Abstract:
An apparatus for automatically identifying when an animal is in distress receives a sound pattern produced near the selected animal and compares it with pre-stored audio patterns corresponding to respective sounds expected to be produced by that type of animal when in various types of distress to determine the best match. When a good enough match is made, a signal is automatically sent to a remote communication unit near an attendant.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a method and a device for automatically identifying sound patterns accompanying physiological processes and activities of an animal in general, and uttered by an animal in distress in particular, especially of a pregnant animal going into labor, for storing, analyzing and processing data related to said identified sound patterns and deviations therefrom, and for providing an attendant with respective alert signals and data, according to pre-programmed requirements. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In general, certain physiological processes and activities of animals, e.g. cardiac, respiratory, digestive or ruminative processes and activities, are accompanied with distinctive sound patterns indicative thereof. Particularly, an animal or a group of animals while in distress, e.g. presence of a predator, fire, lack of water or food, and especially a pregnant animal going into labor, utter distinctive sound patterns indicative thereof. Automatically identifying said sound patterns and alerting an attendant to provide the required assistance, can be most advantageous. 
     For instance, it is widely known that many calves die during birth. In extreme cases the mother may also die during labor. It may be noted that on the average, 5%-10% of new born calves die during birth. Death of a calf, especially of livestock, is a significant money loss to the farmer, due to the relatively high price of calves. During 1997 in Israel alone, some 7,400 calves died during birth, 4,100 of which were males and 2,300 were females. A newborn calf is valued at NIS 1,100.- and the income generated by a cow during its life span is valued at NIS 25,000.-. 
     It is well established in the art, that the presence of an attendant assisting the mother during birth, reduces significantly the rate of mortality of the newborns. The exact time of birth cannot be predicted with any accuracy, hence, the presence of an attendant for assisting the animal during delivery cannot be ensured. Furthermore, the presence of an attendant during regular working hours, provides only a partial solution to the problem. But, as the attendant cannot be in the proximity of the pre-parturient animal during all hours of the day, in particular during the “quiet hours”, i.e. late evening, night and the small hours, when most births occur, the beginning of parturition should be automatically identified and alert signal given to an attendant. 
     Further, distinctive sound patterns accompanying cardiac and respiratory activities and deviations therefrom, may be indicative of other distress conditions of an animal, such as heat stroke, diarrhea, swollen belly, etc. For instance, distinctive sound patterns accompanying disturbances in swallowing (dysphagia), in digestion (dyspepsia), in cardiac or respiratory activities, are indicative of a horse in distress. Also, dogs and cats while in distress, experience cardiac or respiratory changes accompanied by distinctive sound patterns. According to the present invention, all said sound patterns are identified and compared to pre-stored sound patterns, thereby alerting an attendant who may not be in proximity to an animal or a group of animals requiring urgent assistance. The same holds true for birds and fowl which utter distinctive sound patterns when in distress, such as rise in body temperature, lack of water, etc. Thus, all said distress situations should be automatically identified and alert signal given to an attendant. 
     Sound patterns of an animal, can be received by mounting an audio receiving device on an animal or under its skin or in proximity to an animal or a group of animals, whereby the device according to the present invention identifies sound patterns of a single animal or of a group of animals. 
     Furthermore, said identified distinctive sound patterns, and deviations therefrom, may be stored, analyzed and processed, thus provide valuable data of the state of an animal or a group of animals, according to pre-programmed requirements. By receiving, identifying, storing, analyzing and processing said sound patterns, an attendant is provided with data according to pre-programmed requirements, whereby he can learn about the physiological processes and activities and behavior of an animal or a group of animals. For example, in livestock, when said data shows deviation from normal digestive sound patterns, an attendant may learn about possible constipation or diarrhea in an animal. Further, when said data shows deviation from the normal of the rate of ruminative process, an attendant can learn about possible problems related to the food quality. Yet further, when said data shows above normal cardiac activity in conjunction with various other deviations from the normal of physiological activities in livestock, an attendant can discover the causes for said deviation of cardiac activity, such as rise in the surrounding temperatures or rise in body temperature indicative of a disease, etc. 
     Furthermore, according to the present invention, a combination of identified sound patterns related to an increase in cardiac and respiratory rate and identified distinctive sound patterns uttered by a cow going into labor, indicate an approaching delivery. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,685 to Carrier et al, is directed to a device for detecting the onset of parturition of a pregnant animal. The device is mounted on the animal and detects changes in physical properties which indicate that the animal is going into labor. It will be noted that this device might be activated by accident if, for example, the animal falls or passes under a low horizontal bar or wire. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,328 to Pollack, is directed to an animal monitoring telltale and information system which utilizes biophysical sensing device such as a temperature sensor, a blood pressure sensor, a blood flow sensor and the like. The system transmits the data received from the biophysical sensing device. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,070 to Blunt, is directed to a warning device programmable to be sensitive to pre-selected sound frequencies. This device is designed for individuals which are unable to hear warning signals, such as hearing impaired and people working in an environment where warning sounds are hidden by ambient noise. The device detects sounds from devices such as a door bell, a telephone unit, a smoke detector, a security system and the like, compares the frequency of the detected sound with pre-stored frequencies and informs the user. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,780 to Hsieh, is directed to a baby cry recognizer which detects whether a received sound signal is within a range of pre-stored frequencies. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel device for automatically identifying sound patterns accompanying physiological processes and activities of an animal in general, and uttered by an animal in distress in particular, especially of a pregnant animal going into labor, for storing, analyzing and processing data related to said identified sound patterns and deviations therefrom, and for providing an attendant with respective alert signals and data according to pre-programmed requirements. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel method for operating the device of the invention. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel method for providing an attendant with data of said identified sound patterns, and deviations therefrom, according to pre-programmed requirements. 
     It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a novel method for providing an attendant with alert signals, once sound patterns of an animal in distress are identified. 
     In accordance with the present invention, there is thus provided a device for automatically identifying said sound patterns accompanying physiological processes and activities of an animal in general, and uttered by an animal in distress in particular, especially of a pregnant animal going into labor, for storing, analyzing and processing data related to said identified sound patterns, and providing an attendant with respective alert signals and data according to pre-programmed requirements. The device includes an audio receiving device, for receiving sound patterns, placed in proximity to an animal or a group of animals, thereby converting the received sound patterns into an audio signal, a controller, connected to the audio receiving device, a storage unit, containing pre-stored audio patterns, connected to the controller, and a communication interface, connected to the controller, for communicating with a remote communication unit located in proximity to an attendant. 
     The controller processes the audio signal and compares the processed audio signal with the animal pre-stored audio pattern, thereby producing a likelihood value, representing the degree of resemblance between the audio signal and the pre-stored audio pattern, and stores said likelihood value in the storage unit. 
     The controller provides a command to the communication interface, to inform the remote communication unit, when the likelihood value exceeds a pre-stored value. 
     The device can also include a user interface, connected to the controller, for receiving programming instructions from a user, thereby the controller can be pre-programmed to identify various kinds of animal sound patterns and to process, analyze and provide data according to pre-programmed requirements. 
     The device can further include an animal interface, connected to the controller, for maintaining an open communication line with the animal or group of animals, thereby listening to sounds and voices in proximity thereto and confirming the correctness of the alert signal. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the device can also include a GPS unit, connected to the controller, for detecting the position of the device, thereby producing location data. Accordingly, the device provides the location data to the remote communication unit via the communication interface. 
     According to a further aspect of the invention, the communication interface generates a facsimile transmission and can also be connected to a printer. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the communication interface consists of a wireless transceiver and the remote communication unit consists of a mobile transceiver. 
     The communication interface can transmit an audio message to the remote communication unit and the remote communication unit converts the audio message into sound. The communication interface can also transmit a data message to the remote communication unit and the remote communication unit displays the data message. 
     The device can further include securing means for securing the device to the animal, such as a collar, an ear securing device, under the skin implant housing, and the like. 
     The device can further include an analog to digital converter, connected between the audio receiving device and the controller, wherein the analog to digital converter converts the audio signal into digital format, for the controller to collect, analyze and process. 
     The device can also include an amplifier, connected after the audio receiving device, for amplifying the audio signal. 
     The device can also include an audio-visual monitoring system for viewing an animal or a group of animals in distress and providing an attendant with alert signals. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is thus provided a method for identifying said sound patterns accompanying physiological processes and activities of an animal in general, and uttered by an animal in distress in particular, especially of a pregnant animal going into labor, for storing, analyzing and processing data related to said identified sound patterns and deviations therefrom, and for providing an attendant with respective alert signals and data, according to pre-programmed requirements, including the steps of 
     receiving a sound signal, 
     converting the sound signal into an audio signal, 
     comparing the audio signal with animal pre-stored audio pattern, 
     determining the decree of resemblance between the audio signal and the pre-stored audio pattern, thereby producing a likelihood value, 
     storing the likelihood value, 
     initiating an alert procedure when the likelihood value exceeds a pre-stored threshold value, and 
     providing data according to pre-programmed requirements. 
     The following is a digital version of the method of the invention which includes the steps of: 
     receiving a sound signal, 
     converting the sound signal into an audio signal, 
     converting the audio signal into digital format, thereby producing a digital audio signal, 
     comparing the digital audio signal with animal pre-stored audio pattern, 
     determining the degree resemblance between the digital audio signal and the pre-stored audio pattern, thereby producing a likelihood value, 
     storing the likelihood value, and 
     initiating an alert procedure when the likelihood value exceeds a pre-stored threshold value, and 
     providing data according to pre-programmed requirements. 
     The method can further include steps such as: 
     amplifying the audio signal before the step of comparing, 
     filtering the audio signal after the step of receiving, 
     filtering the digital audio signal before the step of comparing, 
     enhancing portions of the digital audio signal before the step of comparing, and 
     detecting the location coordinates of the animal and transmitting the location coordinates to the remote communication unit, when the likelihood value exceeds a pre-stored threshold value. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a device for detecting the delivery of a newborn animal, constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a method for operating the device of FIG. 1, operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a device for detecting the delivery of a newborn animal, and a base station, both constructed and operative in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of the device of FIG. 3, mounted on a cow. 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a system for monitoring the audio-visual condition of an animal or a group of animals in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a device which identifies sound patterns accompanying physiological processes and activities of an animal in general, and uttered by an animal in distress in particular, especially of a pregnant animal going into labor. 
     Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which is a schematic illustration of a device generally referenced  100 , constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     Device  100  includes a central processing unit (CPU)  106 , an analog to digital (A/D) converter  102 , an audio interface  104 , a microphone  126 , a communication interface  112 , a user interface  110 , an animal interface  114  and a storage unit  108 . 
     CPU  106  is connected to the storage unit  108 , the A/D converter  102 , the animal interface  114 , the communication interface  112  and the user interface  110 . 
     The A/D converter  102  is further connected to the audio interface  104 . The communication interface  112  is further connected to a plurality of communication devices such as a transceiver  130  for wireless communication, a printer  134  and a communication line interface  132  for connecting to a facsimile machine  138  and an automatic call director  136 . The transceiver  130  is wirelessly linked to a mobile transceiver  142 , which is carried by the attendant. The automatic call director  136  is capable of establishing a connection to any telephony destination, which in the present example is a cellular unit  140 . 
     The animal interface  114  includes a display  122 . The user interface  110  includes an alerting unit  118 , for alerting an attendant which is not present in proximity to the animal in distress. It will be noted that the user interface  110  can also include a multimedia interface (not shown) for receiving instructions from a user, for example, pre-programming it to identify various kinds of animal sound patterns and to provide various data. 
     The audio interface  104  is basically an amplifier which can be connected to a sound sensitive detector such as the microphone  126 . It will be noted that when the signal produced by the microphone is strong enough, then amplification is not necessary. Typically, this microphone  126  is placed in proximity to a delivering animal, or physically mounted thereon or implanted therein or in proximity to a group of animals. It will further be noted that microphone  126  can be a wireless microphone, wirelessly linked to the audio interface  104 . 
     In the present example, both the A/D converter  102  and the audio interface  104  are implemented in a conventional PC sound card such as the sound-bluster, manufactured and produced by Creative Inc. 
     The storage unit  108 , contains pre-stored sound patterns which were collected by recording a plurality of sound patterns accompanying physiological processes and activities of an animal in general, and uttered by an animal in distress in particular, especially of a pregnant animal going into labor. These sound patterns are used by the device  100 , to determine whether a received sound can be regarded as a typical sound accompanying physiological processes and activities of an animal in or uttered by an animal in distress. 
     The audio interface  104  receives an audio signal from the microphone  126 , amplifies it and provides the amplified analog audio signal to the A/D converter  102 , which in turn digitizes it, thereby producing a digital audio signal. Then, the A/D converter  102  provides the digital audio signal to the CPU  106 . 
     The CPU  106  accesses the storage unit  108 , retrieves the pre-stored sound patterns and compares them to the digital audio signal, received from the A/D converter  102 . As a result of the comparison, the CPU  106  produces a likelihood value L as a calculated value of the degree of resemblance between the digital audio signal and the best matching pre-stored sound pattern and stores said L value in the storage unit  108 . 
     When the likelihood value L exceeds a pre-stored threshold P, then, the device executes an alerting procedure in which the alerting unit  118  is activated and the other external communication units are accessed via the communication interface  112  in a plurality of ways as follows: 
     The device  100  provides an alerting message to the transceiver  130  which in turn establishes a wireless communication link with the mobile transceiver  142 , preferably carried by the attendant. 
     The device  100  provide an alerting message to the communication line interface  132 , which in turn generates a facsimile transmission and transfers it to the facsimile machine  138 . The facsimile machine can be located at a control room which goes into action when the attendant cannot be notified. 
     At the same time, the communication line interface provides a command to the automatic call directing unit  136 , to initiate a call to a pre-stored telephony destination, which in the present example is a cellular unit  140 , preferably carried by the attendant. 
     The device  100  provide an alerting print message to printer  134 , which can be used as a log registry device. The user interface  110  may be used by the user to retrieve data according to pre-programmed requirements. 
     Reference is now made to FIG. 2, which is a schematic illustration of a method for operating the device  100  of FIG. 1, operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     In step  200 , the device  100  receives a sound signal via the microphone  102 , amplifies it and converts it into digital format (step  202 ). 
     In step  204 , the CPU  204  processes the digital audio signal and prepares it for further analysis. The preparation consists of filtering procedures and enhancement procedures. The filtering procedures are used to filter out ambient noise and other undesired sounds. The enhancement procedure enhances portions of the digital audio signal, such as the voice of a delivering animal over the voices of nearby animals. At the end of step  206 , the CPU  106  produces a digital signal which is a more focused version of the digital audio signal. 
     In step  206 , the CPU  106  analyses the digital signal and identifies animal sound characteristics, such as frequencies, sound pattern, sound envelope, volume and the like. 
     In step  205 , the CPU  106 , accesses the storage unit  108  and retrieves the relevant animal pre-stored audio pattern. It will be noted that the storage unit  108  can store sound patterns which relate to various kinds of animals and animal species. Accordingly, for example, since sounds which are typical to a goat are of no relevance when the delivering animal is a cow, only cow related sound pattern is retrieved. 
     In step  210 , the CPU  106  determines the degree of resemblance between the digital signal and the pre-stored audio pattern and produces a likelihood value L. 
     In step  211 , the CPU  106  stores the likelihood value L in the storage unit  108 . 
     In step  212 , the CPU  106  detects if the likelihood value L exceeds a pre-stored threshold value which was selected to indicate when an attendant should be alerted. If so, then the CPU  106  initiates an alerting procedure, which can be selected from the above devices such as the alerting unit  118 , the mobile transceiver  142 , the printer  134  or any combination thereof. 
     It will be noted that each of the alerting messages can also include data which indicates the identifying device and the identified animal, when the device is attached thereto. 
     It will be appreciated that when dealing with a group of animals, it is also important to know the location of the identified animal in distress. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a device which also detects and provides the location of the animal in distress. 
     Reference is now made to FIG. 3, which is a schematic illustration of a device for identifying an animal in distress, generally referenced  300 , and a base station, generally referenced  320 , both constructed and operative in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     Device  300  includes a CPU  306 , an A/D converter  302 , an audio interface  304 , a microphone  316 , a storage unit  108 , a global positioning system (GPS) unit  314  and a wireless transceiver  310 . The CPU  306  is connected to the A/D converter  302 , the global positioning system (GPS) unit  314 , the storage unit  108  and a wireless transceiver  310 . The audio interface  304  is connected to A/D converter  302  and to the microphone  316 . 
     The base station  320  includes a wireless transceiver  324 , a controller  322  and an automatic call directing unit  326 . The controller  322  is connected to the wireless transceiver  324  and to the automatic call directing unit  326 . 
     The microphone  316  receives sounds, converts them into audio signal and provides the audio signal to the audio interface  304 , which in turn amplifies it and provides the amplified signal to the A/D converter  302 . 
     The A/D converter  302  converts the audio signal into digital format and provides the digitized signal to the CPU  306 , which in turn, analyses and compares it with the pre-stored sound patterns stored in the storage unit  108 . When the CPU determines that the attendant has to be alerted, then it activates the GPS unit  314 . The GPS unit  314  detects the actual position of the identifying device, and hence the approximate location of the animal in distress. 
     Then, the CPU  306  provides a message including the distress indication as well as the position data, to the base station via the transceiver  310 . 
     The transceiver  324 , at the base station  320 , receives the message and provides it to the controller  322 , which in turn activates the automatic call director  326 . In the present example, the automatic call director  326  establishes a communication link with a cellular unit  330 , preferably carried by the attendant. 
     It will be noted that the message received at the cellular unit  330 , can include data, which is displayed on the screen of the mobile unit, or an audio alert, which describes the detected situation of the animal as well as verbal description of its position. 
     Reference is now made to FIG. 4, which is a schematic illustration of the device of FIG. 3, mounted on a cow. Device  300  is secured to a cow  370  with a neck collar  350 . The device  300  is linked to the base station  320 , via a wireless link  360 . 
     It will be noted that the device  300  can be secured to the animal in many ways, depending on the anatomy of the animal. For example, the device  300  can be secured to the ear or back of the animal. Furthermore, device  300  can be fit into an internal housing which is inserted under the skin of the animal. 
     Reference is now made to FIG. 5, which is a schematic illustration of the system for monitoring the audio-visual condition of an animal or a group of animals, generally referenced  400 , constructed and operative in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     System  400  includes a CPU  406 , a storage unit  402 , a communication interface  410 , an audio interface  408 , a video interface  404  and a camera movement controller  418 . 
     The CPU  406  is connected to the storage unit  402 , the communication interface  410 , the audio interface  408 , the video interface  404  and the camera movement controller  418 . 
     System  400  is generally located in proximity to an animal or a group of animals and monitors the sounds which they produce by utilizing a plurality of microphones  412 A,  412 B and  412 C, all of which are connected to and controlled by the audio interface  408 . 
     System  400  also monitors the movements and general behavior of the animals by utilizing a plurality of video cameras  414 A and  414 B, all connected to the video interface  404 . 
     In the present example, each of the cameras  414 A and  414 B is mounted on a motorized basis,  416 A and  416 B, respectively, which is operable to point its associated camera to various directions. Each motorized basis,  416 A and  416 B, is connected to and controlled by the camera movement controller  418 . 
     Each of the video cameras  414 A and  414 B provides video signals to the video interface  404 . The video interface  404  can store or record the video signals. The video interface  404  can also control some optical properties of the cameras such as focal length, zoom angle, aperture setting, shutter speed and the like. It will be noted that these properties can also be controlled automatically by the camera. 
     Each of the microphones converts received sounds into an audio signal and provides this audio signal to the audio interface  408 . The audio interface  408 , converts the audio signals into respective digital audio signals and provides them to the CPU  406 . The CPU  404  analyzes digital audio signals and compares their patterns with audio patterns which were pre-stored in storage unit  402 . When a reliable match is detected, then the CPU  406  provides a command to the communication interface to connect to a pre-stored remote address, which can be a telephone line, an IP address, a cellular unit and the like. 
     The supervisor which is located at that remote address, communicates with the system  400 , thereby receiving information related to the identified pattern, the time of identification, the identity of the receiving microphone through which the identified pattern was received and the like. 
     The supervisor can also receive a video signal which is detected by either of cameras  414 A and  414 B. If desired, the supervisor can provide system  400  with a command to direct the cameras to various directions. Such a command is received in the CPU  406 , via the communication interface  410 . Then, the CPU  406  provides this command to the camera movement controller  418 , which in turn provides it to the respective camera. 
     It will be noted that system  400  can also initiate a camera movement automatically. In this case, when a received digital audio signal is found to be matching a pre-stored sound pattern, then the CPU  406  determines the location of the receiving microphone, produces a camera movement command and provides it to the camera movement controller  418 , which in turn activates the respective motorized basis. 
     It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention is defined only by the claims which follow.