Animal Marking Control System Power Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing animal marking and monitoring systems face challenges in efficiently managing the power consumption of visual or audio indicators, such as LEDs, which are crucial for extending the battery life of monitoring tags.
Innovation Solution
The animal marking control system employs a transceiver with multiple operation modes, allowing it to communicate with a remote base station at different frequencies. This system activates a marker unit, such as an LED, only when a specific marking need is indicated by the base station, optimizing power usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the marker unit (LED) is activated continuously to ensure visible identification, then the identification reliability is improved, but the battery power lifetime is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The marker unit operates periodically rather than continuously. The system activates the LED only during specific time windows when animals are most likely to be observed (e.g., morning and evening hours), leaving it off during nighttime or unobserved periods. This periodic operation maintains identification reliability when needed while significantly extending battery lifetime.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the marker unit's operation state based on real-time conditions. The processing circuitry receives animal location data and determines optimal activation timing, allowing the LED to be turned on only when the animal is in a location where it can be effectively observed, and turned off otherwise. This dynamic control optimizes the balance between identification reliability and power consumption.
2Speed
If the transceiver operates at high frequency to ensure timely communication, then the response speed is improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transceiver uses periodic communication cycles with varying frequencies. During normal operation, it communicates at a lower frequency to conserve battery power. When a marking event occurs or urgent communication is needed, the system temporarily increases communication frequency to ensure timely response, then returns to lower frequency operation. This periodic frequency adjustment optimizes both response speed and power consumption.
3Loss of time
If the marker unit is activated frequently to ensure timely animal identification, then the identification timeliness is improved, but the battery power capacity is depleted faster
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating optimal activation times based on historical data and animal behavior patterns. The processing circuitry determines the best moments to activate the marker unit before actual identification events occur, ensuring timely identification while avoiding unnecessary activations. This predictive approach optimizes the balance between timeliness and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from animal location tracking and observation data to optimize marker activation timing. The processing circuitry analyzes when animals are most likely to be observed and adjusts activation schedules accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures the marker is activated only when necessary for timely identification, avoiding wasteful energy consumption during periods when animals are unlikely to be observed.
Data Source
AI summary
An animal marking control system includes: at least one transceiver communicatively coupled to a remote base station (BS) and configured to exchange data with the BS, the transceiver having a plurality of operation modes (OMs), each of the OMs defining a respective frequency of communication (FoC) of the transceiver with the BS; a marker unit configured to selectively mark the animal; a processing circuitry configured to: cause activation of the transceiver at a first OM of the OMs, wherein in the first OM the transceiver communicates with the BS in a first FoC; receive an indication of a marking need from the BS; upon receipt of the indication of a marking need, cause activation of the transceiver at a second OM of the OMs, wherein in the second OM the transceiver communicates with the BS in a second FoC; receive marker unit activation instructions; activate the marker unit.