Monitoring of critical dairy farm conditions

Abstract

A system is provided herein for monitoring the quality of milk which is stored at a dairy facility comprising sensors, e.g., analog and/or digital sensors that are installed on equipment on a dairy farm. Such sensors report information through a communication device that sends the information, e.g., over wire-line or wireless telephony to a network operations center. The network operation center includes resident software which is programmed to interpret that information. Then, the software firstly determines whether the dairy farm operator needs to receive an alert or informational message via telephone or any other electronic communications device suggesting that the operator take appropriate action. Secondly, if necessary, the software then presents the alert and sensor information on a customized secure web site that the operator can access to review the information and prepare the compliance reporting for, e.g., HACCP-type activities.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A system comprising sensors, which are selected from the group consisting of, analog and digital sensors, that are installed on equipment on a dairy farm that will report information through a communication device that sends the information over wire-line or wireless telephony to a network operations center that includes software, wherein: 
 in that said software is programmed to interpret that information, and then: 
 firstly to determine whether the dairy farm operator needs to receive an alert or informational message via telephone or any other electronic communications device suggesting that the operator take appropriate action; and  
 secondly, to present the alert and sensor information on a customized secure web site that the operator can access to review the information and prepare the compliance reporting for HACCP-type activities.  
   
     
     
         2 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said system is configured to be able to add additional sensors, which are selected from the group consisting, of analog and digital sensors, of various types at various locations at the dairy farm operation and report information from those sensors on an alerting and informational basis and present that information on a customized secure web site that the operator can access to review the information and prepare the compliance reporting for HACCP-type or other activities.  
     
     
         3 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said system is configured to have the alarming and reporting conditions of the system set by the operator through a customized secure web site.  
     
     
         4 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said system is configured to instruct various mechanical devices on the dairy farm to perform various functions based on information which is received and interpreted by the software of the network operations center.  
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said system is configured to enable multiple users to review the information which is collected an any number of dairy farms in any number of location through the network operations center  
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said software is encoded with a set of business rules, whereby: 
 said software can continually monitor any number of conditions on any number of dairy farms in any number of locations against a set of site-specific and regulatory thresholds of raw milk quality standards.    
     
     
         7 . A milk storage and quality control system comprising: 
 a) a milk flow line from a milking station to a milk storage tank;    b) a volume sensor for determining the volume of milk;    c) a temperature sensor in said milk flow line;    d) a milk storage tank temperature sensor; and    e) an alarm for alerting when the temperature of milk in said milk storage tank is outside of upper and lower threshold temperature limits, said alarm providing an indication of the quality of milk stored in said storage tank so that appropriate corrective or other action may manually or automatically be taken with respect to said milk in said milk storage tank.    
     
     
         8 . The milk storage and quality control system as claimed in  claim 7 , further including 
 f) a refrigeration line to cool said milk storage tank;    g) a refrigerant line temperature sensor; and    h) an alarm, said alarm providing an indication that the temperature in said refrigerant line is higher than a predetermined maximum temperature or lower than a predetermined minimum temperature so that appropriate corrective or other action may manually or automatically be taken with respect to said milk in said milk storage tank.    
     
     
         9 . The milk storage and quality control system as claimed in  claim 7 , further including 
 i) a wash or cleaning solution pump including a wash or cleaning solution control;    j) valve means to disrupt the flow of milk into said milk storage tank prior to allowing entry of wash or cleaning solution into said milk storage tank; and    a temperature sensor to provide an alarm to indicate that the temperature of the wash or cleaning solution is outside preselected minimum and maximum washing or cleaning temperatures, said temperature sensor providing an indication of inadequate cleaning of said milk cleaning tank so that appropriate corrective or other action may manually or automatically be taken with respect to said wash or cleaning solution.    
     
     
         10 . A method of monitoring the storage of milk in a milk storage tank comprising the steps of: 
 continuously monitoring the temperature of milk in said milk storage tank;    providing an alarm when the temperature of milk in said milk storage tank is less than a preselected minimum or more than a preselected maximum threshold temperatures; and    manually or automatically taking appropriate corrective or other action with respect to milk in said milk storage tank in response to said alarm.    
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , which includes the steps of: 
 continuously monitoring the temperature of refrigerant which cools milk in said milk storage tank;    providing an alarm when the temperature of the refrigerant is less than a preselected minimum cooling temperature or more than a preselected maximum cooling temperature; and    manually or automatically taking appropriate corrective or other action.    
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , which further includes the steps of: 
 continuously monitoring the temperature of milk entering the milk storage tank; providing an alarm when the temperature of the milk is outside predetermined minimum and maximum threshold values; and    manually or automatically taking appropriate corrective or other action.    
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , which still further includes the steps of: 
 monitoring the temperature of a hot wash or cleaning solution in said milk storage tank;    providing an alarm when the temperature of the hot cleaning solution is less than a predetermined minimum and more than a predetermined maximum temperature, said alarm providing an indication of the effectiveness of the cleaning of the milk storage tank; and    manually or automatically taking appropriate corrective or other action.    
     
     
         14 . A system for monitoring at least one parameter of a milk storage facility, and for automatically providing an alarm that said monitored parameter is outside of predefined thresholds, comprising: 
 (a) at least one sensor to monitor at least one said parameter, and to generate signals which provide data which is representative of said monitored parameter;    (b) an “on-site” communication device for receiving said data, for comparing said data with said predefined thresholds, for providing an alarm when said data is outside said thresholds, and to transmit said signals to a network operation center; and    (c) wherein said network operation center is configured for receiving said signals from said “on-site” communication device, said network operations center having resident software which is programmed to process data which is received from said “on-site” communications device, and to generate preselected information signals.    
     
     
         15 . The system as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said sensors include at least one of a storage tank temperature sensor, a condensing unit temperature sensor, a storage tank “clean-in-place” sensor, a vacuum pump sensor, a fill pipe sensor, a storage tank agitation sensor, a milk meter sensor and a harvesting equipment “clean-in-place” sensor.  
     
     
         16 . The system as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said “on-site” communication device comprises a combined sensor receiver, data logger processor and two-way communicator, for providing signals to at least one of an “on-site” alarm system and an “on-site” display.  
     
     
         17 . The system as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said software which is resident in said “off-site” network communication center is programmed to generate at least one of information signals which is selected from the group comprising: 
 an alert signal to an “on-site” telephone;  
 an alert signal to an “on-site” alarming device;  
 an alert signal to any other “on-site” electronic communication device;  
 an alert signal to a processor at a regulatory agency;  
 an alert signal to a processor at a milk collection company;  
 and a signal to a recorder to print a hard copy of the data for analysis and compliance reporting.