IMPROVEMENTS IN ANIMAL DETECTION SYSTEMS

• US 20160143719A1
• Filed: 07/02/2014
• Published: 05/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fieldtech Limited
• Original Assignee: Fiedtech Limited
• Inventors: Folkers, Christianus Johannes
• Granted Patent: US 10,420,634 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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: A61D 17/002 for detecting period of heat of animals, i.e. for detecting oestrus for humans A61B10/0012

Abstract

The invention relates to a detection tag for the detection of the reproductive status of animals. The detection tag includes two signal transmitters, one of which is activated when the animal is mounted by another animal and the other of which is always on. It can therefore be determined whether the tag is activated or missing. A detection tag in one embodiment comprises a first surface affixable to the hide of an animal, a second and opposite surface including abradable material, first and second electronic signal transmission means configured to transmit first and second electronic signals having detectably different characteristics, the detection tag being configured such that removal of some or all of the abradable material alters the ability of the detection tag to transmit the first signal or alters a characteristic of the first signal.

Claims

1. A detection tag for the detection of the reproductive status of animals, the detection tag comprising:

a first surface affixable to the hide of an animal;

a second and opposite surface including abradable material; and

first and second electronic signal transmitters configured to transmit first and second electronic signals having detectably different characteristics;

the detection tag being configured such that removal of some or all of the abradable material alters the ability of the detection tag to transmit the first signal or alters a characteristic of the first signal.

2. A detection tag as claimed in claim 1, wherein removal of some or all of the abradable material allows or disallows transmission of the first signal.

3. A detection tag as claimed claim 1, wherein the detection tag comprises a signal shield for shielding the first signal is and wherein removal of the abradable material allows transmission of the first signal.

4. A detection tag as claimed in claim 1, wherein removal of some or all of the abradable material detectably alters the frequency and/or the frequency bandwidth and/or the amplitude of the first signal.

5. A detection tag as claimed in claim 1, wherein removal of some or all of the abradable material detectably alters the strength of the first signal.

6. A detection tag as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second electronic signals have different frequencies.

7. A detection tag as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detectably different characteristics of the first and second signals comprise any one or more of:

a) differently coded signals;

b) differently time-divided signals; and

/or

c) signals detectable using different types of detector.

8. A detection tag as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the first and second electronic signal transmitters comprises a ‘

Radio Frequency Identification’

(RFID), or an ‘

Electronic Article Surveillance’

(EAS), electronic circuit or micro chip.

9. A detection tag as claimed in claim 1, wherein the abradable material includes the signal shielding means shield.

10. A detection tag as claimed in claim 9, wherein the signal shield comprises a conductive circuit and the detection tag is configured such that partial or complete removal of the conductive circuit, or breaking of the conductive circuit, allows the transmission of the first signal.

11. A detection tag as claimed in claim 10, wherein the conductive circuit of the detection tag is configured such that it is damaged or broken partially or completely when the animal is mounted by another animal.

12. A detection tag as claimed in claim 10, wherein the conductive circuit is an RF/EMF blocking circuit/loop made from:

aluminum foil, conductive paint, liquid conductive material, silver ink, or any other conductive material; and

the circuit/loop shields the transmission of signals from the first electronic signal transmitters by forming an inductive loop.

13. A detection tag as claimed in claim 10, wherein the detection tag comprises one or more patches of material positioned under the conductive circuit, the patch material being configured to aid abrasion or breaking of the conductive circuit where the conductive circuit passes over the one or more patches.

14. A detection tag as claimed in claim 13, wherein the detection tag comprises a layer of protective material positioned over the conductive circuit, the layer of protective material having gaps therein positioned over the one or more patches.

15. A detection tag as claimed in claim 9, wherein the abradable material is a removable flood coat layer comprising a signal shield.

16. A detection tag as claimed in claim 15, wherein the flood coat layer covers part or all of the detection tag, including the first and second electronic transmitters, with the signal shield shielding only the first electronic signal transmitters.

17. A detection tag as claimed in claim 16, wherein the signal shield comprises a layer of conductive material or RF/EMF shielding or absorbing material.

18. A detection tag as claimed in claim 15, wherein the flood coat layer includes a plurality of layers, and at least one of the layers is the signal shield layer and at least one of the layers is a layer of latex material.

27. A system for detecting the reproductive status of an animal, wherein the system comprises at least one detection tag according to claim 1 and at least one tag reading device and/or interpretation module which is configured to interpret the signals from the detection tag.

29. A method of detecting the reproductive state of an animal, the method comprising the steps of:

affixing a detection tag according to claim 1 onto a female animal;

allowing the female animal to mingle with other animals for a period of time;

placing the female animal in close proximity to one or more detection tag reading devices; and

evaluating the presence or absence or specific characteristics of one or more signals from the detection tag, and making a determination as to the reproductive state of the female animal.

19-26. -26. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

30-35. -35. (canceled)