WO1987006113A1

WO1987006113A1 - Warning device for monitoring discrete moving elements, monitoring system comprising such devices and their use for the management of stalling

Info

Publication number: WO1987006113A1
Application number: PCT/FR1987/000118
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jacques Huneau; Jean Lanzo
Original assignee: Jacques Huneau; Jean Lanzo
Priority date: 1986-04-11
Filing date: 1987-04-10
Publication date: 1987-10-22
Also published as: FR2596950A1; FR2596950B1; AU7234887A; AU597057B2; EP0262205A1

Abstract

The warning device for monitoring discrete moving elements comprises a body (1) in contact with an element to be monitored and, inside said body, sensor means (2) of which the sensitive element is flush with the wall (10) in contact with the element. Means (3) for processing electric signals generated by the sensors are provided in order to obtain condition variables representative of the element to be monitored and transmission-reception means (4, 5) provide for the transmission of information to and/or from a central monitoring station. Application to the management of stalling for domestic animals, to the monitoring of predetermined objects.

Description

MONITORING DEVICE FOR MONITORING MOBILE DISCRETE ELEMENTS MONITORING SYSTEM COMPRISING SUCH DEVICES AND THEIR USE IN STABLE MANAGEMENT

The present invention relates to a witness device for monitoring discrete moving elements, to the monitoring system comprising such witness devices, and to a use of the monitoring witness devices, and to the system comprising the latter, for assistance and / or the management of the lairage.

At the present time, the monitoring of industrial processes is perfectly mastered in so far as the latter implementing fixed station installations, most often, in fact only require the use of suitably adapted sensors.

In the case where, on the contrary, the elements to be monitored are mobile discrete elements and where the monitoring of the latter is not limited to the monitoring of physical parameters, it is thought in particular, but not limited to the monitoring of physiological parameters d 'living organisms, the solutions adopted to date only allow, at most, to monitor an event such as for example the start of parturition of a pregnant female.

Various proposals have been made to solve the aforementioned problem, in particular by French patent application 2,389,368 published on December 1, 1978. In the aforementioned patent application, a device for monitoring and indicating the start of the birth of an animal such that a horse is described. This device, essentially, uses to the detection of the variation of secretion of the sweat glands at the level of the neck of the animal, during the appearance of the precursor phenomena of the birth. If this device is likely to give satisfaction in the limited function which has been assigned to it, it is understood of course that a general surveillance of the mare, or other animal, cannot be established. The object of the present invention is to remedy the aforementioned drawback by using a monitoring witness device and a corresponding monitoring system of very general application, this application not being moreover limited to surveillance of living organisms.

Another object of the present invention is the implementation of a multifunctional monitoring witness device, the multifunctional character of the latter resulting, in particular, in the case of the monitoring of living organisms, of the detection and control of 'a plurality of physiological parameters of these.

Another object of the present invention is the implementation or use of a monitoring control device in the form of an implant, the positioning of the latter, on the animal to be monitored, being carried out by subcutaneous implantation.

The witness device for monitoring discrete moving elements that is the subject of the invention is remarkable in that it comprises a device body having at least one wall intended to come into contact with an element to be monitored. Inside of device body, sensor means whose sensitive element is flush with the wall intended to come into contact with the element under consideration are provided. The sensor means are sensitive at least to the contiguous presence of the element to be monitored and of the wall. They make it possible to generate, in operation, electrical signals representative of this presence. Electrical signal processing means make it possible to generate and store, from the electrical signals, state variables representative of the element or elements to be monitored. Transmission-reception means make it possible to ensure the transmission of information to and / or from a central monitoring station. The system for monitoring discrete moving elements according to the invention is remarkable in that it comprises a plurality of monitoring witness devices as described above. A central unit or control station makes it possible to transmit to and receive from each of the witness devices for monitoring discrete elements the corresponding information. A plurality of remote control stations capable of being controlled by the central unit or control station may also be provided.

The invention finds application in aid to the management and / or monitoring of mobile discrete elements of any type, and in particular to aid and management of housing and breeding, as well as in the medical domain. It will be better understood on reading the description and on observing the drawings below in which:

FIG. 1 represents in perspective a schematic view of a monitoring witness object of the invention,

- Figure 2 shows, in perspective, an alternative embodiment of the monitoring control device, as shown in Figure 1, - Figure 3a shows respectively a sectional view along a plane of symmetry containing an axis of symmetry of revolution Δ d an advantageous embodiment of a control device in accordance with the present invention, and FIGS. 3b, 3c, an exemplary embodiment of the layout circuit for the various electrical elements inside the control device shown in FIG. 3a,

FIGS. 4 and 5 represent a block diagram of the microprocessor installed on the circuit shown in FIGS. 3b and 3c,

FIG. 6 represents a block diagram or flow diagram of the functions performed by the aforementioned microprocessor,

FIG. 7 represents a block diagram of the surveillance system which is the subject of the invention,

- Figures 8a and 8b schematically show different embodiments of the monitoring control device fixed by clipping into a cartilaginous part such as the lobe of an animal's ear and by subcutaneous implantation.

The device for monitoring discrete moving elements, object of the invention, will firstly be described in connection with FIG. 1.

According to the aforementioned figure, the device comprises a device body denoted 1, having at least one wall 10, intended to come into contact with an element to be monitored. Inside the body of the device are shown schematically, in FIG. 1, sensor means 2, the sensitive element of which is flush with the wall 10 intended to come into contact with the element to be monitored. The sensor means 2 are at least sensitive to the contiguous presence of the element to be monitored and of the wall and make it possible to generate in operation electrical signals representative of this presence. Electrical signal processing means make it possible to generate and store from these electrical signals state variables representative of the element or elements to be monitored. Transmission-reception means denoted 4.5 make it possible to transmit information to and / or from a central monitoring station.

The witness device for monitoring discrete mobile elements, as shown in FIG. 1, can advantageously be used for tracking or monitoring mobile objects, such as for example administrative files, household or commercial articles, or the like.

The monitoring witness object of the invention will however be described in an application more specific, in which the mobile discrete elements to be monitored are living organisms.

In this case, and with a view to ensuring physiological monitoring of the latter, the device body has at least one external wall 100, as shown in particular in FIG. 2, which is substantially smooth and intended to come into direct contact with the skin. or with an internal tissue of the living organism. Sensor means marked 2 ₀ , 2 ₁ , 2 ₂ , are further provided, these sensors flush with the wall 100 intended to come into direct contact with the skin or with the internal tissue of the living organism.

According to the invention, the aforementioned sensor means are sensitive to at least one physiological phenomenon of the living organism and make it possible to generate in operation electrical signals representative of these physiological phenomena. The state variables of course correspond to physiological phenomena, and make it possible to ensure a parametric representation of the living organism under surveillance.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the monitoring witness device, object of the invention, the aforementioned sensor means may include a plurality of sensors such as bioelectric sensors, pressure sensors, temperature sensors, optical sensors.

By bioelectric sensors is meant in fact a sensor comprising for example electrodes with silver chloride or non-polarizable electrodes, or such as micro-electrodes of pacemakers. the distance separating two electrodes constituting a sensor can be between 1 and 1.5 cm. Such a type of sensor enables detection of the electrophysiological parameters of the living organism, and the obtaining, for example, of electromyogram signals or of electrocardiographic signals. These signals make it possible to establish the parameters of the state of contraction of the muscles of the living organism.

The pressure sensors used can for example be miniature pressure sensors, normally commercially available, such as the sensor sold under the references SX 01 to SX 150, brand SENSYM by the company SENSORTEC. This type of sensor, depending on the location of the monitoring device which is the subject of the invention makes it possible to ensure, by pihysmography, the establishment of state parameters relating for example to the heart rate of the living organism or in the case of animals with ruminology of the latter . The temperature sensors used can advantageously be constituted by miniature thermistors. These latter sensors make it possible to obtain the temperature state parameters of the living organism, as a function of its physiological state. The optical sensors used can advantageously consist of infrared transceivers with pulsed emission. This type of sensor makes it possible, due to the selective absorption and the variation of indices at the wavelength considered as a function of the blood flow in particular, to determine the parameters of state of cardiac pulsation or the like. A treatment of all the state parameters thus defined by search for inter-parameter correlation, treatment of the multi-criteria type by matrix tables, then makes it possible to define and establish the parametric representation of the living organism under surveillance.

As it also appears in FIG. 2, the body of the control device can advantageously be made integral with a fixing strip or rod 6, by means of a wall opposite to the substantially smooth wall 100. In the case the use of a fixing strip, this can advantageously be formed either by an adhesive strip or by a strip sold under the name "Velcro" strip. In the configuration shown in FIG. 2, the monitoring witness device, object of the invention, will advantageously be used for medical applications, the device then being able to be applied without any inconvenience to humans. According to an advantageous embodiment of the monitoring witness device, object of the invention, as shown in particular 'in Figure 3a, the body of the device can advantageously have a shape substantially of revolution relative to a central axis noted Δ. In this case, the radius of curvature of the line of intersection of the external wall of the body of the device and of a plane containing the central axis Δ can be provided so as to vary continuously. Thus, the body of the device is configured according to a pellet or ovoid shape. This aforementioned form appears particularly advantageous in the case where the witness monitoring device lance, object of the invention, is configured so as to constitute an implant. In this case, the body of the device is advantageously made of a biocompatible material, such as for example stainless steel, titanium, or surgical plastic.

As it also appears in FIG. 3a, inside the device body can advantageously be provided a wafer of the printed circuit wafer type 300, on which is implanted a chip or integrated circuit 30, constituting the means for processing the signals and the means of transmission-reception. A transmit-receive antenna 5 is connected via a connection 304 to the transmit-receive circuits represented by the integrated circuit 30. The supply of electrical energy can for example be ensured by means of a battery or accumulator denoted 400, making it possible, by means of a mechanical part denoted 500, to ensure the mechanical cohesion of the assembly. The printed circuit board 300 can advantageously be fixed to the internal wall of the body of the device by means of a mechanical part 305 or by gluing. The body of the device can consist of two complementary parts 601 and 602, which can be assembled by screwing or the like 603, after assembly of the elements previously described. The screw 603 is of course provided with a seal such as for example a silicone seal.

According to another advantageous alternative embodiment of the monitoring witness object of the invention, the device body can for example be produced when a surgical plastic is used, by overmolding. In this case, the printed circuit board 300, electrical supply stack 400 and integrated circuit 30 assembly can advantageously be embedded in the overmolding plastic. According to an advantageous variant embodiment of the monitoring witness object of the invention, one or more weakening zones denoted 604 can be provided on the wall of the body of the device, this weakening zone possibly advantageously constituting the sensitive membrane of the specified pressure sensors.

A layout diagram of the integrated circuit 30 on the printed circuit board 300 will now be briefly described in connection with FIGS. 3b and 3c. The printed circuit board 300 may advantageously include on one of its faces a metallized zone 302, making it possible to ensure contact with the electric power supply element 400, for example when the latter consists of a battery of the type button cell and a metallized area 301 constituting the reference ground plane. On the opposite face of the printed circuit board, face on which the integrated circuit 30 is implanted, the ground plane 301 is also shown. The connection between the transmission-reception output of the transmission-reception means contained in the integrated circuit 30 and the connection cable 304 to the transmission-reception antenna 5 can then advantageously be constituted by a metallized strip 302, constituting with the ground plane, for example, a coplanar line.

The antenna 5 can advantageously be an antenna of the whip antenna type constituted by a wire metallic provided with a protective sheath 50. The protective sheath 50 may advantageously be made of a biocompatible insulating material.

A more detailed description of the functional elements constituting the integrated circuit 30 will now be given in connection with FIG. 4.

According to this figure, the integrated circuit advantageously comprises a microprocessor 4005 provided with analog inputs denoted 405 to which the various sensors previously denoted ₂₀ are connected,

2 ₁ , 2 ₂ . The integrated circuit 30 also includes a transceiver unit denoted 401, the transceiver unit enabling the transmission of a high frequency radio signal. The transceiver unit, as will be described later in the description in more detail, is controlled by the microprocessor 4005. In addition, a power supply unit 402 comprising rectifier elements and DC voltage multipliers allow d '' from the HF carrier wave emitted by the central station, recharging the power storage circuits. In fact, it will be understood that the electrical energy supply element denoted 400 in FIG. 3a can advantageously be constituted by an accumulator mounted in parallel on the supply element 402.

A more detailed description of the integrated circuit 30 will be given in connection with FIG. 5. In this figure, the various sensors have been represented and referenced as above 2 ₀ , 2 ₁ , 2 ₂ , 2 ₃ . The signals delivered by the sensors can for example be first of all subjected to a processing analog referenced 4001, which may consist, for example, of filtering. Then, the signals processed analogically are subjected to the level of the integrated circuit 30 to a new processing, these signals supplying a multi-channel analog-digital converter noted 4002. The microprocessor proper noted 4005 then receives the digital signals obtained by conversion at the level of the analog converter -digital 4002, and possibly logic input signals, from a logic input denoted 4003. An internal clock, denoted 4007, can advantageously be provided, this internal clock making it possible to clock the microprocessor 4005. A unit 4004 is also provided, this storage unit comprising a memory area in which a program, for sequential operation of the monitoring witness device object of the invention is recorded and a protected memory area comprising identification parameters as well as parameters instructions, relating to the discrete element or to the living organism to be monitored er can be saved. The connection of the microprocessor 4005 to a transceiver unit 4008, 4009 is carried out by means of a serial communication unit denoted 4005, the link between the transceiver unit 4008, 4009 to the antenna 5 being itself carried out by means of a duplexer and antenna coupler noted 4010. Advantageously, the high frequency transmission can be carried out with a carrier at a frequency between 10 and 100 MHz and being able to go up to 500 Mhz. In addition, the 4005 microprocessor may advantageously include a logic output denoted 4011, the function of which can be adapted according to the intended use.

The microprocessor provided with its basic software represented in 1000 in this figure, makes it possible first of all to ensure the control of the state of the power source, step noted in 1001. Then, an initialization of the acquisition of the physiological signals is produced in a step 1002. A suitable subroutine makes it possible to manage the data memories, this subroutine intervening in the step denoted 1003. Then, serial communication software makes it possible to ensure in a step 1004, the high-frequency link at transmission and / or at reception between the monitoring witness object of the invention and a central control station.

In accordance with the subject of the invention the transmission-reception between the central control station and each of the monitoring witness devices can be carried out from the central control station to the monitoring witness devices by the transmission of a carrier wave HF high frequency modulated, in frequency or in phase by a binary code for example. This modulated HF carrier has the maximum of its energy used by rectification at the level of the rectifying elements of each of the monitoring devices in order to ensure the recharging of the supply storage means 400. The latter can advantageously consist of a battery of lithium batteries with very low charge current as distributed by the company CATALYST RESEARCH CORPORATION. At demodulation, the pulse train corresponding to the binary code transmitted thus includes the identification address of each monitoring witness device, in order to ensure, on coincidence of the transmitted address and the identification address of each witness device, the sequential transmission of information relating to the latter. The transmission of coded information by frequency or phase modulation on a high frequency carrier is known from the state of the art and will not be described in more detail. A detailed description of a device for monitoring discrete mobile elements in accordance with the object of the present invention will now be described in relation to FIG. 7.

In accordance with this figure, the device for monitoring discrete movable elements which is the subject of the invention comprises a plurality of witness devices for monitoring discrete elements denoted D ₁ , D ₂ ... D _N as described above. A central unit 600 or control station makes it possible to transmit to and receive from each of the witness devices for monitoring discrete elements the corresponding information. A plurality of remote control stations 700 ₁ to 700 _M can be controlled by the central unit or control station. The above-mentioned remote control units or stations 700 ₁ to 700 _M may advantageously consist, in the case where mobile discrete elements are for example living organisms such as domestic animals, in opening or closing control systems of access doors to specific type installations. In this case, the central unit or control station 600 allows either the remote control of these control units or stations controlled directly by the central or on the contrary, in accordance with an advantageous aspect of the present invention, by the intermediary of at least one of the witness devices for monitoring discrete elements D ₁ , D ₂ to D _N. Thus, for a given animal, it is possible to program, at the level of the monitoring witness device D ₁ , D ₂ to D _N associated with it, any access or any condemnation to a given installation, according to programs specific to the case in point. These particular programs can of course integrate the age of the animal, its nutritional needs as a function of this age, the actual situation of this animal with respect to any management parameter normally used for the breeding of this type of animal. It will thus be understood that the monitoring control devices and / or in particular any monitoring system as previously described, can advantageously be used to aid in the management of the housing in particular.

An exemplary embodiment of a monitoring control device in accordance with the present invention on a particular animal will be given in connection with FIG. 8a. According to this figure, the monitoring indicator D ₁ can advantageously be fixed by clipping into a cartilaginous part, such as the lobe of an animal's ear, lobe noted L. In this case, the clipping is carried out according to the usual techniques clips used for fitting rings or inert witnesses. These techniques are perfectly known in the field of animal husbandry. By cartilaginous zones, 01 naturally means a zone such as the earlobe, any other zone which can of course be used. However, these areas have sufficient blood supply to allow the parametric representation of the physiological state of the animal to be determined, as described above. In this case, and in a nonlimiting manner, the supply of electrical energy to the integrated circuit 30 can advantageously be carried out by means of photovoltaic cells arranged on the free surface of the carrying clip of the monitoring witness object of the invention. In FIG. 8a, the photovoltaic cells have been denoted 800. A variant use of the monitoring witness devices which are the subject of the invention and / or of the monitoring system comprising such devices will also be described in conjunction with FIG. 8b. According to this figure, the monitoring witness device D ₁ , constituting an implant, the latter can advantageously be introduced under the skin of an animal. In this case, the implant D ₁ is placed in a connective tissue noted 14, using a trocar 10. The trocar 10 is introduced subcutaneously into the connective tissue 14, the mobile part noted 10 _A of the trocar being removed, the fixed part noted 10 _B being retained in the connective tissue. The implant D ₁ is then introduced into the part 10 _B and put in place by means of the mobile part 10 _A , which, re-engaged in the part 10 _B and acting as a piston, then allows the establishment suitable for the monitoring control device D ₁ in the connective tissue. The entire trocar, part 10 _A and part 10 _B , can then be removed, the antenna 5 being normally deployed in the vicinity of the surface of the animal's skin. The antenna 5 can then be cut flush with the skin of the animal, so as to avoid any excessive overshoot of the antenna relative to the orifice resulting from the introduction of the trocar. Of course, the dimensions of the implant or monitoring control device D .. and of the length of the antenna 5 can be adapted as a function of the size of the animal. In particular, in the case of animals such as ruminants, the implant or monitoring control device Di can have a maximum diameter of around 2 centimeters and the antenna can have a length of around 10 centimeters . Different models of implants, that is to say different models having dimensions adapted to the size of the animal can be provided.

Furthermore, in accordance with a particularly advantageous aspect of the monitoring indicator which is the subject of the invention, the logic output denoted 4011 of the microprocessor 4005 can be connected to a particular external electrode flush with the substantially smooth contact face of the monitoring witness device D ₁ , so as to allow the establishment of electrical impulses capable of carrying out an excitation of muscular and / or nervous centers of the animal. Depending on the location of the monitoring witness device D ₁ , such a characteristic could, advantageously, in accordance with the subject of the present invention, constituting an electronic stimulator or prod.

We have thus described a monitoring witness device for mobile discrete elements and a monitoring system comprising such devices, which in a nonlimiting manner, can be used for monitoring inanimate objects, such as articles of commerce, archive files. , or the like, or on the contrary of living organisms such as animals and even such as humans.

In the case where the monitoring witness object of the invention is used for monitoring discrete moving elements constituted by inanimate objects, the witness device can then be compared to a programmable label from which the management of these objects is particularly facilitated.

In the case where, on the contrary, the monitoring witness device is used for monitoring discrete mobile elements such as domestic animals, this advantageously makes it possible to simplify the food management operations of the animals, to facilitate veterinary diagnostics and to release breeders from the constraints of entering certain elements of diagnostic assistance. It should be mentioned in particular that in the case of lairage, each animal must be fed according to its own characteristics, weight, age, in particular. The health monitoring of animals such as dairy cows, pigs, slaughter or breeding animals can then be introduced and updated according to the requirements of management by simple direct interrogation of each of the monitoring witness devices by the central station. It will be understood in particular that not only aid for lairage can be thus achieved thanks to the system, object of the invention, lairage involving relatively small displacements for the animal, but also monitoring of the animal (s) in their displacement insofar as a sufficient range of the transmission-reception means contained in the monitoring witness object of the invention is provided. In this case, relay transmission-reception means can advantageously be provided in a determined breeding area, the range of the transmission-reception means contained in the integrated circuit 30 can hardly exceed, in free field, 200 to 300 meters.

Claims

1. Witness device for monitoring discrete mobile elements, characterized in that it comprises:

- a device body (1) having at least one wall (10) intended to come into contact with an element to be monitored, and, inside the device body, - sensor means (2) including the element sensitive is flush with the wall (10) intended to come into contact with said element, said sensor means (2) being at least sensitive to the contiguous presence of the element to be monitored and of the wall, and making it possible to generate, in operation, electrical signals representative of said presence, - means (3) for processing electrical signals to generate and store, from the electrical signals, state variables representative of said element or elements to be monitored,

- transmission-reception means (4,5) allowing the transmission of information to one and / or from a central monitoring station.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that, said discrete mobile elements being living organisms, and with a view to ensuring physiological monitoring of the latter, said device body has at least one substantially smooth external wall (100) intended to come into direct contact with the skin or with an internal tissue of the living organism, said sensor means (2 ₀ , 2 ₁ , 2 ₂ ) being sensitive to at least one physiological phenomenon of the living organism and making it possible to generate, in operation, electrical signals representative of said physiological phenomena, said state variables corresponding to physiological phenomena making it possible to ensure a parametric representation of said living organism.

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the body of the device is, by means of a wall opposite to said substantially smooth wall (100), integral with a fixing strip or rod (6).

4. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the body of said device is substantially of revolution with respect to a central axis (A), the radius of curvature of the line of intersection of the external wall of the body of the device and d 'a plane containing the central axis continuously continuously varying.

5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the body of said device is configured in the form of a pellet or ovoid.

6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that in order to constitute an implant, the body of said device is made of a biocompatible material.

7. Device according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the means for processing said signals and the transmission-reception means consist of a chip or integrated circuit (30).

8. Device according to one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that said transmission-reception means comprise a transmission-reception antenna (5).

9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that said antenna of whip antenna type constituted by a metal wire provided with a protective sheath (50).

10. Device according to claims 6 and 9, characterized in that the sheath is made of a biocompatible insulating material.

11. Device according to one of claims 2 to 10, characterized in that said sensor means comprise a plurality of sensors such as, bioelectric sensor, pressure, temperature, optical sensor.

12. Device according to one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that said integrated circuit comprises: - a microprocessor (4005) provided with analog inputs to which the sensors (2 ₀ , 2 ₁ , 2 ₂ ) are connected,

- a high frequency transceiver unit (401) controlled by the microprocessor (400), - a power supply unit (402) comprising rectifier elements and DC voltage multipliers to ensure, from the HF carrier wave issued by the central station, a recharge of the power storage circuits.

13. Device according to claim

12, characterized in that the transmission-reception between the central control station and each of the monitoring indicator devices is carried out from the cen station control link to the monitoring witness devices by the emission of a modulated HF carrier wave, said carrier, for each monitoring witness device, being frequency or phase modulated by a binary code, the modulation being representative of the identification address of each monitoring witness device, in order to ensure, on coincidence of the transmitted address and the identification address of each witness device, the sequential transmission of information relating to the latter, the modulated HF carrier having the maximum of its energy used by rectification at the level of the rectifying elements of each monitoring device in order to ensure the recharging of the supply storage means (400).

14. Device for monitoring discrete mobile elements, characterized in that it comprises:

a plurality of witness devices for monitoring discrete elements (D ₁ , D ₂ ... D _N ) according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 13,

- a central unit (600) or control station for transmitting to and from each of the witness devices for monitoring discrete elements the corresponding information, - a plurality of remote control stations (700 ₁ -700 _M ) capable to be controlled by the central unit or control station.

15. Use of a monitoring witness device and / or a monitoring system according to claims 1 to 13 and 14 for assistance in the management of the housing.

16. Use according to claim 15, characterized in that the monitoring control device constituting an implant, the latter is introduced under the skin of an animal and placed in a connective tissue (14) using a trocar (10), the antenna (5) then being cut flush with the animal's skin.