LIVESTOCK

The present invention concerns a high speed system for electronic identification of livestock.

More particularly the invention refers to a high speed system for electronic identification of livestock by radiofrequency (Rfid), making use of low perceptive impact modular flexible antennas.

The invention refers to the productive line of livestock for commerce (e.g. sheep, oxes, swines), wherein it is necessary to individually identify each animal for purposes of food chain tracing.

At present, for the electronic identification of livestock an "inductive" technology is used, based on the use of a medium frequency (i.e. 134,2 kHz) electromagnetic signal (carrier) for the transmission of information without any contact.

The transmission of information is obtained through modulation of the carrier by a transponder associated to each animal, the transponders accessing the carrier one by one. In particular, transponders modulate the carrier with the univocal numeric code contained in its memory, replying with such a signal to the receiving device. The carrier transmitted by the receiving device allows to remotely feed the transponder associated with the animal forming the object of identification.

On the market, static readers are available for the reading of transponders for the electronic identification of animals, using rigid planar antennas positioned on the lateral walls of a passage through which the livestock is passed. Nevertheless, such solution presents at least three critical drawbacks.

In fact, considering that the signal emitted by any antenna must not exceed the maximum values according to the law on frequency electromagnetic radiation emission (at present for Italy comprised between 100 kHz and 300 GHz according to D.P.C.M. of 8 July 2003: "Fissazione dei limiti di esposizione, dei valori di attenzione and degli obiettivi di qualita per Ia protezione della popolazione dalle esposizioni a campi elettrici, magnetici ed elettromagnetici generati a frequency comprese tra i 100 kHz ed i 300 GHz"), and, considering the limited capacity of transponders of storing energy to respond to the calling signal, there is the consequence that in any reading system already existing the maximum distance at which a transponder for the electronic identification of livestock in its typical implementation (i.e. bioglass transponder, endoruminal bolus, ear marking), oriented according to the axis of maximum coupling between the antennas, can be read, does not go beyond 100 cm and varies as a function of the dimensions and form reading antenna. Only according to some particular configurations, with planar antennas connected in parallel, it is possible to create reading fields up to 130 cm width.

In any case, in order to minimise the percentage of unread transponders, the passage must be sufficiently narrow, with reference to the dimension of the animals subject to identification.

Considering that the devices for the electronic identification of livestock must comply with ISO standard 11784:1996 (Radio frequency identification of animals - Code structure) and 11785:1996 (Radio frequency identification of animals - Technical concept), fixing the frequency at 134,2 kHz and describing the communication protocols that can be used, it follows that the use of these devices does not allow for implementing any anticollision protocol, that is a protocol allowing for the reading of more transponders present in the reading field of the same antenna. For this reason, fix passages using planar antennas do not allow for the reading of more transponders at the same time within their field of action.

Further, in passages provided with planar antennas, control electronics is designed in order to maximise the intensity of the emitted electromagnetic field, within the limits according to the law. Th e consequence is a high consumption of electric power by the control devices. A possible choice is that of supplying devices from the network (110-240 Vac, 50-60 Hz), but this choice involves two main problems: (a) the getting into the circuit of the electric noise of the network; (b) the wiring of difficult environments such as slaughterplants and and stock farms, with the consequent technical and economic problems.

Another possible solution is the use of accumulators that can assure a sufficient energetic autonomy to the static reading system. This solution implies a big volumetric obstacle two to the accumulators and a consequent important increase in costs.

Further, big antennas for emitting intense electromagnetic fields within an important volume, have the drawback of collecting also a lot of electromagnetic noise present in the installation environment. For example, a slaughterhouse is an environment with many electromagnetic noise and tension peaks on the feeding lines, two to the presence of a lot of metal, water and big motors causing the presence of noise on the feeding lines.

These problems (i.e. limited reading range, possibility of reading the animals' transponders only one by one, necessity of high power with consequent feeding problems, sensitivity to noise) drastically limit the use of static reading systems (passages) of traditional kind, based on rigid planar antennas for the electronic identification of livestock.

Solutions are also known making use of planar antennas of the flexible kind, that can be positioned vertically below the ceiling of the passage that must be passed by the animals, side by side according to a transversal direction with respect to the path of the animals and constituted by a structure made of a plastic material inside which copper coils are immersed, constituting the inductor in air or wrapped around ferrite.

This solution, from one hand present a structure that does not limit the width of the passage or the intensity of the emitted electromagnetic field, but on the other hand does not solve the problem of the perceptive impact for the animal passing through the passage. This element is crucial, because all the systems used until today for the radioidentification of livestock present obstacles and dimensional limits for the passage of livestock. That implies, in the specific case of the identification of sheep, an important negative impact on the transit speed of groups. This problem is particularly felt for example in the auctions and slaughterhouses. In both cases, in fact, the fluxes of passage are particularly high and often exceed eight animals per second with passages of more than two metres. In these conditions, any system making the passage slower is practically inapplicable. This is today one of the biggest obstacles to the massive use of RFID for the automatic identification of sheep.

In this context it is presented the solution according to the present invention, with the aim of providing for a different structural arrangement of the transponder reading passage. As an alternative to the planar antennas, of the traditional or flexible type, according to the present invention are proposed low perceptive impact flexible antennas, that is characterised by a structure that does not disturb the animal p assing through the passage, does not limit the width of the passage, and limits the intensity of the emitted electromagnetic field.

The purpose of the present invention is therefore that of realising a system for the electronic identification of livestock that allows to overcome the limits of the solutions according to the prior art and to obtain the previously described technical results.

A further aim of the invention is that said system for the electronic identification can be realised with substantially low costs, both with reference to production costs abd management costs.

Not last aim of the invention is that of realising a system for the electronic identification of livestock being substantially simple, safe and reliable.

It is therefore a specific object of the present invention a high speed system for electronic identification of livestock comprising one or more low perceptive impact flexible antennas for detection of transponders associated to each animal, arranged vertically in correspondence of a passage for animals to identify, side by side according to a transversal direction with respect to the path of the animals, constituted by a flexible wire supporting at least one cylindrical antenna, and preferably two cylindrical antennas, preferably wrapped around cores of ferrite.

Further, according to the invention, said cylindrical antennas can be protected by means of a soft sheath.

Preferably, according to the invention, said flexible antennas comprise means for fixing to the ceiling or to supporting structures.

Further, always according to the invention, electronic controls of each flexible antenna is contained in a hermetic box to which the antenna is mechanically coupled.

Preferably, according to the invention, said high speed system for electronic identification of livestock is integrated by sensors for detecting the position of each animal in transit, said sensors having the purpose of: (a) determining the number of animals, independently from the presence of identification transponders, (b) mantaining the passage inactive until when no passing animals are present. Finally, according to the present invention, said high speed system for electronic identification of livestock comprises means for detecting and marking animals detected by said sensors and not detected by said antennas.

The present invention will be described, for illustrative, non limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the figures of the enclosed drawings, wherein:

- figure 1 shows a schematic view of a high speed system for electronic identification of livestock according to the present invention,

- figure 2 shows a schematic view of a first embodiment of a reading antenna of the system of figure 1, - figure 3 shows a block diagram of the control logic of the system of figure 1 ,

- figure 4 shows a schematic view of a second embodiment of a reading antenna of the system of figure 1 ,

- figure 5 shows a schematic view of the supporting structure of a reading antenna of the system of figure 1 ,

- figure 6 shows a schematic view of the structure of a reading antenna of the system of figure 1 , and

- figure 7 shows a schematic view of a reading antenna of the system of figure 1 and of the relative electromagnetic field. Making preliminarly reference to figure 1 , the high speed system for electronic identification of livestock, identified as a whole with the numeric reference 10, consists in an array of flexible antennas 11 arranged transversally with respect to the path of animals 12 to identify.

The system is modular since the number and dimension of antennas 11 can vary as a function of the dimensions of the passage and animals 12 to identify. The installation can be made on the ceiling or on suitable suitable supporting structures in a way that allows the flexible antennas 11 can effectively touch the body of animals 12 passing through the passage 13. Animals 12, passing through the passage 13, move apart flexible antennas 11 with no difficulties, the antennas being able to effectively read both transponders contained into the endoruminal boli and those contained in the ear markings.

Figure 2 shows the structure of the flexible antenna 11 used in the proposed modular system.

The antenna 11 is characterised by a structure made of plastic material giving it extreme flexibility and softness. Inside the plastic structure 14 are immersed the coils of copper constituting the inductor in air or wrapped over ferrite. Control electronics for each antenna 11 is contained in a sealed container 15 to which the antenna is mechanically coupled. The upper end of such sealed container 15 is structured in a way that allows for a quick and safe fixing to the structure carrier (wall, metallic cross bar, etc.), for example by means of a suitable flange 16.

With reference to figure 3, each antenna of the array (11', 11", ..., 11n) is linked to its own control electronics (17', 17", ..., 17n) that make the inductor respond to the frequency o f 1 34,2 kHz, supplying to the transponders the carrier to modulate according to ISO standards 11784 and 11785. This electronics also provides for the amplification and decoding of the signal emitted by transponders. Such electronics further provides for the synchronisation of signals transmitted by means of the antennas in order to avoid that the latter can negatively interact with one another.

The described system can find an important application in the electronic identification of animals of reduced dimensions, such as sheep, goats and swines, not suitable for identification by means of traditional planar antennas. In fact, such animals are moved all together and very quickly, and such condition put any passage of a traditional kind in difficulty.

Further, applications exist wherein "funnels" are realised progressively reducing the dimension of the passage, making the animals pass one by one through a passage of the traditional kind. The result of such applications is a slowing down of the flow of livestock and the entire chain. On the contrary, the system for the electronic identification of livestock according to the present invention allows for avoiding the narrowing of transit passages.

The livestock, passing through the passage, touch the flexible antennas 11 , which pass very close to the identification transponders maximising the probability of reading, even if the animal is passing quickly and independently from the number of animals passing at the same time.

Moving animals move apart flexible antennas, and can also completely lift them up. This determines a dynamic deformation of the electromagnetic field generated by the antennas and as a whole increasing the possibility of reading of the transponders independently from their orientation. With reference to figures 4 and 5, it is evident that the proposed system does not require any dimensional limit of the passage, since it allows for putting side by side different modules 20, consequently being widened until a complete coverage of the passage. Further, by acting on the telescopic vertical supports 21 , it is possible to put it at any height with respect to the soil, suitably adjusting the length of the hanging down antennas.

The antennas 11 imply a low perceptive impact because they are seen by the animal 12 as thin filaments sufficiently far from each other that cannot be considered as an obstacle. The hanging down antennas 11 are further colored in order to produce a mimetic effect with the surrounding environment (green, ochre, black). With reference to figure 6, antennas 11 are substantially constituted by a flexible wire 22 containing two cylindrical antennas 23, 23' wrapped around cores of ferrite 24, 24'. The antennas 23 and 23' are protected by means of a soft sheath 25, 25' absorbing the impact with the animal running.

With reference to figure 7, the antennas are double, in order to create an electromagnetic field sufficiently long to assure the reading of the transponder even in case of particularly quick passages. Each hanging down antenna produces an electromagnetic field

(the lines of which are referred to with the numeral 26) having little dimensions, moving in the space d uring the passage of the group of animals. The electromagnetic field is consequently synchronised with that produced by the neighbouring antennas, producing an additive effect in the space. What is generated is a dynamic electromagnetic field produced by a plurality of antennas 11, 23, 23' synchronised with one another.

It is well known that a limit of the technology used for the radioidentification of livestock according to ISO standards 11784 and 11785 is the possibility of correctly reading only one transponder at a time. This implies that an antenna can not identify two transponder at the same time, since in absence of an anticollision protocol, typical for transponders working at higher frequency, the two transponder would respond at the same time to a signal sent by the antenna of the reader, disturbing each other. This kind of transmission is named a collision. The kind of proposed antennas, using little electromagnetic fields, allows for illuminating a transponder passing very close to the antenna. The antenna is double in order to dynamically make longer the reading field along the direction of transit of livestock. In conclusion, this allows to have electromagnetic fields with reduced cross dimensions, in order not to illuminate two animals passing side by side at the same time, and great longitudinal dimension, in order to illuminate the animal for a time sufficient for the reading of the transponder, also in case of very fast transits. This is a consequence of the fact that, due to the length of the antennas, vertically hanging down, at the passage of livestock antennas are lifted and are positioned in a longitudinal direction on the back of the animal, dynamically following its movements and, in particular, that of its transponder.

The system for the electronic identification of livestock according to the present invention has the further advantage of solving the problem of the counting and marking of livestock not provided with identification transponder, because the transponder is out of work or has gone lost. In fact, the system can be integrated with the use of suitable sensors that are able to determine the position of each animal passing through the passage, independently from its widht. This sensors can be of optic, acoustic or mechanic kind and their purpose is that of detecting the instantaneous crossing profile animals passing through a section of the passage. A suitable software, implemented by a PLC, interprets in real time the information detected by the sensors determining the profile of passing animals. This allows to make a precise count of animals independently from the presence of identification transponders.

The system can also associate a transponder detected by means of the reading system and an animal detected by means of the counting system. In this way, knowing their position, the system can identify animals that do not have a transponder. This allows to make a marking in real time of animals without transponders passing through the passage, by means of a real time marking system. This marking system can be implemented by means of an array of sprayers of paint, controlled by the PLC of the passage, which can spray a colored spot on the animals without transponder.

This solution allows the personnel to quickly identify animals in a group that still have to be identified. Making again reference to figure 1 , a typical non limitative application of the previously described system provides for the implementation of a passage 250 cm widht for the rad ^identification of sheep 12. Flexible vertical antennas 11 are linked to a bar 250 cm long and having a section of 50 cm ² with an interspace of about 30 cm. Antennas 11 are 60 cm long and the support bar is positioned at about 100 cm from the soil. Antennas are wrapped around a core of ferrite, allowing for reduced dimensions, with respect to antennas wrapped "in air". The system is constituted by a plurality of crossing bars, each linked to the other. Antennas' control circuit are all synchronised with one another, in order to allow for the use at the same time of the readers notwithstanding the proximity of the antennas and the crosstalking effect. Each antenna 11 is polarised inversely with respect to the neighbours, thus generating a reading field that can be dynamically coupled in the best way with transponders contained in the ear marks of animals 12.

The present invention was described for illustrative, non limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, but it has to be understood that variations and/or modifications can be made by the skilled in the art without escaping the relative scope of protection, as defined in the enclosed claims.