# US 2016/0353701 A1 · Vision system for robotic attacher > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0353701 A1 - Document ID: US20160353701A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/238,898 - Filed: 2016-08-17 - Published: 2016-12-08 - Earliest claimed: 2011-04-28 - Assignees: Technologies Holdings Corp. - Applicants: Technologies Holdings Corp. - Inventors: Henk Hofman; Peter Willem van der Sluis; Ype Groensma - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160353701A1 ## CPC - A01J 5/0175: {Attaching of clusters} - A01J 5/007: Monitoring milking processes; Control or regulation of milking machines - A01J 5/017: Automatic attaching or detaching of clusters - A01K 1/12: Milking stations - G06T 7/001: {using an image reference approach} - G06T 7/74: {involving reference images or patches} - G06T 7/77: using statistical methods - H04N 13/204: using stereoscopic image cameras (stereoscopic photography G03B35/00) - G06T 2207/10012: Stereo images - A01J: MANUFACTURE OF DAIRY PRODUCTS - A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A system includes a robotic arm on which at least one camera is attached. It further includes a memory and a controller communicatively coupled to the memory. The memory stores historical information associated with a dairy livestock. The historical information include a previously-determined location of a teat of the dairy livestock. The controller moves the camera on the robotic arm toward the previously-determined location of the teat. The camera generates an image of the teat of the dairy livestock from a position to which it is moved, and the controller determines a current location of the teat of the dairy livestock based at least in part on the image. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-20. (canceled) ### Claim 21 A system, comprising: a robotic arm on which at least one camera is attached; a memory that stores historical information associated with a dairy livestock, the historical information including a previously-determined location of a teat of the dairy livestock; a controller communicatively coupled to the memory and that instructs the robotic arm to move the camera toward the previously-determined location of the teat, wherein the camera generates an image of the teat of the dairy livestock from a position to which it is moved, and the controller determines a current location of the teat of the dairy livestock based at least in part on the image; wherein the previously-determined location of the teat is relative to a reference point and the reference point is relative to at least one of a hind leg of the dairy livestock or a mid-point of an udder of the dairy livestock. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the robotic arm attaches milking equipment to the teat between the hind legs of the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the determined location of the teat. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the milking equipment comprises a milking cup. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the controller receives identification information for the dairy livestock and accesses the historical information for the dairy livestock based at least in part on the identification information. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the camera comprises a three dimensional camera. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the dairy livestock is located in a milking stall. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the previously-determined location of the teat is based on a previous milking cycle for the dairy livestock. ### Claim 28 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the previously-determined location of the teat comprises an average of the locations of the teat during a number of previous milking cycles. ### Claim 29 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the previously-determined location of the teat comprises a location of the teat during a previous milking cycle in which the udder of the dairy livestock was substantially as full of milk as a current milking cycle for the dairy livestock. ### Claim 30 A method, comprising: storing historical information associated with a dairy livestock, the historical information including a previously-determined location of a teat of the dairy livestock; moving a camera toward the previously-determined location of the teat using a robotic arm; using the camera to generate an image of the teat of the dairy livestock from a position to which the camera is moved; and determining a current location of the teat of the dairy livestock based at least in part on the image; wherein the previously-determined location of the teat is relative to a reference point and the reference point is relative to at least one of a hind leg of the dairy livestock or a mid-point of an udder of the dairy livestock. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, further comprising attaching milking equipment to the teat between the hind legs of the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the determined location of the teat. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, further comprising: receiving identification information for the dairy livestock; and accessing the historical information for the dairy livestock based at least in part on the identification information. ### Claim 33 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the camera comprises a three dimensional camera. ### Claim 34 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the previously-determined location of the teat is based on a previous milking cycle for the dairy livestock. ### Claim 35 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the previously-determined location of the teat comprises an average of the locations of the teat during a plurality of previous milking cycles. ### Claim 36 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the previously-determined location of the teat comprises a location of the teat during a previous milking cycle in which the udder of the dairy livestock was substantially as full of milk as a current milking cycle for the dairy livestock. ### Claim 37 A system, comprising: a robotic arm on which at least one camera is attached; a memory that stores historical information associated with a dairy livestock, the historical information including a previously-determined location of a teat of the dairy livestock; a controller communicatively coupled to the memory and that instructs the robotic arm to move the camera toward the previously-determined location of the teat, wherein the camera generates an image of the teat of the dairy livestock from a position to which it is moved, and the controller determines a current location of the teat of the dairy livestock based at least in part on the image; wherein the previously-determined location of the teat comprises a location of the teat during a previous milking cycle in which the udder of the dairy livestock was substantially as full of milk as a current milking cycle for the dairy livestock. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the robotic arm attaches milking equipment to the teat between the hind legs of the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the determined location of the teat. ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the milking equipment comprises a milking cup. ### Claim 40 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the controller receives identification information for the dairy livestock and accesses the historical information for the dairy livestock based at least in part on the identification information. ### Claim 41 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the camera comprises a three dimensional camera. ### Claim 42 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the dairy livestock is located in a milking stall. ### Claim 43 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the previously-determined location of the teat is relative to a reference point. ### Claim 44 (depends on 43) The system of claim 43, wherein the reference point is relative to at least one of a hind leg of the dairy livestock or a mid-point of an udder of the dairy livestock. ### Claim 45 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the previously-determined location of the teat is based on a previous milking cycle for the dairy livestock. ### Claim 46 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the previously-determined location of the teat comprises an average of the locations of the teat during a number of previous milking cycles.