Automated monitoring and control of food processing systems
Inventors
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-11832622-B2
Publication Date
2023-12-05
Expiration Date
Abstract
Systems and methods for automated monitoring and control of food processing systems are disclosed. Data from one or more controllers of a food processing system is received during operation of the food processing system at a remote food processing facility. Values of one or more operating parameters of the food processing system are monitored, based on the received data. At least one event of interest occurring during the operation of the food processing system is detected, based on the monitored values of the one or more operating parameters. Control signals for adjusting a configuration of the food processing system are transmitted to the one or more controllers, based on the detected event.
Core Innovation
The remote food processing facility includes a plurality of poultry processing systems corresponding to different stages of a poultry treatment process. Data from one or more controllers of each food processing system are received via a communication network, and monitoring values of one or more operating parameters are performed for each poultry processing system as the poultry is processed over one or more stages. The one or more operating parameters include a dilution ratio representing a concentration of antimicrobials relative to water within an antimicrobial composition applied to the poultry carcasses by a corresponding antimicrobial subsystem of the poultry processing system at each stage.
At least one event of interest for at least one poultry processing system is detected during at least one stage of the poultry treatment process based on the monitored values of the one or more operating parameters. Control signals are transmitted via the communication network to the corresponding one or more controllers of the at least one poultry processing system to adjust a configuration of the at least one poultry processing system based on the detected event of interest. The control signals include signals for making appropriate adjustments to the concentration of antimicrobials relative to water within the antimicrobial composition applied during the at least one stage by the corresponding antimicrobial subsystem such that the dilution ratio stays within a predetermined range for the at least one stage.
A notification of the detected event of interest is sent via the communication network to a computing device of a user associated with the at least one poultry processing system for display via a graphical user interface (GUI) of a client application executable at the user's computing device. The GUI includes user interface controls for the user to adjust the configuration of the at least one poultry processing system, and the control signals are transmitted in response to receiving a command from the user's computing device for adjusting the configuration based on the detected event of interest. The GUI provides an options menu for selecting the one or more operating parameters from a list of available operating parameters and includes a dashboard view for presenting information related to the operation of the food processing system over a specified time period.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are directed to a method, a system, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium. Across these independent claims, the core claim set contains five main inventive features: remote reception of controller data, monitoring operating parameters including an antimicrobial dilution ratio, detecting an event of interest based on monitored values, transmitting control signals to adjust configuration with dilution ratio control, and providing user notification and GUI-based control including a dashboard and selectable operating parameters.
Remote reception of controller data over a communication network
Receiving, via a communication network, data from one or more controllers of each food processing system of a remote food processing facility, wherein food processing systems of the remote food processing facility include a plurality of poultry processing systems corresponding to different stages of a poultry treatment process.
Monitoring operating parameters including antimicrobial dilution ratio
Monitoring values of one or more operating parameters for each poultry processing system as the poultry is processed by that poultry processing system over one or more stages of the poultry treatment process, based on the received data, wherein the one or more operating parameters include a dilution ratio representing a concentration of antimicrobials relative to water within an antimicrobial composition applied to the poultry carcasses by a corresponding antimicrobial subsystem of the poultry processing system at each of the one or more stages of the poultry treatment process.
Detecting an event of interest based on monitored operating-parameter values
Detecting at least one event of interest for at least one poultry processing system of the remote food processing facility during at least one stage of the poultry treatment process, based on the monitored values of the one or more operating parameters.
Transmitting control signals to adjust configuration to keep dilution ratio within a predetermined range
Transmitting, via the communication network to the corresponding one or more controllers of the at least one poultry processing system at the remote food processing facility, control signals for adjusting a configuration of the at least one poultry processing system based on the detected event of interest, wherein the control signals include signals for making appropriate adjustments to the concentration of antimicrobials relative to water within the antimicrobial composition applied during the at least one stage of the poultry treatment process by the corresponding antimicrobial subsystem of the at least one poultry processing system such that the dilution ratio stays within a predetermined range for the at least one stage of the poultry treatment process.
User notification and GUI-based selection and command to adjust configuration
Sending a notification of the detected event of interest to a computing device of a user associated with the at least one poultry processing system, wherein the notification is sent to the user's computing device for display via a graphical user interface (GUI) of a client application executable at the user's computing device, and wherein the GUI includes user interface controls for the user to adjust the configuration of the at least one poultry processing system, with the one or more operating parameters selected by the user from a list of available operating parameters provided via an options menu of the GUI and the GUI including a dashboard view for presenting information related to the operation of the food processing system over a specified time period.
Across the independent claims, the invention covers a remote monitoring and control architecture for poultry processing that uses received controller data to monitor operating parameters including an antimicrobial dilution ratio, detects an event of interest based on the monitored values, transmits control signals to adjust system configuration to keep the dilution ratio within a predetermined range, and provides user notification and a GUI with selectable operating parameters and a dashboard view for display over a specified time period. The system and medium claims further tie control-signal transmission to receiving a command from the user's computing device for configuration adjustment based on the detected event of interest.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
Interested in licensing this patent?