be optimised at installation, as well as during subsequent milking sessions in order to effect maximum RFID performance, and
  • each of the 'wirelessly linked' electronic identification modules (one per antenna or per-stall arrangement of antennae) would be installed or temporarily mounted, preferably where they can be easily reached by an operator of the milk meters. This would typically be at the rear end of the milking animal.
  • the electronic identification module may be connected to the antenna(e) via a connecting lead.
  • Each electronic identification module is supported during the testing on one or more spigots or a bracket.
  • the bracket may incorporate quick and automated connections to the connecting cable of the antenna associated with that testing station.
  • each electronic identification module would include an internal battery. However, it will be understood that the electronic identification module may be connected to an external battery or distributed power supply for operation. The connection between the electronic identification module and the antenna is a wired connection in this embodiment. However, it will be understood that the electronic identification module may be inductively coupled to the antenna, which may offer some potential benefit in terms of corrosion/reliability of connection and cost.
  • Figure 3 shows a system set up for testing a herd of animals according to this embodiment.
  • a single electronic identification module 301 is provided as part of the herd testing equipment.
  • the electronic identification module includes the wireless transceiver 303 and RF reader 305 as described above in the second embodiment, where an antenna 307 is fixed in position, semi-permanently in each of the stalls 309 where the milking, and testing, occurs.
  • the system further includes a monitoring device in the form of a milk meter 313 (whether electrical or mechanical) in each of the stalls and a central controller 311.
  • each antenna's position is fixed in place, for example by semi-permanently installing the antenna in the milking parlour or shed, in the region where the cow's RFID tag presents itself during milking of a cow in that stall.
  • the monitoring devices whether electronic or mechanical milk meters or the like, are temporarily installed in line with the milking clusters on the day that the animals are to be tested at each, and typically all, of the milking points.
  • a single electronic identification module which can be mounted at, or associated with, the stall position is provided.
  • the electronic identification module includes the necessary electronics and battery.
  • the electronics and battery may be provided in a waterproof housing.
  • the electronic identification module has the ability to wirelessly communicate with the central control device, which may be handheld and/or portable, as well as the monitoring devices, if electronic and equipped with appropriate wireless transceivers.
  • the electronic identification module Prior to or during a particular cow's milking in a testing station, which in this case is the milking stall, the electronic identification module is connected to an antenna located in the testing station. It will be understood that the antenna may be part of an arrangement of antennae.
  • the single electronic identification module is supported during the testing on one or more spigots or a bracket.
  • the bracket may incorporate quick and automated connections to the connecting cable of the antenna associated with that testing station. In this way the electronic identification module can be connected to each antenna in each of the stalls as it is moved by the operator.
  • herringbone style, and in some parallel arranged stall milking parlours a 'row' of cows is typically admitted to all the milking stations on one side of the parlour at the same time. These cows are then milked together over roughly the same period, and then released together when the last cow has finished milking and the milking clusters are all removed from the cows.
  • the single electronic identification module is moved from one milking station to another, typically an adjacent one, during the milking of all cows in that 'row'.
  • the electronic identification module passes this information to the central controller.
  • the electronic identification module can send the information to the monitoring device, such as an electronic milk meter (EMM), associated with that same stall, using wireless communication.
  • EMM electronic milk meter
  • the operator of the monitoring devices repeatedly repositions the electronic identification module in the stalls, as indicated by the arrows in figure 3, and subsequently interacts with the electronic identification module at each milking position during the milking of each 'row' of cows.
  • the single electronic identification module validates, albeit within tighter time constraints than the earlier embodiments, that an RFID tag detected is the correct one for that milking position. For example, if there are six stalls and the cows are held in them for six minutes while they are milked, the repositioning of the electronic identification module during the six minutes means that there is on average less than one minute during which the electronic identification module is installed and connected to the antenna(e) at each milking position.
  • the advantage offered by having a short range wireless data link between the electronic identification module and the central controller or EMM (where used), is that the operator of the central controller is free to move away from the electronic identification module and around the parlour with the central controller whilst the electronic identification module is acquiring and, at least to a degree, validating the cow's EID associated with a particular testing station.
  • the operator may wish to freely move around to re-attach one or more of the teat cups of a cluster on another cow that have fallen, or been kicked, off the teat/s during milking. For example, this may apply when either mechanical or electrical milk meters are used.
  • the operator may wish to move away from the single electronic identification module to respond to an alert such as an 'Attention Required' alert from other monitoring devices.
  • the monitoring device may require the operator to press the SELECT key on that device whilst the central controller is within wireless communication range in order to see what attention is required.
  • One example of the type of action required may be the need to fit a sub-sample vial, which will be displayed on the central controller.
  • the central controller, or monitoring device where used and this communication flow option is chosen (see below), and the electronic identification module need not be any closer than approximately one metre and may be up to five or ten metres apart when required to communicate.
  • the wireless transfer of the EID from the electronic identification module is preferably to the central control device and is preferably initiated by operating or pressing, a key, button or similar activating mechanism to close or open an electrical contact or to activate a solid-state sensor in the electronic identification module in order to initiate the transfer of the EID.
  • the central control device will be able to determine that the data stream being received that includes the EID is from an electronic identification module. For example, this may be by virtue of a device type identification in the header of the message received.
  • the central controller is also pre-programmed for a particular farm's herd test such that the controller is aware that there is only one electronic identification module present. Therefore, the central controller will accept a pre-validated (to an extent) EID from an electronic identification module as valid and will typically display its associated VID that is preloaded into the central controller prior to the herd test milking session commencing.
  • the VID may be determined by virtue of an EID to VID look-up table stored within the central controller.
  • the monitoring devices include electronic milk meters.
  • the EID may be transferred to the electronic milk meter and then the EID or a looked up VID in the electronic milk meter sent on to the central controller, by virtue of a wireless request for the EID sent by the electronic milk meter and received by the electronic identification module.
  • the invention is open to modification as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.
  • the system as described herein is intended for herd testing.
  • a fixed in place network of reader/antenna modules may exist and might be connected to an embedded controller or control PC for daily animal/herd management purposes.
  • the especially programmed transceiver module as discussed above could still be incorporated with or attached to each of the readers but only be invoked or attached i.e. become operative, during milking sessions on herd test day(s), each month or at the intervals at which testing takes place.
  • the EID may be transferred into the central controller in order to enable milking information to be inserted and correlated with the EID or VID.
  • the milking information may include the yield of the animal. In this case the yield is typically read off the scale on the mechanical milk meter's flask and keyed into the central controller.
  • a data entry space may be provided on the central controller in which the data can be entered.
  • a milking position identification number can be provided by the central controller for each new EID it receives. The EID associated with the cow about to be, being, or having been milked through that milk meter is obtained from the associated (by human operator) electronic identification module.
  • transceiver module could be invoked by a select key on or attached by cable to each reader or transceiver module, if detachable. This would only be operated at the beginning of herd test milking sessions. Alternatively, in the case of a detachable transceiver module, the act of attaching it could invoke its operation.
  • the transceiver module could be infrequently invoked to commence operation by a command received from the reader/antenna module itself which in turn would receive a command from the embedded controller or control PC on test day(s) only.
  • the electronic identification modules could be mounted adjacent each stall/bail and connect to an embedded controller or. control PC via a multi-drop bus and employ an appropriate wired multi-drop bus communications protocol.
  • the electronic identification modules mounted adjacent each stall/bail could connect to an embedded controller or control PC via a single-point-to-single-point (nominally RS232 or RS422) connection and a discrete or incorporated RS232 or RS422 data multiplexer.
  • passive 134 kHz antennae could connect to the reader of the electronic identification module via a discrete or incorporated antenna multiplexer.
  • UART or USB or other, as appropriate
  • Bluetooth-enabled central device or data handling device would be incorporated inside or attached to the embedded controller or control PC or reader.
  • Data packets of bail/EID pairings will be sent regularly (or upon request) to a Bluetooth-enabled central device or data handling device.
  • the Bluetooth-enabled data handling device will ascertain (and up-date if necessary) the most statistically "correct" EID for the cow at the stall/bail at any time based on regular receipt of bail/EID pairings.
  • the data handling device Upon request (e.g. press of a Select key or End of Milking key on the electronic milk meter) the data handling device will transmit the VID to the electronic milk meter, get the current yield/flow values etc. from the electronic milk meter and display appropriate information.

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  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Birds (AREA)
  • Zoology (AREA)
  • Animal Husbandry (AREA)
  • Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
  • Arrangements For Transmission Of Measured Signals (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un procédé consistant à corréler des informations d'identification reçues depuis un module d'identification électronique portable conçu pour interroger un dispositif d'identification électronique avec des informations obtenues à partir d'un dispositif de contrôle, le procédé comportant les étapes consistant à : positionner le module près du dispositif de contrôle sur une station de test, lire les informations d'identification en utilisant le module, transmettre de façon sans fil les informations d'identification depuis le module à un dispositif de commande électronique, et corréler des données depuis le dispositif de commande qui sont saisies dans le dispositif de commande électronique central avec les informations d'identification.
PCT/NZ2008/000041 2007-03-06 2008-03-06 Système d'identification pour une salle de traite Ceased WO2008108667A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NZ553617 2007-03-06
NZ55361707 2007-03-06

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Publication Number Publication Date
WO2008108667A1 true WO2008108667A1 (fr) 2008-09-12

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Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
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WO2017217902A1 (fr) * 2016-06-17 2017-12-21 Delaval Holding Ab Procédé et agencement de gestion d'animaux laitiers
WO2020160587A1 (fr) 2019-02-08 2020-08-13 Allflex Australia Pty Ltd Lecteur d'étiquette d'animal électronique
WO2020160588A1 (fr) 2019-02-08 2020-08-13 Allflex Australia Pty Ltd Détermination de l'emplacement d'un animal

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US20050261794A1 (en) * 2002-08-26 2005-11-24 Jean-Philippe Eneau Installation for treating products and corresponding data acquisition component
WO2006090390A1 (fr) * 2005-02-24 2006-08-31 E.N.G.S. Systems Ltd. Systeme d'identification
EP1722322A2 (fr) * 2003-07-10 2006-11-15 United Parcel Service Of America, Inc. Systèmes reliant les données d'identification de l'objet aux données d'identification prologiciel

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US6958677B1 (en) * 2000-03-31 2005-10-25 Ge Medical Systems Information Technologies, Inc. Object location monitoring system
US20050261794A1 (en) * 2002-08-26 2005-11-24 Jean-Philippe Eneau Installation for treating products and corresponding data acquisition component
EP1722322A2 (fr) * 2003-07-10 2006-11-15 United Parcel Service Of America, Inc. Systèmes reliant les données d'identification de l'objet aux données d'identification prologiciel
WO2006090390A1 (fr) * 2005-02-24 2006-08-31 E.N.G.S. Systems Ltd. Systeme d'identification

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2017217902A1 (fr) * 2016-06-17 2017-12-21 Delaval Holding Ab Procédé et agencement de gestion d'animaux laitiers
RU2732002C2 (ru) * 2016-06-17 2020-09-09 Делаваль Холдинг Аб Способ и установка для молочного животноводства
WO2020160587A1 (fr) 2019-02-08 2020-08-13 Allflex Australia Pty Ltd Lecteur d'étiquette d'animal électronique
WO2020160588A1 (fr) 2019-02-08 2020-08-13 Allflex Australia Pty Ltd Détermination de l'emplacement d'un animal
CN113678135A (zh) * 2019-02-08 2021-11-19 奥尔弗莱克斯澳大利亚有限公司 牲畜位置的判定
CN113711227A (zh) * 2019-02-08 2021-11-26 奥尔弗莱克斯澳大利亚有限公司 牲畜电子标签识读器
EP3921763A4 (fr) * 2019-02-08 2022-08-31 Allflex Australia Pty Ltd Détermination de l'emplacement d'un animal
EP3921762A4 (fr) * 2019-02-08 2022-10-12 Allflex Australia Pty Ltd Lecteur d'étiquette d'animal électronique
US12193413B2 (en) 2019-02-08 2025-01-14 Allflex Australia Pty Ltd Electronic animal tag reader
US12239098B2 (en) 2019-02-08 2025-03-04 Allflex Australia Pty Ltd Determining the location of an animal

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