Method and installation for identifying animals

ES 2 199 892 T3

DESCRIPTION

Animal identification procedure and facility.

The present invention refers to a method and an installation that allows the identification of animals and the management of information and events related to said animals, in order to control the tracking of animals and said information.

This information covers data related to the life of the animal, such as its date and place of birth, its breed, its different owners or holders, its movements, its diseases or any other information or event, such as its veterinary treatment, the data regarding your physical condition, etc.

The concern for the tracking of animals, their origin and the stages of their life predominate especially in recent years, especially within the bovine species, although this is only one of the fields of application of the invention, which It can also be applied to sheep, pigs or any other type of animal equipped with a means of identification.

Currently, a common method of ensuring animal tracking is visual identification associated with a paper passport. In certain applications, the data referring to the animal may be registered in national or regional databases. The paper passport should, in theory, control all the movements of the animal and register the data related to it.

The use of paper support poses considerable problems, especially the fact of having to manually write the data referring to the animal in the passport. On the other hand, due to use, the state of the paper support degrades rapidly and makes reading and automatic classification difficult. In summary, the link with databases requires that said information be sent to a computer medium, such as an electronic terminal, to communicate with the centralized database.

International patent WO99 / ​​45761 proposes a method and a facility for collecting information on livestock and a system for managing said information from the conception of the animal to its consumption in the form of meat.

Said patent is based on the use of identification elements carried by the animal itself, especially of the radio frequency type, and on the use of a mobile reader adapted to different types of radio frequency transponders and intended to be used in a forced passage track to the animal.

This radio frequency reader has the advantage of being wireless. This patent describes a system in which the data received by the reader can be transferred to specific databases, such as that of the farmer, that of the chopper, that of the slaughterhouse, that of the butcher, etc. This data can be transferred to a central database

In this patent the reader is associated with a plate of transponders, each one dedicated to a particular event that will be read by the reader.

Through ports dedicated to a specific type of event, the multiport system, independent of the reader, can receive additional information communicated by the farm personnel, for example, the farmer.

These data, collected by the reader or entered into the multi-port system, are transferred to a central computer, preferably by radio frequency.

This central computer can connect to an Internet network and to other databases.

This system and its application device are especially complicated. They suppose, in addition to the identification reading, a work of entering the data, either by reading the plate of specific transponders or by selecting a specific port.

The information can be read on the computer, conceived as a fixed or mobile unit, from which the data will be sent to the databases that can communicate with each other.

From the identification by means of the reader used in the field of the animal, this system allows to obtain in the computer, independent of the reader, the information related to the animal and that is stored in the computer, in the database or in one of the databases.

The technology of this patent, which, in theory, seems satisfactory, ceases to be so if it is applied to the whole of the capital earned.

In Europe, the bovine capital is of the order of 80 million heads distributed among a million owners, who will later be found in a million livestock markets or in a thousand slaughterhouses.

The people involved in this sector are divided as follows:

- About a million livestock owners.

- Around 20,000 carriers.

- Around 50,000 veterinarians.

Not including public or parapublic agents who carry out intervention missions related to livestock, and taking into account that each intervention constitutes an event in the life of the animal that must be recorded.

It can be said that, regarding the European figure, between births and slaughter, there are more than 200 million events that must be recorded in the databases.

It is obvious that the technology of the paper passport is completely out of date.

The technology of patent WO99 / ​​45761 is an advance over the previous one. However, it is not perfect, especially with regard to the real-time registration of the data in the database and the certification of the same by said database.

The use of an intermediary computer between the reader and the database can be a double source of errors and mistakes.

With regard to the relationship between the reader and the computer, the use of specific systems, transponders or ports, can also pose problems.

Communication between two intermediary computers is only possible by establishing a relationship between the different databases.

This technology, applicable to the recognition reading of the animal, is not adapted to the treatment of the data or its modifications.

Patent US5324925 describes a portable terminal with a keyboard, an information reader and a means of transmission to a central unit.

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Data from one terminal can be transferred to the memory of another terminal through a central unit establishing communication between the latter and the corresponding terminals.

This patent, conceived for medical personnel who visit patients at home, cannot be applied to technical sectors related to the monitoring of animals, since communication with the central unit can only be established from a fixed position or close to the central unit. This excludes a use in this field, as for example, the direct communication of two terminals to check a transfer.

The objective of the present invention is to obviate these drawbacks, proposing a new procedure and a facility for the identification of animals and the management of the information related to said animals in order to control the tracking of the animals and the information.

The installation allows the animals to be identified accurately, quickly and even automatically, and facilitates the entry and transfer of information related to said animals between the controllers and / or a centralized database.

The animal identification and information management facility for said animals, which consists of a centralized database that groups together the information on the animals that, in turn, carry an identifier that will be read by a reading system, being related the centralized database, the identifier and the reading system, it is characterized because:

- The installation consists of one or more autonomous communication systems for the user.

- Said autonomous system comprises:

- The identifier reading system.

- Means of communication with the centralized database.

- A memory that integrates the information referring to the animal and that will be duplicated in the centralized database.

- Direct communication means between at least two autonomous systems without going through the centralized database.

In the description below, other advantages and characteristics of the invention will be found, various embodiments offered by way of non-restrictive example and illustrated by the attached drawings, in which:

- Illustration 1 represents the different material elements of the installation.

As shown in illustration 1, the installation according to the invention comprises, at least:

- An identifier (1) carried by the animal.

- A reading system (2) of the identifier (1).

- An autonomous system (3) for communicating with the user, for processing and storing in a memory (7) the information related to at least one animal, the information being distributed in internal databases of the memory (7) and being duplicated in the centralized database (4).

- A link between the autonomous system (3) and the reading system (2).

- A centralized database (4) that groups the information on the animals.

- Communication means (5) of information between the autonomous system (3) and the centralized database (4).

- Communication means (6) and (6 ') between an autonomous system (3) and another autonomous system (3').

The identifier (1) of the animal can be constituted by any means of emission of a characteristic signal that allows the animal to be identified. Therefore, this identifier can be, for example, an electronic chip, worn by the animal in the ear, implanted under the skin or even ingested (commonly called: "bolus"). More simply, the identifier can be a visual mark that will be read by a human operator.

This identifier can also be a barcode, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The reading system (2) therefore depends on the identifier used. In the case of using an electronic chip that emits a radio signal, the reading system will consist of a radio frequency receiver. The identification number of an animal in France, for example, is made up of ten numbers and two letters to identify the country of origin of the animal.

The principle of emission of an electronic signal corresponding to this number and of remote reading of the number is part of the knowledge of the man of art.

In this way, the identification number of an animal can be read automatically when approaching a few meters or centimeters.

The autonomous system (3) consists of at least one information storage memory (7), a data processing module and an interface with the human user. The data processing module can be formed by a microcontroller. The information input and reading interface can be constituted by any of the known means. When used in a livestock environment, the use of controls and the return of information by voice seems appropriate. In any case, the control of the autonomous system functions should be very simple. Thus, the autonomous system may be provided with a keyboard with a minimum of keys that allow access to different functions, such as reading the identifier or connecting to databases.

The memory (7) may contain two types of information: dynamic information, which can be erased and modified, and which refers to the animals and their characteristics, and static information, which cannot be erased, and which contains the identification of the owner of said information. memory. Therefore, the memory contains the information in its databases, which will be duplicated in the centralized database (4). The information contained in the memory (7) will make it possible to certify in a unique and unforgeable way the identity of the owner or user of the autonomous system. This memory (7) can be integrated

ES 2 199 892 T3 in the autonomous system or transported on a removable electronic card, which can be inserted into the system as described below.

It is foreseen that each person who has contact with the animal (owner, keeper, veterinarian, carrier or other) has in his possession an autonomous system (3) or, at least, an electronic card that houses the memory (7) of said system . The autonomous system (3) can be connected to the reading system (2) by any known means.

The centralized database (4) groups together the information referring to the animals of a specific group (national capital, breed or group of farmers). The owners or keepers must transmit to this database some information related to their animals. The information communication means (5) between the autonomous system (3) and the centralized database (4) can be carried out by any known means of communication, for example, by means of the mobile telephone network.

It is also possible that the owners or holders, each with an autonomous system (3), automatically transfer information contained in the memories (7) of their autonomous systems to third parties.

In this regard, each autonomous system (3) comprises a communication means (6) that makes it possible to transmit information to at least one autonomous system (3). The communication means (6) and (6 ') can use, for example, a cable link, with radio waves, infrared signals or any other means.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the reading system (2), the autonomous system (3) and the communication means (5) and (6) are integrated in the same box. However, they can be divided into several boxes, communicating with each other via cable, radio, infrared or any other means.

The invention may also consist, in the same box or separately, of a GPS or other type of geographic location device (8), which makes it possible to accurately locate the place where information enters, is read, received or is modified.

The description that follows on the different stages of the use of the installation will allow a better understanding of the invention.

Identification numbers are attributed to newly born animals. Each of these numbers is inscribed on a ring, for example in the form of a visual identifier and, possibly, an electronic identifier. The owner or keeper of the animals fixes the ring to the ear of an animal. Then, it identifies the animal in the autonomous system, either by manually typing its identification number or by means of the automatic reading system of the identifier. When the autonomous system has identified the animal, the owner or keeper must enter the first information related to said animal (date of birth, parents of the animal ...). These data are stored in the memory of the autonomous system. This information is then transmitted, by means of the autonomous system, to the centralized database (4). It is possible that this transmission is carried out automatically, certified and mandatory when the user enters new information that must be notified to the database. The data transmitted will include the information entered by the owner or possessor as well as the certified identifier of the owner or possessor contained in the memory (7) of the autonomous system. Afterwards, the database will forward information that will verify that the data contained in the memory of the autonomous system is correctly registered in the database and will provide them with the same certification.

For example, when a carrier loads animals, the autonomous system of the owner or keeper and the autonomous system of the carrier will be able to communicate. After having identified the animals, the carrier's autonomous system will receive the information regarding said animals contained in the memory of the owner's autonomous system. Later, this transaction will be updated in the centralized database and then it will be validated in the memory of each of the devices.

In another case, a buyer is near an animal. After reading the animal's identifier, it communicates with the database through its autonomous system and receives the information related to said animal. If the animal interests you, you can carry out the transaction with the owner or holder through their respective autonomous systems.

In fact, several users can communicate with others based on the identifier of the animal and / or one or another user.

In another case, when it is not possible to establish immediate contact with the database, the autonomous system, after reading the animal's identifier, can present the information related to the animal registered in its memory or in that of another nearby autonomous system, specifying for each information whether or not it has been communicated to the database and whether it has been validated by it.

These examples only represent some of the possibilities offered by the installation object of the present invention and are not, in any case, restrictive.

According to a variant of the installation already mentioned, some users have an autonomous system consisting of a terminal whose memory is integrated into the device and others only have an electronic card that contains the memory relating to the animals in their care. In this case, several types of autonomous systems can be considered:

Autonomous systems without memory but with one or more electronic card readers, which could be located in the meeting places of the owners or holders so that they can carry out their transactions.

Autonomous systems dedicated to a user, which have an integrated memory and one or more electronic card readers to carry out transactions with users who do not have a personal autonomous system.

The installation according to the invention makes available to users as many terminals as necessary, to communicate the animal and the database or to communicate the terminals with each other based on the identifier of the animal in question.