Animal Tag Reader With Electromagnetic Shielding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic animal tag readers often unintentionally read tags from multiple animals or from incorrect races, leading to tag collisions and erroneous readings due to overlapping electromagnetic fields.
Innovation Solution
The system employs longitudinally offset readers with electromagnetic shields to prevent or attenuate electromagnetic fields from encroaching into neighboring races, ensuring each reader only interacts with tags in its designated race, using a panel with two antennae and a shield to control and direct electromagnetic fields effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If readers are positioned to cover multiple races or areas, then productivity and coverage are improved, but electromagnetic fields overlap causing tag collisions and erroneous readings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the reading area into separate races, each with its own dedicated reader and antenna. This segmentation prevents electromagnetic field overlap between adjacent races, eliminating tag collisions while maintaining comprehensive coverage across all races.
Solution Approach 2:
Each reader is configured with specific electromagnetic field characteristics tailored to its designated race. The field strength, frequency, and spatial distribution are optimized locally for each race, ensuring reliable readings without interfering with neighboring races.
2Length of stationary object
If electromagnetic field strength is increased to improve reading distance, then coverage area expands, but interference with neighboring races increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the electromagnetic field into separate zones, each confined to a specific race by dedicated antennas and readers. This allows each field to operate at optimal strength for its designated area without causing interference to neighboring races.
Solution Approach 2:
Physical barriers such as walls or partitions between races act as intermediaries that contain and direct electromagnetic fields. These structures prevent field leakage into adjacent races, allowing stronger fields to be used within each race without causing interference.
3Device complexity
If multiple readers are positioned close together to cover different races, then device complexity is reduced, but signal interference between readers occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses segmentation to assign each reader to a specific race with dedicated antennas. This spatial and functional segmentation allows multiple readers to operate in close proximity without interference, as each reader's electromagnetic field is confined to its designated race.
Solution Approach 2:
Each reader-antenna combination is configured with local electromagnetic field characteristics optimized for its specific race. This localized configuration enables multiple readers to coexist closely together, with each producing fields of appropriate strength and directionality for its designated area.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration reduces the likelihood of incorrect readings, providing more accurate and efficient data collection by ensuring each animal's tag is read accurately and minimizing signal interference between races.
Implementation Method 1
an electromagnetic shield in or on the panel, the electromagnetic shield being configured to impede an antenna from transmitting and/or receiving information to/from an electronic animal tag not located in the respective race of that antenna
Data Source
AI summary
A reader comprising: a panel; two antennae each associated with a respective race to transmit and/or receive information to/from an electronic animal tag in that respective race; and an electromagnetic shield to impede an antenna from transmitting and/or receiving information to/from an electronic animal tag not located in the respective race of that antenna; a system for reading electronic animal tags comprising: a plurality of readers each located at or near a wall of a respective plurality of races, wherein each reader is at least partially shielded by an electromagnetic shield; each reader being longitudinally offset with respect to at least one other reader in the plurality of readers; and methods of constructing and using a reader.