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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016206286-A1
Application number	US-201615081722-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 25, 2016
Priority date	Sep 26, 2013
Publication date	Jul 21, 2016
Grant date	—

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

1 . A device for acquiring information about one or more living beings, comprising:
an actuator for outputting an excitation signal for exciting the living being(s); a sensor for detecting a signal generated by the living being(s) in reaction to the excitation signal, so as to acquire a detected signal; and an evaluator for evaluating the detected signal so as to acquire the information about the living being(s).

2 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , the device being configured to monitor a commodity, the information about the living being(s) indicating whether or not the commodity monitored by means of the device is infested with the living being(s).

3 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , the device being configured to monitor the living being(s), the information about the living being(s) indicating a state of the living being(s).

4 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to output an acoustic excitation signal as the excitation signal.

5 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to output the excitation signal in such a manner that a frequency range of the excitation signal is within the infrasonic frequency range, within the audible frequency range or within the ultrasonic frequency range.

6 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to output the excitation signal with a fixed frequency range or a tuned frequency range, depending on external parameters.

7 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect a signal, generated by the living being(s) in reaction to the excitation signal, within the infrasonic frequency range, within the audible frequency range or within the ultrasonic frequency range.

8 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the evaluator is configured to classify the detected signal so as to acquire the information about the living being(s).

9 . The device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the evaluator comprises a memory wherein reference signals are stored or can be stored, the evaluator being configured to classify the detected signal while using the reference signals.

10 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , the device further comprising:
at least one further actuator for outputting at least one further excitation signal for exciting the living being(s); and at least one further sensor for detecting a signal generated by the living being(s) in reaction to at least one of the excitation signals, so as to acquire at least one further detected signal; wherein the evaluator is further configured to evaluate the at least one further detected signal so as to acquire the information about the living being(s).

11 . The device as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the actuator and the at least one further actuator are arranged in an array.

12 . The device as claimed in claim 11 , the device being configured to generate a pivotable excitation signal lobe by means of the excitation signals output by the actuator and the at least one further actuator.

13 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , the device being configured to determine a propagation speed of the excitation signal and to acquire the information about the living being(s) on the basis of the determined propagation speed of the excitation signal.

14 . The device as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the sensor and the at least one further sensor are arranged in an array.

15 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuator and the sensor are implemented in a shared actuator/sensor unit.

16 . A device for acquiring information about a pest or several pests within a bulk material, comprising:
an actuator for outputting an excitation signal for exciting the bulk material, the pest or the pests; a sensor for detecting a signal generated in response to the excitation, so as to acquire a detected signal; an evaluator for evaluating the detected signal so as to acquire the information about the pest(s) within the bulk material.

17 . The device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the generated signal is generated by the pest(s) in reaction to the excitation signal.

18 . The device as claimed in claim 17 , 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).

19 . The device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the actuator is configured to tune a frequency of the excitation signal to a resonant frequency of the bulk material.

20 . The device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the actuator is configured to output the excitation signal at a frequency ranging from 1 Hz to 5 MHz.

21 . The device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect the generated signal at a frequency ranging from 10 Hz to 5 MHz.

22 . The device as claimed in claim 16 , 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.

23 . 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.

24 . A system, comprising:
a device as claimed in claim 16 ; 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.

25 . A method of acquiring information about one or more living beings, the method comprising:
outputting an excitation signal for exciting the living being(s); detecting a signal generated by the living being(s) in reaction to the excitation signal, so as to acquire a detected signal; and evaluating the detected signal so as to acquire the information about the living being(s).

26 . A method of acquiring information about a pest or several pests within a bulk material, the method comprising:
outputting an excitation signal for exciting the bulk material or 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.

27 . A non-transitory digital storage medium having a computer program stored thereon to perform the method according to claim 25 when said computer program is run by a computer.

28 . A non-transitory digital storage medium having a computer program stored thereon to perform the method according to claim 26 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

• A01K29/005

  Monitoring or measuring activity · CPC title

• A61B8/48 Primary

  Diagnostic techniques (A61B8/13 takes precedence) · 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