Animal marking control system and method

Abstract

An animal marking control system comprising: at least one transceiver communicatively coupled to a remote base station (BS) and configured to exchange data with the BS, the transceiver having a plurality of operating modes (OMs), each of the operating modes defining a respective frequency of communication (FoC) of the transceiver with the BS; a marking unit configured to selectively mark an animal; processing circuitry configured to: activate the transceiver in a first operating mode of the operating modes, wherein in the first operating mode the transceiver communicates with the BS at a first FoC; receive an indication of a marking requirement from the BS; upon receiving the indication of the marking requirement, cause the transceiver to activate in a second operating mode of the operating modes, wherein in the second operating mode the transceiver communicates with the BS at a second FoC; receive a marking unit activation instruction; and activate the marking unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an animal marking control system and method. Background Technology

[0002] Livestock identification and monitoring systems are widely used, particularly for transmitting animal location and activity status to end users. These systems can include monitoring tags (e.g., animal monitoring ear tags, leg straps / tags, neck tags, or any other devices capable of monitoring various parameters related to the animal) and base station nodes that can communicate with each other, for example, but not limited to, wireless communication. Base station nodes receive information such as identity, location, and activity from the tags and transmit the data to a web server, where a database stores the tag information. The tag information can then be processed to assess the health status of each animal and detect situations where specific animals require physical attention from farmers, veterinarians, etc. Furthermore, these systems can include software applications that act as an interface between the end user and the web server, enabling remote monitoring and tracking of livestock.

[0003] In some cases, these identification or monitoring systems may also include visual indicators / tags and / or sound indicators / tags, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and / or sound generators. These visual indicators / tags or sound indicators / tags can be used to facilitate the identification of individual animals or subgroups of animals on a farm. As an example, animals may need to be tagged / indicated for specific or individualized medical treatment. This may be useful, for example, in large farms that may include hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of animals, or it may be useful in smaller farms, reducing the workload for the farmer when such tagging is required. As used herein, the terms tag, mark, or indicator are used interchangeably to refer to methods, systems, and apparatuses used to facilitate the identification, tagging, or indication of an animal or group of animals. For example, using LEDs as visual tags or indicators has many advantages, such as high luminous efficiency, small size, and long lifespan. For practical reasons, animal identification or monitoring tags must be as small and lightweight as possible. Furthermore, such electronic tags are limited by the limited energy capacity of their batteries. Visual or audio indicators / markers, such as LEDs, can be major power consumers of the tag's battery, thus affecting its lifespan. Therefore, effective operation of the markings on the tag's identification is crucial to extending the tag's limited power capacity. This can be achieved, in particular, by using the indicators only when actually needed. However, accurately and precisely determining when an indicator needs to be used without compromising its ultimate functionality and efficiency is challenging.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need in the field for a new animal marking / labeling control system and method. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an animal tagging control system for tagging animals is provided, comprising: at least one transceiver, the at least one transceiver being communicatively coupled to a remote base station and configured to exchange data with the remote base station, the transceiver having a plurality of operating modes, each of the operating modes defining a corresponding communication frequency between the transceiver and the remote base station; a tagging unit configured to selectively tag animals; and a processing circuit system configured to: activate the transceiver in a first operating mode of the operating modes, wherein in the first operating mode, the transceiver communicates with the remote base station at a first communication frequency; receive an indication of tagging request from the remote base station; upon receiving the indication of tagging request, activate the transceiver in a second operating mode of the operating modes, wherein in the second operating mode, the transceiver communicates with the remote base station at a second communication frequency; receive a tagging unit activation command; and activate the tagging unit upon receiving the tagging unit activation command.

[0006] In some cases, the second communication frequency is higher than the first communication frequency.

[0007] In some cases, the first power consumption rate of the transceiver when operating in the first operating mode is lower than the second power consumption rate of the transceiver when operating in the second operating mode.

[0008] In some cases, the marking unit is a light-emitting diode (LED).

[0009] In some cases, the light-emitting diode can provide different colors of light according to the treatment required for the animal, such that a first color of the different colors indicates a first required treatment, and a second color of the different colors indicates a second required treatment that is different from the first required treatment.

[0010] In some cases, the marking unit is a sound generator.

[0011] In some cases, the remote base station is a server.

[0012] In some cases, the transceiver receives the tag unit activation command from the portable device when it is operating in the second operating mode.

[0013] In some cases, the transceiver receives the tag unit activation instruction from the remote base station when it is operating in the second operating mode.

[0014] In some cases, the processing circuitry is further configured to disable the tagging unit upon receiving a deactivation command while the transceiver is operating in the second operating mode.

[0015] In some cases, the deactivation command is received from the remote base station.

[0016] In some cases, the deactivation command is received from a portable device.

[0017] In some cases, the processing circuitry is further configured to enable the transceiver to return to the first operating mode within the operating modes.

[0018] In some cases, the animal tagging control system also includes one or more sensors configured to acquire data related to the animal.

[0019] In some cases, the remote base station determines the tagging requirement based on the animal's condition.

[0020] In some cases, the animal's condition is one or more of the following: estrous cycle, disease, underlying disease, or low welfare KPI score.

[0021] In some cases, the transceiver is a wireless transceiver.

[0022] Background A second aspect of the present invention provides a method for tagging animals, comprising: activating a transceiver in a first operating mode of a plurality of operating modes via a processing circuit system, wherein: (a) the transceiver is communicatively coupled to a remote base station; (b) each of the operating modes defines a corresponding communication frequency between the transceiver and the remote base station; and (c) the transceiver communicates with the remote base station at a first communication frequency in the first operating mode; receiving, by the processing circuit system, an indication of tagging request from the remote base station; upon receiving the indication of tagging request, activating, by the processing circuit system, the transceiver in a second operating mode of the operating modes, wherein the transceiver communicates with the remote base station at a second communication frequency in the second operating mode; receiving, by the processing circuit system, a tagging unit activated; and upon receiving the tagging unit activation instruction, activating, by the processing circuit system, a tagging unit configured to selectively tag animals.

[0023] In some cases, the second communication frequency is higher than the first communication frequency.

[0024] In some cases, the first power consumption rate of the transceiver when operating in the first operating mode is lower than the second power consumption rate of the transceiver when operating in the second operating mode.

[0025] In some cases, the marking unit is a light-emitting diode (LED).

[0026] In some cases, the light-emitting diode can provide different colors of light according to the treatment required for the animal, such that a first color of the different colors indicates a first required treatment, and a second color of the different colors indicates a second required treatment that is different from the first required treatment.

[0027] In some cases, the marking unit is a sound generator.

[0028] In some cases, the remote base station is a server.

[0029] In some cases, the transceiver receives the tag unit activation command from the portable device when it is operating in the second operating mode.

[0030] In certain circumstances, the transceiver receives the tag unit activation instruction from the remote base station when it is operating in the second operating mode.

[0031] In some cases, the method further includes deactivating the tagging unit upon receiving a deactivation command when the transceiver is operating in the second operating mode.

[0032] In some cases, the deactivation command is received from the remote base station.

[0033] In some cases, the deactivation command is received from a portable device.

[0034] In some cases, the method also includes returning the transceiver to the first operating mode in the operating mode.

[0035] In some cases, the remote base station determines the tagging requirement based on the animal's condition.

[0036] In some cases, the animal's condition is one or more of the following: estrous cycle, disease, underlying disease, or low welfare KPI score.

[0037] In some cases, the transceiver is a wireless transceiver.

[0038] According to a third aspect of the invention, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is also provided, having computer-readable program code implemented therewith, the computer-readable program code being executable by a processing circuitry system to perform a method for tagging animals, the method comprising: activating a transceiver in a first operating mode of a plurality of operating modes by the processing circuitry system, wherein: (a) the transceiver is communicatively coupled to a remote base station; (b) each of the operating modes defines a corresponding communication frequency between the transceiver and the remote base station; and (c) the transceiver communicates with the remote base station at a first communication frequency in the first operating mode; receiving an indication of tagging requirement from the remote base station by the processing circuitry system; upon receiving the indication of tagging requirement, activating the transceiver in a second operating mode of the operating mode by the processing circuitry system, wherein the transceiver communicates with the remote base station at a second communication frequency in the second operating mode; receiving a tagging unit activation instruction by the processing circuitry system; and upon receiving the tagging unit activation instruction, activating a tagging unit configured to selectively tag animals by the processing circuitry system. Attached Figure Description

[0039] To understand the invention and how it can be practiced, the invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are provided by way of non-limiting examples only, in which:

[0040] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary environment for an animal marking control system according to the present invention;

[0041] Figure 2 This is a block diagram schematically illustrating an example of a base station according to the present invention;

[0042] Figure 3 This is a block diagram schematically illustrating an example of an animal marking control system according to the present invention;

[0043] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a series of operations performed by an animal marking control system according to the present invention; and

[0044] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a series of operations performed by a base station according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0045] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the invention can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, known methods, processes, and components have not been described in detail without obscuring the invention.

[0046] In the accompanying drawings and the following description, the same reference numerals are used to denote components common to different embodiments or constructions.

[0047] Unless otherwise specified, as will be apparent from the discussion below, throughout this specification, discussions using terms such as “communication,” “mark,” “transmit,” “cause,” “receive,” and “activate” encompass computer actions and / or processes that manipulate data and / or convert data into other data, where the data represents a physical quantity (e.g., an electronic quantity), and / or the data represents an entity object. The terms “computer,” “processor,” “processing circuitry system,” and “controller” should be broadly understood to include any electronic device with data processing capabilities, such as, but not limited to, personal desktop computers / laptops, servers, computing systems, communication devices, smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, processors (e.g., digital signal processors (DSPs), microcontrollers, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.), a group of multiple physical machines collectively performing various tasks, a virtual server coexisting on a single physical machine, any other electronic computing device, and / or any combination thereof.

[0048] Operations based on the teachings herein can be performed by a computer specifically constructed for the desired purpose, or by a general-purpose computer specifically constructed for the desired purpose using a computer program stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The term "non-transitory" as used herein does not include transient propagating signals, but includes any volatile or non-volatile computer memory technology suitable for the applications of this invention.

[0049] In this document, the phrases "for example," "such as," "e.g.," and variations thereof are used to describe non-limiting embodiments of the subject matter disclosed in this invention. The terms "one case," "some cases," "other cases," or variations thereof mentioned in the specification refer to specific features, structures, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment (or multiple embodiments) that are included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Therefore, the phrases "one case," "some cases," "other cases," or variations thereof do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment (or multiple embodiments).

[0050] It should be understood that, unless otherwise specifically stated, certain features of the invention described in the context of separate embodiments for clarity may also be combined into a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention described in the context of a single embodiment for simplicity may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination.

[0051] In embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to perform with Figure 4 and Figure 5The steps shown are compared to fewer, more, and / or different steps. In embodiments of the invention, in Figure 4 and Figure 5 One or more steps shown may be performed in different orders, and / or one or more sets of steps may be performed simultaneously. Figure 1-3 A general schematic diagram of the system architecture according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 1-3 Each module in this document may consist of any combination of software, hardware, and / or firmware that perform the functions defined and explained herein. As detailed herein, Figure 1-3 The modules can be centrally located in one place, or distributed across more than one location. In other embodiments of the invention, with Figure 1-3 Compared to the diagram shown, the system may include fewer, more, and / or different modules.

[0052] In this specification, any content relating to methods should be interpreted as applicable to systems capable of performing the methods, and as applicable to non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, once executed by a computer, would result in the execution of the methods.

[0053] In this specification, any content relating to the system shall be interpreted in accordance with the methods that can be performed by the system, and shall be interpreted in accordance with the non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that can be performed by the system.

[0054] In this specification, any content relating to a non-transitory computer-readable medium shall be interpreted in accordance with the applicable systems capable of executing instructions stored in said non-transitory computer-readable medium, and in accordance with the applicable methods executable by a computer that reads instructions stored in said non-transitory computer-readable medium.

[0055] Please remember the above information and refer to it. Figure 1 , Figure 1 A schematic illustration of an exemplary environment 100 for an animal marking control system according to the present invention is shown.

[0056] According to the present invention, environment 100 includes one or more animal tagging control systems 300, communication network 120, and base station 200.

[0057] Animal tagging control system 300 (also referred to herein as the "system") can be configured to control tagging units included therein to facilitate the identification of animals to which the system 300 is attached by selectively tagging animals. For example, selective tagging of individual animals can be very useful in large animal farms, such as, but not limited to, farms housing hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of animals, where limited labor resources need to be focused on individual animals in need of assistance. For this purpose, it is necessary to identify specific animals, such as, but not limited to, for veterinary treatment, routine check-ups, or vaccinations.

[0058] In some cases, system 300 can also be configured to monitor one or more characteristics of an animal when attached to it, such as, but not limited to, cattle, pets, fish, pigs, poultry, or livestock, and / or various parameters of the animal's surroundings. For example, system 300 can be a monitoring tag attached to the animal's ear, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the ear tag is attached to the cow's ear. Another non-limiting example of system 300 could be a strap attachment to be mounted on the animal's neck, a leg strap, a floy anchor tag (e.g., but not limited to, a T-bar tag), a fingerling tag, or any other configuration capable of performing the functions described herein.

[0059] System 300 can communicate with base station 200 via wired or wireless communication through communication network 120. Network 120 can be, for example, but not limited to, cellular network, personal area network (PAN), local area network (LAN), wireless local area network (WLAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), wide area network (WAN), virtual private network (VPN), intranet, extranet, or the Internet.

[0060] System 300 and base station 200 can be configured to exchange data between them. For example, system 300 can send animal-related data to base station 200 and receive operational instructions in return.

[0061] Base station 200 may operate with the capability of an antenna or a computing device with data processing capabilities (e.g., but not limited to, a server, personal computer (PC), tablet PC, set-top box (STB), personal digital assistant (PDA), cellular phone, web device, or any other computing device capable of executing a set of instructions (sequentially or otherwise) specifying the specific actions to be taken by the computing device). Furthermore, although only a single base station 200 is shown, the term base station 200 should also be understood to include any set of base stations 200 that individually or jointly execute a set (or more) of instructions to perform any one or more methods discussed herein.

[0062] Now for reference Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a block diagram schematically illustrating an example of a base station 200 according to the present invention.

[0063] According to certain examples of the invention, base station 200 may include a data storage library 210 (e.g., but not limited to, a database, storage system, and memory, including read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), or any other type of memory) or may otherwise be associated with the data storage library 210, which is configured to store data collected by sensors of system 300, optionally including, in particular, data related to one or more animals and / or various parameters of their surroundings (e.g., optionally, in particular, parameters related to...). Figure 3 (Detailed description follows). The data storage repository 210 can also be configured to retrieve and / or update and / or delete data stored therein. It should be noted that in some cases, the data storage repository 210 may be distributed, and the base station 200 may, for example, but not limited to, access the information stored therein via a wired or wireless network to which the base station 200 can connect.

[0064] Base station 200 may also include network interface 220 (e.g., but not limited to, network card, Wi-Fi client, LiFi client, 3G / 4G client or any other component) enabling base station 200 to communicate with various systems, such as system 300, through communication network 120.

[0065] Base station 200 also includes processing circuitry system 230. Processing circuitry system 230 may be one or more processing units (e.g., but not limited to, central processing unit), microprocessor, microcontroller (e.g., but not limited to, microcontroller unit (MCU)), or any other computing device or module, including multiple and / or parallel and / or distributed processing units, which are adapted to independently or collaboratively process data for controlling associated system 300 resources and for enabling operations associated with system 300 resources.

[0066] The processing circuitry system 230 includes a tagging requirement module 240, which is configured to determine the tagging requirement of the system 300 based on the animal's condition. In some cases, the animal condition can be determined based on animal-related data transmitted from the system 300 to the base station 200, as described herein, particularly with reference to... Figure 4 and 5 Optionally, further detailed descriptions can be provided to enable its high power efficiency.

[0067] Now for reference Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a block diagram schematically illustrating an example of an animal marking control system 300 according to the present invention.

[0068] According to certain examples of the invention, the animal tagging control system 300 (also referred to herein as the "system") may include a network interface 310 (e.g., but not limited to, a network interface card, a Wi-Fi client, a LiFi client, a 3G / 4G client, or any other component) enabling the system 300 to communicate via the communication network 120 with various systems, such as base station 200 (as optionally described in further detail herein). In some cases, the network interface 310 may be a transceiver, such as, but not limited to, a wireless RF transceiver, or a transmitter capable of sending or broadcasting waves (e.g., but not limited to, radio frequency (RF) waves) to base station 200.

[0069] System 300 may also include a tagging unit 340, which facilitates the identification of animals to which system 300 is attached by selectively tagging or recognizing animals. The tagging unit 340 may be an electronic component configured to automatically trigger a tagging or indicating device included therein, as optionally further described herein, according to an activation mechanism indicated by the tagging unit control module 330. The tag may be, for example, a sound or light generator, such as, but not limited to, a light-emitting diode.

[0070] It should be noted that in some cases, the entirety of the marking unit 340 may be visible, for example, but not limited to, any type of light source and / or sound indicator or marker, such as a light-emitting diode (LED) and / or a sound generator.

[0071] It should also be noted that the marking unit 340 and / or the marking and / or indicating device (as optionally further described herein) need not physically mark animals and / or groups of animals in this invention. As described herein, animal marking or indicating can be achieved by LEDs or sound generators.

[0072] System 300 also includes processing circuitry system 320. Processing circuitry system 320 may be one or more processing units (e.g., but not limited to, a central processing unit), a microprocessor, a microcontroller (e.g., but not limited to, a microcontroller unit (MCU)), or any other computing device or module, including multiple and / or parallel and / or distributed processing units, which are adapted to independently or collaboratively process data for controlling associated system 300 resources and for enabling operations associated with system 300 resources.

[0073] Processing circuitry system 320 includes a tagging unit control module 330 configured to control the operating mode of tagging unit 340 (e.g., but not limited to, by scheduling a predetermined activation mechanism and / or on-demand activation), as described herein, particularly with reference to... Figure 4 and 5 Optionally, further detailed descriptions can be provided to enable its high power efficiency.

[0074] As referenced above Figure 2 The system 300 includes at least one transceiver communicatively coupled (e.g., but not limited to, via communication network 120) to a remote base station 200 and configured to exchange data with it (i.e., send data to and receive data from the base station). The transceiver may have multiple operating modes, each defining a corresponding communication frequency between the transceiver and the base station 200.

[0075] System 300 may also include one or more sensors configured to acquire data related to the animal and / or various parameters of its surroundings when attached to the animal. Data collected by the sensors may include, for example: (a) physiological information collected from the animal's body, such as its temperature, heart rate, biometric information, velocity, acceleration (acceleration in an optional direction), and spatial orientation; (b) environmental information about the animal's environment, such as ambient temperature and ambient humidity; and (c) geospatial information, such as, but not limited to, the animal's geographic or relative location. Therefore, the sensors may include one or more of the following: vibration sensors, gyroscopes, magnetometers, pedometers, location sensors (e.g., but not limited to, GPS receivers), heart rate sensors, or humidity sensors.

[0076] In some cases, data can be transmitted by the transceiver to the base station 300 in its raw form (i.e., unprocessed raw data obtained by the sensor), while in other cases, the data can be processed or preprocessed by the processing circuitry system 320 according to a predetermined strategy and / or “real-time” instructions indicated by the base station 200.

[0077] Turn Figure 4 The diagram shows a flowchart of an example of a series of operations performed by an animal tagging control system 300 according to the present invention.

[0078] According to certain examples of the invention, system 300 can be configured, for example, but not limited to, to perform by utilizing the tag unit control module 330. Figure 4 The marker unit activation process is shown in the figure.

[0079] Therefore, the processing circuitry system 320 can be configured to activate the transceiver in a first operating mode, wherein in the first operating mode, the transceiver communicates with the base station 200 at a first communication frequency (block 410). The first operating mode can be a regular communication routine of the system 300, in which the transceiver transmits data acquired by sensors to the base station 200 at the first communication frequency. The communication frequency can be determined based on user requirements and needs (e.g., livestock farming may require more frequent monitoring than fish farming). In the first communication frequency, the system 300 can communicate periodically with the base station 200 at predetermined time periods (e.g., but not limited to, every 24 hours, every hour, every 20 minutes) or any other time period that can be determined based on, for example, user requirements and / or needs.

[0080] In a first operating mode, the transceiver can periodically enter a sleep mode (e.g., but not limited to, a powered-off state) and wake up (e.g., but not limited to, a powered-on state) to exchange data with base station 200. For example, if the first communication frequency is 20 minutes, the transceiver wakes up every 20 minutes and sends animal-related data to base station 200, and optionally receives operating instructions as an exchange (as further optionally described below). When the data exchange between the transceiver and base station 200 is complete, the transceiver returns to its sleep mode until the time period associated with the first communication frequency expires. This operating mode reduces the power consumption of system 300 compared to other operating modes in which the transceiver communicates with base station 200 at a higher communication frequency than its first communication frequency. For example, in a firmware update mode, the transceiver can wake up every tens of milliseconds (e.g., but not limited to, a few milliseconds) to exchange data with base station 200 (e.g., but not limited to, for base station 200 to send new firmware to system 300). This operating mode results in a higher power consumption rate for system 300 compared to the power consumption rate of system 300 when the transceiver operates in the first operating mode, as optionally described in detail above. In another example, the first operating mode reduces the power consumption rate of system 300 compared to an operating mode in which the transceiver is always on.

[0081] It should be noted that, in some cases, the processing circuitry 320 can be configured to activate the transceiver in another operating mode of the operating mode, wherein the transceiver operates at a frequency different from the first or second communication frequency (as described below). Figure 4The transceiver communicates with base station 200 via another communication frequency (optionally described in further detail in block 430), which may have an ultra-low power consumption rate compared to the power consumption rate optionally described above. Furthermore, this activation can be triggered by base station 200 at predetermined times. For example, the transceiver may be activated every 8 hours to communicate with base station 200, with such activation instructions potentially received daily at approximately 10 PM. During this operating mode, the transceiver may enter a sleep mode (e.g., but not limited to, a shutdown state) at approximately 10 PM and wake up (e.g., but not limited to, an on state) at approximately 6 AM to exchange data with base station 200, thus consuming ultra-low power. During this time slot when the transceiver is in sleep mode, the animal is likely sleeping or resting, thus communication between the transceiver and base station 200 is redundant.

[0082] To continue describing Figure 4 Before the activation process of the marker unit shown, now refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating an example of an operation sequence performed by base station 200 according to the present invention is shown.

[0083] According to certain examples of the invention, base station 200 can be configured, for example, but not limited to, to perform by utilizing tagging requirement module 240. Figure 5 The process for determining the marking requirements is shown.

[0084] For this purpose, the processing circuitry system 230 can be configured to receive data from the animal tagging control system 300 (e.g., but not limited to, via the communication network 120) (box 510). The data can be raw data, processed data, partially processed data, analyzed data, and / or information on the animal's activity (e.g., but not limited to, its rumination tendency or activity level) obtained by sensors of the system 300, relating to the animal's physiological parameters (e.g., but not limited to, temperature or heart rate).

[0085] The processing circuitry system 230 is also configured to analyze data to determine tagging needs (box 520). For example, tagging needs may arise in large animal farms (e.g., but not limited to, farms housing hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of animals) where limited labor resources need to be focused on individual animals in need of assistance, and for this purpose, it is necessary to identify specific animals or subgroups of animals, for example, but not limited to, for veterinary treatment, routine checkups, or vaccinations.

[0086] For this purpose, the processing circuit system 230 analyzes data to determine whether an animal or subgroup of animals associated with the corresponding system 300 needs to be identified for any reason. For example, for various reasons and / or purposes, such as, but not limited to, separation from a herd (e.g., but not limited to, for slaughter purposes or relocation to another facility or location), providing special diets and / or handling or treating sick animals, a particular animal or subgroup of animals may need to be identified to receive physical attention from farmers, veterinarians, etc.

[0087] For example, identifying unusual behavioral patterns in individual animals on a dairy farm can lead to the determination that the animal is ill and needs to be identified to receive physical attention from the farmer, veterinarian, etc. Behavioral patterns can include, in particular, standing up, lying down, ruminating, eating, walking normally and lamely, lying down, standing, etc. In another example, detecting temperatures above or below a predetermined threshold can indicate possible medical problems, such as respiratory infections in cattle.

[0088] In another example, a cow's rumination time is a direct derivative of its feeding time. That is, after periods of high feeding frequency and intake, the cow spends more time ruminating. Typically, a cow ruminates about 30% of its food intake per day. Therefore, a cow's rumination trend can indicate its health status (because sick cows tend to eat less and therefore ruminate less). Processing circuitry system 230 analyzes the number of ruminations monitored by system 300 to detect significant reductions therein, and optionally compares these numbers to the cow's normal and / or past behavior associated with system 300. In some cases, rumination periods can be correlated with additional and / or other characteristics of the cow (e.g., but not limited to, its activity level). When a sick or potentially sick cow is detected, processing circuitry system 230 enters that cow into the sick animal section of a health report. The health report can be a specific report associated with an individual resident of the farm, or a comprehensive list of all animals housed on the farm and their characteristics. Various types of information can be included in the report, ranging from routine changes in animal groups (where each animal group is monitored by a corresponding system 300) to numerical scores of the likelihood of disease in a particular animal on the farm.

[0089] In another example, a cow's activity level can also indicate illness. The activity level measured by system 300 can be analyzed by processing circuitry system 230 to detect significant decreases and / or increases, and optionally compared to the cow's normal and / or past behavior associated with system 300. For example, an activity level above a cow's normal and / or past behavior may indicate an abnormally high body temperature and thus indicate its health status (because a sick cow with a fever tends to move more). In some cases, the duration of the activity level period may be related to additional and / or other characteristics of the cow (e.g., but not limited to, its rumination time). Upon detecting a sick or potentially sick cow, processing circuitry system 230 inputs that cow into the sick animal section of a health report.

[0090] The Sick Animals section of the health report lists all animals on the farm that are sick or potentially sick. Additionally, the health report may list various animal conditions (e.g., but not limited to, estrus cycle, disease, underlying disease, or low welfare key performance indicator (KPI) scores) that may need to be identified or isolated by the farmer, veterinarian, or other specific animal or subpopulation.

[0091] The processing circuitry system 230 can also be configured to selectively send indications of tagging requirements to the animal tagging control system 300 (block 530). Tagging requirements can be determined by the base station 200 (e.g., but not limited to, by the processing circuitry system 230) based on the animal's condition. For example, if a specific animal associated with the corresponding system 300 is added to the sick animal section of a health report, the base station 200 will determine that there is a tagging requirement for that specific animal (i.e., the animal needs to be identified by a farmer, veterinarian, etc.).

[0092] It should be noted that in some cases, the need for marking is not necessarily related to animal disease. Marking needs can also be determined when: a scheduled vaccination is due, an estrus cycle is detected, a change in diet or increased treatment is required, or any other animal condition necessitates identification or separation of a specific animal or subgroup by the farmer, veterinarian, or other relevant personnel.

[0093] It should also be noted that, in some cases, tagging requests may be requested by farmers via portable devices (e.g., but not limited to, portable personal computers (PCs), tablet PCs, handheld PCs (e.g., but not limited to, personal digital assistants (PDAs), smartphones, etc.), smartwatches, or any other device with suitable processing capabilities, including devices that can be specifically configured for this purpose, for example, as optionally further described below, for various reasons and / or purposes, such as, but not limited to, separation from the herd (e.g., but not limited to, for slaughter purposes or relocation to another facility or location), providing special diets, and / or treating or caring for sick animals. Tagging requests requested by farmers via said portable devices may, for example, but not limited to, be transmitted to base station 200 via communication network 120. In other cases, tagging requests requested by farmers via said portable devices may optionally be transmitted to a cloud via a cellular network, which may be, for example, but not limited to, a web server. Subsequently, according to the invention, the cloud may transmit the tagging request to base station 200, and base station 200 may transmit the tagging request to the corresponding system 300. It should also be noted that in other cases, communication between the portable device and at least one system 300 can be direct or indirect, including, but not limited to, via one or more local area networks / wide area networks (including, but not limited to, cellular networks or Wi-Fi networks), via one or more base stations (e.g., base station 200) forming part of the local area network / wide area network, or via a remote server.

[0094] Typically, tagging requirements can be customized based on user needs and requirements (e.g., but not limited to, based on the type of animals suitable for the farm) in relation to animal condition and / or a combination thereof. For example, tagging requirements for a fish farm may optionally differ from those for a dairy farm.

[0095] Return to reference in this regard Figure 4 , Figure 4 The tagging unit activation process is illustrated. The processing circuitry system 320 can also be configured to receive an indication of tagging request from the base station 200 (box 420). The indication of tagging request actually indicates an animal or a subgroup of animals, where each animal is associated with a corresponding system 300 and needs to be identified or separated by a farmer, veterinarian, etc.

[0096] Upon receiving an indication of a tagging request, the processing circuitry 320 can also be configured to activate the transceiver in a second operating mode within the operating mode, wherein in the second operating mode, the transceiver communicates with the base station 200 at a second communication frequency (block 430). In response to the indication of a tagging request, the transceiver of the corresponding system 300 becomes more sensitive, i.e., it is activated in the second operating mode, wherein the transceiver exchanges data with the base station 200 periodically (e.g., but not limited to, at predetermined time periods, such as, but not limited to, every minute, every 30 seconds, or any other time period that may be determined based on, for example, user demand and / or needs) at the second communication frequency. Therefore, the second communication frequency is higher than the first communication frequency.

[0097] In the second operating mode, the transceiver can periodically enter a sleep mode (e.g., but not limited to, a powered-off state) and wake up (e.g., but not limited to, a powered-on state) to exchange data with base station 200. For example, if the second communication frequency is 30 seconds, the transceiver wakes up every 30 seconds and sends animal-related data to base station 200, and receives operational instructions (e.g., but not limited to, indications of tagging needs) in exchange. When the data exchange between the transceiver and base station 200 is complete, the transceiver returns to its sleep mode until the time period associated with the second communication frequency expires.

[0098] It should be noted that the first power consumption rate of the transceiver when operating in the first operating mode is lower than the second power consumption rate of the transceiver when operating in the second operating mode. This allows the additional power to be used effectively only when reasonable needs arise (e.g., but not limited to, when animals or subgroups of animals need to be identified or separated by farmers, veterinarians, etc.).

[0099] The processing circuit system 320 can also be configured to receive a tag unit activation instruction (block 440). The tag unit activation instruction can instruct the activation mechanism of the tag unit 340 included in the system 300. For example, for a dairy farm with daily routines, where the farmer performs routine checks in a specific pen or feeder between 10 and 11 a.m., the activation mechanism of the tag unit 340 included in the system 300 associated with the cows housed in that pen or feeder would be to activate the tag unit 340 between 10 and 11 a.m. That is, the activation mechanism in this case could be a predetermined time slot based on user requests and / or needs. In another example of a predetermined time slot activation mechanism for a beef farm, the tag unit 340 could be activated at 6 a.m. daily, and the tag could remain active for six hours; the tag could be, for example, a sound or light generator (e.g., but not limited to, a light-emitting diode).

[0100] In other cases, the activation mechanism can be on-demand. For example, a farmer enters an enclosure or feedlot and wants to identify all the animals within that enclosure or feedlot that require his attention. He can send a tagging unit activation command via a portable device (e.g., but not limited to, a portable personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a handheld PC (e.g., but not limited to, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smartphone, etc.), a smartwatch, or any other device with appropriate processing capabilities, including, for example, a device specifically configured for this purpose).

[0101] Upon receiving a marker activation instruction, the processing circuit system 320 can be further configured to activate marker unit 340 (block 450).

[0102] In some cases, when the transceiver operates in the second operating mode, it can receive tag unit activation instructions from portable devices (e.g., but not limited to, portable personal computers (PCs), tablet PCs, handheld PCs (e.g., but not limited to, personal digital assistants (PDAs), smartphones, etc.), smartwatches, or any other device with suitable processing capabilities, including, for example, devices specifically configured for this purpose). For example, the transceiver operates in the second operating mode where the second communication frequency is approximately 30 seconds (it should be noted that the second communication frequency can be set according to user requirements and / or needs, for example, but not limited to, it can be approximately 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 1 minute, or any other frequency suitable for carrying out the present invention). As optionally described above, the transceiver exchanges data with base station 200 every 30 seconds (e.g., but not limited to, via communication network 120). In one of these communication cycles, the tagging unit activation instruction may, for example, but not limited to, be received by the farmer from a portable device (e.g., but not limited to, a portable personal computer (PC), tablet PC, handheld PC (e.g., but not limited to, a personal digital assistant (PDA), smartphone, etc.), smartwatch, or any other device with suitable processing capabilities, including, for example, a device specifically configured for this purpose) by the base station 200. Next, the base station 200 transmits the tagging unit activation instruction (e.g., but not limited to, via communication network 120) to the corresponding system 300 associated with the indication of tagging requirement. Upon receiving the tagging unit activation instruction, the tagging unit 340 is activated by the processing circuitry system 320.

[0103] In some cases, when the transceiver is operating in the second operating mode, it can receive a tag unit activation command from the base station 200.

[0104] As described above, in the second operating mode, the transceiver is more sensitive than in the first operating mode, so when a command is received from the base station 200, the transceiver can respond quickly to the command (e.g., but not limited to, activating the tag unit 340).

[0105] As previously disclosed herein, the tagging unit 340 may be any unit or device capable of identifying an animal, including visual ones, such as, but not limited to, any kind of light source and / or sound indicator or tag, such as a light-emitting diode (LED) and / or a sound generator.

[0106] According to certain examples of the invention, the marking unit 340 may be a light-emitting diode (LED). The LED may be configured to provide light in various ways, such as, but not limited to, constant light and / or color, light with varying illumination intensity, light of varying color (i.e., the color may change in a predetermined manner), light with a predetermined pattern, flashing light with a predetermined frequency (e.g., but not limited to, a high flashing frequency may be used for emergency situations, while a low flashing frequency may be used for routine inspection situations), and / or suitable combinations thereof.

[0107] In some cases, LEDs can be configured to provide different colors and / or patterns and / or intensities and / or frequencies and / or combinations thereof based on the primary cause of animal identification (e.g., but not limited to, a primary treatment required by the animal). For example, a first color of different hues can indicate a primary treatment required, while a second color of different hues can indicate a secondary treatment required, different from the primary treatment required. In one example, a sick animal may be associated with red, while an animal requiring vaccination may be associated with yellow. In another example, LEDs can be configured to provide light with varying frequencies based on the animal's condition, such as providing a low flashing frequency (e.g., but not limited to, one flash per second) for healthy animals and a high flashing frequency (e.g., but not limited to, three flashes per second) for unhealthy animals (e.g., but not limited to, cows with high activity levels, as described above).

[0108] In some cases, the tagging unit 340 can be configured to operate based on the distance between the animal and the user's portable device associated with the corresponding system 300. For example, if the user is far away from the animal, the tagging unit 340 can generate a tag based on the distance between them (e.g., but not limited to, the farther the user is from the animal, the louder the sound / brighter the light from the tagging unit 340).

[0109] In some cases, the processing circuitry 320 can also be configured to receive a flag unit deactivation instruction (box 460).

[0110] In some cases, upon receiving a flag unit deactivation instruction, the processing circuitry 320 can be further configured to deactivate the flag unit (box 470).

[0111] In some cases, the processing circuitry 320 can be further configured to disable the tagging unit 340 upon receiving a deactivation command when the transceiver is operating in a second operating mode. The tagging unit deactivation command may indicate the deactivation mechanism of the tagging unit 340 included in the system 300. For example, the tagging unit 340 may be deactivated when needed (e.g., but not limited to, immediately upon receiving a deactivation request) or at a predetermined / expected time (e.g., but not limited to, within one hour).

[0112] In some cases, when the transceiver operates in a second operating mode, it can receive a deactivation command from a portable device (e.g., but not limited to, a portable personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a handheld PC (e.g., but not limited to, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smartphone, etc.), a smartwatch, or any other device with suitable processing capabilities, including, for example, a device specifically configured for this purpose). For example, the transceiver operates in a second operating mode where the second communication frequency is 30 seconds. As optionally described above, the transceiver exchanges data with base station 200 every 30 seconds (e.g., but not limited to, via communication network 120). During one of these communication cycles, the transceiver can receive a deactivation command for the tag unit from a portable device (e.g., but not limited to, a portable personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a handheld PC (e.g., but not limited to, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smartphone, etc.), a smartwatch, or any other device with suitable processing capabilities, including, for example, a device specifically configured for this purpose), said portable device being operated by, for example, but not limited to, a farmer, and the transceiver can communicate with the portable device, for example, but not limited to, via communication network 120. Upon receiving a deactivation instruction for the marking unit, the processing circuit system 320 may deactivate the marking unit 340 according to the deactivation mechanism described above.

[0113] In some cases, when the transceiver is operating in the second operating mode, it can receive a deactivation command from the base station 200.

[0114] In some cases, the processing circuitry 320 can also be configured to return the transceiver to a first operating mode. When the tagging unit 340 is deactivated, the system 300 can return to its normal operating mode, in which the transceiver operates in the first operating mode, thereby achieving high power efficiency for the system 300.

[0115] It should be noted that, for reference Figure 4 and 5Some boxes can be integrated into a merge box, or they can be broken down into several boxes and / or additional boxes can be added. It should also be noted that although the flowcharts are described with reference to the system components that implement them, this is by no means restrictive, and these boxes can be executed by components other than those optionally described herein.

[0116] It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the details described in the specification or shown in the drawings. Other embodiments of the invention are possible and it can be practiced or implemented in various ways. Therefore, it should be understood that the phrases and terms used herein are for descriptive purposes and should not be considered limiting. Consequently, those skilled in the art will recognize that, guided by the concepts that form the basis of this invention, other structures, methods, and systems for achieving the various objectives of the invention can be readily devised.

[0117] It should also be understood that the system according to the invention can be implemented at least in part as a suitably programmed computer. Similarly, the invention includes a computer-readable computer program for performing the methods of the invention. The invention also includes a machine-readable memory tangibly embodying a machine-executable instruction program for performing the methods of the invention.

Claims

1. An animal marking control system for marking an animal, comprising: at least one transceiver communicatively coupled to a remote base station and configured to exchange data with the remote base station, the transceiver having a plurality of operating modes, each of the operating modes defining a respective frequency of communication of the transceiver with the remote base station; a marking unit configured to selectively mark an animal; and processing circuitry configured to: cause activation of the transceiver in a first of the operating modes, wherein in the first operating mode the transceiver communicates with the remote base station at a first frequency of communication; receive an indication of a marking requirement from the remote base station; upon receiving the indication of the marking requirement, cause activation of the transceiver in a second of the operating modes, wherein in the second operating mode the transceiver communicates with the remote base station at a second frequency of communication; receive a marking unit activation instruction; and activate the marking unit upon receiving the marking unit activation instruction. the second frequency of communication is higher than the first frequency of communication. a first power consumption rate of the transceiver when operating in the first operating mode is lower than a second power consumption rate of the transceiver when operating in the second operating mode.

2. The animal tag control system of claim 1, wherein, the marking unit is a light emitting diode capable of providing different colors of light according to a required treatment of an animal, such that a first color of the different colors indicates a first required treatment, a second color of the different colors indicates a second required treatment different from the first required treatment.

3. The animal tag control system of claim 1, wherein, the marking unit activation instruction is received from a portable device when the transceiver is operating in the second operating mode.

4. The animal tag control system of claim 1, wherein, the marking unit activation instruction is received from the remote base station when the transceiver is operating in the second operating mode.

5. The animal tag control system of claim 1, wherein, the processing circuitry is further configured to deactivate the marking unit upon receiving a deactivation instruction when the transceiver is operating in the second operating mode.

6. The animal tag control system of claim 1, wherein, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the transceiver to return to the first of the operating modes.

7. The animal tag control system of claim 1, wherein, the marking requirement is determined by the remote base station according to an animal status.

8. The animal tag control system of claim 6, wherein, the animal status is one or more of: an estrus cycle, a disease, a potential disease, or a lower welfare key performance indicator score.

9. The animal tag control system of claim 1, wherein, 11. A method for marking an animal, comprising:

10. The animal tag control system of claim 9, wherein, causing, by processing circuitry, activation of a transceiver in a first of a plurality of operating modes, wherein: (a) the transceiver is communicatively coupled to a remote base station, (b) each of the operating modes defines a respective frequency of communication of the transceiver with the remote base station, and (c) in the first operating mode the transceiver communicates with the remote base station at a first frequency of communication; receiving, by the processing circuitry, an indication of a marking requirement from the remote base station; ​ ​ upon receiving the indication of the marking requirement, cause, by the processing circuitry, activation of the transceiver in a second one of the operating modes, wherein in the second operating mode the transceiver communicates with the remote base station at a second communication frequency; receive, by the processing circuitry, a marking unit activation instruction; and upon receiving the marking unit activation instruction, activate, by the processing circuitry, a marking unit configured to selectively mark an animal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, a first power consumption rate of the transceiver when operating in the first operating mode is lower than a second power consumption rate of the transceiver when operating in the second operating mode.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein, the marking unit is a light emitting diode that can provide different colors of light depending on a required treatment of an animal, such that a first color of the different colors indicates a first required treatment, a second color of the different colors indicates a second required treatment different from the first required treatment.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein, receive the marking unit activation instruction from a portable device when the transceiver is operating in the second operating mode.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein, receive the marking unit activation instruction from the remote base station when the transceiver is operating in the second operating mode.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising deactivating the marking unit upon receiving a deactivation instruction when the transceiver is operating in the second operating mode.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising returning the transceiver to the first one of the operating modes.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein, determine, by the remote base station, the marking requirement as a function of an animal status.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein, the animal status is one or more of: an estrus cycle, a disease, a potential disease, or a lower welfare key performance indicator score.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code executable by processing circuitry to perform a method for marking an animal, the method comprising: cause, by processing circuitry, activation of a transceiver in a first one of a plurality of operating modes, wherein: (a) the transceiver is communicatively coupled to a remote base station, (b) each of the operating modes defines a respective communication frequency of the transceiver with the remote base station, and (c) in the first operating mode, the transceiver communicates with the remote base station at a first communication frequency; receive, by the processing circuitry, an indication of a marking requirement from the remote base station; upon receiving the indication of the marking requirement, cause, by the processing circuitry, activation of the transceiver in a second one of the operating modes, wherein in the second operating mode the transceiver communicates with the remote base station at a second communication frequency; receive, by the processing circuitry, a marking unit activation instruction; and upon receiving the marking unit activation instruction, activate, by the processing circuitry, a marking unit configured to selectively mark an animal.

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