Poultry environmental control systems and methods

• US 5,467,922 A
• Filed: 09/19/1994
• Issued: 11/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Original Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Inventors: Carey, Richard A., Moses, Marlon M., Daley, Wayne D. R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tanner, Harry B.
• Application Number:
  US08/308,387
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 236/94, 236/44 R, 236/44 C, 236/46 R, 236/46 F, 236/49.3, 237/2 R, 237/2 B, 237/2 A, 165/11.1, 62/126, 62/127, 62/129, 62/130, 454/256, 454/258, 454/343, 364/184, 364/185, 364/557
• US Class Current: 236/94
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0047 Air-conditioning, e.g. ventilation, of animal housings
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/49 ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or configuration checks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/76 by means responsive to temperature, e.g. bimetal springs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity

Abstract

A poultry house controller (14) situated within a poultry house (12) regulates the relative humidity and temperature within the poultry house (12) via actuation of fans (22) and heaters (24) in response to temperature and humidity feedback signals from temperature sensors (16) and humidity sensors (18), respectively. The controller (14) can communicate with a host computer (16) and other controllers (14) situated at other houses (12). The controller (14) comprises an integrity check means (234) for checking temperature and humidity values detected by these sensors (16, 18). The integrity check means (234) ensures the accuracy of values by eliminating a value from consideration if it falls outside predefined range of the average of the other values received from other sensors. Additionally, the controller (14) utilizes watchdog timing signals (100) for ensuring continuous operation. The watchdog timing signals (100) are generated by a control program (108) and are sent to an alarm system (92). An alarm horn (94) is sounded upon failure to receive a watchdog timing signal (100) within a predefined time period. Finally, the controller (14) optimally controls the fans (22) for ventilation and for modifying temperature by decreasing the predefined time period pertaining to the fan dedicated to minimum ventilation requirements by a time amount corresponding to actuation of another fan within the predefined time interval.

Claims

1. A system for accurately controlling the environment in an enclosure for poultry by insuring continuous operation of monitoring and control systems associated with said enclosure, comprising:

heating means disposed in said enclosure;

temperature sensing means for sensing temperature within said enclosure and for generating temperature feedback signals indicative thereof;

humidity sensing means for sensing humidity within said enclosure and for generating humidity feedback signals indicative thereof;

fan means for blowing air out of said enclosure;

a control means for controlling said heaters and said fans in response to said temperature feedback signals and said humidity feedback signals;

program means associated with said control means, said program means for executing a list of instructions pertaining to said heating means and said fan means, said program means for generating watchdog timing signals indicative of the operation of said program means; and

alarm means for monitoring said watchdog timing signals and for signalling an alarm upon failure to receive a watchdog timing signal within a predefined time period.

2. A method for accurately controlling the environment in an enclosure for poultry by insuring continuous operation of monitoring and control systems associated with said enclosure, comprising the steps of:

sensing temperature within said enclosure and generating temperature feedback signals indicative thereof;

sensing humidity within said enclosure and generating humidity feedback signals indicative thereof;

selectively heating air in said enclosure;

selectively blowing air out of said enclosure;

controlling said heating and said blowing in response to said temperature feedback signals and said humidity feedback signals;

executing a list of instructions and generating watchdog timing signals indicative of said executing; and

monitoring said periodic watchdog timing signal and signalling an alarm upon failure to receive a watchdog timing signal within a predefined time period.