Device, system and method for monitoring animal posture pattern

• US 8,111,166 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2008
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: S.A.E. Afikim Milking Systems Agricultural Cooperative Ltd.
• Original Assignee: SAE Afikim Milking System Agricultural Cooperative Limited
• Inventors: Flexer, Hagai, Heimlich, Eli
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNNINGS, TRAVIS R
• Application Number:
  US12/149,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20080204255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.7, 340/573.3
• US Class Current: 340/573.7
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/00 Other apparatus for animal husbandry
• 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

A device for determining a posture pattern of an animal comprises a housing configured and adapted to be attached to a part of the animal; the housing comprises a posture sensor operative to sense an orientation of the part of the animal indicating the posture of the animal; and an interface unit operative to output the orientation information.

Claims

1. A device for determining a posture pattern of an animal comprising:

a housing configured and adapted to be attached to a leg of the animal, the housing comprising;

a posture sensor operative to sense a tilt in an orientation of the leg of the animal above or below an operating angle indicating the posture of the animal;

a controller operative to differentiate between a standing posture, a laying posture and a motion event from the sensed orientation and from duration of the sensed orientation and thereby determine the posture pattern, wherein the motion event includes sensed orientations associated with standing that are sustained for less than a first pre-defined duration and sensed orientations associated with laying that are sustained for less than a second pre-defined duration; and

an interface unit operative to output the posture pattern.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the posture sensor includes a tilt switch to sense a tilt in orientation above an operating angle.

3. The device according claim 1 wherein the posture sensor includes an omni-directional tilt switch to sense a tilt in orientation above an operating angle.

4. The device according to claim 1 wherein the posture sensor includes a tip-over switch to sense a tilt in orientation above an operating angle.

5. The device according to claim 1 wherein the operating angle is 60°

.

6. The device according to claim 1 comprising:

the controller, wherein the controller operative to control output from the posture sensor; and

a transmitter operative to transmit output from the posture sensor to a central communication unit.

7. The device according to claim 6 wherein the controller is operative to initiate an interrupt when the posture sensor senses a change in the orientation.

8. The device according to claim 6 wherein the controller is operative to determine a number of times the animal has assumed a laying posture.

9. The device according to claim 6 wherein the controller is operative to determine an overall time period that the animal has sustained a laying posture.

10. The device according to claim 6 wherein the controller is operative to determine a number of times the animal has assumed a standing posture.

11. The device according to claim 6 wherein the controller is operative to determine an overall time period that the animal has sustained a standing posture.

12. The device according to claim 6 wherein the controller includes an ID tag identifying the animal and is operative to transmit data from the ID tag.

13. The device according to claim 6 wherein the transmitter is an RF transmitter.

14. The device according to claim 6 wherein the transmitter is an IR transmitter.

15. The device according to claim 6 wherein the transmitter is a BlueTooth transmitter.

16. The device according to claim 6 wherein the transmitter includes a receiver to received data from a central communication unit.

17. The device according to claim 16 wherein the receiver is an RF receiver.

18. The device according to claim 1 comprising a memory unit operative to store data from the posture sensor.

19. The device according to claim 1 wherein the posture sensor is operative to determine a time period of a motion event.

20. The device according to claim 1 wherein the interface unit comprises a display.

21. The device according to claim 1 wherein the interface unit comprises audio output.

22. The device according to claim 6 wherein the controller is operative to control transmission of data in response to a wake-up signal received from a central communication unit.

23. A system for determining a posture pattern of animals comprising:

at least one device according to claim 1; and

a central processing unit that receives and processes information from the device.

24. The system according to claim 23 and including a central communication unit comprising a central receiver to receive data from one or more devices.

25. The system according to claim 24 wherein the central communication unit includes a central transmitter operative to transmit a signal to the device.

26. The system according to claim 25 wherein the central transmitter is operative to transmit a signal to the device, wherein the signal is operative to wake-up the device.

27. The system according to claim 24 wherein the central receiver is a RF receiver.

28. The system according to claim 24 wherein the central communication unit is configured to communicate with the at least one device at a range of approximately 30 cm or less.

29. The system according to claim 23 wherein the central processing unit comprises:

a central processor operative to process data received from the at least one device;

a central memory operative to store data received from the at least one device;

a central interface unit operative to relay information to a user regarding the data received from the at least one device; and

a user input operative to input user commands to the central processing unit.

30. The system according to claim 24 wherein the central processing unit includes a personal computer operative to communicate with the central communication unit and to process data received from the central communication unit.

31. The system according to claim 23 comprising a plurality of central communication units in communication with a single central processing unit.

32. The system according to claim 23 wherein the central processing unit comprises a display for displaying data corresponding to a laying pattern of the animals.

33. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first pre-defined duration is shorter than the second pre-defined duration.

34. The system according to claim 1 wherein the second pre-defined duration is at least 2 minutes.