Patents by Inventor Peter Willem van der Sluis

Peter Willem van der Sluis 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).

  • MILKING BOX WITH ROBOTIC ATTACHER
    Publication number: 20160113227
    Abstract: A system comprises a milking box, a robotic attacher, a sensor, and a controller. The milking box has a stall to accommodate a dairy livestock. The stall comprises a first exit gate on a first side of the stall leading to a first sorting region and a second exit gate on a second side of the stall leading to a second sorting region. The robotic attacher extends from the rear between the hind legs of the dairy livestock, move in at least one direction along the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis, and attach milking equipment to the dairy livestock. The sensor identifies the dairy livestock within the milking box stall. The controller selects and opens the first exit gate or the second exit gate based at least in part upon the identity of the dairy livestock in order to direct the first dairy livestock into either the first sorting region or the second sorting region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Peter Willem van der Sluis, Ype Groensma
  • Milking system shut-off and sensors
    Patent number: 9313998
    Abstract: A method, comprises receiving a flow of milk at an inlet of a manifold. The inlet comprises a first end coupled to a hose that receives a flow of milk from a teat cup and a second end terminating in a chamber of the manifold. The manifold comprises one or more other inlets and a plurality of outlets. The plurality of outlets includes one or more milk collector outlets and one or more drain outlets. The method proceeds by causing the flow of milk to be directed to a corresponding milk collector outlet by causing a shut-off valve corresponding to the inlet to open, and by causing a drain valve corresponding to the inlet to close. The method concludes by causing the flow of milk to be directed to a corresponding drain outlet by causing the shut-off valve corresponding to the inlet to close, and by causing the drain valve corresponding to the inlet to open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Peter Willem van der Sluis, Ype Groensma
  • ARRANGEMENT OF MILKING BOX STALLS
    Publication number: 20160088814
    Abstract: A system includes includes a first milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a first dairy livestock and a second milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a second dairy livestock. The first and second milking box stalls face opposite directions. An equipment portion is located between the first milking box stall and the second milking box stall. A robotic attacher is housed in the equipment portion and configured to service both stalls at different times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Cor de Ruijter, Menno Koekoek, Michael A. Mills, Peter Willem van der Sluis
  • Arrangement of milking box stalls
    Patent number: 9282720
    Abstract: A system includes a first milking box stall cluster comprising a first plurality of milking box stalls and a first robotic attacher associated with the first milking box stall cluster. The first robotic attacher is positioned to service each of the first plurality of milking box stalls. The system further includes a second milking box cluster comprising a second plurality of milking box stalls. It is positioned adjacent to the first milking box stall cluster. A second robotic attacher is associated with the second milking box stall cluster and is positioned to service each of the second plurality of milking box stalls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Cor de Ruijter, Menno Koekoek, Michael A. Mills, Peter Willem van der Sluis
  • Milking box with robotic attacher
    Patent number: 9282718
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a system includes a front wall, a rear wall positioned substantially parallel to the front wall, and first and second side walls each extending between the front wall and the rear wall. The first side wall includes a gate, and the second side wall is spaced apart from the first side wall such that the front wall, the rear wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall define a milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock. The system includes an equipment portion located adjacent to the rear wall. The equipment portion houses a robotic attacher configured to extend between the rear legs of a dairy livestock located within the milking box stall in order to attach milking equipment to the dairy livestock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Peter Willem van der Sluis, Ype Groensma
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ANALYZING DATA CAPTURED BY A THREE-DIMENSIONAL CAMERA
    Publication number: 20160066529
    Abstract: A system includes a three-dimensional camera and a processor communicatively coupled to the three-dimensional camera. The processor is operable to determine a first and second edge of a dairy livestock. The first edge includes an inner portion of a first hind leg and a first portion of an udder of the dairy livestock. The second edge includes an inner portion of a second hind leg and a second portion of the udder of the dairy livestock. The processor calculates a reference point associated with the udder of the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the first edge and the second edge. A robotic attacher moves toward the udder of the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the calculated reference point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Cor de Ruijter, Menno Koekoek, Peter Willem van der Sluis
  • System and method for analyzing data captured by a three-dimensional camera
    Patent number: 9271471
    Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, a system includes a three-dimensional camera and a processor communicatively coupled to the three-dimensional camera. The processor is operable to determine a first edge of a dairy livestock, determine a second edge of the dairy livestock, determine a third edge of the dairy livestock, and determine a fourth edge of the dairy livestock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Cor de Ruijter, Menno Koekoek, Peter Willem van der Sluis
  • System and method for improved attachment of a cup to a dairy animal
    Patent number: 9265227
    Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, a system includes a milking cup, a pulsating device coupled to the milking cup, a robotic arm comprising a gripper, and a controller communicatively coupled to the robotic arm and the pulsating device. The controller is operable to instruct the gripper of the robotic arm to grip the milking cup, instruct the robotic arm to move the milking cup proximate to a teat of a dairy livestock, and instruct the robotic arm to move the milking cup towards the teat. The controller is further operable to instruct the pulsating device to apply pressure to the milking cup before attaching the milking cup to the teat and instruct the gripper of the robotic arm to release the milking cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Cor de Ruijter, Menno Koekoek, Peter Willem van der Sluis
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ATTACHING CUPS TO A DAIRY ANIMAL
    Publication number: 20160044887
    Abstract: A robotic attacher retrieves cups from the right side of an equipment area located behind a dairy livestock and attaches the cups to the teats of the dairy livestock in sequence. The sequence comprises attaching a first cup to the right front teat, a second cup to the left front teat, a third cup to the right rear teat, and a fourth cup to the left rear teat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Cor de Ruijter, Menno Koekoek, Peter Willem van der Sluis
  • Milking box with robotic attacher and vision system
    Patent number: 9258975
    Abstract: A system includes a robotic attacher comprising a main arm and a supplemental arm operable to extend into a stall portion of a milking box. A camera couples to the supplemental arm. The supplemental arm comprises a camera-facing nozzle operable to spray the camera with a cleanser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Cor de Ruijter, Menno Koekoek, Peter Willem van der Sluis
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE POSITION OF A ROBOT CARRIAGE BASED ON THE POSITION OF A MILKING STALL OF AN ADJACENT ROTARY MILKING PLATFORM
    Publication number: 20160037747
    Abstract: A system includes a carriage track positioned adjacent to a rotary milking platform, a robot carriage positioned on the carriage track such that the robot carriage may move along the carriage track, and a controller. The controller determines a movement of a milking stall of the rotary milking platform from a first rotational position to a second rotational position. The controller further determines a position of the robot carriage on the carriage track corresponding to the movement of the milking stall of the rotary milking platform. The controller also communicates a position signal to a carriage actuator coupled to the robot carriage and the carriage track. The position signal causes the carriage actuator to move the robot carriage along the carriage track to the determined position in conjunction with the movement of the rotary milking platform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Cor de Ruijter, Menno Koekoek, Peter Willem van der Sluis
  • MILKING BOX WITH ROBOTIC ATTACHER AND BACKPLANE FOR TRACKING MOVEMENTS OF A DAIRY ANIMAL
    Publication number: 20160037746
    Abstract: A milking box comprises a stall portion and a backplane positioned in the stall portion. The backplane moves toward the rear of the stall portion in response to pressure applied to a contact surface of the backplane. The backplane moves toward the front of stall portion in response to pressure removed from the contact surface. A robotic attacher extends from the rear of the stall portion and between the hind legs of a dairy livestock located in the stall portion. A controller determines the position of the backplane relative to the rear of the stall portion. The controller determines an x-offset based at least in part upon the position of the backplane relative to the rear of the stall portion, wherein the x-offset increases as the dairy livestock moves toward the front of the stall and the x-offset decreases as the dairy livestock moves toward the rear of the stall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Cor de Ruijter, Menno Koekoek, Peter Willem van der Sluis
  • System and method of attaching cups to a dairy animal
    Patent number: 9253959
    Abstract: A robotic attacher retrieves cups from the left side of an equipment area located behind a dairy livestock and attaches the cups to the teats of the dairy livestock in sequence. The sequence comprises attaching a first cup to the left front teat, a second cup to the right front teat, a third cup to the left rear teat, and a fourth cup to the right rear teat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Cor de Ruijter, Menno Koekoek, Peter Willem van der Sluis
  • System and method for controlling the position of a robot carriage based on the position of a milking stall of an adjacent rotary milking platform
    Patent number: 9247709
    Abstract: A system includes a carriage track positioned adjacent to a rotary milking platform, a robot carriage mounted to the carriage track, and a controller. The controller causes the robot carriage to move linearly along the carriage track in conjunction with a rotational movement of the rotary milking platform such that a first linear position of the robot carriage aligns with a first rotational position of a milking stall of the rotary milking platform and a second linear position of the robot carriage aligns with a second rotational position of the milking stall of the rotary milking platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Cor de Ruijter, Menno Koekoek, Peter Willem van der Sluis
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FILTERING DATA CAPTURED BY A 2D CAMERA
    Publication number: 20150379324
    Abstract: A system comprises a memory operable to store first light intensity information for a first pixel of an image that includes a dairy livestock, and second light intensity information for a second pixel of the image, wherein the second pixel is adjacent to the first pixel. The system further comprises a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and operable to determine that a difference between the first light intensity information and the second light intensity information exceeds a threshold, and discard one of the first pixel or the second pixel from the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Cor de Ruijter, Menno Koekoek, Peter Willem van der Sluis
  • MILKING BOX WITH ROBOTIC ATTACHER COMPRISING AN ARM THAT PIVOTS, ROTATES, AND GRIPS
    Publication number: 20150373943
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a milking box having a stall to accommodate a dairy livestock and a robotic attacher. The robotic attacher comprises a main arm that is suspended vertically from a rail of the milking box, and a supplemental arm that is coupled to and extends horizontally from the main arm along a longitudinal axis. The supplemental arm comprises a pivot assembly that pivots a gripping portion around a vertical axis that is substantially parallel to the main arm of the robotic attacher, in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the supplemental arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Cor de Ruijter, Menno Koekoek, Peter Willem van der Sluis
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FILTERING DATA CAPTURED BY A 3D CAMERA
    Publication number: 20150379705
    Abstract: A system for processing an image comprises a three-dimensional camera that captures an image of a dairy livestock and a processor communicatively coupled to the three-dimensional camera. The processor accesses a first pixel having a first depth location, a second pixel having a second depth location, and a third pixel having a third depth location. The processor determines that the second pixel is an outlier among the first pixel and the third pixel based upon the first depth location, the second depth location, and the third depth location, and discards the second pixel from the image based at least in part upon the determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Cor de Ruijter, Menno Koekoek, Peter Willem van der Sluis
  • System and Method for Determining Whether to Operate a Robot in Conjunction with a Rotary Milking Platform Based on Detection of a Milking Claw
    Publication number: 20150366155
    Abstract: A system comprises a robotic arm operable to extend between the legs of a dairy livestock located in a milking stall of a rotary milking platform, a camera operable to generate an image signal corresponding to a rear of the dairy livestock, and a controller communicatively coupled to the robotic arm and the camera. The controller determines whether a milking claw is attached to the teats of the dairy livestock by receiving the image signal generated by the camera and processing the image signal. If it is determined based on the image signal that the milking claw is not attached, the controller controls the robotic arm to extend between the legs of the dairy livestock. If it is determined based on the image signal that the milking claw is attached, the controller controls the robotic arm not to extend between the legs of the dairy livestock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Cor de Ruijter, Menno Koekoek, Peter Willem van der Sluis
  • Milking box with robotic attacher and backplane for tracking movements of a dairy animal
    Patent number: 9215861
    Abstract: A milking box comprises a stall portion and a backplane positioned in the stall portion. The backplane moves toward the rear of the stall portion in response to pressure applied to a contact surface of the backplane. The backplane moves toward the front of stall portion in response to pressure removed from the contact surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Cor de Ruijter, Menno Koekoek, Peter Willem van der Sluis
  • System and method for filtering data captured by a 3D camera
    Patent number: 9183623
    Abstract: A system for processing an image comprises a three-dimensional camera that captures an image of a dairy livestock. A processor is communicatively coupled to the three-dimensional camera. The processor accesses a first pixel having a first depth location, and a second pixel having a second depth location. The processor determines that the second depth location is not within a threshold distance of the first depth location, and discards the second pixel from the image based at least in part upon the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Henk Hofman, Cor de Ruijter, Menno Koekoek, Peter Willem van der Sluis