Systems and methods for efficient management of power consumption of an animal monitoring device

Abstract

A system comprising: a sensing mechanism comprising one or more sensors and having a plurality of operating modes, each operating mode having a respective power consumption range; a power source; processing circuitry configured to: cause the sensing mechanism to be enabled in a first operating mode of the plurality of operating modes to obtain a plurality of first readings from the sensors for a first time period; analyze the first readings to determine a behavioral state of the subject; based on the behavioral state, cause the sensing mechanism to be enabled in a second operating mode of the plurality of operating modes to obtain a plurality of second readings from the sensors for a second time period, the second operating mode having a higher power consumption range than the first operating mode; analyze the second readings to determine a first sub-behavioral state of the subject, the first sub-behavioral state being a sub-behavioral state of a set of predetermined sub-behavioral states associated with the behavioral state.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to power management, and in particular to efficient management of power consumption of an animal monitoring device. BACKGROUND

[0002] Animal monitoring devices (e.g., animal monitoring tags, animal monitoring collars, or any other device capable of monitoring various parameters related to an animal) are used to sense information related to the health status of an animal, typically continuously, and optionally transmit the acquired information to an external server wirelessly. Since animal monitoring devices are often attached to an animal (in order to be able to collect the desired information), it is desirable that the animal monitoring device be as small and light as possible, in order to reduce the discomfort to the animal.

[0003] On the other hand, it is desirable to reduce the maintenance requirements for the animal monitoring device, since maintenance of the animal monitoring device is cumbersome. One type of maintenance includes ensuring that the power source of the animal monitoring device does not run out, or if it does, quickly replacing the power source in order to be able to continuously monitor the health of the animal wearing the animal monitoring device. In many cases, a large number of animals (in some cases, hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of animals) are attached to animal monitoring devices in a single farm. Therefore, it is desirable to have a power source that provides power for a long period of time. However, typically, the power capacity of a power source is directly dependent on its size and weight, so the larger and heavier the power source, the higher its power capacity. In addition, the cost of the power source has a significant impact on the cost of the animal monitoring device, so it is desirable to make the cost of the power source as low as possible in order to provide a cost-effective animal health monitoring solution.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need to balance the requirement of keeping the tag small and light (in order to reduce the discomfort to the animal) with providing a long-lasting power source with high power capacity at a reasonable cost (in order to reduce the maintenance related to the power source).

[0005] Therefore, there is a need in the art for a new method and system that efficiently manages the power consumption of an animal monitoring device. SUMMARY

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present application, there is provided a monitoring system comprising: a sensing mechanism comprising one or more sensors configured to acquire information related to a subject, the sensing mechanism having a plurality of operational modes, each operational mode having a respective power consumption range; a power source capable of providing power to the sensors in accordance with the power consumption ranges; and a processing circuitry configured to: cause the sensing mechanism to be enabled in a first operational mode of the plurality of operational modes to acquire a plurality of first readings from the sensors for a first time period; analyze the first readings to determine a behavior state of the subject, the behavior state being one of a plurality of predetermined behavior states, wherein (a) each behavior state of the plurality of predetermined behavior states is associated with a unique set of a plurality of predetermined sub-behavior states, and (b) the sub-behavior states are different from the behavior states; based on the behavior state, cause the sensing mechanism to be enabled in a second operational mode of the plurality of operational modes to acquire a plurality of second readings from the sensors for a second time period, the second operational mode having a higher power consumption range than the first operational mode; analyze the second readings to determine a first sub-behavior state of the subject, the first sub-behavior state being one of the set of predetermined sub-behavior states associated with the behavior state.

[0007] In some cases, the processing circuitry is further configured to: after determining the sub-behavior state of the subject, cause the sensing mechanism to be enabled in the first operational mode of the plurality of operational modes to acquire a plurality of third readings from the sensors for a third time period; analyze the third readings to determine a second behavior state of the subject, the second behavior state being one of the plurality of predetermined behavior states; based on the second behavior state, cause the sensing mechanism to be enabled in a third operational mode of the plurality of operational modes to acquire a plurality of fourth readings from the sensors for a fourth time period, the third operational mode having a second higher power consumption range than the first operational mode; analyze the fourth readings to determine a second sub-behavior state of the subject, the second sub-behavior state being one of the set of predetermined sub-behavior states associated with the second behavior state.

[0008] In some cases, in the event that the second behavior state is the same as the behavior state, the sensing mechanism is caused to be enabled in the third operational mode when one of (a) a determination of the behavior state and (b) a determination of the first sub-behavior state exceeds a threshold time from a determination of the second behavior state.

[0009] In some cases, at least one of (a) the behavior state of the subject and (b) the first sub-behavior state is determined further based on an analysis of a historical behavior pattern associated with the subject.

[0010] In some cases, the operational mode defines at least one of a sampling rate of one or more of the sensors, a sensitivity of one or more of the sensors, a dynamic range of one or more of the sensors, an accuracy of one or more of the sensors, or a bandwidth of one or more of the sensors.

[0011] In some cases, the sensing mechanism, the power source, and the processing circuitry are included within a tag that is attachable to the subject.

[0012] In some cases, the sensing mechanism and the power source are included within a tag that is attachable to the subject.

[0013] In some cases, the processing circuitry is part of a server, the tag further comprises a transceiver capable of transmitting information to the server, and the processing circuitry is further configured to receive the first reading and the second reading from the tag with a transmitter.

[0014] In some cases, the transceiver is a wireless transceiver.

[0015] In some cases, the sensors include one or more of a vibration sensor, a temperature sensor, a speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a pedometer, a position sensor, a heart rate sensor, a humidity sensor.

[0016] In some cases, the subject is an animal.

[0017] In some cases, the power source is a battery.

[0018] In some cases, the information acquired by at least one of the sensors is physiological information acquired from the subject.

[0019] In some cases, the information acquired by at least one of the sensors is geospatial information.

[0020] In some cases, the information acquired by at least one of the sensors is environmental information.

[0021] According to a second aspect of the present application, there is provided a monitoring method comprising: causing, by a processing circuit, a sensing mechanism to be enabled in a first operational mode of a plurality of operational modes of the sensing mechanism to obtain a plurality of first readings from one or more sensors comprised by the sensing mechanism for a first time period, wherein (a) the sensors are configured to obtain information related to a subject, (b) each of the operational modes has a respective power consumption range; analyzing, by the processing circuit, the first readings to determine a behavior state of the subject, the behavior state being one of a plurality of predetermined behavior states, wherein (a) each of the plurality of predetermined behavior states is associated with a unique set of a plurality of predetermined sub-behavior states, (b) the sub-behavior states are different from the behavior states; based on the behavior state, causing, by the processing circuit, the sensing mechanism to be enabled in a second operational mode of the plurality of operational modes to obtain a plurality of second readings from the sensors for a second time period, the second operational mode having a higher power consumption range than the first operational mode; analyzing, by the processing circuit, the second readings to determine a first sub-behavior state of the subject, the first sub-behavior state being one of the set of predetermined sub-behavior states associated with the behavior state.

[0022] In some cases, the monitoring method further comprises: after determining the sub-behavior state of the subject, causing, by the processing circuit, the sensing mechanism to be enabled in the first operational mode of the plurality of operational modes to obtain a plurality of third readings from the sensors for a third time period; analyzing, by the processing circuit, the third readings to determine a second behavior state of the subject, the second behavior state being one of the plurality of predetermined behavior states; based on the second behavior state, causing, by the processing circuit, the sensing mechanism to be enabled in a third operational mode of the plurality of operational modes to obtain a plurality of fourth readings from the sensors for a fourth time period, the third operational mode having a second higher power consumption range than the first operational mode; analyzing, by the processing circuit, the fourth readings to determine a second sub-behavior state of the subject, the second sub-behavior state being one of the set of predetermined sub-behavior states associated with the second behavior state.

[0023] In some cases, in the event that the second behavior state is the same as the behavior state, causing the sensing mechanism to be enabled in the third operational mode when one of (a) determining the behavior state and (b) determining the first sub-behavior state exceeds a threshold time from determining the second behavior state.

[0024] In some cases, at least one of (a) the behavior state of the subject and (b) the first sub-behavior state is determined further based on an analysis of historical behavior patterns associated with the subject.

[0025] In some cases, the operational mode defines at least one of a sampling rate of one or more of the sensors, a sensitivity of one or more of the sensors, a dynamic range of one or more of the sensors, an accuracy of one or more of the sensors, or a bandwidth of one or more of the sensors.

[0026] In some cases, the sensing mechanism, a power source capable of powering the sensors according to the power consumption range, and the processing circuitry are included within a tag attachable to the object.

[0027] In some cases, the sensing mechanism and a power source capable of powering the sensors according to the power consumption range are included within a tag attachable to the object.

[0028] In some cases, the processing circuitry is part of a server, the tag further comprises a transceiver capable of transmitting information to the server, and the monitoring method further comprises receiving the first reading and the second reading from the tag with a transmitter.

[0029] In some cases, the transceiver is a wireless transceiver.

[0030] In some cases, the sensors comprise one or more of the following: a vibration sensor, a temperature sensor, a speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a pedometer, a position sensor, a heart rate sensor, a humidity sensor.

[0031] In some cases, the object is an animal.

[0032] In some cases, the information acquired by at least one of the sensors is physiological information acquired from the object.

[0033] In some cases, the information acquired by at least one of the sensors is geospatial information.

[0034] In some cases, the information acquired by at least one of the sensors is environmental information.

[0035] According to a third aspect of the present application, there is provided a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code executable by at least one processing circuit of a computer to perform a method comprising: causing, by a processing circuit, a sensing mechanism to be enabled in a first operational mode of a plurality of operational modes of the sensing mechanism to acquire a plurality of first readings from one or more sensors comprised by the sensing mechanism for a first time period, wherein (a) the sensors are configured to acquire information related to a subject, (b) each of the operational modes has a respective power consumption range; analyzing, by the processing circuit, the first readings to determine a behavior state of the subject, the behavior state being one of a plurality of predetermined behavior states, wherein (a) each of the plurality of predetermined behavior states is associated with a unique set of a plurality of predetermined sub-behavior states, (b) the sub-behavior states are different from the behavior states; based on the behavior state, causing, by the processing circuit, the sensing mechanism to be enabled in a second operational mode of the plurality of operational modes to acquire a plurality of second readings from the sensors for a second time period, the second operational mode having a higher power consumption range than the first operational mode; analyzing, by the processing circuit, the second readings to determine a first sub-behavior state of the subject, the first sub-behavior state being one of the set of predetermined sub-behavior states associated with the behavior state.

[0036] According to a fourth aspect of the present application, there is provided a monitoring system comprising a processing circuit configured to: provide historical information of historical behavior patterns of one or more subjects at respective time points, the historical behavior patterns defining expected behavior states of the respective subjects at the respective time points; acquire current information from a sensing mechanism operating in a first operational mode of a plurality of operational modes, the current information comprising one or more readings attributable to at least one identified subject; analyze the current information to determine current behavior states of the one or more identified subjects; based on a deviation of the current behavior states of the one or more identified subjects from the historical behavior patterns of the respective subjects, instruct the sensing mechanism to change its operational mode to a second operational mode of the plurality of operational modes, the second operational mode being different from the first operational mode.

[0037] According to a fifth aspect of the present application, there is provided a monitoring method comprising: providing, by processing circuitry, historical information of historical behavior patterns of one or more subjects at respective points in time, the historical behavior patterns defining expected behavior states of respective ones of the subjects at the respective points in time; acquiring, by the processing circuitry, current information from a sensing mechanism operating in a first operational mode of a plurality of operational modes, the current information comprising one or more readings attributable to at least one identified one of the subjects; analyzing, by the processing circuitry, the current information to determine current behavior states of one or more identified ones of the subjects; based on a deviation of the current behavior states of one or more identified ones of the subjects from the historical behavior patterns of the respective ones of the subjects, commanding, by the processing circuitry, the sensing mechanism to change its operational mode to a second operational mode of the plurality of operational modes, the second operational mode being different from the first operational mode.

[0038] According to a sixth aspect of the present application, there is provided a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied therewith, the computer-readable program code executable by at least one processing circuitry of a computer to perform a method comprising: providing, by processing circuitry, historical information of historical behavior patterns of one or more subjects at respective points in time, the historical behavior patterns defining expected behavior states of respective ones of the subjects at the respective points in time; acquiring, by the processing circuitry, current information from a sensing mechanism operating in a first operational mode of a plurality of operational modes, the current information comprising one or more readings attributable to at least one identified one of the subjects; analyzing, by the processing circuitry, the current information to determine current behavior states of one or more identified ones of the subjects; based on a deviation of the current behavior states of one or more identified ones of the subjects from the historical behavior patterns of the respective ones of the subjects, commanding, by the processing circuitry, the sensing mechanism to change its operational mode to a second operational mode of the plurality of operational modes, the second operational mode being different from the first operational mode. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0039] For the understanding of the present application and how the same can be put in practice, the present application will be described hereinafter, purely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0040] Figure 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating one example of a monitoring system according to the present application;

[0041] Figure 2 is a flow diagram illustrating one example of a series of operations performed according to the present application for power consumption management based on behavior states of animals;

[0042] Figure 3is another flowchart illustrating one example of an additional series of operations performed for power consumption management based on behavior states of an animal in accordance with the present application;

[0043] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating example behavior states and sub-behavior states of an animal for which power consumption management is performed in accordance with the present application;

[0044] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a series of operations performed for power consumption management based on historical behavior patterns and current behavior states of an animal in accordance with the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the application. However, it will be apparent to one ordinarily skilled in the art that the application can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the present application.

[0046] In the drawings and description that follow, like parts are typically marked throughout the various figures by the same reference numerals.

[0047] Except as otherwise indicated, as can be apparent from the following discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the specification discussions utilizing terms such as "providing", "obtaining", "analyzing", "commanding", "causing", or the like, include actions and / or processes of a computer that manipulates and / or transforms data represented as physical quantities (e.g., electronic quantities) and / or that manipulates and / or transforms other entities in accordance with various embodiments. The terms "computer", "processor", "processing circuitry", and "controller", should be interpreted broadly to encompass any electronic device with data processing capabilities, including, but not limited to, personal desktop computers / laptops, servers, computing systems, communication devices, smart phones, tablets, smart televisions, processors (e.g., digital signal processors (DSPs), microcontrollers, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.), a plurality of physical machines collectively performing various tasks, virtual servers co-existing on a single physical machine, any other electronic computing device, and / or any combination thereof.

[0048] The operations in accordance with the teachings herein can be performed by a computer specially constructed for the desired purposes or by a general-purpose computer specially configured for the desired purpose by a computer program stored in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium that is executed by the computer. As used herein, the term "non-transitory" merely means that the media is not a carrier wave, but includes any volatile or non-volatile computer memory technology, suitable for application of the present application.

[0049] In this document, the phrases "for example," "for instance," "such as," "like," and "for

[0050] It is to be understood that certain features of the application that are described in the context of separate embodiments can also be provided in combination in a single embodiment, unless otherwise stated. Conversely, various features of the application that are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be provided separately or in any appropriate

[0051] In embodiments of the application, fewer, more and / or different steps than those shown in Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 5 may be performed. In embodiments of the application, one or more steps shown in Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 5 may be performed in a different order, and / or one or more groups of steps can be performed simultaneously. Figure 1 A general schematic of a system architecture according to embodiments of the application is shown. Figure 1 Each of the modules in Figure 1 may be constituted by any combination of software, hardware and / or firmware that performs the functions defined and explained herein. As explained in detail herein, Figure 1 the modules in may be centrally located in one place, or distributed over more than one place. In other embodiments of the application, the system can comprise fewer, more and / or different modules than those shown in

[0052] .

[0053] In the description, any reference to a method is to be construed in accordance with the

[0054] In the description, any reference to a non-transitory computer readable medium should be construed in accordance with the summary of the US Patent Office Action on 23 September 2016, and should be construed in accordance with the summary of the US Patent Office Action on 23 September 2016.

[0055] Please bear the above in mind and refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating one example of a monitoring system according to the present application.

[0056] According to the present application, the monitoring system 100 comprises a power source 130. The power source 130 can be, for example, a battery which can optionally be rechargeable. However, the power source 130 can alternatively be any other source of energy capable of providing power for the operation of one or more components of the monitoring system 100.

[0057] The monitoring system 100 further comprises a sensing mechanism 110 comprising one or more sensors (sensor A 120-a, sensor B 120-b,..., sensor N 120-n, where n is a natural number) configured to collect information relating to a subject, such as an animal (e.g. a cow, a pet, a fish, a pig, a poultry, a livestock, etc.).

[0058] The information collected by the sensors (sensor A 120-a, sensor B 120-b,..., sensor N 120-n: collectively referred to herein as "sensors") can include, for example: (a) physiological information collected from the body of the animal, such as its body temperature, heart rate, biometric information, speed, acceleration (which can be directional acceleration), spatial orientation, etc., (b) environmental information relating to the environment of the animal, such as the ambient temperature, the ambient humidity, etc., (c) geospatial information, such as the geographical position of the animal, relative position, etc. The sensors can thus include one or several of the following sensors: a vibration sensor, a temperature sensor, a speed sensor, an acceleration sensor (e.g. an accelerometer), a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a pedometer, a position sensor (e.g. a global positioning system receiver), a heart rate sensor, a humidity sensor, etc.

[0059] The sensing mechanism 110 has multiple operating modes, each having a respective power consumption range and average / median power consumption (or median power consumption). Each operating mode defines at least one sensor operating parameter that affects the power consumption range of the sensor and / or its average / median power consumption (and thereby affects the power consumption range and / or average / median power consumption of the sensing mechanism 110): the sampling rate of one or more sensors of the sensing mechanism 110 (note that the sampling rate of a sensor and the power consumption of the sensor are positively correlated, thus the higher the sampling rate of a sensor, the higher its power consumption), the sensitivity of one or more sensors of the sensing mechanism 110 (note that the sensitivity of a sensor and the power consumption of the sensor are positively correlated, thus the higher the sensitivity of a sensor, the higher its power consumption), the dynamic range of one or more sensors of the sensing mechanism 110 (note that the dynamic range of a sensor and the power consumption of the sensor are positively correlated, thus the wider the dynamic range of a sensor, the higher its power consumption), the precision of one or more sensors of the sensing mechanism 110 (note that the precision of a sensor and the power consumption of the sensor are positively correlated, thus the higher the precision of a sensor, the higher its power consumption), or the bandwidth of one or more sensors of the sensing mechanism 110 (note that the bandwidth of a sensor and the power consumption of the sensor are positively correlated, thus the wider the bandwidth of a sensor, the higher its power consumption). It is also noted that in some cases, other and / or additional sensor operating parameters also affect the power consumption range of a sensor and / or the average / median power consumption of a sensor.

[0060] Each operating mode has a respective power consumption range and average / median power consumption, at least a first one of the operating modes has a different power consumption range and / or a different average / median power consumption compared to a second one of the operating modes.

[0061] The sensing mechanism 110 receives power from the power source 130 to meet its power requirements, which are affected by the operating mode of the sensing mechanism 110. It is noted that the power consumption of the first operating mode can be higher than the power consumption of the second operating mode, in which case, on average, the power source 130 is required to provide more power to the sensing mechanism 110 when the sensing mechanism 110 operates in the first operating mode compared to the second operating mode. Obviously, the higher the sensing mechanism power consumption, the shorter the lifetime of the power source 130 (the time span over which the power source 130 can power the sensing mechanism).

[0062] The monitoring system 100 further comprises a processing circuit 140. The processing circuit 140 can be one or more processing units (e.g., central processing units), microprocessors, microcontrollers (e.g., microcontroller units (MCUs)), or any other computational devices or modules, including multiple and / or parallel and / or distributed processing units, adapted to independently or collectively process data and to control a relevant resource of the monitoring system 100 and effectuate operations related to the resource of the monitoring system 100.

[0063] The processing circuit 140 comprises a power management module 150, as described in particular with reference to Figure 2 and Figure 3 As described in further detail, the power management module 150 is configured to control the operating mode of the sensing mechanism 110 in order to efficiently manage the power consumption of the sensing mechanism 110.

[0064] The monitoring system 100 can also comprise or otherwise be associated with a data repository 160 (e.g. a database, a storage system, a memory - including a read-only memory ROM, a random access memory RAM, or any other type of memory, etc.) configured to store data, optionally including in particular: operating mode information of the sensing mechanism 110, information enabling to determine the behavioral state and sub-behavioral states of the subject whose information is collected by the sensor (as described in particular with reference to Figures 2-4 , in some cases an indication of the minimum time period before switching between operating modes, historical behavioral patterns of the subject whose information is collected by the sensor, etc. The data repository 160 can also be configured to allow retrieving and / or updating and / or deleting stored data. It is noted that, in some cases, the data repository 160 can be distributed, while the monitoring system 100 is able to access information stored in the data repository 160, e.g. through a wired or wireless network to which it is connected.

[0065] Having described the various components of the monitoring system 100, it is noted that, in some cases, the sensing mechanism 110, the power source 130 and the processing circuit 140 are comprised within a device (e.g. an animal monitoring tag, an animal monitoring collar, etc.) that is attachable to the subject, and the processing circuit 140 can control the operating mode of the sensing mechanism 110 without intervention of an external entity (e.g. a server). However, in other cases, the sensing mechanism and the power source are comprised within a device (e.g. an animal monitoring tag, an animal monitoring collar, etc.) that is attachable to the subject, while the processing circuit 140 is part of a server external to the device. Such a server can serve a plurality of devices, each device comprising its own sensing mechanism 110 and power source 130, and each device being attached to a respective subject. In these cases where the processing circuit 140 is external to the device (e.g. animal monitoring tag / collar, etc.), the device can comprise a controller capable of controlling the operation of the sensing mechanism 110, and a transceiver (e.g. a wireless transceiver), or any other network interface 170, that enables to transmit information collected by the sensor to the server, and to receive control commands from the server for controlling the operating mode of the sensing mechanism 110.

[0066] Reference is now made to Figure 2 , Figure 2is a flowchart illustrating one example of a series of operations performed for power consumption management based on a behavioral state of an animal, in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0067] In accordance with some examples of the present disclosure, the monitoring system 100 can be configured to perform the power consumption management process 200-A, for example, with the power management module 150.

[0068] As described herein, the sensing mechanism 110 has a plurality of operational modes, each having a respective power consumption range and / or average or / median power consumption (e.g., because of differences in operational parameters of the sensors included in the sensing mechanism 110). The monitoring system 100 is configured to cause the sensing mechanism 110 to be enabled in a first operational mode of the plurality of operational modes (either directly by the processing circuit 140, or indirectly, for example, by the processing circuit 140 with a controller included within the device, e.g., a tag / collar, etc.) to obtain a plurality of first readings from the sensors for a first time period (e.g., 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 45 seconds, 60 seconds, etc.) (block 210). The first operational mode can be an operational mode having a lower power consumption range (e.g., at least a portion of its power consumption range is lower than the power consumption range of the other operational modes). Additionally, or alternatively, the first operational mode can be an operational mode having a lower average / median power consumption than the other operational modes.

[0069] The monitoring system 100 is further configured to analyze the first readings to determine a behavioral state of the subject (block 220). The determined behavioral state is one of a plurality of predetermined behavioral states of interest, each of which is associated with a unique set of a plurality of predetermined sub-behavioral states, where the sub-behavioral states are different from the behavioral state. It is noted that the distinction between the behavioral state and the sub-behavioral states can be a matter of degree or a matter of extent, not necessarily a completely different behavior. For example, the behavioral state can be “walking”, and the corresponding sub-behavioral states can be “slow walking”, “fast walking”, “crossing walking”, and “limping walking”. “Slow walking”, “fast walking”, “crossing walking”, and “limping walking” are all types of “walking”, but the behavioral state “walking” and the sub-behavioral states “slow walking”, “fast walking”, “crossing walking”, and “limping walking” are considered to be different.

[0070] Reference is now made to Figure 4 , Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating exemplary behavioral states and sub-behavioral states of an animal, based on which power consumption management is performed, in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0071] Figure 4A set of four possible behavioral states is shown by example: BS1, BS2, BS3, and BS4, some of which are associated with a unique set of sub-behavioral states. BS1 is associated with sub-behavioral state A, which includes sub-behavioral state (SBS) Al; BS2 is associated with sub-behavioral state B, which includes SBS Bl and SBS B2; BS3 is associated with sub-behavioral state C, which includes SBS Cl, SBS C2, SBS C3, and SBS C4; and BS4 is not associated with any sub-behavioral state.

[0072] Note that (a) each set of sub-behavioral states (sub-behavioral state A, sub-behavioral state B, sub-behavioral state C, and sub-behavioral state D) is different from the other sets of sub-behavioral states, and (b) each set of sub-behavioral states (sub-behavioral state A, sub-behavioral state B, sub-behavioral state C, and sub-behavioral state D) is different from the set of behavioral states (BS1, BS2, BS3, and BS4).

[0073] Referring back to Figure 2 Note that in some cases, the behavioral state determination in block 220 is also based on analysis of historical behavioral patterns associated with the subject (and optionally behavioral patterns and / or historical behavioral patterns associated with other subjects of the same type). Given that the determination of the behavioral state can optionally be probabilistic, in that historical information of past behavioral patterns of the subject (or similar subjects) indicates what the subject's behavior was like at different points in the past, the use of this historical information can enable the monitoring system 100 to more accurately determine the subject's current behavioral state.

[0074] Note that in this regard: (a) the use of historical behavioral patterns associated with the subject can identify outliers in the subject's behavior relative to expected behavior for the particular subject; (b) the use of historical behavioral patterns associated with other subjects (optionally of the same type, e.g., other cows when the subject is a cow) can identify outliers in the subject's behavior relative to expected behavior for the other subjects; and (c) the use of expected behavioral patterns (e.g., for the subject) can identify outliers in the subject's behavior relative to the expected behavioral patterns. In these cases, the outlier detection can provide a more accurate way of determining the behavioral state, and can subject the outlier behavior to more rigorous checks before positively determining the behavioral state.

[0075] Having determined the behavior state, the monitoring system 100 causes the sensing mechanism 110 to be enabled in a second one of the operational modes based on the determined behavior state in order to obtain a plurality of second readings from the sensors over a second time period, it being noted that the second operational mode can have a power consumption range that is higher than the power consumption range of the first operational mode (i.e. at least a portion of the power consumption range of the second operational mode is higher than the power consumption range of the first operational mode) and / or the second operational mode can be an operational mode that has a higher average / median power consumption than the first operational mode (block 230). Thus, when a certain behavior state of interest is identified, it is desirable to change the operational parameters of one or more of the sensors of the sensing mechanism 110 in order to obtain, for example, more information and / or more accurate information and / or more detailed information and / or more precise information in order to be able to determine a sub-behavior state of the subject.

[0076] The monitoring system 100 analyzes the second readings in order to determine a first sub-behavior state of the subject, the first sub-behavior state being one of the predetermined sub-behavior states associated with the behavior state described above (block 240).

[0077] It is noted that in some cases, similar to the determination of the behavior state, the sub-behavior state determination in block 240 is also based on an analysis of historical behavior patterns associated with the subject (and optionally behavior patterns and / or historical behavior patterns associated with other subjects of the same class). Given that the determination of the sub-behavior state can optionally be probabilistic, in that historical information of past behavior patterns of the subject (or similar subjects) indicates what the behavior of these subjects was at different points in time in the past, the use of this historical information can enable the monitoring system 100 to more accurately determine the current sub-behavior state of the subject.

[0078] For example, when the monitoring system 100 starts its operation, the subject (e.g. a cow) is stationary. The monitoring system 100 causes the sensing mechanism 110 to be enabled in a first operational mode, the first operational mode having a lower power consumption range and / or average / median power consumption. The monitoring system 100 analyzes the information collected by the sensing mechanism 110, and at a certain point in time, the result of the analysis indicates that the cow starts walking (i.e. the monitoring system 100 determines that the behavior state of the cow is "walking"). Upon determining that the cow is walking, the monitoring system 100 causes the sensing mechanism 110 to be enabled in a second operational mode, the second operational mode having a higher power consumption range and / or average / median power consumption than the first operational mode. This can be required due to the need for more information and / or more accurate information and / or more detailed information and / or more precise information in order to determine the type of walking of the cow. The monitoring system 100 analyzes the information collected by the sensing mechanism 110 operating in the second operational mode, and at a certain point in time, the result of the analysis indicates that the cow is "limping" (i.e. the monitoring system 100 determines that the sub-behavior state of the cow is "limping").

[0079] It is also noted that in some cases, during the performance of block 240, the second readings (or some of the second readings) are also analyzed to verify that the behavior state of the subject determined during the attempt to determine the first sub-behavior state of the subject has not changed. This re-evaluation can be based on an analysis of all of the second readings (which can be acquired at a faster rate than the first readings due to the change in the operational mode of the sensing mechanism), or only some of the second readings, e.g., based on the acquisition rate of the readings analyzed for similar purposes at block 220. If the behavior state of the subject has changed during the attempt to determine the first sub-behavior state of the subject, the monitoring system 100 can return to block 230 and cause the sensing mechanism to be enabled in an operational mode more suitable for the newly determined behavior state.

[0080] Reference is made to Figure 2 It is noted that some of the blocks can be combined into a composite block, or can be separated into several blocks, and / or additional blocks can be added. It is also noted that while the flowcharts refer to elements of the system being implemented, this is not a limitation, and the blocks can be performed by elements other than those described herein.

[0081] Reference is made to Figure 3 Another flowchart is shown, which illustrates one example of an additional series of operations performed for power consumption management based on the behavior state of an animal in accordance with the present application.

[0082] In accordance with some examples of the present application, the monitoring system 100 can be configured to continue the power consumption management process 200-B shown in FIG. 2B, e.g., using the power management module 150, with the power consumption management process 200-A shown in FIG. 2A. Figure 3 Figure 2

[0083] To this end, upon determining the sub-behavior state of the subject at block 240, the monitoring system 100 causes the sensing mechanism to be enabled in a first operational mode of the plurality of operational modes to acquire a plurality of readings from the sensor over a period of time (block 310). It is noted that upon determining the sub-behavior state of the subject, there is no longer a need to enable the sensing mechanism in an operational mode with higher power consumption, and therefore the first operational mode, which has a lower power consumption range and / or average / median power consumption than the second operational mode, is returned to in order to save power.

[0084] The monitoring system 100 analyzes the readings acquired at block 310 to determine a second behavior state of the subject, which is one of the plurality of predetermined behavior states mentioned at block 220 (block 320).

[0085] ​​It is noted that in some cases, the behavior state determination in block 320 is also based on analysis of historical behavior patterns associated with the subject (and optionally behavior patterns and / or historical behavior patterns associated with other subjects of the same type). Given that the determination of the behavior state can optionally be probabilistic, in that historical information of past behavior patterns of the subject (or similar subjects) indicates what the behavior of these subjects was at different points in time in the past, the use of this historical information can enable a more accurate determination of the current behavior state of the subject.

[0086] It is noted that in this regard: (a) the use of historical behavior patterns associated with the subject can identify anomalies in the behavior of the subject relative to expected behavior of the subject; (b) the use of historical behavior patterns associated with other subjects (optionally of the same type, e.g. other cows when the subject is a cow) can identify anomalies in the behavior of the subject relative to expected behavior of the other subjects; and (c) the use of expected behavior patterns (e.g. of the subject) can identify anomalies in the behavior of the subject relative to the expected behavior patterns. In these cases, the anomaly detection can provide a more accurate way of determining the behavior state, and can enable more rigorous checks of the anomalous behavior before positively determining the behavior state.

[0087] In this step, the monitoring system 100 can be configured to check whether the second behavior state determined in block 320 and the behavior state determined in block 220 are the same behavior state (block 330). If the second behavior state and the behavior state determined in block 220 are the same behavior state, it can be desirable to avoid enabling the sensing mechanism in an operating mode with a higher power consumption range and / or average / median power consumption than the first operating mode for a certain period of time (optionally a predetermined period of time or a dynamic period of time calculated from one or more parameters), e.g. because the probability of a change in the sub-behavior state of the subject is low during such a period of time. For example, when it is determined that a certain animal is lame, it can not be meaningful to again determine that the animal is lame during the next 24 hours, and thus power consumption is reduced by preventing the sensing mechanism from again being enabled in a high power consumption operating mode for making such a determination of lameness. Thus, the monitoring system 100 can be configured to check whether a timer that is started (e.g. immediately, a certain time before or after the condition, etc.) in dependence on (a) the determination of the behavior state in block 220 or (b) the determination of the sub-behavior state in block 240 exceeds a threshold value (block 340). If the timer does not exceed the threshold value, the monitoring system 100 returns to block 310 and continues to analyze the readings obtained from the sensors while the operating mode of the sensing mechanism 110 remains unchanged (i.e. it does not switch to a higher power consumption operating mode as it would without the above-described timing mechanism).

[0088] If the timer exceeds the threshold, or if the second behavior state determined at block 320 is not the same as the behavior state determined at block 220, then based on the second behavior state, the monitoring system 100 causes the sensing mechanism to be enabled in another one of the plurality of operational modes in which the power consumption range and / or the average / median power consumption is higher than the first operational mode, to obtain a plurality of readings from the sensors for another period of time (block 350). As described herein, when a certain behavior state of interest is identified, it is desirable to change the operational parameters of one or more sensors of the sensing mechanism 110 to obtain, for example, more information and / or more accurate information and / or more detailed information and / or more precise information, in order to be able to determine a sub-behavior state of the subject.

[0089] The monitoring system 100 analyzes the readings obtained at block 350 to determine a sub-behavior state of the subject, which is one of the predetermined set of sub-behavior states associated with the behavior state determined at block 320 (block 360).

[0090] It is noted that in some cases, the sub-behavior state determination at block 340 is also based on an analysis of historical behavior patterns associated with the subject (and optionally, behavior patterns and / or historical behavior patterns associated with other subjects of the same type). Given that the determination of the sub-behavior state can optionally be probabilistic, in that historical information of past behavior patterns of the subject (or similar subjects) indicates what the behavior of these subjects was at different points in time in the past, the use of such historical information can enable the monitoring system 100 to more accurately determine the current sub-behavior state of the subject.

[0091] It is noted that in this regard: (a) the use of historical behavior patterns associated with the subject can identify outliers in the behavior of the subject relative to expected behavior of the particular subject; (b) the use of historical behavior patterns associated with other subjects (optionally of the same type, e.g., other cows when the subject is a cow) can identify outliers in the behavior of the subject relative to expected behavior of the other subjects; and (c) the use of expected behavior patterns (e.g., of the subject) can identify outliers in the behavior of the subject relative to expected behavior patterns. In these cases, the outlier detection can provide a more accurate manner of determining the behavior state, and can subject the outlier behavior to more rigorous scrutiny before positively determining the behavior state.

[0092] The discussion continues below with reference to Figure 2In the example provided, after the monitoring system determines that the cow is "limping" (i.e., the monitoring system 100 determines that the sub-behavior state of the cow is "limping"), the monitoring system 100 causes the sensing mechanism 110 to return to operating in the first operational mode, which has a lower range of power consumption and / or average / median power consumption. The monitoring system 100 analyzes the information collected by the sensing mechanism 110 and immediately recognizes that the cow is walking (i.e., the monitoring system 100 determines that the behavior state of the cow is "walking"). However, the monitoring system 100 has just completed an analysis of the sub-behavior state of the cow and recognized that the sub-behavior state is "limping," and it would be pointless to again cause the sensing mechanism to be enabled in an operational mode with higher power consumption, because this would result in the same determination that the cow is limping, while also unnecessarily wasting power from the power source 130. Therefore, in the case where the determined behavior state remains the same as the previously determined behavior state of the cow, the monitoring system 100 does not switch to an operational mode with higher power consumption for a certain period of time. However, if a certain period of time does elapse (e.g., one minute or a few minutes / one hour or a few hours / one day or a few days), then the monitoring system 100 causes the sensing mechanism 110 to be enabled in another operational mode with a range of power consumption and / or average / median power consumption that is higher than the first operational mode.

[0093] If the monitoring system 100 recognizes that the cow is not walking, but is rather breathing heavily (i.e., the monitoring system 100 determines that the behavior state of the cow is "breathing heavily"), then the monitoring system 100 causes the sensing mechanism 110 to be enabled in another operational mode with a range of power consumption and / or average / median power consumption that is higher than the first operational mode, regardless of any time-related considerations associated with the "breathing heavily" behavior state (assuming that any time-related considerations associated with the "breathing heavily" behavior state do not prevent this). This is required because more information and / or more accurate information and / or more detailed information and / or more precise information is required in order to determine the type of breathing heavily of the cow. The monitoring system 100 analyzes the information collected by the sensing mechanism 110 operating in the second operational mode, and at some point in time, the results of the analysis indicate that the cow is "coughing" (i.e., the monitoring system 100 determines that the sub-behavior state of the cow is "coughing").

[0094] From here, the monitoring system 100 can return to block 310, and the process can continue to repeat.

[0095] Reference Figure 3 It is noted that certain blocks can be combined into a composite block or divided into several sub-blocks, and / or additional blocks can be added, with the content of the combined and / or additional blocks being of the same or similar nature as the content of the existing blocks. It is also noted that while the flowchart refers to elements of a system implementing the flowchart, this is not meant to be limiting, and the blocks can be performed by elements other than those described herein.

[0096] Reference is now made to Figure 5The flowchart illustrates another example of a series of operations performed for power consumption management based on historical behavior patterns and current behavior states of the animals in accordance with the present application.

[0097] In accordance with certain examples of the present application, the monitoring system 100 can be configured to perform a history-based power consumption management process 500, e.g., utilizing the power management module 150.

[0098] To this end, the monitoring system 100 can be configured to provide historical information of historical behavior patterns of the one or more subjects at various points in time, e.g., over a day, a year, a month, or any other time frame, the historical behavior patterns defining expected behavior states of the various subjects at the various points in time (block 510). For example, the historical behavior patterns can indicate that a certain subject goes to sleep between 20:00-21 :00 and wakes up between 4:00-5:00 on more than 90% of the days. It can therefore be expected that the subject will go to sleep between 20:00-21 :00 and wake up between 4:00-5:00. Similarly, the historical behavior patterns can indicate that all subjects of a certain type eat during certain fixed time windows during the day. It can therefore be expected that each subject will follow the same pattern and eat during these time windows each day.

[0099] The monitoring system 100 is further configured to acquire current information from the sensing mechanism operating in a first operational mode of the plurality of operational modes, the current information comprising one or more readings attributable to the at least one identified subject (block 520). The first operational mode can be an operational mode having a lower power consumption range and / or average / median power consumption than the other operational modes.

[0100] The monitoring system 100 can analyze the current information to determine a current behavior state of the one or more identified subjects (block 530). The behavior state can be determined in a similar manner as described with reference to blocks 220 and 320.

[0101] Based on a deviation of the current behavior state of the one or more identified subjects from the historical behavior patterns of the subjects, the monitoring system 100 can instruct the sensing mechanism 110 to change its operational mode to a second operational mode of the plurality of operational modes, the second operational mode having a higher power consumption range and / or average / median power consumption than the first operational mode, to acquire more information and / or more accurate information and / or more detailed information and / or more precise information in order to account for a difference between an expected behavior of the subject and its actual behavior.

[0102] Reference is made to Figure 5It should be noted that some of the blocks can be combined together or divided into several blocks, and / or other blocks can be added to, or removed from, the flow diagram. It should also be noted that, although the flow diagram refers to the system elements to describe the flow diagram, this is not intended to be limiting, and the blocks can be performed by elements other than those described herein.

[0103] It is to be understood that the application is not limited to the details of the description or the details of the drawings. Other embodiments of the application can be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the teachings of the present application. It should be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, can readily be utilized as the basis for the designing of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present application.

[0104] It should also be understood that the system according to the application can be implemented at least partially as a suitably programmed computer. Likewise, the present application encompasses a computer program, which can be read by a computer, for performing the method of the present application. The present application also encompasses a machine-readable storage storing instructions executable by a machine for performing the method of the present application.

Claims

1. A monitoring system, comprising: A sensing mechanism includes one or more sensors configured to acquire information related to an object, the sensing mechanism having multiple operating modes, each operating mode having its own power consumption range; A power supply capable of providing power to the one or more sensors according to the power consumption range; and The processing circuit is configured as follows: The sensing mechanism is enabled in a first operating mode of the plurality of operating modes in order to acquire a plurality of first readings from the one or more sensors within a first time period; The first reading is analyzed to determine a first behavioral state of the object, the first behavioral state being one of a plurality of predetermined behavioral states, wherein (a) each of the plurality of predetermined behavioral states is associated with a unique set of a plurality of predetermined sub-behavioral states, and (b) in at least one of the plurality of predetermined behavioral states, at least a portion of the plurality of predetermined sub-behavioral states are behavioral states of varying degrees. Based on the first behavioral state, the sensing mechanism is enabled in a second operating mode among the plurality of operating modes to acquire a plurality of second readings from the one or more sensors during a second time period, the second operating mode having a first power consumption range that is higher than the first operating mode. The second reading is analyzed to determine a first sub-behavioral state of the object, the first sub-behavioral state being one of a set of predetermined sub-behavioral states associated with the first behavioral state.

2. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein, The processing circuit is further configured to: After determining the first sub-behavioral state of the object, the sensing mechanism is enabled in the first operating mode of the plurality of operating modes to acquire a plurality of third readings from the one or more sensors within a third time period. The third reading is analyzed to determine a second behavioral state of the object, the second behavioral state being one of the plurality of predetermined behavioral states; Based on the second behavioral state, the sensing mechanism is enabled in a third operating mode among the plurality of operating modes to acquire a plurality of fourth readings from the one or more sensors during a fourth time period, the third operating mode having a second power consumption range that is higher than the first operating mode. The fourth reading is analyzed to determine a second sub-behavioral state of the object, which is one of a set of predetermined sub-behavioral states associated with the second behavioral state.

3. The monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein, When the second behavior state is the same as the first behavior state, if the time between determining the first behavior state and determining the first sub-behavior state and determining the second behavior state exceeds a threshold, the sensing mechanism is enabled in the third operation mode.

4. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein, The analysis of historical behavior patterns associated with the object also determines at least one of the object's first behavioral state and first sub-behavioral state.

5. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein, The operating mode defines at least one of the following: the sampling rate of one or more of the sensors, the sensitivity of one or more of the sensors, the dynamic range of one or more of the sensors, the accuracy of one or more of the sensors, or the bandwidth of one or more of the sensors.

6. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein, The sensing mechanism, the power supply, and the processing circuitry are included within a tag that can be attached to the object.

7. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein, The sensing mechanism and the power source are included in a tag that can be attached to the object.

8. The monitoring system according to claim 7, wherein, The processing circuitry is part of a server, and the tag also includes a transceiver capable of transmitting information to the server. The processing circuitry is also configured to receive the first reading and the second reading from the tag using a transmitter.

9. The monitoring system according to claim 8, wherein, The transceiver is a wireless transceiver.

10. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein, The one or more sensors include one or more of the following sensors: vibration sensor, temperature sensor, speed sensor, acceleration sensor, gyroscope, magnetometer, pedometer, position sensor, heart rate sensor, and humidity sensor.

11. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein, The subject is an animal.

12. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein, The power source is a battery.

13. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein, The information acquired by at least one of the one or more sensors is physiological information obtained from the object.

14. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein, The information acquired by at least one of the one or more sensors is geospatial information.

15. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein, The information acquired by at least one of the one or more sensors is environmental information.

16. A monitoring method, comprising: The processing circuit enables a sensing mechanism, including one or more sensors configured to acquire information related to an object, to be activated in a first operating mode of a plurality of operating modes of the sensing mechanism to acquire a plurality of first readings from the one or more sensors within a first time period, wherein each of the operating modes has a respective power consumption range. The processing circuit analyzes the first reading to determine a first behavioral state of the object, the first behavioral state being one of a plurality of predetermined behavioral states, wherein (a) each of the plurality of predetermined behavioral states is associated with a unique set of a plurality of predetermined sub-behavioral states, and (b) in at least one of the plurality of predetermined behavioral states, at least a portion of the plurality of predetermined sub-behavioral states are behavioral states of different degrees. Based on the first behavioral state, the processing circuit enables the sensing mechanism to be activated in the second operating mode of the plurality of operating modes, so as to acquire a plurality of second readings from the one or more sensors in a second time period, wherein the second operating mode has a first power consumption range that is higher than the first operating mode. The processing circuit analyzes the second reading to determine a first sub-behavioral state of the object, the first sub-behavioral state being one of a set of predetermined sub-behavioral states associated with the first behavioral state.

17. The monitoring method according to claim 16, further comprising: After determining the first sub-behavioral state of the object, the processing circuit enables the sensing mechanism to be activated in the first operating mode among the plurality of operating modes, so as to acquire a plurality of third readings from the one or more sensors within a third time period. The processing circuit analyzes the third reading to determine a second behavioral state of the object, the second behavioral state being one of the plurality of predetermined behavioral states; Based on the second behavioral state, the processing circuit enables the sensing mechanism to be activated in a third operating mode among the plurality of operating modes to acquire a plurality of fourth readings from the one or more sensors within a fourth time period, the third operating mode having a second power consumption range that is higher than the first operating mode. The processing circuit analyzes the fourth reading to determine a second sub-behavioral state of the object, the second sub-behavioral state being one of a set of predetermined sub-behavioral states associated with the second behavioral state.

18. The monitoring method according to claim 17, wherein, When the second behavior state is the same as the first behavior state, if the time between determining the first behavior state and determining the first sub-behavior state and determining the second behavior state exceeds a threshold, the sensing mechanism is enabled in the third operation mode.

19. The monitoring method according to claim 16, wherein, The analysis of historical behavior patterns associated with the object also determines at least one of the object's first behavioral state and first sub-behavioral state.

20. The monitoring method according to claim 16, wherein, The operating mode defines at least one of the following: the sampling rate of one or more of the sensors, the sensitivity of one or more of the sensors, the dynamic range of one or more of the sensors, the accuracy of one or more of the sensors, or the bandwidth of one or more of the sensors.

21. The monitoring method according to claim 16, wherein, The sensing mechanism, the power supply capable of supplying power to the one or more sensors according to the power consumption range, and the processing circuitry are included in a tag that can be attached to the object.

22. The monitoring method according to claim 16, wherein, The sensing mechanism and the power supply capable of powering the one or more sensors according to the power consumption range are included in a tag that can be attached to the object.

23. The monitoring method according to claim 22, wherein, The processing circuitry is part of a server, the tag also includes a transceiver capable of transmitting information to the server, and the monitoring method further includes receiving the first reading and the second reading from the tag using a transmitter.

24. The monitoring method according to claim 23, wherein, The transceiver is a wireless transceiver.

25. The monitoring method according to claim 16, wherein, The one or more sensors include one or more of the following sensors: vibration sensor, temperature sensor, speed sensor, acceleration sensor, gyroscope, magnetometer, pedometer, position sensor, heart rate sensor, and humidity sensor.

26. The monitoring method according to claim 16, wherein, The subject is an animal.

27. The monitoring method according to claim 16, wherein, The information acquired by at least one of the one or more sensors is physiological information obtained from the object.

28. The monitoring method according to claim 16, wherein, The information acquired by at least one of the one or more sensors is geospatial information.

29. The monitoring method according to claim 16, wherein, The information acquired by at least one of the one or more sensors is environmental information.

30. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code implemented therewith, the computer-readable program code being executable by at least one processing circuitry of a computer to perform a method comprising: The processing circuit enables a sensing mechanism, including one or more sensors configured to acquire information related to an object, to be activated in a first operating mode of a plurality of operating modes of the sensing mechanism to acquire a plurality of first readings from the sensors within a first time period, wherein each of the operating modes has a respective power consumption range. The processing circuit analyzes the first reading to determine the behavioral state of the object, the behavioral state being one of a plurality of predetermined behavioral states, wherein (a) each of the plurality of predetermined behavioral states is associated with a unique set of a plurality of predetermined sub-behavioral states, and (b) in at least one of the plurality of predetermined behavioral states, at least a portion of the plurality of predetermined sub-behavioral states are the behavioral state to varying degrees. Based on the behavioral state, the processing circuit enables the sensing mechanism to be activated in the second operating mode of the plurality of operating modes, so as to acquire a plurality of second readings from the one or more sensors in a second time period, the second operating mode having a higher power consumption range than the first operating mode. The processing circuit analyzes the second reading to determine a first sub-behavioral state of the object, the first sub-behavioral state being one of a set of predetermined sub-behavioral states associated with the behavioral state.

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