From: "Lee Jones" > Roger Weichert wrote: >> >> I was approached yesterday to offer a solution to a problem >> a 'herd testing' company has with obtaining 'dairy cow ID >> numbers' from the RFID system already built into the dairies. >> >> They want a simple device they can clip to the front of a led >> display (7 or 8 seven segment displays) that will transfer the >> number to their own equipment. >> >> [...] the manufacturer of the equip already in the dairies >> will not provide info on the protocols used >> >> The two brands of RFID systems already in the dairies are made by >> DeLaval and Westfalia. > > In the early paragraphs, you mention "manufacturer" -- singular. > Yet in the last paragraph, you mention "2 manufacturers". I would > think that 2 different manufacturers would make systems are were > similar but not identical enough to be satisifed with a single > "capture device" solution -- thus doubling your design effort. Yes, sorry I wasn't clear ... you are spot on. There are two different systems, so yes, double the design effort. > If you have something on the front of the LED display units, do > you have to keep the display visible for the workers in the area? > Or can you cover it up such that the cow ID number is only seen > by your capture device? If you cover the existing display, you > may need to include another display so that the cow handlers(**) > can see the cow ID numbers as the bovines saunter past. These are excellent questions ... :) I dont know for certain. I need to ask. The fact that they were covering it completely with a box, suggests to me that they dont need to see it all the time. The numbers also appear on the individual 'bails' as well (where the cows are milked) ... and yes, each bail has a readout and control panel ... up to 60 bails or more in some dairies. There's some serious electronics on the farm nowadays. > > If there are 2 manufacturers, are the displays exactly the same? > Or are you looking at building 2 different "capture devices", > one specific to each brand of cow ID system? Yes, two different manufacturers, so two different displays ... and therefore 2 different "capture devices". >> I suspect the best way would be to 'crack' the communications >> feeding from the reader to the display, though exactly how to >> do that is my dilemma. > > It's unclear to me what functional blocks live where in the system. > > What data goes from the [RFID] reader to the [LED] display unit? There is a main RFID Antenna that the cows walk past ... that feeds off to the amplifier/decoder box ... and that send the actual number to the simple display box on the wall. I dont know how often anyone looks at 'that' display or even why .. the main purpose for identifying the animal is to feed the ID number off to the main computer in the office which then tracks the milk volume, allocates feed, sorts the animals into different groups as they leave etc etc. When these 'herd recorders' come in thay have to bring all their own stuff, which is a bit silly, as half the gear is already installed in the dairy ... it's just that they cant communicate with what's there. > Are you certain that the RFID tag data is decoded/translated into > a cow ID number outside of the display box? Yes. > Could you capture the raw RFID tag information, put it on the vial > labels, and then have the herd testing system convert the RFID tag > number to a cow ID number? Or is the data to translate an RFID tag > to cow ID only available at each dairy farm? Again, good question. My thoughts would be no ... because the workers have to physically match the label with the cow's number showing on the 'bail' readout where the cow is being milked ... so they have to be able to read an actual number. Thanks Lee, you've really got me thinking. Regards, Roger -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist