초록

An animal management system includes a beacon, a radio animal tag configured to monitor the proximity of the animal tag to the beacon, and a reader configured to read information from the animal tag.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A facility management system for managing animals within a facility, the facility management system comprising: a beacon disposed at an area of interest located within the facility, the area of interest being smaller than the facility; the beacon comprising a beacon transceiver; the be

We claim: 1. A facility management system for managing animals within a facility, the facility management system comprising: a beacon disposed at an area of interest located within the facility, the area of interest being smaller than the facility; the beacon comprising a beacon transceiver; the beacon transceiver being configured to broadcast a beacon signal over a beacon range encompassing at least a first portion of the area of interest; the beacon signal comprising beacon information comprising an identifier of the area of interest; an animal tag disposed on an animal, the animal being confined to a region of the facility including at least a second portion of the area of interest; the animal tag comprising a tag transceiver and memory storing tag information; the tag transceiver configured to receive the beacon signal when within the beacon range of the beacon and to transmit a tag signal comprising the tag information; the tag information comprising indicia identifying the animal and, after the tag has been within the beacon range of the beacon, further comprising the beacon information, information generated upon receiving the beacon signal, or a combination thereof; and a reader disposed in or proximal to the region in which the animal is confined; the reader comprising a reader transceiver; the reader transceiver being configured to receive the tag signal and to transmit the tag information, information generated upon receiving the tag information, or a combination thereof. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the beacon range extends less than or equal to 4 feet outside the area of interest. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the beacon range is generally coterminous with the area of interest. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the beacon range is sufficient to transmit the beacon information to the animal tag on the animal when the animal is located in or adjacent to the area of interest. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the area of interest is a feed trough, a water trough, a windbreak, a squeeze-through chute, a pen at an auction facility, a stall at a milking parlor, a truck. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the information generated upon receiving the beacon signal comprises a duration of time the animal tag is located within the beacon range of the beacon. 7. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of beacons. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein a first beacon is configured to broadcast a first beacon signal identifying a first area of interest and a second beacon is configured to broadcast a second beacon signal identifying a second area of interest. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first area of interest is proximal an entry to a squeeze through chute and the second area of interest is proximal an exit from a squeeze through chute. 10. The system of claim 1, comprising: a first plurality of beacons configured to broadcast a first beacon signal identifying a first area of interest; and a second plurality of beacons configured to broadcast a second beacon signal identifying a second area of interest. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first area of interest is a water trough and the second area of interest is a feed trough. 12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first plurality of beacons is arranged at a perimeter of the water trough and wherein the second plurality of beacons is arranged at a perimeter of the feed trough. 13. The system of claim 10, wherein the first plurality of beacons is configured to broadcast the first beacon signal having a first beacon range encompassing the first area of interest. 14. The system of claim 10, wherein the second plurality of beacons is configured to broadcast the second beacon signal having a second beacon range encompassing the second area of interest. 15. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of animal tags, each animal tag being disposed on an animal and storing tag information identifying that animal. 16. The system of claim 1, further comprising a mobile reader configured to collect information from the reader and to forward the collected information to a data manager. 17. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of readers; the plurality of readers comprising a stationary reader and a mobile reader; the stationary reader being configured to communicate with the mobile reader; the mobile reader being configured to communicate with a data manager. 18. The system of claim 1, further comprising a power source configured to provide power to the reader, the beacon, or a combination thereof, the power source comprising a solar cell, a battery, or a combination thereof. 19. The system of claim 1, further comprising a data manager disposed at the facility but remote from the reader and the region in which the animal is confined; the data manager being configured to process data generated by the animal tag, by the reader, or a combination thereof. 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the data manager is configured to display information about a status of an animal and to provide an alert if the status of the animal meets an alert condition. 21. An animal management system comprising: a beacon, the beacon comprising a beacon transceiver; the beacon transceiver being configured to broadcast a beacon signal over a beacon range; the beacon signal comprising beacon information comprising an identifier of an area of interest; the beacon range encompassing the area of interest; an animal tag, the animal tag comprising memory and a tag transceiver; the memory being configured to store tag information; the tag transceiver configured to receive the beacon signal and to transmit a tag signal comprising the tag information; the tag information comprising indicia identifying the animal tag, the beacon information, information generated upon receiving the beacon signal, or a combination thereof, and a reader, the reader comprising a reader transceiver; the reader transceiver being configured to receive the tag signal and to transmit the tag information, information generated upon receiving the tag information, or a combination thereof. 22. The system of claim 21, wherein the beacon range extends less than or equal to about 4 feet outside the area of interest. 23. The system of claim 21, wherein the beacon range is substantially coterminous with the area of interest. 24. The system of claim 21, wherein the beacon range is sufficient to transmit the beacon information to the animal tag in or adjacent to the area of interest. 25. The system of claim 21, wherein the area of interest includes equipment employed in livestock husbandry. 26. The system of claim 25, wherein the area of interest includes at least one area selected from the group consisting of a feed trough, a water trough, a mineral station, and a windbreak. 27. The system of claim 25, wherein the area of interest includes at least one area selected from the group consisting of a squeeze-through chute, a pen at an auction facility, and a truck. 28. The system of claim 21, wherein the information generated upon receiving the beacon signal comprises a duration of time the animal tag is located within the beacon range of the beacon. 29. The system of claim 21, wherein the information generated upon receiving the beacon signal comprises an incremented value of a beacon counter. 30. The system of claim 29, wherein the plurality of beacons are electrically coupled to a power source. 31. The system of claim 29, comprising: a first plurality of electrically coupled beacons configured to broadcast a first beacon signal identifying a first area of interest; and a second plurality of electrically coupled beacons configured to broadcast a second beacon signal identifying a second area of interest. 32. The system of claim 31, wherein the first area of interest is a water trough and the second area of interest is a feed trough. 33. The system of claim 21, comprising a plurality of beacons. 34. The system of claim 33, wherein a first beacon is configured to broadcast a first beacon signal identifying a first area of interest and a second beacon is configured to broadcast a second beacon signal identifying a second area of interest. 35. The system of claim 34, wherein the first area of interest is adjacent an entry to a squeeze-through chute and the second area of interest is adjacent an exit from the squeeze-through chute. 36. The system of claim 21, comprising a plurality of animal tags, each animal tag being configured to store tag information identifying that tag. 37. The system of claim 21, wherein the reader transceiver is configured to transmit to a data manager the tag information, information generated upon receiving the tag information, or a combination thereof. 38. The system of claim 21, wherein the reader transceiver is configured to communicate with the animal tag. 39. The system of claim 38, wherein the reader transceiver is configured to transmit to the animal tag a command, data, a query, or a combination thereof. 40. The system of claim 21, comprising a plurality of readers. 41. The system of claim 40, comprising a stationary reader and a mobile reader; the stationary reader being configured to communicate with the mobile reader; the mobile reader being configured to communicate with a data manager. 42. The system of claim 41, wherein the mobile reader is configured to receive power from the data manager. 43. The system of claim 21, further comprising a power source; the power source comprising a solar cell, a battery, or a combination thereof. 44. The system of claim 43, wherein the power source is configured to provide power to the reader, the beacon, or a combination thereof. 45. The system of claim 21, further comprising a beacon power source, a reader power source, or a combination thereof. 46. The system of claim 21, further comprising a data manager; the data manager being configured to process data obtained by the animal tag, generated by the animal tag, or a combination thereof. 47. The system of claim 46, wherein the data manager is configured to display information about a status of an animal and to provide an alert if the status of the animal meets an alert condition. 48. A method of monitoring animal behavior comprising: providing an animal and an animal tag coupled to the animal; the animal tag comprising a tag transceiver and memory storing tag information comprising indicia identifying the animal; the animal being enclosed in a region of a facility including at least a portion of an area of interest; the area of interest being within and smaller than the facility; broadcasting from a beacon a beacon signal encompassing the area of interest; the beacon signal comprising beacon information comprising an identifier of the area of interest; receiving the beacon signal at the tag transceiver when the animal is in or adjacent to the area of interest, the memory of the animal tag storing tag information comprising the beacon information, information generated at the animal tag when the beacon signal is received, or a combination thereof; transmitting from the tag to the reader a tag signal comprising tag information; receiving at the reader transceiver the tag signal from the animal tag; transmitting reader information from the reader transceiver to a data manager, the reader information including the tag information, information generated when the tag information is received at the reader, or a combination thereof; processing the reader information received by the data manager to determine a status of the animal; and presenting an alert if the status of the animal is outside predefined parameters. 49. The method of claim 48, wherein transmitting reader information from the reader transceiver to the data manager comprises transmitting the reader information from the reader transceiver to a mobile reader, the mobile reader transmitting the information to the data manager. 50. The method of claim 48, further comprising indicating a status of the animal on a display. 51. The method of claim 50, wherein processing the reader information comprises: generating a status update for the animal, the status update identifying the animal and indicating a monitored condition of the animal; analyzing the status update to determine whether an alert condition exists; updating the status of the animal on the display; and presenting the alert on the display if the alert condition is determined to exist. 52. The method of claim 51, wherein updating the status of the animal on the display comprises: adding the status update to a web page; and refreshing the web page. 53. The method of claim 48, comprising: providing a plurality of animals, each animal being coupled to an animal tag comprising indicia identifying the animal; monitoring and displaying a status of each of animal of the plurality. 54. A method of monitoring animal feeding and drinking behavior, the method comprising: providing an animal and an animal tag coupled to the animal; the animal tag comprising a tag transceiver and memory storing tag information comprising indicia identifying the animal; the animal being in a region of a facility; the animal being able to access a feed trough and a water trough from the region; broadcasting a water trough beacon signal over a first beacon range that encompasses the water trough; the water trough beacon signal comprising water trough beacon information comprising an identifier of the water trough; broadcasting a feed trough beacon signal over a second beacon range that encompasses the feed trough; the feed trough beacon signal comprising feed trough beacon information comprising an identifier of the feed trough; receiving the water trough beacon signal at the tag transceiver when the animal is located at the water trough; receiving the feed trough beacon signal at the tag transceiver when the animal is located at the feed trough; storing tag information in the memory of the tag, the tag information comprising an indication the animal has been proximate the water trough, an indication the animal has been proximate the feed trough, or a combination thereof; transmitting from the tag to a reader a tag signal comprising the tag information; receiving the tag signal at the reader; transmitting reader information to a data manager, the reader information comprising the tag information, information generated when the tag signal is received at the reader, or a combination thereof; processing the reader information at the data manager to determine an animal nourishment status indicating whether the animal has been proximate the feed trough, the water trough, or a combination thereof; displaying the animal nourishment status to a user; and displaying an alert if the animal nourishment status indicates the animal has not been proximate the feed trough, the water trough, or a combination thereof for a predetermined period of time. 55. The method of claim 54, displaying the animal nourishment status to a user comprises: indicating the animal nourishment status of the animal on a display; receiving an updated animal nourishment status for the animal; analyzing the updated animal nourishment status to determine whether the animal has been adequately feeding and drinking; updating the display with the updated animal nourishment status; and displaying an alert if the animal has not been adequately feeding and drinking. 56. The method of claim 55, wherein updating the display comprises: adding the updated animal nourishment status to a web page; and refreshing the web page. 57. The method of claim 54, comprising: providing a plurality of animals, each animal being coupled to an animal tag comprising indicia identifying the animal; monitoring and displaying an animal nourishment status of each of the animals. 58. A method of monitoring processing of an animal comprising: providing an animal and an animal tag coupled to the animal; the animal tag comprising a tag transceiver and memory storing tag information comprising indicia identifying the animal; the animal moving through a chute; broadcasting a chute entrance beacon signal over a first beacon range that encompasses an entrance to the chute; the chute entrance beacon signal comprising first beacon information comprising an identifier of the entrance to the chute; receiving at the tag transceiver the chute entrance beacon signal when the animal enters the chute; processing the animal while the animal is located within the chute; broadcasting a chute exit beacon signal over a second beacon range that encompasses an exit from the chute; the chute exit beacon signal comprising second beacon information comprising an identifier of the exit from the chute; receiving the chute exit beacon signal at the tag transceiver when the animal has been processed and is exiting the chute; storing tag information in the memory of the tag, the tag information comprising a type of processing and indicia indicating completion of the processing; transmitting from the tag to a reader a tag signal comprising the tag information; receiving the tag signal at the reader; transmitting reader information from the reader to a data manager, the reader information comprising the tag information, information generated when the tag information is received at the reader, or a combination thereof; processing the information received by the data manager to determine whether the animal has been adequately processed; and presenting an alert indicating a status of the animal if the animal has not been adequately processed. 59. The method of claim 58, wherein processing the animal comprises vaccinating the animal.