Abstract:
An apparatus for performing animal related operations includes a robot arm movable in response to a controller, the robot arm being provided with a gripper for gripping an animal related device. A sensor is adapted to establish a location of the animal related device.

Description:
TECHNICAL BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for performing animal related operations comprising a robot arm movable in response to a control means, said robot arm being provided with a gripper for gripping an animal related means. 
     Such an apparatus and such a method are known from WO 97/15900. 
     OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
     The known apparatus suffers from the drawback that the robot has not a complete control over associated equipment during the whole operation. 
     It is thus an object of the invention to overcome this drawback. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This object has been achieved by an apparatus and a method of the initially defined kind, which is characterised in that a sensor means is adapted to establish a location of said animal related means. According to one embodiment of the invention, the sensor means comprises at least one image capturing device associated with the control means for enhanced sensing performance. 
     Suitably, said sensor means is adapted to sense the presence of said animal related means at a predetermined location As only a predetermined location needs to be sensed, the sensor performs a fast establishment of the instantaneous location of the animal related means. 
     Preferably, said predetermined location is an animal stall. Hereby, the sensing is limited to a certain space. 
     Suitably, said predetermined location is a storage means for said animal related means. Hereby, the sensing is limited to positions, where the animal related means is expected to be located. 
     Preferably, said predetermined location is the gripper of said robot arm. Hereby, it is possible to establish whether the gripper has gripped an animal related means or not. 
     In particular, said sensor means is included in the storage means. Alternatively, or additionally, said sensor means is included in the gripper. In both cases, it is preferable that said sensor means comprises a contact sensor. 
     Suitably, said sensor means comprises at least one image capturing device associated with said control means. Hereby, it is possible to perform an overall establishment of the location of the animal related means. 
     Preferably, said control means is adapted to recognise different kinds of animal related means. Hereby, a fast comparison operation is achieved. 
     Suitably, said control means is adapted to perform image analysis of a captured image. Hereby, a means for performing said establishment is provided. 
     Preferably, said sensor means comprises a laser sensor adapted to project a laser line on said animal related means. Hereby, a distinct light beam is achieved. 
     Suitably, said animal related means is provided with at least one bar code. Hereby, it is possible to identify said animal related means 
     Suitably, said animal related means comprises at least one teatcup. Alternatively, or additionally, said animal related means is a teat cleaning means. Alternatively, or additionally, said animal related means comprises a teat desinfection means. 
     Consequently, a complete control of the location of each different kind of animal related means is possible to be established. 
     Preferable would be to use the apparatus here described as well as the method for carrying out the objects of the present invention in an automated milking system. 
    
    
     DRAWING SUMMARY 
     In the following, the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 illustrates an apparatus with different animal related means provided with a sensor means according to a first embodiment of the invention, 
     FIG. 2 is top view of a detail of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, 
     FIGS. 3 a  and  3   b  are perspective views of an animal stall provided with the apparatus shown in the above FIGS. 1 and 2, 
     FIGS. 4 a  and  4   b  illustrate an animal related means, each of which is provided with a sensor means according to a second embodiment, 
     FIGS. 5 a  and  5   b  are perspective views of an animal stall corresponding to FIGS. 3 a  and  3   b , provided with a sensor means according to a third embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 shows a robot  1  having a robot arm  2  with a gripper  3  provided with gripping members  3   a ,  3   b  for gripping an animal related means, e.g. a teatcup  4   a , a teat cleaning means  4   b  or a teat disinfecting means  4   c  provided with a spray nozzle  4   d . An image capturing device  5  is provided for viewing for instance the udder of an animal, such as a cow, a goat, a sheep, a horse or a buffalo, in order to locate its teats. 
     The gripper  3  is shown in more detail in FIG. 2, which illustrates the gripper from above including a teatcup  4   a , which is indicated with broken lines. Each gripping member  3   a ,  3   b  is movable about a hinge  6 . Accordingly, the teatcup  4   a  is gripped by moving the gripping members  3   a ,  3   b  towards one another and is released by moving them away from one another. Furthermore, the rounded shape of the gripping members forces the teatcup  4   a  towards a sensor means  7  arranged on the robot arm  2  between the gripping members  3   a ,  3   b.    
     The sensor means  7  is in the form of a contact sensor and is provided for sensing the presence of for example the teatcup  4   a  between the gripping members  3   a ,  3   b . The contact sensor may be a push button, which is pressed towards the robot arm when the teatcup  4   a  is gripped by the gripping members  3   a ,  3   b . Alternatively, it may be a metal detector, which senses a direct contact with the animal related means  4   a ,  4   b ;  4   c  made at least partly of metal. The gripping members  3   a ,  3   b  and the sensor means  7  are adapted to grip and sense the presence of the teat cleaning means  4   b  and the teat disinfecting means  4   c  as well. 
     The teatcups  4   a , the teat cleaning means  4   b  and the teat disinfecting means  4   c  are stored in a common rack or separate racks  8  (see FIG.  1 ). Each rack  8  is provided with a sensor means in the form of a contact sensor  7  of the same kind as described above regarding the gripper. The contact sensor  7  of the rack  8  thus senses whether a relevant animal related means  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c  is present in the rack or not. 
     The robot  1  and the racks  8  are arranged at an animal stall  9 . 
     The robot arm  2 , the gripper  3  and each contact sensor  7  are associated with at least one control means (not shown). 
     FIG. 3 a  shows the animal stall  9  of FIG. 1 from a larger distance. The animal related means  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c  are easily reached by the gripper  3  of the robot arm  2 . The gripper grips a relevant animal related means  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c  and moves it towards an animal in the stall  9 , and performs an animal related operation, such as teat cleaning, milking or teat desinfection 
     FIG. 3 b  shows a situation where an animal related means e.g. a teatcup  4   a  has been dropped on the floor. None of the contact sensors  7  will hence sense the presence of that teatcup  4   a  The control means thus establishes the arisen situation as abnormal and indicates that the teatcup  4   a  must be picked up. Accordingly, the control means controls the robot arm to move the image capturing device  5  in such a way that it can view the animal stall. The dropped teatcup  4   a  is searched for and found by the image capturing device, and is subsequently picked up by the gripper  3  and cleaned, if needed. Alternatively, an alarm signal is generated and sent to a buzzer or a mobile telephone carried by the farmer. 
     Of course, the contact sensors  7  will not sense the presence of the teatcup  4   a  during milking, but the control means will not consider this an abnormal situation. 
     FIGS. 4 a  and  4   b  illustrate a second embodiment, in which the sensor means is a laser sensor  10  having a transmitter  10   a  for transmitting a scanning laser beam or a stable or scanning laser plane, resulting in a laser line projected on the animal related means, in FIGS. 4 a  and  4   b  represented as a teatcup  4   a . The laser sensor  10  is furthermore provided with a laser reader  10   b , such as a digital camera. 
     The teatcup  4   a  shown in FIG. 4 a  is recognised and identified by the length of the laser line projected onto it, in a way similar to the teat recognition method of WO 97/15900. 
     The teat cleaning means  4   b  and the teat disinfecting means  4   c  are recognised in the same manner. 
     It is thus possible not only to perform a fast establishment of the presence of the teatcup  4   a  in the gripper  3  or in the rack but also the kind of anal related means  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c.    
     As shown in FIG. 4 b , the teatcup  4   a  is provided with a bar code  11 . The laser reader  10   b  comprises a generally known bar code analysing unit. 
     It is accordingly possible not only to perform a fast establishment of the presence of the teatcup  4   a  in the gripper  3  or in the rack  8  and the kind of animal related means  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c , but also the identity thereof, i.e. which one of the teatcups  4   a  is gripped by the gripper  3  or is present in the rack  8 . 
     It is furthermore possible to identify which teatcup  4   a  is or is not attached to a teat of the animal by moving the robot arm  2  towards the teatcup  4   a  on a teat or on the floor and transmitting or projecting a laser line on the teatcup  4   a . The same of course relates to dropped teat cleaning means  4   b , the teat disinfecting means  4   c  or any other animal related means provided with a bar code. 
     FIGS. 5 a  and  5   b  show a third embodiment in which a sensor means  12  in the form of at least one image capturing device is provided to view the stall and establish the presence of an animal related means  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c  in the rack or racks  8  or in the gripper  3 . 
     The robot arm  2 , the gripper  3  and the image capturing device or devices  12  are associated with a control means (not shown), which analyses captured images, e.g. by contour analysis or colour analysis. In order to speed up colour (RGB) analysis, the animal related means  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c  may be coloured. By applying different colours or colour combinations to different teats or animal related means  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c , it is also possible to identify the different teats and/or animal related means  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c  and also to identify the different teatcups  4   a.    
     If an animal related means  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c  for example has been dropped on the floor, the control means controls the robot arm  2  to move towards the dropped item and grip it by means of the gripper  3 . A more precise location of the dropped item is performed at a relative short distance by means of the image capturing device  5  arranged on the robot arm  2 . 
     In all the described embodiments, it is possible to perform a routine check for the presence of the animal related means  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c  in the rack or racks  8 , e.g. after finished milking, for establishing that the equipment is ready to start milking another animal. 
     In the second and third embodiments, it is also possible to perform a routine check to make sure that the teatcups  4   a  are attached to the teats during milking. 
     It should be noted that the image capturing devices  12  may be used in combination with the sensor means  7  and/or  10  of the first and second embodiments. 
     It should furthermore be noted that the image capturing devices  12  in FIGS. 5 a  and  5   b  are unnecessary if an image capturing device  5  on the robot arm has good enough performance to view the whole desired area. In that case, the device  5  is in addition used for the same purpose as the image capturing devices  12 .