Monitoring of critical dairy farm conditions

Abstract

A system is provided herein for monitoring the quality of milk which is stored at a dairy facility comprising sensors, e.g., analog and / or digital sensors that are installed on equipment on a dairy farm. Such sensors report information through a communication device that sends the information, e.g., over wire-line or wireless telephony to a network operations center. The network operation center includes resident software which is programmed to interpret that information. Then, the software firstly determines whether the dairy farm operator needs to receive an alert or informational message via telephone or any other electronic communications device suggesting that the operator take appropriate action. Secondly, if necessary, the software then presents the alert and sensor information on a customized secure web site that the operator can access to review the information and prepare the compliance reporting for, e.g., HACCP-type activities.

Description

[0001] This application claims benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 352,211, filed Jan. 29, 2002.(1) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002] (a) Field of the Invention[0003] The present invention generally relates to the monitoring of the quality of the raw-milk which is produced and stored on dairy farms, and includes both systems and methods which are concerned herewith.[0004] (b) Background Art[0005] Raw milk from cows which is harvested with "milking" equipment on dairy farms is generally transferred via a network of piping, pumps, filters and possible heat exchangers into one or more storage tanks which are located on the dairy farm. Such harvesting sessions usually occur several times daily. The raw milk which has been transferred into the storage tank should be cooled to a predefined industry standard temperature for raw milk storage, within an industry specified time frame, as specified by certain regulatory bodies. Generally, raw milk is stored at temperat...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0032] Accordingly there is a need for a system that can do more than merely monitor and record cooling and cleaning conditions in the storage tank. Such a system should also be able to detect operator and mechanical errors that can effect the quality of raw milk before the raw milk goes below optimal raw milk quality standards. That system should be able to document the conditions of the raw milk between milk truck pickups for purposes of HACCP-type documentation, to be able to notify the operator through any electronic means available of conditions that are outside the quality thresholds whether the operator is physically at the facility or not, and to be intelligent enough to determine the stage of milk storage and harvesting sessions to apply the correct thresholds of acceptable quality and be able to perform these functions from information from an unlimited number of dairy farms in independent locations at the same time. The system should be tamper proof and be able to work dependably in less than ideal installation conditions.

[0035] It is a third object of the present invention to provide a system that can be installed on the process equipment, including but not limited to the vacuum pump, the milk pump, the condensing unit, the storage tank and the interconnecting [hot gas return] piping that can provide information about the temperature of the raw milk prior to transfer into storage, temperature in the storage tank, performance and operations of cooling systems, event time stamping, and clean-in-place sessions.

[0038] It is a sixth object of the present invention to provide a system whereby the operator can set certain desired thresholds for which pre-emptive alerts will be sent.

[0039] It is a seventh object of the present invention to provide a system that will be able to provide information through sensors and the communicating device of other conditions on the dairy farm that may be required from time to time by the operator.

[0040] It is an eighth object of the present invention to provide a system that will be able to control mechanical processes on the dairy farm by way of additional devices that are instructed by the software of the network operations center to perform a certain function.

Problems solved by technology

However, when fresh milk was being introduced into the cooler, that switch was overridden and the alarm sounded should the milk not be cooled to the required temperature after a predetermined interval of time.

However, because of inherent faults, this monitoring only provides a rough indirect estimate of the temperatures throughout the system.

However, because of inherent faults, this measuring only provided a rough indirect estimate of the milk flow.

However, there was no teaching of any alarm system to report failure of the CIP procedure.

However, there was no teaching of any alarm to warn of any inadequacy of the cooling system should the measured temperature of the water be outside the predetermined upper and lower temperatures.

Thus, the above prior art leaves many other problems to be addressed.

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