Patents by Inventor Christian Kalkhoff

Christian Kalkhoff has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9145265
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control unit for an egg conveyor belt, comprising a conveyor belt drive mechanically coupled with the conveyor belt and designed to drive the egg conveyor belt at one of at least two different speeds and an image recording unit to record an image section of the conveyor belt. An evaluation unit is coupled by means of signal technology to the image recording unit. A counting unit is designed to count all eggs detected in one image recording of the image recording unit on the image segment of the conveyor belt as stocking density, which is coupled by means of signal technology to an evaluation unit and to the conveyor belt drive, whereby the speed of the conveyor belt drive in dependence of the stocking density is controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Big Dutchman International GmbH
    Inventor: Christian Kalkhoff
  • Publication number: 20150245595
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a system for monitoring and/or controlling the resource consumption of an agricultural plant for livestock farming and rearing, in particular of a livestock production business. The method according to the invention comprises the following steps: determining agriculture-specific operating parameters of the agricultural plant in a current time interval, wherein the operating parameters contain information on the animal population, structure, and climate determining a resource consumption of at least one consumer least one resource type of the agricultural plant in the current time interval by means of at least one metering device, determining the resource consumption per one or more of the operating parameters, and outputting a signal comprising the resource consumption per one or more of the operating parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Inventors: Henning Muller, Ralf Garberding, Christian Kalkhoff, Heinz Sudkamp, Friedrich Otto-Lubker, Bernd Meerpohl
  • Publication number: 20140224617
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control unit for an egg conveyor belt, comprising a conveyor belt drive mechanically coupled with the conveyor belt and designed to drive the egg conveyor belt at one of at least two different speeds and an image recording unit to record an image section of the conveyor belt. An evaluation unit is coupled by means of signal technology to the image recording unit. A counting unit is designed to count all eggs detected in one image recording of the image recording unit on the image segment of the conveyor belt as stocking density, which is coupled by means of signal technology to an evaluation unit and to the conveyor belt drive, whereby the speed of the conveyor belt drive in dependence of the stocking density is controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: BIG DUTCHMAN INTERNATIONAL GMBH
    Inventor: CHRISTIAN KALKHOFF
  • Patent number: 7878391
    Abstract: A device and related method for counting objects, such as eggs or the like includes a plurality of first detectors, each of which has a locally delimited detection area, which can detect electromagnetic radiation, in particular light in the visible or infrared range, from the detection area, and which are arranged next to one another in a first line. An evaluation unit is coupled to the first detectors and is designed or configured to process the signals of the detectors and on the basis of the signals, to establish the presence of an object in the detection area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Big Dutchman International GmbH
    Inventor: Christian Kalkhoff
  • Publication number: 20070278284
    Abstract: A device and related method for counting objects, such as eggs or the like includes a plurality of first detectors, each of which has a locally delimited detection area, which can detect electromagnetic radiation, in particular light in the visible or infrared range, from the detection area, and which are arranged next to one another in a first line. An evaluation unit is coupled to the first detectors and is designed or configured to process the signals of the detectors and on the basis of the signals, to establish the presence of an object in the detection area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Inventor: Christian Kalkhoff