Method and Device for Detecting Estrus

• US 20080110405A1
• Filed: 01/19/2006
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SCR Engineers Limited (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SCR Engineers Limited (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Ben Menachem, Uri, Brayer, Eyal, Voronin, Vladimir
• Granted Patent: US 7,878,149 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/174
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: A61D 17/002 for detecting period of heat of animals, i.e. for detecting oestrus for humans A61B10/0012

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and device for detecting estrus in animal by sensing along time the motion of the animal and identifying when the sensed motion is not related to eating periods of the animal. Based on the sensed motion which is not related to eating periods the estrus in the animal is identified.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

sensing along time motion of a cattle animal;

sensing along time data indicative of eating of said cattle animal;

accumulating a first signal indicative of said sensed motion and a second signal indicative of said data;

comparing current values of said first and said second signals to said accumulated first and second signals; and

identifying abnormal behavior of said animal when said current values of said first and said second signals statistically deviates from said accumulated first and second signals.

2. A method comprising the steps of:

sensing along time the motion of a cattle animal;

sensing along time data indicative of eating of said cattle animal;

accumulating a first signal indicative of said sensed motion and a second signal indicative of said of said data; and

identifying estrus using said accumulated first signal and said second signal.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said identification if said animal is in estrus comprises the steps of:

collecting the sensed motion data identified as not related to eating periods, said collected data is neutralized motion data;

extracting activity level of said animal from said neutralized motion data; and

identifying if said animal is in estrus based on the extracted activity level.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said step of identifying if said animal is in estrus comprises the steps of:

establishing a data base of typical behavior; and

comparing new collected neutralized motion data with data of said data base of typical behavior to detect changes in activity level of the said animal.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said data base is continuously updated with new collected neutralized motion data.

6. A method according to any one of claims 2 and 3, further comprising the step of transmitting to a remote receiver at least one of list comprising the sensed motion, the information related to eating periods, the collected neutralized motion data, the extracted activity level and the identification if the animal is in estrus.

7. A method according to claim 2, further comprising a step of indicating by indication means when the animal is identified as in estrus.

8. A method according to claim 2, further comprising a step of sending notification when the animal is identified as in estrus.

9. A method according to any one of claims 2-8, wherein at least one of the steps is performed inside a case which is placed where the animal'"'"'s head inclination can be sensed.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said case is at least one of the following:

mounted on the animal'"'"'s neck, implanted inside the animal or swallowed by the animal.

11. A method according to claim 2, wherein the step of identifying when the sensed motion is not related to eating periods comprises a step of measuring the inclination of the animal'"'"'s head relative to the ground.

12. A method according to claim 2, wherein the step of identifying when the sensed motion is not related to eating periods comprises a step of measuring the distance of the animal'"'"'s head to the ground.

13. A method according to claim 2, wherein the step of identifying when the sensed motion is not related to eating periods comprises a step of monitoring and analyzing the sounds and vibrations that occur when the animal is eating.

14. A method according to claim 2, wherein the step of sensing along time the motion comprises a step of measuring the accelerations in up to three orthogonal directions of said animal.

15. A device comprising:

at least one sensor for sensing the motion of a cattle animal;

at least one sensor for sensing when the motion is related to eating periods of said cattle animal;

at least one microprocessor for carrying out one or more of the operations comprising of receiving data of said sensed motion, identifying when the sensed motion is not related to eating periods of said cattle animal and identifying if said animal is in estrus based on the sensed motion which is not related to eating periods.

16. A device according to claim 15, wherein said microprocessor further comprising a memory.

17. A device according to claim 15, wherein said microprocessor further comprising a real time clock.

18. A device according to claim 15, further comprising a transceiver unit to transmit said processed data to a remote receiver.

19. A device according to claim 18, wherein said transceiver unit is adapted to send notification when the animal is identified as in estrus.

20. A device according to claim 15, further comprising an indicating means which indicates when the animal is identified as in estrus.

21. A device according to claim 15, wherein the device is at least partly contained within a case which is placed where the animal'"'"'s head inclination can be sensed.

22. A device according to claim 21, wherein said case is at least one of the following:

mounted on the animal'"'"'s neck, implanted inside the animal or swallowed by the animal.

23. A device according to claim 15, wherein said sensor for identifying when the sensed motion is related to eating periods is adapted to measure the animal'"'"'s head inclination relative to the ground.

24. A device according to claim 15, wherein said sensor for identifying when the sensed motion is related to eating periods is adapted to measure the distance of the animal'"'"'s head to the ground.

25. A device according to claim 15, wherein said sensor for identifying when the sensed motion is related to eating periods is adapted to monitor and analyze the sounds and vibrations that occur when said animal is eating.

26. A device according to claim 15, wherein said sensor for sensing the motion is adapted to measure the accelerations in up to three orthogonal directions.

27. A device according to claim 15, wherein said sensor for sensing the motion is combined with said sensor for identifying when the sensed motion is related to eating periods.

28. A device according to claim 27, wherein said combined sensor reports head motion values inversely proportional to the head'"'"'s inclination angle.

29. A device according to claim 27, wherein a first type of combined sensor comprises:

a cell partially filled with liquid comprising;

at least one transmitter and at least one receiver of electromagnetic radiation, the radiation received by said at least one receiver is indicative of an angle of inclination of said cell.

30. A device according to claim 29, wherein said electromagnetic radiation is substantially in the near infrared light (NIR light) range.

31. A device according to claim 29, wherein said identifying of the eating periods is done by analyzing a DC component of the received radiation signal, and sensing of the head acceleration amplitude is done by analyzing an AC component of the received radiation signal.

32. A device according to claim 29, wherein said cell is further filled with gas.

33. A device according to claim 29, wherein said cell is further filled with a second type of liquid that do not tend to mix with said first type.

34. A device according to claim 29, wherein said cell is further filled with at least one solid object.

35. A device according to claim 29, wherein said liquid is silicon.