Measuring device

Abstract

To provide a measuring apparatus capable of performing accurate and sure weight measurement even when a measuring object moves, not applying stress to the measuring object, and being easily used by a user.SOLUTION: The weighing device includes a weighing device 3 to which a perch 10 for stopping a measuring object to be measured is connected at one end, a plurality of weight measuring sensors 41 and 42 for measuring the weight of the measuring object at the other end of the weighing device 3, and a control device 5 for calculating and reporting the measured value of the measuring object from the result of the weight measurement of the measuring object by the weight measuring sensors 41 and 42. Both of the plurality of weight sensors 41 and 42 are arranged on the upper surface side or the lower surface side of the weighing device 3 in the vertical direction and at a height equal to or lower than the upper surface or equal to or higher than the lower surface of the weighing device 3 in the vertical direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a measurement device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, with the declining birthrate and aging population, there has been an increasing demand for pets that can only be kept indoors. The main indoor pets include cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and birds. Small birds are particularly easy to care for, and many people choose them as pets. However, because small birds are small and delicate, any illnesses that go undetected can be fatal.

[0003] For this reason, it is necessary to consider how to prevent diseases or how to raise birds in a way that allows for early detection, which is known as preventive medicine. By raising birds based on this preventive medicine, it is possible to improve the survival rate of birds and extend their lifespans.

[0004] Preventive medicine is thought to be carried out in three stages. Primary prevention involves preventing illness through nutritional management and moderate exercise. Secondary prevention involves identifying changes in daily conditions and conducting regular health checkups to promote early detection and treatment of illness. Tertiary prevention involves medication and rehabilitation to halt or alleviate the progression of illness once it has already occurred.

[0005] Applying this to pet birds, primary prevention involves managing the breeding environment, controlling food intake based on weight, and ensuring a regular lifestyle suited to the bird to make it less susceptible to disease. Secondary prevention involves early detection of illness through daily weight management, monitoring changes in excrement, and health checkups at a veterinary clinic. In other words, detecting signs of illness through daily weight management and monitoring changes in excrement. Tertiary prevention involves treatment at a veterinary clinic.

[0006] From the perspective of preventive medicine, treatments involving veterinary clinics are performed by professionals such as veterinarians, and generally involve appropriate treatment. On the other hand, primary and secondary prevention, in particular, are something that owners take the initiative in, and can be difficult to manage. For example, in primary prevention, dietary management involves adjusting the amount of food given by the owner. However, the appropriate amount of food varies depending on the bird being kept and also on the bird's physical condition on a daily basis. Therefore, providing the appropriate amount of food every day can be difficult.

[0007] Furthermore, while daily changes can be identified by, for example, measuring the bird's weight, not all owners can easily measure its weight. In other words, if you cannot hold the bird, you cannot measure its weight. Even if you can measure its weight, it may be stressful for the bird. On the other hand, owners must always record the measurement results and present them to veterinarians as necessary, and doing so appropriately can be a burden.

[0008] Therefore, the applicant has developed a measuring device as shown in Patent Document 1 below, which does not cause stress to the object to be measured and can be easily used by the user (the owner). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7480999 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] However, even if the bird is not perched, measurement errors may occur due to changes in the external environment, such as sudden temperature changes or cage shaking. Therefore, even with the measuring device disclosed in Patent Document 1, users may need to be skilled to interpret the measurement results.

[0011] In addition, users want to know the weight of their birds more easily, rather than having to estimate the weight of the bird on that day from the results of weight measurements. Also, weight changes alone do not provide enough information to evaluate the health of the bird.

[0012] Furthermore, there is a demand for further miniaturization and cost reduction of the measuring device itself. In particular, miniaturization of the weighing section, including the weight measurement sensor, will enable the entire measuring device to be miniaturized.

[0013] That is, for example, when raising small birds, the cage is often covered with an insulating case, and even when the cage is covered with an insulating case, it is necessary to make the measuring device as small as possible so that the measuring device can be installed inside the insulating case. Furthermore, by making the measuring device smaller, distribution costs and manufacturing costs can be reduced, and it will be more appealing to users.

[0014] In addition, the measuring device is designed to be attached to a perch, but when attaching the measuring device to the cage, the connection part of the perch may come into contact with the cage's grid, which may hinder accurate measurements. Furthermore, if the perch is not properly fixed to the measuring device, taking into consideration the safety of the birds, it may induce measurement errors.

[0015] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a measuring device that can perform accurate and reliable weight measurements even if the object to be measured moves, does not impose stress on the object to be measured, and is easy for the user to use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0016] In one embodiment, the measuring device comprises a weighing device to one end of which is connected a perch on which the object to be measured perches, a plurality of weight measuring sensors at the other end of the weighing device for measuring the weight of the object to be measured, and a control device for calculating and reporting the measurement value of the object to be measured from the results of weight measurement of the object to be measured by the weight measuring sensors, and the plurality of weight measuring sensors are all positioned on the vertical upper or lower side of the weighing device, at a height below the vertical upper surface or above the vertical lower surface of the weighing device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] By adopting such a configuration, the present invention can perform accurate and reliable weight measurements even if the object to be measured moves, and it is easy for the user to use without putting stress on the object to be measured. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a part of a state in which a measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to a cage, as viewed from the inside of the cage toward the outside. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of a perch connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the arrangement of weight measurement sensors according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 5] 1 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a measurement device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating calculation of an activity level according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 1 is a flowchart showing a basic flow of a measurement process in a measurement device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9]10 is a flowchart showing a flow of correction of a weight measurement sensor by a weight calculation unit in the measurement process of the measurement device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of calculation of a representative weight value in the measurement process of the measurement device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart showing another flow of calculation of a representative weight value in the measurement process of the measurement device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of calculating an activity level in the measurement process of the measurement device according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0020] The measuring device S in the embodiment of the present invention is used to measure the weight of a measurement object. Examples of measurement objects include, but are not limited to, homeothermic animals and poikilothermic animals. Furthermore, the measurement object can be not only living things but also inanimate objects. In this way, the measuring device S in the embodiment of the present invention can measure a variety of objects, but the following description will be given using a bird as an example of the measurement object.

[0021] [Configuration of measurement equipment] Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a measuring device S according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the measuring device S comprises an outer case 1, a weighing device 3, a weight measuring sensor 4, and a control device 5. It also comprises an output device 6, a calculation device 7, and a storage device 8. Furthermore, a perch 10 is connected to the weighing device 3 via a perch connector 9. Note that the length of the perch 10 is shown shortened in Fig. 1 for convenience of illustration.

[0022] In Figures such as Figure 1, the vertical direction when the measuring device S is attached to the cage C is defined as the Z direction. The connecting direction of the weighing device 3, perch connector 9, and perch 10 is defined as the X direction. The direction perpendicular to the Z direction and the X direction is defined as the Y direction. Therefore, when the measuring device S is attached to the cage C, the Y direction corresponds to the horizontal direction.

[0023] In the measuring device S according to the embodiment of the present invention, the weighing device 3 and weight measuring sensor 4 are arranged on the floor surface 11. Meanwhile, the control device 5, output device 6, arithmetic device 7, memory device 8, and power supply E are arranged on the substrate P, and in the measuring device S according to the embodiment of the present invention, they are arranged inside the substrate P, above the weighing device 3, etc.

[0024] In addition, in the embodiment of the present invention, the output device 6, the arithmetic device 7, and the storage device 8 are collectively mounted in the control device 5 provided on the substrate P. Therefore, the reference numerals indicating these devices indicate the same parts as those of the control device 5 in FIG.

[0025] However, the configuration of the output device 6 and the like may not be the same as that of the embodiment of the present invention, and each device may be provided independently, for example, on the substrate P. Also, in Fig. 5, which is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the measurement device S according to the embodiment of the present invention and will be described later, for convenience of explanation, an example is given in which each device, such as the output device 6, is provided independently outside the control device 5 rather than inside it.

[0026] 1, the substrate P is shown removed from the measuring device S. Therefore, the approximate position where the substrate P will be placed on the top surface of the outer casing 1 is shown by a dashed line. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the power supply E is placed at the position of the opening 1a provided on the top surface of the outer casing 1.

[0027] 1, for convenience, the connection part used when connecting the measuring device S to a power source such as an outlet or a battery is shown as a power source E. Because the connection part is provided so as to open toward the outside of the measuring device S through the opening 1a, it is possible to easily receive a supply of power.

[0028] The following lists only the devices related to the contents explained in the embodiments of the present invention as devices housed inside the measuring device S. However, the devices are not limited to those mentioned above, and may also include, for example, a communication control device for exchanging information with a mobile information terminal of a keeper (a user who uses the measuring device S, hereinafter referred to simply as "user")

[0029] Furthermore, the substrate P on which the weight measurement sensor 4, control device 5, output device 6, etc. are mounted is fixed inside the outer box 1, but in Figure 1, the fixing devices required for this fixation are not shown.

[0030] Furthermore, in the measuring device S in the embodiment of the present invention, the outer box 1 has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape, but any shape can be adopted for the outer box 1 as long as it can accommodate the above-mentioned weighing device 3 and the like inside.

[0031] As described above, the measuring device S houses equipment for measuring the weight of a measurement object within a housing. The housing includes, for example, an outer box 1, a floor 11, and a front panel 2, as shown in FIG. 1 . The outer box 1 covers the floor 11 on which the weight measurement sensor 4 and other components are arranged. The front panel 2 is positioned opposite the side of the cage when the measuring device S is attached to the cage, and is connectable to the outer box 1.

[0032] When the measuring device S is attached to the cage in this manner, the front panel 2 faces the side of the cage. Therefore, the front panel 2 is formed with a first fixing hole 21 and a second fixing hole 22 for fixing the measuring device S to the cage, as well as a through-hole 23 in which a perch connector 9 for connecting the perch 10 and the weighing device 3, not shown in FIG.

[0033] 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a part of a state in which a measuring device S according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to a cage C, as viewed from the inside to the outside of the cage C. Therefore, the fence that forms the side of the cage C is visible in the foreground, and the measuring device S is located behind the fence.

[0034] Furthermore, due to the relative positions of the cage C and the measuring device S, the perch 10 is provided so as to protrude forward from the drawing, but is not shown in Fig. 2. Therefore, the weighing device 3 can be seen through the cage C at the back of the through-hole 23.

[0035] Here, the measuring device S measures the weight of a bird perched on a perch 10 by connecting the weighing device 3 to the perch 10 via a perch connector 9. When attaching the measuring device S to the cage C, as shown in Figure 2, the measuring device S is placed on the outside of the side of the cage C, so the perch 10 and the perch connector 9 protrude from the outside to the inside of the cage C through the fence of the cage C.

[0036] In this case, the perch connector 9 is actually placed on the fence, but if the perch connector 9 is in contact with the fence, it will rub against the fence every time the bird's weight is measured. Therefore, even if the bird's weight is measured, there is a possibility that an accurate measurement will not be obtained.

[0037] Therefore, in the measuring device S according to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, when the cage C is placed on the perch 10, the perch 10 is positioned so that its central axis passes through the intersection of a line extending vertically through the central axis of the fastener inserted into the first fixing hole 21 and a line extending horizontally through the central axis of the fastener inserted into the second fixing hole 22.

[0038] 2, the horizontal direction is the Y direction, and the vertical direction of the placed cage C is the Z direction. Consider a line that passes through the central axis of the first fixing hole 21 formed in the elongated hole in the Z direction (vertical direction) (this line is represented as dotted line M).

[0039] Also, consider a line extending in the Y direction (horizontal direction) from the central axis of second fixing hole 22 (this extended line is represented as dotted line N). Then, the central axis of perch connector 9, which employs a configuration described later, is positioned so that it passes through the point where dotted line M intersects with dotted line N (intersection point). By positioning perch connector 9 in this way, the central axis of perch 10 is also positioned so that it passes through this intersection point.

[0040] By attaching the measuring device S to the cage C so that the perch connector 9 is positioned in this way, it is possible to prevent the perch connector 9 from coming into contact with the fence of the cage C. Therefore, the weight of the object to be measured can be measured with high accuracy.

[0041] Furthermore, by making the diameter of the fastener (for example, a bolt) that is screwed into the first fixing hole 21 and the second fixing hole 22 larger than the diameter of the bolt 92 that constitutes the perch connector 9, it is possible to more reliably prevent the perch connector 9 from coming into contact with the fence of the cage C. That is, for example, when the fastener comes into contact with the fence, if the diameter of the bolt 92 described below is smaller than the diameter of the fastener, it will not come into contact with the fence.

[0042] It is possible that the axes of the fasteners or bolts 92 may overlap with the lattice spacing of the cage C. Therefore, in the measuring device S according to the embodiment of the present invention, the first fixing hole 21 and the second fixing hole 22 are formed as elongated holes, so that the position of the measuring device S can be adjusted in relation to the position of the lattice.

[0043] In addition, two fixing holes are provided on the front panel 2 because if the measuring device S is not fixed to the cage C at two points, there is a possibility that the measuring device S may move, such as rotating, when it is attached to the cage C or when the bird to be measured perches on the perch 10.

[0044] As described above, the measuring device S in the embodiment of the present invention is a device for measuring the weight of a bird in a cage C, which is the measurement object, and measures the weight of the bird when the bird perches on a perch 10. Therefore, it is necessary to position the perch 10 in the cage C so that the bird can easily perch thereon.

[0045] Here, the weighing device 3 is a pole on which the bird, which is the object to be measured, is placed when its weight is measured. In other words, the bird kept in the cage C can move freely within the cage C. However, as mentioned above, catching the bird in order to measure its weight can be stressful for the bird. Also, there are cases where it is difficult for the user to catch the bird. Therefore, the measuring device S in the embodiment of the present invention is provided with a weighing device 3 for stopping (placing) the bird in the cage C, and its weight is measured when the bird lands on the weighing device 3.

[0046] To make it easier for the birds to land, a perch 10 for the birds is connected to one end of the weighing device 3. The reason why the birds are not allowed to land directly on the weighing device 3 is that the appropriate type and shape of perch varies depending on the bird species.

[0047] Therefore, for example, if a perch 10 that birds are accustomed to perching on is provided in the cage C, the birds can perch on the perch 10 without stress, and weight measurement can be easily carried out.

[0048] On the other hand, even if a bird lands on the perch 10, its weight cannot be measured unless it is connected to the measuring device S. Therefore, the weighing device 3 and the perch 10 are connected to the perch connector 9, respectively, thereby connecting the weighing device 3 and the perch 10. In this way, the weight of the bird that lands on the perch 10 can be measured by the weighing device 3 (measuring device S).

[0049] Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of a perch connector 9 in an embodiment of the present invention. The upper part of Fig. 3 shows, from left to right, a weighing device 3, a perch connector 9, and a perch 10. The perch connector 9 is fixed by screwing a protruding bolt (bolt 92, described below) into the weighing device 3. The perch 10 is also fixed by connecting one end thereof to the perch connector 9.

[0050] 3 shows the disassembled parts that make up the perch connector 9. Specifically, the perch connector 9 is made up of a Colt 91, a bolt 92, a cap 93, and a nut 94.

[0051] As shown in Fig. 3, the Colt 91 is substantially cylindrical, with one side formed as an opening for inserting the perch 10. The other side is split and extends from the opening on one side, forming a claw shape toward the central axis of the cylinder (shown by the dashed line in Fig. 3). By forming the other side in this shape, the other side can be deformed toward the central axis.

[0052] A bolt 92 is inserted into the Colt 91 and is disposed so as to protrude from the other side. The bolt 92 is inserted from an opening on one side of the Colt 91, but the side opposite to the protruding side of the bolt 92 is in contact with a claw on the other side of the Colt 91, so the bolt will not come out from the other side of the Colt 91.

[0053] The cap 93 is generally cylindrical and is open on one side and tapered on the other side. With the bolt 92 assembled, the other side of the Colt 91 is inserted through the opening on one side of the cap 93. When the Colt 91 is inserted into the cap 93, the bolt 92 penetrates from one side of the cap 93 to the other and protrudes from the other side of the cap 93.

[0054] A nut 94 is fitted to the protruding bolt 92. When the nut 94 is rotated and tightened, the bolt 92 moves towards the nut 94, and the Colt 91 also moves to the other side of the cap 93.

[0055] As described above, the other side of the cap 93 is tapered from one side to the other. Therefore, as the Colt 91 gradually moves to the other side of the cap 93, the other side of the claw-shaped Colt 91 gradually narrows toward its central axis in accordance with the taper on the other side of the cap 93.

[0056] Here, since the perch 10 is inserted into the opening on one side of the Colt 91, force is applied to the entire circumference of the perch 10 inserted into the Colt 91. Therefore, the perch 10 is fixed more firmly than if, for example, the perch 10 were fixed by applying force from one direction.

[0057] Furthermore, the perch connector 9 in the embodiment of the present invention allows the perch 10 to be fixed without using screws or the like, thereby preventing the object to be measured (bird) from getting caught on screws or the like and being injured.

[0058] Also, by preparing various perch connectors 9 having an inner diameter that matches the outer diameter of the perch 10, it is possible to connect various perches 10. Furthermore, by adjusting the length of the Colt 91 and the cap 93 in the X direction, it is possible to freely set the length of the perch 10 that protrudes from the perch connector 9. Also, because the retracted width of the tip of the Colt 91 can be changed, various perches 10 can be connected to the perch connector 9. By being able to accommodate various types of perches 10, it is possible to make it easier for birds to land on the perch 10 according to the characteristics of the bird being measured.

[0059] As described above, the perch 10 is connected to one end of the perch connector 9. However, the object to be connected is not limited to the perch 10, and may be an object such as a bird feeder, as long as the bird can remain still during weight measurement.

[0060] The other end of the perch connector 9 is connected to one end of the weighing device 3. The measuring device S in the embodiment of the present invention is configured so that the two can be connected by inserting a bolt 92 protruding from the other side of the perch connector 9 into one end of the weighing device 3.

[0061] The weighing device 3 has the role of placing the bird, which is the object to be measured, via a perch 10 connected to one end. In the measuring device S according to the embodiment of the present invention, one end of the weighing device 3 has the shape shown in Fig. 1, but any shape may be adopted for the shape of the one end, and the shape of the other end of the perch connector 9 can be set to match the adopted shape.

[0062] A weight measuring sensor 4 is connected to the other end of the weighing device 3. When a measurement object (bird) lands on one end (perch 10) of the weighing device 3, the bird's weight is measured by the weight measuring sensor 4. In the embodiment of the present invention, the weighing device 3 has a wide shape that is parallel to the top and bottom as shown in FIG. 1 from the center to the other end so that the weight measuring sensor 4 can be connected.

[0063] The weight measurement sensor 4 is a sensor for measuring the weight of a bird perched on the perch 10 (weighing device 3). In the measuring device S according to the embodiment of the present invention, a load cell, for example, is used as the weight measurement sensor 4. However, any type of sensor may be used as long as it can appropriately measure the weight of the bird, which is the object to be measured.

[0064] The weighing device 3 and the weight measurement sensor 4 are connected with screws so that the load is transmitted to the weight measurement sensor 4 without distributing stress. Here, the two weight measurement sensors 4 are arranged below the center of the weighing device 3 at the other end and connected. Hereinafter, these two weight measurement sensors 4 will be referred to as the "first sensor 41" and the "second sensor 42" as appropriate, and when referred to collectively, will be referred to as the "weight measurement sensor 4."

[0065] In the measuring device S according to the embodiment of the present invention, the measurement value indicating the weight (body weight) of the object to be measured is the sum of the measurement results of the first sensor 41 and the second sensor 42 that are in contact with the weighing device 3. Specifically, the measurement value is calculated in the control device 5 by inputting electrical signals indicating the measurement results of the first sensor 41 and the second sensor 42 into the control device 5.

[0066] It is not possible to know in advance where on perch 10 the bird, which is the object to be measured, will land, and this is unknown. However, regardless of where on perch 10 the bird lands, the sum of the values ​​measured by the two weight measuring sensors, first sensor 41 and second sensor 42, as described above, is the bird's weight. Furthermore, the bird's weight can be measured as described above regardless of the positions of first sensor 41 and second sensor 42 in weighing device 3.

[0067] Regarding the arrangement positions of the weight measuring sensors 4 in the embodiment of the present invention, the multiple weight measuring sensors 4 (first sensor 41 and second sensor 42) are all arranged on the vertical upper or lower side of the weighing device 3, at a height below the vertical upper surface or above the vertical lower surface of the weighing device 3. Note that the vertical direction here refers to the Z direction shown in FIG. 1.

[0068] That is, the weight measuring sensors 4 may be located on either the upper or lower vertical side of the weighing device 3, but all are arranged on the same side of the weighing device 3. When the weight measuring sensors 4 are arranged on the upper vertical side of the weighing device 3, they are arranged so that the height from the floor surface 11 of all the weight measuring sensors 4 is equal to or lower than the upper vertical surface of the weighing device 3.

[0069] Similarly, when weight measurement sensors 4 are arranged on the vertically lower side of the weighing device 3, they are arranged so that the height from the floor surface 11 of all weight measurement sensors 4 is equal to or higher than the vertically lower surface of the weighing device 3. If they are arranged in this manner, various arrangement positions can be adopted for multiple weight measurement sensors 4. Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the arrangement of weight measurement sensors 4 in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 shows three arrangement examples, Figures 4(A) to 4(C).

[0070] 4(A) shows an example in which the first sensor 41 and the second sensor 42 are arranged on the same plane. The first sensor 41 and the second sensor 42 are both shown as triangles. The rod-like object, with the vertices of the triangle touching and extending in the X direction, represents the connected weighing device 3, perch connector 9, and perch 10. Hereinafter, these will be referred to as "weighing device 3, etc." as appropriate, and will be represented by the reference numeral 3 in the drawings.

[0071] 4(A), the first sensor 41 and the second sensor 42 are disposed on one side of the weighing device 3, etc. Meanwhile, on the weighing device 3, etc., a dashed triangle is shown with its apex pointing downward at a position opposite to the position where the first sensor 41 and the second sensor 42 are shown. This dashed triangle represents the object to be measured T. That is, in FIG. 4(A), the first sensor 41 and the second sensor 42 are disposed on the same plane at a position opposite to the position where the object to be measured T is placed on the weighing device 3, etc.

[0072] 4(B) shows a state in which a first sensor 41 and a second sensor 42 are arranged separately at both ends of the weighing device 3, etc. In this case, the object to be measured T is placed between the first sensor 41 and the second sensor 42 arranged at both ends of the weighing device 3, etc.

[0073] In contrast, in the example of Fig. 4(C), the weighing device 3 etc. is formed in a crank shape, and in the drawing, one end on the right side is shown lower and the other end on the left side is shown higher than the one end. The measurement object T is placed on one end of the weighing device 3 etc. as in Fig. 4(A).

[0074] The first sensor 41 is disposed on one end side of the weighing device 3, etc., and the second sensor 42 is disposed on the other end side of the weighing device 3, etc. In other words, the first sensor 41 and the second sensor 42 are disposed on different planes.

[0075] In this way, the multiple weight measurement sensors 4 can be arranged in various positions. However, regardless of the arrangement position, the weight of the measurement object T can be calculated by adding the values ​​measured by the first sensor 41 and the second sensor 42.

[0076] The control device 5 performs a variety of overall controls required for the operation of the measuring device S, such as calculating the weight of the bird based on the measurement results obtained by the weight measurement sensor 4 and error processing.

[0077] The control device 5 includes, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), and a random access memory (RAM), all of which are not shown.

[0078] The CPU is a processing device that reads out programs and data stored in the RAM and storage device 8 and loads them into the RAM, and performs a series of processes such as calculation and processing of measurement values ​​based on the measurement results of the weight measurement sensor 4, in accordance with the commands of the programs read out from the RAM. It also performs processing to present the measurement values ​​to the user via the output device 6, which will be described later.

[0079] The control device 5 also outputs the measurement value to the user via the output device 6, which will be described later. Alternatively, a communication control device (not shown) may be used to receive a request from the user and transmit the calculation result to the user.

[0080] The output device 6 is a device that outputs the measurement value, which is the weight of the bird that is the measurement object measured by the measurement device S, to the outside of the measurement device S. That is, the output device 6 is, for example, Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) implemented in the control device 5, and the control device 5 notifies the user of the measurement device S of the measurement value via such output device 6.

[0081] The output device 6 may be a wireless LAN or may be configured to connect the measurement device S to, for example, a mobile information terminal carried by the user via a wired connection. The measurement device S may be equipped with either a wireless or wired output device 6, or may be equipped with both.

[0082] The calculation device 7 performs necessary calculations based on requests from the user. Here, expected requests from the user include, for example, a request for a representative weight value and a request for activity level. Here, the "representative weight value" is a value used as an index showing, for example, the condition of the bird for the day to the user.

[0083] Until now, users have guessed the condition of their birds based on the weight values ​​measured by the measuring device S, but for example, the process of displaying the measured weight values ​​in a graph has not always been user-friendly. Therefore, the computing device 7 calculates a representative weight value as a representative value that can be displayed so that the bird's condition (weight) for that day can be understood without having to read a graph, and provides this to the user.

[0084] It is possible to arbitrarily set the period for which the representative weight value indicates the weight of the subject to be measured. For example, as mentioned above, the representative weight value may be "today's" weight value, or it may be set to indicate the weight value for a preset period such as "one week."

[0085] Furthermore, when a user evaluates the health of a bird, changes in weight alone do not allow the user to understand the cause of the change. For example, the user cannot determine whether a weight loss is due to dieting or whether the bird is in a pre-illness state.

[0086] Therefore, if the basis for the change in weight value can be provided using values ​​measurable by the measuring device S, the user can evaluate the bird's health condition to some extent from the change in weight value. Therefore, in the embodiment of the present invention, upon request from the user, the computing device 7 identifies the position of the bird perched on the perch 10 and calculates the activity level from the amount of change in position.

[0087] The processing of the calculation device 7 described above will be explained separately together with the processing of the control device 5 that executes processing to measure the weight value of the bird, which is the measurement object.

[0088] As described above, the storage device 8 is, for example, a flash memory mounted inside the control device 5. The storage device 8 stores the measurement results measured by the weight measurement sensor 4, the programs and data executed by the control device 5 and the arithmetic device 7, calculated measurement values, etc. The various data may be stored in a file format or in a table format.

[0089] In the following description of the embodiment of the present invention, it is assumed that the storage device 8 is provided within the measurement device S. However, an external storage medium such as a server device or a hard disk drive (HDD (Hard Disc Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive)) to which the measurement device S is connected via the output device 6, either wirelessly or wired, may also be used as the storage device 8.

[0090] It is also assumed here that the various programs, data, measurement results, measurement values, etc. are all stored in one storage device 8. However, it is also possible to provide multiple storage devices 8 and store the various programs, data, measurement values, etc. separately in each storage device.

[0091] In the measuring device S according to the embodiment of the present invention, the control device 5, output device 6, arithmetic device 7, and memory device 8 are arranged inside the measuring device S as shown in FIG. 1, but their locations can be freely set inside the measuring device S.

[0092] Next, the internal configuration of the measurement device S, in particular the internal configuration showing the connections between the control device 5 and each unit, will be described below. Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the measurement device S in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0093] As described above, the measuring device S is provided with the first weight sensor 41, the second weight sensor 42, the control device 5, the output device 6, the arithmetic device 7, and the storage device 8. These components are connected to the bus B, and are capable of exchanging information with each other via the bus B.

[0094] It should be noted that, for example, devices such as an AD converter and an amplifier may be connected between the first weight sensor 41 and the second weight sensor 42 and the control device 5, but these devices are not shown in Figure 5.

[0095] Furthermore, for example, the measurement results measured by the first weight sensor 41 and the second weight sensor 42 are stored in the storage device 8. The control device 5 calculates a measurement value indicating the weight of the bird based on the measurement results, stores the calculated value in the storage device 8, and notifies the user of the measurement value via the output device 6.

[0096] 6 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the control device 5 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The control device 5 includes a correction processing unit 51, a weight calculation unit 52, and a result generation unit 53.

[0097] An example of the processing performed by the correction processing unit 51 is tare processing for performing zero point correction. In the measuring device S according to the embodiment of the present invention, measurement processing is performed continuously. Specifically, although it depends on the processing speed of the CPU in the control device 5, measurement is performed, for example, every second.

[0098] However, if measurements are taken continuously, the measurement results may gradually change. To obtain more accurate measurement results, it is necessary to have high precision, small variations, and to prevent uneven distribution of values, and for this reason, it is necessary to perform tare processing as appropriate. Therefore, the correction processing unit 51 performs tare processing periodically, or as needed, for example, when the value of the weight measurement sensor 4 does not reach zero even though there is no bird on it. Furthermore, each sensor is initialized when measurement begins, and the correction processing unit 51 also performs tare processing at that time.

[0099] The weight calculation unit 52 calculates a measurement value that is the weight of the bird based on the measurement results from the weight measurement sensor 4. Specifically, it receives the measurement results from the first weight sensor 41 and the second weight sensor 42, and calculates the sum of these measurement results.

[0100] As described above, for example, the weight measurement sensor 4 performs measurement every second. Therefore, a sum is calculated from the measurement results measured every second by the first weight sensor 41 and the second weight sensor 42, and stored in the storage device 8. The calculated sum is then used as primary data, and primary data for a period of time set by the user is accumulated. Then, a measurement value is calculated using this accumulated group of primary data.

[0101] Furthermore, as described above, correction processing unit 51 performs tare processing, but if tare processing is performed frequently, there is a high possibility that a bird will land on perch 10 during the processing. In other words, tare processing (zero correction) will be performed with a bird on perch 10, resulting in an abnormal measurement value being recorded. If such tare processing is performed, then incorrect values ​​will be used in the calculation of the representative weight value and the calculated value of the activity level, which will be described later.

[0102] Since it is unclear when a bird will land on the perch 10, it is difficult to frequently carry out tare processing and zero-point correction of the weight measuring sensor 4 itself in this way.

[0103] Furthermore, weight measurement sensor 4 in the embodiment of the present invention is composed of first sensor 41 and second sensor 42, and deviations may occur between these sensors. Deviations between these sensors will cause measurement errors, so correction processing is necessary. However, since this correction processing is zero-point correction executed on software, it can be executed without being greatly influenced by the timing of whether or not the bird lands on perch 10, unlike the tare processing that performs zero-point correction performed by correction processing unit 51.

[0104] Therefore, the weight calculation unit 52 executes the correction process whenever necessary. Specifically, this is the case when the weight calculation unit 52 acquires a measurement result from the weight measurement sensor 4 and the value is less than a specified value. The specified value is a value that is set for determining whether or not the bird has landed (mounted) on the perch 10.

[0105] That is, the weight calculation unit 52 performs the correction process when the bird is not perched on the perch 10. This is because by performing the correction process as much as possible when the bird is not perched on the perch 10, it becomes possible to measure the weight of the bird more accurately when it actually sits on the perch 10 and its weight is measured.

[0106] By performing the correction process when a bird is not perched on the perch 10, the correction process can be performed with a certain degree of frequency, unlike the tare process which cannot be performed frequently. Therefore, it is possible to always maintain a small deviation between the multiple weight measuring sensors 4.

[0107] The weight calculation unit 52 first acquires the measurement results measured by the first sensor 41 and the second sensor 42. Then, it determines whether the acquired measurement results are equal to or greater than a specified value. The specified value is a value used to determine whether the bird, which is the object to be measured, has landed (mounted) on the perch 10. Therefore, the setting can be changed for each object to be measured.

[0108] The weight calculation unit 52 compares the acquired measurement result with a specified value, and if it determines that the measurement result is less than the specified value, it classifies the acquired measurement result as "Without Bird data." This is because, as described above, the comparison of the acquired measurement value with the specified value indicates that the value was not obtained when a bird was perched on the perch 10. Then, the deviation between the multiple weight measurement sensors 4 is calculated.

[0109] The calculated deviation information is sent to and stored in the storage device 8, and the "WithoutBird data" used to calculate the deviation is deleted. The weight calculation unit 52 then uses the deviation information to correct the measurement result acquired by the weight measurement sensor 4. The measurement result to be corrected here is a result that the weight calculation unit 52 determines to be a value equal to or greater than a specified value. In other words, the measurement result is the bird's weight value when the bird is perched on the perch 10.

[0110] The measurement results corrected based on the deviation information in this way are then stored in the memory device 8 as "With Bird data," i.e., primary data indicating the bird's weight value obtained with the deviation of the weight measurement sensor 4 corrected.

[0111] The weight calculation unit 52 further excludes outliers from the primary data and calculates the median based on the remaining values. Note that although the "median" is calculated here, it is also possible to calculate the average value, take a moving average along the time axis, or obtain a measurement value using time differentiation, for example.

[0112] The processing by the weight calculation unit 52 is processing to filter the primary data based on the outlier criterion. The extracted values ​​are then acquired as secondary data. The secondary data here is the value obtained after calculating the median by excluding the outliers from the primary data, and this secondary data becomes the bird's weight value (measured value) that the measuring device S presents to the user.

[0113] Furthermore, the weight calculation unit 52 also determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the measurement result obtained from the weight measurement sensor 4. An abnormality here may be, for example, when the output value has drifted.

[0114] Furthermore, measurement problems such as a negative measurement result or one of the weight measurement sensors 4 detecting the weight of a bird while the other does not are also included in the abnormal state.

[0115] Next, result generation unit 53 performs processing to present to the user the measurement value calculated by weight calculation unit 52. For example, if the measurement value is presented to the user on a mobile information terminal carried by the user, result generation unit 53 generates the measurement value in a format suitable for notification on the mobile information terminal.

[0116] Note that the explanation has been given here on the assumption that the control device 5 includes, for example, the correction processing unit 51, the weight calculation unit 52, and the result generation unit 53. In other words, it is assumed that the control device 5 causes a processor to execute a program, such as a weight calculation program, stored in a predetermined memory, the storage device 8, or the like.

[0117] Here, the term "processor" in this specification refers to, for example, a dedicated or general-purpose CPU (Central Processing Unit) arithmetic circuit, or a circuit such as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (e.g., a Simple Programmable Logic Device (SPLD), a Complex Programmable Logic Device (CPLD), and a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)).

[0118] The processor realizes its functions by reading and executing a program stored in, for example, a storage device 8 or directly embedded in the circuitry of the processor. The storage unit that stores the program may be provided individually for each processor, or may adopt the configuration of the storage device 8 shown in Fig. 3. As described above, the storage unit may be configured using, for example, a general storage device such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) such as a semiconductor or a magnetic disk, an HDD, or an SSD.

[0119] In addition, the functions of the correction processing unit 51, weight calculation unit 52, and result generation unit 53 provided in the above-mentioned control unit 5 may be configured as a control circuit in the control unit 5, and the control circuit 5 may execute the correction processing function, weight calculation function, and result generation function, respectively.

[0120] Furthermore, the functions of the correction processing unit 51, weight calculation unit 52, and result generation unit 53 can be configured as a control circuit in the control device 5, and each can be configured individually as a correction processing circuit, weight calculation circuit, and result generation circuit.

[0121] Furthermore, the storage device 8 included in the measuring device S may be configured as a storage circuit 38.

[0122] Next, the processing of the calculation device 7 will be described. As described above, the calculation device 7 calculates the representative body weight value and the activity level. The processing by the calculation device 7 differs from the processing of measuring the weight of the measurement object in the control device 5 described above, and is executed in response to a request from the user.

[0123] First, we will explain the first method for calculating the representative weight value. When a user requests a representative weight value, the calculation device 7 acquires primary data from the storage device 8. The calculation device 7 then calculates the median value using the primary data and acquires secondary data.

[0124] In addition, since this processing is also performed by, for example, the weight calculation unit 52 described above, the secondary data calculated by the weight calculation unit 52 and stored in the storage device 8 may be acquired by the calculation device 7.

[0125] Then, the arithmetic unit 7 calculates the measurement error caused by the movement of the object to be measured on the perch 10. Furthermore, the measuring device S also has errors of the measuring device S itself that are required as specification values.

[0126] Therefore, the calculation device 7 corrects the acquired secondary data using these "measurement errors due to the movement of the measurement subject" and "measurement device errors." This secondary data is then used to further calculate the variability in "changes in the weight of the measurement subject." The calculation device 7 calculates the average value from the calculated variability in the weight changes of the measurement subject, and finally calculates a representative weight value, which is the statistical minimum value.

[0127] That is, when obtaining changes in the weight value of a bird using the measuring device S, it is difficult to determine changes in the weight value that indicate the true weight change of the bird using only the measurement value of the weight measuring sensor 4. Therefore, the calculation device 7 calculates the representative weight value taking into consideration three types of variation that cause errors and variations: "measurement error due to bird movement," "measurement device error," and "variation in the bird's weight."

[0128] The method for calculating the representative weight value by the calculation device 7 has been described above. Here, the method takes into account three types of variation, but the representative weight value can also be calculated by other methods. Therefore, next, a second method for calculating the representative weight value will be described.

[0129] The process up to the point where the calculation device 7 receives a request for a representative weight value from the user and acquires secondary data using primary data is as described above. The method described here uses a box plot to make the acquired secondary data suitable for calculating a representative weight value. The box plot is a so-called box-and-whisker diagram.

[0130] The calculation device 7 defines outliers in the secondary data using a box plot, corrects the secondary data using the defined outliers to remove the outliers, and then calculates the variability in the weight change of the measurement subject using the corrected secondary data, and also calculates the average value.

[0131] However, the average value is not used to immediately calculate a representative weight value, but the calculation device 7 further determines whether the obtained variation in the weight change of the measurement subject conforms to a normal distribution. If the calculation device 7 determines that the variation conforms to a normal distribution, the calculation device 7 directly calculates a representative weight value, which is a statistical minimum value, based on the calculated average value.

[0132] On the other hand, if the calculation device 7 determines that the variation is not a normal distribution (a non-normal distribution), the variation is corrected again using outliers defined by the box plot, and the average value is calculated again, and then the representative weight value, which is the statistical minimum value, is calculated.

[0133] The reason for this correction is that when actually measuring the weight of an object to be measured, there is a possibility that bias may occur, such as the object perching on the perch 10 more often when it is heavy (having a large body weight) or the object perching on the perch 10 more often when it is light. Therefore, more specifically, the correction is performed by multiplying the variation in the weight change of the object to be measured by a correction coefficient based on the ratio of the upper and lower lines of the box plot.

[0134] By performing such processing to calculate the representative weight value, a more accurate representative weight value can be calculated, thereby enabling the user to better understand the state of health.

[0135] Here, the calculation device 7 determines whether or not the variation is a normal distribution to determine whether or not correction is necessary. However, instead of performing this process, it is also possible to immediately perform a process in which the variation in the weight change of the measurement subject is multiplied by a correction coefficient based on the ratio of the upper and lower lines of the box plot. In this case, if the distribution is normal, the ratio will be 1.0, which can be considered to be the same as a state in which no correction is performed.

[0136] In either case, the calculation device 7 removes influences other than weight change from a group of measurement values ​​over a certain period and calculates a representative weight value based on a specified percentile ranking of the corrected group of measurement values. In other words, the calculation device 7 performs pre-processing, then returns the percentile ranking and performs post-processing as necessary.

[0137] Here, "pre-processing" refers to, for example, the process of removing measurement errors due to the movement of the object being measured in the first method. In the second method, this corresponds to the process of removing outliers using box plots. Meanwhile, "post-processing" corresponds to the correction process in the case of a non-normal distribution, as explained in the second method.

[0138] In this way, the representative weight value is calculated based on the percentile rank. However, the percentile rank may not be any rank, but may be a rank that can be set based on values ​​obtained through experiments, for example. Therefore, a predetermined percentile rank is used here. However, the percentile rank is not a fixed rank, and may be arbitrarily set by the user, for example.

[0139] Next, the process of calculating the activity level by the arithmetic device 7 will be described. The calculation of the activity level is also a process executed in response to a request from a user. The arithmetic device 7 acquires position information of the bird's perch 10, which is the measurement target, and calculates the bird's activity level based on the acquired position information. Note that the position information of the bird's perch 10 may be acquired by an imaging device such as a camera, for example.

[0140] For example, the following describes a method for calculating the activity level from the position information using the amount of movement of the bird on the perch 10. First, the calculation device 7 obtains the measurement results measured by the weight measurement sensor 4 (the first sensor 41 and the second sensor 42) from the storage device 8.

[0141] Then, using the acquired measurement results, the calculation device 7 calculates the position of the measurement target object at the time the measurement results were obtained. This process will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the calculation of the activity level in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0142] 7 shows a state in which the first sensor 41 and the second sensor 42 are arranged on the same plane at one end of the weighing device 3, etc., as shown in FIG. 4(A), and the measurement object T is placed on the other end of the weighing device 3, etc. Here, the distance from the first sensor 41 to the measurement object T is denoted as L. Furthermore, the distance between the first sensor 41 and the second sensor 42 is denoted as D. The distance D can be treated as a fixed value, i.e., a constant.

[0143] If the output value (measured value) of the first sensor 41 is W1 and the output value (measured value) of the second sensor 42 is W2, the following equation holds true.

[0144] L=(W1-W2) / (W1+W2)×D / 2-D / 2...(Formula 1)

[0145] That is, by using the above (Equation 1), the calculation device 7 can determine the distance L from the first sensor 41 to the object to be measured T, i.e., the position of the object to be measured (bird) on the perch 10, from the measurement values ​​of the first sensor 41 and the second sensor 42.

[0146] The arithmetic unit 7 stores the obtained position information of the measurement object in the storage device 8. The arithmetic unit 7 also obtains the calculated two consecutive position information from the storage device 8 and calculates the displacement of the bird on the perch 10. This displacement corresponds to the movement distance of the measurement object from the previous measurement to the current measurement. The calculation of this displacement is then performed for a preset period (predetermined period).

[0147] The total movement distance of the object to be measured during the predetermined period can be calculated from the acquired displacement for the predetermined period. Furthermore, the calculation device 7 acquires and normalizes the average movement distance during the past predetermined period.

[0148] For example, if the perch 10 is changed, the amount of movement also changes, which may make it impossible to compare the amounts of activity on different perches 10. Therefore, normalization processing is performed because it is thought that it would be easier for the user to understand if they could see the increase or decrease in the current activity value compared to the previous activity value.

[0149] By performing this process when calculating the activity level, it is possible to show not just the total distance traveled over a given period, but also the relative increase or decrease in the amount of movement, i.e., how much movement is currently being made compared to the past average, making it easier for the user to estimate the health condition of the subject.

[0150] In addition to the method of calculating the activity level using the calculation device 7 described above, a method can also be adopted in which the activity level of a bird is calculated based on, for example, the number of times the bird moves on the perch 10, based on the acquired location information.

[0151] [Operation] Next, we will explain the flow of processing for measuring the weight of a bird using the measuring device S. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the basic flow of the measurement processing in the measuring device S in this embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing the flow of correction of the weight measuring sensor 4 mainly by the weight calculation unit 52 in the measurement processing of the measuring device S in this embodiment of the present invention.

[0152] 8 and 9 merely show a single process flow in the measuring device S. Therefore, as long as the measuring device S measures the weight of birds, the process flow shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 will be repeatedly executed until the power is turned off.

[0153] First, the power supply to the measuring device S is turned on (ST1 in FIG. 8). This triggers the control device 5 to initialize the weight measuring sensor 4 (ST2). That is, the correction processing unit 51 of the control device 5 executes tare processing to perform correction processing so that the value of the weight measuring sensor 4 indicates zero.

[0154] When the correction processing in the correction processing unit 51 is completed, the weight measurement sensor 4 starts the measurement processing. That is, the weight on the weighing device 3 is measured every second (ST3).

[0155] Specifically, the weight calculation unit 52 acquires the measurement results from the first weight sensor 41 and the second weight sensor 42 (ST11 in FIG. 9). The weight calculation unit 52 determines whether the acquired measurement results are equal to or greater than a predetermined value (ST12). In this process, the weight calculation unit 52 determines whether the weight on the weighing device 3 measured by the weight measurement sensor 4 is due to a bird, which is the object to be measured, perching on the perch 10.

[0156] If the weight calculation unit 52 determines that the measurement result is not greater than the specified value (NO in ST12), the measurement result is not due to a bird perching on the perch 10, so the measurement result obtained from the weight measurement sensor 4 is classified as "WithoutBird data" (ST13).

[0157] Furthermore, the weight calculation unit 52 calculates the deviation between the multiple weight measurement sensors 4 (in the embodiment of the present invention, the first sensor 41 and the second sensor 42) (ST14). The calculated deviation information is sent to the storage device 8 and stored therein (ST15), and the "WithoutBird data" used in the deviation calculation is deleted (ST16).

[0158] Then, the weight calculation unit 52 uses the deviation information to correct the measurement result acquired by the weight measurement sensor 4 (ST17). The value to be corrected is the measurement result that the weight calculation unit 52 determines to be equal to or greater than a specified value when determining whether the value is equal to or greater than the specified value (YES in ST12).

[0159] The measurement results corrected based on the deviation information are classified as "With Bird data" (ST18). Then, the primary data indicating the weight value of the bird obtained with the deviation of the weight measurement sensor 4 corrected is stored in the storage device 8.

[0160] The weight calculation unit 52 determines whether or not the specified number of measurement results has been acquired from the weight measurement sensor 4 (ST19). As a result, if the weight calculation unit 52 determines that the specified number of measurement results has not been acquired (NO in ST19), the process returns to step ST11 and acquires a measurement result from the weight measurement sensor 4 again.

[0161] On the other hand, if the weight calculation unit 52 determines that the specified number of measurement results have been acquired (YES in ST19), the weight calculation unit 52 filters the primary data according to the outlier criteria (ST20).

[0162] Note that the filtering process here is a process in which all measurement results measured up to that point are stored in the storage device 8, and primary data that is greater than ±50% of the median value is excluded, for example. Then, the weight calculation unit 52 obtains the extracted primary data value as secondary data (ST21).

[0163] Furthermore, the weight calculation unit 52 checks whether or not an abnormality has been detected in the measurement results from the weight measurement sensor 4 (ST22). If an abnormality is detected here (YES in ST22), the process returns to step ST2 and the initialization and correction process of each sensor is executed again.

[0164] On the other hand, if no abnormality is detected (NO in ST22), the weight calculation unit 52 corrects the secondary data based on the measurement result from the weight measurement sensor 4 (ST5 in FIG. 8). At the same time, the weight calculation unit 52 performs processes such as aligning the significant digits of the corrected secondary data and converting it into a data format that can be sent to the cloud. Once the measurement value is calculated, the result generation unit 53 performs a process to notify the user, and the measurement value is output to the user (ST6).

[0165] The above has explained the basic flow of the process for measuring the weight of a measurement object in the measuring device S. Next, we will explain the flow of the process for calculating the representative weight value in the arithmetic device 7. As mentioned above, there are two methods for calculating the representative weight value. Therefore, we will first explain the first method.

[0166] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of calculation of a representative weight value in the measurement process of the measurement device S according to the embodiment of the present invention. First, the calculation device 7 determines whether or not a request for a representative weight value has been received from the user (ST31).

[0167] If the calculation device 7 determines that the user has not requested a representative weight value (NO in ST31), it will remain on standby and repeat this determination at predetermined time intervals. On the other hand, if the calculation device 7 determines that the user has requested a representative weight value (YES in ST31), the calculation device 7 will acquire primary data from the storage device 8 (ST32).

[0168] Then, the arithmetic unit 7 calculates the median using the primary data (ST33) and acquires secondary data (ST34). Then, the arithmetic unit 7 calculates the measurement error caused by the movement of the object to be measured on the perch 10 (ST35). Then, the arithmetic unit 7 corrects the acquired secondary data using the "measurement error caused by the movement of the object to be measured" and the "error of the measuring device" (ST36).

[0169] As a result, the arithmetic unit 7 obtains corrected secondary data (ST37).Then, the arithmetic unit 7 uses this secondary data to further calculate the variability in the "change in weight of the measurement subject" (ST38).

[0170] The calculation device 7 calculates the average value from the calculated variations in the weight change of the measurement subject (ST39), and finally calculates the representative weight value, which is the statistical minimum value (ST40).Then, information on the calculated representative weight value is transmitted to the user (ST41).

[0171] Next, a method for calculating the second representative weight value will be described. Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing the flow of calculation of another representative weight value in the measurement process of the measurement device S according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0172] The process up to the point where the arithmetic device 7 receives a request for a representative weight value from the user and acquires secondary data using primary data is as described above (ST31 to ST34).

[0173] The calculation device 7 defines outliers in the secondary data using a box plot (ST51), corrects the secondary data using the defined outliers to remove the outliers (ST52), and then calculates the variability in the weight change of the measurement subject using the corrected secondary data (ST53), and also calculates the average value (ST54).

[0174] However, instead of immediately calculating a representative weight value using the average value, the calculation device 7 further determines whether the obtained variation in the weight change of the measurement subject conforms to a normal distribution (ST55). If the calculation device 7 determines that the variation conforms to a normal distribution (YES in ST55), it calculates a representative weight value, which is a statistical minimum value, based on the calculated average value (ST40). Then, information on the calculated representative weight value is transmitted to the user (ST41).

[0175] On the other hand, if the calculation device 7 determines that the variation is not a normal distribution (NO in ST55), it corrects the variation again using the outliers defined by the box plot (ST56), calculates the average value using the corrected value (ST57), calculates the representative weight value, which is the statistical minimum value, and transmits information about the calculated representative weight value to the user (ST40, ST41).

[0176] The calculation unit 7 may execute the correction process without determining whether the variation is a normal distribution. As described above, in the case of a normal distribution, the ratio between the upper and lower lines of the box plot is 1.0, which has the same effect as if no correction had been performed. On the other hand, in the case of a non-normal distribution, the ratio is not 1.0, which means that correction has been performed.

[0177] Finally, we will explain the flow of the calculation process of the activity level performed by the calculation device 7. Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing the flow of calculation of the activity level in the measurement process of the measurement device S in this embodiment of the present invention.

[0178] First, the arithmetic device 7 determines whether or not a request to view an activity level has been received from the user (ST61). If the arithmetic device 7 determines that a request to view an activity level has not been received from the user (NO in ST61), the arithmetic device 7 remains on standby and repeats the determination at predetermined time intervals.

[0179] On the other hand, if the arithmetic device 7 determines that it has received a request to view the activity level from the user (YES in ST61), the arithmetic device 7 acquires the measurement results measured by the weight measurement sensors 4 (the first sensor 41 and the second sensor 42) from the storage device 8 (ST62).Then, by applying the acquired measurement results to the above-mentioned (Equation 1), the arithmetic device 7 calculates the position of the object to be measured when the measurement results were obtained (ST63).

[0180] The arithmetic unit 7 stores the obtained position information of the measurement object in the storage device 8 (ST64). The arithmetic unit 7 also obtains the calculated two consecutive position information from the storage device 8 and calculates the displacement of the bird on the perch 10 (ST65). The arithmetic unit 7 then determines whether the calculation of the displacement has been performed for a preset period (predetermined period) (ST66).

[0181] As a result, if the displacement for the predetermined period has not yet been calculated (NO in ST66), the process returns to step ST62 and again acquires the measured values ​​of the first sensor 41 and the second sensor 42. On the other hand, if the calculation device 7 determines that the displacement for the predetermined period has been calculated (YES in ST66), the calculation device 7 calculates the total movement amount of the measurement object (ST67).

[0182] Furthermore, the calculation device 7 obtains the average value of the distance traveled over a predetermined period in the past (ST68) and normalizes it (ST69), and then transmits information on the calculated activity level to the user (ST70).

[0183] By implementing the configuration and processing described above, it is possible to provide a measuring device that can perform accurate and reliable weight measurements even if the object to be measured moves, does not impose stress on the object to be measured, and is easy for the user to use.

[0184] According to at least one of the embodiments described above, it is possible to provide a measuring device that can perform accurate and reliable weight measurements even if the object to be measured moves, does not impose stress on the object to be measured, and is easy for the user to use.

[0185] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as within the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims.

[0186] For example, the measuring device according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described on the assumption that it is equipped with a weight measurement sensor consisting of a first sensor and a second sensor. However, the weight measurement sensor does not have to be in the form of a sensor as described above.

[0187] That is, for example, if a weight measurement sensor using a strain gauge is prepared and a Wheatstone bridge circuit is used to input the measurement results measured by the strain gauge, the output voltage from the circuit will be proportional to the difference between the multiple resistance changes measured by the strain gauge.

[0188] Regarding the specific structure of the weight measuring sensor, the weight measuring sensor has a main body extending in the longitudinal direction of a weighing device or the like. Using the measuring device S in the above-described embodiment of the present invention as an example, support points for supporting the weighing device or the like are provided at both longitudinal ends of the main body, and multiple measuring elements (strain gauges) are arranged inside these ends. Furthermore, fixed portions for connecting the weight measuring sensor to the housing are arranged further inside these measuring elements. Two or four measuring elements may be provided between the support points at both ends of the main body and the fixed portions.

[0189] Therefore, by using such a weight measurement sensor using a strain gauge, only one weight measurement sensor is required in the measuring device, which ultimately contributes to the miniaturization of the measuring device.

[0190] Furthermore, depending on the object to be measured, it may be significantly affected by the environment in which it is placed (for example, the environment in which the cage C is placed in the case of a bird). Therefore, when measuring the weight, it is possible to refer to information measured by, for example, an environmental measurement sensor to measure the environmental conditions in which the object to be measured is placed. The environmental conditions to be measured may include, for example, at least one of temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure.

[0191] The techniques described in the embodiments of the present invention may also be configured as follows. (1) a weighing device to one end of which is connected a perch on which the object to be measured rests; a plurality of weight measurement sensors at the other end of the weighing device for measuring the weight of the measurement object; a control device that calculates and notifies a measurement value of the object to be measured from a result of weight measurement of the object to be measured by the weight measurement sensor, A measuring device characterized in that all of the multiple weight measuring sensors are positioned on the vertical upper or lower side of the weighing device, at a height below the vertical upper surface or above the vertical lower surface of the weighing device. (2) The control device includes a weight calculation unit that calculates the weight of the measurement object from the measurement value measured by the weight measurement sensor, The measuring device according to (1) above, wherein the weight calculation unit calculates the deviation of the weight measuring sensors when the object to be measured is not perched on the perch. (3) The measuring device according to (2) above, wherein the weight calculation unit corrects the measurement value using the calculated deviation. (4) The measuring device according to any one of (1) to (3) above, characterized in that the measuring device is provided with a calculation device that calculates the representative weight value and activity level of the object to be measured in response to a request from a user who keeps the object to be measured. (5) The measuring device described in (4) above, characterized in that when calculating the representative weight value, the calculation device calculates the representative weight value based on a specified percentile ranking from a group of measurements obtained by measuring the object to be measured multiple times over a certain period of time. (6) The measuring device described in (5) above, characterized in that the calculation device corrects deviations in the measurement values ​​caused by factors other than weight change from the measurement value group, or, if the measurement value group is non-normally distributed, corrects based on the nature of the non-normal distribution. (7) The measuring device described in (4) above is characterized in that the calculation device acquires the position information of the object to be measured on the perch, calculates the number of times or amount of movement of the object to be measured from the position information, and calculates the activity level of the object to be measured. (8) The housing that houses the weighing device, the weight measurement sensor, and the control device has a front panel that is arranged in a position facing a side surface of the cage when the measuring device is attached to the cage, the front plate has a first fixing hole and a second fixing hole for attaching the measurement device to the cage; A measuring device described in any of (1) to (7) above, characterized in that when the cage is placed, the perch is positioned so that its central axis passes through the intersection of a line extending vertically through the central axis of the fastener inserted into the first fixing hole and a line extending horizontally through the central axis of the fastener inserted into the second fixing hole. (9) A measuring device described in any of (1) to (8) above, characterized in that one end of the perch is fixed to a perch connector that is connected to the weighing device, and the perch connector fixes the perch by tightening around the entire circumference of one end of the perch. (10) The perch connector is a colt in which one end of the perch is housed; a bolt disposed to penetrate the Colt; a cap for housing the Colt; a nut for fixing the bolt that protrudes from the cap toward the measuring device when the Colt is housed in the cap, The measuring device according to (11) above, characterized in that the perch is tightened by the movement of the colt toward the weighing device due to tightening of the nut. [Explanation of symbols]

[0192] 1 outer box 2 Front plate 3 Weighing device 4 Weight measurement sensors 41 First weight sensor 42 Second weight sensor 5. Control device 51 Correction processing unit 52 Weight calculation section 53 Result generation section 6 Output Devices 7 Computing device 8 Storage device 9 Perch Connector 91 Colt 92 volts 93 Cap 94 Nut 10 Perch S measuring device

Claims

1. a weighing device having a perch connected to one end on which an object to be measured rests; a plurality of weight measurement sensors at the other end of the weighing device for measuring the weight of the measurement object; a control device that calculates and notifies a measurement value of the object to be measured from a result of weight measurement of the object to be measured by the weight measurement sensor, A measuring device characterized in that all of the multiple weight measuring sensors are positioned on the vertical upper or lower side of the weighing device, at a height below the vertical upper surface or above the vertical lower surface of the weighing device.

2. the control device includes a weight calculation unit that calculates a weight of the measurement object from a measurement value measured by the weight measurement sensor, 2. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the weight calculation unit calculates the deviations of the weight measuring sensors when the object to be measured is not perched on the perch.

3. The measuring device according to claim 2 , wherein the weight calculation unit corrects the measurement value using the calculated deviation.

4. The measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the measuring device is provided with a calculation device that calculates a representative weight value and an activity level of the measurement object in response to a request from a user who keeps the measurement object.

5. The measurement device according to claim 4, wherein the calculation device calculates the representative weight value from a group of measurements obtained by measuring the object to be measured multiple times over a certain period of time, using a specified percentile ranking.

6. The measuring device of claim 5, wherein the calculation device corrects deviations in the measurement values ​​from the group of measurement values ​​caused by factors other than weight change, or, if the group of measurement values ​​is non-normally distributed, corrects based on the nature of the non-normal distribution.

7. The measuring device described in claim 4, characterized in that the calculation device acquires position information of the measured object on the perch, and calculates the number of movements or the amount of movement of the measured object from the position information to calculate the activity level of the measured object.

8. a housing that houses the weighing device, the weight measurement sensor, and the control device includes a front panel that is disposed in a position facing a side surface of the cage when the measuring device is attached to the cage; the front plate has a first fixing hole and a second fixing hole for attaching the measurement device to the cage; The measuring device described in claim 1, characterized in that when the cage is placed, the perch is positioned so that its central axis passes through the intersection of a line extending vertically through the central axis of the fastener inserted into the first fixing hole and a line extending horizontally through the central axis of the fastener inserted into the second fixing hole.

9. The measuring device described in claim 1, characterized in that one end of the perch is fixed to a perch connector that is connected to the weighing device, and the perch connector secures the perch by tightening around the entire circumference of one end of the perch.

10. The perch connector is a colt in which one end of the perch is housed; a bolt disposed to penetrate the Colt; a cap for housing the Colt; a nut for fixing the bolt that protrudes from the cap toward the measuring device when the Colt is housed in the cap, 10. The measuring device according to claim 9, wherein tightening of the nut causes the colt to move toward the weighing device, thereby tightening the perch.

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