SYSTEM FOR UNIQUELY IDENTIFYING SUBJECTS FROM A TARGET POPULATION

• US 20100215278A1
• Filed: 03/02/2010
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biopar, LLC
• Original Assignee: Biopar, LLC
• Inventors: Skvorc, Paul Anthony II
• Granted Patent: US 8,113,151 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/218
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/006 Automatic identification systems for animals, e.g. electronic devices, transponders for animals identification systems for access to feeding pens A01K1/0209; ear tags with electronic identification means A01K11/004
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/008 incorporating GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/00 Other apparatus for animal husbandry
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 61/90 Sorting, grading, counting or marking live aquatic animals, e.g. sex determination
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/34 Sorting according to other particular properties material testing per se G01N; quality control G07C3/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/22 Matching criteria, e.g. proximity measures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10004 Still image; Photographic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0002 Inspection of images, e.g. flaw detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/60 Type of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/103 Static body considered as a whole, e.g. static pedestrian or occupant recognition

Abstract

The system for uniquely identifying subjects from a target population operates to acquire, process and analyze images to create data which contains indicia sufficient to uniquely identify an individual in a population of interest. This system implements an automated, image-based process that captures data indicative of a selected set of external characteristics for subjects that are members of a target population of a predetermined species. The captured data is then processed to create a database record which is associated with the selected subject and which can be used to uniquely identify the selected subject. The subject identification process is repeatable, so any subject can be accurately mapped to their associated database record, which database record can be updated to reflect changes in the subject.

Claims

1. A system configured to uniquely identify individual subjects from a group of subjects, the system comprising:

electronic memory configured to store a plurality of records that correspond to a plurality of individual subjects from a plurality of species, wherein the records include features of one or more characteristics of the corresponding subjects, and wherein the plurality of records comprise;

a first record that corresponds to a first subject, wherein the first subject is from a first species, and wherein the first record includes;

a first identifier that uniquely identifies the first subject from the other subjects, and

features of a first external characteristic of the first subject that distinguish the first subject from other members of the first species, and

a second record that corresponds to a second subject, wherein the second subject is from a second species, and wherein the second record includes;

a second identifier that uniquely identifies the second subject from the other subjects, and

features of a second external characteristic of the second subject that distinguish the second subject from other members of the second species; and

a processor configured to obtain a digital image of a current subject that captures a characteristic of the current subject, to determine a species of the current subject, and to determine an identity of the current subject based on a comparison of features of the characteristic captured in the digital image and features of the characteristic stored in records corresponding to subjects from the same species as the current subject.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine the species of the current subject based on a user selection of the species of the current subject.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine an identity of the current subject based on a comparison of features of the characteristic captured in the digital image and features of the characteristic stored in records corresponding to subjects from the same species as the current subject such that:

responsive to a determination that the current subject is a member of the first species the processor compares the features of the characteristic captured in the digital image with features of the first characteristic stored in records corresponding to subjects from the first species, including the features of the first characteristic stored in the first record; and

responsive to a determination that the current subject is a member of the second species the processor compares the features of the characteristic captured in the digital image with features of the second characteristic stored in records corresponding to subjects from the second species, including features of the second characteristic stored in the second record.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine an identity of the current subject based on a comparison of features of the characteristic captured in the digital image and features of the characteristic stored in records corresponding to subjects from the same species as the current subject such that:

responsive to a determination that the features of the characteristic captured in the digital image match the features of the first characteristic included in the first record, the processor determines the identity of the current subject to be the first identifier; and

responsive to a determination that the features of the characteristic captured in the digital image match the features of the second characteristic included in the second record, the processor determines the identity of the current subject to be the second identifier.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured such that responsive to a determination that the features of the characteristic captured in the digital image do not match any of the features of the characteristic included in the records corresponding to same species as the current subject the processor creates a third record corresponding to the current subject, wherein the third record comprises:

a third unique identifier that uniquely identifies the current subject from the other subjects,

the species of the current subject, and

the features of the characteristic captured in the digital image.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising an image capture device configured to capture the digital image of the features of the characteristic of the current subject.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is communicatively linked with the image capture device, and wherein the processor is configured to obtain the digital image by receiving the digital image from the image capture device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of species include species from a plurality of genera.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of characteristics include one or more of overall size, color, spot and/or stripe markings, horns, antlers, tusks, or scars.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first characteristic is different than the second characteristic.

11. A computer-implemented method of uniquely identifying individual subjects from a group of subjects, the system comprising:

storing to electronic memory a plurality of records that correspond to a plurality of individual subjects from a plurality of species, wherein the records include features of one or more characteristics of the corresponding subjects, and wherein the plurality of records comprise;

a first record that corresponds to a first subject, wherein the first subject is from a first species, and wherein the first record includes;

a first identifier that uniquely identifies the first subject from the other subjects, and

features of a first external characteristic of the first subject that distinguish the first subject from other members of the first species, and

a second record that corresponds to a second subject, wherein the second subject is from a second species, and wherein the second record includes;

a second identifier that uniquely identifies the second subject from the other subjects, and

features of a second external characteristic of the second subject that distinguish the second subject from other members of the second species;

obtaining a digital image of a current subject that captures a characteristic of the current subject;

determining a species of the current subject; and

determining an identity of the current subject based on a comparison of features of the characteristic captured in the digital image and features of the characteristic stored in records corresponding to subjects from the same species as the current subject.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the species of the current subject is based on a user selection of the species of the current subject.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein determining an identity of the current subject based on a comparison of features of the characteristic captured in the digital image and features of the characteristic stored in records corresponding to subjects from the same species as the current subject comprises:

responsive to a determination that the current subject is a member of the first species, comparing the features of the characteristic captured in the digital image with features of the first characteristic stored in records corresponding to subjects from the first species, including the features of the first characteristic stored in the first record; and

responsive to a determination that the current subject is a member of the second species, comparing the features of the characteristic captured in the digital image with features of the second characteristic stored in records corresponding to subjects from the second species, including features of the second characteristic stored in the second record.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein determining an identity of the current subject based on a comparison of features of the characteristic captured in the digital image and features of the characteristic stored in records corresponding to subjects from the same species as the current subject comprises:

responsive to a determination that the features of the characteristic captured in the digital image match the features of the first characteristic included in the first record, determining the identity of the current subject to be the first identifier; and

responsive to a determination that the features of the characteristic captured in the digital image match the features of the second characteristic included in the second record, determining the identity of the current subject to be the second identifier.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising, responsive to a determination that the features of the characteristic captured in the digital image do not match any of the features of the characteristic included in the records corresponding to same species as the current subject, storing a third record corresponding to the current subject, wherein the third record comprises:

a third unique identifier that uniquely identifies the current subject from the other subjects,

the species of the current subject, and

the features of the characteristic captured in the digital image.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising capturing the digital image of the features of the characteristic of the current subject.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of species include species from a plurality of genera.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of characteristics include one or more of overall size, color, spot and/or stripe markings, horns, antlers, tusks, or scars.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the first characteristic is different than the second characteristic.