FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a reader for reading electronic identification devices and providing information associated with a device, methods of monitoring animals, methods of managing workflow and monitoring systems.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

RFID readers are commonly used to read RFID tags attached to animals to record the presence of an animal at a read time. Whilst basic devices simply record the identification codes (IDs) of the RFID tags read and perhaps timestamps of time of reading, other devices allow measured or entered information to be recorded in combination with a read ID. The information may be downloaded from the reader via a wired or wireless link and utilised in an animal management system.

Such devices have proved useful for the recording of animal management information but do not provide animal information or workflow information associated with a particular animal to the operator of the reader. Further, such systems do not require information to be acknowledged and/or actions be performed before further tasks can be performed. Such devices also lack user programmability to provide desired information, workflow routines and user defined fields.

It would be desirable to provide a reader, method and system that overcome these deficiencies or which at least provide the public with a useful choice. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one embodiment there is provided a method of monitoring an animal having an RFI D tag attached thereto comprising:

a. downloading information associated with an electronic ID of an RFID tag to an RFID reader; and

b. upon reading the electronic ID using the RFID reader, displaying the information associated with the electronic ID.

According to another embodiment there is provided a method of monitoring an animal comprising:

a. reading an electronic ID of an RFID tag attached to an animal using an RFID reader;

b. sending the electronic ID to a remote device;

c. sending information associated with the electronic ID stored at the remote device to the RFID reader; and

d. displaying the information on a display of the RFID reader.

According to a further embodiment there is provided a method of controlling the operation of an RFID reader including the steps of:

a. reading an electronic ID of an RFI D tag attached to an animal using an RFID reader;

b. displaying information associated with the electronic ID on a display of the RFI D reader: and

c. requiring a mandatory input to the RFID reader to be entered before a further RFID tag can be read.

According to a further embodiment there is provided a handheld RFID reader including:

a. a body portion; b. an. RFI D receiver; and

c. a display device for conveying information associated with the RFI D receiver, wherein the display device is arranged to convey the information in a first orientation, and configurable to convey the information in a second orientation different to the first orientation.

According to a further embodiment there is provided an RFID reader including:

i. an RFID receiver;

ii. a communication circuit;

iii. a display for displaying electronic and/or associated visual IDs and associated information; and

iv. a processor which upon receiving an electronic ID from the RFID receiver sends it via the communication circuit to a remote device and displays information associated with the electronic ID received from the remote device via the communication circuit.

According to a further exemplary embodiment there is provided an RFID reader including:

i. an RFI D receiver;

ii. memory for storing electronic IDs and associated information; iii. a display for displaying electronic and/or associated visual IDs and associated information; and

iv. a processor for displaying information associated with an electronic ID stored in memory when a matching electronic ID is read from an RFID tag.

According to a further exemplary embodiment there is provided a method of monitoring an animal having an RFID tag attached thereto comprising: a. downloading contents avai lable for display and response fields to an RFI D reader;

b. reading an electronic I D of an RFI D tag;

c. displaying a display field to a user; and

d. recording a user selection from options offered in a response field in association with the electronic I D.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and constitute part of the specification, i llustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description of embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an RFI D reader according to one embodiment reading an RFI D tag and communicating with a computer;

Figure 2 shows a block diagram of the components of the RFI D reader shown in figure 1 ;

Figure 3a shows a display of the RFI D reader displaying customised fields;

Figure 3b shows the display of figure 3a when another option has been selected;

Figure 3c shows the display of an "alert message". Figure 4 shows a system for recording an electronic ID and weight information in an RFID reader; and

Figure 5 shows the display of an electronic ID and animal weight.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The invention will now be described by way of illustrative embodiments. Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 there is shown an RFI D reader 1 having a display 2 for display of information to an operator, a large button 3 and a small button 4 adapted to be operated by the thumb of a user when holding handle portion 5 of the reader. LED's 6 and 7 are also provided to provide visual indications to the user. A serial communications and charging port 8 is provided at the handle end for connection to a computer to allow data interchange between the reader and a computer and to facilitate recharging of an internal battery.

The reader includes an RFID interrogator 10 including a transmitter and a receiver for interrogating RFID tags 1 1 attached to things being monitored, such as animals. Where an active RFID tag is employed only a receiver may be required. RFID interrogator 10 provides electronic identification codes (electronic IDs) from successful reads to processor 1 2. Successful reads may be stored in memory 1 3 along with the time of the read. Processor 12 may display on display 2 the electronic and/or associated visual ID for a successful read and any information associated with the electronic ID stored in memory 1 3. Processor 12 may also communicate the electronic ID via wireless communication circuit 14 to a remote device, such as computer 16, via its wireless communication circuit 1 5. A vibrator 1 7 may be provided in handle 5 to provide feedback to an operator regarding operation of the reader.

In use information associated with electronic IDs of RFID tags may be stored in memory 1 3. Such information may be entered directly into the RFID reader using buttons 3 and 4 or alternative input devices, such as a keypad. Alternatively information associated with identification codes may be entered into computer 16 and downloaded via wireless communication circuits 14 and 1 5 to memory 1 3 or via serial communications and charging port 8 where a cable is connected to a serial communications port of computer 16.

The information associated with an electronic ID may include visual identification information (such as a visible marking applied to an ear tag of an animal), information about the animal or information regarding tasks to be performed for that animal.

In use the user may power up the device by pressing button 3. In a configuration menu display mode (which may be accessed by pressing and holding both buttons 3 and 4 together for a minimum time) button 4 may be pressed to scroll through a menu of options with each option sequentially displayed by display- 2. Pushing button 3 may select a selected option. During configuration the menus may preferably have an exit option as the first option to facilitate easy exiting from any menu. When not in the configuration menu display mode RFID interrogator 10 may search for RFID tags within range when button 3 is pressed. The power of the reader and/or the interrogation repetition rate may be adjusted so that a larger range and slower repetition rate may be selected for larger animals and a smaller range and higher repetition rate may be selected for smaller animals that may be closer to one another. When an RFID tag is read processor 12 may search memory 1 3 to see if there is information associated with the electronic ID read by the RFID interrogator 10. If so then the electronic ID read and/or information associated with the electronic ID may be displayed by display 2. The displayed information may include visual identification information, such as a number or other visible indicator unique to an animal or a group applied to the tag that may be read by an operator to confirm identification of an animal. It may also include information as to the condition of the animal, characteristics of the animal, treatment applied to the animal or actions required to be performed on the animal. In one embodiment if an "alert" message is associated with a read electronic I D then the associated alert message stored in memory 13 may be displayed first. Figure 3c shows an alert message "Drench" associated with animal 234H7 displayed in display area 23.. This alerts an operator to the fact that the animal needs to be drenched. The electronic I D may simply be associated with a pointer which points to an alert message in a table of alert messages stored in memory 1 3.

If the information is considered to be critical information requiring acknowledgement by an operator processor 12 may require an acknowledgement by an operator pressing button 3 (or selection of an option using button 4 followed by acceptance using button 3) to acknowledge the message before a further read is allowed to be performed. In figure 3c " > Continue" is displayed in display area 24 to indicate to a user that the message must be acknowledged by entry of a mandatory input to continue.

The information stored in memory 1 3 may also include customised fields. Customised fields may be developed on computer 16 and downloaded to memory 1 3 for use in all reading operations when a particular set of customised fields is enabled. Alternatively particular customised fields may be associated with particular IDs to create workflows for particular animals. A message may be displayed on display 2 to an operator requiring an operator response. For example, as shown in Figure 3a, a first portion of the display 20 displays the visual identification number for an animal as 234H7 and display area 21 displays the word "drench" (the "display field"). Display area 22 displays the word "yes" (the "response field") in reverse text (i.e. black background and white text). An operator may use the selected button 4 to scroll to the next option "no" as shown in Figure 3b. Pressing the select button 3 records the operator response. The operator response is stored in memory 1 3 in association with the read electronic ID and the time when it was read.

The display portions 21 and 22 may be user configurable so that the division of the display regions may be set by user. In the example shown Figures 3a and 3b only six display segments are required to display "drench" and three required to display "yes". However, the division of the display regions would be different if the word in the display area 21 was a three letter word and the maximum length required by the display area 22 was a five letter word. Typically, fields 21 and 22 may be defined with an application run on computer 1 6 in which the user specifies information and work flows may be prescribed. The size of display regions 21 and 22 may be dynamically allocated based on the number of characters in each. Information input by a user in response to customised fields may be stored in association with an electronic I D, to be downloaded to computer 16 with other read information. RFID reader 1 may also include functionality to display text in a desired orientation. Left-handed and right-handed users may want text displayed at different orientations for ease of use. The display orientation menu may be selected using buttons 3 and 4 and the desired orientation selected so that in a first configuration the display is orientated upwardly as seen in Figure 3a and in a second orientation the display is orientated upside down (for this reader orientation). The display may also be orientated so as to read longitudinally from one end to the other of display 2 (i.e. the text is sideways from right to left for the display orientation as shown in figure 3a). The orientation of the information displayed on display 2 will be controlled by software running on processor 12 in response to inputs from buttons 3 and 4 or a configuration setting downloaded from computer 16.

It will be appreciated that multistep workflow is possible where a user is required to respond to a number of messages with options selected from the menu. A user may also be able to enter free text comments by scrolling through characters with scroll button 4 selected by select button 3. Alternatively, a wired or wireless input device such as a keyboard, mouse etc. may be provided. This may be incorporated within the RFID reader or may be connected either via serial and charging port 8 or wirelessly via wireless communication circuit 14. Where workflow actions are mandatory an operator may be prevented from performing further RFID tag reads until mandatory responses have been provided to the workflow prompts.

Once an operator has completed a session the information stored in memory 1 3 may be downloaded to a device such as a computer via serial and charging port 8 or via wireless communication circuit 14. Alternatively it may be downloaded to a local wired or wireless device such as a weigh indicator, PDA or the like. This information may be stored in a database within computer 16 or other device to enable animal management to be performed.

Where RFI D reader 1 is within communication range of communications circuit 15, or is connected via serial port 8 to a serial port on computer 16 by a cable, then another mode of operation may be provided. In this mode it is not necessary to download information associated with ID's to memory 1 3. In this mode once an electronic ID is read by RFID interrogator 10 and provided to processor 12 it may be sent via wireless communication circuits 14 and 1 5 or serial data cable to computer 16. Bluetooth™ or other suitable wireless protocols may be employed for this purpose. Upon receipt of the electronic I D computer 16 may check its database to see if it contains information associated with the electronic I D. If so this information may be provided to processor 12 and displayed by display 2. As described above this may be the simple display of information associated with an electronic I D or may be responses to customised fields as described above. User input may be transmitted via wireless communication circuits 14 and 1 5 or serial data cable to computer 16 and stored in association with the electronic ID.

LED's 6 and 7 and vibrator 1 7 may be used to provide feedback to an operator. For example, vibrator 1 7 may vibrate upon RFID interrogator 10 making a successful read. Likewise one or both of LED's 6 and 7 may be illuminated to indicate a successful read. The LED's may also be used to indicate certain states of the RFID reader or error conditions etc.

Referring to figure 4 there is shown a weighing machine 25 weighing an animal 26 having an RFID ear tag 27 attached thereto. In this embodiment an RFI D reader 28 may read the electronic ID of ear tag 27 and a weight from weighing machine 25 and store the weight in association with the electronic ID in memory of RFI D reader 28. Typically the RFID reader will read tag 27 and when an operator is satisfied that the weight is stable the operator may command weighing machine 25 to send the weight information wirelessly to RFID reader 28. As shown in Figure 5 the display of RFI D reader 28 may display the electronic or associated visual ID in display region 29 and the weight information in display region 30. A user may store this information by pushing a button of RFID reader 28. The information stored in RFID reader 28 may be subsequently downloaded to another device or database as per the previous examples. This allows the RFID reader to capture information relating to a variety of attributes of an animal in a single portable device. It is to be appreciated that the information from weighing machine 25 could be sent via any suitable data link including a wired link such as a serial data cable. It is also to be appreciated that a variety of monitoring apparatus monitoring different animal attributes could be employed and that a weighing machine is given only by way of example.

There is thus provided an RFID reader enabling animal information or workflow information associated with a particular electronic ID to be provided to the operator of the reader. An operator may receive workflow instructions to perform a required task and be required to acknowledge, accept from a list of options or input information before further tasks can be performed. The system allows user programmability to provide desired , information, workflow routines and user defined fields While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of the embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in detail, it is not the intention to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and method, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departure from the spirit or scope of the Applicant's general inventive concept. Whilst the present invention has been described in relation to a portable RFID reader it will be appreciated for some applications the RFID reader could be mounted in a fixed position and could be connected via a cable to computer 16.