Methods and apparatuses for providing a reference value to be used for controlling the calibration of a milk meter

1. A method ( 500 ) for providing a reference value to be used for controlling a calibration of at least one milk meter in a milking system, the method comprising:

obtaining ( 510 ) milk flow data for a plurality of milking animals to determine a milk flow profile for each milking animal of the plurality of milking animals;

comparing ( 520 ) the determined milk flow profiles to establish a subset of milk flow profiles, from the determined milk flow profiles, that meets a pre-defined selection criteria;

determining ( 530 ) said reference value based on the established subset of milk flow profiles; and

providing ( 540 ) the determined reference value for controlling a subsequent calibration of the at least one milk meter in the milking system.

2. The method ( 500 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said pre-defined selection criteria includes a target milk flow profile, wherein the target milk flow profile reflects one milking animal, of the plurality of milking animals, having a milk flow above a pre-defined threshold value during a pre-defined duration.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said pre-defined duration corresponds to a pre-defined phase of the target milk flow profile and wherein the pre-defined phase is any one or a combination of the following pre-defined phases: i) an increase phase, ii) a plateau phase, and iii) a decline phase.

4. The method ( 500 ) according to claim 2 , wherein said pre-defined threshold value is at least one kilogram per minute.

5. The method ( 500 ) according to claim 2 , wherein said pre-defined duration is at least two minutes.

6. The method ( 500 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the step of obtaining ( 510 ) milk flow data for the plurality of milking animals comprises:

recording ( 511 ) milk flow characteristics for each milking animal of the plurality of milking animals; and

generating ( 512 ) milk flow data based on the recorded milk flow characteristics.

7. The method ( 500 ) according to claim 1 , comprising the further step of utilizing the determined reference value in the calibration of the at least one milk meter in the milking system.

8. The method ( 500 ) according to claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises:

accessing ( 541 ) the determined reference value; and

performing ( 542 ) the calibration of the at least one milk meter by utilizing the accessed determined reference value.

9. The method ( 500 ) according to claim 7 , wherein the method is performed in the milking system which comprises:

at least one milking station accessible by the plurality of milking animals; and

at least one milk meter that is configured to measure at least one value of a parameter that corresponds to a milk flow of a milking animal.

10. An apparatus ( 700 ; 800 ) for providing a reference value to be used for controlling a calibration of at least one milk meter in a milking system, the apparatus ( 700 ; 800 ) comprising:

at least one processor ( 710 , 720 , 730 , 740 ; 810 ); and

at least one memory ( 710 , 720 , 730 , 740 ; 820 ) comprising instructions executable by the at least one processor ( 710 , 720 , 730 , 740 ; 810 ) whereby by executing the instructions the apparatus ( 700 ; 800 ) is operative to:

obtain milk flow data for a plurality of milking animals to determine a milk flow profile for each milking animal of the plurality of milking animals;

compare the determined milk flow profiles to establish a subset of milk flow profiles that meets a pre-defined selection criteria;

determine said reference value based on the established subset of milk flow profiles; and

provide the determined reference value for controlling a subsequent calibration of the at least one milk meter in the milking system.

11. The apparatus ( 700 ; 800 ) according to claim 10 , wherein said pre-defined selection criteria includes a target milk flow profile, wherein the target milk flow profile reflects one milking animal of the plurality of milking animals having a milk flow above a pre-defined threshold value during a pre-defined duration.

12. The apparatus ( 700 ; 800 ) according to claim 11 , wherein said pre-defined duration corresponds to a pre-defined phase of the target milk flow profile and wherein the pre-defined phase is any one or a combination of the following pre-defined phases: i) an increase phase, ii) a plateau phase, and iii) a decline phase.

13. The apparatus ( 700 ; 800 ) according to claim 11 , wherein said pre-defined threshold value is at least one kilogram per minute.

14. The apparatus ( 700 ; 800 ) according to claim 11 , wherein said pre-defined duration is at least two minutes.

15. The apparatus ( 700 ; 800 ) according claim 10 , wherein the at least one memory ( 710 , 720 , 730 , 740 ; 820 ) further comprises additional instructions executable by the at least one processor ( 710 , 720 , 730 , 740 ; 810 ) whereby by executing the additional instructions the apparatus ( 700 ; 800 ) is operative to:

record milk flow characteristics for each milking animal of the plurality of milking animals; and

generate milk flow data based on the recorded milk flow characteristics.

16. The apparatus ( 700 ; 800 ) according to claim 10 , wherein the apparatus ( 700 ; 800 ) is further configured to utilize the determined reference value to perform the calibration of the at least one milk meter in the milking system.

17. The apparatus ( 700 ; 800 ) according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one memory ( 710 , 720 , 730 , 740 ; 820 ) further comprises additional instructions executable by the at least one processor ( 710 , 720 , 730 , 740 ; 810 ) whereby by executing the additional instructions the apparatus ( 700 ; 800 ) is operative to:

access the determined reference value; and

perform the calibration of the at least one milk meter by utilizing the accessed reference value.

18. The apparatus ( 700 ; 800 ) according to claim 16 , wherein the milking system comprises:

at least one milking station ( 10 a , 10 b ; 20 ; 30 ) accessible by the plurality of milking animals; and

at least one milk meter ( 14 a , 14 b ; 21 a - d ; 31 ; 41 a - b , 42 a - b ) that is configured to measure at least one value of a parameter that corresponds to a milk flow of one milking animal of the plurality of milking animals.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions ( 910 ) which, when executed on at least one processor ( 810 ), cause the at least one processor ( 810 ) to carry out a method ( 500 ) for providing a reference value to be used for controlling a calibration of at least one milk meter in a milking system, the method comprising:

obtaining ( 510 ) milk flow data for a plurality of milking animals to determine a milk flow profile for each milking animal of the plurality of milking animals;

comparing ( 520 ) the determined milk flow profiles to establish, from the determined milk flow profiles, a subset of milk flow profiles that meets a pre-defined selection criteria;

determining ( 530 ) said reference value based on the established subset of milk flow profiles; and

providing ( 540 ) the determined reference value for controlling a subsequent calibration of the at least one milk meter in the milking system.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising additional instructions which, when executed on at least one processor ( 810 ), cause the at least one processor ( 810 ) to utilize the determined reference value in the calibration of the at least one milk meter in the milking system.