ACCESS DEVICE FOR AN ANIMAL AND COMPUTER SYSTEM

1 . An access device for an animal, comprising:

a housing;

a door coupled to the housing;

a locking mechanism coupled to the housing to lock the door relative the housing;

a detection device coupled to the housing to detect data of the animal, the detected data depending on a body shape of the animal;

an evaluation unit coupled to the housing to evaluate the detected data; and

an activation device to activate the locking mechanism based on the evaluation of the detected data.

2 . The access device according to claim 1 , wherein the detected data depends on the outline of at least a portion of the animal body.

3 . The access device according to claim 1 , wherein the detected data depends on the outline of only a portion of the animal body.

4 . The access device according to claim 1 , wherein the detection device comprises a plurality of optical transmitters and receivers arranged near the door, wherein the data is detected in an approximately vertically extending detection region.

5 . The access device according to claim 1 , wherein the evaluation unit comprises a computing unit to evaluate the detected data.

6 . The access device according to claim 5 , wherein the computing unit compares a first part of the detected data with at least a second part of the detected data to determine first and second control values based on a result of the comparison, wherein the computing unit compares a difference between the first and second control values with an adjustable tolerance value and the locking mechanism is activated as a function of the tolerance value comparison.

7 . The access device according to claim 5 , wherein the computing unit solely evaluates the detected data.

8 . A computer readable program code for operating an access device for an animal, the device including a housing; a door coupled to the housing; a locking mechanism coupled to the housing to lock the door relative the housing; a detection device coupled to the housing to detect data of the animal, the detected data depending on a body shape of the animal; an evaluation unit, comprising a computing unit, coupled to the housing to evaluate the detected data; and an activation device to activate the locking mechanism based on the evaluation of the detected data, wherein the computer readable program code comprises instructions to evaluate the data detected by the detection device.

9 . The computer readable program code according to claim 8 , further comprising instructions to cause the evaluation unit to evaluate solely the detected data.

10 . The computer readable program code according to claim 9 , wherein the instructions cause the evaluation unit to compare at least a first part of the detected data with at least a second part of the detected data, to determine at least two control values based on the results of the data comparison, to take the difference of the control values and to compare the difference to an adjustable tolerance value, and to activate the locking mechanism based on the tolerance value comparison.

11 . The access device according to claim 4 , wherein the respective transmitter is arranged with the respective receiver in a pair.

12 . The access device according to claim 5 , wherein the computing unit comprises a microcontroller

13 . A method for operating an access door for an animal, comprising:

detecting, by a detection device, the animal approximate the access door;

receiving, by a receiver, data about the animal based on the detecting;

storing, by a storage unit, the data about the animal;

evaluating, by an evaluation unit, the stored data;

activating a locking mechanism coupled with the access door in response to a signal produced by the evaluation unit.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the evaluating further comprises

comparing a first part of the data with at least a second part of the data;

determining a first control value and a second control value based on the comparison;

calculating a difference between the first control value and the second control value; and

comparing the difference with an adjustable tolerance value to product the signal.

15 . A computer system for operating an access door for an animal, the system comprising:

a host processor;

a datastore associated with the host processor, wherein the host processor is adapted to

receive data about the animal near the access door;

store the data about the animal on the datastore;

evaluate the stored data; and

transmit a signal to activate a locking mechanism coupled with the access door on the evaluation.

16 . The computer system according to claim 15 , wherein the host processor is further adapted to compare a first part of the data with at least a second part of the data;

determine a first control value and a second control value based on the comparison;

calculate a difference between the first control value and the second control value; and

compare the difference with an adjustable tolerance value to produce the signal.