US4750490A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method for tagging fish for identification
Assignee: NORTHWEST MARINE TECHNOLOGY Inc A CORP OF WA
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Filing: 1987-05-18
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Granted: 1988-06-14
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Expires: 2007-05-18
Abstract
Abstract In the identification of fish, tags having on at least one side visually detectable markings encoding information pertaining to a fish are shallowly implanted within transparent or semi-transparent tissues of respective specimens. Upon release and subsequent capture of the fish specimens, the locations of the tags are optically determined by a visual inspection of the fish. The information is retrieved from the tags by either reading the information from the implanted tags through the transparent or semi-transparent tissue or excising the tags and thereupon reading the information. In either case, the specimens are not significantly harmed or injured by virtue of the implantation and reading operations. The implanted tags also have a minimum effect on survival and other biological traits and behavior.
Inventors
- 👤 Frank Haw
- 👤 Peter K. Bergman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 14:14
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01K; A01K61/00; A01K61/90; A01K11/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for tagging a fish for identification, said fish having a naturally occurring region of at least partially transparent tissue and an outer surface bounding said region, said method comprising the steps of: providing a tag having detectable markings forming an identification code; and implanting said tag shallowly within said region of at least partially transparent tissue, proximately to said outer surface bounding said region, so that said tag is substantially completely embedded in said tissue and is visible through said tissue and said surface.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for tagging a fish for identification, said fish having a naturally occurring region of at least partially transparent tissue and an outer surface bounding said region, said method comprising the steps of: providing a tag having detectable markings forming an identification code; and implanting said tag shallowly within said region of at least partially transparent tissue, proximately to said outer surface bounding said region, so that said tag is substantially completely embedded in said tissue and is visible through said tissue and said surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of: releasing said fish into a body of water; subsequently capturing said fish; and optically reading said detectable markings through said tissue and said surface to determine information included in said identification code.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
73 words
The method defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of: releasing said fish into a body of water; subsequently capturing said fish; optically detecting said tag through said tissue and said surface; removing said tag from said region in such a manner as to avoid impairing life functions of said fish; and reading said detectable markings upon removal of said tag from said fish to determine information included in said identification code.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said step of implanting comprises the step of injecting said tag with a hypodermic needle or other specialized device into said tissue.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said tag is made of biologically compatible alloy material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said tag is made of biologically compatible synthetic resin material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said tag is flattened.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said detectable markings comprise binary words.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said detectable markings comprise bars of visually differentiable colors.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said detectable markings comprise visually detectable indentations in said tag.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said detectable markings comprise visually detectable alphanumerics.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said fish has a dermis and a skull, said region being located between said dermis and said skull.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method defined in claim 12 wherein said fish is a sunfish (Centrarchidae).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said fish has a preopercle and said region is juxtaposed to said preopercle.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method defined in claim 14 wherein said fish is a darter or perch (Percidae).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said fish has adipose eyelid tissue, said adipose eyelid tissue constituting said at least partially transparent tissue.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method defined in claim 16 wherein said fish is a member of the Salmonidae.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method defined in claim 16 wherein said fish is a mackerel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said at least partially transparent tissue constitutes corneal tissue.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method defined in claim 19 wherein said fish is a tuna or billfish (Istiophoridae).
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said fish is a member of Carangidae.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
145 words
A method for identifying a fish, said fish having a naturally occurring region of at least partially transparent tissue and an outer surface bounding said region. said method comprising the steps of: providing a tag having detectable markings forming an identification code; implanting said tag shallowly within said region of at least partially transparent tissue, proximately to said outer surface bounding said region, so that said tag is substantially completely embedded in said tissue and is visible through said tissue and said surface; releasing said fish into a body of water; subsequently capturing said fish; optically detecting said tag through said tissue and said surface; removing said tag from said fish in such a manner as to avoid impairing life functions of said fish; and reading said detectable markings upon removal of said tag from said fish to determine information included in said identification code.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
145 words
A method for identifying a fish, said fish having a naturally occurring region of at least partially transparent tissue and an outer surface bounding said region. said method comprising the steps of: providing a tag having detectable markings forming an identification code; implanting said tag shallowly within said region of at least partially transparent tissue, proximately to said outer surface bounding said region, so that said tag is substantially completely embedded in said tissue and is visible through said tissue and said surface; releasing said fish into a body of water; subsequently capturing said fish; optically detecting said tag through said tissue and said surface; removing said tag from said fish in such a manner as to avoid impairing life functions of said fish; and reading said detectable markings upon removal of said tag from said fish to determine information included in said identification code.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
85 words
The method defined in claim 22, further comprising the steps of: providing an additional tag having visually detectable markings forming an identification code; and implanting said additional tag shallowly within another region of at least partially transparent tissue in said fish, proximately to an outer surface bounding said other region, so that said additional tag is substantially completely embedded in the tissue of said other region and is visible through the tissue of said other region and through the outer surface bounding said other region.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
102 words
A method for tagging a fish for identification, said fish having a naturally occurring region of at least partially transparent tissue and an outer surface bounding said region, said method comprising the steps of: providing a tag having on one side thereof visually detectable markings forming an identification code; and implanting said tag shallowly within said region of at least partially transparent tissue, proximately to said outer surface bounding region, so that said tag is substantially completely embedded in said tissue and so that said visually detectable markings face said surface so as to be visible through said tissue and said surface.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
102 words
A method for tagging a fish for identification, said fish having a naturally occurring region of at least partially transparent tissue and an outer surface bounding said region, said method comprising the steps of: providing a tag having on one side thereof visually detectable markings forming an identification code; and implanting said tag shallowly within said region of at least partially transparent tissue, proximately to said outer surface bounding region, so that said tag is substantially completely embedded in said tissue and so that said visually detectable markings face said surface so as to be visible through said tissue and said surface.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
133 words
A method for identifying a fish, said fish having a naturally occurring region of at least partially transparent tissue and an outer surface bounding said region, said method comprising the steps of: providing a tag having on one side thereof visually detectable markings forming an identification code; implanting said tag shallowly within said region of at least partially transparent tissue, proximately to said outer surface bounding said region, so that said tag is substantially completely embedded in said tissue and so that said visually detectable markings face said surface so as to be visible through said tissue and said surface; releasing said fish into a body of water; subsequently capturing said fish; and optically reading said visually detectable markings through said tissue and said surface to determine information included in said identification code.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
133 words
A method for identifying a fish, said fish having a naturally occurring region of at least partially transparent tissue and an outer surface bounding said region, said method comprising the steps of: providing a tag having on one side thereof visually detectable markings forming an identification code; implanting said tag shallowly within said region of at least partially transparent tissue, proximately to said outer surface bounding said region, so that said tag is substantially completely embedded in said tissue and so that said visually detectable markings face said surface so as to be visible through said tissue and said surface; releasing said fish into a body of water; subsequently capturing said fish; and optically reading said visually detectable markings through said tissue and said surface to determine information included in said identification code.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method defined in claim 25 wherein said step of optically reading is implemented mechanically.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method defined in claim 25 wherein said step of optically reading comprises the step of visually reading said visually detectable markings.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method defined in claim 27 wherein said step of visually reading is accomplished with the aid of optical magnification means.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
132 words
The method for identifying a fish, said fish having a naturally occurring region of at least partially transparent tissue and an outer surface bounding said region, said method comprising the steps of: providing a tag having on one side thereof visually detectable markings forming an identification code; implanting said tag shallowly within said region of at least partially transparent tissue, proximately to said outer surface bounding said region, so that said tag is substantially completely embedded in said tissue and so that said visually detectable markings face said surface so as to be visible through said tissue and said surface; releasing said fish into a body of water; subsequently capturing said fish; and optically reading said visually detectable markings through said tissue and said surface without removing said tag from said tissue.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
132 words
The method for identifying a fish, said fish having a naturally occurring region of at least partially transparent tissue and an outer surface bounding said region, said method comprising the steps of: providing a tag having on one side thereof visually detectable markings forming an identification code; implanting said tag shallowly within said region of at least partially transparent tissue, proximately to said outer surface bounding said region, so that said tag is substantially completely embedded in said tissue and so that said visually detectable markings face said surface so as to be visible through said tissue and said surface; releasing said fish into a body of water; subsequently capturing said fish; and optically reading said visually detectable markings through said tissue and said surface without removing said tag from said tissue.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-06-14 | 1991-12-14 | 1992-06-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-06-14 | 1995-12-14 | 1996-06-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-06-14 | 1999-12-14 | 2000-06-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |