NL2027843B1

NL2027843B1 - Data communication tag and method for operating thereof.

Info

Publication number: NL2027843B1
Application number: NL2027843A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Jan Roosenboom Derk; Martin Van Dijk Jeroen
Original assignee: Nedap Nv
Priority date: 2021-03-26
Filing date: 2021-03-26
Publication date: 2022-10-10
Also published as: EP4312523A1; WO2022203509A1

Abstract

The present document describes a data communication tag for an animal. The tag comprises a support structure including mounting means such that it may be attached to an animal’s body. The tag includes a controller and a data communication circuit, the latter including a transceiver and a plurality of antennas. These include a first and a second antenna, Which are arranged on the support structure remotely from each other on different sides thereof, such as to be located on different sides of the animal body in use. The tag may be used in a method, Which comprises performing a transmission or receipt of an electronic data signal from or to the transceiver, Wherein the transmission or receipt of the electronic data signal is performed Via either one or both of the first and second antenna. [Fig 2]

Description

Title: Data communication tag and method for operating thereof.

Field of the invention The present invention is directed at a data communication tag suitable for being worn by an animal, wherein the tag comprises a support structure including mounting means suitable for attaching the tag to a body of the animal, wherein the tag further comprises a controller and a data communication circuit, wherein the data communication circuit comprises a transceiver. The invention is farther directed at a muthod of operating a data communication tag as described to above.

Background Data connnonieation tags as referred to above are applied in many different types of animal management solutions, varying from livestoek management systems to individual animal control solutions, In livestock management systems, these types of tags are attached to an animal in order to monitor it's behavior, wellbeing, health, location, etcetera, or in order to control various {semi-yastomatic farm functions, such as separation gates, milking systems, feading systems or weighing systems.

Typically, the tags communicate by means of low power wireless data communication with nearby transceivers, which harvest their data for further use, For example, this data may be used to control any of the above farm functions or it may be further analyzed and/or stored for animal management purposes. Some of these data communication tags are passive tags that do not include a battery, Energy for data communication is obtained by resonating an incoming signal onto which the data signal is modulated. Other data commuardeation tags ave active tags including an internal power supply. These tags are typically designed to be energy efficient, or include durable energy sources, in order to save the internal battery and prevent having to replace the tags frequently.

A trade-off to such efficient low power solutions is the Hmited distance range of communication. Strong transmission signals require more power, but the tag is designed to consume only limited amounts of power, Amplification of received signals likewise drains power, and therefore preferably is not applied to save energy conatuppiion.

Summary of the invention JE is an object of the present invention to provide an data communication tag as referred to above, which is energy efficient and provides nevertheless an excellent distance range for communication, To this end, in accordance with a first aspect, there is provided herewith a data communication tag as referred to above, further comprising a plurality of antennas, the plurality of antennas including at least a first and a second antenna such that each antenna is connected to the transceiver {oy enabling transmission or receipt of an electronic data signal from or to the transceiver via either one or both of said first or second antenna, and wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are arranged on the support structure remotely from cach other on different sides of the support structure, such as to be located on different sides of the animal body in use.

The data communication tag of the present invention includes a plurality of antennas that are each connected to the transceiver, and thereby enables signals to be transmitted via either or both antennas. This prevents the occurrence of voids in the signal, which may be experienced when using a single antenna, Furthermore, the aoternas are arranged on the tag on different sides of the support structure such that, in uee when worn by an animal, these ave located on different sides of the animal body. This has the advantage that signals that are to be received or transmitted, are less hampered by the presence of the animal body in between the transmitter and receiver of the signal The animal body, when present in between the transmitter and receiver, attenuates the signal such as to limit the distance over which the signal can be received, The present invention overcomes this problem because regardless of the orientation and location of the animal at least one of the antennas is located on a side of the body where it is not or to a lesser extend in between the respective antenna and the remote transmitter or receiver of the signal. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is improved thereby. This improved SNR, as described above, can be used to increase the distance range over which the signal may be correctly received. Alternatively, it may also be used to reduce the signal power of a transmitted signal in order to reduce power eomsumption while maintaining the desired communication distance range.

Dependent on the desired design, an optimum between these two (power consumption and communication distance range) may likewise be applied. In some embodiments, the transceiver is configured for performing transmission of the electronic data signal via both the first antenna and the second antenna, either simultaneously or subsequently. In these embodiments, the probability of correct receipt of the data signal transmitted from the data communication tag is improved hy using both the first and second antenna. In embodiments including more than two antennas, a subset of multiple antennas or all of the antennas may be used simultaneously or subsequently for the transmission.

Using the anfennas simultaneously enables to transmit the signal within the normally applied transmission time, while increasing the chance of correet receipt by using both antennas lo Bwrease the signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio al the receiving end. Using the antemnas subseguently may inerease the total transmission time, hut enables to concentrate the full signal power in each anterma in turn. in both situations, the distance range over which the signal may be correctly yeceived is improved by the design of the data communication tag. As may be appreciated, for the receipt of signals by the tag, the vee of all antennas simultaneously Is desired to maximize the total size of the antenna surface {of all antennas together) to improve the SNR of the receipt signal.

In some embodiments, the sontroller is configured for selecting st least one of the first antenna or the second anteuna for performing the transmission or the receipt of the eleetyonde data signal via the selected antenna, In these embodiments, the controller may dependent on a particular situation select the best anterma for transmission or receipt. The criteria vpon which such selection step may be based may : 25 include any of the below nem Hmiting examples. In addition thereto, other criteria may be applied, such as whether or not one or more of the antennas is malfunctioning, For example, the impedance of an antenna may be monitored or compared to the impedance of any or all of the other antennas in ovder to select the antenna with the lowest impedance, In some embodiments, the tag is configured for receiving an activation signal, and the controller is configured for determining, for cach of the Hirst and second antenna, a received signal strength of the activation signal associated with the respective antenna, This data ay for example be used to select between the antennas or to detect a malfunctioning of one of the antennas. Therefore in some of these pmbodimants, fir said selecting of at least one of the first antenna or the second antenna, the controller is configured for selecting the antenna having the largest associated received signal strength. However, in other or further embodiments, for said selecting of at least one of the frst antenna or the second antenna, the controller & is configured for selecting an antenna having an associated received signal strength above a threshold level, In any of the above embodiments, information on the received signal strength is applied to perform the selection between the first or second antenna, such that an antenna is used that may be expected to provide a good SNR at receipt of the signal. Where a threshold leve] is wed, the controller may be arranged to select one or more antennas that are each expected to provide a strong enough SNR, In some of these embodiments, an antenna is additionally selected dependent on which antenna pravides the best signal strength (so in that case, hoth the threshold level is applied, and between the antennas providing a strong enough SNR the best performing antenna may be selected.

H neither of the two Or more) antennas provides a signal strength above the threshold leved, the controller may apply a different strategy to resolve this, Therefore, in some embodiments, the controller is configured for comparing the received signal strength associated with the first antenna or second antenna with a ‘20 threshold level, and if the received signal strength associated with one or more of the first antenna or second antenna is below the threshold level, selecting both the first and second antenna for performing the transmission or the receipt of the electronic data signal. both antennas incidentally suffer from a low signal strength (below threshold level), the SNR may be improved by using both antennas for transmission, Although the signal power in that case needs to be distributed across both antennas, the probability of correct receipt of the signal is improved by using the both antennas at either side of the animal body, Optionally, in addition to the above, the signal power for transmission or amplification may also be increased temporarily.

In some embodiments, the tag is configured for receiving a confirmation signal in response to a successful transmssion of the electronic data signal via at least one of the first or second antenna, and the controller is configured for maintaining, based on the receipt of the confirmation signal, a selection of the respective antenna of the first or second antenna via which the successful transmission has been performed. In these embodiments, the controller maintains the antenna that successfully enabled transmission of the data signal.

Another possibility, applying one of the embodiments described above, is that the signal strength of the confirmation signal is monitored and that the controller changes the selected antenna only when the signal strength of the confirmation signal via (one of) the other antennas) is stronger, or is stronger by a & predefined comparison threshold. in some preforeed mobodiments, the tag is an radio frequency identification tag, However, alternative wireless communication protocols may likewise be applied.

In some embodiments, the tag is a neck tag configured for being attached to the neck of the animal.

The advantage of applying an antenna at different sides of an animals body is larger for a neck tag than for e.g. an ear tag, because the total body mass enclosed by a neck tag (i.e. the neck of the animal rather than the ear) is larger.

The invention, however, may likewise be applied to ear tags, tail tags or leg tags, or other tags that may be worn by animals.

In accordance with a second aspect, the invention provides a method of ts operating a data communication tag suitable for being worn by an animal, wherein the tag comprises a support structure including mounting means suitable for attaching the tag to a body of the animal, a controller and a data commanication circuit including a transceiver and a plurality of antennas, the plurality of antennas eluding at least a first and a second antenna arvanged on different sides of the support structs, such as to be located on different sides of the animal body in use, wherein the method comprises performing a transmission or receipt of an electronic data signal from or to the transceiver; wherem said transmission or veceipt of the electronic data signal is performed via either one or both of said first and second antenna,

Brief description of the drawings The invention will further be elucidated by description of some specifie embodiments theveof, making reference to the attached drawings.

The detailed description provides examples of possible implementations of the invention, bat is not, to be regarded as describing the only embodiments falling under the scope, The scope of the invention is defined in the claims, and the description is to be regarded as ihustrative without being restrictive on the invention. in the drawings: Figuras 1A, 1B and 10 schematically illustrate data communication tags in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

Figure 2 schematically illustrates use of a data communication tag in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figare § schematically illustrates a neck label or RFID collar in necordange with the present invention; Figure 4 schematically illustrates a method in accordance with the present invention; Figure 5 schematically illustrates a method in accordance with the present invention, Detailed description Figures IA through 1C schematically illastrate the internal civeuitey and part of the support structure of data communication tags 1 in accordance with certadn embodiments of the present invention. The invention is nat limited to these embodiments only, but may include tag designs of various type, The tags of figwes 1A through 1C may for example be applied in neck tags such as illustrated in Hgwre 3. However, the principles of the invention may likewise be applied to provide an ear tag, leg tag, tails tag, or other type of tag that can be worn by an animal. Figure 1A schematically illustrates a data communication tag 1 suitable for being worn hy an animal 2 (see figure 2), For example, this type of tag 1 may be plemented in the housing 22 of the neck tag 20 of figure 3. The tag 1 comprises a support structure 3 including mounting means 23 (see figure 3) suitable for attaching the tag 1 to a body 6 of the animal 2. The tag 1 further comprises a controller 7 and a data communication circuit 1), mounted on a printed circuit board (POR) 8, Optionally, active circuits may also comprise a battery or other power supply 9 to power the circuit, The data communication circuit 10 comprises a transceiver 11, which for example may be an RFID transceiver chip 11 cooperating with the controller

7. Furthermore, a phaality of antennas 14, 15 located on either side 4, 5 of the support strocture 3 respectively is condoctively connected to the electronics providing the data commumeation circuit 10. The antennas 14 and 15 are monopole antennas. The antennas 14 and 15 bwlude ab feast a hest 14 and a second antenna 15, and each antenna is connected to the transceiver 11. This enables transmission or receipt of an electronic data signal 28 from or to the transceiver 11 via either one or both of said first or second antenna 14,15, The first antenna 14 and the second antenna 15 are arcanged on the support structure 3 remotely from each other on different sides 4 and a thereof . Thereby, in use when worn by an animal 2, the antennas 14 and 15 are located on different sides of the animal body 6.

In the embodiment Illustrated in figure 1A, the total number of antennas aijuals two, However, the invention is not limited to this number of antennas, and in & principle the mumber of antennas is only hmited by imagination — any desired number of mntennas 14, 15 may be applied, Also, it 19 not essential to limit the antennas 14, 15 to a first or second group, although this is not prohibited ei ther. One design consideration may be complexity of the system, which may prompt the skilled person to mit the number of antennas. Another design consideration may be maximizing the 18 probability of receipt, which may prompt the skilled person to increase the number of antennas. A further design criterium may be the particular body shape of the animal 2, or iis body part to which the tag is to be atlached. This latter may give rise to a specific number of antennas dependent on this body shape. Also, the type of antenna may he a design criterium, The invention may be applied in combination with any of thease criteria, Figura 1B for example is almost identical to figure 14, but instead of applying monopole antennas 14 and 15, the tag 1 of gure 18 applies two dipoln antennas 14 and 15’. Furthermore, the design is largely the same as figure 1A. In figure 1C, the antennas 14” and 18 are loop antemmas, The skilled person may have a preference for any of these antenna designs, in acoordance with figures 1A to 10, without departing from the present invention.

Figure 3 schematically illustrates a neck tag 20 including a housing 24. Inside the housing 22, the PCB 8 of a data communication tag 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, e.g. any of the tags of figures 1A-1C, may be implemented, shielded from the weather and other external influences. The antennas 14 and 18 extend outside the housing 22, and in use are located on different sides of the body 8 of an animal 2. This is illustrated in figure 2, showing a cow 2 wearing a neck tag 20. Figure © also illustrates two beacons 25 and 26, each configured to exchange data signals 28 with the tag 1. For example, in a passive RFD eirouit, the beacons may transmit an inferrogation signal which is resonated by the tag 1 to : include e.g. an identifier number modulated on the resonant signal. An active tag circuit, including a power supply 3, initiate transmission of a signal 28 to a beacon 25, 26 hy itself or in response to a received signal 28.

& In figure 2, antenna 15 is located on the side of cow 2 that ts facing beacon :

25. The proximity of beacon 25 is such that this beacon 25 is closer to the cow 2 than heacon 26. Therefore, antenna 15 is receiving the signal 28 stronger than antenna 14 {not visible) on the other side of the body 6 of the cow 2. The controller 7 may select antenna 15, being the antenna with the best signal strength in the Hhastrated situation, to be the antenna for transmission of signals ZE. Therefore, the tag 1 automatically selects that antenna 14, 15 providing the best probability for delivering the signal 28 to be transmitted, Alternatively or additionally, the controller 7 may apply a minimum theashold level for the signal strength in order to select an antenna IO 14, 15. In that case, the controller 7 may decide to only use an antenna 14, 15 in case the received signal strength is above the minimum threshold level. I none of the antennas 14 and 15 receives a sufficiently strong signal 28, the controller 7 may for axample use both antemmas 14 and 15 to maximize the amount of signal received, and thereby improve the SNR, Additionally or alternatively, the level of signal gain may be increased by temporarily such as to improve signal receipt nud transmission. The tag 1 may temporarily drain more power from the power supply 8. Also, optionally, a message may be transmitted indicating that the received signal strength ia low. If this is in line with expectation, e.g. because the animal is at large distance from the noarest beacon 25 or 28, the message may simply be ignored or used to trigger an alarm to indicate the mimal being out of range, Otherwise, if the received signal strength is expected to be strong enough, or in case also the transmitted signal strengths ave low, this may indicate a wallfunctioning or low battery 8. The message - may then be used to indicate that the tag 1 needs to be replaced. Figure 4 schematically illustrates a method 27 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. This method, for example, may start with step wherein an incoming activation or other signal is received by tag 1. ‘The controller in the tag will in step 38 determine the received signal strength of the signal received via antenna 14. Next in step 34, the tag may determine the received signal strength of the signal obtained via antenna 15. These to signal strength values, in step 36, may he 30 compared to determine which signal is the strongest signal. If the signal from antenna 14 was the strongest signal, then in step 48 antenna 14 will be selected as the antenna | for Lransnussion of signals, Otherwise, if the strongest signal was received via antenna 15, then in step 39 antenna 15 is selected as active antenna. Next, in step 40, the tag will transmit the signals via the selected antenna, As indicated above, in some cases,

both antennas 14 and 15 may be selected for receipt. In principle, both antennas 14 and 15 may also he selected for transmission, however if one of the antennas clearly provides the strongest signal, this antenna may he facing less interference and may thus be selected for transmission.

In Sige 5, an alternative to the above method is ilustrated. The steps performed may be interchanged or combined to improve the SNR in some circumstances. The method 27 starts with the same steps 30, 32 and 34 as described above, However, in step 42, the signal strength of the signal received via antenna 14 is compared with a miniman threshold level 41. Similarly, in step 44, the signal strength of the signal received via antenna 15 is compared with a minimis threshold leve] 41. Then in step 46, the controller selects only those antennas 14 and 15 for which the received signal strengths are above threshold level 41. I one of Lhe received signal strengths is larger than the other, the antenna associated with the strongest received signal strength is selected in step 46. If both signal strengths are below the threshold 41, then the controller 7 may decide to use both antennas for receiving signals. In step 40, the tag 1 will tranmmit its signals 28 using the selected antenna 14,

15. Another possibility is that the tag 1 will transmit signals 28 via both antennas subseguently, In this case, the probability of correct receipt of the signal at the receiving end is bkewise increased by using both antennas.

20) Phe present invention has been described in terms of some specific embodiments thereof. IE will he appreciated that the embodiments shown in the drawings and described herein are intended for illustrated purposes only and are not by any manner or means intended to be restrictive on the Invention. The context of the invention discussed here is merely restricted by the scope of the appended claims,

Claims

Conclusions

A data communication tag adapted to be worn by an animal, the tag comprising a support structure including locating means suitable for attaching the tag to a body of the animal, wherein the tag further comprises a controller and a data communication circuit, wherein the data communication circuit comprises a transceiver and a plurality of antennas, the plurality of antennas including at least a first and a second antenna such that each antenna is connected to the transceiver for enabling transmission or reception of an electronic data signal from or to the transceiver via either or both of the first or second antenna, and wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are located on the support structure spaced from each other on different sides of the support structure, for use on different sides of the animal's body.

The data communication tag of claim 1, wherein the transceiver 1s is configured to carry out transmission of the electronic data signal through both the first antenna and the second antenna, either simultaneously or sequentially.

The data communication tag of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to select at least one of the first antenna or the second antenna to carry out transmission or reception of the electronic data signal through the selected antenna.

The data communication tag of claim 3, wherein the tag is configured to receive an enable signal, and wherein the controller is configured to determine, for each of the first and second antennas, a received signal strength of the enable signal associated with the respective antenna .

The data communication tag of claim 4, wherein for selecting at least one of the first antenna or the second antenna, the controller is arranged to select the antenna with the largest associated received signal strength.

The data communication tag of claim 4 or 5, wherein for selecting at least one of the first antenna or the second antenna, the controller is arranged to select an antenna having an associated received signal strength that is above a threshold level.

The data communication tag of any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the controller 1s is configured to: compare the received signal strength associated with the first antenna or the second antenna with a threshold level, and when the received signal strength associated with one or more of the first antenna or the second antenna 1s located below the threshold level, selecting both the first and second antennas to perform the transmission or reception of the electronic data signal.

The data communication tag of any preceding claim, wherein the tag is configured to receive an acknowledgment signal in response to a successful transmission of the electronic data signal via at least one of the first or second antenna, and wherein the controller is configured to retaining, based on the reception of the acknowledgment signal, a selection of the respective antenna of the first or second antenna through which the successful transmission has been performed.

A data communication tag according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tag is a high frequency identification tag.

A data communication tag according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tag is a neck tag adapted to be attached to the neck of the animal.

A method of operating a data communication tag adapted to be worn by an animal, wherein the tag comprises a support structure including locating means suitable for attaching the tag to a body of the animal, a controller and a data communication circuit including a transceiver and a plurality of antennas, the plurality of antennas comprising a first and a second antenna located on different sides of the support structure, for being located on different sides of the animal body in use, the method comprising performing a transmission or reception of an electronic data signal from or to the transceiver; and wherein the transmission or reception of the electronic data signal is performed through either or both of the first or second antenna.

The method of claim 11, wherein the transmission of the electronic data signal is supplied through both the first antenna and the second antenna, either simultaneously or sequentially.

The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting, by the controller, at least one of the first antenna or the second antenna to perform transmission or reception of the electronic data signal through the selected antenna.

The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving an activation signal, and determining by the controller for each of the first and second antennas a received signal strength of the activation signal associated with the respective antenna.

The method of claim 14, wherein selecting at least one of the first antenna or the second antenna comprises selecting the antenna which has the greatest associated received signal strength.

The method of claim 14 or 15, wherein selecting at least one of the first antenna or the second antenna comprises selecting an antenna having an associated received signal strength that is above a threshold level.

The method of any one of claims 14 to 16, further comprising comparing the received signal strength associated with the first antenna or the second antenna with a threshold level, and when the received signal strength associated with one or more of the first or the second antenna is below the threshold level, selecting both the first and second antennas to perform the transmission or reception of the electronic data signal.

The method of any of claims 11 to 17, further comprising receiving an acknowledgment signal in response to a successful transmission of the electronic data signal via at least one of the first or second antenna, and based on the reception of the acknowledgment signal retaining a selection of the respective antenna of the first or second antenna through which the successful transmission has occurred.