Livestock Monitoring via Synchronized IoT Protocol Overlay
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing livestock monitoring systems face challenges in efficiently tracking and monitoring the location, behavior, and physiological variables of animals across large areas, particularly in ranching environments, due to limitations in data collection and transmission technologies.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising tag sensors attached to animals, an IoT link, a two-tier access point with broadband and narrowband communication interfaces, and a hub/cloud platform for data processing and analytics, enabling synchronized data transmission and user interface for monitoring livestock, with an IoT communication protocol overlay to manage data transmission and minimize power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If tag sensors continuously transmit monitoring data from animals across large areas, then location tracking accuracy and behavioral monitoring are improved, but power consumption increases and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic transmission of monitoring data instead of continuous transmission. Tag sensors transmit data at scheduled intervals, allowing animals to be tracked over time while conserving battery power. This periodic action resolves the contradiction by providing sufficient location accuracy through regular updates without the energy cost of continuous transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential monitoring data needed for location tracking and behavioral analysis, transmitting selectively rather than continuously. By taking out only the critical information required for monitoring purposes and transmitting it at optimized intervals, the system maintains measurement precision while reducing overall power consumption.
2Area of stationary object
If multiple tag sensors transmit data simultaneously across large ranching areas, then comprehensive livestock monitoring coverage is improved, but data transmission conflicts and system reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic transmission with scheduled time slots for different tag sensors. This timing-based coordination allows multiple sensors to operate across large areas without simultaneous transmission conflicts, maintaining both comprehensive coverage and reliable data transmission by preventing signal collisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system segments the transmission schedule by assigning different time slots or sequences to different tag sensors. This segmentation of transmission timing allows multiple animals to be monitored across large areas while avoiding data conflicts, as each sensor transmits in its designated window rather than simultaneously.
3Measurement precision
If sophisticated data analytics and processing are performed on collected monitoring data, then behavioral analysis accuracy and physiological monitoring are improved, but computational complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing layer that receives raw data from tag sensors, performs initial filtering and preprocessing, and then conducts sophisticated analytics. This intermediary approach enables accurate behavioral analysis by processing data systematically through multiple stages, managing computational complexity while maintaining high measurement precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for monitoring livestock in a ranching environment. The system includes tag sensors attached to animals, and configured to collect monitoring data from the animals, a first access point, configured to receive the collected monitoring data from the tag sensors and to process the collected monitoring data, an Internet of Things (IoT) link established between each of the tag sensors and the access point, and an IoT communication protocol overlay that enables synchronized uplinks from the tag sensors to the first access point via the IoT links. The IoT communication protocol overlay governs transmissions of monitoring data by the tag sensors to the access point. The system further includes a hub/cloud platform configured to receive the processed monitoring data from the first access point, perform data analytics on the processed monitoring data, and provide a user interface that enables a user to monitor the livestock.