Real-time remote data collecting systems and methods

• US 9,693,573 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2013
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle SA (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Hu, Ruguo, Wang, Xue Ling, Chang, David Chih-Hung, Hu, Bao Zhong
• Primary Examiner(s): Desta, Elias
• Application Number:
  US13/785,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20140257753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,582 Days
• 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: A01K 5/00 Feeding devices for stock or game A01K1/10 takes precedence; feeding devices for poultry or other birds A01K39/00 ; Feeding wagons; Feeding stacks
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/0114 Pet food dispensers; Pet food trays time-controlled A01K5/0291
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/02 Automatic devices automatic identification devices for stock A01K11/006
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/0283 by weight
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 40/00 Shaping or working-up of animal feeding-stuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/40 for carnivorous animals, e.g. cats or dogs
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets

Abstract

The invention relates generally to remote data collecting systems and methods. In a general aspect, the present invention provides a remote data collecting system comprising a measuring device having at least two scales in communication with a web server. The web server can be used to display data from the measuring device on a website to be accessed by one or more users, for example, using a computing device. The remote data collecting system is particularly useful for real-time, uncontrolled environment (e.g., in-home) product testing.

Claims

1. A method of collecting data remotely comprising:

providing a remote data collecting system comprising a measuring device having at least two scales, each of the scales in communication with a web server and a computing device in communication with the web server, each of the scales comprising a weight sensor and a pet food, the web server hosting a website accessed and controlled by the computing device over the internet;

accepting preset sampling times and a test duration on the website from the computing device;

sending a start time, an end time and the preset sampling times from the website to the measuring device;

collecting data with respect to the amount of the pet food removed from each of the scales from the start time to the end time; and

displaying the data on the computing device using the website.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the scales includes a data memory device and a data transmission system.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the data transmission system collects and distributes the data to the web server.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein two or more users can access the data from the web server at the same time using the website.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the measuring device is one of a plurality of measuring devices, the website sends commands to each of the plurality of measuring devices, and the website associates each of a plurality of animals at a plurality of testing sites with a corresponding measuring device of the plurality of measuring devices.

6. The method of claim 5 comprising receiving a selection of a specific animal of the plurality of animals, the website receives the selection from the computing device, and the website displays consumption data on the computing device for the specific animal identified by the selection.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the measuring device shuts off automatically after a predetermined period when not in use.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the web server conducts a plurality of trials for determining amounts of the pet food removed from each of the scales.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the data is transferred from the measuring device to the web server via at least one of a Wi-Fi connection, a general pack radio service communication, an internet cable connection, or a local area network.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein an authorized operator accesses, reviews and validates raw data through the website, and validating the raw data comprises modifying or removing a portion of the raw data such that a remainder of the raw data is validated data, and the website performs statistical analysis using only the validated data.

14. The method of claim 3 wherein the data transmission system connects to the web server at least once every thirty seconds.

10. A method of testing the palatability of pet food remotely and in real-time, the method comprising:

providing a remote data collecting system comprising a measuring device having at least two scales, each of the scales in communication with a web server and a computing device in communication with the web server, each of the scales comprising a weight sensor and a different pet food, the web server hosting a website accessed and controlled by the computing device over the internet;

accepting preset sampling times and a test duration on the website from the computing device;

sending a start time, an end time and the preset sampling times from the website to the measuring device;

introducing a pet to the pet foods on the scales;

collecting data in real-time with respect to the amount of pet food eaten by the pet from each of the scales from the start time to the end time; and

displaying the data on the computing device using the website.

11. A method of testing the palatability of pet food in real-time in a domestic environment comprising:

providing a remote data collecting system comprising a measuring device having at least two scales, each of the scales in communication with a web server and a computing device in communication with the web server, the measuring device being located at the domestic environment, each of the scales comprising a weight sensor and a different pet food, the web server hosting a website accessed and controlled by the computing device over the internet;

accepting preset sampling times and a test duration on the website from the computing device;

sending a start time, an end time and the preset sampling times from the website to the measuring device;

introducing a pet to the pet foods on the measuring device;

collecting data in real-time with respect to the amount of pet food eaten by the pet from each of the scales at the domestic environment from the start time to the end time; and

displaying the data on the computing device using the website.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the domestic environment is selected from the group consisting of a house, a store, a vehicle and combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein each of the scales includes a data memory device and a data transmission system.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the data memory device records weight changes of the pet food on the corresponding scale in association with dates and times.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein each of the scales comprises a component selected from the group consisting a battery power pack, a rechargeable or regular battery, a circuit board, and combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the scales are removably attached to each other.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the computing device is selected from the group consisting of a personal computing device, a cell phone, a smart phone, as personal digital assistant, a tablet, a notebook, a laptop, and combinations thereof.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein each of the scales comprises a cover comprising a bowl holder that receives a bowl that contains the pet food, and the bowl holder of each of the scales positions the corresponding bowl on the corresponding weight sensor.