Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-21
2001-12-11
Mullen, Thomas (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C235S472020, C340S005800, C340S539230, C340S691100, C340S693500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06329920
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for reading radio frequency identification transponders which are used to identify, track and monitor meat animals.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
Radio frequency identification is a flexible, integrated method for tracking, identifying and monitoring animals. Radio frequency identification transponders may be placed on an animal's ear or other portions of the animal's body. Transponders are generally passive devices which operate without a separate power source. When used to identify an animal, these devices contain a unique code for a particular animal. These passive electronic identification devices may be carried with the individual animal on a collar as illustrated and described in Carroll U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,481, issued Oct. 9, 1984, entitled “Identification System” and in Kuzara U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,353, issued Jul. 31, 1984, entitled “Animal Feeding and Monitoring System”; in an ear tag such as those commercially available from Destron/Fearing, Inc., Allflex USA, Inc. and Avid Marketing, Inc.; in an implant as in the animal illustrated and described in Pollack U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,328, issued Aug. 8, 1989, entitled “Animal Monitoring Telltale and Information System” and in Hanton U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,632, issued Apr. 21, 1981, entitled “Electronic Livestock Identification System”; or in a bolus such as illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,632, issued Apr. 21, 1981, entitled “Electronic Livestock Identification System” by John P. Hanton and Harley A. Leach.
When transponders are read using a radio frequency identification reader, they provide the unique code for that animal's identification. Several RFID readers are commercially available, typically from the transponder suppliers, including models from Destron/Fearing, Inc., Allflex USA, Inc. and Avid Marketing, Inc.
The prior art includes RFID readers that can distinguish multiple types of RFID transponders as illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,326, issued Aug. 10, 1993, entitled “Multi-mode Identification System” to Michael L. Beigel, Nathaniel Polish, and Robert E. Malm. Another such reader is that illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,952,935, issued Sep. 14, 1999, entitled “Programmable Channel Search Reader” to E. Zeke Mejia and Ian Griffiths.
Transponders may also be used in a novel way to identify livestock “events” and “details” associated with a particular animal as described in “Method and Apparatus for Livestock Data Collection and Management” filed by one of the Applicants herein. Such “events” and “details” may include medications, vaccinations, and treatments. These event/detail transponders may be read in connection with the transponder having the unique code for the animal to indicate, among other things, that an animal has received a particular medication, vaccination or treatment. The “events” and “details” may include other identifying information on the animal, such as the animal's color, breed, sex and birth date.
This information is significant in that it may be used in various ways to assist those involved in the production/processing cycle for purposes of quality assurance verification and performance tracking. Those involved in the production and processing cycle of the beef industry, for example, are interested in the following: identifying which animals have a good calving history; monitoring the performance of various pastures; recording calf birth date and birth weight statistics and tracking the genetic history of each animal; evaluating the performance of calves from particular cows or bulls; recording the weaning date and weaning weight of each animal; recording treatments, vaccinations, and other significant or events that have occurred in the animal's life in order to track of the success of treatments as well as to eliminate duplicate treatments; recording beginning, ending, and periodic weight measurements and treatments; recording frame size, muscling, fat content, marbling, and feed efficiency; monitoring health and drug treatments, nutrition, and growth history; recording live animal weight, carcass weight, chilled carcass weight; and recording the yield, grade, and quality of the carcass and carcass defects.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Radio frequency identification transponders and radio frequency identification readers have been effective tools in identifying, tracking and monitoring livestock. The reader of the present invention supports an effective data collection and management methodology in the livestock industry. The reader is durable, safety-oriented, easy-to-use and has a long life span. In the preferred embodiment for the reader, the reader is portable and has audio feedback to confirm the receipt of data. Animals are often restrained in chutes for purposes of reading the animal's unique code transponder and giving medications, vaccinations or treatments to a particular animal. This invention features a reader that is designed to be hand held in a working chute environment, such that it is rugged and moisture resistant. The reader has an enclosed housing such that its circuitry and components are protected, which further makes it suitable for a working chute environment. The preferred flashlight shape permits a familiar and convenient object to be held by the user.
When readers are used for animal identification, a transponder is attached or integrated into the animal's body. These animals may easily weigh well over 1,000 pounds. The reader of the present invention has a handle designed for safety such that when the user work with large animals such as livestock, the user is able to stay a safe distance away from the animal.
Prior art readers which generally use mechanical switches suffer wear from use. The reader of the present invention has an infrared activation switch designed for ease of use, thus avoiding the problems associated with a mechanical switch. The reader of the present invention also has a feedback means whereby an audible signal confirms that data read by the reader from the transponder was received. This feature furthers the reader's ease of use. With the addition of audio feedback, and especially with wireless headphones or speakers at fixed reader locations, the user becomes completely mobile while performing tasks. The user now roams freely, scanning cows and entering the results of pregnancy checks, scanning steers as the steer are sorted to various locations, or other tasks. An optical signal in the form of a light may also be used to confirm receipt of data. Moreover, the reader has a greater amount of versatility since it can read multiple types of transponders.
The rigid body permits the reader to be placed into an alleyway, cage, or chute. The reader may also communicate over greater distances to a host computer or data consolidation device. Some currently available readers offer relatively stick-type RFID antennas that can be placed into a pen or chute, and a cable connecting the antenna to a separate enclosure with a hand-held or lap-top computer. In these designs, the cable interface to the antenna is typically a weak point which will break down from repeated mechanical strain. The RF link of the reader of the present invention eliminates cables and, therefore, the physical weak point. It also allows the unit to be a compact, easy-to-handle device without unwieldy cables that tangle and interfere with the user's job. The RF link communications provide the user improved range and flexibility in the work area.
The reader is designed such that rechargeable batteries with long life spans may be used. These rechargeable batteries may have a life span of more than five hundred (500) charge/recharge cycles. Therefore, maintenance for the reader is less expensive and more convenient to use since the same battery may be used for a relatively long period of time. The center of gravity of the reader is near the handle section. The reader is t
Curkendall Leland D.
Morrison Matthew J.
Aginfolink Holdings Inc.
Mullen Thomas
Yeager Rick B.
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