Crowd gate control system and method
AssigneeTechnologies Holdings Corp.
InventorJames D. Siddell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for controlling a crowd gate comprises operating a milking parlor for a plurality of dairy livestock. The milking parlor comprises an entrance located adjacent to a holding pen, and a crowd gate that forms a side of the holding pen and moves toward and away from the entrance to the milking parlor. The method further comprises determining that dairy livestock should enter the milking parlor, and operating the crowd gate in response to determining that dairy livestock should enter the milking parlor. Operating the crowd gate comprises moving the crowd gate away from the entrance to the milking parlor prior to initiating movement towards the entrance, pausing the movement of the crowd gate, and moving the crowd gate towards the entrance of the milking parlor.
Claims19
A method for controlling a crowd gate, comprising:
- storing a triggering threshold associated with a counter related to a milking parlor for dairy livestock, wherein the milking parlor includes an entrance located adjacent to a holding pen, and a crowd gate that forms a side of the holding pen and moves toward and away from the entrance to the milking parlor;
- determining whether the counter has reached a triggering threshold;
- and
- initiating a first mode of operation of the crowd gate in response to determining that the counter has reached the triggering threshold, wherein the first mode of operation comprises:
- a pre-forward reverse step, wherein the crowd gate moves away from the entrance to the milking parlor prior to initiating movement towards the entrance;
- a first pause step, wherein the crowd gate does not move with respect to the entrance to the milking parlor;
- and
- a forward step, wherein the crowd gate moves towards the entrance to the milking parlor.
A method for controlling a crowd gate, comprising:
- operating a milking parlor for a plurality of dairy livestock, wherein the milking parlor comprises an entrance located adjacent to a holding pen, and a crowd gate that forms a side of the holding pen and moves toward and away from the entrance to the milking parlor;
- determining that dairy livestock should enter the milking parlor;
- and
- operating the crowd gate in response to determining that dairy livestock should enter the milking parlor, wherein operating the crowd gate comprises:
- moving the crowd gate away from the entrance to the milking parlor prior to initiating movement towards the entrance;
- pausing the movement of the crowd gate;
- and
- moving the crowd gate towards the entrance of the milking parlor.
A method for controlling a crowd gate, comprising:
- operating a milking parlor for a plurality of dairy livestock, wherein the milking parlor comprises an entrance located adjacent to a holding pen, and a crowd gate that forms a side of the holding pen and moves toward and away from the entrance to the milking parlor;
- determining that a predetermined period of time has elapsed;
- and
- operating the crowd gate in response to determining that the predetermined period of time has elapsed, wherein operating the crowd gate comprises:
- moving the crowd gate away from the entrance to the milking parlor prior to initiating movement towards the entrance;
- pausing the movement of the crowd gate;
- and
- moving the crowd gate towards the entrance of the milking parlor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.