Livestock data acquisition and collection

• US 20040155782A1
• Filed: 02/10/2003
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phase IV Engineering, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Phase IV Engineering, Inc.
• Inventors: Baker, Paul, Letkomiller, Joseph, Yones, Dale
• Granted Patent: US 7,026,939 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.3
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/006 Automatic identification systems for animals, e.g. electronic devices, transponders for animals identification systems for access to feeding pens A01K1/0209; ear tags with electronic identification means A01K11/004
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/007 Boluses
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil

Abstract

Acquiring and collecting data from a subject animal. A system includes a passive data acquisition device associable with a subject animal including: a sensor, a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder, and a magnet separate form the transponder. The system also includes a transceiver operable to activate the data acquisition device and to receive and demodulate an RFID telegram from the data acquisition device sent in response to the activation. The transceiver includes an activation antenna configured to encompass areas of substantially equal and substantially opposite flux and a receive antenna configured symmetrically along an axis of symmetry of the activation antenna. The RFID telegram from the data acquisition device to the transceiver comprises an ISO 11784-compliant identification code containing sensor data in the reserved field of the code. In another embodiment, the RFID telegram comprises a modified ISO 11785 telegram.

Claims

1. A system for acquiring data from a subject animal, the system comprising:

at least one passive data acquisition device associable with a subject animal, the at least one device comprising;

at least one sensor operable to provide sensor data relating to the subject animal;

a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder operable to transmit an RFID telegram comprising the sensor data, wherein the RFID telegram comprises an ISO 11784-compliant identification code containing sensor data in the reserved field of the code; and

at least one magnet separate from the transponder; and

a transceiver;

the transceiver operable;

to activate the at least one passive data acquisition device, and

to receive and demodulate the RFID telegram from the data acquisition device sent in response to the activation; and

the transceiver comprising;

an activation antenna configured to encompass areas of substantially equal and substantially opposite flux, and

a receive antenna configured symmetrically along an axis of symmetry of the activation antenna.

2. A system for acquiring data from a subject animal, the system comprising:

at least one passive data acquisition device associable with a subject animal, the at least one device comprising;

at least one sensor operable to provide sensor data relating to the subject animal;

a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder operable to transmit an RFID

telegram comprising the sensor data, wherein

the RFID telegram comprises;

an ISO 11785-formatted full duplex identification telegram,

the sensor data outside the ISO 11785-formatted full duplex identification telegram; and

wherein a first portion of the ISO 11785-formatted full duplex telegram is contained in a portion of the RFID telegram intended for transmit during an initial ISO 11785 activation period, and a second portion of the ISO 11785-formatted full duplex telegram is contained in a portion of the RFID telegram intended for transmit during an extended ISO 11785 activation period; and

at least one magnet separate from the transponder; and

a transceiver,

the transceiver operable;

to activate the at least one passive data acquisition device, and

to receive and demodulate the RFID telegram from the data acquisition device sent in response to the activation;

the transceiver comprising;

an activation antenna configured to encompass areas of substantially equal and substantially opposite flux; and

a receive antenna configured symmetrically along an axis of symmetry of the activation antenna.

3. A data acquisition device associable with a subject animal, the device comprising:

a sensor operable to provide sensor data relating to a subject animal;

a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder operable to transmit RFID and the sensor data; and

a magnet separate from the transponder.

4. A data acquisition device associable with a subject animal, the device comprising:

a sensor operable to provide sensor data relating to a subject animal; and

a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder operable to transmit an RFID telegram comprising the sensor data.

5. The data acquisition device of claim 4 wherein the RFID telegram comprises an ISO 11784-compliant identification code containing sensor data in the reserved field of the code.

6. The data acquisition device of claim 4 wherein the RFID telegram comprises:

an ISO 11785-formatted full duplex identification telegram, and

the sensor data outside the ISO 11785-formatted full duplex identification telegram.

7. The data acquisition device of claim 6 wherein:

a first portion of the ISO 11785-formatted full duplex telegram is contained in a portion of the RFID telegram intended for transmit during an initial ISO 11785 activation period, and

a second portion of the ISO 11785-formatted full duplex telegram is contained in a portion of the RFID telegram intended for transmit during an extended ISO 11785 activation period.

8. Radio frequency equipment comprising a receiver, the receiver operable to receive and demodulate a radio frequency identification (RFID) telegram from a data acquisition device associable with a subject animal.

9. The radio frequency equipment of claim 8 wherein the RFID telegram comprises an ISO 11784-compliant identification code containing sensor data in the reserved field of the code.

10. The radio frequency equipment of claim 8 wherein the RFID telegram comprises:

an ISO 11785-formatted full duplex identification telegram, and the sensor data outside the ISO 11785-formatted full duplex identification telegram.

11. The data acquisition device of claim 10 wherein:

a first portion of the ISO 11785-formatted full duplex telegram is contained in a portion of the RFID telegram intended for transmit during an initial ISO 11785 activation period; and

a second portion of the ISO 11785-formatted full duplex telegram is contained in a portion of the RFID telegram intended for transmit during an extended ISO 11785 activation period.

12. A transceiver operable to activate a passive data acquisition device and to receive and demodulate a transmission from the data acquisition device sent in response to the activation, the transceiver comprising:

an activation antenna configured to encompass areas of substantially equal and substantially opposite flux and; and

a receive antenna configured symmetrically along an axis of symmetry of the activation antenna.

13. The transceiver of claim 12 wherein the activation antenna is configured as a figure eight.

14. The transceiver of claim 13 wherein the receive antenna is configured as a single rectangle.

15. The transceiver of claim 13 wherein the receive antenna is configured as two coils, each coil disposed substantially symmetrically within a side of the activation antenna.