Method and system for managing and operating a plurality of farm houses

• US 7,751,942 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2007
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CTB Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CTB Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lorton, Brad W., Neimeyer, Douglas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): DeCady; Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee; Douglas S
• Application Number:
  US11/958,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20080097726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 700/231, 700/241, 700/275, 701213-215, 702/188, 705/1, 340/10.41, 236/49.3, 119/51.02
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/00 Marking of animals marking poultry or other birds A01K35/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/00 Other apparatus for animal husbandry
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 31/18 Chicken coops or houses for baby chicks; Brooders including auxiliary features, e.g. feeding, watering, demanuring, heating, ventilation battery breeding cages A01K31/005
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 31/22 Poultry runs ; Poultry houses, including auxiliary features, e.g. feeding, watering, demanuring air-conditioning of poultry runs or houses A01K1/0047
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis

Abstract

A system for monitoring, managing, and/or operating a plurality of farm houses on a plurality of farms. The system includes a controller and/or a monitor box in the farm house and a computer in communication with the controller for controlling and adjusting various parameters of the farm house or with the monitor box for monitoring the farm house. The system also includes a computer at an integrator'"'"'s office that is operable to monitor and/or control various parameters from the farm house remotely. These parameters enable the integrator to coordinate operations with processing plants, feed mills, field service and hatcheries. It also enables the integrator to prepare various data reports for use by the integrator or others.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring a sensor in a farm house, comprising:

an user input mechanism operable to allow a first user to input an instruction;

a data input mechanism operable to receive a signal from a source fixed within in a farm house;

a processor operable to process at least one of the instruction or the signal; and

a transmission portion operable to transmit data to a second user;

an integrator system positioned at a first physical location; and

a second transmission portion associated with the integrator system to receive the data;

a farm house at a second physical location a distance from the first physical location, wherein the farm house is operated by the first user different from the second user, and wherein the second user operates the integrator system and the second user operating the integrator system is operable to directly control the farm house based on the transmitted data.

2. An apparatus for monitoring a sensor in a farm house, comprising:

a user input mechanism operable to allow a first user to input an instruction;

a data input mechanism operable to receive a signal from a source fixed within in a farm house;

a processor operable to process at least one of the instruction or the signal; and

a transmission portion operable to transmit data to a second user;

an integrator system positioned at a first physical location; and

a second transmission portion associated with the integrator system to receive the data;

wherein the second user operates the integrator system and the second user operating the integrator system is operable to directly control the farm house based on the transmitted data;

wherein the data input mechanism is operable to receive the signal from the source based on an amount of feed;

wherein the transmission portion transmits the data to the second user based on the signal based on the amount of feed; and

wherein the second user with the integrator system is operable to instruct an amount of feed to be delivered to the farm house.

3. An apparatus for monitoring a sensor in a farm house, comprising:

a user input mechanism operable to allow a first user to input an instruction;

a data input mechanism operable to receive a signal from a source fixed within in a farm house;

a processor operable to process at least one of the instruction or the signal; and

a transmission portion operable to transmit data to a second user;

an integrator system positioned at a first physical location; and

a second transmission portion associated with the integrator system to receive the data;

wherein the second user operates the integrator system and the second user operating the integrator system is operable to directly control the farm house based on the transmitted data; and

wherein the user input, the data input mechanism, the processor, and the transmission portion includes a controller and a monitor box owned by the integrator and positioned in the farm house.

4. An apparatus for monitoring a sensor in a farm house, comprising:

a farm house at a first location;

a sensor fixed within the farm house to sense a condition within the farm house;

at least one of a monitor box and a controller to receive a signal from the sensor;

a user input mechanism operable to allow a first user to input an instruction into at least one of the monitor box and the controller;

a data input mechanism operable to receive a signal from the sensor positioned in the farm house;

a processor operable to process at least one of the instruction or the signal; and

a transmission portion operable to transmit data to a second user;

an integrator control system separate from the farm house and operated by the second user;

a first user computer separate from the integrator control system and operated by the first user; and

a communication interface separate from the integrator control system;

wherein the communication interface is operable to transmit at least one of the instruction or the signal between the integrator control system or the first user computer and the monitor box or the controller.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a computer;

wherein the processor is within the monitor box, the controller, or the computer.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the farm house at a location includes a plurality of farm houses at a plurality of locations;

wherein the sensor includes a plurality of sensors;

wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is within each of the plurality of farm houses.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the condition of the farm house sensed by the sensor includes a temperature of the farm house, a CO₂ concentration in the farm house, an ammonia concentration in the farm house, a feed consumption rate in the farm house, a water use rate in the farm house, humidity in the farm house, wind speed in the farm house, or combinations thereof.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a farm house system;

wherein the transmission portion is operable to transmit a control instruction from the integrator control system to the farm house system.

9. An apparatus for monitoring a sensor in a farm house, comprising:

a farm house at a first location, comprising a farm house system;

a sensor fixed within the farm house to sense a condition within the farm house;

at least one of a monitor box and a controller to receive a signal from the sensor;

a user input mechanism operable to allow a first user to input an instruction into at least one of the monitor box and the controller;

a data input mechanism operable to receive a signal from the sensor positioned in the farm house;

a processor operable to process at least one of the instruction or the signal; and

a transmission portion operable to transmit data to a second user;

wherein the transmission portion is operable to transmit a control instruction from the integrator control system to the farm house system, and wherein the farm house at a location includes a plurality of farm houses at a plurality of locations, wherein the sensor includes a plurality of sensors, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is within each of the plurality of farm houses, and wherein the farm house system includes a ventilation system operable with the control instruction to ventilate the farm house.

10. An apparatus for monitoring a sensor in a farm house, comprising:

a farm house at a first location, comprising a farm house system;

a sensor fixed within the farm house to sense a condition within the farm house;

at least one of a monitor box and a controller to receive a signal from the sensor;

a user input mechanism operable to allow a first user to input an instruction into at least one of the monitor box and the controller;

a data input mechanism operable to receive a signal from the sensor positioned in the farm house;

a processor operable to process at least one of the instruction or the signal; and

a transmission portion operable to transmit data to a second user;

wherein the transmission portion is operable to transmit a control instruction from the integrator control system to the farm house system, and wherein the farm house at a location includes a plurality of farm houses at a plurality of locations, wherein the sensor includes a plurality of sensors, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is within each of the plurality of farm houses, and wherein the farm house system includes a feed rate system, a brooder system, a fan system, a shutter system, a livestock weight meter system;

a watering system, a cooling system, a feed fill system, a breeder nest system, or combinations thereof.

11. An apparatus for monitoring a sensor in a farm house, comprising:

a farm house at a first location owned by a first user;

a sensor owned by a second user and located within the farm house to sense a condition in the farm house;

a data input mechanism operable to receive a signal from the sensor located within the farm house;

a processor operable to process the signal;

a first transmission portion operable to transmit data to an integrator control system operated by the second user under a contract with the first user; and

a second transmission portion to transmit an instruction to control the condition of the farm house from the integrator control system;

a controller positioned relative to the farm house;

a first user computer operated by the first user; and

a communication interface separate from the integrator control system and the first user computer;

wherein the controller is a part of the integrator control system to receive a control signal via the second transmission portion to control the condition within the farm house, wherein the communication interface is operable to transmit at least one of the instruction or the signal between the integrator control system or the first user computer and the controller, and wherein the integrator control system is used for monitoring and controlling a result parameter in the farm house and the first user computer is directed to monitoring and controlling a control parameter in the farm house.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

an user input mechanism operable to allow the first user to input an instruction;

wherein the processor is further operable to process the instruction and the transmission portion is operable to transmit the processed instruction to an integrator control system.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second user operating the integrator control system sends the instruction to at least one of the controller, a service man, a customer, and the first user with the second transmission portion to control the result parameter;

and

wherein the first user is only responsible for the tasks regarding the controller to control the farm house condition to achieve the result parameter.