Data collection apparatus, program, and data collection method

Abstract

The present application provides a data collection device, a program, and a data collection method, which can efficiently collect data useful for determining the activity state of an animal. The data collection device 1 of the present application includes a data acquisition unit 11 that continuously acquires position information indicating the activity amount of a cow C; a determination unit 13 that analyzes the position information for a prescribed period and determines a tendency related to the time variation of the activity amount; and a data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 that adjusts the amount of acquisition of the position information based on the determined tendency related to the time variation of the activity amount; and the data acquisition unit 11 acquires the position information in accordance with the amount of acquisition adjusted by the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a data collection device, program, and method. Background Technology

[0002] Previously, techniques for determining the activity status of domesticated animals were known. Examples of documents describing such techniques include Patent Documents 1 and 2. Patent Document 1 describes a technique for determining abnormal animal information by retrieving animal observation data and individual animal information based on time-series data. Patent Document 2 describes a technique for obtaining rules related to the state of animals or their actions based on time-series data.

[0003] [Previous Technical Documents]

[0004] (Patent Documents)

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 6096738

[0006] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 6057786 Summary of the Invention

[0007] [The problem the invention aims to solve]

[0008] Furthermore, while increasing the amount of data acquired can determine the animal's accurate activity status, the increased data volume leads to a greater processing load. In the technologies of Patent Documents 1 and 2, although time-series data can be used to determine the animal's activity status, there is still room for improvement in efficiently collecting data useful for determining the animal's activity status.

[0009] The purpose of this invention is to provide a data collection device, program, and method that can efficiently collect data useful for determining the activity status of animals.

[0010] [Technical means to solve the problem]

[0011] The present invention relates to a data collection apparatus comprising: a data acquisition unit that continuously acquires data representing the activity level of an animal; a determination unit that analyzes the aforementioned data over a predetermined period to determine a tendency related to the temporal variation of the aforementioned activity level; and a data acquisition amount adjustment unit that adjusts the acquisition amount of the aforementioned data based on the determined tendency related to the temporal variation of the aforementioned activity level; and wherein the aforementioned data acquisition unit acquires data according to the acquisition amount adjusted by the aforementioned data acquisition amount adjustment unit.

[0012] Optionally, the aforementioned data acquisition quantity adjustment unit adjusts the acquisition quantity of the aforementioned data in each time period by adjusting the acquisition frequency of the aforementioned data by the aforementioned data acquisition unit in each time period.

[0013] Optionally, the more the activity level is in a period of time that tends to change over time with respect to the aforementioned activity level, the more the data acquisition adjustment unit adjusts the data acquisition amount to be higher; conversely, the more the activity level is in a period of time that tends to change over time with respect to the aforementioned activity level, the more the data acquisition adjustment unit adjusts the data acquisition amount to be lower.

[0014] Optionally, the aforementioned data may be at least one of the following: location information indicating the location of the animal, acceleration information obtained from an accelerometer installed on the animal, and angular velocity information obtained from an angular velocity sensor installed on the animal.

[0015] Optionally, the aforementioned data acquisition adjustment unit adjusts the acquisition amount of the aforementioned data in each time period by controlling the acquisition action of the aforementioned data acquisition unit on the aforementioned data.

[0016] Optionally, the aforementioned data is detected by a sensor, and the aforementioned data acquisition adjustment unit adjusts the acquisition amount of the aforementioned data in each time period by discarding the aforementioned data received from the aforementioned sensor.

[0017] Optionally, the aforementioned data acquisition unit acquires the aforementioned data from the sensor, and the aforementioned data acquisition amount adjustment unit adjusts the acquisition amount of the aforementioned data in each time period by controlling the transmission interval of the aforementioned data by the aforementioned sensor.

[0018] Optionally, the aforementioned data acquisition unit acquires the aforementioned data from the sensor, and the aforementioned data acquisition amount adjustment unit adjusts the acquisition amount of the aforementioned data in each time period by controlling the detection interval of the aforementioned sensor on the aforementioned data.

[0019] Optionally, the aforementioned data acquisition unit is detected by the data detection unit of the sensor, and the aforementioned data acquisition amount adjustment unit adjusts the amount of data acquired in each time period by controlling the power supply to the data detection unit.

[0020] In addition, the present invention relates to a program that enables a computer to perform the following functions: a data acquisition function that continuously acquires data representing the activity level of an animal; a determination function that analyzes the aforementioned data over a specified period to determine a tendency related to the temporal variation of the aforementioned activity level; and a data acquisition amount adjustment function that adjusts the acquisition amount of the aforementioned data based on the determined tendency related to the temporal variation of the aforementioned activity level; and the aforementioned data acquisition function acquires data according to the acquisition amount adjusted by the aforementioned data acquisition amount adjustment function.

[0021] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a data collection method performed by a data collection device, comprising: a data acquisition step of continuously acquiring data representing the activity level of an animal; a determination step of analyzing the aforementioned data over a specified period to determine a trend related to the temporal variation of the aforementioned activity level; and a data acquisition amount adjustment step of adjusting the acquisition amount of the aforementioned data based on the determined trend related to the temporal variation of the aforementioned activity level; and wherein the aforementioned data acquisition step acquires data according to the acquisition amount adjusted in the aforementioned data acquisition amount adjustment step.

[0022] (The effect of the invention)

[0023] According to the present invention, data useful for determining the activity status of animals can be collected efficiently. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the overall structure of a data collection system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating the structure of the hardware and functional blocks of a sensor device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a block diagram illustrating the structure of the hardware and functional blocks of a data collection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 4 It is a graph illustrating the results of an additive model used by a data collection device according to an embodiment of the present invention to determine the periodicity of activity in each time period.

[0028] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of data collection processing performed by a data collection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in conjunction with its embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. Furthermore, the figures referred to in the following description are merely schematic representations of shapes, sizes, and positional relationships to the extent that the content of this disclosure can be understood. That is, the present invention is not limited to the shapes, sizes, and positional relationships illustrated in the figures.

[0030] (Implementation Method)

[0031] <Data Collection System S>

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the overall structure of the data collection system S according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 As shown, the data collection system S of this embodiment has the following functions: collecting data representing the activity level of, for example, cattle C raised by dairy farmers, analyzing the data, and adjusting the amount of data collected. The animals that are the subjects of data collection are not limited to cattle C, but may include all animals that are beneficial for determining and utilizing activity levels, including animals that fall into the category of so-called economic animals such as pigs, sheep, horses, and goats, animals kept in zoos, so-called pets, and humans.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic floor plan showing the three cattle pens (CB1 to CB3) within the cattle shed. Figure 1 The image shows a scenario where 10 cattle (C) are kept in a single cattle pen (CB), but there is no specific limit to the number of cattle (C) kept in each CB. For example, there can be fewer than 10 or more cattle.

[0034] Within each cattle pen, feeding areas, milking areas, and watering areas are set up in appropriate locations, so that cattle can eat feed (feeding action), drink milk (milking action), and drink water (drinking action) in each location.

[0035] The data collection system S includes multiple sensor devices 2 (sensors) and data collection devices 1. For example... Figure 1 As shown, each cow C in each cow pen (CB) is equipped with a sensor device 2 equipped with a position sensor to acquire position information indicating the location of the cow C. The sensor device 2 has a data transmission function, and the acquired position information is transmitted to the data collection device 1, for example, via Near Field Communication (NFC). Furthermore, in this embodiment, the sensor device 2 can be fixed to a flap attached to the cow C's ear, or it can be fixed to the collar and attached to the cow C's neck, or it can be configured to be installed in other locations.

[0036] The data collection device 1 is an information processing device that is installed near the cattle shed containing the cattle pen (CB), such as in the management building of a dairy farmer, and has the main function of data collection and processing in this embodiment. The data collection device 1 performs the following processing: it acquires data representing the activity level of the cattle (CB), such as location information, from the sensor devices 2 mounted on each CB, analyzes the data, and adjusts the amount of data acquired based on the analysis results.

[0037] <Sensor Device 2>

[0038] Next, the functional structure of sensor device 2 will be described. Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating the structure of the hardware and functional blocks of sensor device 2.

[0039] like Figure 2 As shown, the sensor device 2 includes a processing unit 21, a position information detection unit (data detection unit) 22, a power supply unit 23, and a communication unit 24.

[0040] The location information detection unit 22 is a sensor used to acquire data representing the activity level of cow C, i.e., location information. The location information detection unit 22 can also be configured to detect location information using a satellite positioning system (GNSS) such as GPS. The location information detection unit 22 includes an antenna, receives positioning satellite signals transmitted from multiple positioning satellites, and determines its own position based on the received positioning satellite signals. The location information detected by the location information detection unit 22 can include, for example, the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the location where cow C, equipped with sensor device 2, is located. Furthermore, the timing of location information detection by the location information detection unit 22 is not particularly limited. For example, in this embodiment, the location information detection unit 22 detects location information every 0.2 seconds. The detection interval of the location information detection unit 22 can also be adjusted by the data collection device 1. In addition, while acquiring location information, the location information detection unit 22 also acquires time information indicating the timing of the detection, associated with that location information.

[0041] The processing unit 21 is implemented by a processor such as a central processing unit (CPU) that performs arithmetic processing. The processing unit 21 includes a location information receiving unit 211 and a location information transmitting unit 212.

[0042] The location information receiving unit 211 receives the output signal from the location information detection unit 22 and performs prescribed processing such as analog-to-digital (A / D) conversion to convert it into digital data.

[0043] The location information transmitting unit 212 performs the following processing: it transmits the digital data of the location information generated by the location information receiving unit 211 to the communication unit 24. The transmission interval of the location information can be, for example, a fixed transmission interval or a transmission interval that varies according to the control signal of the data collection device 1. Furthermore, the location information transmitting unit 212 performs the processing of transmitting the location information detected by the location information detection unit 22 and associated with time information to the data collection device 1 via the communication unit 24. Moreover, the time information can include, for example, the date and time when the location information detection unit 22 detected the location information.

[0044] The power supply unit 23 is configured to supply power, the driving source of the sensor device 2, to each part of the sensor device 2. The power supply unit 23 is, for example, a battery. The supply and interruption of power from the power supply unit 23 to the position information detection unit 22 can also be controlled by the data collection device 1.

[0045] The communication unit 24 has the function of receiving digital data representing sensor output signals from the location information transmission unit 212 of the processing unit 21 and wirelessly transmitting it via a predetermined communication method. In this embodiment, it is configured, for example, as a communication module with Bluetooth (registered trademark) as the communication function. The location information from the location information transmission unit 212 transmitted from the communication unit 24 is transmitted as Bluetooth data and received by the data collection device 1.

[0046] Furthermore, the location information detection method for cow C is not limited to using a satellite positioning system. For example, the location information of cow C can also be detected by a sensor device consisting of a sensor unit (data detection unit) mounted on cow C and transmitting digital data, and a location detection unit (data detection unit) that receives the digital data from the sensor unit and is located inside the cow pen. Specifically, for example, the location detection unit, which functions as a locator to utilize the orientation detection function included in Bluetooth, calculates the angle of incidence of the digital data received from the sensor unit as Bluetooth data, and detects the position of the sensor unit as the location information of cow C. Then, the location detection unit sends the location information of cow C to the animal management device.

[0047] <Data Collection Device 1>

[0048] Next, the functional structure of the data collection device 1 will be described. Figure 3 This is a block diagram illustrating the structure of the hardware and functional blocks of the data collection device 1. Furthermore, the data collection device 1 is constructed using general-purpose hardware. Additionally, the functions of the present invention are achieved by executing the program of the present invention on a general-purpose server computer or personal computer, as detailed below.

[0049] The data collection device 1 is an information processing device such as a server computer or a personal computer, and includes a processing unit 10, a storage unit 30, an input / output unit 40, a data interface (IF) unit 50, and a communication unit 60. The processing unit 10, the storage unit 30, the input / output unit 40, the data IF unit 50, and the communication unit 60 are connected by a bus (not shown) which serves as an internal communication line.

[0050] The processing unit 10 is an arithmetic unit composed of a processor such as a CPU. It reads various programs and data from the storage unit 30 (described later) and executes them to realize the function of the data collection device 1. In this embodiment, the processing unit 10 performs data processing for each functional unit of the data acquisition unit 11, the storage processing unit 12, the determination unit 13, and the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14. The operation of each functional unit will be described below.

[0051] The storage unit 30 is a storage area for various programs and data used to enable the hardware assembly to function as a data collection device 1. It can be constructed using read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), flash memory, semiconductor drive (SSD), or hard disk drive (HDD). Specifically, the storage unit 30 stores programs (control programs for the data collection device 1) used to enable the processing unit 10 to perform various functions of this embodiment, various parameters, information used in adjusting the amount of position information acquired, information related to cattle C, information related to cattle pen CB, operation input information input from the outside, and the activity level of each cattle C.

[0052] The input / output section 40 is composed of the following devices: various input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, touchpad, and microphone that enable data to be input from the outside to the data collection device 1; and output devices such as a monitor and speaker.

[0053] The data IF unit 50 has the function of controlling the data communication between the processing unit 10, the storage unit 30, the input / output unit 40, and the communication unit 60.

[0054] The communication unit 60 is a communication module that transmits and receives various data with the sensor device 2, and may be configured as hardware such as a network interface card (NIC). The communication unit 60 can also be used to execute communication between the data collection device 1 and the communication network.

[0055] Next, the functions of the data collection device 1, which are implemented by the various programs executed by the processing unit 10, will be explained.

[0056] The data acquisition unit 11 includes an identification information acquisition unit 111 and a position information acquisition unit 112. The data acquisition unit 11 has the following function: receiving information output from the sensor device 2 or the position detection unit mounted on each of the C.

[0057] The identification information acquisition unit 111 performs the following processing: acquiring animal identification information sent to the sensor device 2 of the data collection device 1. For example, the identification information acquisition unit 111 may acquire information related to cow C registered in the sensor device 2 as inherent animal identification information, or it may acquire identification information of the sensor device 2 itself as animal identification information. The animal identification information may include, for example, information such as cow C's weight, size, sex, age, medical history, or the calves (CBs) it belongs to.

[0058] The location information acquisition unit 112 performs the process of continuously acquiring data representing the activity level of cow C, i.e., location information. The location information acquisition unit 112 acquires the location information detected by the location information detection unit 22 of the sensor device 2 and transmits it to the data collection device 1 via the communication unit 24. In this embodiment, the location information acquired is data on a horizontal plane such as longitude or latitude, but it may also include, for example, information related to the altitude of cow C's location, such as height. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the location information acquisition unit 112 acquires the location information of cow C detected by the sensor device 2 every 0.2 seconds. Then, for example, the location information acquisition unit 112 may average five consecutive location information detected every 0.2 seconds and acquire it as the location information of cow C within one second. The acquisition frequency of location information by the location information acquisition unit 112 is adjusted by the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14. The data acquisition unit 11 sends the animal identification information acquired by the identification information acquisition unit 111 in association with the one-second location information of cow C acquired by the location information acquisition unit 112 to the storage unit 30. Furthermore, the location information of cow C acquired by the location information acquisition unit 112 is not limited to information within 1 second. For example, it can be less than 1 second or more than 1 second.

[0059] Activity level refers to the quantification of the physical state of animals such as cows that are engaged in vital activities. Examples of activity level include, for instance, the distance the cow moves, the amount of movement, body temperature, or pulse, as represented by continuously acquired location information. Alternatively, in addition to location information, data representing the cow's activity level can also include acceleration information acquired from an accelerometer installed on the cow, or angular velocity information acquired from an angular velocity sensor. In this case, the amount of movement in the cow's legs, torso, or head, representing at least one of the acceleration or angular velocity information, can be used as the activity level.

[0060] The storage processing unit 12 performs the following processing: based on the animal identification information acquired by the data acquisition unit 11, it stores the activity level for each cow C. Specifically, the storage processing unit 12 saves the activity level of each cow C in the storage unit 30 in a time series.

[0061] The determination unit 13 performs the following processing: analyzing the location information of the quantity within a specified period to determine the trend related to the temporal variation of the activity level of cattle C. The specified period is not particularly limited; for example, it can be one week, less than one week, or more than one week (e.g., one month). In this embodiment, the determination unit 13 determines the trend related to the temporal variation of the activity level of cattle C by determining the periodicity of the activity level of cattle C in each time period. As a time period, for example, one hour out of 24 parts of a day can be considered as a time period, or a period divided according to a specified basis such as morning, noon, and evening can be considered as a time period. In this embodiment, one hour out of 24 parts of a day is considered as a time period.

[0062] The details of the periodic processing by the determination unit 13 for determining the activity level of cow C in each time period will be explained. First, the determination unit 13 extracts the position information of cow C for a predetermined period of one second from the storage unit 30. The determination unit 13 determines the activity level in one second by calculating the difference between the position information extracted from the storage unit 30 and the position information one second earlier in time. For example, the determination unit 13 calculates the distance cow C moves in one second based on the difference between a position information and the position information one second earlier, thereby determining the activity level in one second. Then, the determination unit 13, for example, adds up the activity levels of multiple one-second intervals in each predetermined period to obtain the activity level of cow C in that period. Then, the determination unit 13 sends the activity level of cow C for the predetermined period of one second in association with animal identification information to the storage unit 30.

[0063] Secondly, the determination section 13 can also determine the periodicity of activity in each time period using known time series data analysis methods such as additive models or STL (A Seasonal-Trend Decomposition Procedure Based on LOESS). STL is described in, for example, the following paper.

[0064] RB Cleveland, WSC leveland, JE McRae, and I. Terpenning (1990) STL: A Seasonal-Trend Decomposition Procedure Based on LOESS. Journal of Official Statistics, 6, 3-73.

[0065] Figure 4 It is a graph illustrating the results of an additive model used by data collection device 1 to determine the periodicity of activity in each time period. Figure 4 In charts G1 through G4, the horizontal axis represents the date and time, and the vertical axis represents the activity level. Figure 4 Chart G1 shows the shift in the amount of activity as metadata. Figure 4 Chart G2 shows the long-term changes, or trends. Figure 4 Chart G3 shows the components that vary periodically over a fixed period (24 hours in this embodiment), which is seasonality. Figure 4 Chart G4 shows the noise, or residuals, that cannot be explained by trends and seasonality. The combination of the trend from Chart G2, the seasonality from Chart G3, and the residuals from Chart G4 forms... Figure 4 The location information metadata is shown in Chart G1. The determination unit 13 determines the seasonality obtained by the additive model as the periodicity of activity in each time period.

[0066] The data acquisition quantity adjustment unit 14 performs the following processing: based on the tendency of temporal changes in activity quantity determined by the determination unit 13, it adjusts the acquisition quantity of location information. For example, based on the periodicity of each time period determined by the determination unit 13, the data acquisition quantity adjustment unit 14 adjusts the acquisition frequency of location information by the data acquisition unit 11 in each time period, thereby adjusting the acquisition quantity of location information in each time period. Specifically, the more active a time period is within the determined periodicity, the higher the acquisition quantity of location information is adjusted by the data acquisition quantity adjustment unit 14; conversely, the less active a time period is within the determined periodicity, the lower the acquisition quantity of location information is adjusted by the data acquisition quantity adjustment unit 14. At this time, the data acquisition quantity adjustment unit 14 can also adjust to different acquisition quantities of location information in all time periods, or it can adjust the acquisition quantity of location information to the same amount in multiple time periods. For example, the amount of location information acquired during the three time periods with high activity levels can be adjusted to the amount of location information detected at 1-second intervals, the amount of location information acquired during the three time periods with low activity levels can be adjusted to the amount of location information detected at 30-minute intervals, and the amount of location information acquired during other time periods can be adjusted to the amount of location information detected at 10-minute intervals.

[0067] Additionally, for example, the data acquisition volume adjustment unit 14 can determine the time periods for increasing and decreasing the acquisition volume of location information when the acquisition volume of location information is set to the same amount in all time periods, and adjust accordingly. Specifically, the data acquisition volume adjustment unit 14 can also perform processing to increase the acquisition volume of location information in time periods where the activity level is above a first reference value, and perform processing to decrease the acquisition volume of location information in time periods where the activity level is below a second reference value (second reference value < first reference value). Furthermore, for example, the data acquisition volume adjustment unit 14 can sequentially select N time periods (N being an integer value of 1 or more) from the time period with the highest activity level among multiple time periods of a day, and increase the acquisition volume of location information in the selected time periods. Conversely, the data acquisition volume adjustment unit 14 can sequentially select M time periods (M being an integer value of 1 or more) from the time period with the lowest activity level among multiple time periods of a day, and decrease the acquisition volume of location information in the selected time periods. For example, in Figure 4 The periodic analysis results shown can also be as follows: Figure 4 As shown in Chart G3, the amount of location information acquired during the time periods of 8:00-9:00, 9:00-10:00, 15:00-16:00, and 18:00-19:00 is increased, while the amount of location information acquired during the time periods of 23:00-3:00, 11:00-13:00, and 17:00-18:00 is decreased.

[0068] Next, the specific method for adjusting the acquisition amount of location information in each time period by the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 will be explained. Furthermore, the data acquisition unit 11 acquires data according to the acquisition amount adjusted by the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14.

[0069] For example, the data acquisition adjustment unit 14 can adjust the acquisition amount of location information in each time period by controlling the operation of the sensor device 2, or it can adjust the acquisition amount of location information in each time period by controlling the operation of the data collection device 1 itself without controlling the operation of the sensor device 2.

[0070] For example, the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 can adjust the acquisition amount of location information by the data acquisition unit 11 for each time period by controlling the position information detection operation of the position information detection unit 22 of the sensor device 2. Specifically, the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 controls the acquisition by increasing the detection interval of the position information of the position information detection unit 22 when the acquisition amount of location information is reduced, and controls the acquisition by decreasing the detection interval of the position information of the position information detection unit 22 when the acquisition amount of location information is increased. As a result, the acquisition amount of location information by the data acquisition unit 11 is adjusted.

[0071] Alternatively, for example, the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 can adjust the amount of location information acquired by the data acquisition unit 11 for each time period by controlling the location information transmission operation of the location information transmission unit 212 of the sensor device 2. Specifically, the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 controls the transmission interval of the location information of the location information transmission unit 212 to increase when the amount of location information acquired is reduced, and controls the transmission interval of the location information of the location information transmission unit 212 to decrease when the amount of location information acquired is increased. As a result, the amount of location information acquired by the data acquisition unit 11 is adjusted.

[0072] Alternatively, for example, the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 can adjust the amount of location information acquired in each time period by controlling the power supply operation from the power supply unit 23 of the sensor device 2 to the location information detection unit 22. For example, the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 can also adjust the amount of location information acquired in each time period by switching the power supply unit 23 on / off. Specifically, when reducing the amount of location information acquired, the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 switches the power supply unit 23 to OFF, stopping the power supply operation from the power supply unit 23 to the location information detection unit 22. As a result, the location information detection frequency of the location information detection unit 22 decreases, and the amount of location information acquired by the data acquisition unit 11 decreases.

[0073] Alternatively, for example, the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 can adjust the amount of location information acquired in each time period by controlling the acquisition operation of the data acquisition unit 11 on location information without controlling the operation of the sensor device 2. Specifically, the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 controls the acquisition frequency of the location information transmitted from the sensor device 2 by the data acquisition unit 11 in periods of higher activity and decreases the acquisition frequency of the location information transmitted from the sensor device 2 in periods of lower activity.

[0074] Alternatively, for example, the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 can adjust the amount of location information acquired by the data acquisition unit 11 by discarding the location information sent from the sensor device 2 without controlling the operation of the sensor device 2. Specifically, the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 adjusts the amount of location information acquired by the data acquisition unit 11 by selectively discarding the location information received from the sensor device 2 before it is acquired by the data acquisition unit 11.

[0075] <Data acquisition quantity adjustment processing performed by data collection device 1>

[0076] Next, the data acquisition amount adjustment processing performed by the data collection device 1 in this embodiment will be explained. Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the data acquisition quantity adjustment process performed by the data collection device 1.

[0077] Figure 5 The data acquisition adjustment process illustrated in the example is performed on each cow C raised in the cattle pen CB at fixed time intervals (the loop of step S11).

[0078] In step S12, the data acquisition unit 11 acquires animal identification information and time information from the sensor device 2 mounted on the cow C, while simultaneously acquiring multiple location information of the cow C detected by the location information detection unit 22 at predetermined time intervals. Furthermore, the amount of location information acquired by the data acquisition unit 11 is set to the same amount across all time periods.

[0079] In step S13, the location information acquisition unit 112 of the data acquisition unit 11 performs a process of averaging the multiple location information acquired in step S12 within a fixed time period. For example, the location information acquisition unit 112 averages five location information detected continuously every 0.2 seconds and acquires them as the location information of cow C within 1 second. Furthermore, the location information acquired in step S13 for each second is stored in the storage unit 30 in a time series, associated with animal identification information and time information respectively.

[0080] In step S14, the determination unit 13 extracts the location information of multiple cows C stored in step S13 and calculates the amount of activity of the cows C represented by the location information. The determination unit 13 determines the amount of activity per second by calculating the difference between the extracted location information and the location information one second before or after the extracted location information. For example, the determination unit 13 calculates the distance the cow C moves in one second based on the difference between a location information and the location information one second before that location information, thereby determining the amount of activity per second. Then, the determination unit 13 adds up the amount of activity per second for each time period, thereby determining the amount of activity of one cow C in that time period. Furthermore, in Figure 5 In the example shown, a time period is set to one hour.

[0081] In step S15, the storage processing unit 12 saves the activity amount of the cow C in each time period determined in step S14 in the storage unit 30 as a time series.

[0082] In step S16, the processing unit 10 determines whether the storage unit 30 stores the activity data of a cow C for a predetermined period. Figure 5 In the example of the processing shown, the specified period is one week. If the processing unit 10 determines that the storage unit 30 contains one week's worth of activity data for one cow C (step S16; Yes), the processing proceeds to step S17. On the other hand, if the processing unit 10 determines that the storage unit 30 does not contain one week's worth of activity data for one cow C (step S16; No), the processing returns to step S12.

[0083] In step S17, the determining unit 13 determines the periodicity of the activity level in each time period based on the activity level of one cow C for one week extracted from the storage unit 30 by the storage processing unit 12. For example, the determining unit 13 determines the seasonality of the activity level in each time period by using an additive model to obtain the seasonality of the activity level of one cow C for one week.

[0084] In step S18, the data acquisition volume adjustment unit 14 sorts the time periods according to the order of activity volume from highest to lowest. For example, the data acquisition volume adjustment unit 14 may also divide a day into 24 parts with 1 hour each based on the periodicity determined in step S17, and determine the time periods from the 1st to the 24th according to the order of activity volume from highest to lowest, thereby sorting the time periods.

[0085] In step S19, the data acquisition adjustment unit 14 extracts the top three time periods with higher activity and the bottom three time periods with lower activity based on the sorting of time periods obtained in step S18.

[0086] In step S20, the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 adjusts the data acquisition amount for each time period. For example, the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 increases the acquisition amount of location information for the first three time periods with higher activity levels extracted in step S19, and decreases the acquisition amount of location information for the last three time periods with lower activity levels. For example, the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 adjusts the detection interval of the sensor device 2 for location information by controlling the sensor device 2, thereby increasing or decreasing the acquisition amount of location information by the data acquisition unit 11 for each time period.

[0087] In step S21, the processing unit 10 determines whether the data acquisition quantity adjustment process for all cattle C in the cattle pen CB is complete. If it is determined that the data acquisition quantity adjustment process for all cattle C in the cattle pen CB is not complete (step S21; No), the processing returns to step S20, and the data acquisition quantity adjustment process for other cattle C is initiated. On the other hand, if it is determined that the data acquisition quantity adjustment process for all cattle C in the cattle pen CB is complete (step S21; Yes), the processing performed by the data collection device 1 in the data acquisition quantity adjustment process ends.

[0088] The implementation method described above achieves the following effects.

[0089] The data collection apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes: a data acquisition unit 11 that continuously acquires location information representing the activity level of a cow; a determination unit 13 that analyzes the location information over a specified period and determines a tendency related to the temporal change of the activity level; and a data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 that adjusts the acquisition amount of the location information based on the determined tendency related to the temporal change of the activity level; and the data acquisition unit 11 acquires the location information according to the acquisition amount adjusted by the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14.

[0090] Therefore, we can consider the tendency of the activity level of cow C to change over time within a unit of time period, and adjust the amount of location information acquired accordingly, so as to efficiently collect data useful for determining the activity status of cow C.

[0091] In the data collection device 1 of this embodiment, the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 adjusts the amount of data acquired in each time period by adjusting the acquisition frequency of location information acquired by the data acquisition unit 11 in each time period.

[0092] Therefore, the periodic variation in the activity level of cow C within a unit time period can be considered to adjust the frequency of location information acquisition in each time period used to determine the activity state of cow C. For example, by acquiring location information with narrower sampling intervals during time periods with more location information variation, the activity state of cow C can be determined more accurately. Conversely, by acquiring location information with wider sampling intervals during time periods with less location information variation, unnecessary data processing can be reduced.

[0093] In the data collection device 1 of this embodiment, the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 adjusts the acquisition amount of location information to be higher during periods when the activity level tends to be higher than that which is related to the time variation of activity level; and the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 15 adjusts the acquisition amount of location information to be lower during periods when the activity level tends to be lower than that which is related to the time variation of activity level.

[0094] Therefore, during periods of high activity and significant changes in location information, the amount of location information acquired is adjusted to be higher, allowing for a more accurate determination of the activity status. Conversely, during periods of low location information change, the amount of location information acquired is adjusted to be lower, reducing the amount of data. This prevents the increased data volume from straining the capacity of the data collection device 1, thus reducing the processing load while accurately determining the activity status of cow C. Consequently, the activity status of cow C can be determined efficiently and accurately.

[0095] In the data collection device 1 of this embodiment, the data used to determine the activity level of cow C is at least one of the following: position information indicating the location of cow C, acceleration information obtained from an acceleration sensor installed on cow C, and angular velocity information obtained from an angular velocity sensor installed on cow C.

[0096] Therefore, the amount of activity can be accurately determined using a simple process.

[0097] In the data collection device 1 of this embodiment, the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 adjusts the amount of location information acquired in each time period by controlling the acquisition operation of the location information by the data acquisition unit 11.

[0098] Therefore, the processing volume of location information per unit time period used to determine the activity state of cow C can be optimized by simply adjusting the operation of the data collection device 1 without controlling the operation of the sensor device 2.

[0099] In the data collection device 1 of this embodiment, the location information is detected by the sensor device 2, and the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 adjusts the acquisition amount of location information in each time period by discarding the location information received from the sensor device 2.

[0100] Therefore, a simple process can be used to adjust the operation of the data collection device 1 without controlling the operation of the sensor device 2, thus preventing the pressure on the capacity of the data collection device 1 caused by the increase in data volume.

[0101] In the data collection device 1 of this embodiment, the data acquisition unit 11 acquires location information from the sensor device 2, and the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 adjusts the acquisition amount of location information in each time period by adjusting the control of the transmission interval of location information by the sensor device 2.

[0102] Therefore, the frequency of transmitting location information from sensor device 2 to data collection device 1 can be adjusted according to the activity level. For example, the power consumption of sensor device 2 can be reduced by decreasing the frequency of transmitting location information during periods when the activity level of cow C is low.

[0103] In the data collection device 1 of this embodiment, the data acquisition unit 11 acquires location information from the sensor device 2, and the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 adjusts the acquisition amount of location information in each time period by adjusting the detection interval of the location information by the sensor device 2.

[0104] Therefore, the detection interval of position information from sensor device 2 to data collection device 1 can be adjusted according to the amount of activity. For example, by increasing the detection frequency of position information during periods of higher activity levels, a more accurate determination of the activity state of the cow can be made, and by decreasing the detection frequency of position information during periods of lower activity levels, the power consumption of sensor device 2 can be reduced.

[0105] In the data collection device 1 of this embodiment, the data acquisition unit 11 detects location information by the sensor device 2, and the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 adjusts the amount of location information acquired in each time period by controlling the power supply operation to the location information detection unit 22.

[0106] Therefore, the power supply to the location information detection unit 22 can be adjusted according to the activity level of the cow C. For example, by stopping the power supply to the location information detection unit 22 during periods of low activity, the power consumption of the sensor device 2 can be reduced.

[0107] The program of this embodiment enables the computer to perform the following functions: a data acquisition function that continuously acquires location information representing the activity level of cow C; a determination function that analyzes the location information over a specified period and determines a tendency related to the temporal change of activity level; and a data acquisition amount adjustment function that adjusts the acquisition amount of location information based on the determined tendency related to the temporal change of activity level; and the data acquisition function acquires location information according to the acquisition amount adjusted by the data acquisition amount adjustment function.

[0108] Therefore, we can consider the tendency of the activity level to change over time in each time period, and adjust the amount of location information acquired in each time period accordingly, so as to efficiently collect data useful for determining the activity status of cow C.

[0109] The data collection method of this embodiment is a data collection method performed by the data collection device 1, including: a data acquisition step, continuously acquiring location information representing the activity level of a cow C; a determination step, analyzing the location information over a specified period to determine a trend related to the temporal change of the activity level; and a data acquisition amount adjustment step, adjusting the acquisition amount of the location information based on the determined trend related to the temporal change of the activity level; and the data acquisition step acquires the location information according to the acquisition amount adjusted in the data acquisition amount adjustment step.

[0110] Therefore, we can consider the tendency of the activity level to change over time in each time period, and adjust the amount of location information acquired in each time period accordingly, so as to efficiently collect data useful for determining the activity status of cow C.

[0111] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be appropriately modified.

[0112] In the above embodiment, the processing unit 10 calculates the activity level based on the location information at multiple time points transmitted by the sensor device 2, but it can also directly use the data transmitted by the sensor device 2 as the activity level. For example, the processing unit 10 can also obtain the body temperature of the cow from the temperature sensor installed on the cow as the activity level, or it can obtain the pulse rate of the cow from the pulse sensor installed on the cow as the activity level.

[0113] In the above embodiment, the data acquisition amount adjustment unit 14 adjusts the acquisition amount of location information in each time period by adjusting the acquisition frequency of location information by the data acquisition unit 11 in each time period. However, the acquisition amount of location information in each time period can also be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the amount of location information one by one without changing the acquisition frequency of location information.

[0114] Figure Labels

[0115] 1. Data collection device

[0116] 11 Data Acquisition Department

[0117] 13. Determining the Department

[0118] 14. Data Acquisition Adjustment Department

[0119] C. Cow (animal)

Claims

1. A data collection device, comprising: The data acquisition department continuously acquires data representing the animals' activity levels; The determination department analyzes the aforementioned data for a specified period, using time series data analysis methods to determine the periodicity of the aforementioned activity volume in each time period; and, The data acquisition volume adjustment unit adjusts the aforementioned data acquisition volume based on the determined periodicity; and, The aforementioned data acquisition unit acquires data according to the acquisition amount adjusted by the aforementioned data acquisition amount adjustment unit.

2. The data collection device according to claim 1, wherein, The aforementioned data acquisition volume adjustment unit adjusts the acquisition volume of the aforementioned data in each time period by adjusting the acquisition frequency of the aforementioned data by the aforementioned data acquisition unit in each time period.

3. The data collection apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The higher the activity level in a given period of time, the higher the data acquisition adjustment unit will adjust the data acquisition amount; conversely, the lower the activity level in a given period of time, the lower the data acquisition amount will adjust the data acquisition amount.

4. The data collection apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The aforementioned data is at least one of the following: location information indicating the location of the aforementioned animal, acceleration information obtained from an accelerometer installed on the aforementioned animal, and angular velocity information obtained from an angular velocity sensor installed on the aforementioned animal.

5. The data collection apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The aforementioned data acquisition volume adjustment unit adjusts the acquisition volume of the aforementioned data in each time period by controlling the acquisition action of the aforementioned data acquisition unit.

6. The data collection apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The aforementioned data is detected by sensors. The aforementioned data acquisition adjustment unit adjusts the acquisition amount of the aforementioned data in each time period by discarding the aforementioned data received from the aforementioned sensor.

7. The data collection apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The aforementioned data acquisition unit acquires the aforementioned data from the sensor. The aforementioned data acquisition adjustment unit adjusts the amount of data acquired in each time period by controlling the transmission interval of the aforementioned data by the aforementioned sensor.

8. The data collection apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The aforementioned data acquisition unit acquires the aforementioned data from the sensor. The aforementioned data acquisition adjustment unit adjusts the amount of data acquired in each time period by controlling the detection interval of the aforementioned sensor on the aforementioned data.

9. The data collection apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The aforementioned data acquisition unit is detected by the sensor's data detection unit. The aforementioned data acquisition adjustment unit adjusts the amount of data acquired in each time period by controlling the power supply to the data detection unit.

10. A storage device for a stored program, enabling a computer to perform the following functions: The data acquisition function continuously acquires data representing the animal's activity level; Define the function, analyze the aforementioned data for a specified period, and use time series data analysis methods to determine the periodicity of the aforementioned activity volume in each time period; and, The data acquisition volume adjustment function adjusts the aforementioned data acquisition volume based on the determined periodicity; and, The aforementioned data acquisition function acquires data based on the acquisition amount adjusted by the aforementioned data acquisition amount adjustment function.

11. A data collection method, which is a data collection method performed by a data collection device, comprising: The data acquisition step involves continuously acquiring data representing the animal's activity level. The steps are defined, the aforementioned data for a specified period are analyzed, and time series data analysis methods are used to determine the periodicity of the aforementioned activity volume in each time period; and, The data acquisition volume adjustment step involves adjusting the aforementioned data acquisition volume based on the determined periodicity; and, The aforementioned data acquisition steps acquire data based on the acquisition amount adjusted in the aforementioned data acquisition amount adjustment steps.

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