Poultry Weight Estimation via Suspended Measurement Unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional poultry weighing systems are inefficient in measuring the weight of individual chickens, as they can only calculate average weights and obstruct the passage of non-target poultry, leading to stress and increased mortality rates.
Innovation Solution
A poultry weight measurement and weight estimation system that includes a rotary unit with a wire for lifting and lowering a measurement unit, a scale for weight measurement, a camera for image capture, and a control unit to calculate per-pixel weights, allowing for individual weight estimation without restricting poultry movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a conventional weighing system measures the weight of each chicken individually, then measurement precision is improved, but the passage of other poultry is obstructed causing stress and increased mortality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from ground-level weighing to aerial suspension weighing. The measurement unit is suspended in the air above the poultry passage using a wire and rotary mechanism, allowing weight measurement in a different spatial dimension that does not obstruct poultry movement on the ground.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary measurement unit that can be lowered to capture poultry for weighing and then raised back to its suspended position. This intermediary device enables individual weighing without requiring permanent ground-level structures that would block poultry passage.
2Measurement precision
If manual weighing of hundreds of chickens is performed, then individual weight data is obtained, but productivity is reduced due to inefficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual weighing operations with an automated system comprising a motor-driven rotary unit, suspension mechanism, and digital scale. The motor automatically lowers and raises the measurement unit, eliminating the need for manual intervention in each weighing operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The measurement unit is designed to be automatically lowered by the motor when poultry are present, perform weighing, and then automatically raised back to its suspended position. The system serves itself by detecting poultry presence and initiating the weighing sequence without human operation.
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
Enables precise measurement and estimation of individual poultry weights without obstructing their movement, improving efficiency and reducing stress and mortality rates.
Implementation Method 1
a scale unit for measuring the weight of poultry placed on the measurement unit
Data Source
AI summary
The objective of the present invention is to provide a poultry weight measurement and weight estimation system, which can estimate weight by considering the unique size of each poultry individual and does not interrupt the transit of poultry. To accomplish the objective, the poultry weight measurement and weight estimation system according to the present invention can comprise: a rotary part which is connected to a motor and rotates and which has a wire wound thereon or unwound therefrom; a measurement unit which is connected to the wire and on which poultry can be placed; a scale unit for measuring the weight of poultry placed on the measurement unit; a camera unit for capturing an image of the top of the measurement unit; and a control unit which controls the motor so that the wire is wound on or unwound from the rotary part, and thus adjusts ascending and descending of the measurement unit, which receives information about the weight measured by the scale unit and information about the image captured by the camera to calculate the per-pixel weight of the poultry on the inner side of the measurement unit, and which estimates the per-pixel weight of the poultry on the outer side of the measurement unit on the basis of the calculation result.