Automated Crowd Gate Control for Consistent, Low-Stress Animal Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing crowd gates in dairy farms are manually or semi-manually operated, leading to inconsistent animal flow into the milking parlour, causing stress and potential safety risks for both animals and employees.
Innovation Solution
An automated crowd gate system controlled by real-time location system (RTLS) data to manage animal positions, movements, and densities, adjusting its operation to ensure a consistent and stress-free animal flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If crowd gate is manually or semi-manually operated, then ease of operation is maintained, but animal flow consistency deteriorates and stress increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operation with an automated control system that uses sensors to detect animal positions and automatically controls the crowd gate movement. This substitution eliminates human variability in operation while maintaining ease of use through automatic decision-making algorithms that adjust gate movement based on real-time animal detection data.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where sensors detect animal positions and movements, this information is processed by a control algorithm, and the crowd gate operation is adjusted in real-time based on the feedback. This ensures consistent animal flow by constantly monitoring and responding to the actual state of animals in the holding area.
2Productivity
If crowd gate moves faster to increase productivity, then animal flow speed improves, but animal stress and safety risks worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The crowd gate operation is made dynamic rather than fixed, with movement speed and position continuously adjusted based on real-time detection of animal locations and movements. The system adapts its operation parameters dynamically to optimize flow speed while preventing excessive speed that would cause animal stress or safety incidents.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters such as gate movement speed, position, and timing based on detected animal states. When animals are detected to be moving smoothly, the gate may move faster to increase productivity; when animals show signs of stress or blocking, the system adjusts parameters to reduce speed or pause movement, thereby managing both productivity and animal welfare.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If crowd gate is operated from remote distance, then employee safety improves, but overview and control accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces human visual assessment and manual control with automated sensor-based detection and control systems. Sensors positioned in the holding area provide precise measurement of animal locations and movements, eliminating the need for employees to be in close proximity for observation. The automated system maintains high control accuracy through electronic sensing and processing while keeping employees at safe distances.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces sensors and control algorithms as intermediaries between the employee and the crowd gate operation. These intermediaries provide the employee with remote control capability and precise information about animal positions without requiring physical proximity, thereby maintaining both safety and control accuracy.
4Productivity
If crowd gate pushes animals to ensure consistent flow, then productivity improves, but risk of animals being blocked and stressed worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses continuous feedback from sensors that detect animal positions, movements, and blocking situations. When the feedback indicates that animals are blocking each other or showing stress signs, the control algorithm adjusts the crowd gate operation to reduce pushing force or pause movement, thereby maintaining flow consistency while preventing excessive stress from blocking.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes operational parameters such as gate movement speed, position, and timing based on real-time detection of animal density and movement patterns. When animals are densely packed or moving slowly, the system adjusts parameters to prevent blocking and stress, while still maintaining overall flow consistency and productivity over time.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure generally relates to the field of farming and more specifically it relates to a method and a control arrangement for controlling a moveable crowd gate of a holding area at an entrance of a destination. According to a first aspect, the disclosure relates to method for controlling an automated crowd gate operable to form a side of a holding area and to move in relation to an entrance of a destination, in order to cause animals located in the holding area to move towards the destination. The method comprises obtaining S1, from a real-time location system, location data defining individual positions of one or more animals located in the holding area, obtaining S2 a current position of the crowd gate, and controlling S5 an operation associated with the crowd gate, based on the obtained position of the crowd gate and the location data.