Method and system for automatically feeding animals
First Claim
1. A method of automatically feeding animals using an electronic feeding system having a feeding station with at least one controlled access food source, said station being controlled by a programmable processor, said method comprising locating an electronic identification device on each animal to enable each animal to be individually identified by said system, placing at least one feed source in a controlled access location, programming said processor to control the feeding of each animal, storing information from each feeding for each animal, using said stored information to control and monitor each feeding for each animal, controlling an amount of feed that can be consumed based on the identification of each animal.
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Abstract
A method and system for automatically feeding animals uses identifiers on the animals and controls access to one or more food sources to control the amount consumed by each animal. The system is controlled by a programmable processor and can provide or prevent access and cut off access once provided based on the particular animal seeking food.
25 Citations
35 Claims
- 1. A method of automatically feeding animals using an electronic feeding system having a feeding station with at least one controlled access food source, said station being controlled by a programmable processor, said method comprising locating an electronic identification device on each animal to enable each animal to be individually identified by said system, placing at least one feed source in a controlled access location, programming said processor to control the feeding of each animal, storing information from each feeding for each animal, using said stored information to control and monitor each feeding for each animal, controlling an amount of feed that can be consumed based on the identification of each animal.
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2. A method of feeding animals using an electronic system having a feeding station with at least one feed source, said station being controlled by a programmable processor, said method comprising locating an electronic locating device on each animal to enable each animal to be individually identified by said system, placing said at least one feed source in a controlled access location, controlling access to said at least one feed source by each animal separately, storing information from each feeding by each animal, and using stored information for a subsequent feeding.
- 3. A method of feeding animals using an electronic system having a feeding station with one or more controlled access feed sources, said station being controlled by a programmable processor, said method comprising locating electronic identification devices on each animal to enable each animal to be identified individually by said system, placing said one or more feed sources in a controlled access area of said system, locating an access barrier for each feed source, programming said processor to allow access to a particular feed source or feed sources by a particular animal or animals, controlling said access, controlling an amount of each feed source consumed by each animal by opening and closing said barrier or barriers, storing the information for each feeding for each animal, using said information to control future feeding.
- 13. An automatic feeding system for animals comprising a feeding station with at least one feed source, said station being controlled by a programmable processor, said animals having individual identifiers mounted thereon, said feed source being located in a controlled access area, said access being controlled by a gate, there being one gate for each feed source, said processor controlling each gate, said processor identifying each animal and opening and closing each gate for each feed source to allow access or prevent access to each feed source for each animal, determining a type and amount of each feed source consumed by each animal, storing information from said determination in a memory, said processor controlling each gate based on said information for each animal.
- 20. A method of automatically feeding animals using an electronic system having a feeding station with one or more controlled access feed sources, said station being controlled by a programmable processor, said programmable processor being connected to a reader, said reader being capable of identifying a distinct feature of each animal, said animals each having a distinct feature that can distinguish the animals from each other, said method comprising pre-programming a feeding program for each animal, using said reader to identify each animal that approaches said station, placing said one or more feeding stations in a controlled access area of said system, locating an access barrier for each feed source, automatically controlling access to said feed sources for each animal in accordance with said feeding program for each animal including the type and amount of feed consumed by opening and closing said barrier or barriers appropriately and storing information for each feeding for each animal.
- 30. An automatic feeding system for animals comprising a feeding station with at least one feed source, said animals each having a distinct feature that can distinguish said animals from each other, said feeding station being controlled by a programmable processor, said programmable processor being connected to a reader, said reader being capable of identifying said distinct feature of each animal, said processor controlling access to said at least one feed source by each animal based on information for each animal, said system being constructed to open and close a barrier between said animals and said at least one feed source, said system having a memory to store information for each animal for several feedings.
Specification