Automatic physiological monitoring, for farm stock, has selected parameters, measured by sensors in or on each animal, regularly passed to central unit over bi-directional radio link

摘要

Each animal (1) has a miniaturized temperature sensor (3) implanted e.g. near the ear, or securely inserted in any suitable body orifice, communicating over a local high frequency radio link with a control unit (5), housed in a case (9) attached to the animal e.g. by a collar (7). The case also houses a transmitter/receiver and aerial (23) linked with a distant monitoring master station (31). The neck-case holds operating batteries, a local signal processor with memory and timing circuits, and, a motion sensor whose signals, related to the frequency of head movements, reflect the animals's general activity level and are processed along with the temperature data. The temperature sensor, if implanted, e.g. using a hollow needle, is not intended to be recovered; if secured in a body orifice, it can be replaced or reused as required. The master station, based on a PC (37), deals individually, and, opt. statistically with data from all the herd members, each member's data, identified by a unique code, being reported at set intervals. Abnormal values, perhaps indicating illness, initiate alarms. Staff can interrogate or reprogram any animals's unit via the outgoing radio channel.