# US 2015/0146194 A1 · Method for determining the quality and/or composition of milk, in particular during a milking process > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2015/0146194 A1 - Document ID: US20150146194A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/385,482 - Filed: 2013-03-18 - Published: 2015-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2012-03-16 - Assignees: GEA Farm Technologies GmbH - Applicants: GEA Farm Technologies GmbH - Inventors: Karsten Schönrock; Marek Krasutzki; Sascha Bieletzki; Reinhard Balkenhol - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20150146194A1 ## CPC - G01N 21/84: Systems specially adapted for particular applications - A01J 5/01: Milkmeters; Milk flow sensing devices {(air or gas separators in combination with liquid meters G01F15/08)} - A01J 5/0135: {by using light, e.g. light absorption or light transmission} - G01F 23/292: Light {, e.g. infrared or ultraviolet} - G01N 33/04: Dairy products - G01N 2201/06113: Coherent sources; lasers - G01N 2201/0621: Supply - G01N 2201/0696: Pulsed - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - A01J: MANUFACTURE OF DAIRY PRODUCTS - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME ## Abstract A method is proposed for ascertaining the quality and/or the composition of milk, in particular during a milking operation, in which the fill level of the milk in a chamber is determined. After the fill level of the milk in the chamber has been determined, the milk is irradiated using at least one radiation of a predefined wavelength. The intensity of the reflected radiation is measured. The fill level and the intensity of the reflected radiation represent a value pair. Characteristic values are stored in a memory. A characteristic value is assigned to the ascertained value pair. A statement about the quality and/or the composition of the milk can be made from the characteristic value thus ascertained. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for ascertaining the quality and/or the composition of milk, in particular during a milking operation, comprising the steps of: determining a fill level of the milk in a chamber; irradiating the milk using at least one radiation of a predefined wavelength; measuring an intensity of the reflected radiation; and ascertaining a characteristic value associated with the value pair fill level and intensity of the reflected radiation from stored characteristic values. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of irradiating the milk includes using red light to irradiate the milk and the step of determining the fill level of the milk is determined at least in part from the intensity of the reflected red light. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined wavelength corresponds to a wavelength of green light or blue light or a combination of both. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the step of irradiating the milk is includes the steps of successively or simultaneously using a red light, green light, or blue light or combinations thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of irradiating the milk includes the step of applying pulsing radiation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of: storing the characteristic values in the form of a table. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of: determining a characteristic value from the fill level and the intensity of the reflected radiation as parameters in a mathematical relationship. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the fill level comprises the step of: detecting a milk stream. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the radiation is a monochromatic radiation. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the fill level is determined capacitively. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, and wherein the fill level in the chamber is predefined. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, and further comprising the steps of: providing at least one sensor having at least one light source and at least one receiver, wherein the sensor is calibrated to a herd-specific white of the milk. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, and further comprising the steps of: providing a sensor that has a light source which emits red light and a receiver which receives red light, and calibrating the sensor with a predefined red liquid. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein milked milk flows through the chamber. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of: successively ascertaining multiple characteristic values during a milking operation. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of: conducting the milk into a tank for milk which can be used or milk which cannot be used in dependence on at least one characteristic value. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the fill level comprises the step of: detecting a minimum milk stream. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the fill level is determined inductively. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, and further comprising the steps of: providing at least one sensor having at least one light source and at least one receiver, wherein the sensor is calibrated to an animal-individual white of the milk.