Low-power-consumption intelligent necklace for shepherds based on dual-mode energy supply and control method of low-power-consumption intelligent necklace

Abstract

The invention discloses a low-power-consumption intelligent necklace for shepherds based on dual-mode energy supply and a control method of the low-power-consumption intelligent necklace. The low-power-consumption intelligent necklace for the shepherds based on dual-mode energy supply comprises a necklace body, the necklace body is provided with a detachable core unit and a dual-mode energy supply unit, and the core unit is connected with the dual-mode energy supply unit; the core unit is a TPU shell in which a positioning chip, a movable sensor, a microprocessor and a communication module which are connected with one another are packaged, and the dual-mode energy supply unit comprises a flexible solar cell, a ceramic micro generator and a micro battery.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of animal husbandry Internet of Things equipment, and in particular to a low-power smart collar for sheep herding based on dual-mode energy supply and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] With the modernization of animal husbandry, intelligent farming equipment is playing an increasingly important role in improving production efficiency and management. Smart collars, a key device for animal monitoring and management, have been widely used in livestock production, including sheep herding. Currently, smart collars on the market primarily use GPS positioning and wireless communication technologies to track livestock location and monitor their status.

[0003] Existing smart collars for sheep herding still have the following problems: First, the power supply system is simple. Most collars rely on a single battery or solar power source, resulting in insufficient battery life. Under normal use conditions, the battery life typically does not exceed 30 days, requiring frequent battery replacement, which increases maintenance costs and workload. Second, existing collar designs are generally bulky, often weighing over 150 grams. Long-term wear can easily cause skin damage to the sheep's neck, especially for young sheep, with a shedding rate of over 15%, affecting their effectiveness. Third, communication costs are high. Most smart collars rely on cellular networks (4G / 5G) to transmit data, resulting in high annual communication costs when deployed on a large scale. Finally, the problem of single functionality is prominent. Most existing collars only support basic positioning functions, lack health monitoring and abnormal behavior recognition capabilities, and cannot meet the needs of refined management in modern animal husbandry. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art and provide a low-power smart collar for herding sheep based on dual-mode energy supply and a control method thereof.

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution provided by the present invention is: The low-power smart collar for shepherding based on dual-mode energy supply comprises a collar body (1), wherein a detachable core unit (2) and a dual-mode energy supply unit (3) are provided on the collar body (1), and the core unit (2) and the dual-mode energy supply unit (3) are connected; the core unit (2) is a TPU shell encapsulating a positioning chip (21), an activity sensor (22), a microprocessor (23) and a communication module (24) which are interconnected, and the dual-mode energy supply unit (3) comprises a flexible solar cell (31), a ceramic micro-generator (32) and a micro-battery (33).

[0006] Preferably, the microbattery (33) includes a supercapacitor and a common microbattery.

[0007] More preferably, the capacity of the supercapacitor is ≥10F, the charge and discharge efficiency is ≥95%, and the cycle life is ≥5000 times.

[0008] Preferably, the collar body (1) is a nylon braided belt, a memory alloy ring is embedded in the nylon braided belt, and the inner side of the nylon braided belt is coated with a bioadhesive.

[0009] Preferably, the bioadhesive is polyethylene glycol-polypropylene glycol copolymer.

[0010] Preferably, the communication module (24) adopts a Semtech SX1276 LoRa module to realize information interaction between the collar and the mobile terminal.

[0011] The control method of the smart collar for shepherding based on the above-mentioned multi-mode fusion positioning is: during the day, when the sheep are stationary, the microprocessor only enables the flexible solar cell to power the sheep; at night, when the sheep are stationary, the microprocessor only enables the microbattery to power the sheep; when the sheep are moving, the ceramic micro generator generates pulsed electricity due to the movement of the sheep; when the sunlight intensity is less than 200 lux and the sheep are stationary, the microprocessor enables the microbattery to power the sheep.

[0012] The present invention will be further described below: The low-power smart collar for sheep herding based on dual-mode energy supply of the present invention is designed with: 1. Ultra-low power hardware Chip-level optimization: It uses a customized chip with RISC-V architecture (model GD32VW553), with sleep power consumption ≤3μA and active power consumption ≤8mA (@10MHz main frequency).

[0013] The satellite positioning module only integrates a single-frequency GPS L1 receiver (u-blox MAX-M10S), and the cold start time is ≤15 seconds.

[0014] Split design: Core module (30g): Contains positioning chip, activity sensor, microprocessor and communication module, encapsulated in TPU shell.

[0015] Energy module (50g): detachable flexible solar cell (conversion efficiency ≥ 23%) + supercapacitor (10F, 3.3V), connected to the core module via a waterproof plug.

[0016] 2. Dynamic energy supply design Dual-mode energy harvesting: Solar charging: The back of the collar is integrated with a single-crystal silicon flexible photovoltaic sheet (size 6×4cm, peak power 1.2W), which supports charging in low light conditions on cloudy days (starting when the illumination is ≥200lux).

[0017] Kinetic energy recovery: Built-in piezoelectric ceramic generator (model LDT0-028K) generates pulse current when the sheep exercise (average daily power generation ≥180mAh).

[0018] Intelligent power distribution strategy: Lightweight firmware based on FreeRTOS implements energy supply priority management (solar energy > kinetic energy > battery).

[0019] 3. Lightweight and anti-fall design The main body of the collar is made of a combination of nylon braided belt (width 2.5cm, tensile strength ≥500N) and a memory alloy ring (nickel-titanium alloy, deformation recovery rate ≥95%), which is adapted to the changes in neck circumference of sheep during their growth period (20-45cm).

[0020] The inside is coated with veterinary-grade bioadhesive (the main component is polyethylene glycol-polypropylene glycol copolymer), which forms an elastic membrane layer after curing. It will naturally degrade after wearing for 72 hours, and the degradation products have no toxic side effects on sheep.

[0021] 4. Low-cost wide-area networking LoRaWAN communication architecture: The collar has a built-in Semtech SX1276 LoRa module with a communication distance of ≥12km (suburban line of sight) and supports ADR (Adaptive Data Rate) function to reduce power consumption.

[0022] A single gateway (Dragino LPS8) deployed on a ranch can cover an area of 10 km², supporting up to 2,000 nodes, with an annual communication cost of ≤ 100 yuan (a 99% reduction compared to 4G solutions).

[0023] The invention was tested for endurance: 100 collars were deployed on a ranch in Inner Mongolia. The test results showed that: Average daily power consumption: ≤3mAh in summer (sufficient light), ≤8mAh in winter (weak light).

[0024] Comprehensive battery life: ≥180 days (normal mode) without additional charging.

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. Significantly Improved Battery Life: Through a dual-mode power supply design (solar energy + kinetic energy recovery), the collar boasts a combined battery life of ≥180 days, over six times longer than existing technologies. Traditional collars rely on a single battery, with a typical battery life of only 30 days or less. This new collar significantly extends the device's lifespan by integrating flexible solar cells with ceramic micro-generators, reducing the frequency of battery replacements.

[0026] 2. Lightweight, anti-drop design: The collar weighs approximately 80g (core module 30g + energy module 50g), making it approximately 47% lighter than traditional collars. Its use of a memory alloy ring and bio-adhesive adapts to the changing neck circumference of sheep during growth, effectively preventing them from dropping. Traditional collars generally weigh ≥150g, and long-term wear can easily damage the neck skin of sheep, with a dropout rate of ≥15% in young sheep. This invention's lightweight design and use of specialized materials effectively address this issue.

[0027] 3. Significantly Reduced Communication Costs: Utilizing the LoRaWAN communication architecture, a single gateway can cover an area of 10 km² and support 2,000 nodes, with annual communication costs ≤ 100 RMB, a 99% reduction compared to 4G solutions. Traditional collars rely on cellular networks (4G / 5G) for data transmission, resulting in high annual communication costs for large-scale deployment. However, this invention utilizes the Semtech SX1276 LoRa module to achieve a low-cost, wide-coverage data transmission solution.

[0028] 4. Ultra-low power hardware design: Utilizing a custom chip based on the RISC-V architecture, the system achieves sleep power consumption of ≤3μA and active power consumption of ≤8mA, with average daily power consumption of ≤3mAh in summer and ≤8mAh in winter. Intelligent control strategies dynamically adjust power supply based on the sheep's activity level and ambient light conditions, further optimizing energy efficiency.

[0029] The present invention provides a smart collar for shepherding that has ultra-long battery life, is lightweight, and supports large-scale deployment. Through a dual-mode energy supply system and a split structural design, it solves the problems of short battery life, bulky equipment, and high communication costs in the existing technology.

[0030] In summary, this invention reduces the weight of the core module to 30g through a split design. Combined with dual-mode solar and kinetic energy, it achieves an ultra-long battery life of 180 days or more. The use of shape memory alloy rings and bio-adhesives reduces the pup shedding rate to below 2%, and based on LoRaWAN networking technology, it reduces communication costs by 99%. This solution is suitable for large-scale plain pastures, balancing low-cost deployment with animal welfare requirements. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Figure 1 : Schematic diagram of the overall structure of a low-power smart collar for herding based on dual-mode energy supply.

[0032] In the figure: 1. Collar body; 2. Core unit; 21. Positioning chip; 22. Activity sensor; 23. Microprocessor; 24 and communication module; 3. Dual-mode energy supply unit; 31. Flexible solar cell; 32. Ceramic micro generator; 33 Micro battery. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. Example 1

[0034] See also Figure 1 The low-power smart collar for shepherding based on dual-mode energy supply includes a collar body 1, on which a detachable core unit 2 and a dual-mode energy supply unit 3 are provided, and the core unit 2 and the dual-mode energy supply unit 3 are connected; the core unit 2 is a TPU shell encapsulating an interconnected positioning chip 21, an activity sensor 22, a microprocessor 23 and a communication module 24, and the dual-mode energy supply unit 3 includes a flexible solar cell 31, a ceramic micro-generator 32 and a micro-battery 33.

[0035] The microbattery 33 includes a supercapacitor and a conventional microbattery. The supercapacitor has a capacity of ≥10F, a charge-discharge efficiency of ≥95%, and a cycle life of ≥5000 cycles. The collar body 1 is a nylon braid embedded with a memory alloy ring and coated on the inside with a bioadhesive. The bioadhesive is a polyethylene glycol-polypropylene glycol copolymer. The communication module 24 uses a Semtech SX1276 LoRa module. Example 2

[0036] The control method of the low-power smart collar for shepherding based on dual-mode energy supply described in Example 1 is: during the day, when the sheep are stationary, the microprocessor only enables the flexible solar cell to supply power; at night, when the sheep are stationary, the microprocessor only enables the microbattery to supply power; when the sheep are moving, the ceramic micro generator generates pulsed electric energy due to the movement of the sheep; when the sunlight intensity is less than 200 lux and the sheep are stationary, the microprocessor enables the microbattery to supply power; an intermittent positioning strategy is adopted: GPS positioning is activated every 2 hours.

Claims

1. A low-power smart collar for sheep herding based on dual-mode energy supply, characterized in that: The low-power smart collar comprises a collar body (1), wherein a detachable core unit (2) and a dual-mode energy supply unit (3) are provided on the collar body (1), and the core unit (2) and the dual-mode energy supply unit (3) are connected; the core unit (2) is a TPU shell encapsulating a positioning chip (21), an activity sensor (22), a microprocessor (23) and a communication module (24) which are interconnected, and the dual-mode energy supply unit (3) comprises a flexible solar cell (31), a ceramic micro-generator (32) and a micro-battery (33).

2. The low-power smart collar for shepherding based on dual-mode energy supply as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The microbattery (33) includes a supercapacitor and a common microbattery.

3. The low-power smart collar for shepherding based on dual-mode energy supply as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that: The capacity of the supercapacitor is ≥10F, the charge and discharge efficiency is ≥95%, and the cycle life is ≥5000 times.

4. The low-power smart collar for shepherding based on dual-mode energy supply as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that: The collar body (1) is a nylon braided belt, a memory alloy ring is embedded in the nylon braided belt, and the inner side of the nylon braided belt is coated with a biological adhesive.

5. The low-power smart collar for shepherding based on dual-mode energy supply as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that: The bioadhesive is a polyethylene glycol-polypropylene glycol copolymer.

6. The low-power smart collar for shepherding based on dual-mode energy supply as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that: The communication module (24) adopts a Semtech SX1276 LoRa module.

7. A control method for a smart collar for shepherding based on multi-mode fusion positioning according to claim 6, characterized in that: The method is as follows: during the day, when the sheep is stationary, the microprocessor only enables the flexible solar cell to supply power; at night, when the sheep is stationary, the microprocessor only enables the microbattery to supply power; when the sheep is moving, the ceramic micro generator generates pulsed electricity due to the sheep's movement; when the sunlight intensity is less than 200 lux and the sheep is stationary, the microprocessor enables the microbattery to supply power; an intermittent positioning strategy is adopted: GPS positioning is activated every 2 hours.

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