Experimental animal screening system and method based on RFID technology

Abstract

The invention discloses an experimental animal screening system and method based on the RFID technology, and the system comprises a demand recognition module which is used for generating a feature standard in a management system; the retrieval module is used for preliminarily screening to-be-verified animal groups conforming to feature standards in the management system database; the retrieval and verification module is used for searching an animal container RFID tag transponder corresponding to the animal group to be verified through the first type of RFID reader-writer device so as to judge the in-cage state of the animal group to be verified; the retrieval positioning module is used for determining the specific position of the animal group to be verified according to the container point location code; and the animal verification module is used for simultaneously communicating with the animal container RFID tag transponder and the animal RFID tag transponder through the second-type RFID reader-writer device so as to verify the consistency of the feature standard, the animal group and the animal individual. The screening efficiency can be improved, the screening accuracy is guaranteed, the management process is optimized, and the labor cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of life science research, and in particular to an experimental animal screening system and method based on RFID technology. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of life science research, the demand for laboratory animals is increasing. This increased demand has placed an increased burden on animal screening and distribution within laboratory animal production facilities. At a medium-sized laboratory animal production facility, staff must enter the facility's containment area at dawn each day to pre-screen animals scheduled for dispatch that day. This entire process (including locating, locating, identifying, and confirming strain and age information, as well as weighing, sorting, and packing) is currently largely manual and often takes several hours. This additional workload places an additional burden on staff within the containment area, resulting in low efficiency and high costs. Furthermore, this process is prone to errors, such as incorrect selection of strain, age, and sex, as well as inaccurate weighing and recording of information. These errors can lead to additional losses for the facility and negatively impact positive customer relationships. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In order to solve one or more technical problems in the prior art, the present invention provides an experimental animal screening system based on RFID technology, comprising: A demand identification module is used to generate characteristic standards in the animal information management system based on the input animal demand characteristics; a retrieval module configured to preliminarily screen a group of animals to be verified that meet the characteristic criteria in an animal information management system database and to feedback a unique animal container identification code corresponding to the group of animals to be verified; the animal container identification code is stored in an RFID tag transponder of the animal container, and the RFID tag transponder of the animal container is configured on the animal container; a search and verification module configured to search for RFID tag transponders of animal containers corresponding to the animal group to be verified using a first-class RFID reader / writer device to determine the cage status of the animal group to be verified; the first-class RFID reader / writer device being disposed at different locations on the container support, each first-class RFID reader / writer device having a unique container location code; A retrieval and positioning module is used to determine the specific location of the animal group to be verified based on the point code of the container; An animal verification module is used to communicate with the animal container RFID tag transponder and the animal RFID tag transponder simultaneously through a second-type RFID reader-writer device to verify the consistency of characteristic standards, animal groups and individual animals; the second-type RFID reader-writer device is set on the screening workbench, and the animal RFID tag transponder is configured on the individual animal, and each animal RFID tag transponder has a unique animal identification code.

[0004] Preferably, the experimental animal screening system further comprises: An animal weighing module is used to weigh individual animals that have passed the consistency verification one by one using an electronic scale to obtain weight information of the individual animals, and send the weight information to the animal record corresponding to the individual animal in the animal information management system through a third-class RFID reader-writer device; the third-class RFID reader-writer device is set at a weighing point, the third-class RFID reader-writer device communicates with the animal RFID tag transponder to collect the animal identification code, and the third-class RFID reader-writer device communicates with the electronic scale to obtain the weight information; the weight information is used to compare with the weight standard range set in the characteristic standard.

[0005] Preferably, the experimental animal screening system further comprises: The qualified weighing module is used to transfer the animal individual whose weight information meets the weight standard range from the electronic scale to the qualified container, so that the animal RFID tag transponder disconnects the communication with the third type RFID reader-writer device and establishes communication with the fourth type RFID reader-writer device. The fourth type RFID reader-writer device communicates with the animal RFID tag transponder and the qualified container RFID tag transponder at the same time, thereby triggering the animal information management system to update the status to "qualified" or "out of the cage" in the animal record corresponding to the animal individual and record the unique qualified container identification code of the qualified container in the animal record; the qualified container identification code is stored in the qualified container RFID tag transponder, and the qualified container RFID tag transponder is configured on the qualified container.

[0006] Preferably, the experimental animal screening system further comprises: A weighing deviation module is used to transfer individual animals whose weight information does not meet the weight standard range from the electronic scale to a deviation container, so that the animal RFID tag transponder disconnects communication with the third type RFID reader-writer device and establishes communication with the fifth type RFID reader-writer device. The fifth type RFID reader-writer device simultaneously communicates with the animal RFID tag transponder and the deviation container RFID tag transponder, thereby triggering the animal information management system to update the status to "weight deviation" in the animal record corresponding to the individual animal and record the unique deviation container identification code of the deviation container in the animal record; the deviation container identification code is stored in the deviation container RFID tag transponder, and the deviation RFID tag transponder is configured on the deviation container.

[0007] Preferably, the step of weighing the individual animals that have passed the consistency verification one by one using an electronic scale to obtain weight information of the individual animals, and sending the weight information to the animal record corresponding to the individual animals in the animal information management system using a third-class RFID reader / writer device, comprises: communicating with the animal RFID tag transponder via the third type RFID reader / writer device to collect the animal identification code; The animal information management system locks the animal record corresponding to the animal identification code, wherein the animal record includes a weight information unit; The electronic scale outputs the weighing result in the form of a digital signal, and the digital signal is transmitted to the MCU of the third type RFID reader device via a signal cable; The MCU of the third type RFID reader / writer device integrates and compiles the animal identification code and the weighing result, and updates the weighing result to the weight information unit.

[0008] Preferably, the required animal characteristics include the category characteristics, strain characteristics, gender characteristics, age characteristics, size characteristics and / or weight characteristics of the experimental animals.

[0009] Preferably, searching the animal container RFID tag transponder corresponding to the to-be-verified animal group by a first-class RFID reader / writer device to determine the cage status of the to-be-verified animal group includes: When the animal container containing the group of animals to be verified is in place on the container support, the RFID tag transponder of the animal container is recognized by the first type of RFID reader / writer device, and the cage status is determined to be "in cage"; When the animal container containing the animal group to be verified is not in place on the container support and the animal container RFID tag transponder is out of the recognition range of the first type RFID reader / writer device, the cage status is determined to be "not in cage".

[0010] Preferably, determining the specific location of the animal group to be verified according to the container point code includes: Displaying information on the interactive terminal to prompt staff members about the specific location of the animal group to be verified; And / or, an indicator light is turned on on the first type RFID reader device corresponding to the specific location to remind the staff of the specific location of the animal group to be verified.

[0011] Preferably, the second type RFID reader / writer device communicates with the animal container RFID tag transponder and the animal RFID tag transponder simultaneously to verify the consistency of characteristic standards, animal groups and individual animals, including: communicating with the animal container RFID tag transponder and the animal RFID tag transponder simultaneously through the second type RFID reader / writer device to obtain the animal container identification code and the animal identification code; calling feature standards in an animal information management system according to the animal identification code; The consistency verification is performed by comparing the characteristic standard, the animal container identification code and the animal identification code.

[0012] The present invention also provides a screening method based on the experimental animal screening system based on RFID technology, comprising the following steps: S1: Based on the demand identification module, input animal demand characteristics to generate feature standards; S2: Based on the retrieval module, the animal information management system database is used to screen the animal population to be verified that meets the characteristic standards, and the animal container identification code of the animal container containing the animal population to be verified is fed back; S3: Based on the retrieval verification module, the first type of RFID reader / writer device is used to search for the RFID tag transponder of the animal container corresponding to the animal group to be verified, so as to verify whether the animal group to be verified is in the cage; S4: Based on the retrieval and positioning module, the specific location information of the caged animal group to be verified is fed back to the search result interface of the animal information management system, and the staff in the barrier facility will move the animal containers containing the animal group to be verified one by one to the screening workbench according to the specific location information of the animal group containers; S5: Based on the animal verification module, the second type of RFID reader / writer device is used to identify the individual animals in the animal container one by one, and the animal information management system is used to verify the consistency of the animal individual characteristic value corresponding to the individual animal, the animal group characteristic value corresponding to the animal container, and the characteristic standard value; S6: Based on the animal weighing module, the individual animals that have passed the consistency verification are weighed, and the weight information of the individual animals is updated to the weight information unit of the corresponding animal record in the animal information management system database through the third-class RFID reader / writer device; S7: Based on the weighing deviation module, when the weight information of the individual animal deviates from the weight standard range, the individual animal is transferred from the weighing container to the deviation container, and the animal identification code corresponding to the individual animal is updated to the animal information management system via the fifth type RFID reader / writer device, and the status in the weight information unit of the corresponding animal record is updated to "weight deviation"; S8: Based on the qualified weighing module, when the weight information of the individual animal meets the weight standard range, the individual animal is transferred from the weighing container to the qualified container, and the animal identification code corresponding to the individual animal is updated to the animal information management system through the fourth-class RFID reader-writer device, and the status is updated to "qualified" or "out of the cage" in the weight information unit of the corresponding animal record to complete the screening.

[0013] Beneficial effects of the present invention: (1) Improve screening efficiency The retrieval module in this invention can quickly screen the animal population for verification from the database based on the characteristic criteria generated by the demand identification module. The retrieval and positioning module, combined with the container point coding, can accurately determine the location of the animal population through interactive terminal displays or indicator lights, significantly reducing manual search time and making the screening process more efficient. The retrieval and verification module, using a first-class RFID reader / writer device, can automatically determine the cage status of the animal population, eliminating the need for manual individual inspections. In large-scale experimental animal facilities, this can quickly obtain animal location status information, facilitating timely adjustments to management strategies.

[0014] (2) Ensure screening accuracy The animal verification module in this invention utilizes a second-class RFID reader / writer device to simultaneously obtain identification codes for both animal containers and individual animals, then compares them against characteristic standards to ensure that individual animals and groups conform to the standards. This avoids screening errors caused by misidentification of characteristics such as strain, age, and gender during traditional manual screening. The animal weighing module integrates the weighing process with the screening system, automatically collecting, transmitting, and integrating weight information and comparing it against the standard range. The qualified weighing module and the weighing deviation module automatically update the association between animal information and containers based on the weight results using RFID technology, avoiding manual recording errors and enabling accurate classification and tracking management.

[0015] (3) Optimize management processes During the animal transfer process, each module in the present invention can automatically update animal information through RFID technology, and the system can record the container code and animal status in real time to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information, thereby improving management efficiency and traceability.

[0016] (4) Reduce labor costs The collaborative work of various modules in the system of the present invention can realize the automation and intelligence of the screening process, reduce the dependence on a large number of manual operations, effectively reduce labor costs, and alleviate the workload of employees in the barrier area. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The accompanying drawings are used to provide further understanding of the present invention and constitute a part of the specification. They are used to explain the present invention together with the embodiments of the present invention and do not constitute a limitation of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of an experimental animal screening method based on RFID technology according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Screening in this invention involves selecting animals to be shipped to determine if they meet customer requirements. For example, considerations include strain, age (typically 6-8 weeks old mice), sex, genotype, and weight. Often, a single shipping cage (container) can contain dozens of animals, making individual separation a time-consuming task. Furthermore, after weighing mice, there are three possible outcomes: meeting the weight requirement (shipping), falling below the standard (allowing for a few more days of rearing within the age limit before shipping), and exceeding the standard (forcing for alternative disposal). This screening process requires preparation at the facility several hours in the early morning each day to ensure morning shipment. Any errors in selection can negatively impact the company's reputation and the client's experimental results. In existing technologies, errors in the screening process are often discovered only after flawed experimental results. The current industry practice is for the shipping company to bear the responsibility.

[0020] By adopting the technical solution disclosed in the present invention, the above-mentioned problems can be solved with the help of RFID technology, thereby improving the efficiency of animal screening and delivery workflows and reducing the error rate.

[0021] The present application will be described in detail below in conjunction with the embodiments. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the present application and does not limit the present application. In fact, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made in the present application without departing from the scope or spirit of the present application. For example, a feature shown or described as part of one embodiment can be used in another embodiment to produce yet another embodiment. Therefore, it is expected that the present application includes such modifications and variations within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0022] The present invention provides an experimental animal screening system based on RFID technology, comprising: A demand identification module is used to generate characteristic standards in the animal information management system based on the input animal demand characteristics; a retrieval module configured to preliminarily screen a group of animals to be verified that meet the characteristic criteria in an animal information management system database and to feedback a unique animal container identification code corresponding to the group of animals to be verified; the animal container identification code is stored in an RFID tag transponder of the animal container, and the RFID tag transponder of the animal container is configured on the animal container; a search and verification module configured to search for RFID tag transponders of animal containers corresponding to the animal group to be verified using a first-class RFID reader / writer device to determine the cage status of the animal group to be verified; the first-class RFID reader / writer device being disposed at different locations on the container support, each first-class RFID reader / writer device having a unique container location code; A retrieval and positioning module is used to determine the specific location of the animal group to be verified based on the point code of the container; An animal verification module is used to communicate with the animal container RFID tag transponder and the animal RFID tag transponder simultaneously through a second-type RFID reader-writer device to verify the consistency of characteristic standards, animal groups and individual animals; the second-type RFID reader-writer device is set on the screening workbench, and the animal RFID tag transponder is configured on the individual animal, and each animal RFID tag transponder has a unique animal identification code.

[0023] In practice, the operator inputs required animal characteristics, such as the type, strain, sex, age, size, and weight of the experimental animals. Based on these inputs, the requirements identification module generates corresponding screening criteria within the animal information management system, such as a detailed "screening list." The retrieval module then searches the extensive database for animal populations meeting these criteria, following the "screening list" generated by the requirements identification module. Once found, the retrieval module returns the unique animal container identification code corresponding to the animal's container. This code, like the container's "ID card number," is stored in the RFID tag transponder attached to the animal container, facilitating subsequent precise location and identification. The retrieval and verification module utilizes first-class RFID reader / writer devices located at various points on the container holder, acting like "signal detectors" distributed at various "monitoring points." When the animal container containing the animal population to be verified is positioned on the holder, its RFID tag transponder is recognized by the first-class RFID reader / writer, indicating that the animal population is "in cage." If the container is not positioned on the holder and the tag is out of range, the animal population is deemed "out of cage," thus ensuring the existence and verifiable status of the retrieved animal population. The retrieval and positioning module uses the container's point code, which acts as a "location coordinate," to help staff quickly locate the specific location of the animal group to be verified by displaying information on an interactive terminal or activating an indicator light on the corresponding first-class RFID reader / writer device. The animal verification module uses a second-class RFID reader / writer device installed on the screening workbench to communicate simultaneously with the RFID tag transponders on the animal container and individual animals, obtaining the container and animal identification codes. It then uses the characteristic standards in the animal information management system for comparison to verify the consistency of individual animals and animal groups with the characteristic standards.

[0024] In the field of experimental animals, traditional manual screening methods are inefficient and prone to errors. The present invention fully applies RFID technology to the experimental animal screening system, integrating multiple functional modules to realize an automated screening process. Through the collaborative work of various modules, the originally complex and manually dependent screening process is transformed into an efficient process based on electronic information recognition and processing. For example, the retrieval and verification module uses RFID technology to automatically verify the cage status of the animal group. In traditional screening methods, this requires manual checking and confirmation one by one. The present invention can greatly save time and labor costs; the animal verification module realizes feature consistency verification based on RFID communication and information comparison, which can avoid errors that may occur in manual identification, improve screening efficiency and reduce error rates.

[0025] Specifically, the feature standard generated by the demand identification module is an immediate demand standard and can be updated in real time according to changes in demand.

[0026] Specifically, the unique identification code of the animal container fed back by the retrieval module is defined by an RFID tag embedded in or attached to the container. This code is the unique identification information of the container in the entire animal facility.

[0027] Specifically, the retrieval and verification module can be used to perform further on-site verification of the animal information initially retrieved by the retrieval module from the animal information management system within the barrier facility. The unique identification code of the animal container returned in the retrieval result is compiled and sent to an RFID reader / writer located on the animal container holder. The reader / writer activates the container RFID tag corresponding to the unique identification code via a wireless radio frequency signal, generating a container status feedback signal to verify the actual existence of the animal group corresponding to the retrieval result and confirm the validity of the retrieval result. For example, if a database search reveals that the desired animal X exists in the management system's database and the code (RFID identification code) for its enclosure is obtained, this result would traditionally require on-site verification by staff within the animal facility. However, based on the Internet of Things and RFID technology disclosed in the present invention, the system can automatically send an RFID signal to the cage with the container code, obtain feedback, and confirm its actual presence within the facility and its actual location.

[0028] More specifically, the status feedback of the retrieval verification module can be based on the status defined by the work content set for different workflow points based on the standard operating procedure (SOP), which may include: The RFID reader installed on the container support system is defined as the feeding status detection point according to the SOP process; When the container containing the animals is in place on the support system, the RFID tag of the container is recognized by the corresponding RFID reader / writer, and the status of the animal group associated with the container is "in cage"; When the container containing the animals leaves the support system and the RFID tag of the container is no longer recognized by its corresponding RFID reader / writer, the status of the animal group associated with the container is "not in the cage".

[0029] Specifically, the retrieval and positioning module can be used to transmit the specific location information of the uniquely corresponding container for a validated animal group, obtained through an RFID reader / writer, to the search results interface of the animal information management system. Simultaneously, operators within the barrier facility can be notified of their specific location via an interactive terminal (or display terminal) or an indicator light on the RFID reader / writer. For example, an animal container rack system could be equipped with an RFID reader / writer to identify and determine the coded containers on the rack, thereby enabling tracking and confirming the location of the containers and the animals contained therein.

[0030] More specifically, the retrieval and positioning module can be used to set a predefined physical address information for each RFID reader module installed on the container bracket system to clarify the specific location of the RFID reader. When the RFID tag of a container containing animals is recognized by the reader device, this location information will be sent to the animal information management system, thereby clarifying the specific physical location corresponding to the animal group.

[0031] Specifically, the animal verification module can be used to further verify the individual animals contained in the retrieved and located containers. The second-class RFID reader / writer device located on the operating workbench communicates with the container RFID tag and the animal RFID tag at the same time to verify the consistency of the three dimensions of animal characteristics, namely, the required characteristic standard, the animal group corresponding to the container identification code, and the animal individual corresponding to the animal identification code, to confirm its validity. Due to current technical and cost limitations, the RFID reader / writer device installed on the cage bracket system does not identify and track individual animals, but only identifies and tracks the animal container. After the cage is removed from the bracket and placed on a screening workbench, the animals contained therein can be identified and tracked. Therefore, the characteristics of this system include: (1) identifying the animal and recording which cage it is placed in; (2) tracking and identifying the cage, so that the location of the animal can be indirectly tracked. Therefore, "individual verification" is the identification and authentication of the animal actually loaded in a cage on the workbench based on RFID technology. The reason for this transmission method design is that the animal RFID chip and the cage RFID chip are different. In order to avoid misidentification and control costs, individual animal identification is not performed on the cage system, but only individual cage identification is performed.

[0032] Each module in the present invention is based on the needs and application scenarios, combined with hardware equipment and software systems, and realizes the corresponding functions through system integration. The "module" defined here can be understood as a logical existence, which is a number of sub-unit modules in a large screening workflow. The hardware equipment requirements of the present invention mainly include interactive terminal equipment (mobile interactive terminals, fixed interactive terminals, etc.), identity recognition and data acquisition equipment (RFID readers, RFID tags, etc.), network transmission equipment (routers, switches, etc.), and system background equipment (servers, database storage devices, etc.). There are many options for the specific equipment used in the interactive terminal. Fixed interactive terminals can choose computers, industrial computers, touch-screen computers, etc., and mobile interactive terminals can choose mobile phones, pads, PDAs, smart watches, etc. MCU stands for Microcontroller Unit. Feature standards can be understood as screening standards and conditions, and can be used as matching standards for retrieving content in the database.

[0033] It should be understood that the "system" in this invention emphasizes a system process, thus ignoring the existence of servers and interactive terminals. However, the physical carrier of the software component, especially applications deployed in the cloud, is most likely composed of servers. For production facilities of different sizes, the hardware carrier will vary during implementation and deployment. It may be the reader / writer device itself, the interactive terminal, a server, a virtual machine based on several servers, or a cloud-based node. From the perspective of physical hardware, the core devices and equipment of this system are the RFID tag chip embedded in the operating object and the RFID reader / writer devices arranged at different working points. These two devices are relied upon to achieve passive, wireless data collection. The interactive terminal is an auxiliary device that is logically parallel to the RFID reader / writer device. With the development of technology, manual operations will gradually be replaced by more automated mechanical equipment, and the "interactive terminal" will also be reduced and eventually eliminated.

[0034] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the experimental animal screening system further comprises: An animal weighing module is used to weigh individual animals that have passed the consistency verification one by one using an electronic scale to obtain weight information of the individual animals, and send the weight information to the animal record corresponding to the individual animal in the animal information management system through a third-class RFID reader-writer device; the third-class RFID reader-writer device is set at a weighing point, the third-class RFID reader-writer device communicates with the animal RFID tag transponder to collect the animal identification code, and the third-class RFID reader-writer device communicates with the electronic scale to obtain the weight information; the weight information is used to compare with the weight standard range set in the characteristic standard.

[0035] Specifically, the animal weighing module is primarily used for weighing and identification, and weighing can also be used as the final step in the screening process. Characteristics such as strain, age, and sex can all be recorded in the animal information management system database via RFID chips over several weeks of rearing. This means that at the moment of shipment, the strain, genotype, sex, and age of the animals in the cages are essentially clear.

[0036] More specifically, for example, a workbench can be filled with original cages A, weighing cages B, cages C for qualified animals, and cages D for unqualified animals. The screening process involves randomly selecting an animal from cage A and placing it in weighing cage B for weighing. The screening system then uses RFID tags and electronic scales to instantly identify the animal and its various characteristics. For a qualified animal placed in cage C, if a qualified animal is mistakenly placed in cage D, the system will issue a warning ("Please place the qualified animal in cage C!"). If an unqualified animal is placed in cage C due to a mistaken operation, the system will also issue a warning ("Please place the qualified animal in cage D!"). This "loading" process records all relevant animal characteristics in the database table corresponding to the cage being loaded, while simultaneously deleting the relevant data from the original database table.

[0037] In specific implementations, the present invention utilizes a third-class RFID reader / writer device installed at a weighing point to perform weighing operations on individual animals after they have passed consistency verification. The reader / writer communicates with the animal's RFID tag transponder to collect the animal's identification code, essentially obtaining the animal's "identity information." It also communicates with the electronic scale to obtain the weighing result, which is transmitted as a digital signal to the reader / writer's MCU. The MCU integrates and compiles the animal's identification code and weighing result, then sends it to the weight information unit of the animal record corresponding to the individual animal in the animal information management system. The MCU then compares the weight information with the weight standard range set in the characteristic standard to determine whether the animal's weight meets the requirements.

[0038] In the prior art, animal weighing is performed independently and lacks effective integration with the overall screening system. The present invention closely integrates animal weighing with a screening system based on RFID technology, enabling automatic data collection, transmission, and integration through a third-class RFID reader / writer. This invention improves the efficiency of the weighing process and makes the screening process more consistent and accurate. The weighing results in the present invention can be compared with characteristic standards in real time, avoiding errors that may occur during manual recording and comparison, thereby optimizing the screening process and improving screening accuracy.

[0039] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the experimental animal screening system further comprises: The qualified weighing module is used to transfer the animal individual whose weight information meets the weight standard range from the electronic scale to the qualified container, so that the animal RFID tag transponder disconnects the communication with the third type RFID reader-writer device and establishes communication with the fourth type RFID reader-writer device. The fourth type RFID reader-writer device communicates with the animal RFID tag transponder and the qualified container RFID tag transponder at the same time, thereby triggering the animal information management system to update the status to "qualified" or "out of the cage" in the animal record corresponding to the animal individual and record the unique qualified container identification code of the qualified container in the animal record; the qualified container identification code is stored in the qualified container RFID tag transponder, and the qualified container RFID tag transponder is configured on the qualified container.

[0040] Specifically, the qualified container can be a transfer cage for animal transportation, an animal container for animal experiments, or a container for animal breeding, etc.

[0041] In practice, when an individual animal's weight meets the standard range, staff transfer the animal from the electronic scale to a qualified container. At this point, the animal's RFID tag transponder disconnects from the third-type RFID reader / writer device and simultaneously establishes communication with the fourth-type RFID reader / writer device located on the qualified container, essentially creating a new connection. The fourth-type RFID reader / writer device communicates with both the animal's and the qualified container's RFID tag transponders, triggering the animal information management system to update the animal's status to "qualified" or "released" in the animal record corresponding to the individual animal and record the qualified container's unique identification code, ensuring accurate updating and tracking of animal information.

[0042] Previous screening processes have been plagued by untimely and inaccurate information recording for qualified animals. The present invention, using RFID technology, enables automatic updating and recording of animal information as it is transferred between containers. This eliminates omissions and errors that can occur when manually recording qualified animal information, ensuring the accuracy and completeness of animal information management. This automated update of animal status and location information using RFID communication improves the reliability and traceability of the screening system, enhancing management efficiency and information accuracy.

[0043] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the experimental animal screening system further comprises: A weighing deviation module is used to transfer individual animals whose weight information does not meet the weight standard range from the electronic scale to a deviation container, so that the animal RFID tag transponder disconnects communication with the third type RFID reader-writer device and establishes communication with the fifth type RFID reader-writer device. The fifth type RFID reader-writer device simultaneously communicates with the animal RFID tag transponder and the deviation container RFID tag transponder, thereby triggering the animal information management system to update the status to "weight deviation" in the animal record corresponding to the individual animal and record the unique deviation container identification code of the deviation container in the animal record; the deviation container identification code is stored in the deviation container RFID tag transponder, and the deviation RFID tag transponder is configured on the deviation container.

[0044] In specific implementations, the weighing deviation module can correspond to the weighing qualification module to process individual animals whose weight information does not meet the weight standard range. When this occurs, staff will transfer the animal from the electronic scale to the deviation container. The animal's RFID tag transponder will disconnect from the third-class RFID reader-writer device and instead establish communication with the fifth-class RFID reader-writer device configured on the deviation container. The fifth-class RFID reader-writer device will simultaneously communicate with the RFID tag transponders of the animal and the deviation container, triggering the animal information management system to update the status of the animal's corresponding animal record to "weight deviation" and record the unique identification code of the deviation container to facilitate subsequent management and tracking of these animals.

[0045] Traditional screening methods are often confusing for managing animals with substandard weights, lacking effective classification and tracking methods. This invention, by incorporating a dedicated weighing deviation module and leveraging RFID technology, enables precise classification and information recording of animals with weight deviations. This allows for rapid identification of animals with weight deviations and records their relevant information, facilitating subsequent targeted processing and preventing confusion with qualified animals. This classification management and information recording approach can optimize the screening process, improve management efficiency, and enhance the management capabilities and accuracy of the screening system.

[0046] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the step of weighing the individual animals that have passed the consistency verification one by one using an electronic scale to obtain weight information of the individual animals, and sending the weight information to the animal record corresponding to the individual animals in the animal information management system using a third-class RFID reader / writer device, includes: communicating with the animal RFID tag transponder via the third type RFID reader / writer device to collect the animal identification code; The animal information management system locks the animal record corresponding to the animal identification code, wherein the animal record includes a weight information unit; The electronic scale outputs the weighing result in the form of a digital signal, and the digital signal is transmitted to the MCU of the third type RFID reader device via a signal cable; The MCU of the third type RFID reader / writer device integrates and compiles the animal identification code and the weighing result, and updates the weighing result to the weight information unit.

[0047] In practice, the third-class RFID reader / writer device first communicates with the animal's RFID tag transponder to collect the animal's identification code. After receiving the code, the animal information management system locates the animal record corresponding to the animal and locates the weight information unit within it. The electronic scale outputs the weighing result as a digital signal, which is transmitted via a signal cable to the third-class RFID reader / writer's MCU. The MCU integrates the animal identification code and weighing result, then updates the weighing result to the weight information unit in the animal record, ensuring accurate weight information is recorded in the system.

[0048] Accurately acquiring and updating animal weight information is crucial in animal screening systems. Compared to traditional manual recording and input methods, this invention improves data accuracy and transmission efficiency, avoids potential errors associated with manual input, and enables automated data collection and integration. This technical detail optimization is crucial in improving the data management capabilities of screening systems.

[0049] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the required animal characteristics include the category characteristics, strain characteristics, gender characteristics, age characteristics, size characteristics and / or weight characteristics of the experimental animals.

[0050] Specifically, animal requirement characteristics may be all relevant animal characteristic elements that may affect animal experiments.

[0051] In practice, animal requirement characteristics can encompass multiple aspects, serving as key criteria for laboratory animal screening. Breed characteristics distinguish animals of different species; strain characteristics differentiate animals of different genetic backgrounds within the same breed; sex characteristics determine an animal's physiological characteristics, significantly impacting certain experiments; age characteristics reflect an animal's growth stage, with animals of different ages exhibiting physiological differences; and size and weight characteristics further refine screening criteria based on body shape and weight. Based on these input characteristics, the requirement identification module generates corresponding characteristic standards within the animal information management system to meet the specific animal requirements for different experiments.

[0052] By identifying multiple animal characteristics, the present invention enables the screening system to more accurately match experimental animals. In experiments with strict requirements on the animal's physiological state, characteristics such as age and weight can be comprehensively considered to screen more suitable animals, thereby improving the success rate of the experiment.

[0053] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, searching for RFID tag transponders of animal containers corresponding to the animal group to be verified by using a first type RFID reader / writer device to determine the cage status of the animal group to be verified includes: When the animal container containing the group of animals to be verified is in place on the container support, the RFID tag transponder of the animal container is recognized by the first type of RFID reader / writer device, and the cage status is determined to be "in cage"; When the animal container containing the animal group to be verified is not in place on the container support and the animal container RFID tag transponder is out of the recognition range of the first type RFID reader / writer device, the cage status is determined to be "not in cage".

[0054] In specific implementations, a first-class RFID reader / writer can work in conjunction with an animal container's RFID tag transponder to determine the animal group's caged status. When the animal container containing the animals to be verified is placed on the container holder, the animal container's RFID tag transponder enters the recognition range of the first-class RFID reader / writer. The reader / writer uses radio frequency signals to identify the tag, at which point the system determines the animals are "caged." When the container leaves the holder and the RFID tag leaves the reader's recognition range, the system determines the animals are "uncaged." This determination method, based on the signal recognition principles of RFID technology, enables real-time and accurate acquisition of the animal group's location status information.

[0055] In traditional laboratory animal management, determining whether animals are caged typically relies on manual inspection, which is inefficient and prone to errors. This present invention utilizes RFID technology to automatically determine cage status, improving the timeliness and accuracy of management. In large-scale laboratory animal facilities, staff no longer need to check cages one by one. The system allows them to quickly understand the cage status of a group of animals, facilitating timely adjustments to management strategies. This automated determination method is of great significance in improving the efficiency and accuracy of laboratory animal management, effectively saving manpower and improving management efficiency.

[0056] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the step of determining the specific location of the animal group to be verified based on the container position code includes: Displaying information on the interactive terminal to prompt staff members about the specific location of the animal group to be verified; And / or, an indicator light is turned on on the first type RFID reader / writer device corresponding to the specific location to remind the staff of the specific location of the animal group to be verified.

[0057] In specific implementations, the retrieval and positioning module can determine the specific location of the animal group to be verified based on the container's point code and prompt staff in at least two ways. One is to display information on an interactive terminal, such as showing the specific location of the animal group on a computer screen or mobile device, like providing staff with a "location map"; the other is to turn on an indicator light on the first-class RFID reader device at the corresponding location, guiding staff to find the animal group through visual prompts. These two methods complement each other, making it easier for staff to quickly locate the animal group and improve the efficiency of screening work.

[0058] Traditional screening methods often consume significant time when locating animal groups, hindering screening efficiency. This present invention achieves rapid locating through multiple prompts, effectively improving upon existing technologies. In complex laboratory animal facility environments, this invention allows staff to quickly determine the approximate area through prompts on the interactive terminal, and then, using indicator lights for guidance, precisely locate the animal group, significantly reducing search time.

[0059] In one embodiment of the present invention, the second type RFID reader / writer device simultaneously communicates with the animal container RFID tag transponder and the animal RFID tag transponder to verify the consistency of characteristic standards, animal groups and individual animals, including: communicating with the animal container RFID tag transponder and the animal RFID tag transponder simultaneously through the second type RFID reader / writer device to obtain the animal container identification code and the animal identification code; calling feature standards in an animal information management system according to the animal identification code; The consistency verification is performed by comparing the characteristic standard, the animal container identification code and the animal identification code.

[0060] In practice, the second-class RFID reader / writer device can simultaneously communicate with both the animal container's RFID tag transponder and the animal's RFID tag transponder to obtain both the container's identification code and the animal's identification code. Based on the animal's identification code, the device then retrieves the characteristic criteria from the animal information management system and compares the criteria, the container's identification code, and the animal's identification code. For example, if the characteristic criteria require animals of a certain strain, age, and sex, the system can compare these three coded information to determine whether the individual animal meets these requirements, thereby ensuring that the selected animals meet the experimental requirements.

[0061] Traditional animal screening lacks effective means for verifying the consistency of individual and group characteristics, making it prone to errors. This invention utilizes RFID communication and information comparison technology to achieve consistency verification, improving screening accuracy. Even when mixing multiple strains and batches of animals, it can accurately screen animals that meet characteristic criteria, avoiding incorrect selections, thereby reducing screening errors and improving screening quality.

[0062] like Figure 1 As shown, the present invention also provides a screening method based on the experimental animal screening system based on RFID technology, comprising the following steps: S1: Based on the demand identification module, input animal demand characteristics to generate feature standards; S2: Based on the retrieval module, the animal information management system database is used to screen the animal population to be verified that meets the characteristic standards, and the animal container identification code of the animal container containing the animal population to be verified is fed back; S3: Based on the retrieval verification module, the first type of RFID reader / writer device is used to search for the RFID tag transponder of the animal container corresponding to the animal group to be verified, so as to verify whether the animal group to be verified is in the cage; S4: Based on the retrieval and positioning module, the specific location information of the caged animal group to be verified is fed back to the search result interface of the animal information management system, and the staff in the barrier facility will move the animal containers containing the animal group to be verified one by one to the screening workbench according to the specific location information of the animal group containers; S5: Based on the animal verification module, the second type of RFID reader / writer device is used to identify the individual animals in the animal container one by one, and the animal information management system is used to verify the consistency of the animal individual characteristic value corresponding to the individual animal, the animal group characteristic value corresponding to the animal container, and the characteristic standard value; S6: Based on the animal weighing module, the individual animals that have passed the consistency verification are weighed, and the weight information of the individual animals is updated to the weight information unit of the corresponding animal record in the animal information management system database through the third-class RFID reader / writer device; S7: Based on the weighing deviation module, when the weight information of the individual animal deviates from the weight standard range, the individual animal is transferred from the weighing container to the deviation container, and the animal identification code corresponding to the individual animal is updated to the animal information management system via the fifth type RFID reader / writer device, and the status in the weight information unit of the corresponding animal record is updated to "weight deviation"; S8: Based on the qualified weighing module, when the weight information of the individual animal meets the weight standard range, the individual animal is transferred from the weighing container to the qualified container, and the animal identification code corresponding to the individual animal is updated to the animal information management system through the fourth-class RFID reader-writer device, and the status is updated to "qualified" or "out of the cage" in the weight information unit of the corresponding animal record to complete the screening.

[0063] During the specific implementation, first, the demand identification module generates characteristic standards based on the input animal demand characteristics to determine the direction of the screening work; the retrieval module selects the animal group to be verified in the animal information management system database based on the characteristic standards, and feeds back the animal container identification code; the retrieval verification module uses the first type of RFID reader device to verify whether the animal group is in the cage; the retrieval positioning module locates the animal group in the cage and guides the staff to move it to the screening workbench; the animal verification module performs identity identification and consistency verification on the individual animals on the screening workbench; the animal weighing module weighs the verified individual animals and updates the weight information; the weighing deviation module and the weighing qualification module respectively process the weight deviation and qualified animal individuals and update the records in the animal information management system to complete the entire screening process.

[0064] The screening method disclosed in this invention organically combines multiple functional modules to form a complete and efficient screening process. Compared to traditional manual screening processes, the screening method disclosed in this invention enables automated and intelligent screening. The data exchange and collaborative operation between the modules avoid the tediousness and errors of manual operation, thereby improving screening efficiency and accuracy.

[0065] In summary, the present invention can improve screening efficiency, ensure screening accuracy, optimize management processes, and reduce labor costs.

[0066] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and variations of the present application are possible. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present application shall be included in the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. An experimental animal screening system based on RFID technology, characterized in that: include: A demand identification module is used to generate characteristic standards in the animal information management system based on the input animal demand characteristics; a retrieval module configured to preliminarily screen a group of animals to be verified that meet the characteristic criteria in an animal information management system database and to feedback a unique animal container identification code corresponding to the group of animals to be verified; the animal container identification code is stored in an RFID tag transponder of the animal container, and the RFID tag transponder of the animal container is configured on the animal container; a search and verification module configured to search for RFID tag transponders of animal containers corresponding to the animal group to be verified using a first-class RFID reader / writer device to determine the cage status of the animal group to be verified; the first-class RFID reader / writer device being disposed at different locations on the container support, each first-class RFID reader / writer device having a unique container location code; A retrieval and positioning module is used to determine the specific location of the animal group to be verified based on the point code of the container; An animal verification module is used to communicate with the animal container RFID tag transponder and the animal RFID tag transponder simultaneously through a second-type RFID reader-writer device to verify the consistency of characteristic standards, animal groups and individual animals; the second-type RFID reader-writer device is set on the screening workbench, and the animal RFID tag transponder is configured on the individual animal, and each animal RFID tag transponder has a unique animal identification code.

2. The experimental animal screening system based on RFID technology according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: An animal weighing module is configured to weigh individual animals that have passed the consistency verification one by one using an electronic scale to obtain weight information of the individual animals, and to transmit the weight information to the animal record corresponding to the individual animals in the animal information management system via a third-type RFID reader / writer device; the third-type RFID reader / writer device is disposed at a weighing point, the third-type RFID reader / writer device communicates with the animal RFID tag transponder to collect the animal identification code, and the third-type RFID reader / writer device communicates with the electronic scale to obtain the weight information; The weight information is used to compare with the weight standard range set in the characteristic standard.

3. The experimental animal screening system based on RFID technology according to claim 2, characterized in that: Also includes: The qualified weighing module is used to transfer the animal individual whose weight information meets the weight standard range from the electronic scale to the qualified container, so that the animal RFID tag transponder disconnects the communication with the third type RFID reader-writer device and establishes communication with the fourth type RFID reader-writer device. The fourth type RFID reader-writer device communicates with the animal RFID tag transponder and the qualified container RFID tag transponder at the same time, thereby triggering the animal information management system to update the status to "qualified" or "out of the cage" in the animal record corresponding to the animal individual and record the unique qualified container identification code of the qualified container in the animal record; the qualified container identification code is stored in the qualified container RFID tag transponder, and the qualified container RFID tag transponder is configured on the qualified container.

4. The experimental animal screening system based on RFID technology according to claim 3, characterized in that: Also includes: A weighing deviation module is used to transfer individual animals whose weight information does not meet the weight standard range from the electronic scale to a deviation container, so that the animal RFID tag transponder disconnects communication with the third type RFID reader-writer device and establishes communication with the fifth type RFID reader-writer device. The fifth type RFID reader-writer device simultaneously communicates with the animal RFID tag transponder and the deviation container RFID tag transponder, thereby triggering the animal information management system to update the status to "weight deviation" in the animal record corresponding to the individual animal and record the unique deviation container identification code of the deviation container in the animal record; the deviation container identification code is stored in the deviation container RFID tag transponder, and the deviation RFID tag transponder is configured on the deviation container.

5. The experimental animal screening system based on RFID technology according to claim 2, characterized in that: The electronic scale is used to weigh the individual animals that have passed the consistency verification one by one to obtain weight information of the individual animals, and the weight information is sent to the animal record corresponding to the individual animal in the animal information management system through a third-class RFID reader / writer device, including: communicating with the animal RFID tag transponder via the third type RFID reader / writer device to collect the animal identification code; The animal information management system locks the animal record corresponding to the animal identification code, wherein the animal record includes a weight information unit; The electronic scale outputs the weighing result in the form of a digital signal, and the digital signal is transmitted to the MCU of the third type RFID reader device via a signal cable; The MCU of the third type RFID reader / writer device integrates and compiles the animal identification code and the weighing result, and updates the weighing result to the weight information unit.

6. The experimental animal screening system based on RFID technology according to claim 1, characterized in that: The required animal characteristics include the category characteristics, strain characteristics, gender characteristics, age characteristics, size characteristics and / or weight characteristics of the experimental animals.

7. The experimental animal screening system based on RFID technology according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step of searching the animal container RFID tag transponder corresponding to the animal group to be verified by using the first type RFID reader / writer device to determine the cage status of the animal group to be verified includes: When the animal container containing the group of animals to be verified is in place on the container support, the RFID tag transponder of the animal container is recognized by the first type of RFID reader / writer device, and the cage status is determined to be "in cage"; When the animal container containing the animal group to be verified is not in place on the container support and the animal container RFID tag transponder is out of the recognition range of the first type RFID reader / writer device, the cage status is determined to be "not in cage".

8. The experimental animal screening system based on RFID technology according to claim 1, characterized in that: The determining of the specific location of the animal group to be verified according to the container point code includes: Displaying information on the interactive terminal to prompt staff members about the specific location of the animal group to be verified; And / or, an indicator light is turned on on the first type RFID reader device corresponding to the specific location to remind the staff of the specific location of the animal group to be verified.

9. The experimental animal screening system based on RFID technology according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second type RFID reader / writer device simultaneously communicates with the animal container RFID tag transponder and the animal RFID tag transponder to perform consistency verification of characteristic standards, animal groups, and individual animals, including: communicating with the animal container RFID tag transponder and the animal RFID tag transponder simultaneously through the second type RFID reader / writer device to obtain the animal container identification code and the animal identification code; calling feature standards in an animal information management system according to the animal identification code; The consistency verification is performed by comparing the characteristic standard, the animal container identification code and the animal identification code.

10. A screening method based on the RFID technology-based experimental animal screening system according to any one of claims 4 to 9, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: S1: Based on the demand identification module, input animal demand characteristics to generate feature standards; S2: Based on the retrieval module, the animal information management system database is used to screen the animal population to be verified that meets the characteristic standards, and the animal container identification code of the animal container containing the animal population to be verified is fed back; S3: Based on the retrieval verification module, the first type of RFID reader / writer device is used to search for the RFID tag transponder of the animal container corresponding to the animal group to be verified, so as to verify whether the animal group to be verified is in the cage; S4: Based on the retrieval and positioning module, the specific location information of the caged animal group to be verified is fed back to the search result interface of the animal information management system, and the staff in the barrier facility will move the animal containers containing the animal group to be verified one by one to the screening workbench according to the specific location information of the animal group containers; S5: Based on the animal verification module, the second type of RFID reader / writer device is used to identify the individual animals in the animal container one by one, and the animal information management system is used to verify the consistency of the animal individual characteristic value corresponding to the individual animal, the animal group characteristic value corresponding to the animal container, and the characteristic standard value; S6: Based on the animal weighing module, the individual animals that have passed the consistency verification are weighed, and the weight information of the individual animals is updated to the weight information unit of the corresponding animal record in the animal information management system database through the third-class RFID reader / writer device; S7: Based on the weighing deviation module, when the weight information of an individual animal deviates from the weight standard range, the individual animal is transferred from the weighing container to the deviation container, and the animal identification code corresponding to the individual animal is updated to the animal information management system via a fifth-category RFID reader / writer device, and the status in the weight information unit of the corresponding animal record is updated to "weight deviation"; S8: Based on the qualified weighing module, when the weight information of the individual animal meets the weight standard range, the individual animal is transferred from the weighing container to the qualified container, and the animal identification code corresponding to the individual animal is updated to the animal information management system through the fourth-class RFID reader-writer device, and the status is updated to "qualified" or "out of the cage" in the weight information unit of the corresponding animal record to complete the screening.

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