CONFINED SPACES

The present invention relates to an individual electronic identification system of animals in confined spaces, such as for example passageways or weighing platforms.

More specifically, the invention relates to an electronic identification system of the above kind, which makes use of flexible antennas for reading the electronic identity of which animals are provided, in particular according to ISO standards 1 1784-1 1785, but not limited to them.

As is well known, currently the electronic identification of animals is carried out using devices of the passive type, called transponders, of which each animal is provided, which are energized by a radio-frequency signal (carrier) emitted from the antenna of a reader and who respond by modulating the carrier. The number contained within each transponder is unique and allows to track the animals over the course of their lives and record their basic data in centralised livestock databases.

In particular, the transponders for animal identification comply with the standards ISO 1 1784: 1996 (Radio frequency identification of animals - Code structure) and 1 1785:1996 (Radio frequency identification of animals - Technical concept), which determine the operative frequency at 134.2 kHz. The transponders are proximity devices, that is they can be read at distances of no more than a meter, depending on the antenna used for reading and do not have any anti-collision control, so an antenna can not read more than one transponder in its field of reading. The presence of two or more transponders within the reading field of an antenna causes the collision of response messages and, therefore, the lack of discernment by the reader.

Normally, Radio Frequency Identification is done by large planar antennas, placed laterally to the passage of the animals. Typically, in a passageway or in the stall of a weighing platform, the positioning of the planar antennas is not easy, in the first place since the containment structures of animals are normally made of iron, the presence of which in the vicinity of the antennas absorbs most of the emitted field, altering significantly the operation of the reading system, even in the case in which the antenna resonant circuit has been calibrated to take into account for the variation introduced by the presence of the metal.

Moreover, planar antennas, in such environments, often constitute a hindrance for the operator, who must have the opportunity to inspect the inside of the containment stall.

The inherent benefit in the use of antennas of this size (and more generally of large antennas) is the ability to read at a larger distance (in the order of 50-100 cm) the identification transponder. However, this high sensitivity is also the main limitation in the use of these antennas for the identification of animals in confined spaces.

In fact, the presence in the working areas of power electrical equipment, power supplied on the same power line, generates a relatively high electromagnetic background noise, so as to make the operation of these reading systems very difficult.

According to the International Application No. WO2010/035305, it is proposed an electronic identification system that uses markers of the passive type according to ISO standards 1 1784-1 1785 and reading antennas of the linear type (ie which extend substantially in a single direction) and flexible, which are arranged vertically in correspondence of an opening for the passage of the animals to be identified, adjacent to one another in a direction transverse to the path of the animals.

In this context it is included the solution according to the present invention, which aims to provide a system for electronic identification of individual animals, which is based on the solution described in the international application No. WO2010/035305, adapting its characteristics to the specific use in confined spaces.

Purpose of the present invention is therefore to provide an individual electronic identification system of animals in confined spaces, which allows to overcome the limits of the solutions according to the prior art and to obtain the technical results previously described.

Further object of the invention is that said system of individual electronic identification of animals in confined spaces can be realized with substantially contained costs, both as regards production costs and as regards the management costs. Another object of the invention is to provide an individual electronic identification system of animals in confined spaces which is substantially simple, safe and reliable.

Therefore it is a specific object of the present invention an individual electronic identification system of animals in confined spaces which comprises a plurality of hanging flexible antennas for the detection of transponders associated with each animal, arranged vertically within the confined spaces.

In particular, according to the innovation, said hanging antennas are constituted by windings around ferrite cores.

Furthermore, always according to the invention, said hanging antennas and related readers are connected to a power supply unit and to a data processing system.

Still, according to the present invention, said individual electronic identification system of animals in confined spaces can be directly connected to other automation systems.

Finally, always according to the present invention, said individual electronic identification system of animals in confined spaces comprises means for connection to user interface terminals, which preferably comprise wi-fi type connections.

It is evident the effectiveness of the system of individual electronic identification of animals in confined spaces of the present invention, in particular due to the use of flexible antennas, which have the following advantages: - are easy to install, regardless of the the shape, the height, the entrance type, the size of the containment stall;

- follow well the movements of the animal's head, and thus are considerably more resistant to mechanical stress generated by the animals that are nervous because of the forced confinement;

- fit the identification of the animal both at the time of entry into the confined space, and during its stay inside;

- can be handled directly by an operator, for example to verify the non-reading of a transponder (for example, because it is broken).

The present invention will be now described, for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiment, with particular reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 shows an individual electronic identification system of animals in confined spaces according to the present invention applied to a weighing stall; and

- Figure 2 shows a logical representation of the individual electronic identification system of animals in confined spaces according to the present innovation.

Referring to figure 1 , it is represented a cattle, indicated by the reference number 2, confined within a weighing stall 1. The animal is identified by means of an electronic ear tag. The figure also shows some hanging antennas 3 and a RFID reader 4. The identification system is direclty interfaced with the weighing platform. The hanging antennas 3 consist of windings around ferrite cores. Thanks to their conformation, the antennas 3 are able to read well the electronic identifier in each position of the head of the animal.

Referring to Figure 2, in which is shown a logical representation of the individual electronic identification of animals in confined spaces according to the present invention, are represented the antennas 3, here indicated with the reference "ANT", connected to the respective readers 4, here indicated with the reference "READ", which in turn are connected to a power supply and to a data processing system.

The identification data collected can be used to drive other automation systems, such as the weighing terminal, stored locally, sent to a remote database and/or compared with the data of a remote database.

There are also various means of communication by which operators can access these data through terminals, for example a laptop, connected to the data processing system through wi-fi connections.

The present invention has been described for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, but it is understood that variations and/or modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the relevant scope of protection, as defined by the appended claims.