Method and device for detecting estrus

• US 7,878,149 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2006
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SCR Engineers Limited (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SCR Engineers Limited (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Ben Menachem, Uri, Brayer, Eyal, Voronin, Vladimir
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Kimberly S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Conlon; Marisa
• Application Number:
  US11/795,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20080110405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,839 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.2, 340/573.3, 600/595, 119/174, 119/712
• US Class Current: 119/174
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: A61D 17/002 for detecting period of heat of animals, i.e. for detecting oestrus for humans A61B10/0012

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and device for detecting estrus in animal by sensing along time the motion of the animal and identifying when the sensed motion is not related to eating periods of the animal. Based on the sensed motion which is not related to eating periods the estrus in the animal is identified.

Claims

1. A method for detecting estrus in a cattle animal, comprising the steps of:

sensing and accumulating acceleration level of said cattle animal, over a period of time, by an acceleration sensor, wherein the acceleration level is indicated by energy level of an acceleration signal produced by the acceleration sensor;

sensing, over a period of time, data indicative of eating performed by said cattle animal;

attenuating the energy level of the acceleration signal as the indication of eating is stronger, the energy attenuated acceleration signal identifying neutralized motion data;

extracting typical activity level of said animal based on said neutralized motion data; and

identifying abnormal behavior indicative of said estrus in said animal by comparing recently identified neutralized motion data with the extracted typical activity level.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising establishing a database of typical behavior, wherein said data base is continuously updated.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting to a remote receiver at least one of a list comprising the sensed motion, the information related to eating periods, the collected neutralized motion data, the extracted activity level and the identification if the animal is in estrus.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of indicating by indication means when the animal is identified as in estrus.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of sending notification when the animal is identified as in estrus.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the steps is performed inside a case which is placed where the animal'"'"'s head inclination can be sensed.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the steps is performed inside a case which is placed where the animal'"'"'s head inclination can be sensed and wherein said case is at least one of the following:

mounted on the animal'"'"'s neck, implanted inside the animal or swallowed by the animal.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of sensing data indicative of eating comprises a step of measuring the inclination of the animal'"'"'s head relative to the ground.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of sensing data indicative of eating comprises a step of measuring the distance of the animal'"'"'s head to the ground.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of sensing data indicative of eating comprises a step of monitoring and analyzing the sounds and vibrations that occur when the animal is eating.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of sensing the acceleration level comprises a step of measuring the accelerations in up to three orthogonal directions of said animal.

12. A device for detecting estrus in a cattle animal, comprising:

at least one acceleration sensor for sensing acceleration level of said cattle animal over a period of time, wherein the acceleration level is indicated by energy level of an acceleration signal produced by the acceleration sensor;

at least one sensor for sensing over a period of time, data indicative of eating performed by said cattle animal; and

at least one microprocessor for accumulating said acceleration signal, attenuating the energy level of the acceleration signal as the indication of eating is stronger, the energy attenuated acceleration signal identifying neutralized motion data, extracting typical activity level of said animal based on said neutralized motion data and identifying abnormal behavior indicative of said estrus in said animal by comparing recently identified neutralized motion data with the extracted typical activity level.

13. A device according to claim 12, said microprocessor further comprising a memory.

14. A device according to claim 12, said microprocessor further comprising a real time clock.

15. A device according to claim 12, further comprising a transceiver unit to transmit data processed by said microprocessor to a remote receiver.

16. A device according to claim 15, wherein said transceiver unit is adapted to send notification when the animal is identified as in estrus.

17. A device according to claim 12, further comprising an indicating means which indicates when the animal is identified as in estrus.

18. A device according to claim 12, wherein the device is at least partly contained within a case which is placed where the animal'"'"'s head inclination can be sensed.

19. A device according to claim 18, wherein said case is at least one of the following:

mounted on the animal'"'"'s neck, implanted inside the animal or swallowed by the animal.

20. A device according to claim 12, wherein said sensor for sensing data indicative of eating is adapted to measure the animal'"'"'s head inclination relative to the ground.

21. A device according to claim 12, wherein said sensor for sensing data indicative of eating is adapted to measure the distance of the animal'"'"'s head to the ground.

22. A device according to claim 12, wherein said sensor for sensing data indicative of eating is adapted to monitor and analyze the sounds and vibrations that occur when said animal is eating.

23. A device according to claim 12, wherein said sensor for sensing the motion is adapted to measure the accelerations in up to three orthogonal directions.

24. A device according to claim 12, comprising a combined sensor comprising said at least one sensor for sensing the motion and said at least one sensor for sensing data indicative of eating.

25. A device according to claim 24, wherein said combined sensor reports head motion values inversely proportional to the head'"'"'s inclination angle.

26. A device according to claim 24, wherein said combined sensor comprises:

a cell partially filled with a first type of liquid comprising;

at least one transmitter and at least one receiver of electromagnetic radiation, the radiation received by said at least one receiver is indicative of an angle of inclination of said cell.

27. A device according to claim 26, wherein said electromagnetic radiation is substantially in the near infrared light (NIR light) range.

28. A device according to claim 26, wherein said microprocessor is adapted to identify the eating periods by analyzing a DC component of the received radiation signal, and sensing of the motion is done by analyzing an AC component of the received radiation signal.

29. A device according to claim 26, wherein said cell is further filled with gas.

30. A device according to claim 26, wherein said cell is further filled with a second type of liquid that does not tend to mix with said first type.

31. A device according to claim 26, wherein said cell is further filled with at least one solid object.

32. A device according to claim 26, wherein said first type of liquid is silicon.