Tracking the location and certifications of environmental or sanitary assets

Abstract

The patent application describes a new system for providing the location history and for environmental and / or sanitary certification of assets and related devices and belongs to the technical fields of assets registration and certification, including animal husbandry certification.

Description

TRACKING THE LOCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL OR SANITARY ASSETSTechnical Field

[0001] The present patent application describes a new system for providing location history and for environmental and / or sanitary certification of assets and related devices and belongs to the technical fields of assets registration and certification, including animal husbandry certification.Background

[0002] Livestock ear devices are electronic devices that attach to the ears of individual cattle or other animals and provide farmers with valuable information about the movement, health and management of their livestock, leading to greater efficiency and productivity in livestock operations. Also called tags, it generally uses technologies to track the location and movement of animals in real time.

[0003] However, existing solutions in the market use a constant or frequent data connection allowing device location data to be sent to cloud platforms regularly. This type of frequent data connection contains some problems, such as:Higher cost, the device becomes more expensive to produce and operate (maintaining the data connection via dedicated structure - such as antennas - or third- party communications services);Higher power consumption, the device consumes battery more quickly;Greater weight, the device becomes heavier to accommodate a larger battery or solar charging system.

[0004] Furthermore, there is an increasing interest in ensuring that animal husbandry complies with environmental, social and governance (ESG) and health requirements. However, there are no available solutions to comply with such requirements in an economically safe and certifiable way, considering monitoring for the entire lifespan of an asset or animal.

[0005] Therefore, solutions that aim to solve problems constant in the state of the art are of particular interest to the agricultural sector.Summary

[0006] In this sense, the patent application presents a new system for providing the location history and for environmental and / or sanitary certification of assets,comprising: attaching to an asset at least one tracker containing means of periodically determining its geospatial position and storing such data; battery optimization system comprising i) means for data transmission activation via wireless signal and / or ii) orchestration of GNSS activation; correlating the geospatial position record with at least one database of regions without environmental and / or sanitary restrictions; and conclude that the asset is environmentally and / or sanitary compliant if its location registration indicates that it was maintained during its life cycle in areas that comply with the databases of regions without environmental and / or sanitary restrictions.

[0007] Additionally, a new device is presented for recording the location history and for environmental certification of assets that comprises means for implementing a system for recording location history and for environmental certification of assets as defined by the present patent application.

[0008] The present patent application discloses a combination of the following elements in a single low-cost device:Location detection via satellite (Global Navigation Satellite System - GNSS);Storage of satellite location information at programmable time intervals;Autonomous operation, without human intervention;Long battery operating time, no need to recharge;Removal of digital files from the device via wireless systems;Low weight device.

[0009] Furthermore, the present invention provides the ability to store location data over a long period of time (in a scale of years) without the need for reloading, recharging or other human intervention.Description of the Drawings

[0010] Figure 1 : General configuration of the tracker device and its communication with the registration and certification system.

[0011] Figure 2: Block diagram of the tracker.

[0012] Figure 3: Block diagram of the reader.

[0013] Figure 4: Top view of an example of the tracker device.

[0014] Figure 5: Side view, in section, of an example of a security system against tampering with the tracker device.

[0015] Figure 6: Schematic representation of the location history recording and certification system.

[0016] Figure 7: Schematic representation of a macro flowchart of an example of the invention.

[0017] Figure 8: General figure describing the one example of the user experience.Detailed Description

[0018] This detailed description establishes some non-limiting definitions of the main terminologies and technical characteristics used throughout this patent application, as well as providing examples of some of the embodiments of the present invention so that it can be reproduced by a person skilled in the art.

[0019] In the context of the present patent application GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) is a system that uses a network of satellites to provide geospatial positioning and navigation services to users anywhere on or near the surface of the Earth. GNSS systems can be, for example, the Global Positioning System (GPS) operated by the United States, the Russian GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System), the European Galileo system, the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) from China, the NAVIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) system from India, among others that are or may be available for the implementation of the present invention.

[0020] In the context of the present patent application, “orchestration of GNSS activation” means the strategy implemented by the microcontroller that decides when, for how long, and under which circumstances the GNSS receiver is powered up. That is, rather than leaving the GNSS engine continuously on, the MCU “conducts” it and wakes the receiver at programmable intervals to store the geopositioning locally and then turns the receiver off again to save energy. The same orchestration logic can also bring the GNSS back online in response to external events — such as a reader’s RFID query or a tamper alert. Therefore, the tracker meets the low-cost, multi-year-battery objective that underpins the battery-optimization system, where the GNSS control routines are expressly paired with the “means for data-transmission activation via wireless signal” to maximize autonomy while still yielding a complete, auditable location history for environmental or sanitary certification.

[0021] Additionally, in an embodiment of the present patent application, the batteryoptimisation system combines two complementary control loops. First, the microcontroller maintains the GNSS receiver in a strictly duty-cycled mode: it wakesthe receiver only at the shortest interval that still satisfies the regulatory requirement for traceability (for example, once every 30 minutes under normal conditions) and then powers it down immediately after the fix is stored. Second, the MCU keeps all high- energy radios (BLE, UHF RFID or LoRa) disabled until it senses a low-power wake-up signal — such as an authorised reader’s interrogation burst, a scheduled “sync” slot preannounced by the cloud, or a tamper-event interrupt. Optionally, during this short transmission window the buffered location file is uploaded; if no reader is detected the tracker silently returns to its sleep schedule, preserving energy for the next GNSS cycle. Since the position acquisition and / or data transmission are active for just a few seconds per day — and because all other housekeeping tasks run in the MCU’s in deepsleep state — the total average load remains in the low-tens-of-microamp range. At that consumption level a modest battery provides several years of autonomy, ensuring that a single factory-installed battery is sufficient for the entire service life of the tagged animal, container or timber batch without replacement or re-charging.

[0022] In an alternative embodiment of the patent application, the tracker’s firmware is provisioned, at the moment of pairing, with a lifespan profile that reflects the expected service life of the specific asset class — e.g., 18 months for a feedlot calf, 5 years for a shipping container, or 25 years for high-value hard-wood logs. From this profile the microcontroller automatically derives a duty-cycle table that stretches or compresses (i) the GNSS wake-up interval and / or (ii) the maximum time allowed to accumulate buffered records before a wireless upload is forced. Thus a long-lived asset receives a more conservative schedule (for example, one GNSS fix every 2 hours and a data-transfer window every 48 hours), whereas a short-lived asset is assigned tighter intervals with no risk of exhausting the battery before end-of-life. By matching duty-cycle parameters to the mean lifespan of the asset being certified, the battery-optimisation system guarantees complete traceability while still ensuring that the original cell retains a safe energy margin until the asset reaches its final disposition.

[0023] The devices and systems presented in this patent application can be used in the technical fields of recording asset location history with the need for their initial, processing or growth and final positioning to the proven / certified. Examples: Animals, containers, cut wood, vehicles, among others.

[0024] In an embodiment of the present patent application, the system can also be part of third-party external audits that can be conducted based on data generated and stored by the system.

[0025] In an embodiment of the present patent application, the tracker device comprises means for remote updating of firmware and / or software, the update being performed via a reader device during data retrieval, without requiring physical access or device removal from the asset.

[0026] In an embodiment of the present patent application, the cloud platform or system is configured to interoperate and securely exchange data with external regulatory, certification, or management systems through standardized Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), thereby enabling automatic data cross-referencing, compliance validation, or certificate issuance.

[0027] In an embodiment of the present patent application, the tracker device is designed for plug-and-play installation using industry-standard livestock tag applicators (“brincador bovino”), requires no special tools or configuration steps, and enables full operational training for field personnel in less than 15 minutes.

[0028] In an embodiment of the present patent application, the activation of the device is performed by a single-step operation (such as removal of a tape or pressing a button), enabling immediate use.

[0029] In an embodiment of the present patent application, the system further comprises a blockchain-interface module configured to:(i) generate a cryptographic hash of each environmental and / or sanitary compliance certificate that the cloud platform issues,(ii) submit the hash together with certificate metadata as a transaction to a distributed- ledger network, and(iii) store, in association with the certificate, a transaction identifier returned by the distributed-ledger network, thereby providing a publicly verifiable, tamper-evident record of certification.

[0030] In an embodiment of the present patent application, the blockchain-interface module comprises a hash-engine, transaction-builder and network-client configured to connect to a permissioned distributed-ledger.

[0031] In an embodiment of the present patent application, a cloud or server platform hosts an event-driven Compliance Engine that is automatically invoked whenever a new location log arrives from a tracker. It consults spatially indexed geodatabases that hold (i) every point recorded in the animal’s movement history and (ii) geofenced zone dataset representing authorized environmental and sanitary zones. For each asset the engine executes a server-side spatial join, calculates how long the animal remainedinside and / or outside permissible areas, and compares the results with regulator- defined policy rules stored in a configurable rule table. Because all calculations run inside a geospatial database with dedicated indexing, the evaluation is completed in a fraction of a second even for very large trajectory files, allowing the system to issue a pass / fail decision without human intervention. If the decision is negative, an alert message can be posted to a notification topic that instantly feeds producer dashboards, SMS, or e-mail services. When the decision is positive, the engine commits an immutable record of the certificate by hashing the compliance payload and anchoring that hash to a permissioned blockchain network; the returned transaction identifier is stored alongside the certificate so that any stakeholder can later verify authenticity and integrity. Regulators can refine or replace certification rules through a secure web console; the system versions each rule and applies it prospectively, ensuring historical decisions remain traceable. By combining high-performance spatial analysis, rule-based automation, tamper-evident ledger anchoring, and real-time notification, the server architecture delivers a robust, scalable and auditable means of concluding whether an asset’s lifetime location history satisfies the required environmental and sanitary standards.Example 1 : Location history recording device (Tracker)

[0032] The present example demonstrates one of the possible embodiments of the invention and is illustrated by figures 1 to 5.

[0033] Said Location history recording device (hereinafter referred as “Tracker”) comprises a microcontroller unit (MCU) and data storage; battery; means for receiving wireless signals (for example via radio frequency - RFID); means of identifying its location via a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal, or, means of receiving a GNSS signal; and means of data file retrieval (for example Bluetooth Low Energy: BLE).

[0034] In an embodiment of the present example, the device further comprises an antenna coupled to a wireless transceiver; a power sensor monitoring battery voltage; and; a local LED or beeper for tamper indication.

[0035] In a further embodiment of the present example, the device comprises means for receiving signal with an antenna and wireless transceiver (passive, active or power- assisted RFID) configured to exchange data in the UHF or LF bands.

[0036] Furthermore, the Tracker can communicate with a reader device (hereinafter referred as “Reader”) for retrieval of data files and which comprises of Battery; meansof sending the wireless signals (for example via radio frequency - RFID); means of data file retrieval (for example Bluetooth Low Energy: BLE); means of communication to cloud servers via Internet (example: cell phone data; and / or WiFi).

[0037] Step 1 : The Tracker is activated by physical mechanism (for example, push button) activating the MCU. Upon activation the Tracker is attached to the asset. (Figure 1 : I).

[0038] Step 2: MCU activates GNSS receiver periodically (scheduled). GNSS receiver determines its current geoposition. The geoposition information is stored in the device's MCU (Figure 1 : II).

[0039] Step 3: The Reader sends a RFID signal to the Tracker. The RFID signal is sent to the MCU triggering a command to activate the Tracker's Bluetooth (BLE) interface. The Tracker's BLE establishes a data connection with the Reader. The Tracker uploads the data file containing the location information to the Reader (Figure 1 : III).

[0040] Step 4: Reader sends location information file to cloud servers. The cloud server correlates the asset location information history with other datasets to determine if certain conditions are met. Example: if a cattle has grazed in environmentally protected areas or in areas with reported infectious diseases. (Figure 1 : IV).

[0041] The Tracker may also contain a tampering detection mechanism, which allows the device to record in the data file if it has been detached from the asset. Any tampering event that forces the seal open will be recorded as soon as the tampering event occurs.

[0042] In an embodiment of the present example the tracker is attached to the asset and, once in place, a physical mechanism (e.g., push-button) activates the MCU. Example 2: System for recording animal location and certification history in Brazilian territory.

[0043] Step 1 : Device Installation and Animal Identification

[0044] Installation of the tracker (earring with GNSS chip).

[0045] Initial registration of the animal in the system, including data such as date of birth, breed, origin, etc.

[0046] Step 2: Location Data Collection

[0047] Regular monitoring: Collection of location data via GNSS.

[0048] The stored data is encrypted on the device until reading or retrieval is requested.

[0049] Step 3: Data Recovery

[0050] The data is recovered using the Reader device

[0051] Step 4: Data Transmission

[0052] Data is transmitted to the cloud for processing.

[0053] Step 5: Data Processing and Storage

[0054] The received data is processed and stored in a secure data management system.

[0055] Data analysis to detect patterns, trends or anomalies.

[0056] Step: 6: Integration of CAR Data with Animal Location History Recording System

[0057] Step 6. a: CAR Data Collection: Access to CAR data for all properties where animals were raised. This data includes the precise delimitation of areas that have environmental restrictions and those that comply with environmental laws. The entire CAR base will be stored in our system on an initial monthly basis so that we have the history of the properties to cross-reference with the animal records.

[0058] CAR - The Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) is a mandatory electronic record for all rural properties in Brazil, which aims to integrate environmental information regarding the situation of Permanent Preservation Areas (APP), Legal Reserve, forests and others forms of native vegetation, and areas of restricted use, as well as owner data and proof of environmental regularity. Using CAR together with daily georeferencing of an animal's life offers a robust method to guarantee and demonstrate that animals were raised on properties without socio-environmental problems.

[0059] Step: 6.b.: Data Crossing: GIS (Geographical Information System) software to overlay the location information of the animals with the CAR maps. This will make it possible to verify whether the animals remained within the limits of areas without environmental restrictions.

[0060] Step 7: Analysis and Reporting

[0061] Generation of detailed reports that show the life trajectory of each animal, proving that it has only been within the limits of areas that comply with environmental regulations.

[0062] Anomaly Detection: Automatic alerts for any record that indicates that an animal has been in an unauthorized area or has known problems. Alerts for periods of no record or incompatible information.

[0063] Step 8: Issuance of Certificates

[0064] Based on the analyzed data, certificates of conformity are issued that can be used to validate the origin of the animals.

[0065] Certificates can be used for transactions between producers, slaughterhouses and during export.

[0066] Step 9: Stakeholder Access

[0067] Different stakeholders (producers, veterinarians, health authorities, slaughterhouses, consumers) can have access to specific information and reports, according to their permission levels.

[0068] Step 10: Audit and Feedback

[0069] Regular audits to ensure the integrity and accuracy of the location history recording system.

[0070] Collection of feedback for continuous system improvements.

[0071] Step 1 1 : Events

[0072] Registration of health events, vaccinations, movements, etc. (only available in the Plus version) registered directly in the Web / Mobile system.

[0073] Example 3: Advanced Certification Integration

[0074] In addition to collecting and storing geospatial location data from livestock, the proposed system enables an environmental certification process through dynamic data cross-referencing, comprising the following steps:

[0075] Cross-referencing with Property Shapes (CAR):

[0076] The GNSS positional data collected from the livestock are overlaid onto the geographical area and / or limits of rural properties registered in the Brazilian Rural Environmental Registry (Cadastro Ambiental Rural - CAR) using GIS (Geographical Information Systems).

[0077] Temporal and Spatial Analysis:

[0078] For each recorded GNSS point, the system determines the corresponding CAR property and duration of stay, generating a complete temporal and spatial history of the animal's movements.

[0079] Environmental Compliance Cross-verification:

[0080] The system automatically cross-references the mapped properties with environmental compliance databases, including but not limited to:

[0081] - SERPRO national compliance database;

[0082] - IBAMA and ICMBio environmental embargo lists;

[0083] - Third-party certifier databases (e.g., Imaflora, EarthDaily, NWF);

[0084] - Deforestation alert systems (e.g., PRODES, DETER, MapBiomas).

[0085] Certification and Non-compliance Alerts:

[0086] The system issues certificates confirming that the animal has only lived on properties that are:

[0087] - Free of environmental embargoes;

[0088] - Not involved in illegal deforestation;

[0089] - In full compliance with applicable socio-environmental standards.

[0090] If non-compliance is detected, the system automatically generates an alert and blocks certificate issuance.

[0091] - External Audit Support:

[0092] The certification system is designed to allow third-party external audits by independent environmental certifiers, ensuring transparency, credibility, and international acceptance.

[0093] Data Security and Transparency:

[0094] All data from field acquisition to final certification are securely stored in cloud environments with appropriate access controls and traceability mechanisms.

[0095] Example 4: Sanitary Certification Integration

[0096] The tracker-based system can execute a sanitary certification system that verifies an animal’s lifetime compliance with official disease-free requirements, through the steps below:

[0097] Cross-referencing with Sanitary Zones.

[0098] After each data upload, the cloud platform overlays every GNSS fix on authoritative data that delimits: (i) disease-free and vaccination zones published by a Country’s Ministry of Agriculture and / or World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH); (ii) temporary quarantine or surveillance zones created during outbreaks; and (iii) slaughterhouse or export corridors that hold an approved sanitary status. The comparison flags any stay recorded outside the permitted data.

[0099] Temporal and Geospatial Residency Analysis.

[0100] For every animal, the system calculates the duration spent inside each sanitary zone and produces a continuous timeline to satisfy the minimum residency periods defined by the relevant health programme (e.g., 90 consecutive days inside an FMD- free-with-vaccination zone before movement to an FMD-free-without-vaccination state).

[0101] Vaccination, Test and Movement-Permit Correlation.

[0102] The tracker’s unique ID can be linked with a database of official vaccination declarations, laboratory test results and permits. A record-matching routine confirms that every movement segment and zone transition is backed by valid positioning issued by the regulatory framework; non-compliance could trigger an alert.

[0103] Dynamic Risk Alerts and Quarantine Handling.

[0104] If a new outbreak data is published by the sanitary authority, the platform can re-processes all stored location histories. Any animal whose track intersects the quarantine buffer after the outbreak start date is labelled “under sanitary restriction”; certification is suspended until the authority lifts the restriction or negative test results are supplied.

[0105] Certificate Generation and Stakeholder Access.

[0106] Once the algorithms confirm uninterrupted residence inside approved sanitary zones and the existence of valid vaccinations / tests, the system issues a digitally signed Sanitary Compliance Certificate. Certificates could be accessible via a web / mobile portal with role-based permissions for producers, veterinarians, slaughterhouses, exporters and inspectors-mirroring the access model already described for environmental certificates.

[0107] Audit Trail and Data Security.

[0108] All geopositioning, rule evaluations and certificate issuances are logged with immutable time-stamps in the cloud database, ensuring traceability for third-party or governmental audits, as outlined for the environmental workflow. All information can be recorded via blockchain system for security improvement.

[0109] The low-power tracker, GNSS-orchestration routine and reader / cloud architecture herein detailed can be extended also for environmental compliance (Examples 1-3) to a robust, regulator-ready sanitary certification of livestock.

[0110] The database of regions without sanitary restrictions could be built from a collection of at least one of: official animal-health surveillance databases that delimit disease-free or quarantine zones; public-health epidemiological or zoonosis-control databases that geocode outbreaks; sanitary inspection or certification zone registries for ports, airports, slaughterhouses, or logistics hubs; and international sanitary status datasets published by intergovernmental bodies identifying regions certified as free from specific diseases or infestations.

[0111] The examples disclosed herein are intended to only exemplify some of thecountless forms of embodiment and use of the present invention, without limiting the interpretation of its scope and amplitude, as well as any alternative forms and configurational variations thereof that will be defined, from the claims presented here.

Claims

Claims1. A computer implemented system for providing the location history and for environmental and / or sanitary certification of assets, comprising: attaching to an asset at least one tracker containing means of periodically determining its geospatial position and storing such data; at least one battery optimization system comprising i) means for data transmission activation via wireless signal and / or ii) orchestration of GNSS activation; correlating the geospatial position record with at least one database of regions without environmental and / or sanitary restrictions; and conclude that the asset is environmentally and / or sanitary compliant if its location registration indicates that it was maintained during its life cycle in areas that comply with the databases of regions without environmental and / or sanitary restrictions.

2. A system, according to claim 1 , wherein the asset is at least one of: animals, containers and cut wood.

3. A system, according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one database of regions without environmental restrictions is built from a collection of at least one of: databases of rural properties, urban properties, Permanent Preservation Areas (APP), legal reserves, forests and other forms of native vegetation and areas of restricted use.

4. A system, according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one database of regions without sanitary restrictions is built from a collection of at least one of: official animal-health surveillance databases that delimit disease-free or quarantine zones; public-health epidemiological or zoonosis-control databases that geocode outbreaks; sanitary inspection or certification zone registries for ports, airports, slaughterhouses, or logistics hubs; and international sanitary status datasets published by intergovernmental bodies identifying regions certified as free from specific diseases or infestations.

5. A system, according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tracker device comprises at least: a microcontroller unit (MCU); data storage; battery; means for receiving signal; means of receiving a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal; and means of data transference.

6. A system, according to any one of the preceding claims, additionally comprising at least one reader device for receiving the data recorded by the tracker and comprisingat least: Battery; means of sending the wireless signals; means of data file retrieval; means of communication to cloud servers via Internet.

7. A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tracker contains at least one mechanism against tampering with the tracker, which is activated the first time the device is attached to the asset and that any tampering event that forces the mechanism and / or seal to open is recorded as soon as a tampering event occurs.

8. A system, according to any one of the previous claims, wherein it comprises the following additional steps:Step 1 : the tracker is activated after attaching it to the asset;Step 2: MCU of the tracker activates a GNSS periodically to collect location information, and the information is recorded in the MCU of the tracker;Step 3: an RFID signal from a reader device is detected by the device's RFID tracker, where the device's RFID activates the device's Bluetooth interface (BLE), and where the device's BLE establishes a data connection with the reader device, and wherein the device uploads the location information file to the device;Step 4: the reader device sends the location log file to environmental certification and location history recording system servers.

9. A system according to any one preceding claims, wherein the GNSS positional data of livestock are cross-referenced with geographical data from the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR).

10. A system according to any one preceding claims, wherein the system cross- references property ownership data with environmental compliance databases to verify legal and environmental status.1 1. A system according to any one preceding claims, wherein certificates of environmental compliance are automatically generated for livestock whose movement history meets the standards for certification.

12. A system according to any one preceding claims, wherein detection of non- compliant movement results in automatic alerts and suspension of certification issuance.

13. A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tracker device comprises means for remote updating of firmware and / or software, the update being performed via a reader device during data retrieval, without requiring physical access or device removal from the asset.

14. A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cloud platform or system is configured to interoperate and securely exchange data with external regulatory, certification, or management systems through standardized Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), thereby enabling automatic data crossreferencing, compliance validation, or certificate issuance.

15. A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tracker device is designed for plug-and-play installation using industry-standard livestock tag applicators, requires no special tools or configuration steps, and enables full operational training for field personnel in less than 15 minutes.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein activation of the device is performed by a single-step operation (such as removal of a tape or pressing a button), enabling immediate use.

17. A system according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a blockchain-interface module configured to:(i) generate a cryptographic hash of each environmental and / or sanitary compliance certificate that the cloud platform issues,(ii) submit the hash together with certificate metadata as a transaction to a distributed-ledger network, and(iii) store, in association with the certificate, a transaction identifier returned by the distributed-ledger network, thereby providing a publicly verifiable, tamper-evident record of certification.

18. A device for providing the location history and for environmental and / or sanitary certification of assets comprising means for implementing a computer implemented system as defined in any one of claims 1 to 17.

19. A device, according to claim 18, wherein it comprises a Microcontroller Unit (MCU); Battery; means of sending the signal (for example via radio frequency - RFID); means of identifying or communicating a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal; and Bluetooth Low Energy: BLE.

20. A device according to claim 18 or 19, wherein it additionally comprises at least one mechanism against tampering with the tracker, which is activated the first time the device is attached to the asset and any tampering event that forces the mechanism and / or entity to open it is recorded as soon as a tampering event occurs.

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