Teat location for milking
US5934220A · kind A · utility
196Cited by
9References
28Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 18, 1998 |
| Grant date | Aug 10, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 18, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T7/70
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method of guiding a milking apparatus support towards at least one teat of a milk animal, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps: moving a support to a fixed start position within a stall; illuminating a region expected to contain at least one udder with a sheet of light from the support; capturing images by viewing the region with a video camera; analyzing the captured images to identify possible teat candidates and selecting one of these teat candidates as a target teat; determining the position of the target teat and homing in the support and any supported milking apparatus to the target teat.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.