METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LIVESTOCK ASSESSMENT

• US 20080273760A1
• Filed: 05/04/2007
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LMI Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: LMI Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: METCALFE, Leonard, Maas, Cornelis A.A.M.
• Application Number:
  US11/744,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20080273760A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/110
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/00 Other apparatus for animal husbandry
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 involving 3D image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10028 Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30004 Biomedical image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection

Abstract

A method and apparatus for capturing a three-dimensional representation of livestock involves simultaneously imaging the reflections of a light source from various portions of the animal on a two-dimensional pixel array and deriving range data for each pixel. The range data from the plurality of pixels is used to generate a three-dimensional representation of the animal for phenotype or other conformation assessments.

Claims

1. A method of securing a three-dimensional representation of a livestock animal in a field of view comprising:

simultaneously illuminating substantially the whole of said field of view with light;

imaging said simultaneously illuminated field of view on a two-dimensional pixel array and for each pixel of said array, determining the distance traveled by the reflection of said light from a portion of said animal to said pixel to provide a range value in relation to said pixel;

deriving a three-dimensional representation of at least a portion of said animal from a plurality of said range values.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

for each pixel of said array, measuring an intensity value in relation to a portion of said light that is reflected from said animal to said pixel; and

,

deriving a three-dimensional representation of said animal from a plurality of said range values and a plurality of said intensities.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

said light is modulated; and

,

said step of determining the distance comprises assessing the phase delay between the light emitted to illuminate said field of view and the light reflected to said pixel.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

said step of simultaneously illuminating comprises emitting a pulse of light; and

,

said step of determining the distance comprises assessing the time of flight of said pulse to said pixel.

5. A method of assessing a livestock animal comprising:

for each pixel of a two dimensional pixel array, deriving time of flight data for light reflected from a portion of said animal and deriving a range value from said time of flight data;

deriving a three-dimensional representation of at least a portion of said animal from a plurality of said range values; and

,

assessing a body condition score of said animal using said three-dimensional representation.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said light is modulated light.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said light is a pulse of light.

8. A system for assessing a livestock animal comprising:

a livestock measurement zone;

an imaging unit mounted for viewing said livestock measurement zone;

said imaging unit comprising a two-dimensional pixel array and adapted to derive data for each pixel in relation to a light reflected to said imaging unit from said animal;

a light source for generating said light so as to simultaneously illuminate said measurement zone;

a processor for calculating range values from said data for each pixel;

a processor for deriving a three-dimensional representation of at least a portion of said animal; and

,

a processor for deriving from said three-dimensional representation an assessment of a feature of said animal.