公开(公告)号：US10595500B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-24

申请号：US15828553

申请日：2017-12-01

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS CORP.

Inventor： Henk Hofman ,  Peter Willem van der Sluis ,  Ype Groensma

IPC: A01J7/04 ,  A01K13/00 ,  G06T7/73 ,  G06T7/13 ,  B25J9/16 ,  A01K29/00 ,  A01J5/003 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/017 ,  A01K1/12 ,  G06T1/00 ,  A01J7/00 ,  B25J11/00 ,  G06T7/00 ,  B25J9/00 ,  H04N7/18 ,  G05B19/042

Abstract: A system for operating a robotic arm, comprises a controller and a robotic arm. The controller accesses an image of the rear of dairy livestock located in a stall of a rotary milking platform and, in conjunction with the stall of the rotary milking platform in which a dairy livestock is located moving into an area adjacent a robotic arm, determines whether a milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the image. The robotic arm is communicatively coupled to the controller and extends between the legs of the dairy livestock if the controller determines that the milking cluster is not attached to the dairy livestock. The robotic arm does not extend between the legs of the dairy livestock if the controller determines that the milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock.

公开(公告)号：US10143179B2

公开(公告)日：2018-12-04

申请号：US14663072

申请日：2015-03-19

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS, CORP.

Inventor： Henk Hofman ,  Cor de Ruijter ,  Menno Koekoek ,  Peter Willem van der Sluis

IPC: A01J5/017 ,  A01K1/12 ,  A01J5/007

Abstract: A robotic attacher comprises a main arm, a supplemental arm coupled to the main arm, and a gripping portion coupled to the supplemental arm. The supplemental arm moves in an x-direction and a y-direction. The gripping portion moves in a first z-direction in relation to the supplemental arm. The gripping portion also moves in a second z-direction opposite the first z-direction in relation to the supplemental arm.

公开(公告)号：US20180054998A1

公开(公告)日：2018-03-01

申请号：US15800234

申请日：2017-11-01

Applicant: Technologies Holdings Corp.

Inventor： Peter Willem van der Sluis ,  Henk Hofman

IPC: A01J5/017 ,  A01K1/12 ,  A01J5/04

CPC classification number: A01J5/017 ,  A01J5/0175 ,  A01J5/041 ,  A01K1/126

Abstract: A milking robot comprises a movable arm having a length in a longitudinal direction, and at least one gripper swivably mounted to the movable arm such that it moves between a first position parallel to the movable arm's longitudinal direction and a second position at which the gripper extends sideways in a horizontal plane away from the movable arm's longitudinal direction.

公开(公告)号：US20170265425A1

公开(公告)日：2017-09-21

申请号：US15614693

申请日：2017-06-06

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS CORP.

Inventor： Henk Hofman ,  Peter Willem van der Sluis ,  Ype Groensma

IPC: A01J7/04 ,  A01K13/00 ,  A01K29/00 ,  A01K1/12 ,  G06T7/00 ,  B25J11/00 ,  A01J5/003 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/017 ,  G06T1/00 ,  A01J7/00 ,  G06T7/73 ,  G06T7/13 ,  H04N7/18 ,  B25J9/00 ,  B25J9/16

CPC classification number: A01J7/04 ,  A01J5/003 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/0175 ,  A01J7/00 ,  A01K1/126 ,  A01K13/001 ,  A01K29/00 ,  B25J9/0027 ,  B25J9/0093 ,  B25J9/0096 ,  B25J9/1679 ,  B25J9/1684 ,  B25J9/1697 ,  B25J11/0045 ,  G05B19/042 ,  G05B2219/2661 ,  G05B2219/45113 ,  G06T1/0014 ,  G06T7/0004 ,  G06T7/13 ,  G06T7/73 ,  G06T7/74 ,  G06T2200/04 ,  G06T2207/10004 ,  G06T2207/10021 ,  G06T2207/10028 ,  H04N7/183 ,  Y10S901/02 ,  Y10S901/06 ,  Y10S901/07 ,  Y10S901/09 ,  Y10S901/41 ,  Y10S901/43 ,  Y10S901/47

Abstract: A system for operating a robotic arm, comprises a camera, a controller and a robotic arm. The camera captures an image of a rear of a dairy livestock located in a stall of a rotary milking platform. The controller receives the image and in conjunction with the stall of the rotary milking platform in which a dairy livestock is located moving into an area adjacent a robotic arm, determines whether a milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the image. The robotic arm is communicatively coupled to the controller and extends between the legs of the dairy livestock if the controller determines that the milking cluster is not attached to the dairy livestock. The robotic arm does not extend between the legs of the dairy livestock if the controller determines that the milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock.

公开(公告)号：US09763424B1

公开(公告)日：2017-09-19

申请号：US15597373

申请日：2017-05-17

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS CORP.

Inventor： Henk Hofman ,  Peter Willem van der Sluis ,  Ype Groensma

IPC: A01K7/04 ,  A01J7/04 ,  B25J9/16 ,  A01K13/00 ,  A01K29/00 ,  A01K1/12 ,  G06T7/00 ,  B25J11/00 ,  A01J5/003 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/017 ,  G06T1/00 ,  A01J7/00 ,  G06T7/73 ,  G06T7/13 ,  H04N7/18 ,  B25J9/00

CPC classification number: A01J7/04 ,  A01J5/003 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/0175 ,  A01J7/00 ,  A01K1/126 ,  A01K13/001 ,  A01K29/00 ,  B25J9/0027 ,  B25J9/0093 ,  B25J9/0096 ,  B25J9/1679 ,  B25J9/1684 ,  B25J9/1697 ,  B25J11/0045 ,  G05B19/042 ,  G05B2219/2661 ,  G05B2219/45113 ,  G06T1/0014 ,  G06T7/0004 ,  G06T7/13 ,  G06T7/73 ,  G06T7/74 ,  G06T2200/04 ,  G06T2207/10004 ,  G06T2207/10021 ,  G06T2207/10028 ,  H04N7/183 ,  Y10S901/02 ,  Y10S901/06 ,  Y10S901/07 ,  Y10S901/09 ,  Y10S901/41 ,  Y10S901/43 ,  Y10S901/47

Abstract: A system includes a controller and a robotic arm. The controller accesses an image signal of an udder of a dairy livestock, and determines a spray position by processing the accessed image signal to determine a tangent at the rear of the udder and a tangent at the bottom of the udder. The spray position is a position relative to the intersection of the two tangents. A robotic arm communicatively coupled to the controller positions a spray tool at the spray position.

公开(公告)号：US09686960B2

公开(公告)日：2017-06-27

申请号：US15333301

申请日：2016-10-25

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS CORP.

Inventor： Henk Hofman ,  Peter Willem van der Sluis ,  Ype Groensma

IPC: A01J5/01 ,  A01J5/017 ,  A01J5/003 ,  A01K1/00 ,  A01K1/12 ,  A01J5/00 ,  A01J7/04 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J7/00 ,  B25J13/08 ,  B25J19/02 ,  A01J9/00 ,  A01J7/02 ,  A01K5/02 ,  H04N5/247 ,  A01J5/06 ,  A01J5/013 ,  A01K5/00 ,  A01K11/00 ,  G06K9/00 ,  H04N13/02 ,  G06T7/70 ,  G06T1/00

CPC classification number: A01J5/00 ,  A01J5/003 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/01 ,  A01J5/013 ,  A01J5/017 ,  A01J5/0175 ,  A01J5/04 ,  A01J5/06 ,  A01J7/00 ,  A01J7/025 ,  A01J7/04 ,  A01J9/00 ,  A01K1/0023 ,  A01K1/0029 ,  A01K1/12 ,  A01K5/00 ,  A01K5/02 ,  A01K11/006 ,  B25J13/08 ,  B25J19/023 ,  G05B2219/45113 ,  G06K9/00362 ,  G06T1/0014 ,  G06T7/70 ,  H04N5/247 ,  H04N13/204 ,  Y10S901/02 ,  Y10S901/47

Abstract: A robotic attacher comprises a gripping portion, a vision system positioned on a first surface of the gripping portion, and at least one nozzle positioned on a second surface of the gripping portion. The gripping portion is rotates about a longitudinal axis such that during a first time, the vision system is positioned generally on the top of the gripping portion, and during a second time, the nozzle is positioned generally on the top of the gripping portion.

公开(公告)号：US09582871B2

公开(公告)日：2017-02-28

申请号：US14842874

申请日：2015-09-02

Applicant: Technologies Holdings Corp.

Inventor： Henk Hofman ,  Cor de Ruijter ,  Menno Koekoek ,  Peter Willem van der Sluis

IPC: G06T7/00 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/017 ,  A01K29/00 ,  H04N7/18 ,  H04N13/02

CPC classification number: G06T7/0004 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/0175 ,  A01K29/005 ,  G06K9/52 ,  G06T7/20 ,  G06T7/593 ,  G06T7/70 ,  G06T2207/10028 ,  G06T2207/30108 ,  G06T2207/30128 ,  H04N7/18 ,  H04N7/183 ,  H04N13/204 ,  H04N13/271 ,  H04N2013/0081

Abstract: A system for processing an image comprises a three-dimensional camera that captures an image of a dairy livestock and a processor communicatively coupled to the three-dimensional camera. The processor accesses a first pixel having a first depth location, a second pixel having a second depth location, and a third pixel having a third depth location. The processor determines that the second pixel is an outlier among the first pixel and the third pixel based upon the first depth location, the second depth location, and the third depth location, and discards the second pixel from the image based at least in part upon the determination.

Abstract translation: 用于处理图像的系统包括捕获奶牛家畜的图像的三维照相机和通信地耦合到三维照相机的处理器。 处理器访问具有第一深度位置的第一像素，具有第二深度位置的第二像素和具有第三深度位置的第三像素。 处理器基于第一深度位置，第二深度位置和第三深度位置确定第二像素是第一像素和第三像素中的异常值，并且至少部分地基于来自图像的第二像素丢弃 决心。

公开(公告)号：US20170035019A1

公开(公告)日：2017-02-09

申请号：US15332029

申请日：2016-10-24

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS CORP.

Inventor： Henk Hofman ,  Peter Willem van der Sluis ,  Ype Groensma

IPC: A01J7/00 ,  A01J5/04 ,  A01J5/013 ,  A01J5/01

CPC classification number: A01J7/005 ,  A01J3/00 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/01 ,  A01J5/013 ,  A01J5/0133 ,  A01J5/0135 ,  A01J5/0138 ,  A01J5/04

Abstract: A method comprises receiving a flow of milk at an inlet of a manifold. The inlet comprises a first end coupled to a hose that receives a flow of milk from a teat cup and a second end terminating in a chamber of the manifold. The manifold comprises one or more other inlets and a plurality of outlets. The plurality of outlets includes one or more milk collector outlets and one or more drain outlets. The method proceeds by causing the flow of milk to be directed to a corresponding milk collector outlet by causing a shut-off valve corresponding to the inlet to open, and by causing a drain valve corresponding to the inlet to close. The method concludes by causing the flow of milk to be directed to a corresponding drain outlet by causing the drain valve corresponding to the inlet to open.

Abstract translation: 一种方法包括在歧管的入口处接收牛奶流。 入口包括联接到软管的第一端，其接收来自奶杯的牛奶流，以及终止于歧管的腔室中的第二端。 歧管包括一个或多个其它入口和多个出口。 多个出口包括一个或多个集奶器出口和一个或多个排水出口。 通过使对应于入口的截止阀打开，并且通过使与入口对应的排水阀关闭，导致牛奶的流动被引导到相应的收集器出口。 该方法的结论是通过使对应于入口的排放阀打开来使牛奶的流动被引导到相应的排出口。

公开(公告)号：US20160353701A1

公开(公告)日：2016-12-08

申请号：US15238898

申请日：2016-08-17

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS CORP.

Inventor： Henk Hofman ,  Peter Willem van der Sluis ,  Ype Groensma

IPC: A01J5/017 ,  G06T7/00 ,  H04N13/02 ,  A01K1/12 ,  A01J5/007

CPC classification number: A01J5/0175 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/017 ,  A01K1/12 ,  G06T7/001 ,  G06T7/74 ,  G06T7/77 ,  G06T2207/10012 ,  H04N13/204

Abstract: A system includes a robotic arm on which at least one camera is attached. It further includes a memory and a controller communicatively coupled to the memory. The memory stores historical information associated with a dairy livestock. The historical information include a previously-determined location of a teat of the dairy livestock. The controller moves the camera on the robotic arm toward the previously-determined location of the teat. The camera generates an image of the teat of the dairy livestock from a position to which it is moved, and the controller determines a current location of the teat of the dairy livestock based at least in part on the image.

Abstract translation: 一个系统包括一个机器人手臂，至少有一个相机被连接到机器人手臂上。 它还包括通信地耦合到存储器的存储器和控制器。 记忆存储与奶牛家畜相关的历史信息。 历史信息包括以前确定的奶牛的乳头位置。 控制器将机器人手臂上的相机移动到奶头的预先确定的位置。 相机从其移动的位置产生乳品牲畜的奶头的图像，并且控制器至少部分地基于图像来确定奶牛家畜的奶头的当前位置。

公开(公告)号：US20160353699A1

公开(公告)日：2016-12-08

申请号：US15239992

申请日：2016-08-18

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS CORP.

Inventor： Henk Hofman ,  Peter Willem van der Sluis ,  Ype Groensma

IPC: A01J5/007 ,  A01K1/00 ,  A01K5/02 ,  A01K11/00 ,  B25J19/02 ,  A01J7/04 ,  H04N5/247 ,  H04N13/02 ,  G06K9/00 ,  A01K1/12 ,  A01J5/017

CPC classification number: A01J5/00 ,  A01J5/003 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/01 ,  A01J5/013 ,  A01J5/017 ,  A01J5/0175 ,  A01J5/04 ,  A01J5/06 ,  A01J7/00 ,  A01J7/025 ,  A01J7/04 ,  A01J9/00 ,  A01K1/0023 ,  A01K1/0029 ,  A01K1/12 ,  A01K5/00 ,  A01K5/02 ,  A01K11/006 ,  B25J13/08 ,  B25J19/023 ,  G05B2219/45113 ,  G06K9/00362 ,  G06T1/0014 ,  G06T7/70 ,  H04N5/247 ,  H04N13/204 ,  Y10S901/02 ,  Y10S901/47

Abstract: A system comprises a milking box, a robotic attacher, a sensor, and a controller. The milking box has a stall to accommodate a dairy livestock. The stall comprises a first exit gate on a first side of the stall leading to a first sorting region and a second exit gate on a second side of the stall leading to a second sorting region. The robotic attacher extends from the rear between the hind legs of the dairy livestock. The sensor identifies the dairy livestock within the milking box stall. The controller selects and opens the first exit gate or the second exit gate based at least in part upon the identity of the dairy livestock in order to direct the first dairy livestock into either the first sorting region or the second sorting region.

Abstract translation: 系统包括挤奶箱，机器人附件，传感器和控制器。 挤奶箱有一个摊位可容纳一个奶牛家畜。 摊位包括在通往第一分拣区域的档位的第一侧上的第一出口门和通向第二分拣区域的摊位的第二侧上的第二出口门。 机器人护卫员从奶牛家畜后腿的后方延伸。 传感器识别挤奶箱内的奶牛家禽。 控制器至少部分地基于奶牛家畜的身份选择并打开第一出口门或第二出口，以便将第一奶牛家畜引导到第一分拣区域或第二分拣区域中。