Unmanned vehicle to be used in a stable or a meadow

• US 6,439,162 B1
• Filed: 01/22/2001
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LELY Enterprises AG A Swiss Limited Liability Company
• Original Assignee: LELY Research Holding AG
• Inventors: van den Berg, Karel
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAW, ELIZABETH ANNE
• Application Number:
  US09/765,386
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 119/174, 119/172, 119/719, 119/720, 119/908, 119/57.92
• US Class Current: 119/174
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0029 Crowding gates or barriers
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0103 of liquid manure treating manure A01C3/00; treatment of water, waste water, sewage or sludge C02F
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0128 by means of scrapers or the like moving continuously
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 13/003 Devices for applying insecticides or medication A01K27/007 takes precedence; for veterinary purposes A61D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/003 Nose-rings; Fastening tools therefor; Catching or driving equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/029 Electric or similar shock devices, e.g. prods
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/00 Other apparatus for animal husbandry
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 119/908 Electrical animal control or handling

Abstract

An unmanned vehicle for use in a stable such as a cowshed or for use in a meadow or for use in both which is provided with detection components for determining the health and behavior of the animals in the stable or meadow. The detection components comprise an animal identification system including a radar and an infrared camera. The animals are fitted with identifying reflectors. The vehicle also has a herd control element for herding animals and for segregating one or more of the animals from other animals in the herd. Also the vehicle includes an extendible disinfecting member for disinfecting at least portions of the stable as well as parts of animals in the stable or meadow. An alarm is provided on the vehicle for alerting an operator that an animal is ill or acting abnormally. The vehicle also carries a mechanism to analyze manure on the stable floor.

Claims

1. An unmanned vehicle which comprises detection means for sensing the state of health and abnormal behavior of individual animals in a herd of animals, and animal identification system for identifying individual animals in said herd of animals, said animal identification system comprising radar and distinctive individual reflectors worn by the animals in said herd of animals whereby each of said reflectors provide distinctive reflections which are received by said radar, and herding means for selectively segregating an animal from said herd of animals.

2. A vehicle in accordance with claim 1 in combination with a stable, the vehicle further comprising disinfecting means for disinfecting at least part of said stable and at least part of each said animal in said stable, a telescoping means for moving said disinfecting means relative to remaining parts of the vehicle, a manure slide means for removal of manure from a floor of said stable, signal means for alerting a supervisor wherein said detection means senses that an animal in said stable is ill or behaving abnormally, and a navigation means for directing the movement of the vehicle in said stable.

3. An unmanned vehicle which comprises a group of components which consist of at least one of the following components:

health detection means for determining the health of individual animals in a herd of animals, and behavior monitoring means for monitoring the individual behavior of animals in said herd of animals, the vehicle further comprising an animal identification system which comprises a transmitter and a receiver, a radar reflector means worn by each said animal of said herd of animals, said transmitter and receiver comprising a radar.

4. An unmanned vehicle which comprises a group of components which consist of at least one of the following components:

health detection means for determining the health of individual animals in a herd of animals, and behavior monitoring means for monitoring the individual behavior of animals in said herd of animals, the vehicle further comprising disinfecting means for disinfecting at least part of a stable for said animals of said herd of animals.

5. A vehicle in accordance with claim 4, wherein said disinfecting means is disposed on a telescopic carrier.

6. An unmanned vehicle which comprises a group of components which consist of at least one of the following components:

health detection means for determining the health of individual animals in a herd of animals, and behavior monitoring means for monitoring the individual behavior of animals in said herd of animals, the vehicle being in a stable which contains at least one of said animals of said herd of animals and further comprises disinfecting means for disinfecting at least part of said one animal in said stable.

7. A vehicle in accordance with claim 6, wherein said disinfecting means is disposed on a telescopic carrier.

8. An unmanned vehicle which comprises a group of components which consist of at least one of the following components:

health detection means for determining the health of individual animals in a herd of animals, and behavior monitoring means for monitoring the individual behavior of animals in said herd of animals, the vehicle being disposed within a stable wherein manure is lying on a floor of said stable, the vehicle further comprising a manure slide for removing said manure lying on said floor in said stable.

9. An unmanned vehicle which comprises a group of components which consist of at least one of the following components:

health detection means for determining the health of individual animals in a herd of animals, and behavior monitoring means for monitoring the individual behavior of animals in said herd of animals, the vehicle having a rotatable upper part, said health detection means being mounted on said upper part.

10. An unmanned vehicle which comprises a group of components which consist of at least one of the following components:

health detection means for determining the health of individual animals in a herd of animals, and behavior monitoring means for monitoring the individual behavior of animals in said herd of animals, the vehicle comprising a rotatable upper part, said behavior monitoring means being mounted on said upper part.

11. An unmanned ground engaging mobile vehicle that moves proximate to animals of a herd of animals, such vehicle comprising observation means for observing each animal in said herd of animals, identification means for identifying each animal in said herd of animals, health detection means for determining the health of individual animals in said herd of animals, and behavior monitoring means for monitoring the individual behavior of animals in said herd of animals.

12. A vehicle in accordance with claim 11, wherein said animal identification means comprises an animal identification system which includes parts for identifying each animal connected to each animal.

13. A vehicle in accordance with claim 12, wherein said animal identification system comprises a transmitter and a receiver.

14. A vehicle in accordance with claim 11, wherein said health detection means comprises a camera.

15. A vehicle in accordance with claim 14, wherein said camera comprises an infrared camera.

16. A vehicle in accordance with claim 11, wherein said behavior monitoring means comprises a camera.

17. A vehicle in accordance with claim 16, wherein said camera comprises an infrared camera.

18. A vehicle in accordance with claim 11, wherein said health detection means is mounted on a telescopic carrier.

19. A vehicle in accordance with claim 11, wherein said behavior monitoring means is mounted on a telescopic carrier.

20. A vehicle in accordance with claim 11, which further comprises herding means for herding animals in said herd of animals.

21. A vehicle in accordance with claim 20, wherein said herding means comprises an electric shock device.

22. A vehicle in accordance with claim 11, which comprises alarm means for alerting a supervisor when said health detection means determines that an individual animal of said herd of animals is ill.

23. A vehicle in accordance with claim 11, which further comprises alarm means for alerting a supervisor when said behavior monitoring means ascertains that the individual behavior of an animal in said herd of animals is abnormal.

24. A vehicle in accordance with claim 11, which further comprises a navigation means for guiding the movements of the vehicle.