Patent Abstract:
A system and method for automatically controlling the quantitative delivery of, and then recording the occurrence of the administration of medicines to animals is disclosed and claimed. An intelligent syringe receives and automatically implements an instruction relating to a preferred quantity of medicine to be delivered to a specific animal, based on the measured weight of the animal. Upon actuation of the intelligent syringe, a first signal containing information relating to the actuation of the intelligent syringe, and the resulting injection of the animal is transmitted to a data repository. 
     An EID is attached to the animal to provide a tamper-resistant electronic identification of the animal, and a receiver is utilized for receiving the first signal from the intelligent syringe and the electronic identification of the animal. Thereafter, a computer database maintains the information contained in the first signal for selective access and analysis.

Full Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a system and method for automatically determining and then delivering, based on the weight of an animal and type of medicine, an amount of medicine optimal for the animal. 
     BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
     The regular and accurate administration of medicine to animals such as hogs and cattle is critical to the physical health of the animals, the resulting quality of the food products the animals deliver, and the sense of confidence the consumer has in the wholesomeness of those food products. These concerns are equally prevalent in both the cattle and hog industries, so it will be understood and appreciated that the following references to cattle, made for illustrative simplicity, are equally applicable to hogs and all other food animals. 
     In cattle, vast numbers of different, complex medicinal regimens have been developed and implemented in an effort to generate healthier animals that produce a safe, higher quality and quantity of beef. Because slaughtered beef is valued, in significant part, on its quality characteristics, and because the premium paid for high quality beef is high, those raising cattle for profit remain in search of the optimum medical regimen. Furthermore, pharmaceutical companies almost blindly spend billions of dollars developing individual medicines without the opportunity or resources to conduct a large-scale, extended length individual animal-based field tests. Compounding the problem is the fact that current systems and methods of record keeping among cattle ranchers and pork producers fail to provide the kind and volume of high quantity, high integrity information about the effects of various medicines on individual animals that would alert pharmaceutical developers of the most likely avenues for future successful drug development. Additionally, the growing concerns by consumers over the residual effects of the application of these medical treatments (as they relate to food safety) are not satisfied by any present method or system for medical treatment tracking or accounting. 
     The life of a head of cattle, from calf to slaughter, is in the range of one to two years (the period is less for hogs). Even in this relatively short period of time, the numbers of medical treatments a particular animal may receive are numerous. Additionally, the numbers of head of cattle a cattleman must raise to be profitable is generally large. Even if a cattleman endeavors to be diligent in the recordation of medicines given to individual cattle in his herd, the logistics of keeping such records make the task nearly impossible. First, animals as big as cattle are generally unappreciative of being stuck with the rather large needles typically used to inject medicines. Outweighed by a factor of three, four or five, the cattleman faces a battle just to deliver the injection. In addition to the physical struggle of man vs. animal, the conditions in many feedlots can be brutally inhospitable, especially in colder months and in the less temperate regions where cattle are typically raised. Finally, many cattle operations operate on tight profit margins, making the cost of additional labor for recording and maintaining recorded data (which may or may not have a positive effect on the price of the end product) prohibitive. Given these impediments, it is nearly impossible for a cattleman to simultaneously and accurately record information relevant to medicines and the animals the medicines are given to. 
     Numerous advances in the medicine delivery systems have helped cattlemen gain increased control over the historically chaotic task of administering medicines to animals. Notably, U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,494, which is specifically incorporated herein by reference, the inventor of which is also the inventor herein, discloses a marking syringe which, when actuated, simultaneously injects medicine into an animal and places a mark on the skin of the animal in proximity to the location of the injection. This marking syringe (known commercially as the “VAC-MARC®”) cleverly reduces what was formerly a clumsy, two-step injecting and marking process into one step—the actuation of the syringe. Nonetheless, a cattleman using the marking syringe taught by the &#39;494 patent and desiring to maintain records of injections would still have to somehow identify the animal and then manually record the fact that that particular animal had been injected. 
     Beyond the logistics of injecting and marking an animal, proper identification and dosage of the animal is also important. In this regard, the leading system is described in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/477,262 (specifically incorporated herein by reference and previously filed by the inventor herein), which teaches the principals of the commercially available VAC-TRAC™ system, available through AgEcom Corp. of Marietta, Ga., 1-800-793-1671. The VAC-TRAC™ system successfully and innovatively incorporates automatic recordation of animal injection information with animal identification information. Unfortunately, however, even the state-of-the-art VAC-TRAC™ system is unable to deliver, in real-time, different dosages of medicines to different animals based on automatically determining the weight of the animal and automatically adjusting the dosage accordingly. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method in which information relating to the administration of medicines to animals can be automatically accessed and implemented in the process of delivery of the medicines to the animals, then recorded for access and review after delivery. There is a further need for a system and method of combining and coordinating these automatic features with the automatic recordation of animal identification data. A still further need exists for a system and method for accomplishing the aforementioned needs and reliably and automatically recording the resulting information in a location and format in which it can be later used in the improved development of animal food products such as beef. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a system and method for automatically controlling the quantitative delivery of, and then recording the occurrence of the administration of medicines to animals. An intelligent syringe receives and automatically implements an instruction relating to a preferred quantity of medicine to be delivered to a specific animal, based on the measured weight of the animal. Upon actuation of the intelligent syringe, a first signal containing information relating to the actuation of the intelligent syringe, and the resulting injection of the animal is transmitted to a data repository. 
     An EID/RFID is attached to the animal to provide a tamper-resistant electronic identification of the animal, and a receiver is utilized for receiving the first signal from the intelligent syringe and the electronic identification of the animal. Thereafter, a computer database maintains the information contained in the first signal for selective access and analysis. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary embodiment of the present invention in an exemplary operating environment. 
     FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a transmitting syringe in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a flow diagram detailing exemplary steps in performing the method of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary embodiment of the present invention in an exemplary operating environment. 
     More specifically, the system and method for variable dosage medicine delivery  5  (hereinafter referred to as the “System”) features logistical and procedural devices by which a cattleman  10  can operate out of a farm office  20  in a particular remote injection area  30  to automatically deliver variable dosage injections to animals such as an animal  40  and, importantly, automatically record data (also referred to as “information”) relating to the injections. 
     In operation, the cattleman  10  begins operation of the System  5  by entering identification data such as personal identification information into a personal computer (“PC”)  25  in or near his farm office  20 . Depending on the desires of the system administrators, different levels and types of information may be required of the cattleman  10  before the cattleman  10  is authorized for further use of the System  5 . Determination as to authorization may be made by comparison of information requested of the cattleman  10  to information maintained in a database such as the access database  28 . Information contained in the access database  28  relating to authorization criteria for cattlemen could originate from any of a wide variety of sources such as a system administrator, drug manufacturer, or the like. 
     As far as the specifics of authorization are concerned, it may be sufficient for the cattleman  10  to enter an indicator of his personal identity, such that verification as to his training relating to the System  5  can be verified. It is understood that a substantial aspect of the value of information derived from operation of the System  5  is the guarantee that the information is devoid of errors which may originate with operation by untrained or improperly trained cattlemen. Verification that a particular cattleman has training sufficient to operate the system properly and, therefore, produce reliable data is considered valuable. 
     Beyond verification that a particular cattleman is properly trained for operation of the System  5 , it may also be desirable to require the cattleman  10  to enter into the system, for authorization, the specific medical regimen about to be applied by the cattleman  10  to the animal  40 . Clearly, if the cattleman  10  is not authorized, by virtue of a lack of training or certification, to deliver a particular medical regimen, the System  5  has no authority to prevent such delivery. However, because of the cattleman&#39;s lack of training or certification, introduction of medical delivery information derived from the activities of an untrained cattleman into the body of data produced by the present invention may have a diminishing effect on the otherwise robust data body. In such a situation, the System  5  would simply not record data relating to medicines delivered by an improperly trained or certified cattleman. Furthermore, it will be understood and appreciated that other discriminators, above and beyond the identity and training of a particular cattleman, may be used to determine whether or not information relating to an instant medical delivery is to be introduced into the body of data. 
     If the cattleman  10  is authorized to use the System  5  and, additionally, meets any other criteria or discriminators put in place by the system administrator, the system is primed by application of electrical power to necessary subsystems and components, such as those in the injection arena  30 . 
     In preparation for an injection session, the cattleman  10  accesses and prepares for use a syringe such as intelligent syringe  50 . The intelligent syringe  50 , described with greater specificity during the later description of FIG. 2, is a syringe having the ability to receive information relating to a particular optimal dosage amount, then simultaneously deliver a dosage-controlled injection and a marking ink spot to the animal  40 , then transmit information relating to the delivery of the injection to a data collector for collection and eventual dissemination. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the intelligent syringe  50  is connected to a medicine reservoir  52  via a medicine conduit  54 . It is foreseen that many medical administrations will be of such a small amount, by volume, that the cattleman  10  can retain the medicine reservoir  52  on an arm, leg, or in a backpack-type retention device, for ease of mobility about the injection arena. The medicine conduit  54  is a flexible, tubular member securely interconnected between the intelligent syringe  50  and the medicine reservoir  52 . As is well known to those skilled in the administration of medicines to animals, all medicine delivery components must comport with relevant health and safety regulations, especially in view of the highly toxic nature of many such medicines. In preparation for commencement of animal injections, the cattleman  10  may also place a personal data device (“PDD”)  56  such as a Palm Pilot®-type product on his person for recording injection information as will be described momentarily. It will also be understood that the spirit and scope of the present invention specifically contemplates transmitting syringes which, themselves, carry a sufficient amount of medicine to accomplish a desirable number of injections, without requiring either a detached medicine reservoir  52  or a medicine conduit  54 . 
     Now that the System  5  is activated by registration of an authorized user such as the cattleman  10  administering a medical regimen he is authorized to administer, and the necessary medicine delivery components  50 ,  52  and  54  are in place, an animal  40  is moved into the injection arena  30 . 
     The robustness of the information ultimately derived from the System  5  relies, in significant part, on the reliable linkage between a particular animal such as animal  40  and the injection data derived from delivery of an injection to the animal  40 . Toward such end, a reliable animal identification device such as a bolus  45  is attached to the animal  40 . As is well known to those familiar with animal identification techniques, the bolus  45  is typically a passive magnetic device which can be deposited in the rumen (stomach) of the animal by swallowing, attached to the ear or other extremity of the animal by an attachment means, or placed under the skin of the animal in an anticipatable location. 
     Generally, the passive bolus  45  of the present invention emits a detectable electrical signal upon stimulation by a stimulus signal. The electrical signal is unique to the particular animal to which the bolus  45  is attached, and accurate detection of the signal provides an equally accurate identification of the animal. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, transmission of a stimulus signal  60  by a stimulus signal transmitter  62  excites the bolus  45  to generate a responsive identification signal  64 . A signal receiver  66  is located in sufficient proximity to the animal  40  (optimally within the injection arena  30 ) so as to detect the identification signal  64 . In an optional embodiment, the signal receiver  66  is integral to the intelligent syringe  50 . After detection of the identification signal  64 , the signal receiver delivers the electrical characteristics of the identification signal  64  to the processor  70  via processor link  68 . 
     As the cattleman  10  delivers the injection to the animal  40  by actuating the intelligent syringe  50 , an ink mark is placed on the animal  40  in close proximity to the location of the injection and, importantly, an injection signal  58  is transmitted from the intelligent syringe  50  to the signal detector  66  for delivery to the processor  70  via processor link  68 . After delivery of both an information signal  58  and an identification signal  64  to the processor  70 , the information may be linked and transmitted via a communications link  72  to a records database  80 . 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, actuation of the intelligent syringe  50  generates an injection signal  58 ′ to be received by the PDD  56  for short term or temporary storage. The PDD may also, in such an embodiment, be equipped with a signal receiver analogous in functionality to the previously described signal detector  66 . In this embodiment, following an injection session, the cattleman  10  may take the PDD  56  back to the personal computer  25  in the farm office  20  and download data relating to particular animals and their respective injections via dataport  26 . The dataport  26  may be a disk drive, CD-ROM, hotsync cradle for a Palm Pilot®-type device, or any other such mechanism by which information may be relayed from the PDD  56  to the dataport  26 . Following delivery of the downloaded data from the PDD  56  via the dataport  26  to the personal computer  25 , the data may be periodically or instantaneously delivered to the processor  70  or a central server for all such devices via a communication link  27 . 
     In yet another embodiment of the present invention, transmission of the stimulus signal  60  by the stimulus signal transmitter  62  may be triggered by a triggering event. In other words, absent a triggering event, no stimulus signal is sent, the bolus is not stimulated to transmit a responsive identification signal  64 , and no data relating to a related injection is recorded. 
     Although many such triggering events are contemplated by various embodiments of the present invention, a representative triggering event is movement of the animal  40  onto a scale  47  or by passing through or otherwise activating a stationary reader designed to detect and monitor the presence of the animal  40  in the desired location. As the animal  40  moves onto the scale  47 , the processor  70  controlling the stimulus signal transmitter  62  may allow transmission of the stimulus signal  60 . Absent the presence of the animal  40  on the scale  47 , no stimulus signal  60  is sent and the animal  40  is not identified. Optionally, the processor  70  may continue to monitor the scale  47  to verify that there is not a significant fluctuation in the weight indicated by the scale. Namely, the processor may be programmed to detect a first animal departing the scale  47  and a second animal moving onto the scale  47 , in the event that no injection information was recorded for the first animal. If such a change is detected, the processor simply directs storage of the identification signal relating to the first animal in a segregated data file, followed by transmission of a new stimulus signal  60  to detect the identity of the second animal. Such an arrangement further assures parties interested in data integrity that the System  5  was not somehow “sidestepped.” 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention contemplates the weighing of the animal  40  on the scale  47  as the triggering event. In this embodiment, not only does the triggering event enable the system  5  to effect the delivery of medicine and subsequent verifiable recording of the event, but the actual weight of the animal  40  is relayed to the processor  70  via datalink  48 . When the processor  70  receives the weight of the animal  40  via datalink  48 , it directs transmission by the transmitter  62  of a dosage signal  61  which directs injection of a specific, predetermined amount of medicine or vaccine, depending on the size of the animal  40  and other factors. 
     By determining the amount of medicine to be given to an animal such as animal  40  as a factor of the weight of the animal, dosage amounts are far more accurate than a standardized dosage amount given to all animals. It is well known to those in the industry that the weight of animals in any particular operation may vary by as much as 200%. Nonetheless, by giving all of those animals the same dosage, for the sake of simplicity, many animals will be overmedicated and many animals will be undermedicated. Either way, the outcome is not optimal. Animals do not receive the most effective dosage, ranchers may spend more than necessary for medications, and the consumer ultimately receives a product with either increased medicine residue or, alternately, increased undesirable pathogens relating to insufficient medication. By implementation of this embodiment of the present invention, animals receive only the amount of medicine determined to be optimal for their individual weight. 
     The determination as to what amount of medicine is optimal for a particular weight is most likely and most effectively made by the pharmaceutical company that manufactures the medicine. There are a wide variety of methods by which this information can be accessed by the processor  70 , all of which are well known to those skilled in the art. One example might be a pharmaceutical company providing a rancher with a compact disk or floppy disk containing the matrix for determining optimal dosage amounts for particular weights. The information would be loaded into the system  5  via the PC  25 , database  90 , or directly to the processor  70 . Regardless, when the cattleman prepares to deliver a particular medical regimen, he indicates such in the manner previously described. Thereafter the weight of the animal  40  corresponds to the dosage information and transmission of a dosage signal  61  is accomplished. 
     Following transmission of the dosage signal  61  and completion of the dosage-controlled injection of the animal  40 , information relating to the identity and injection of an animal  40  may be transmitted directly to a satellite  69  via microwave or other suitable satellite uplink signal  67 . The exact source of transmission of the satellite uplink signal  67  is not critical . . . it may originate from a capable transmitter within the intelligent syringe  50 , from the PDD  56 , or from an intermediate local booster transmitter (not shown), which intermediate local booster transmitter simply takes lower power signals transmitted by the intelligent syringe  50  and/or the PDD  56  and packets the data for transmission by developing appropriate propagation characteristics. 
     After receipt of the information relating to the identity and injection of the animal  40  by the satellite  69 , the information may be routed to a ground-based receiver  68 ′ for delivery to a processor  70  in a well known manner. 
     Periodically, the information gathered in accordance with the above specified system and information relating to dosages delivered are transmitted from the processor  70  to a records database  80  for storage and access by authorized users. Control over access to the records database  80  is maintained by a gatekeeper  85 . Gatekeepers such as gatekeeper  85  are well known in the data management industry and simply require an individual desiring access beyond the gatekeeper to provide a key, PIN, code word, or other information so that passage beyond the gatekeeper can be limited to those authorized such passage. 
     In one embodiment, the gatekeeper  85  is linked by a communications link  87  to a subscriber database  90  within a main office  92 . The main office  92  may receive information subscription inquiries from parties desiring to be authorized parties, such as breeders  94 , pharmaceutical companies  96  and banks  98 . If the terms established by principals within the main office  92  are agreeable to such potential authorized parties, and if such potential authorized parties satisfy the agreed upon terms, information specific to the newly authorized party is entered into the subscription database  90 . When such newly authorized party, such as a pharmaceutical company  96 , for instance, attempts to access the records database  80 , the gatekeeper  85  inquires as to the authority of the pharmaceutical company  96  to gain access by checking the subscriber database  90 . If the pharmaceutical company  96  is an authorized subscriber, the gateway  85  permits communicative interconnection to the records database  80 . Had the pharmaceutical company  96  not been determined to be an authorized user, the gateway  85  would have denied access. 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, an exemplary embodiment of the intelligent syringe  50  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. More particularly, the intelligent syringe  50  of the preferred embodiment comprises, generally, a syringe handle  104  operatively connected to a medicine syringe  150  and an optional ink dispenser  170 . The syringe handle  104  comprises a first syringe handle  110  pivotally connected to a second syringe handle  130 . The first syringe handle  110  is elongated, having a first end  111  and a second end  113 . An ink dispenser interface  117  is located generally adjacent to the socket  115  on the handle  110 . The handle  110  has a pivot hole in its second end  113 . 
     The second syringe handle  130  of the intelligent syringe  50  is also elongated and has a first end  131  and a second end  133 . The first end  131  of the second syringe handle  130  may securely receive a hook  190  for storage of the marking syringe  105  between uses. The second syringe handle  130  is configured to function as a finger grip for the user. The second end  133  of the second syringe handle  130  is sized to slidably straddle the second end  113  of the first handle  110  and has a pivot hole through its thickness. The second handle  130  includes an integral medicine syringe collar  132  and an integral ink dispenser collar  134 . 
     During assembly, the second end  133  of the second syringe handle  130  is positioned over the second end  113  of the first syringe handle  110  such that the pivot holes in the ends  113 ,  133  are axially aligned. Thereafter, a pivot pin  120  is inserted through the aligned holes and appropriately secured therein in any number of ways, including deforming distal ends of the pivot pin  120  so that the diameter of the pivot pin  120  is larger at the points of deformation than the diameter of the pivot pin receiving holes, thereby preventing withdrawal of the pivot pin  120  through the pivot receiving holes. After the pivot pin  120  is properly positioned and secured, the second syringe handle  130  rotates about the axis of the pivot pin  120  in a plane defined by the second syringe handle  130  and the first syringe handle  110 . In use, the first and second handles  110 ,  130  are initially in a spread position. The user can then grip the first and second handles  110 ,  130  and squeeze them into a closed position as the handles  110 ,  130  pivot about the pin  120 . 
     The medicine syringe  150  is mounted between the handles  110 ,  130  by means of the medicine syringe collar  132  on the second syringe handle  130  and the socket  115  on the first syringe handle  110 . The medicine syringe  150  comprises a medicine syringe head  152  with a ball  153 , an extendible medicine syringe shaft  151 , a medicine syringe biasing spring  168 , a medicine syringe plunger  160 , a medicine syringe dosage chamber  161 , a medicine syringe needle fastener  162 , and a needle  164 . In order to connect the medicine syringe  150  to the handle  104 , the dosage chamber  161  is threaded into the handle collar  132  of the handle  130 , and the medicine syringe head  152  is connected to the handle  110  by engaging the ball  153  of the head  152  into the socket  115  of the handle  110  in a well known manner. 
     The head  152  is hollow and further comprises a medicine syringe nipple  156  and a transmitting syringe stop flange  158 . The medicine syringe nipple  156  may be integral to the hollow medicine syringe head  152  and is sized to securely receive a syringe vaccine hose (not shown). Vaccine is delivered to the hollow interior cavity of the head  152  via the vaccine hose which is connected to a vaccine source (not shown). The medicine syringe stop flange  158  extends laterally about the periphery of the medicine syringe head  152 . 
     The extendible medicine syringe shaft  151  interconnects the syringe head  152  and the plunger  160 . The shaft  151  has an interior axial conduit (not shown) which communicates at one end with the interior cavity of the head  152  and at the other end with an interior axial conduit (not shown) through the plunger  160 . The syringe shaft  151  extends through a medicine syringe collar  132  of the second syringe handle  130  and into the vaccine dosage chamber  161 . In order to vary the amount of the dosage, the shaft  151  has a vaccine dosage adjust valve  166 . The dosage adjust valve  166  comprises a collar that engages the plunger  160  on one end and is threaded onto the syringe shaft  151 . 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, in which a dosage signal  61  is transmitted to the intelligent syringe  50  and the intelligent syringe  50  automatically varies the dosge amount depending on the size of the animal  40  (and possibly other factors, as well), a controller  198  is functionally connected to the dosage adjust valve  166 . More particularly, the controller  198  comprises a receiver  199  for receiving the dosage signal  61  from the transmitter  62 . The controller  198  possesses the requisite intelligence (by way of internal microprocessor) to convert the dosage signal  61  into an action command for the dosage adjust valve  166 . Thereafter, the controller  198  automatically adjusts the dosage adjust valve  166  to provide the proper dosage to the animal  40  via simple mechanical linkage such as that which is well known in the art. 
     It is envisioned that the dosage receiver  199  and the controller  198  will eventually be powered by a power source such as power source  188 , illustrated as positioned within the intelligent syringe  50 . Presently, to achieve proper standards of performance, and considering the shortcomings of battery technology, the controller  198  and dosage receiver  199  may be powered by an external power source (not shown). 
     After automatic adjustment of the dosage adjust valve  166 , and actuation of the intelligent syringe  50 , the medicine syringe plunger  160  slides within the vaccine dosage chamber  161 . An O-ring  163  creates a liquid tight seal between the periphery of the plunger  160  and the interior wall of the dosage chamber  161 . The plunger  160  has a check valve (not shown) within its interior axial conduit that allows liquid to pass only in the direction toward the needle end of the syringe  150 . 
     The medicine dosage chamber  161  is formed of a translucent or transparent material and is secured at its first end to the medicine syringe collar  132 . The medicine dosage chamber  161  may be scored with incremental graduations to assist a user in dosage measurements. At its second end, the medicine dosage chamber  161  removably receives a syringe needle fastener  162 . The syringe needle fastener  162  is fitted to capture a needle  164 . A check valve (not shown) is fitted within the syringe needle fastener  162  to allow liquid flow only out of the needle  164 . 
     A syringe biasing spring  168  is disposed around the medicine syringe shaft  151  between the medicine syringe stop flange  158  and the vaccine dosage adjust valve  166 . The biasing spring  168  is a compression spring which serves to return the syringe handles  110 ,  130  to their initial spread position after being squeezed closed by the user. 
     When the handles  110 ,  130  are squeezed together, the plunger  160  moves within the dosage chamber  161 . The movement of the plunger  160  closes the check valve within the plunger  160  to force vaccine in the dosage chamber  161  through the check valve within the needle fastener  162  and out through the needle  164 . When the handles  110 ,  130  are released by the user, the check valve within the needle fastener  162  closes to preclude fluid or air being drawn into the dosage chamber  161  through the needle  164 . Simultaneously, the check valve within the plunger  160  opens to that vaccine is drawn into the dosage chamber  161  through the nipple  156 , the hollow head  152 , the conduit within the shaft  151 , and the conduit within the plunger  160 . By turning the dosage adjust valve  166 , the length of the shaft  151  is changed. Changing the length of the shaft  151  changes the length of the plunger stroke, and the amount of medicine delivered through the needle  164  is correspondingly changed. 
     The optional ink dispenser  170  comprises a self contained storage unit  189 . The self contained storage unit  189  may take any number of forms well known to those skilled in the art of marking substance apparatus, including, but not limited to, a canister, a jar, a tube, or the like. Further, the specific form of self contained storage unit  189  is dependent upon the type of ink being utilized. For instance, a pressurized canister maybe used to store ink which is suspended in, or in the form of, a compressed gas. Alternatively, a structure such as that used to store household caulk may be used to store liquid ink. 
     To support and retain the self contained storage unit  189 , the second handle  130  may further comprise an integral retention cage  144  extending from the ink dispenser collar  134 . The retention cage  144  may take any number of forms well known to those skilled in the art of mechanical design. It will be appreciated that the form of the retention cage  144  is dependent upon the physical characteristics of the self contained storage unit  189  being used. 
     The self contained storage unit  189  may comprise a pressurized canister  191 , the ink dispenser interface  117  having a contact point  118 , a retention cage  144  having a body  145 , a valve actuator  146 , a tip opening  147 , and a can detent  148 . The pressurized canister  191  may contain ink in the form of an aerosol, a non-aerosol compressed gas, or the like. The pressurized canister may be mounted to the second handle  130  my means of the collar  134  and the retention cage  144 . The pressurized canister  191  comprises a canister body  192  having a bottom surface  193 , a valve trigger (not shown), and an ink discharge orifice  182 . In order to install the pressurized canister  191  into the handle  104 , the canister body is inserted into the handle collar  134  of the second syringe handle  130  and maneuvered into the retention cage  144  until the can detent  148  makes contact with the bottom surface  193  of the canister  191 , thereby securely capturing the pressurized canister  191  within the retention cage  144 . 
     After secure capture of the pressurized canister  191  within the retention cage  144 , the ink discharge orifice  182  extends through the tip opening  147 , and the valve trigger is positioned in contact with, or adjacent to, the valve actuator  146 . When fully inserted, the retention cage  144  assures that the bottom of the pressurized canister  191  is aligned with the radial path of rotation of the ink dispenser contact point  118  on the second syringe handle  130 , as defined by rotation of the second handle  130  about the pin  120 . 
     Importantly, it is specifically contemplated that the intelligent syringe could be pneumatic in design. More specifically, the syringe may be powered by a source of compressed air or liquid so that when the user activates a trigger, the functions previously described as effected by squeezing the handles together are accomplished. 
     Central to the preferred functionality of the intelligent syringe  50  is the transmitter circuitry integral to the intelligent syringe  50 . In an exemplary embodiment, the transmitter circuitry comprises a transmit trigger  184 , a transmitter  186 , and a power source  188 . As depicted in FIG. 2, the transmit trigger  184  may be positioned within the handle  110  proximal to the ink dispenser contact point  117 . The transmit trigger  184  supports a transmit sensor  185  positioned such that actuation of the intelligent syringe  50  by squeezing handles  110 ,  130  places the transmit sensor  185  in contact with the pressurized canister  191 . The transmit trigger, powered by a power source  188  such as a battery, detects contact between the transmit sensor  185  and the pressurized canister  191  and relays an appropriate signal to the transmitter  186 . As previously described with reference to FIG. 1, the specific characteristics of the transmitter  186  will vary depending on the particular embodiment of the present invention being practiced, but in all cases, the transmitter is of sufficient signal strength and signal complexity to transmit, at a minimum, the injection event to a receiver. 
     Optionally, the intelligent syringe  50  may include a flow meter in communication with the medicine syringe  150  for detecting the amount of medicine delivered in any given actuation. In such an optional embodiment, the transmitter  150  must be of a type to be able to transmit such data to a designated receiver. Similarly, it is within the spirit and scope of the present invention that the medicine syringe  150  is capable of transmitting and facilitating the recording of the time and date on which medical treatments were given, as well as specifics of the particular treatment, such as the manufacturer of the medicine, the batch number and the date of manufacture. 
     Turning now to FIG. 3, a flow diagram detailing exemplary steps in performing the method of the present invention is shown. The method begins at step  200  and, at step  205  the system is “powered on” by a cattleman  10 , another operator, or remote device. After being powered on, the system  5  requests input of a user ID at step  210 . As previously described, the user ID may be input via PC  25 . 
     At decision block  215 , a comparison is done between the user ID entered at step  210  and a list of authorized users maintained in a database such as access database  28 . If the user ID entered does not correspond to a user ID maintained in the access database  28 , the method of the present invention ends at step  280 . If, on the other hand, the user is deemed to be an authorized user, an injection session begins at step  220 . Depending on specific system configuration and requirements, session initiation such as that referenced in step  220  may include turning on the trigger device such as scale  47  and waiting for an appropriate trigger signal, as previously discussed. Additionally, before animals may be injected in accordance with the method of the present invention, an intelligent syringe  50  must be connected to a medicine reservoir  52  as shown in step  225 . 
     After the set-up steps are complete, the system remains in a “standby” state anticipating a trigger event. If, after a predetermined, prolonged period of time, no trigger event has occurred, the method ends at step  280 , per decision block  230 . If a trigger event does occur, two things happen substantially simultaneously. First, the head of cattle causing the trigger event is identified in accordance with the particular capabilities of the system of the present invention at step  240 . Second, the animal is weighed at step  232 . After being weighed, the weight of the animal is transmitted to the processor or other computation cell as previously described with reference to FIG.  1 . At the computation cell, a dosage calculation is made at step  236  to determine what particular dosage of medicine should be given an animal of the weight measured. After completion of the dosage calculation at step  236 , the dosage is transmitted to the intelligent syringe at step  238 . 
     If, after occurrence of a trigger event, weighing and calculation of dosage for the animal and identification of the animal, but before transmission of data, the trigger event is interrupted (step  245 ), the method returns to step  230  and awaits another trigger event. If there is no trigger event interrupt, the cattleman  10  actuates the intelligent syringe  50  and delivers the desired injection at step  250 . Data relating to the injection is transmitted from the intelligent syringe  50  in step  255  and, at decision block  260 , a determination is made as to whether the data was received by the receiver  66 . If no data was received, the method of the present invention returns to step  230  and awaits a trigger event. If the data is received, the data is associated with the specific identity of the animal  40  which caused the trigger event and resulting trigger signal at step  265 . 
     Thereafter, the present invention awaits the arrival of another head. If, as depicted in decision block  270 , another head is detected, the system is monitored for occurrence of a trigger event at decision block  230 . From decision block  230 , the process continues until when, after a predetermined, prolonged period of time, no additional animals are detected, the method ends at step  280 . 
     It will be understood and appreciated that the spirit and scope of the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments referenced and discussed herein, but to the claims appended hereto.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0