Method of identifying animals via universal identification scheme

• US 6,323,771 B1
• Filed: 04/07/2000
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John M. Semmer, John P. Weiser, Payne, James S.
• Original Assignee: John M. Semmer, John P. Weiser, Payne, James S.
• Inventors: Payne, James S., Weiser, John P., Semmer, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US09/545,386
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/572.7, 340/10.33, 340/572.1, 340/825.34, 340/10.1, 340/825.54, 340/447, 235/462.09, 235/462.1
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/008 incorporating GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/041 Constructional details G06K19/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06253 for a specific application

Abstract

The present disclosure involves a method of identifying animals involving the use of a universal identification scheme capable of identifying individual animals anywhere in the world such that data may collected for the animals over their entire life cycle.

Claims

1. A method of identifying animals, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a universal identification character sequence including a first block of characters representing a primary geographic location, a second block of characters representing a secondary geographic location within said primary geographic location, a third block of characters representing a tertiary geographic location within said secondary geographic location, a fourth block of characters representing a quaternary geographic location within said tertiary geographic location within which an animal is disposed, and a fifth block of characters representing a unique identifier for said animal within said quaternary geographic location; and

(b) equipping each animal within said quaternary geographic location with a carrier carrying a unique universal identification character sequence for said animal.

2. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 1 and further, wherein said first block of characters within said universal identification character sequence comprises a multiple character code, and wherein said primary geographic location is a country.

3. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 2 and further, wherein said second block of characters within said universal identification character sequence comprises a multiple character code, and wherein said secondary geographic location is a state or province within said country.

4. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 3 and further, wherein said third block of characters within said universal identification character sequence comprises a multiple character code, and wherein said tertiary geographic location is a county or municipality within said state or province.

5. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 4 and further, wherein said fourth block of characters within said universal identification character sequence comprises a multiple character code, and wherein said quaternary geographic location is one of a premises or herd within said county or municipality.

6. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 5 and further, wherein said a fifth block of characters within said universal identification character sequence comprises a multiple character code.

7. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 6 and further, wherein said multiple character codes of said first block of characters, said second block of characters, said third block of characters, said fourth block of characters, and said fifth block of characters within said universal identification character sequence comprises at least one of a numeric code, an alphabetical code, and an alphanumeric code.

8. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 1, comprising the further step of providing a optional block of characters within said universal identification character sequence said representing a characteristic of said animal within said quaternary geographic location.

9. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 8 and further, wherein said optional block of characters representing a characteristic of said animal comprises at least one of a numeric code, an alphabetical code, and an alpha-numeric code representing one of animal type and animal class.

10. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 1 and further, wherein said unique universal identification character sequence for each animal is represented in at least one of machine-readable form, human-readable form, and electronically-readable form.

11. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 1 and further, wherein step (b) involves providing said carrier as at least one of a tag and a transponder carrying said unique universal identification character sequence.

12. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 1 and further, wherein step (b) involves providing said carrier as a tag assembly coupled to said animal, wherein said tag assembly includes a transponder and an attachment assembly for attaching said tag assembly to said animal.

13. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 12 and further, wherein said transponder comprises a substrate having an antenna and microchip circuit for transmitting said unique universal identification character sequence.

14. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 13 and further, wherein said transponder is capable of transmitting said unique universal identification character sequence at a frequency in the range from 125 KHz to 2.5 GHz.

15. A method of identifying animals, comprising the steps of:

(a) assigning a first block of characters to an animal representing a primary geographic location wherein said animal is disposed;

(b) assigning a second block of characters to said animal representing a secondary geographic location within said primary geographic location wherein said animal is disposed;

(c) assigning a third block of characters to said animal representing a tertiary geographic location within said secondary geographic location wherein said animal is disposed;

(d) assigning a fourth block of characters to said animal representing a quaternary geographic location within said tertiary geographic location wherein said animal is disposed;

(e) assigning a fifth block of characters to said animal representing a unique identifier for said animal disposed within said quaternary geographic location;

(f) combining the characters in steps (a)-(e) to produce a unique universal identification character sequence for said animal within said quaternary geographic location; and

(g) equipping said animal with a carrier carrying said unique universal identification character sequence for said animal.

16. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 15 and further, wherein said first block of characters within said universal identification character sequence comprises a multiple character code, and wherein said primary geographic location is a country.

17. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 16 and further, wherein said second block of characters within said universal identification character sequence comprises a multiple character code, and wherein said secondary geographic location is a state or province within said country.

18. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 17 and further, wherein said third block of characters within said universal identification character sequence comprises a multiple character code, and wherein said tertiary geographic location is a county or municipality within said state or province.

19. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 18 and further, wherein said fourth block of characters within said universal identification character sequence comprises a multiple character code, and wherein said quaternary geographic location is one of a premises or herd within said county or municipality.

20. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 19 and further, wherein said a fifth block of characters within said universal identification character sequence comprises a multiple character code.

21. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 20 and further, wherein said multiple character codes of said first block of characters, said second block of characters, said third block of characters, said fourth block of characters, and said fifth block of characters within said universal identification character sequence comprises at least one of a numeric code, an alphabetical code, and an alphanumeric code.

22. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 15, comprising the further step (h) of providing an optional block of characters within said universal identification character sequence representing a characteristic of said animal within said quaternary geographic location.

23. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 22 and further, wherein said optional block of characters comprises at least one of a numeric code, an alphabetical code, and an alpha-numeric code representing one of animal type and animal class.

24. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 15 and further, wherein said unique universal identification character sequence for said animal is represented in at least one of machine-readable form, human-readable form, and electronically-readable form.

25. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 15 and further, wherein step (g) involves providing said carrier as at least one of a tag and a transponder carrying said unique universal identification character sequence.

26. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 15 and further, wherein step (g) involves providing said carrier as a tag assembly coupled to said animal, wherein said tag assembly includes a transponder and an attachment assembly for attaching said tag assembly to said animal.

27. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 26 and further, wherein said transponder comprises a substrate having an antenna and microchip circuit for transmitting said unique universal identification character sequence.

28. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 27 and further, wherein said transponder is capable of transmitting said unique universal identification character sequence at a frequency in the range from 125 KHz to 2.5 GHz.

29. A method of identifying animals, wherein said animals are disposed within a quaternary geographic location which forms part of a tertiary geographic location which forms part of a secondary geographic location which forms part of a primary geographic location, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a unique universal identification character sequence for each animal within said quaternary geographic location; and

(b) equipping each of said animals with a carrier carrying said unique universal identification character sequence.

30. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 29 and further, wherein step (b) involves providing said carrier as at least one of a tag and a transponder carrying said unique universal identification character sequence.

31. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 29 and further, wherein step (b) involves providing said carrier as a tag assembly coupled to said animal, wherein said tag assembly includes a transponder and an attachment assembly for attaching said tag assembly to said animal.

32. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 31 and further, wherein said transponder comprises a substrate having an antenna and microchip circuit for transmitting said unique universal identification character sequence.

33. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 32 and further, wherein said transponder is capable of transmitting said unique universal identification character sequence at a frequency in the range from 125 KHz to 2.5 GHz.

34. The method of identifying animals as set forth in claim 29 and further, wherein step (a) involves providing said universal identification character sequence to include a first block of characters representing said primary geographic location, a second block of characters representing said secondary geographic location within said primary geographic location, a third block of characters representing said tertiary geographic location within said secondary geographic location, a fourth block of characters representing said quaternary geographic location within said tertiary geographic location within which said animals are disposed, and a fifth block of characters representing a unique identifier for each said animal within said quaternary geographic location.