In vivo determination of acidity levels
First Claim
1. A bolus for introducing into a ruminant animal'"'"'s (A) reticulum (R) and for ongoing measurement of an acidity level of an animal'"'"'s stomach fluids, the bolus (100) comprising:
- a housing (100) having an outermost surface exterior wall;
a cavity defined by a portion of the exterior wall of the housing, the cavity (C1, C2) having a wall of dielectric material and at least a first opening for receiving ruminal fluids into the cavity, the wall defining a dielectric conduit (110), the first opening being an unobstructed opening freely allowing the ruminal fluids from the animal'"'"'s (A) reticulum (R) to be received into the cavity;
a power generator (310) that generates electric power within a spectral range;
a sensor coil (120) encircling the dielectric conduit (110) and powered by the power generator, the sensor coil (120) configured to subject the received ruminal fluids (L) within the cavity to an electromagnetic field (B) within the spectral range;
a processor (320) connected to the sensor coil (120) to measure, under influence of the electromagnetic field (B), an electromagnetic property (z) of the ruminal fluids (L),wherein from the measure of the electromagnetic property (z), the processor (320) determines an acidity measure (MpH) of an acidity level of the ruminal fluids (L); and
a transmitter (410) connected to the processor (32) and configured to transmit a wireless output signal (SD) reflecting the determined acidity measure (MpH),wherein the power generator (310), the sensor coil (120), the processor (320), and the transmitter (410) are each located within the housing (100).
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Accused Products
Abstract
A bolus for use in a ruminant animal'"'"'s reticulum includes a cavity (100) configured to receive ruminal fluids present in the stomach. The cavity has walls (110) of a dielectric material and is encircled by a coil member (120), which is configured to subject the ruminal fluids to an electro-magnetic field. A Sensor element (310) measures the electromag-netic field'"'"'s influence on the ruminal fluids and thus register an electromagnetic property representative of an acidity level of said fluids. A transmitter (410) transmits a wireless output signal (SD) reflecting the acidity measure.
21 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A bolus for introducing into a ruminant animal'"'"'s (A) reticulum (R) and for ongoing measurement of an acidity level of an animal'"'"'s stomach fluids, the bolus (100) comprising:
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a housing (100) having an outermost surface exterior wall; a cavity defined by a portion of the exterior wall of the housing, the cavity (C1, C2) having a wall of dielectric material and at least a first opening for receiving ruminal fluids into the cavity, the wall defining a dielectric conduit (110), the first opening being an unobstructed opening freely allowing the ruminal fluids from the animal'"'"'s (A) reticulum (R) to be received into the cavity; a power generator (310) that generates electric power within a spectral range; a sensor coil (120) encircling the dielectric conduit (110) and powered by the power generator, the sensor coil (120) configured to subject the received ruminal fluids (L) within the cavity to an electromagnetic field (B) within the spectral range; a processor (320) connected to the sensor coil (120) to measure, under influence of the electromagnetic field (B), an electromagnetic property (z) of the ruminal fluids (L), wherein from the measure of the electromagnetic property (z), the processor (320) determines an acidity measure (MpH) of an acidity level of the ruminal fluids (L); and a transmitter (410) connected to the processor (32) and configured to transmit a wireless output signal (SD) reflecting the determined acidity measure (MpH), wherein the power generator (310), the sensor coil (120), the processor (320), and the transmitter (410) are each located within the housing (100). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for repeatedly determining at least one health-related parameter for the animal (A), the method comprising:
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using a bolus (100) located in the animal'"'"'s (A) reticulum (R), the bolus (100) comprising an overall housing (100) having an outermost surface exterior wall, a cavity defined by a portion of the exterior wall of the housing, the cavity (C1, C2) having a wall of dielectric material and at least a first opening for receiving ruminal fluids into the cavity, the wall defining a dielectric conduit (110), the first opening being an unobstructed opening freely allowing the ruminal fluids from the animal'"'"'s (A) reticulum (R) to be received into the cavity, a power generator (310) that generates electric power within a spectral range, a sensor coil (120) encircling the dielectric conduit (110) and powered by the power generator, the sensor coil (120) configured to subject the received ruminal fluids (L) within the cavity to an electromagnetic field (B) within the spectral range, a processor (320) connected to the sensor coil (120) to measure, under influence of the electromagnetic field (B), an electromagnetic property (z) of the ruminal fluids (L), wherein from the measure of the electromagnetic property (z), the processor (320) determines an acidity measure (MpH) of an acidity level of the ruminal fluids (L), and a transmitter (410) connected to the processor (32) and configured to transmit a wireless output signal (SD) reflecting the determined acidity measure (MpH), wherein the power generator (310), the sensor coil (120), the processor (320), and the transmitter (410) are each located within the housing (100); with sensor coil (120) subjecting the received ruminal fluids (L) within the cavity to an electromagnetic field (B) within the spectral range, registering, via the sensor coil (120) and the processor (320), the acidity measure (MpH) of the ruminal fluids (L); and transmitting, via the transmitter (410), the wireless output signal (SD) reflecting the determined acidity measure (MpH). - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A non-transitory computer readable medium (M) having a program recorded thereon, execution of the program causing computer control to repeatedly determine at least one health-related parameter for the animal (A), the method comprising:
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using a bolus (100) located in the animal'"'"'s (A) reticulum (R), the bolus (100) comprising a housing (100) having an outermost surface exterior wall, a cavity defined by a portion of the exterior wall of the housing, the cavity (C1, C2) having a wall of dielectric material and at least a first opening for receiving ruminal fluids into the cavity, the wall defining a dielectric conduit (110), the first opening being an unobstructed opening freely allowing the ruminal fluids from the animal'"'"'s (A) reticulum (R) to be received into the cavity, a power generator (310) that generates electric power within a spectral range, a sensor coil (120) encircling the dielectric conduit (110) and powered by the power generator, the sensor coil (120) configured to subject the received ruminal fluids (L) within the cavity to an electromagnetic field (B) within the spectral range, a processor (320) connected to the sensor coil (120) and under the computer control, to measure, under influence of the electromagnetic field (B), an electromagnetic property (z) of the ruminal fluids (L), wherein, under the computer control, from the measure of the electromagnetic property (z), the processor (320) determines an acidity measure (MpH) of an acidity level of the ruminal fluids (L), and a transmitter (410) connected to the processor (32) and configured to transmit a wireless output signal (SD) reflecting the determined acidity measure (MpH), wherein the power generator (310), the sensor coil (120), the processor (320), and the transmitter (410) are each located within the housing (100); with sensor coil (120) subjecting the received ruminal fluids (L) within the cavity to an electromagnetic field (B) within the spectral range, registering, via the sensor coil (120) and the processor (320), the acidity measure (MpH) of the ruminal fluids (L); and transmitting, via the transmitter (410), the wireless output signal (SD) reflecting the determined acidity measure (MpH).
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Specification