GB2112254A

GB2112254A - A livestock identification system

Info

Publication number: GB2112254A
Application number: GB08235650A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Allan Northeved; Knud Christian Claus Fabrin
Original assignee: DATA DANE AS
Current assignee: DATA DANE AS
Priority date: 1981-12-14
Filing date: 1982-12-14
Publication date: 1983-07-13
Also published as: SE8207109D0; SE8207109L; DE3245881A1; GB2112254B; DK553081A; SE458896B; JPS58122481A; NL8204799A

Abstract

A registering system in the form of a communication system with means on the transmitter side for the transmission of a phase-modulated high frequency signal. A receiver in a sensor includes an electronic relay (5) supplying the remaining circuits in the sensor with energy at the receiving of a signal. The remaining circuits phase- detect (at 7) the received signal to produce a pulse for each period, the number of pulses being counted and compared with a predetermined value in the sensor and a signal being transmitted in case of identity. The frequency of the signal transmitted is preferably the second harmonic series of the signal received, a loop on the transmitter side being arranged to produce the same harmonic series of the modulated transmitted signal. The signal received and the harmonic series are transferred to a multiplier (12), the moment of a possible signal transmission from the multiplier corresponding to the predetermined value in the sensor. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A livestock identification system The invention relates to a livestock identification system including an electric communication system with means on the transmitter side which transmit a modulated high frequency signal, preferably a phase-modulated high frequency signal.

The communication system according to the invention is characterised by a receiver in a sensor including an electronic relay supplying the remaining circuits in the sensor with energy at the receiving of a signal.

In this manner the current consumption of the sensor is essentially reduced.

The system may for instance include several receivers in such a manner that information on the receiver at which the sensor has been are provided.

The signal received may advantageously be demodulated, i.e. phase-detected, to produce a pulse for each period.

The number of pulses may for instance be counted and compared with a predetermined value in the sensor, a signal being transmitted in case of identity. As a result, the sensor having been adjacent the receiver is simultaneously identified.

Furthermore according to the invention, the frequency of the signal transmitted may be controlled by the frequency of the signal received, the ratio of the frequency of the signal transmitted to the frequency of the signal received preferably having a specific value.

The invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 illustrates a transmitter/receiver of a communication system for a livestock identification system according to the invention, Fig. 2 illustrates a sensor of the communication system, and Fig. 3 illustrates some signals as function of the time.

The invention relates to a livestock identification system. The system may for instance be used to provide statistic information on the behavior of pigs. The system includes an electronic communication system, a sensor, cf.

Fig. 2, with a specific code number being secured to the ears of each pig, said code number being registered each time the pig comes near to a transmitter/receiver, cf. Fig. 1. The transmitter/receiver communicates with a central computer registering the signals received.

Other parameter values such as the temperature of the pig in question may optionally be registered at the same time.

Each transmitter/receiver comprises a function generator 1 oscillating at a frequency of about 5 kHz and transmitting both a triangular wave signal, cf. curve c and a pulse signal, cf. curve a.

The triangular wave signal is used for phasemodulating a high frequency signal for instance being transmitted one time everv tenth second through a circuit 2 and an aerial 3. A binary counter 4 starts simultaneously with the transmission of signals.

On the receiver side in the sensor, the signal received is initially transmitted to an electronic relay in the form of a metal-oxide semiconductor transistor 5 which in turn supplies the remaining circuits in the sensor with energy. Then the remaining circuits transmit the signal both to a second harmonic generator 6 and to a phasedetector 7. The phase-detector provides a clockpulse signal corresponding to the triangular wave signal. The clock-pulse signal is transmitted to a 12 bits binary counter 8, the counting of which is compared with a predetermined counting characterising the sensor. At identity, a gate 10 for the second harmonic signal is opened, and the signal is transmitted via a transmitter aerial.

The signal transmitted by the sensor is received by the transmitter/receiver in Fig. 1 and transmitted to a multiplier 12, where the signal is multiplied with a second harmonic series generated in the transmitter/receiver of the phase-modulated signal (at 13) transmitted. In case of identity, the product is relatively great and a relatively high signal is transmitted, the moment of the transmission of the signal corresponding unambiguously to the predetermined counting in the sensor. The signal may for instance be used for stopping a counter activated at the beginning of the transmission period, e.g. only for remembering the counting, the stop counting then corresponding to the code number. A particular advantage of this signal recognition is that all irrelevant signals are substantially excluded without complicating the entire circuit.

Only one loop is required.

An additional advantage of the system according to the invention is that it is possible to register several different sensors during a measurement. The system according to the invention is in general capable of providing statistic information on objects transported in a system. Thus the system is capable of providing statistic information on a mail sorting and distribution system.

Claims

1. A livestock identification system including an electric communication system with means on the transmitter side transmitting a modulated high frequency signal, preferably a phasemodulated high frequency signal, and a receiver in a sensor optionally including an electronic relay controlling the supply of energy to the remaining circuits in the sensor on the basis of signals received, characterised by the signals received being demodulated, i.e. phase-detected, to produce a pulse for each period.

2. A livestock identification system as claimed in claim 1, characterised by the number of pulses being counted and compared with a predetermined value in the sensor, a signal being transmitted in case of identity.

3. A liverstock identification system as claimed in claim 2, characterised by the frequency of the signal transmitted being controlled by the frequency of the signal received, the ratio of the frequency of the signal transmitted to the frequency of the signal received preferably having a specific value.

4. A livestock identification system as claimed in claim 3, characterised by a loop being provided on the transmitter side for the production of the same harmonic series of the modulated transmitted signal which together with a signal received is transmitted to a multiplier, the moment of a possible signal transmission from the multiplier corresponding to the predetermined value in the sensor.

5. A livestock identification system substantially as described above and with reference to the accompanying drawing.