Wireless Livestock Weigh Head with External Data Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing livestock weighing systems are costly, difficult to maintain and upgrade, and lack integration with farm data applications, requiring manual data transfer and using excessive hardware, which increases environmental impact and user inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
A weigh head apparatus that converts analogue load signals to digital values and transmits them wirelessly to a data processing unit, such as a mobile device, where the data is processed to calculate weight, allowing for easy software updates and reduced hardware requirements, enabling real-time data transmission and integration with farm software.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If firmware is locally installed within the weigh head to perform all weighing steps, then weight measurement functionality is achieved, but purchase and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the firmware processing functions from the weigh head hardware and relocates them to an external data processing unit. The weigh head now only performs analogue-to-digital conversion and transmits raw data, while calibration, filtering, and weight calculation are performed externally. This extraction eliminates the need for expensive local processing components in the weigh head, significantly reducing purchase and maintenance costs while maintaining full measurement functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into distinct functional components: the weigh head handles only signal conversion and transmission, while the data processing unit handles all processing tasks. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, with the weigh head being simple and inexpensive, and the processing unit being reusable across multiple weigh heads.
2Reliability
If firmware is locally installed in the weigh head, then weight calculation is performed on-site, but upgrades and future-proofing become difficult and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
By extracting the firmware from the weigh head and placing it in an external data processing unit, the system enables easy upgrades through simple software updates on the external unit. The weigh head hardware remains unchanged and compatible, while the processing capabilities can be enhanced by updating the external unit's software or replacing the unit itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The external data processing unit serves multiple functions: it can process data from multiple weigh heads, perform various calibration methods, integrate with different farm management systems, and provide additional features like animal identification and historical analysis. This universal unit can be upgraded to add new functions without replacing the weigh head hardware.
3Measurement precision
If weigh head has built-in firmware for complete processing, then stable weight value is generated locally, but compatibility issues arise between new firmware and old hardware versions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the source of compatibility problems by extracting the firmware from the weigh head hardware. The weigh head becomes a simple, firmware-free device that only performs analogue-to-digital conversion. All processing firmware resides in the external data processing unit, which can be independently updated without affecting hardware compatibility.
4Ease of operation
If weigh head requires user intervention to export data, then data can be transferred to other devices, but the process becomes inconvenient and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by automatically transmitting weight data from the weigh head through the data processing unit to farm management systems without requiring user intervention for data export. The continuous data stream is handled automatically, eliminating manual detachment, carrying, and connection steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the data export function into the core measurement process. The weigh head and data processing unit work as an integrated system that automatically transmits data to external systems, combining the measurement and data transfer functions into a single seamless operation.
5Adaptability or versatility
If weigh head integrates with farm data applications, then complete farm data set can be created, but manual data transfer is required which is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The data processing unit automatically integrates with farm management applications by transmitting data streams directly to these systems. The system performs self-service integration without requiring manual data export and import operations, automatically creating complete farm data sets that can be analyzed.
Solution Approach 2:
The external data processing unit acts as an intermediary between the weigh head and farm management systems. It receives raw data from the weigh head, processes it, and automatically transmits it to farm software applications, facilitating seamless integration without manual intervention.
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 solution significantly reduces costs and environmental impact by minimizing hardware components, allows for easy software upgrades, and enhances data integration, providing a flexible and efficient livestock weighing system that can be easily expanded without replacing the weigh head apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
converting the analogue load signal to digital load values using an analogue-to-digital converter
Implementation Method 2
transmit a stream of the digital load values over a wireless connection to the data processing unit
Data Source
AI summary
A weigh head apparatus (102) for cooperation with a data processing unit for use in livestock weighing. The weigh head apparatus is inexpensive, easy to upgrade and has low maintenance costs. The weight head apparatus has: a signal converting module (106) operable to convert one or more analogue load signal into a plurality of digital load values; and a data transmitting module (108) operable to transmit a stream of the digital load values over a wireless connection to the data processing unit. The stream is a real-time stream and the digital load values are raw instantaneous analogue-to-digital converter output values. A command receiving module (109) is configured to receive a transmit-stream command from the data processing unit, wherein the data transmitting module (108) is operable to transmit the stream of the digital load values in response to the received transmit-stream command.