Apparatus and methods for the volumetric and dimensional measurement of livestock

• US 20040023612A1
• Filed: 08/02/2002
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allflex USA Incorporated (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Geissler Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Kriesel, Marshall S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,974,373 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 452/157
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/008 incorporating GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/00 Other apparatus for animal husbandry
• CPC Class Codes: A22B 5/007 Non-invasive scanning of carcasses, e.g. using image recognition, tomography, X-rays, ultrasound analysing meat, e.g. search for foreign embedded objects G01N33/12; image analysis G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A22B 5/201 Removing the spinal cord or other nervous tissues
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/64 Three-dimensional objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/121 using special illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training

Abstract

A method and apparatus for measuring the physical characteristics of livestock animals such as cattle and hogs. The apparatus of the invention includes a plurality of strategically positioned cameras that are used to obtain data concerning volumetric, curvilinear (surface) and linear measurements of livestock animals such as cattle and hogs and the full carcasses thereof. In accordance with the method of the invention, the data is analyzed to provide information that substantially assists the commercial producer of livestock animals in producing a high-quality end product for the consumer while adding profitability to the enterprise.

Claims

1. An apparatus for measuring the physical characteristics of an animal positioned within a target zone, said apparatus comprising:

(a) an animal positioning device for defining the target zone and for positioning the animal therewithin, said animal positioning device comprising first and second sides, a floor and an upper portion;

(b) a first camera disposed on said first side of said animal positioning device for obtaining a first range image of the animal;

(c) a second camera disposed proximate to said upper portion of said animal positioning device for obtaining a second range image of the animal; and

(d) data processing means operably associated with said first and second cameras for acquiring said first and second range images produced thereby to produce a plurality of acquired range images and for processing said plurality of acquired range images to form a three-dimensional data set defining at least a portion of the surface of the animal.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including a third camera disposed proximate said second side of the animal positioning device for obtaining a third range image of the animal.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including a fourth camera disposed on said upper portion of said animal positioning device for obtaining a thermal image of the animal.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said first, second and third cameras comprise single lens reflex digital cameras.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said first, second and third cameras comprise video cameras.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said data processing means comprises a digital signal processing unit.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said data processing means comprises a personal computer

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 further including weighing means carried by the floor of the animal positioning device.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 further including illumination means carried by said positioning device for illuminating the target area.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said illumination means comprises an illuminator that includes a flash source, a pattern mask and a lens system for projecting a pattern onto the animal.

11. An apparatus for measuring the physical characteristics of an animal positioned within a target zone, said apparatus comprising:

(a) an animal positioning device for defining the target zone and for positioning the animal therewithin, said animal positioning device comprising first and second sides, a floor and an upper portion;

(b) a camera disposed on said first side of said animal positioning device for obtaining a first range image of the animal;

(c) a camera disposed on said second side of said animal positioning device for obtaining a second range image of the animal;

(d) a camera disposed proximate said upper portion of said animal positioning device for obtaining a second range image of the animal;

(e) data processing means operably associated with said first, second and third cameras for acquiring said first and second range images produced thereby to produce a plurality of acquired range images and for processing said plurality of acquired range images to form a three-dimensional data set defining at least a portion of the surface of the animal.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 further including a camera disposed proximate said upper portion of said animal positioning device for obtaining a thermal image of the livestock animal.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 in which said cameras disposed on said first and second sides of said animal and proximate said upper portion of said animal positioning device comprise digital cameras.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 in which said data processing means comprises a digital signal processing unit.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 further including illumination means carried by said positioning device for illuminating the target area.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 15 in which said illumination means comprises a structured light source.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 15 further including proximity sensors operable coupled with said cameras to trigger said cameras.

18. A method for measuring the physical characteristics of an animal having first and second sides and a back, said animal being positioned within a target zone having first and second sides, an upper portion and a bottom portion using an apparatus comprising means for defining the target zone, a first camera disposed on said first side of said target zone, a second camera disposed on said second side of target zone, a third camera disposed proximate said upper portion of said target zone and data processing means operably associated with said first, second and third cameras for processing data received from said cameras, said first, second and third cameras, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) positioning the animal within the target zone;

(b) using the first camera, obtaining a range of image of at least a portion of the first side of the animal;

(c) using the third camera, obtaining a range of image of at least a portion of the back of the animal; and

(d) entering into the data processing means, said range images to produce a plurality of entered range images and processing said plurality of entered range images to form a three-dimensional set representing at least a portion of the surface of the animal.

19. The method as defined in claim 18, including the step of processing said plurality of entered range images to form a three-dimensional point cloud set which three-dimensional point cloud set is used to form a unified data set representing at least a portion of the surface of the animal

20. The method as defined in claim 19, including the further step, of using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining at least a portion of the volume of the animal.

21. The method as defined in claim 19, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three dimensional data set, determining the hip height of the animal.

22. The method as defined in claim 19, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining the hip width of the animal.

23. The method as defined in claim 19, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining a cross-sectional area of the animal at a selected location.

24. The method as defined in claim 19, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining at least a portion of the surface area of the animal.

25. The method as defined in claim 19, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining the length of at least a portion of the animal.

26. The method as defined in claim 19, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, for determining the frame size of the animal.

27. The method as defined in claim 19, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set for determining the thickness of the animal.

28. The method as defined in claim 19, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set for determining the yield grade of the animal.

29. The method as defined in claim 19, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set for determining the quality grade of the animal.

30. The method as defined in claim 19 in which said apparatus further includes an infrared camera disposed proximate said upper portion of said target zone and in which said method comprises the further step of measuring the back fat of the animal.

31. The method as defined in claim 19 in which the apparatus used in accomplishing the method of the invention further includes weighing means for weighing the animal disposed at the bottom of the target zone, and in which said method includes the further steps of:

(a) weighing the livestock animal using the weighing means to determine the weight of the animal; and

(b) using the data processing means acquiring the weight of the animal and then determining the number of remaining days the animal is to be fed.

32. The method as defined in claim 31 including the further step of, using the date processing means, determining a feeding regimen for the animal.

33. A method for measuring the physical characteristics of an animal having first and second sides disposed on either side of a median plane and a back portion, said animal being positioned within a target zone having first and second sides, a top and a bottom using an apparatus comprising an animal positioning device for defining the target zone, a first camera disposed on one of said first and second sides of said target zone, a second camera disposed proximate said top of target zone and data processing means operably associated with said first and second cameras for processing data received from said first and second cameras, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) positioning the animal within the target zone;

(b) using the first camera, obtaining a range image of at least a portion of the first side of the animal;

(c) using the second camera, obtaining an image showing the position of the median plane;

(d) using the data processing means, acquiring said first range image to produce a first acquired range image, acquiring said image showing the position of the median plane to produce an acquired median plane image and processing said first acquired range image and said acquired median plane position image to form a reverse duplicate analog of said first acquired range image to represent an inferred range image of at least a portion of the second side of the animal; and

(e) using the data processing means, the first acquired image and the inferred range image of at least a portion of the second side of the livestock animal to form a three-dimensional data set representing at least a portion of the surface of the animal.

34. The method as defined in claim 33, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining at least a portion of the volume of the animal.

35. The method as defined in claim 33, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining the hip height of the animal.

36. The method as defined in claim 33, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining the hip width of the animal.

37. The method as defined in claim 33, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining at least a portion of the length of the animal.

38. The method as defined in claim 33, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining a cross-sectional area of the animal at a selected location.

39. The method as defined in claim 33, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining at least a portion of the surface area of the animal.

40. The method as defined in claim 33, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set for determining the thickness of the animal.

41. The method as defined in claim 33, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set for determining the yield grade of the animal.

42. The method as defined in claim 33, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set for determining the quality grade of the animal.

43. The method as defined in claim 33 in which the apparatus includes a thermal camera disposes proximate the top of the target zone and in which the method comprises the additional steps of using the data processing means, determining the back fat of the animal.

44. A method for measuring the physical characteristics of an animal having first and second sides, a rear portion, and a back portion, said animal being positioned within a target zone having first and second sides, an upper portion, a rear portion and a bottom using an apparatus comprising an animal positioning device for defining the target zone, a first camera disposed on a selected one of said first and second sides of said target zone, a second camera disposed proximate a selected one of said upper portion of target zone and said rear portion of said target zone and data processing means operably associated with said cameras for processing data received from said cameras, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) positioning the animal within the target zone;

(b) using the first camera, obtaining a range image of a selected one of the first and second sides of the animal;

(c) using the second camera, obtaining a range image of a selected one of the back portion and the rear portion of the animal; and

(d) entering into the data processing means, said range images to produce a plurality of entered range images and processing said plurality of entered range images to obtain a data set representing at least a portion of the surface of the animal.

45. The method as defined in claim 44, in which the apparatus includes a thermal camera disposed at a selected one of the upper portion of the target zone and the first side of the target zone, and in which the method comprises the additional steps of using the data processing means, determining the back fat of the animal.

46. The method as defined in claim 45, including the further step of using the data processing means to determine areas of localized injury to the animal.

47. The method as defined in claim 45, including the further step of using the data processing means to determine the general wellness of the animal.