Patent ID: 8059869

Claim:
An apparatus for recognizing and determining a position of at least one part of an animal or of equipment in an animal box, comprising: a scanning head comprising a wave emitting source for emitting waves into a region which is expected to contain said at least one part; a means operable to capture at least one image formed by said waves; a means operable to evaluate said at least one image so as to determine if said at least one image describes said at least one part; and a means operable to determine the position of said at least one part if it is established that said at least one part is described by said at least one image, wherein said scanning head is arranged to be moved to a low initial position, which said low initial position is below and in front of said at least one part, said scanning head is arranged to be moved in a first scanning mode, wherein said scanning head performs a coil-like movement upwards from said low initial position, describing a geometrically closed pattern, whereby said scanning head circumscribes a first volume, while carrying out a scanning procedure, wherein means are arranged for comparing an image obtained during said first scanning mode with a previous image obtained during said first scanning mode until the position of said at least one part has been established, or a predetermined time limit has elapsed during the scanning procedure.