Radio frequency animal tracking system

• US 20060114109A1
• Filed: 11/17/2005
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Destron Fearing Corporation (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Destron Fearing Corporation (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Geissler, Randolph K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,619,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.130
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/004 with electronic identification means, e.g. transponders
• 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: 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 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07767 the first and second communication means being two different antennas types, e.g. dipole and coil type, or two antennas of the same kind but operating at different frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/16 Security signalling or alarm systems, e.g. redundant systems

Abstract

The invention is directed to an improved RFID system. The system provides a transponder that can communicate over at least two different frequencies so that the real time performance of the transponder can be improved without losing backwards compatibility. The system provides an improved apparatus and method that allows the end user to customize and program identification tags. The system also provides an ear tag, which may be in button form, for use on livestock with superior durability and overall performance in the field.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag for identification of animals, comprising:

a first antenna; and

a transponder coupled to the antenna, the transponder including a first transmission unit, first memory and first power circuitry, the first power circuitry being configured to receive a current induced in the first antenna, and to power the first transmission unit and first memory, the first transmission unit being configured to retrieve data stored in the first memory and to transmit at least a portion of the data via the first antenna on a first carrier frequency and on a second carrier frequency.

2. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the transponder includes a second transmission unit, and second memory.

3. The RFID tag of claim 2, wherein the first power circuitry is configured to power the second transmission unit and the second memory.

4. The RFID tag of claim 3, wherein the first power circuitry, first transmission unit, and first memory are embodied on a first integrated circuit, and the second transmission unit and second memory are embodied upon a second integrated circuit, the first and second integrated circuits are electrically coupled to one another for provision of power from the first power circuitry to the second transmission unit and second memory.

5. The RFID tag of claim 4, further comprising a second antenna coupled to the second transmission unit.

6. The RFID tag of claim 5, wherein the first transmission unit and first antenna are configured to transmit on the first carrier frequency, and the second transmission unit and second antenna are configured to transmit on the second carrier frequency.

7. The RFID tag of claim 6, wherein the first carrier frequency is approximately 134.2 kHz, and wherein the second carrier frequency is greater than the first carrier frequency.

8. The RFID tag of claim 6, wherein the first carrier frequency is approximately 134.2 kHz, and wherein the second carrier frequency is at least ten times the first carrier frequency.

9. The RFID tag of claim 6, wherein the first carrier frequency is approximately 134.2 kHz, and wherein the second carrier frequency is approximately 13.5 MHz.

10. The RFID tag of claim 6, further comprising a body defining first and second channels configured in a closed shape, and further defining a recess, wherein the first antenna is wound around the first channel, the second antenna is wound around the second channel, and the first and second integrated circuits are housed in the recess.

11. The RFID tag of claim 10, wherein the first and second channels are of circular shape.

12. The RFID tag of claim 11, wherein the first and second channels are coaxial.

13. The RFID tag of claim 12, wherein the body is annular.

14. The RFID tag of claim 10, wherein the body is polymeric.

15. The RFID tag of claim 10, wherein the recess and first and second channels are filled by a filling substance.

16. The RFID tag of claim 15, wherein the filling substance is polymeric.

17. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the data stored in the memory includes a number uniquely identifying an animal.

18. The RFID tag of claim 17, wherein the data stored in the memory further includes an indicator of how large the animal is expected to be in the future.

19. The RFID tag of claim 17, wherein the data stored in the memory further includes a categorization code indicating an expected weight range of the animal.

20. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein, upon receipt of an indication that the data transmitted data was received by a base station, the transponder is configured to enter a refractory period so that the transponder does not generate a transmission until expiration of the refractory period.

21. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the transponder is configured to pause for a delay period, prior to generating a transmission in response to a transmission from a base station.

22. The RFID tag of claim 21, wherein the delay period is stored in the memory, and wherein the transponder further includes a clock circuit, and wherein the transponder is further configured to witness a number of cycles generated by the clock circuit, said number being determined by the delay period stored in the memory, prior to generation of the response transmission.

23. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the antenna and transponder are enclosed in a body having a surface bearing printed matter.

24. The RFID tag of claim 23, wherein the data stored in the memory includes a number uniquely identifying an animal, and wherein the printed matter includes the unique identifying number.

25. The RFID tag of claim 24, wherein the printed matter further includes a date upon which the printed matter was printed upon the RFID tag.

26. The RFID tag of claim 24, wherein the printed matter further includes a date upon which the animal arrived at a facility.

27. The RFID tag of claim 24, wherein the printed matter further includes a date upon which the animal departed from a facility.

28. The RFID tag of claim 24, wherein the printed matter further includes an identifying code used during handling of the cattle at a particular facility.

29. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the data stored in the memory includes a number uniquely identifying an animal, and wherein the transponder is configured to generate an abbreviated number, which is the difference between the unique identifying number and another number.

30. The RFID tag of claim 29, wherein the transponder is configured to transmit the abbreviated number on the first carrier frequency.

73. The system of claim 1, each of the plurality of RFID tags contains a surface having printed matter displayed thereupon.

74. The system of claim 73, wherein the printed matter further includes a date upon which the printed matter was printed upon a given RFID tag.

75. The system of claim 73, wherein the printed matter further includes a date upon which the animal arrived at a facility.

76. The system of claim 73, wherein the printed matter further includes a date upon which the animal departed from a facility.

31. A method of manufacturing a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, for identification of animals, the method comprising:

providing a substrate;

disposing a first coil upon the substrate;

coupling a first integrated circuit to the first coil;

forming a first material atop the first coil and first integrated circuit; and

forming a second material over the first material.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the integrated circuit comprises a transmission unit, power circuitry, and a memory unit, and wherein the method further comprises writing a number uniquely identifying an animal to the memory.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising accessing a data store, to determine the unique identification number, prior to writing the number to the memory.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising accessing a server to obtain a lot of identification numbers hitherto unassigned to other animals within a political boundary, and selecting the unique identification number for storage in the memory from said lot of unassigned numbers.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the political boundary includes a country or group of countries.

36. The method of claim 32, further comprising reading the memory to determine whether the unique identification number stored therein corresponds with the unique number written thereto.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein the first and second materials are of different composition.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein the first material exhibits more rigidity than the second material.

39. The method of claim 31, wherein the forming operations comprise molding operations.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the first material exhibits a curing period after its molding operation.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the second material is molded atop the first material, prior to expiration of the curing period.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the second material is molded atop the first material, after expiration of the curing period.

43. The method of claim 31, further comprising forming printed material upon a surface of the tag.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the formation of printed material comprises molding the printed material onto the surface.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein the formation of printed material comprises printing the printed material onto the surface.

46. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

disposing a second coil upon the substrate;

coupling a second integrated circuit to the second coil, wherein the first material is formed atop the first and second coils and first and second integrated circuits.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising electrically coupling the first and second integrated circuits.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the first integrated circuit and first coil are configured to cooperate to transmit upon a first carrier frequency, and the second integrated circuit and second coil are configured to cooperate to transmit upon a second carrier frequency.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the first carrier frequency is approximately 134.2 kHz.

50. The method of claim 46, wherein the second coil is disposed within an interior region of the first coil.

51. A method of collision prevention for radio frequency identification (RFID) tags for identification of animals, the method comprising:

assigning each of a plurality of RFID tags a delay value; and

configuring each RFID tag to receive a query from a base station, and to respond thereto by waiting for a duration of time corresponding to the delay value, and then providing a response transmission, the response transmission including a unique identification number identifying an animal associated with the tag.

52. The method of claim 51, further comprising

directing a plurality of animals, each of which are outfitted with a configured RFID tag, through a region within radio contact of a base station;

and

using the base station to broadcast a query to each RFID tag on each animal within the region.

53. The method of claim 51, further comprising:

recording each delay value assigned to each RFID tag within the plurality of tags.

54. The method of claim 53, further comprising:

assigning a particular delay value for a particular RFID tag within the plurality of tags, based upon the recorded delay values, so that the assigned delay values for the plurality of tags approximately fit a chosen distribution.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the chosen distribution is a flat distribution.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein the chosen distribution is a normal distribution.

57. A method of providing identification of an animal, the method comprising:

receiving a query from a base station with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag in an animal; and

responding to the query with a first transmission on a first carrier frequency and a second transmission on a second carrier frequency.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the first carrier frequency is approximately 134.2 kHz.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the second carrier frequency is greater than 134.2 kHz.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the second carrier frequency is approximately 13.5 MHz.

61. The method of claim 59, wherein a unique identification number is transmitted upon the first carrier frequency.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein a unique identification number is transmitted upon the second carrier frequency.

63. The method of claim 61, wherein data other than the unique identification number is also carried upon the second carrier frequency.

64. The method of claim 57, wherein the query comprises a transmission that energizes the RFID tag.

65. A method of identifying an animal to a base station with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, the method comprising:

providing the base station with a smallest identification number assigned to any of a plurality of RFID tags associated with a plurality of animals;

receiving a query from the base station with an RFID tag in the animal, the RFID tag being assigned a unique identification number; and

responding to the received query with a reply transmission including an abbreviated identification number, which is the difference between the unique identifying number and the smallest identification number.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the act of providing the base station with the smallest identification number comprises entering the smallest identification number into the base station manually.

67. The method of claim 65, wherein the act of providing the base station with the smallest identification number comprises sending a query to the RFID tag, the query indicating that the RFID tag is to respond with the smallest identification number and with the abbreviated identification number.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein the abbreviated identification number is transmitted to the base station on a carrier frequency of approximately 134.2 kHz.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein the smallest identification number is transmitted to the base station on a carrier frequency greater than 134.2 kHz.

70. A system for identifying animals with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, the system comprising:

a first base station configured to operate at a first carrier frequency;

a second base station configured to operate at a second carrier frequency; and

a plurality of RFID tags, each associated with one of a plurality of animals, each RFID tag being configured to respond to a transmission on a first carrier frequency with a response transmission on the first carrier frequency and a response transmission on a second carrier frequency, at least one of the response transmissions including a unique identification number.

71. The system of claim 70, wherein the first carrier frequency is approximately 134.2 kHz.

72. The system of claim 71, wherein the second carrier frequency is greater than 134.2 kHz.

77. The system of claim 72, wherein an indicator of how large the animal is expected to be in the future is transmitted from an RFID tag to the second base station upon the second carrier frequency.

78. The system of claim 72, wherein a categorization code indicating an expected weight range of the animal is transmitted from an RFID tag to the second base station upon the second carrier frequency.

79. The system of claim 71, wherein the communication between the plurality of RFID tags and the first and second base stations is half duplex.

80. The system of claim 71, wherein the communication between the plurality of RFID tags and the first and second base stations is full duplex.

81. An identification tag for an animal, the tag comprising:

a first circuit including a memory subunit, a power subunit, and a first transmit subunit, the subunits electrically connected to each other;

a second circuit including a second transmit subunit, the second circuit electrically connected to the first circuit;

an antenna connected to the first circuit;

the power subunit of the first circuit configured to generate an electrical current when a radio signal is received by the antenna, and delivers this current to the first transmit subunit;

the first transmit subunit configured to transmit a first signal at a first frequency when it receives electrical current from the power subunit, the first signal encoding at least a first portion of any data within the memory subunit;

the second circuit configured to transmit a second signal at a second frequency when it when it receives electrical current from the power subunit, the second signal encoding at least a second portion of any data within the memory subunit.

82. The identification tag of claim 81, wherein the first and second circuits are housed on separate integrated circuit substrates.

83. The identification tag of claim 81, wherein the second circuit is electrically connected to a second antenna and transmits the second signal via the second antenna.

84. The identification tag of claim 81, wherein the first frequency is lower than the second frequency.

85. The identification tag of claim 84, wherein the first frequency is approximately 134.2 KHz.

86. A method of making an identification tag for an animal, the method comprising:

providing a producer of animals, at least one animal, an animal identification tag with a data transponder and a memory storage, and a tag printer located adjacent a space for confining the at least one animal;

acquiring at least one registration code to be assigned to the at least one animal;

inputting the at least one registration code into the tag printer;

positioning the animal in the confined space adjacent the tag printer;

positioning the animal identification tag within the tag printer;

printing the registration code on an exterior of the animal identification tag;

writing the registration code into the memory storage of the animal identification tag.

removing the animal identification tag from the machine; and

,

attaching the animal identification tag to the at least one animal.

87. The method of claim 86, further comprising verifying that the registration code printed on the exterior of the animal identification tag and the registration code stored in the memory storage of the animal identification tag are identical to the registration code assigned to the animal marked with the animal identification tag.

88. The method of claim 86, further comprising transmitting a radio signal to the animal identification tag and the transponder of the animal identification tag responding to the radio signal by transmitting the identification code.

89. An animal identification tag comprising:

a flexible substrate including upper and lower portions;

a transponder mount positioned between the upper and lower portions, the transponder mount substantially rigid;

a transponder mounted to the transponder mount, the transponder including a data memory storage, an antenna, power circuitry and transmission circuitry, the power circuitry configured to generate electrical current when a first radio signal at a first frequency is received by the antenna, the transmission circuitry configured to transmit at least a portion of any data within the data memory storage at a second frequency, and to transmit at least a portion of any data within the data memory storage at a second frequency when electrical current is received from the power circuitry;

a mounting opening extending through the upper and lower portions and a mounting opening reinforcement mounted between the upper and lower bodies adjacent the mounting opening.

90. A device for making animal identification tags comprising:

a housing including a path along which an animal identification tag may be positioned;

a data writing apparatus within the housing adjacent the path and positioned to write digital information to a data storage of the animal identification tag;

a printing device within the housing adjacent the path and positioned to print information on an exterior of the animal identification tag;

an optical scanner within the housing and positioned adjacent the path to optically scan the printed information on the exterior of the animal identification tag;

a radio frequency generator and receiver within the housing and positioned adjacent the path to query the digital information written into the data storage of the animal identification tag.

91. A method of tracking livestock comprising:

registering an identification code with a central data base, wherein registering includes associating the identification code with a user name;

providing a passive radio frequency identification tag;

writing the identification code to the passive radio frequency identification tag;

subsequently writing additional data to the passive radio frequency identification tag.

92. A method of tracking livestock comprising:

registering an identification code with a central data base, wherein registering includes associating the identification code with a user name;

providing a passive radio frequency identification tag;

writing the identification code to the passive radio frequency identification tag at a physical location where an animal to be tracked is located.

93. A method of tracking livestock comprising:

registering an identification code with a central data base, wherein registering includes associating the identification code with a user name;

providing a passive radio frequency identification tag;

writing the identification code to the passive radio frequency identification tag;

querying the passive radio frequency identification tag using a first frequency and receiving a response at a second frequency.

94. An radio frequency identification tag comprising:

a flexible substrate; and

a transponder position within the flexible substrate, the transponder including

a passive inductance radio frequency device positioned within a substantially rigid housing.

95. An animal identification tag comprising:

a flexible substrate including upper and lower portions;

a transponder mount positioned between the upper and lower portions, the transponder mount substantially rigid;

a transponder mounted to the transponder mount, the transponder including a data memory storage, an antenna, power circuitry and transmission circuitry, the power circuitry configured to generate electrical current when a first radio signal at a first frequency is received by the antenna, the transmission circuitry configured to transmit at least a portion of any data within the data memory storage at the first frequency;

a mounting opening extending through the upper and lower portions and a mounting opening reinforcement mounted between the upper and lower bodies adjacent the mounting opening;

operator provided indicia printed on the exterior of the flexible substrate.

96. A system comprising an animal and a radio frequency identification tag;

the radio frequency identification tag being coupled to the animal;

the radio frequency identification tag comprising a transponder and a flexible substrate;

the flexible substrate comprising upper and lower portions;

the transponder positioned between the upper and lower portions; and

operator provided indicia printed on the exterior of the flexible substrate.