Satellite based global positioning system for feedlot computer network and method

• US 20050193954A1
• Filed: 03/21/2005
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1992
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Animal Health International Incorporated (Patterson Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Arlen Anderson, Cureton J. Sam, James Carisch, Michael A. Ackerman, Thomas Pavlak
• Inventors: Ackerman, Michael A., Pavlak, Thomas, Cureton, J. Sam, Anderson, Arlen, Carisch, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,689,434 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/53
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/00 Other apparatus for animal husbandry
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/02 Automatic devices automatic identification devices for stock A01K11/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/194 Transmission of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/204 using stereoscopic image cameras stereoscopic photography G03B35/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/257 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/286 having separate monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/337 using polarisation multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/366 using viewer tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/383 for tracking with gaze detection, i.e. detecting the lines of sight of the viewer's eyes

Abstract

A computer network and method for feeding animals in a feedlot, in which discretion and direct control over the various suboperations of the feed ration assignment and delivery process are distributed among the individual operators in the system, while the feedlot manager is capable of indirectly monitoring the performance of the various suboperations through use of a satellite based global positioning system.

Claims

1-13. -13. (canceled)

14. An animal feedlot management system, comprising:

a data repository to store feedlot information representative of an animal feedlot and objects within the feedlot;

a display screen to visually display the feedlot and relative positions of the objects within the feedlot based upon feedlot information from the data repository; and

a vehicle information system including;

a vehicle GPS receiver to determine a position of a vehicle; and

an information system to transmit vehicle information, including positional information of the vehicle, from the vehicle information system to the data repository.

15. The feedlot management system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the objects is the vehicle.

16. The feedlot management system of claim 14, wherein the information system receives positional information from the data repository.

17. The feedlot management system of claim 14, wherein the display is at another position separate from the position of the vehicle.

18. The feedlot management system of claim 17, wherein the display is located in a feedmill on the feedlot.

19. The feedlot management system of claim 15, wherein the display displays the relative position of the vehicle to the feedlot in real-time.

20. The feedlot management system of claim 19, wherein the display also displays feed ration delivery data for the vehicle.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the vehicle information system includes a vehicle display to visually display the relative position of an object within the feedlot based upon feedlot information from the data repository received via the information system.

22. The feedlot management system of claim 21, wherein at least one of the objects on the vehicle display is the vehicle.

23. The feedlot management system of claim 22, wherein the vehicle display displays the relative position of the vehicle to the feedlot in real-time.

24. The feedlot management system of claim 22, wherein the vehicle display also displays feed ration delivery data for the vehicle.

25. The feedlot management system of claim 14, further including a reference GPS transmitter at a known location relative to the feedlot for use in error correction of the positional information received by a vehicle GPS receiver.

26. The feedlot management system of claim 25, wherein the reference GPS transmitter is located within the feedlot.

27. An animal feedlot management system, comprising:

a feedlot modeling system to maintain feedlot information representative of a feedlot and objects within the feedlot;

a coordinate acquisition system to obtain coordinate information specifying the relative position of a vehicle; and

a processor to update the feedlot information with the coordinate information specifying the relative position of the vehicle to at least one other object within the feedlot.

28. The feedlot management system of claim 27, further including a communication system to receive vehicle information, including positional information of the vehicle.

29. The feedlot management system of claim 27, wherein the processor updates the feedlot information with the coordinate information specifying the relative position of the vehicle to at least one other object within the feedlot in real-time.

30. The feedlot management system of claim 29, a display to visually display the feedlot and relative position of the vehicle to at least one other object within the feedlot based upon feedlot information from the feedlot modeling system.

31. The feedlot management system of claim 30, wherein the display visually displays the relative position of the vehicle to at least one other object within the feedlot in real-time.

32. The feedlot management system of claim 31, wherein the data display screen also displays feed ration delivery data for the vehicle.

33. The feedlot management system of claim 27, further including a reference transmitter at a known location relative to the feedlot for use in error correction of the coordinate information.

34. A method for managing an animal feedlot comprising:

receiving electronic signals indicative of the coordinates of an animal feedlot vehicle;

processing data representing the coordinates of the animal feedlot vehicle; and

generating electronic signals indicative of a spatial mapping of an animal feedlot and of objects within the animal feedlot, the objects including the animal feedlot vehicle.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising the step of generating a display based on the electronic signals of the spatial mapping, wherein the display shows a map of the animal feedlot and the objects within the feedlot.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising periodically repeating the receiving, processing, and generating steps with sufficient frequency to track movement of the animal feedlot vehicle within the feedlot.

37. A computer program product stored in a computer-usable medium and executed by a feedlot management computer system having a storage unit, the computer program controls the feedlot management computer system to:

receive electronic signals indicative of the coordinates of an animal feedlot vehicle;

process data representing the coordinates of the animal feedlot vehicle within the feedlot;

store data in the storage unit representing the coordinates of the animal feedlot vehicle within the feedlot along with other data representing coordinates of objects of within the animal feedlot; and

generate electronic signals indicative of a spatial mapping of an animal feedlot and of objects within the animal feedlot, the objects including the animal feedlot vehicle.

38. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein the computer program product further controls the feedlot management computer system to provide a display based on the electronic signals of the spatial mapping, wherein the display shows a map of the animal feedlot and the objects within the feedlot.

39. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein the computer program product further controls the feedlot management computer system to periodically repeat the receive, process, store and generate operations with sufficient frequency to track movement of the animal feedlot vehicle within the feedlot.