Method and device for determining the quality of milk produced by machine milking

1. A method for determining the quality of milk, the method comprising the steps of:

examining a milk sample with a detector; and

applying an object recognition rule to the examined milk sample using a determination device, the object recognition rule including the steps of:

detecting an object in the milk sample;

distinguishing the object type as either a particle object or a non-particle object; and

distinguishing a particle object type as either a mineral particle object or a biological particle object.

2. The method according to claim 1 , and further comprising the step of:

extracting the object from the sample with a controller.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the non-particle object type is a bubble object.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of detecting an object in the milk sample comprises the step of:

identifying a portion of interest of the milk sample with an identification device.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of detecting an object in the milk sample based on the object recognition rules comprises the step of:

locating a boundary of the object with the determination device.

6. The method according to claim 1 , and further comprising the steps of:

specifying an object parameter for the object recognition rule; and

detecting that parameter in an object with the determination device.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the step of specifying the object parameter comprises the step of:

optically capturing the object parameter with an optical device.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the step of specifying the object parameter comprises the step of:

deriving the object parameter from optical lightness of the object with the determination device.

9. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the step of specifying the object parameter for the object recognition rule comprises the step of:

deriving the object parameter from an outer contour of an object with the determination device.

10. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the step of specifying the object parameter for the object recognition rule comprises the step of:

deriving the object parameter from contrast of the object with the determination device.

11. The method according to claim 6 , the step of specifying the object parameter for the object recognition rule comprises the step of:

deriving the object parameter from a color of the object with the determination device.

12. The method according to claim 1 , and further comprising the step of:

specifying a plurality of object parameters for the object recognition rule to determine an object type of a detected object using the determination device.

13. The method according to claim 1 , and further comprising the step of:

employing fuzzy logic with the determination device to determine and vary a plurality of parameters for an object type of a detected object.

14. The method according to claim 1 , and further comprising the step of:

performing gradient formation with the determination device in view of a physical quality wherein the physical quality is selected from the group consisting essentially of: hue, intensity, saturation, electrical conductivity, electrical capacity, reflection, transmission, and combinations thereof.

15. The method according to claim 1 , and further comprising the step of:

determining a characteristic value of the object using the determination device.

16. The method according to claim 1 , and further comprising the step of:

specifying an object parameter with the determination device for the object recognition rule that is detectable through incident lighting.

17. The method according to claim 1 , and further comprising the steps of:

determining milk quality based on an object type using the determination device; and

then selectively routing the milk to a marketable milk container or discarding the milk using a controller.

18. The method according to claim 1 , and further comprising the steps of:

routing a predetermined quantity of milk into a measuring chamber using a controller; and

draining at least part of the liquid phase of the milk from the measuring chamber using the controller; and the step of examining the milk sample comprises the step of:

capturing an image of at least a portion of the measuring chamber surface with an optical device.

19. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of:

examining a milk sample comprises the steps of:

routing a predetermined quantity of milk across a measuring chamber surface, on which a film is formed using a controller; and

capturing an image of the measuring chamber surface using an optical device.

20. The method according to claim 1 , and further comprising the step of:

removing the object from the milk sample with an extractor.

21. The method according to claim 1 , and further comprising the step of:

determining a frequency of object detections of for individual object types using the determination device.

22. The method according to claim 1 , and further comprising the step of:

deriving a milk quality grade from a detection frequency for individual object types using the determination device.

23. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the non-particle object type is a reflection object.

24. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the non-particle object type is a defect object.

25. The method according to claim 1 , and further comprising the step of:

specifying an object parameter for the object recognition rule that is detectable through a transmissive read method.

26. The method according to claim 1 , and further comprising the step of:

deriving a milk quality grade from an object detection frequency for individual object sizes.

27. The method according to claim 1 , and further comprising the steps of:

distinguishing the object from a defect; and

excluding the defect from being considered by the object recognition rule.