APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING A CONDITION

Abstract

A monitoring apparatus (1) for monitoring of a condition state in a quadruped mammal is described, including at least a housing portion (3) comprising a plurality of motion sensors (11) disposed to sense movement in at least two degrees of freedom, a data capture module to capture movement data generated by the motion sensors, wireless transmitter module (17) to transmit captured data to a remotely located hub (21), and a power source (19) to provide electrical power; and an attachment portion (5) to engage the housing in a fixed orientation onto a surface of the body of an animal to be monitored, for example on the torso or neck. A mounting system including such an apparatus and a method of monitoring of a plurality of quadruped mammals to draw inferences in relation to a condition state using such an apparatus are also described.

Claims

1. A monitoring apparatus for monitoring of a condition state in a quadruped mammal comprising: a housing portion comprising: a plurality of motion sensors disposed to sense movement in at least two degrees of freedom; a data capture module to capture movement data generated by the motion sensors; a wireless transmitter module to transmit captured data to a remotely located hub; a power source to provide electrical power; an attachment portion to engage the housing in a fixed orientation onto a surface of the body of an animal to be monitored.

2. A monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the attachment portion is configured to engage the housing in a fixed orientation onto a surface of the back of an animal to be monitored such as to locate the housing in the pelvic region.

3. A monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein the attachment portion is configured to engage the housing in a fixed orientation onto a surface of the back of an animal to be monitored such as to locate the housing in the vicinity of or behind the point of dorsal articulation between the pelvic girdle and the spine.

4. A monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the motion sensors are disposed in the housing portion in predetermined orientation with reference to a notional set of orthogonal axes x, y, z, and the motion sensors comprise at least one motion sensor positioned to sense translational movement along the x-axis of the housing and at least one motion sensor positioned to sense rotational movement about the x-axis of the housing.

5. A monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein the attachment portion is configured to engage the housing in a fixed orientation onto a surface of the back of an animal such that the x axis is oriented along the back of the animal in a direction parallel to its spine, the y axis is oriented along the back of the animal in a direction transverse to the spine, and the z axis is oriented through the body of the animal in a direction orthogonal to the other two.

6. A monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the motion sensors are disposed in the housing portion in predetermined orientation with reference to the housing portion such that with the housing portion attached to a test animal in use with the animal in a typical standing position, the motion sensors comprise at least one motion sensor positioned generally to sense to and fro surge movement of the animal in an anterior-posterior direction generally parallel to its spine and at least one motion sensor positioned generally to sense side to side roll movement of the animal about an anterior-posterior axis generally parallel to its spine.

7. A monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the attachment portion is adapted to engage the housing in a fixed orientation onto a surface of the back of an animal to be monitored to locate the housing such that the movement captured by the motion sensors in use includes at least a substantial element attributable to movement of the animal body at or in the vicinity of the region of dorsal articulation between the pelvic girdle and the spine, optionally at least comprising to and fro thrust generally along the direction of the spine and roll about the spine.

8. A monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the housing portion further comprises a contact sensor adapted to detect the presence and duration of an external contact or proximity.

9. A monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1 comprising motion sensors disposed to sense movement in up to six degrees of freedom selected from: translational movement along an x-axis of the housing portion, translational movement along a y-axis of the housing portion, translational movement along a z-axis of the housing portion, rotational movement about an x-axis of the housing portion, rotational movement about a y-axis of the housing portion, rotational movement about a z-axis of the housing portion.

10. A monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the housing portion comprises a housing enclosure containing any or all of: the plurality of motion sensors disposed to sense movement in at least two degrees of freedom; the data capture module to capture movement data generated by the motion sensors; the wireless transmitter module to transmit captured data to a remotely located hub; the power source to provide electrical power; additional components or modules.

11. A monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the attachment portion comprise paired wings of flexible material extending either side of the housing portion in fixed mechanical relationship with the housing portion each having a surface adapted to be fixed upon an animal.

12. A monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least some of the motion sensors are selected from: piezoelectric accelerometers, piezoresistive accelerometers, capacitive accelerometers, micro-electromechanical accelerometers and gyroscopic sensors.

13. A monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the housing portion includes an identification module giving a unique identifier to a monitoring apparatus.

14. A monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1 provided in combination with a supplementary condition monitoring module comprising an enclosure containing one or both of a temperature and/or internal pH sensor; a data capture module to capture data generated by the sensor(s); and a wireless transmitter module to transmit captured data to a remotely located hub, wherein the enclosure is adapted to cause the supplementary condition monitoring module to be retained within the body of a test animal.

15. A monitoring system comprising: a plurality of monitoring apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim; at least one hub apparatus comprising a wireless receiver module to receive captured movement data from the wireless transmitter modules of each of the said monitoring apparatus, and a data transmission module comprising a data communication link to communicate the received data to a central processing system.

16. A monitoring system in accordance with claim 15 further comprising a central processing system adapted to process the movement data against established reference movement behaviour data and/or algorithms based on established reference movement behaviour data and to output inferences about one or more condition states, the central processor module being in data communication with the hub via the data communication link; wherein the central processing system optionally includes a library module comprising library data of reference movement behaviour data and/or a further storage module storing addressable movement data processing algorithms based on established movement behaviour; and optionally further wherein the central processing system further includes a condition state determination module, to determine a particular condition state, and a transmission module to transmit that determined condition state in a manner receivable by a user of the system.

17. A monitoring system in accordance with claim 15 comprising a plurality of hubs each in data communication with a common remotely located central processing system.

18. A monitoring system in accordance with claim 15 further comprising at least one user module adapted to receive the determined condition state and display the same, wherein the user module comprises a suitably programmed mobile cellular telecommunications device or short range wireless communication enabled device.

19. A method of monitoring of a plurality of quadruped mammals to draw inferences in relation to a condition state comprising: providing a plurality of monitoring apparatus comprising: a housing portion comprising a plurality of motion sensors disposed to sense movement in at least two degrees of freedom; a data capture module to capture movement data generated by the motion sensors; a wireless transmitter module to transmit captured data to a remotely located hub; a power source to provide electrical power; an attachment portion to engage the housing onto a surface of the back of an animal to be monitored; attaching each of the said apparatus in a fixed orientation on to a surface of the back of a respective animal to be; and in respect of each such animal; capturing movement data generated by the motion sensors; transmitting captured data to a remotely located hub; collecting data at a remotely located hub; processing the data against established reference movement behaviour data and/or using algorithms based on established movement behaviour; drawing inferences therefrom about a condition state of the animal.

20. A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein the attaching of each of the said apparatus in a fixed orientation on to a surface of the back of a respective animal to be monitored comprises attaching such as to locate the housing in the pelvic region.

21. A method in accordance with claim 20 wherein the attaching of each of the said apparatus in a fixed orientation on to a surface of the back of a respective animal to be monitored comprises attaching monitored such as to locate the housing in the vicinity of or behind the point of dorsal articulation between the pelvic girdle and the spine of the animal.

22. A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein the method comprises comparing movement data against library data of reference movement behaviour data and/or applying a processing algorithm based on established movement behaviour to draw inferences about a condition state.

23. A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein a central processing system is provided remotely located from and in data communication with one or more hubs, and the method comprises transmitting the collected data from the hub to the central processing system, and processing the data at the central processing system against established reference movement behaviour data and/or using algorithms based on established movement behaviour and drawing inferences therefrom about a condition state of the animal.

24. A method in accordance with claim 19 comprising determining a condition state; transmitting the determined condition state to a suitably programmed mobile cellular telecommunications device over a cellular telephone network or short range wireless communication enabled device over a web-based or other short range wireless enabled communication network; and displaying the condition state and/or generating an alert on the mobile cellular telecommunications device or short range wireless communication enabled device.

25. A method according to claim 19 wherein the condition state is related to one or both of state of estrus and progress towards and through parturition.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0113] The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to FIGS. 1-4 of the accompanying drawings in which:

[0114] FIG. 1 illustrates an apparatus in accordance with the first aspect of the invention positioned for use in the pelvic region of a cow;

[0115] FIG. 2 shows the apparatus of FIG. 1 in isolation and with a housing container open to illustrate the contents of the housing portion of the apparatus;

[0116] FIG. 3 illustrates schematically a complete system employing plural apparatus such as those illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2;

[0117] FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a supplementary condition monitoring module suitable for use with the apparatus of FIG. 1 in the system of FIG. 3;

[0118] FIG. 5 shows the relationship between

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0119] An embodiment of a monitoring apparatus operating to the principles of the invention is shown attached for use to a cow to be monitored in FIG. 1 and in more detail in partly-open plan view in FIG. 2.

[0120] The monitoring apparatus (1) generally comprises a housing enclosure (3) and a pair of attachment wings (5) which have lower surfaces suitable for attaching the apparatus to the back of the cow, as shown in FIG. 1, for example using a suitable applied adhesive. The apparatus is attached such that the housing (3), and more particularly the movement sensors located therein, are positioned in the pelvic region. To monitor progress of calving this will preferably be generally above the sacroiliac joint so as to monitor motion in that region, and in particular motion associated with dorsal articulation between the pelvic girdle and the spine. To monitor state of standing heat, a location situated further back on the cow's tail head may be preferred.

[0121] The housing defines nominal orientation axes x, y, z illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In use when properly attached to the cow, and with the cow in a normal standing position, the x axis is generally horizontal and aligned with the dorsal-ventral direction of the cow along its spine, the y axis is a generally horizontal transverse direction, and the z axis is generally vertical. Of course it will be understood that as these axes are defined with reference to the housing of the apparatus, as the cow moves, then depending on the movement, the orientation of the axes relative to the ground and at least some parts of the cow may move accordingly.

[0122] The housing (3) comprises a rigid container which serves to contain the motion sensors and other instruments that make up the functioning components of the apparatus, to locate and orientate the motion sensors in particular, to protect the components environmentally, and to associate the components together operatively in a compact manner. The container is for example a rigid plastics casing.

[0123] The container is shown partly open in plan view and with its contents represented to some extent schematically in FIG. 2.

[0124] Those contents include a motion sensor module (11) comprising a plurality of motion sensors disposed to sense movement in at least two degrees of freedom, preferably including at least forward and backward motion along the x axis and roll about the x axis, and optionally including any or all of the six degrees of freedom corresponding to and fro motion on the x, y and z axes and rotation about the x, y and z axes of the housing.

[0125] Specific individual sensors are not shown, and their specific form is not necessarily pertinent to the invention, but in the illustrated embodiment the sensor module (11) is intended to comprise a plurality of suitably orientated accelerometers thus adapted to sense motion of the animal in various directions corresponding to the directional axis of the housing.

[0126] A data capture module (17) collects and captures the data from the various sensors, preferably dynamically in real time, and to this end may include, or the sensor module itself include, a suitable clock timer (not separately shown). The data capture module may additionally perform some initial data processing and to this end may include a suitable processor (not separately shown). The data capture module additionally associates the data with a unique apparatus identifier provided by the identification module (15) which might for example be a simple passive device.

[0127] The collected, identified and optionally initially partly processed data may then be transmitted, dynamically in real time or periodically as desired, via the data transmitter module (17). The data transmitter module (17), shown more completely in operation in FIG. 3, is designed in normal operation to communicate wirelessly with a local hub, and accordingly adapted to operate to a suitable short range wireless protocol. Optionally, it may additionally be adapted to receive signals back from the hub.

[0128] A battery pack (19) provides the source of electrical power.

[0129] An example of an operation of a system embodying a plurality of individual apparatus of the type described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown in FIG. 3. Such a system might for example be employed in a barn or similar location to monitor a group of animals at a similar stage of a given process in the husbandry cycle, for example at similar stage of estrus, or similar stage of pregnancy.

[0130] Separately identifiable and interrogatable individual devices (1a-1e) are attached to respective animals in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1. Each device has a different identification module, by means of which data uniquely identifying the device, and consequently uniquely identifying the animal to which it is attached, can be transmitted to the hub. The identification module may also provide to be read locally, to allow identification of the animal in situ.

[0131] A hub (21) is provided which communicates locally with each of the monitoring devices (1a-1e) by establishing a wireless communication link (25a-25e) between a wireless receiver (23) on the hub and the transmitter modules on the respective apparatus.

[0132] The system admits to a number of operational communication protocols between the hub and the multiple monitoring devices as desired. For example, data transmission may be on a continuous or batch basis, and may be initiated periodically by the individual monitoring devices or under interrogation by the hub.

[0133] The hub is in data communication with a central processor which performs primary data processing of the collected movement data from the various apparatus and consequently the various animals being monitored and processes the same against reference data standards and algorithms to determine a condition state.

[0134] Although the invention admits to the possibility of at least some of this processing being performed at the hub, in the illustrated embodiment, a remote central processing system (31) at a remote central processing site is employed. Advantageously, this might allow for multiple hubs to communicate raw or relatively minimally processed data to a single central point, which single central point performs the primary assessment and status determination, with the advantages of potential for intelligent learning and potential for immediate update and improvement that go with such central and distributed system.

[0135] Each hub in the system is in data communication with the central processing system (31) via a data link (33). In an envisaged mode of operation this is a longer distance data link than that between a set of monitoring devices and their hub, which may be wired, and for example effect connection via a wired telecommunications network and for example via an Ethernet protocol, or wireless, and for example effect connection via the cellular telephone network or a satellite communication protocol.

[0136] In the illustrated example the central processing system (31) includes a central processor (35) that receives and processes the movement data from the various apparatus, which central processor is in data communication with a data library (37) which carries characteristic movement data patterns associated with particular condition states, and optionally additionally stores standard addressable movement data processing algorithms based on established movement behaviour associated with particular condition states. The processor is configured to compare movement data against the library data and/to apply a processing algorithm to the movement data based on established movement behaviour to draw inferences about a condition state of the animal from the movement data.

[0137] The central processing system further includes a state identification and alert module (39) which is adapted to be triggered when a state or condition has been determined to within a predetermined level of certainty, based on the collected movement data comparison with the library data and/or applied to a suitable algorithm, that a particular condition is likely to exist, and further to issue an alert in respect of that condition.

[0138] The central processing system is preferably adapted to transmit this condition state for example as an alert to a user of the system. It is of course possible to transmit this alert directly back along the original data communication path and to the individual monitoring devices. However, advantageously the system of the invention provides for remote monitoring by a user, so that a user does not need to be in attendance at the location where the animals are kept until and unless a condition state signal or alert signal indicating that attendance may be necessary is received.

[0139] Accordingly, a condition state signal or alert signal is preferably transmitted to a remove receiver module held by the user. Most simply, as in the illustrated embodiment, the receiver module is a cellular communication device such a cellular telephone, tablet or the like programmed with suitable software to receive and display the condition state signal or alert signal to a user, which is in data communication with a transmitter (41) at the central site via the cellular telephone network via cellular telephone network link (45). Alternatively, bespoke receivers and condition state signal or alert signal devices may be used.

[0140] FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a supplementary condition monitoring module suitable for use with the apparatus of FIG. 1 in the system of FIG. 3. A bolus is shown comprising an enclosure that comprises male (51) and female (52) screwed sections which are screwed together to contain a temperature and an electrolyte sac (53) to comprise a pH sensor. The bolus is designed in use to be retained in and measure the temperature and pH within the reticulum. The bolus is swallowed, but is optionally weighted with a makeweight (54) at one end and shaped such that it will not pass beyond the reticulum. This provides an admirably non-invasive means of monitoring both internal temperature of the cow and the pH conditions within the reticulum.

[0141] The enclosure may additionally contain a data capture and transmitter module which is designed in normal operation to communicate wirelessly with the local hub. allowing temperature and pH data from the animal to be transmitted for co-processing into the same system as the data from the apparatus of FIG. 1, for example advantageously to provide further information to inform a condition assessment. In the example an integral PCB (55) is included in the enclosure. A battery power source (56) is also provided.

[0142] Preferably, the apparatus and system described herein is adapted to monitor a condition state in relation to one or both of the state of estrus of the cow and the progress towards and through parturition of the cow.

[0143] In the former case, the criticality of timing of insemination relative to ovulation to maximize conception rates is known, as shown for example in FIG. 5. Providing a more accurate determination of standing heat, which is known to relate to ovulation, can improve prediction of the optimum timing for introduction of semen and consequently improve conception rate. In the latter case, attendance of appropriate personnel able to take timely steps to deal with issues associated with parturition is beneficial to the success of the birthing process and to the progress of both mother and offspring. In both of these cases, the invention provides an admirably effective system for monitoring in real time the state of the cow, and offers an enhanced accuracy of determination of the state, ensuring that appropriate personnel may be in attendance at an appropriate time and/or that appropriate intervention steps are taken at an appropriate time to maximise efficiency of the conception and/or parturition/birth processes.