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Time Of Flight Teat Location System

Patent No. EP1996010 (titled "Time Of Flight Teat Location System") was filed by GEA Farm on Nov 22, 2006. The application was issued on May 22, 2024.

Patent Summary

An automated milking system comprises a robot arm supporting milking cups and a sensor housing. The system receives instructions to move the arm and engage cups onto animal teats based on location data. The sensor housing includes a light source for illuminating the teats and a two-dimensional array camera featuring pixels capable of individually providing time-of-flight data. Electronic means capture the array output to deliver location data. The camera is configured to image the milking cups, teats, and the animal's hind legs within a single field of view, enabling the tracking of animal movement. This time-of-flight approach overcomes depth-of-field limitations of triangulation systems, reducing required robot arm manipulation while reliably acquiring 3D data for multiple teats and hind legs.

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Patent Oppositions (2)

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CompanyOpposition DateRepresentative
FULLWOOD LIMITEDAug 6, 2019BARTLE READ
OCTROOIBUREAU VAN DER LELYAug 6, 2019-

Dossier Documents

The dossier documents provide a comprehensive record of the patent's prosecution history - including filings, correspondence, and decisions made by patent offices - and are crucial for understanding the patent's legal journey and any challenges it may have faced during examination.

  • Date

    Description

EP1996010

GEA FARM
Application Number
EP06804778A
Filing Date
Nov 22, 2006
Status
Patent Maintained As Amended
Apr 19, 2024
Publication Date
May 22, 2024
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