Patents by Inventor Diane Susan Spencer

Diane Susan Spencer 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).

  • Teat location for milking
    Patent number: 5934220
    Abstract: A method of guiding a milking apparatus support towards at least one teat of a milk animal, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps: moving a support to a fixed start position within a stall; illuminating a region expected to contain at least one udder with a sheet of light from the support; capturing images by viewing the region with a video camera; analyzing the captured images to identify possible teat candidates and selecting one of these teat candidates as a target teat; determining the position of the target teat and homing in the support and any supported milking apparatus to the target teat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Alfa Laval Agri AB
    Inventors: Robert Christopher Hall, Stephan Robert Lee, Diane Susan Spencer, Michael John Street, Jan Stein, Benny Ornerfors
  • Examination of milking animals
    Patent number: 5666903
    Abstract: A method of examining a milking animal presenting for milking including examining the animal with an optical (as herein defined) sensing device responsive to at least one characteristic significant in the acceptability of an animal for milking, assessing the response of the sensing device to determine the acceptability of the animal and controlling the continuance of the presentation of the animal in dependence on the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: British Technology Group Limited
    Inventors: Christine Roberta Bull, Diane Susan Spencer, Toby Trevor Fury Mottram, Michael John Street, Robin Deirdre Tillett