System and method for performing an animal-related action

• US 9,924,699 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2013
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lely Patent N.V. (Lely)
• Original Assignee: Lely Patent N.V. (Lely)
• Inventors: Wisse, Dik-Jan, Van Kuilenburg, Jan Martinus, Van Den Berg, Karel, Kik, Pieter Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peche, Jorge O
• Application Number:
  US14/426,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20150230427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,699 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/01 Removal of dung or urine, e.g. from stablesA01K1/015 takes precedence; from poultry houses A01K31/04
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0128 by means of scrapers or the like moving continuously
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/00 Other apparatus for animal husbandry
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/02 Automatic devices automatic identification devices for stock A01K11/006
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/0266 with stable trolleys, e.g. suspended
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00

Abstract

A system for performing an animal-related action includes a self-propelled vehicle with a regulating unit including a transmitting and receiving device. The regulating unit is connected to a drive and control system of the vehicle, including an electric drive motor and a battery system. The system includes a central operating system provided with a transmitting and receiving device designed to communicate with the transmitting and receiving device of the vehicle. The central operating system includes a memory in which data are stored comprising navigation data, on the basis of which the vehicle is able to travel a predetermined route from a charging station, through at least a part of the operating area, and then back to the charging station. The central operating system transmits a packet of data including these navigation data to the regulating unit of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for performing an animal related action, said system comprising:

an operating area with a substrate on which material lies;

a self-propelled vehicle, which is provided with;

a plurality of wheels, which are movable over the substrate;

a drive and control system for driving and controlling the vehicle, said drive and control system of the vehicle being provided with an electric drive motor and a battery system for storing electrical energy, said battery system being connected to the electric drive motor;

a regulating unit, which is provided with a transmitting and receiving device, said regulating unit being connected to the drive and control system for the regulation thereof; and

a movement device for moving the material lying on the substrate as the vehicle moves;

at least one charging station for the vehicle, said charging station being located in the operating area and being provided with a charging system to charge the battery system of the vehicle; and

a central operating system which is provided with a transmitting and receiving device which is designed to communicate with the transmitting and receiving device of the regulating unit of the vehicle,

wherein the central operating system is provided with a memory in which data are stored comprising navigation data, on the basis of which the vehicle can travel an entire predetermined route from a charging station through at least a part of the operating area and then to a charging station, and the central operating system is designed to transmit a first packet of data comprising these navigation data from the transmitting and receiving device of the central operating system to the transmitting and receiving device of the regulating unit of the vehicle, and the regulating unit of the vehicle is provided with a memory for storing the first packet of data, and wherein the regulating unit of the vehicle is designed to regulate the drive and control system of the vehicle on the basis of the first packet of data in order for the vehicle to travel along said entire predetermined route,

wherein after the vehicle has returned to the charging station, the central operating system is configured to transmit a second packet of data, different from the first packet of data, from the transmitting and receiving device of the central operating system to the transmitting and receiving device of the regulating unit of the vehicle, and

wherein the regulating unit of the vehicle is configured to regulate the drive and control system of this vehicle on the basis of the second packet of data in order for this vehicle to travel along a second predetermined route that is different than the first predetermined route.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating area comprises a livestock building, in which at least one charging station for the vehicle is disposed, wherein the livestock building comprises the substrate with a substantially flat floor on which the material is located and wherein the movement device of the vehicle is designed to shift the material lying on the substrate over the floor as the vehicle moves.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the material is manure and the floor comprises a grid floor with openings in which the manure is located, and wherein a manure storage space is located under the grid floor, and wherein the movement device of the vehicle is provided with a pushing element to shift the manure over the floor as the vehicle moves in such a way that the manure falls through the openings of the grid floor into the manure storage space.

4. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the livestock building is provided with at least one feedway which is limited on at least one side by a feeding rack, and wherein, seen from the feedway, standing stations for animals are provided behind the feeding rack, and wherein the data stored in the memory of the central operating system comprise navigation data, on the basis of which the vehicle can travel a route from a charging station to the feedway and at least partially through the feedway and then to a charging station.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein feed is located on the floor, and wherein the movement device of the vehicle is designed to shift the feed over the floor as the vehicle moves through the feedway in such a way that the feed is moved in the direction of the feeding rack.

6. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the system is provided with a plurality of feedways, each being limited on at least one side by a feeding rack, and wherein, seen from the feedway, standing stations for animals are provided behind the feeding rack, and wherein the data stored in the memory of the central operating system comprise navigation data, on the basis of which the vehicle can travel a route from at least one charging station in each case to at least one of the feedways and at least partially through this feedway or feedways and then to a charging station, and wherein at least one of the feedways can be selected in the central operating system, and wherein the central operating system is designed to determine the first or second packet of data from the data stored in the memory of the central operating system in such a way that the first or second packet of data is provided with navigation data, on the basis of which the vehicle can travel a route from a charging station to the selected feedway or feedways and at least partially through this selected feedway or feedways and then to a charging station, and wherein the central operating system is designed to transmit the first or second packet of data from the transmitting and receiving device of the central operating system to the transmitting and receiving device of the regulating unit of the vehicle.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material is manure and the operating area comprises a livestock building, in which at least one charging station for the vehicle is disposed, wherein the livestock building comprises the substrate with a substantially flat floor on which the manure is located, and wherein the vehicle comprises a manure storage tank, and wherein the movement device of the vehicle is designed to shift the manure from the floor to the manure storage tank, by vacuuming or scooping up the manure from the floor.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a second self propelled vehicle, which is provided with;

a plurality of wheels, which are movable over the substrate;

a drive and control system for driving and controlling the second vehicle, said drive and control system of the second vehicle being provided with an electric drive motor and a battery system for storing electrical energy, said battery system being connected to the electric drive motor, and said battery system being chargeable by the charging system; and

a regulating unit, which is provided with a transmitting and receiving device, said regulating unit being connected to the drive and control system for the regulation thereof,

wherein the transmitting and receiving device of the central operating system is designed to communicate with the transmitting and receiving device of the regulating unit of the second vehicle, and

wherein data are stored in the memory of the central operating system comprising navigation data, on the basis of which the second vehicle can travel an entire predetermined route from a charging station through at least a part of the operating area and then to a charging station, and the central operating system is designed to transmit a third packet of data comprising these navigation data from the transmitting and receiving device of the central operating system to the transmitting and receiving device of the regulating unit of the second vehicle, and the regulating unit of the second vehicle is provided with a memory for storing the third packet of data, and the regulating unit of the second vehicle is designed to regulate the drive and control system of the second vehicle on the basis of the third packet of data in order for the vehicle to travel along said entire predetermined route.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the operating area comprises a livestock building, in which at least one charging station for the second vehicle is disposed, wherein the livestock building comprises the substrate with a substantially flat floor on which the material is located, and

wherein the second vehicle is provided with a movement device which is designed to shift the material over the floor as the second vehicle moves.

10. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second vehicle is a feed vehicle, comprising:

a container to hold feed; and

a delivery device to deliver feed held in the container,

wherein the system is provided with;

a feed stock system to contain at least one type of feed;

a feed loading station for the feed vehicle, said feed loading station being located in the operating area;

a feed loading device which is designed to transfer feed from the feed stock system to the container of the feed vehicle when the feed vehicle is set up on the feed loading station; and

a feeding station for feeding animals, said feeding station being located in the operating area at a distance from the feed loading station, and said feeding station being reachable for the feed vehicle from the feed loading station by moving the feed vehicle with the wheels thereof over the substrate, and

wherein data are stored in the memory of the central operating system, on the basis of which the feed vehicle can travel an entire predetermined route from the feed loading station, which is provided with a loading station for the feed vehicle, to the feeding station, and the central operating system is designed to transmit the third packet of data comprising these navigation data from the transmitting and receiving device of the central operating system to the transmitting and receiving device of the regulating unit of the feed vehicle, and the regulating unit of the feed vehicle is provided with a memory for storing the third packet of data, and the regulating unit of the feed vehicle is designed to regulate the drive and control system of the feed vehicle on the basis of the third packet of data for the feed vehicle to travel along said entire predetermined route from the feed loading station to the feeding station.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the data stored in the memory of the central operating system comprise operating data for operating the delivery device of the feed vehicle, and wherein the third packet of data is provided with these operating data, and wherein the regulating unit of the feed vehicle is designed to operate the delivery device of the feed vehicle on the basis of these operating data.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating area of the system is provided with a plurality of markers, wherein the or each vehicle is provided with a sensor system to detect the markers, and wherein the navigation data stored in the memory of the central operating system comprise marker data of the markers, and

wherein the navigation data of the first and second packets of data are provided with these marker data, and wherein the regulating unit of the vehicle is designed to regulate the drive and control system of this vehicle on the basis of these marker data and the detections of the sensor system.

13. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the markers are provided with a strip, disposed in or on the substrate, a wall and/or an impact point, wherein the marker data of the navigation data of the first and second packets of data comprise the following of the strip by means of the sensor system of the vehicle and/or the following of the wall by means of the sensor system of the vehicle and/or the traveling against an impact point which is detectable by the sensor system of the vehicle.

14. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is provided with a gyroscope, and wherein the navigation data of the first and second packets of data comprise the traveling of the vehicle straight ahead over a predetermined distance on the basis of the gyroscope.

15. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central operating system is designed to transmit the first and second packets of data from the transmitting and receiving device of the central operating system to the transmitting and receiving device of the regulating unit of the vehicle and/or of a second vehicle while this vehicle is set up on a charging station.

16. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central operating system is designed to transmit the first and second packets of data in one step from the transmitting and receiving device of the central operating system to the transmitting and receiving device of the regulating unit of the vehicle and/or of a second vehicle.

17. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material on the substrate of the operating area is feed and/or manure.

18. A method for feeding animals, wherein comprising the steps of:

providing a system for performing an animal related action, said system comprising;

an operating area with a substrate on which material lies;

a first and/or second self-propelled vehicle, which is provided with;

a plurality of wheels, which are movable over the substrate;

a drive and control system for driving and controlling the vehicle, said drive and control system of the vehicle being provided with an electric drive motor and a battery system for storing electrical energy, said battery system being connected to the electric drive motor;

a regulating unit, which is provided with a transmitting and receiving device, said regulating unit being connected to the drive and control system for the regulation thereof and comprising a memory for storing packets of data, wherein the regulating unit is designed to regulate the drive and control system of the vehicle on the basis of said packet of data in order for the vehicle to travel along the entire first predetermined route; and

a movement device for moving the material lying on the substrate as the vehicle moves;

at least one charging station for the vehicle, said charging station being located in the operating area and being provided with a charging system to charge the battery system of the vehicle; and

a central operating system which is provided with a transmitting and receiving device which is designed to communicate with the transmitting and receiving device of the regulating unit of the vehicle, wherein the central operating system is provided with a memory in which data are stored comprising navigation data, on the basis of which the vehicle can travel an entire first predetermined route from a charging station through at least a part of the operating area and then to a charging station;

transmitting, with the central operating system, a first packet of data from the transmitting and receiving device of the central operating system to the transmitting and receiving device of the regulating unit of the vehicle and/or of the second vehicle;

regulating with the regulating unit of the vehicle and/or of the second vehicle, the drive and control system of this vehicle on the basis of the first packet of data in order for this vehicle to travel along said entire first predetermined route;

after the vehicle has returned to the charging station, transmitting with the central operating system a second packet of data, different than the first packet of data, from the transmitting and receiving device of the central operating system to the transmitting and receiving device of the regulating unit of the vehicle and/or of the second vehicle, and

regulating, with the regulating unit of the vehicle and/or of the second vehicle, the drive and control system of this vehicle on the basis of the second packet of data in order for this vehicle to travel along a second predetermined route that is different than the first predetermined route.