KR102578779B1 - Sensor module for collecting biometric information of livestock and method for calibrating temperature using the sensor module - Google Patents

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is a sensor module for collecting biometric information of livestock, comprising: a first contact temperature sensor that measures the epidermal temperature by contacting the skin of livestock; A second non-contact temperature sensor that measures the skin temperature of livestock in a non-contact manner; A third temperature sensor that measures the surrounding temperature of livestock; and a data processing unit, wherein the data processing unit is based on the first skin temperature measured by the first temperature sensor, the second skin temperature measured by the second temperature sensor, and the external temperature measured by the third temperature sensor. Disclosed is a sensor module for collecting biometric information of livestock, which is configured to calculate the estimated body temperature of livestock.

Description

Sensor module for collecting biometric information of livestock and method for calibrating temperature using the same {Sensor module for collecting biometric information of livestock and method for calibrating temperature using the sensor module}

The present invention relates to a livestock management system for managing livestock, and more specifically, to a sensor module that collects biometric information of livestock and a method of correcting body temperature using the same.

When raising and managing livestock, measuring the body temperature of livestock is the most basic and important indicator for determining the health of livestock. Conventionally, infrared thermometers (tympanic temperature) and electronic thermometers (oral or rectal body temperature) are used to measure the body temperature of livestock, but each time the body temperature is measured, a probe or thermometer must be inserted into the rectum, causing a lot of stress to the livestock. There is a problem that cannot be ignored and the resulting temperature change cannot be ignored.

To overcome these problems, skin-contact sensors are sometimes used for non-invasive and continuous body temperature sensing. Non-invasive body temperature sensing devices include a tag type that attaches the temperature sensor to the ears of livestock and a necklace type that attaches the temperature sensor to the neck. However, since the sensing body temperature value measured by this sensing device is obtained from the ear or epidermis, which is one of the heat dissipating organs, it shows a value of 28 to 34 ℃, which is more than 4 to 10 ℃ lower than the rectal body temperature, and can be as high as 20 ℃ depending on the outside temperature. The following values are also obtained.

As such, body temperature measurement values by most non-invasive methods have problems in that they are either overly influenced by external air or the absolute value of body temperature is collected at an excessively low level. Therefore, they do not fluctuate significantly and are stable and best suited to the actual body temperature value (core body temperature value). There is a need to develop a body temperature measurement device using a non-invasive method that can obtain close temperatures.

Patent Document 1: Korean Patent Publication No. 2014-0072232 (published on June 13, 2014)

The present invention can provide a sensor module that can sense a number of biometric information (body temperature, activity) and environmental information (temperature, humidity) by attaching it to the collar belt of cattle in a non-invasive way. By using this sensor module, The purpose is to implement a livestock management system that can more accurately determine and diagnose the health status of livestock because the temperature can be measured close to the actual body temperature.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is a sensor module for collecting biometric information of livestock, comprising: a first contact temperature sensor that measures the epidermal temperature by contacting the skin of livestock; A second non-contact temperature sensor that measures the skin temperature of livestock in a non-contact manner; A third temperature sensor that measures the surrounding temperature of livestock; and a data processing unit, wherein the data processing unit is based on the first skin temperature measured by the first temperature sensor, the second skin temperature measured by the second temperature sensor, and the external temperature measured by the third temperature sensor. Disclosed is a sensor module for collecting biometric information of livestock, which is configured to calculate the estimated body temperature of livestock.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a sensor module for collecting livestock biometric information includes one of a contact temperature sensor that measures the epidermal temperature of livestock by contacting the skin of livestock or a non-contact temperature sensor that measures the epidermal temperature of livestock in a non-contact manner. first temperature sensor; A second temperature sensor that measures the surrounding temperature of livestock; and a data processing unit 151, wherein the data processing unit is configured to calculate the estimated body temperature of the livestock based on the skin temperature measured by the first temperature sensor and the external temperature measured by the second temperature sensor. A sensor module for collecting livestock biometric information is disclosed.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, as a method of measuring body temperature data from a sensor module for collecting biometric information attached to livestock and correcting this body temperature data, the body temperature data measured by the first contact-type temperature sensor installed on the sensor module Collecting the first skin temperature, the second skin temperature measured by a non-contact second temperature sensor, and the external temperature measured by a third temperature sensor that measures the temperature around the livestock; and calculating the estimated body temperature of the livestock based on the first skin temperature, the second skin temperature, and the outside temperature.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, body temperature can be accurately measured without measuring the body temperature of livestock using an invasive method, so there is an advantage in being able to more accurately determine and diagnose the health status of livestock.

1 is a perspective view of a sensor module for collecting livestock biometric information according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a block diagram of a sensor module according to one embodiment,
Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating a communication network including a sensor module according to an embodiment;
4 is an exemplary flow chart for measuring and correcting livestock body temperature according to one embodiment;
Figure 5 is a diagram for explaining sensor data collected from a sensor module according to an embodiment;
Figure 6 is an exemplary flowchart of the estimated body temperature calculation step (S120) of Figure 4;
Figure 7 is a graph explaining the skin temperature and external temperature,
8 is an exemplary flowchart for generating a correction function for correcting the body temperature of livestock according to one embodiment;
Figure 9 is an exemplary flow chart according to the first embodiment of the correction function generation step (S240) of Figure 8;
Figure 10 is an exemplary flowchart according to the second embodiment of the correction function generating step (S240) of Figure 8.

The above objects, other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be easily understood through the following preferred embodiments related to the attached drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and may be embodied in other forms. Rather, the embodiments introduced herein are provided so that the disclosure will be thorough and complete and so that the spirit of the invention can be sufficiently conveyed to those skilled in the art.

In this specification, when an element is referred to as being on another element, it means that it may be formed directly on the other element or that a third element may be interposed between them. Additionally, in the drawings, the thickness of components is exaggerated for effective explanation of technical content.

In this specification, when terms such as first, second, etc. are used to describe components, these components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are merely used to distinguish one component from another. Embodiments described and illustrated herein also include complementary embodiments thereof.

As used herein, singular forms also include plural forms, unless specifically stated otherwise in the context. As used in the specification, 'comprise' and/or 'comprising' do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other elements.

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In describing the specific embodiments below, various specific details have been written to explain the invention in more detail and to aid understanding. However, a reader with sufficient knowledge in the field to understand the present invention can recognize that it can be used without these various specific details. In some cases, it is mentioned in advance that parts that are commonly known but are not significantly related to the invention are not described in order to prevent confusion in describing the invention.

Figure 1 shows a sensor module for collecting livestock biometric information according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to the drawing, the sensor module 10 for collecting livestock biometric information (hereinafter simply referred to as 'sensor module') includes a case 100 having an approximately hexahedral shape and connection portions 110 formed on both sides of the case 100. Includes. The sensor module 10 may be attached to the neck (cervix) of a livestock, and for this purpose, a belt (not shown) may be inserted and connected to the connection portion 110.

In the illustrated embodiment, a contact temperature sensor 11, a non-contact temperature sensor 12, and an external temperature sensor 13 are installed in the case 100 of the sensor module 10. The contact temperature sensor 11 is a temperature sensor for measuring the epidermal temperature of livestock by contacting the skin (epidermis) of livestock. That is, when hanging the sensor module 10 on the neck of a livestock, it is desirable to hang the sensor module 10 so that the surface where the contact temperature sensor 11 is located is in contact with the neck of the livestock. At this time, so that the temperature sensor 11 can accurately measure the skin temperature, it may be desirable to tighten the belt connected to the connection part 110 to an appropriate strength so that the temperature sensor 11 is continuously pressed against the skin.

The non-contact temperature sensor 12 can be installed on the same side of the case 100 on which the contact temperature sensor 12 is installed, and measures the skin temperature of livestock by a non-contact method. For example, the non-contact temperature sensor 12 may be an infrared (IR) sensor. If the belt that attaches the sensor module (10) floats or the sensor module (10) is not properly pressed against the neck of the livestock, the contact temperature sensor (11) cannot properly measure the skin temperature, so the non-contact temperature sensor (12) This can compensate for the shortcomings of the contact temperature sensor 11. On the other hand, the non-contact temperature sensor 12 indirectly measures the skin temperature of livestock by infrared rays that radiate from the surface of the livestock, pass through the air layer, and reach the temperature sensor 12, so the accuracy of the temperature may be lower than that of the contact type. Therefore, the contact-type temperature sensor 11 can compensate for the shortcomings of the non-contact temperature sensor 12, and therefore the contact-type temperature sensor 11 and the non-contact temperature sensor 12 complement each other and provide a more accurate skin temperature. Allow it to be calculated.

The outside temperature sensor 13 measures the temperature around the livestock (hereinafter also referred to as 'outside temperature'). Since the outdoor temperature sensor 13 should not come into direct contact with livestock, it is preferable to install it on a side of the case 100 other than the side where the contact-type temperature sensor 11 and the non-contact temperature sensor 12 are installed. In an alternative embodiment, the sensor module 10 may further include a humidity sensor (not shown) that measures external humidity.

Figure 2 is a block diagram of a sensor module according to one embodiment. Referring to the drawing, the sensor module 10 includes a contact temperature sensor 11, a non-contact temperature sensor 12, an outdoor temperature sensor 13, a data processing unit 151, a momentum sensor 152, and a storage unit 153. , may include a wireless communication module (RF module) 154, a power source 155, and an antenna 17.

Since the contact-type temperature sensor 11, the non-contact temperature sensor 12, and the outside temperature sensor 13 have been described with reference to FIG. 1, their description will be omitted.

In one embodiment, the data processing unit 151, the momentum sensor 152, the storage unit 153, the RF module 154, and the power source 155 may be mounted on one circuit board 15. However, in alternative embodiments, these components 151, 152, 153, 154, and 155 may be mounted on two or more circuit boards.

The momentum sensor 152 includes one or more sensors for measuring the amount of exercise (activity) of livestock. In one embodiment, the momentum sensor 152 may include at least one of a 3-axis acceleration sensor, a 3-axis angular velocity sensor, and a 3-axis geomagnetic sensor. The data measured by the momentum sensor 152 can be used to analyze the situation or behavior of livestock along with the livestock's body temperature information and environmental information.

For example, by analyzing sensor data, the behavior of livestock can be matched, and accordingly, it is possible to find out what behavior the livestock is doing, such as whether they are eating, lying down, sleeping, or running around. For this purpose, for example, the behavior of livestock is patterned by type (e.g., sleeping, walking, running, eating, etc.) and stored in advance in a database or look-up table, and the livestock's behavior is calculated from the sensor data measured by the momentum sensor 152. By detecting behavioral patterns, you can analyze what type of behavior your livestock engaged in.

The data processing unit 151 collects data measured from various sensors such as the data temperature sensor 11, 12, and 13 and the momentum sensor 152 (hereinafter referred to as 'sensor data'), processes it as necessary, and exports it to an external device. It plays a role in controlling transmission.

In one embodiment, the data processing unit 151 may calculate the estimated body temperature of the livestock from the first skin temperature measured by the contact temperature sensor 11 and the second skin temperature measured by the non-contact temperature sensor 12. At this time, the data processing unit 151 may calculate the estimated body temperature from the first and second skin temperatures in consideration of the outside temperature measured by the outside temperature sensor 13.

In another embodiment, the data processing unit 151 may generate a corrected body temperature by applying a correction function that corrects the body temperature value to the estimated body temperature. In one embodiment, this correction function may be a formula that includes a preset correction value based on at least one of the current season or external temperature. In one embodiment, the data processing unit 151 may calculate the corrected body temperature by adding this correction value to the estimated body temperature.

In one embodiment, the data processing unit 151 may collect sensor data from various sensors 11, 12, 13, and 152 at predetermined time periods and process this data. For example, the data processing unit 151 may collect sensor data from the sensors 11, 12, 13, and 151 every 10 minutes. The data processing unit 151 may process the collected data and calculate the estimated body temperature and/or the corrected body temperature therefrom.

In another embodiment, the data processing unit 151 may transmit sensor data collected every time period to an external device. For example, the data processing unit 151 may transmit collected data to an external device at regular time intervals. In another embodiment, the data processing unit 151 may calculate the estimated body temperature from data collected at predetermined time periods and transmit the estimated body temperature to an external device. In another embodiment, the data processing unit 151 may calculate the corrected body temperature by applying a correction function to the estimated body temperature, and transmit the calculated corrected body temperature to an external device. At this time, the 'predetermined time period' may be, for example, 5 minutes or 10 minutes, but may have a different time value depending on the specific embodiment.

The storage unit 153 is a data storage means that can store data collected from various sensors 11, 12, 13, and 152 and data generated by processing the data by the data processing unit 151 (e.g., estimated body temperature and/or corrected body temperature). , and can be implemented, for example, with flash memory. The RF module 154 and antenna 17 are components for wireless communication with other external devices. The RF module 154 may be implemented to communicate with an external device through a wireless communication method such as low-power long-distance communication (LoRa), Bluetooth, or Zigbee. The power source 155 supplies power to various components of the sensor module 10, and can be implemented as any type of power source, such as a rechargeable type or a replaceable type.

Figure 3 schematically shows a communication network including a sensor module according to one embodiment. Referring to the drawing, for example, a sensor module 10 can be installed by hanging on the neck of each livestock in a farm raising livestock. Sensor module identification information (ID) may be assigned to each sensor module 10 so that each sensor module 10 matches the identification information of each livestock (eg, identification ID assigned to each livestock) on a one-to-one basis. The sensor module 10 can communicate with the external device 30 through a wireless communication method such as low-power long-distance communication (LoRa), Bluetooth, or ZigBee. For example, the external device 30 is connected to the gateway 20 for wireless communication via USB, etc., and the gateway 20 can communicate with each sensor module 10 through wireless communication. In one embodiment, the external device 30 may receive sensor data from each sensor module 10 and calculate the estimated body temperature and/or corrected body temperature of each livestock therefrom.

Figure 4 is an exemplary flowchart of a method (S100) for measuring and correcting body temperature of livestock according to one embodiment. In one embodiment, this method (S100) may be performed in the data processing unit 151 of each sensor module 10, and in an alternative embodiment, it may be performed in the external device 30. Hereinafter, the description will be made on the assumption that the method (S100) is performed by receiving sensor data from an arbitrary sensor module 10 in the external device 30.

Referring to the drawing, the external device 30 collects sensor data from the sensor module 10 in step S110. In one embodiment, the various sensors 11, 12, 13, and 152 of the sensor module 10 generate sensor data such as skin temperature, outdoor temperature, and activity data of livestock at 10-minute intervals, and are transmitted to an external device 30 through a wireless network. ) can be transmitted.

In this regard, Figure 5 shows an example configuration of sensor data collected by the external device 30 from the sensor module 10. Referring to Figure 5, the data transmitted from the sensor module 10 to the external device 30 is as follows.

- The time when the sensors sensed temperature, activity level, etc. (“date” and “time”),

- Identification number (“RFID”) that identifies the sensor module,

- Battery status information (“battery”),

- Epidermal temperature (“skin(S)”) measured by the contact temperature sensor (11)

- Epidermal temperature (“IR(I)”) measured by the non-contact temperature sensor (12)

- Outside temperature measured by the outside temperature sensor (“ambi(A)”)

- The amount of activity (“Activity”) of livestock measured by the momentum sensor 152

In one embodiment, the sensor module 10 may further include other data (for example, humidity data if it includes a humidity sensor) in addition to the sensor data, and in an alternative embodiment, some of the sensor data may be omitted. It may be possible.

Referring again to FIG. 4, in step S120, the external device 30 may calculate the estimated body temperature of the livestock from sensor data received from the sensor module 10. In one embodiment, the external device 30 includes the first skin temperature measured by the contact temperature sensor 11, the second skin temperature measured by the non-contact temperature sensor 12, and the outside air measured by the outside temperature sensor 13. Based on the temperature, the estimated body temperature of livestock can be calculated.

In one embodiment, the external device 30 may select the first epidermal temperature as the estimated body temperature or select the second epidermal temperature as the estimated body temperature. Alternatively, if it is determined that the first skin temperature and the second skin temperature are not appropriate measured values, the external device 30 may calculate the current estimated body temperature by referring to the past estimated body temperature history. An exemplary embodiment of calculating the estimated body temperature will be described later with reference to FIG. 6.

Once the estimated body temperature is calculated, in step S130, a calibration function can be applied to the estimated body temperature to calculate the corrected body temperature of the livestock. Here, the correction function may be expressed as a formula or conditional expression including one or more preset correction values, and may be implemented in software as a computer algorithm or in the form of a database such as a lookup table.

In one embodiment, this correction function may be configured to calculate the corrected body temperature by adding a preset correction value to the estimated body temperature based on at least one of the current time (season) or the current outside temperature. For example, if it is based on the current time (season), time is divided by season (e.g., spring, summer, fall, and winter are respectively March to May, June to August, September to November, and December to February). (classified by month), determine which season it is based on the current date, for example, if it is summer, add 1.7 degrees Celsius to the estimated body temperature to calculate the corrected body temperature, and if it is winter, add 2.2 degrees Celsius to the estimated body temperature to calculate the corrected body temperature. You can.

Alternatively, when based on the current outdoor temperature, the outdoor temperature can be classified into certain temperature bands and different correction values can be set for each temperature band. For example, after dividing the outside temperature into 10-degree intervals, for example, if the current outside temperature is in the first temperature band, the first correction value is added to the estimated body temperature to calculate the correction temperature, and the current outside temperature is in the second temperature band. If so, the second correction value can be added to the estimated body temperature to calculate the correction temperature.

In another embodiment, the corrected body temperature may be calculated by considering both the current time (season) and the outside temperature. For example, classify the season and outdoor temperature by temperature band in advance, set different correction values for each combination of season and temperature band, and add the correction value to the estimated temperature depending on which season and temperature band it currently belongs to to determine the corrected temperature. It can be calculated.

Now, an exemplary embodiment of calculating the estimated body temperature will be described with reference to FIG. 6. Figure 6 is an exemplary flowchart of the estimated body temperature calculation step (S120) of Figure 4. Depending on the specific embodiment, this step (S120) may be executed in the sensor module 10 or the external device 30, and will be described below assuming that it is executed in the external device 30.

Referring to the drawing, in step S121, the external device 30 may determine the validity of the first skin temperature and the second skin temperature received from the sensor module 10. In one embodiment, the validity determination may include determining whether the received epidermal temperature satisfies a predetermined condition. For example, when the received skin temperature differs from the existing skin temperature (e.g., received during a predetermined period just before) by more than a certain threshold, it is determined that this skin temperature was measured incorrectly due to sensor error, etc., so it is an invalid value. It can be judged that As another example, when data is received at predetermined time intervals, if data related to the skin temperature is not received at the time when it should be received, it is determined that a communication network failure that causes a sensor error has occurred, and the skin temperature at that time is not valid. You can judge that it is not.

In another embodiment, it is possible to determine whether the skin temperature is valid by analyzing the correlation between the outside temperature and the skin temperature. In general, the outside temperature continues to change over time, but body temperature is almost constant regardless of the outside temperature. Therefore, if there is independence from the outside temperature, it can be considered valid data. On the other hand, if the epidermal temperature shows a temperature value similar to the outside temperature or changes in accordance with the temperature change of the outside temperature, in this case, for example, the surface of the sensor module 10 to which the temperature sensors 11 and 12 are attached may be turned over, Since it can be assumed that there is no contact with the surface temperature, if the independence from the external temperature is weak, the skin temperature is judged to be invalid data.

Therefore, in one embodiment, by analyzing the correlation between the skin temperature and the external temperature, if the correlation coefficient (between 0 and 1) is less than a preset threshold, the correlation is weak and is considered valid data, and if it is more than the threshold, the correlation is considered valid. Because it is strong, it can be judged as invalid data.

Next, in steps S122 to S125, one of the first skin temperature and the second skin temperature can be selected as the estimated body temperature according to the validity determination result described above. For example, if both the first and second skin temperatures are valid (S122_Y), the first skin temperature is selected as the estimated body temperature of the livestock (S123), and if only one of the first and second skin temperatures is valid (S124_Y) The effective skin temperature can be selected as the estimated body temperature of the livestock (S125).

In this regard, Figure 7 shows the general aspect of the measurement results of the skin temperature and external temperature. The contact temperature sensor (11) measures the epidermis of livestock by directly contacting the skin of livestock, and the non-contact temperature sensor (12) measures the skin temperature indirectly by measuring infrared rays emitted from livestock at a certain distance. If the temperature sensor 11 is in contact with the skin of livestock, the value detected by the contact temperature sensor is more accurate. In this case, the skin temperature measured by the contact temperature sensor 11 is measured by the non-contact temperature sensor with a constant temperature gap. It is generally measured to be slightly higher than the skin temperature of the temperature sensor 12.

Therefore, when the skin temperature of the contact temperature sensor (first skin temperature) and the skin temperature of the non-contact temperature sensor (second skin temperature) are measured while maintaining this temperature gap, the first skin temperature is closer to the actual body temperature. 1 It is most desirable to select the epidermal temperature as the estimated body temperature (S123).

However, if the first skin temperature is not valid, the second skin temperature is selected as the estimated body temperature (S125), and if both the first and second skin temperatures are not valid (S124_N), the first and second skin temperatures are selected as the estimated body temperature. Since this is not possible, it is desirable to calculate the estimated body temperature using a different value. In the illustrated embodiment, if both epidermal temperatures are invalid (S124_N), the current estimated body temperature can be calculated based on past estimated body temperature records (S126). For example, when calculating the estimated body temperature by collecting the skin temperature at predetermined intervals, the estimated body temperature calculated immediately before is judged as the estimated body temperature at the current time, or the estimated body temperature calculated by averaging the estimated body temperatures of multiple previous times is estimated at the current time. It can also be judged by body temperature.

Now, an exemplary method for generating the correction function used in the corrected body temperature calculation step (S130) of FIG. 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10. Since the correction function is generally calculated after the external device 30 collects sensor data from a plurality of sensor modules 10, in one embodiment, the flowcharts of FIGS. 8 to 10 are calculated from the external device 30. Although it is preferable to perform this flowchart, depending on specific embodiments, this flow chart may also be performed in the sensor module 10. However, in the following embodiment, it is assumed that the external device 30 performs the flowcharts of FIGS. 8 to 10.

Figure 8 is an exemplary flowchart for generating a correction function for correcting the body temperature of livestock according to an embodiment. Referring to the drawing, in step S210, the external device 30 collects sensor data from the sensor module 10. At this time, in order to increase the accuracy of the calibration function, it is desirable to collect sensor data from as many sensor modules 10 attached to as many livestock as possible. In one embodiment, sensor data can be collected from, for example, 10 sensor modules 10 attached to 10 cows in one farm.

The sensor data collected by the external device 30 may include at least some of the sensor data described with reference to FIG. 5 . For example, the external device 30 includes the time of sensing the temperature, etc., the identification number (ID) of the sensor module that corresponds one-to-one with the livestock, the first skin temperature measured by the contact temperature sensor 11, and the non-contact temperature sensor ( It may include the second skin temperature measured by 12), the outdoor temperature measured by the outdoor temperature sensor 13, and the amount of livestock activity measured by the momentum sensor 152.

Also, at this time, the external device 30 collects data from the plurality of sensor modules 10 at predetermined time intervals within a certain period of time, for example, at a time period of 10 minutes. Here, the ‘predetermined period’ may be, for example, a period of two weeks, and the ‘predetermined time interval’ may be, for example, 10 minutes. Therefore, in this case, the external device 30 receives sensor data numbered 2,016 times (6*24*14=2016) from one sensor module 10. Additionally, in one embodiment, the collection activity may be repeated for each season. For example, sensor data can be received at 10-minute intervals for two weeks, once in spring, summer, fall, and winter. Therefore, in this case, the external device 30 receives a total of 8,064 sensor data from one sensor module 10 during the year. You will receive

Meanwhile, at the same time as the step of collecting sensor data (S210), the external device 30 receives the reference body temperature of the livestock to which the corresponding sensor module 10 is attached (S230). At this time, the external device 30 receives the reference body temperature at the same time at the same time period as the time period for receiving sensor data from the sensor module 10.

Here, 'reference body temperature' refers to the body temperature that can be measured closest to the animal's actual body temperature, and may include, for example, at least one of the animal's rectal temperature, vaginal temperature, oral temperature, and ear temperature. To measure this standard body temperature, a separate temperature sensor must be attached to the animal's rectum, vagina, mouth, or ear. However, unlike the conventional method, in the embodiment of the present invention, it only needs to be attached for a limited period of time (for example, only 2 weeks per season), thereby reducing stress on livestock and increasing the accuracy of body temperature measurement.

Next, in step S220, the external device 30 calculates the estimated body temperature of the livestock from the sensor data received from the sensor module 10. In one embodiment, this step (S220) may be performed the same or similar to the estimated body temperature calculation step (S120) of Figure 4, and detailed description will be omitted.

Next, in step S240, the external device 30 may generate a correction function based on the reference body temperature and the estimated body temperature. The correction function may be expressed as a formula or conditional expression including one or more preset correction values, and may be implemented as a computer algorithm in software or in the form of a lookup table or database.

Figure 9 shows a method according to the first embodiment of the correction function generating step (S240) of Figure 8. Referring to FIG. 9, the sensor data received by the external device 30 is classified by time (season) (S241). For example, if the external device 30 collects sensor data for one year from a plurality of sensor modules 10, the sensor data is classified by season. Afterwards, for each season, a correction value that minimizes the error between the estimated body temperature and the reference body temperature is calculated (S242). In one embodiment, the average value of the estimated body temperature and the average value of the reference body temperature may be obtained, and the difference between the two average values may be set as a correction value.

Afterwards, this calculated correction value can be defined as a correction function for the corresponding time (season) (S243). According to this method, for example, the correction value for spring (March-May) is 2.0 degrees Celsius, the correction value for summer (June-August) is 1.7 degrees Celsius, and the correction value for fall (September-November) is 1.7 degrees Celsius. You can set the value to 2.0 degrees Celsius and the correction value for winter (December to February) to 2.2 degrees Celsius.

Therefore, when the calibration function is set in this way, the data of the subject (i.e., the sensor module 10 or the external device 30) performing the step of calculating the corrected body temperature using this correction function (i.e., step S130 in FIG. 4) is stored. Put it in the tool, and each time you calculate the corrected body temperature according to step S130, you can calculate the corrected body temperature by applying this correction value to the estimated body temperature. For example, the external device 30 can transmit the calibration function calculated as above to each sensor module 10 and store it in the storage unit 153 of the sensor module 10, and the sensor module 10 When the first and second skin temperatures and the outside temperature are received from the temperature sensors 11, 12, and 13, the estimated body temperature is calculated according to step S120 of FIG. 4, and then a correction function is applied according to step S130. Corrected body temperature can be calculated.

Figure 10 shows a method (S240') according to the second embodiment of the correction function generating step (S240) of Figure 8. Referring to Figure 10, first, the external device 30 classifies the outside temperature into temperature bands at predetermined temperature intervals (S241'). For example, the outside temperature can be divided into 10-degree intervals. The sensor data received from the sensor module 10 is classified into temperature bands according to the outdoor temperature in the sensor data. Afterwards, for each temperature band, a correction value that minimizes the error between the estimated body temperature and the reference body temperature within the corresponding temperature band is calculated (S242'). Accordingly, one correction value is generated for each temperature band, for example, a first correction value is generated for the first temperature band, a second correction value is generated for the second temperature band, and then the calculated correction value is generated. The value can be defined as a correction function for the temperature band (S243').

Afterwards, this correction function is transmitted to each sensor module 10 and stored in the storage unit 153 of the sensor module 10, and the sensor module 10 receives the first and second skin temperatures and the external temperature. Each time, the estimated body temperature is calculated according to the steps (S120 and S130) of FIG. 4, and a correction function can be applied to the estimated body temperature to calculate the corrected body temperature.

As such, those of ordinary skill in the field to which the present invention pertains will understand that various modifications and variations are possible from the description of this specification, and therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments and will be described later. It should be determined not only by the scope of the patent claims but also by equivalents to the scope of these patent claims.

10: Sensor module
11: Contact temperature sensor
12: Non-contact temperature sensor
13: Outdoor temperature sensor
20: Gateway
30: external device

Claims (17)

A sensor module for collecting livestock biometric information,
A contact-type first temperature sensor (11) that measures the epidermal temperature by contacting the skin of livestock;
A second non-contact temperature sensor (12) that measures the skin temperature of livestock in a non-contact manner;
A third temperature sensor (13) that measures the surrounding temperature of livestock; and
Includes a data processing unit 151,
The data processing unit calculates the estimated body temperature of the livestock based on the first skin temperature measured by the first temperature sensor and the second skin temperature measured by the second temperature sensor, but taking into account the external temperature measured by the third temperature sensor. (S120) and applying a predefined correction function to the estimated body temperature to calculate the corrected body temperature of the livestock (S130),
The correction function generates a correction value that minimizes the error between the estimated body temperature and the reference body temperature based on at least one of the current season or the outside temperature, and calculates a formula containing this correction value to the temperature range of the current season or outside temperature. It was created by defining a correction function for
The reference body temperature is a sensor module for collecting biometric information of livestock, characterized in that the internal body temperature of the livestock measured over a predetermined limited period of time. According to claim 1,
It further includes a momentum sensor that measures the amount of exercise of the livestock,
The sensor module for collecting livestock biometric information, wherein the momentum sensor includes at least one of a 3-axis acceleration sensor, a 3-axis angular velocity sensor, and a 3-axis geomagnetic sensor. According to claim 1,
When the data processing unit calculates the estimated body temperature,
Determine the validity of each data of the first and second skin temperatures,
If both the first and second skin temperatures are valid, the upper first skin temperature is selected as the estimated body temperature of the livestock, and if only one of the first and second skin temperatures is valid, the effective skin temperature is selected as the estimated body temperature of the livestock. A sensor module for collecting livestock biometric information, characterized in that. According to claim 3,
The sensor module for collecting livestock biometric information, wherein the data processing unit is configured to calculate the current estimated body temperature based on the estimated body temperature record for a predetermined period of time if both the first and second skin temperatures are invalid. According to claim 4,
The sensor module further includes an RF module and an antenna for wireless communication,
(i) each time the estimated body temperature is calculated, the calculated estimated body temperature, or (ii) when a predetermined period elapses, the estimated body temperature stored during this predetermined period is transmitted to an external computing device through a wireless communication network. A sensor module for collecting livestock biometric information. delete delete According to claim 1,
It further includes an RF module and antenna for wireless communication,
(i) each time the corrected body temperature is calculated, the calculated corrected body temperature, or (ii) when a predetermined period elapses, the corrected body temperature stored during the predetermined period is transmitted to an external computing device through a wireless communication network. A sensor module for collecting livestock biometric information. A sensor module for collecting livestock biometric information,
A first temperature sensor, either a contact-type temperature sensor that contacts the skin of livestock to measure the skin temperature of livestock or a non-contact temperature sensor that measures the skin temperature of livestock in a non-contact manner;
A second temperature sensor that measures the surrounding temperature of livestock; and
Includes a data processing unit 151,
The data processing unit calculates the estimated body temperature of the livestock based on the skin temperature measured by the first temperature sensor but taking into account the external temperature measured by the second temperature sensor (S120), and calculates the estimated body temperature of the livestock using a predefined correction function. It is configured to calculate the corrected body temperature of livestock (S130) by applying it to
The correction function generates a correction value that minimizes the error between the estimated body temperature and the reference body temperature based on at least one of the current season or the outside temperature, and calculates a formula containing this correction value to the temperature range of the current season or outside temperature. It was created by defining a correction function for
A sensor module for collecting biometric information of livestock, wherein the reference body temperature is the internal temperature of the livestock measured over a predetermined limited period of time. According to clause 9,
It further includes a momentum sensor that measures the amount of exercise of the livestock,
The sensor module for collecting livestock biometric information, wherein the momentum sensor includes at least one of a 3-axis acceleration sensor, a 3-axis angular velocity sensor, and a 3-axis geomagnetic sensor. delete delete A method of measuring body temperature data from a sensor module for collecting biometric information attached to livestock and correcting this body temperature data,
The first skin temperature measured by the contact-type first temperature sensor installed in the sensor module, the second skin temperature measured by the non-contact second temperature sensor, and the third temperature sensor measuring the temperature around the livestock. Collecting the measured outdoor temperature (S110);
Calculating the estimated body temperature of the livestock based on at least one of the first skin temperature and the second skin temperature but taking into account the external temperature (S120); and
Comprising a step (S130) of calculating the corrected body temperature of the livestock by applying a predefined correction function to the estimated body temperature,
The correction function generates a correction value that minimizes the error between the estimated body temperature and the reference body temperature based on at least one of the current season or the outside temperature, and calculates a formula containing this correction value to the temperature range of the current season or outside temperature. It was created by defining a correction function for
A method of correcting livestock body temperature data, wherein the reference body temperature is the internal body temperature of the livestock measured over a predetermined limited period of time. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of calculating the estimated body temperature (S120) is,
Determining the validity of each data of the first and second skin temperatures (S121);
If both the first and second skin temperatures are valid, selecting the first skin temperature as the estimated body temperature of the livestock (S123); and
If only one of the first and second skin temperatures is valid, selecting the effective skin temperature as the estimated body temperature of the livestock (S125). A livestock body temperature data correction method comprising a. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of calculating the estimated body temperature (S120) is,
If both the first and second skin temperatures are not valid, calculating the current estimated body temperature based on the estimated body temperature record for a predetermined period of time in the past (S126). The livestock body temperature data correction method further comprising a. delete delete

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