Livestock Social Group Management via GPS Behavioral Inference

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Solution Overview

Problem

Livestock producers face challenges in efficiently monitoring and managing social groups due to the difficulty in identifying abnormal behavior in large, dispersed herds, which can lead to delayed detection of diseases and increased losses.

Innovation Solution

A social group management system that infers member states from sensed spatial and biometric data, using a combination of spatial behavioral mapping, biometric data classification, and alert transmission to detect distressed members and transmit alerts for timely intervention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If direct observation by livestock stewards is used to monitor social group members, then the system is simple and easy to operate, but the ability to detect abnormal behavior timely deteriorates due to large group size and dispersed locations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection accuracy of abnormal behaviorVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of direct human observation with an automated electronic monitoring system comprising GPS collars, mobile devices, and servers that automatically track livestock positions, calculate distances from group centroids, and generate alerts for abnormal behavior, thereby improving detection accuracy without requiring proportional increases in human labor

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service monitoring where livestock are equipped with GPS collars that automatically transmit location data, and the server automatically processes this data to identify abnormal behavior patterns and send alerts to stewards, reducing the need for continuous manual observation while maintaining high detection accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Loss of information

If stewards physically approach social group members for monitoring, then direct observation can be performed, but the livestock become distressed and accurate observation becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation loss about member stateVSAvoiddistress to livestock

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces physical approach and direct observation with remote electronic monitoring through GPS tracking and automated analysis, allowing stewards to obtain accurate information about livestock state without physically approaching them, thereby eliminating the distress caused by human presence

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary layer of technology (GPS collars, mobile devices, server) that mediates between the stewards and livestock, allowing information to be transmitted without direct human-animal interaction, thus preventing distress while maintaining information flow

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If manual monitoring of dispersed livestock is performed, then no additional technology is required, but the time required to identify and respond to abnormal behavior increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveefficiency of livestock managementVSAvoidtime delay in detecting abnormal behavior

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements continuous automated monitoring where GPS collars continuously transmit location data, the server continuously calculates distances and analyzes behavior patterns, and alerts are generated immediately when abnormal behavior is detected, eliminating the intermittent and delayed nature of manual monitoring

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces slow manual monitoring processes with automated electronic systems that instantly track, analyze, and alert on abnormal behavior, dramatically reducing the time from behavior occurrence to steward notification while improving overall management efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11889818B2Social group management system and method therefor

Publication Date: 2024.02.06 FORT SUPPLY TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

In a method and system for managing a social group, the method includes determining a group member behavior from a member position relative to the social group, and inferring a member state from the member behavior. Spatial, spatio-temporal, and biometric data may be used. A social group management system includes an inference engine that infers a member state from the behavior of a monitored member. Another social group management method includes characterizing a first monitored member of the social group as a first discrete element; characterizing at least a second monitored member of the social group as at least a second discrete element; and determining a characteristic displacement between the first monitored member and at least the second monitored member in accordance with a discrete element method.