Livestock tracking and management system

• US 7,519,631 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2006
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Champion Innovations, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Champion Innovations, Ltd.
• Inventors: Roybal, Kirk, Bamburg, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): To; Baoquoc N
• Application Number:
  US11/400,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20070239723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/02 Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining

Abstract

With the onset of BSE or Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy in Great Britain, and subsequent infections here in the U.S., there has been an increased push to monitor and track movements of animals on ranches and farms. In fact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is in the process of implementing a National Animal Identification System or NAIS to track animal movements. Conventional systems that comply with the NAIS, though, have been very expensive and cumbersome for the average farmer who cannot afford the expense involved. However, now there is a system, which complies with the NAIS, that is easy to operate for the average farmer or rancher and is inexpensive. Thus, the present system allows the average farmer or rancher to remain in business and comply with national requirements.

Claims

1. A method in an electronic data processing system for maintaining licensure of livestock management software, comprising the steps of:

initiating the livestock management software on a local computer;

accessing an initial key stored on the local computer, the initial key being generated at least from an electronic identification number (EID) and a premise identification number (PID) for at least one animal;

parsing the initial key for a lock data;

comparing the lock data to a predetermined lock condition to determine if the livestock management software has expired;

requesting the user of the local computer to synchronize with a remote computer over a computer network if the livestock management software has expired;

accessing one of a remote database or a local database, each database having the indicia of livestock stored thereon;

calculating a new key from at least the EID and the PID for at least one animal indicia of livestock stored by the livestock management software and one of Media Access Control (MAC) or Internet Protocol (IP) address of the local computer to authenticate the live stock management software, if synchronization is requested; and

operating the livestock management software normally unless the livestock management software has expired.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the lock data is a date and the predetermined lock condition is an expiration date.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

requesting the user to enter initial livestock data;

storing the initial livestock data into the livestock management software; and

generating an expiration date into the livestock management software.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

determining the MAC address for the local computer; and

calculating an initial key at least from the MAC address.

5. A system comprising:

a local computer including;

a local database that at least contains an electronic identification number (EID) and a premise identification number (PID) for at least one animal;

a Media Access Control (MAC) address;

an Internet Protocol (IP) address;

a local interface adapted to communicate with at least one computer network; and

a local controller which provides control instruction to the local database and the local interface, wherein the local controller includes a lock detector which prevents user access to the local database if a predetermined lock condition is met; and

a remote database that at least contains the EID and the PID for at least one animal;

a key generator which generates a key at least from on the IP address or the MAC address and from the EID and the PID for at least one animal, wherein the key provides at least a reset of the predetermined lock condition by authentication; and

a remote controller which provides control instructions to the remote database, the key generator, and the local controller.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the remote controller provides at least one control instruction to the local controller through an intervention by at least one human operator.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the remote controller provides at least one control instruction to the local controller over the computer network.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the local database at least contains livestock data and user data.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the system further comprises a second local database that at least contains user data.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein the lock condition is a use period.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein the livestock are cattle.