Device and method for obtaining information about one or more living beings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10765406-B2
Application number	US-201615081722-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2016
Priority date	Sep 26, 2013
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a device for obtaining information about one or more living beings. The device comprises an actuator, a sensor and an evaluator. The actuator is configured to output an excitation signal for exciting the living being(s). The sensor is configured to detect a signal generated by the living being(s) in reaction to the excitation signal, to obtain a detected signal. The evaluator is configured to evaluate the detected signal so as to obtain the information about the living being(s).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for acquiring information about a pest or several pests within a bulk material, comprising:
an actuator for outputting an excitation signal not exceeding 500 kHz that is suitable to excite the pest or the pests;
a sensor for detecting a signal generated in response to the excitation, so as to acquire a detected signal; and
an evaluator for evaluating the detected signal so as to acquire the information about the pest(s) within the bulk material;
wherein at least one out of the actuator and the sensor is implemented by means of an electronic device,
wherein the evaluator is implemented by means of a processor or electronic device
wherein the actuator is configured to tune a frequency of the excitation signal to a resonant frequency of the bulk material.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the generated signal is generated by the pest(s) in reaction to the excitation signal.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the generated signal is dependent on a resonant frequency of the bulk material, the resonant frequency of the bulk material being dependent on an infestation of the bulk material with the pest(s).

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to output the excitation signal at a frequency ranging from 1 Hz to 5 MHz.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect the generated signal at a frequency ranging from 10 Hz to 5 MHz.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sensor is further configured to detect a reference signal that is independent of the excitation, so as to acquire a detected reference signal;
wherein the evaluator is further configured to evaluate the detected reference signal so as to acquire the information about the pest(s) within the bulk material.

7. A system, comprising:
a device as claimed in claim 1 ; and
an accommodator for accommodating a commodity, the device being arranged at or within the accommodator such that a commodity accommodated by the accommodator can be monitored by means of the device; or
an accommodator for accommodating one or more living beings, the device being arranged at or within the accommodator such that one or more living beings can be monitored by means of the device.

8. A method of acquiring information about a pest or several pests within a bulk material, the method comprising:
outputting an excitation signal not exceeding 500 kHz suitable to excite the pest(s);
detecting a signal generated in response to the excitation, so as to acquire a detected signal; and
evaluating the detected signal so as to acquire the information about the pest(s) within the bulk material;
wherein at least one out of the outputting the excitation signal and the detecting the signal generated in response to the excitation is implemented by means of an electronic device, and
wherein the evaluating the detected signal is implemented by means of a processor or electronic device
wherein a frequency of the excitation signal is tuned to a resonant frequency of the bulk material.

9. A non-transitory digital storage medium having a computer program stored thereon to perform the method according to claim 8 when said computer program is run by a computer.

Assignees

• Fraunhofer Ges Forschung

Inventors

• Roeder Olaf
• Schubert Lars
• Tschoepe Constanze
• Frankenstein Bernd
• Lieske Uwe

Classifications

• A01M1/026 Primary

  combined with devices for monitoring insect presence, e.g. termites (bait stations A01M1/2005; detecting other animals in a given area A01M31/002) · CPC title

• G01N2291/02483

  Other human or animal parts, e.g. bones · CPC title

• G01N29/4427

  with stored values, e.g. threshold values · CPC title

• A01M99/00

  Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• A01K29/005

  Monitoring or measuring activity · CPC title