UPDATING OF ANIMAL MANAGEMENT LABELS

• US 20160106070A1
• Filed: 10/14/2015
• Published: 04/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: N.V. Nederlandsche Apparatenfabriek "Nedap"
• Original Assignee: N.V. Nederlandsche Apparatenfabriek "Nedap"
• Inventors: SCHREURS, Bernard Jan Gerrit
• Granted Patent: US 9,955,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/004 with electronic identification means, e.g. transponders
• 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 11/007 Boluses
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10475 arrangements to facilitate interaction with further interrogation devices, e.g. such that at least two interrogation devices may function and cooperate in a network of such devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A system comprising an animal management label, a pedometer, each provided with a transmitter and receiver device, and a smart tag for detecting movements of an animal provided therewith. The system comprises a plurality of readers for wirelessly reading out the label, and a central computer configured for communication with the readers. The system is configured for updating the label. The central computer is configured to supply update data the readers.

A random one of the readers transmits the update data when the label is within wireless reading distance.

The system comprises recording means for keeping a record of data received by the label. The random one of the readers resumes transmitting update data within, which update data according to the recording means was not yet received by the label.

Claims

1. A system comprising at least one animal management label, such as an ear tag or bolus provided with a transmitter and receiver device, a pedometer provided with a transmitter and receiver device, and a smart tag for detecting movements of the animal provided with a transmitter and receiver device, wherein the system comprises a plurality of readers for wirelessly reading out the label, and a central computer which is communicatively connected with the readers, wherein the system is configured for updating the label with new data such as setting parameters of the label and/or a software update of the label, wherein the central computer is configured to supply data of an update to each of the readers, wherein:

a. the system is configured such that a random reader of the plurality of readers starts wirelessly transmitting the data of the update to the at least one label when the at least one label is at such a distance from the respective reader that the at least one label can be wirelessly read out by the respective reader and the at least one label has not received any data of the update yet;

b. the system comprises recording means, wherein the system is configured to keep record of information in the recording means about what part of the data of the update has been received by the at least one label after the transmitting of data of the update to the at least one label by a random reader; and

c. the system is configured such that a random reader of the plurality of readers starts further wirelessly transmitting the data of the update to the at least one label when the at least one label is at such a distance from the respective reader that the at least one label can be wirelessly read out by the respective reader and according to the information which is stored in the recording means the at least one label has not received all data of the update yet, wherein the data of the update that is then transmitted to the at least one label relates to data of the update that has not been received by the at least one label before.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured such that a random reader of the plurality of readers starts wirelessly transmitting the data of the update to the at least one label when the at least one label is at such a distance from the respective reader that the at least one label can be wirelessly read out by the respective reader and according to the information which is stored in the recording means the at least one label has not received any data of the update yet.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one label is provided with recording means in which for the at least one label information is stored about what part of the data of the update has already been received by the at least one label.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the system is configured such that when the at least one label can be read out by a random reader, the at least one label transmits information to the reader about what part of the data of the update the at least one label has already received and whereafter the reader starts wirelessly transmitting to the at least one label data of the update that the at least one label has not received from a reader yet.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein a central computer is provided with the recording means and that the at least one label is provided with an identification code readable by a random reader, wherein the system is configured such that a random reader of the plurality of readers reads out an identification code of the at least one label when the at least one label is at such a distance from the respective reader that the at least one label can be wirelessly read out and wherein the system is configured such that the reader starts transmitting data of the update to the at least one label when on the basis of the read-out identification code of the at least one label and the information which is stored in the recording means it appears that the at least one label has not received any data of the update yet;

wherein the system is furthermore configured such that, after the at least one label has received data of the update from a random reader, the respective reader reads out the identification code of the at least one label and supplies the identification code associated with information about what part of the data of the update has already been received by the at least one label from the respective reader, to the recording means; and

wherein the system is configured such that a random reader of the plurality of readers reads out an identification code of the at least one label when the at least one label is at such a distance from the respective reader that the at least one label can be wirelessly read out and wherein the system is configured such that the reader starts further transmitting data of the update to the at least one label when on the basis of the read-out identification code of the at least one label and the information which is stored in the recording means it appears that the at least one label has not received a part of the data of the update yet, wherein data of the update that is then transmitted to the at least one label relates to data of the update that has not been received by the at least one label yet.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured to, in use, supply the data of the update from a central computer to each of the readers.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured such that in use, in step a. the random reader starts transmitting data of the update to the at least one label when an amplitude of a response signal of the at least one label that is received by the random reader is greater than a predetermined first threshold value.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured such that, in use, in step c. the random reader starts further transmitting data of the update to the at least one label when an amplitude of a response signal of the at least one label that is received by the random reader is greater than a predetermined second threshold value.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured such that, in use, a plurality of readers can simultaneously carry out step a. and/or step c. for a plurality of labels.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the system is configured such that, in use, each label, when it is updated in step a. or step c., is updated by only one of the readers.

11. The A system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured such that, in use, a random reader can simultaneously carry out step a. and/or step c. for a plurality of labels.

12. A method for updating at least one animal management label, such as an ear tag or bolus provided with a transmitter and receiver device, a pedometer provided with a transmitter and receiver device, and a smart tag for detecting movements of the animal provided with a transmitter and receiver device, wherein use is made of a plurality of readers for wirelessly reading out the at least one label, wherein the at least one label is updated with new data such as setting parameters of the at least one label and/or a software update of the at least one label, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

a. a random reader of the plurality of readers starts wirelessly transmitting data of an update to the at least one label when the at least one label is at such a distance from the respective reader that the at least one label can be wirelessly read out by the respective reader and the at least one label has not received any data of the update yet and wherein thereupon step b. is carried out;

b. after the transmitting of data of an update to the at least one label by a reader, it is recorded what part of the data of the update has already been received by the at least one label; and

c. a random reader of the plurality of readers starts further wirelessly transmitting data of the update to the at least one label when the at least one label is at such a distance from the respective reader that the at least one label can be wirelessly read out by the respective reader and it appears from the recorded information that the at least one label has not received all data of the update yet, wherein the data which is thereupon transmitted to the at least one label relates to data of the update that has not been received by the at least one label yet and wherein thereupon step b. is carried out.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein in step a. the random reader of the plurality of readers starts wirelessly transmitting data of the update to the at least one label when the at least one label is at such a distance from the respective reader that the at least one label can be wirelessly read out by the respective reader and it appears from the recorded information that the at least one label has not received any data of the update yet.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein in step b. it is recorded in the at least one label what part of the data of the update has already been received by the at least one label.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein in step c. when the at least one label is at such a distance from a random reader that the at least one label can be read out by the reader, the at least one label transmits information to the reader about what part of the data of the update the at least one label has already received and whereafter the reader starts transmitting to the at least one label data of the update that the at least one label has not received from a reader yet, whereafter thereupon step b. is carried out.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein in step b. it is recorded in a central computer what part of the data of the update has already been received by the at least one label, together with an identification code of the at least one label, wherein:

in step a. a random reader reads out an identification code of the at least one label when the at least one label is at such a distance from the reader that it can be read out by the reader, wherein the reader passes the read-out identification code to the central computer and wherein the reader starts transmitting data of the update to the at least one label when it appears from the information stored in the central computer that the at least one label has not received any data of the update yet;

wherein in step b. after the transmitting of data of the update the reader which has transmitted data of the update to the at least one label supplies the identification code of the at least one label associated with information about what part of the data of the update has already been received by the at least one label, to the central computer;

wherein in step c. a random reader reads out an identification code of the at least one label and passes it to the central computer, wherein the reader thereupon starts transmitting data of the update to the at least one label when it appears from the information stored in the central computer that the label has not received all data of the update yet, wherein the data of the update that is transmitted to the label relates to data of the update that has not been received by the label yet and wherein after the transmitting of data of the update by the reader to the label step b. is carried out.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the data of the update is supplied from a central computer to each of the readers.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein in step a. the random reader starts transmitting data of the update to the at least one label when an amplitude of a response signal of the at least one label that is received by the random reader is greater than a predetermined first threshold value.

19. The system according to claim 12, wherein in step c. the random reader starts further transmitting data of the update to the at least one label when an amplitude of a response signal of the at least one label that is received by the random reader is greater than a predetermined second threshold value.

20. The according to claim 12, wherein a plurality of readers simultaneously carry out step a. and/or step c. for a plurality of labels.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein each label, when it is updated in step a. or step c., is updated by just one of the readers.

22. The method according to claim 12, wherein a random reader simultaneously carries out step a. and/or step c. for a plurality of labels.