Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related to thawing systems, in particularly to a thawing apparatus and method for thawing frozen semen of at least one subject for Artificial Insemination (AI).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The following description of related art is intended to provide background information pertaining to the field of the present disclosure. This section may include certain aspects of the art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure. However, it should be appreciated that this section be used only to enhance the understanding of the reader with respect to the present disclosure, and therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.

Artificial Insemination (AI) is a widely practiced procedure for reproduction of livestock animals (for example, cow, goat, sheep, buffalo, or the like). In the AI, semen of male animals is injected into a uterus of female animals artificially for reproduction. The semen of the male animals is usually mixed with an extender (for example, glycerol) and frozen in semen straws to artificially inseminate to the female animals. The frozen semen straws and its contents can be stored for transport purpose and can be used at any location as and when required. The frozen semen in the straws can be thawed/liquefied before artificially inseminating to the female animals for ensuring viability of semen leading to higher probability of reproduction.

For thawing the frozen semen, the frozen semen stored in the straws is inserted into a water and the water is heated to a pre-defined temperature threshold. A temperature of the water for thawing the frozen semen acts a decisive factor in the process of AI. For example, if the temperature of the water is lower than the pre-defined temperature threshold, the semen may not be active and if the temperature of the water is higher than the pre-defined temperature, the semen may be damaged, which may result in failure of the AI.

In order to prevent failure of the AI, thawing devices are used for thawing the frozen semen. The thawing device heats the water to the pre-defined temperature threshold for thawing the frozen of the semen in a pre-defined thawing cycle time. However, existing thawing devices have at least one following drawback:
the temperature threshold defined for thawing the frozen of the semen may be fixed;
the thawing cycle time defined for thawing the frozen of the semen may be fixed;
there is no mechanism for detecting and notifying a failure in hardware and/or software components of the thawing devices and a failure in at least one operation of the thawing devices;
an ON/OFF heating method is used to heat the water to the pre-defined temperature threshold. However, such a heating method may over/under shoot the temperature of the water, which may damage the semen or the hardware components of the thawing devices;
a sensor positioned in a hole made in a pipe of the thawing devices is used to sense the temperature of the water. However, such a positioned sensor may be damaged due to scaling and may create leakage problems. Thus, resulting in inaccurate sensing of the temperature of the water; and
a nichrome wire is used for heating the water and an additional vibrator equipment is used at a bottom of the thawing devices to enable uniform temperature across a container filled with water. Such a method of heating the wire causes water leakage issues in a long run and adds to costs of the thawing devices.

Further, the existing thawing devices may generate a wireless access point (hotspot) by themselves for wireless communication with the Internet. However, when an external device (for example, a mobile device, a personal computer, an embedded device or the like) connects to the thawing devices, the thawing devices lose its wireless communication with the Internet.

In addition, the existing thawing devices may only support an external power supply. For example, most of the existing thawing devices require 12 Volt (V) 5 Ampere (A) at minimum. Therefore, a continuous power supply is required to operate the existing thawing devices.

Thus, the existing thawing devices with the above-mentioned drawbacks may not perform the thawing process well, which results in poor quality of semen for the AI.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, an embodiment herein provides a thawing apparatus for thawing frozen semen of at least one subject. The thawing apparatus is being adapted to obtain the frozen semen of the at least one subject, wherein the frozen semen being in contact with an aqueous medium. The thawing apparatus is adapted to select a thawing cycle time indicting a time interval for thawing the frozen semen from a plurality of thawing cycle times configured for thawing the frozen semen. The thawing apparatus is adapted to control heating of the aqueous medium to achieve a desired temperature determined for thawing of the frozen semen of the at least one subject in accordance with the thawing cycle time and a temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen.

In an embodiment, the at least one subject belongs to livestock.

In yet another embodiment, the aqueous medium is water.

In yet another embodiment, the aqueous medium is heated using a heating element comprising a silicon-based rubber heater with a nichrome heating wire nitted across silicon laminated pads.

In yet another embodiment, the thawing apparatus is adapted to select the thawing cycle time for thawing the frozen semen by receiving, from one or more of: a user operating the thawing apparatus or an external device in communication with the thawing apparatus, a thawing cycle input indicating the thawing cycle time for thawing the frozen semen.

In yet another embodiment, the thawing apparatus is adapted to select the temperature threshold for thawing the frozen semen by receiving, from one or more of: the user operating the thawing apparatus and the external device in communication with the thawing apparatus, a threshold input indicating the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen.

In yet another embodiment, the thawing apparatus is adapted to control heating of the aqueous medium by determining a temperature of the aqueous medium while heating the aqueous medium, determining, based on the determined temperature of the aqueous medium and the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen, the desired temperature for heating of the aqueous medium, and controlling the heating of the aqueous medium to achieve the desired temperature.

In yet another embodiment, the thawing apparatus is adapted to determine the temperature of the aqueous medium by obtaining analog-to-digital converter (ADC) values related to the temperature of the aqueous medium from at least one sensor, and determining the temperature of the aqueous medium from the obtained ADC values.

In yet another embodiment, the at least one sensor comprises a Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD) sensor.

In yet another embodiment, the thawing apparatus is adapted to determine the temperature for heating of the aqueous medium by determining a temperature error indicating a difference between the temperature threshold for thawing the frozen semen and the temperature of the aqueous medium and determining the desired temperature by correcting the temperature error using each of feedback correction controls pre-defined for correcting the temperature error, wherein the feedback correction controls comprise a proportion control, an integral control, and a derivative control.

In yet another embodiment, the thawing apparatus is adapted to control heating of the aqueous medium by converting the desired temperature determined for heating of the aqueous medium into a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal, and controlling, based on the PWM signal, heating of the aqueous medium to achieve the desired temperature.

In yet another embodiment, the thawing apparatus is further adapted to detect a failure related to one or more of: at least one component of the thawing apparatus and thawing of the frozen semen, and generate a notification related to the detected failure.

In yet another embodiment, the thawing apparatus is further adapted to transmit information to the external device in communication with the thawing apparatus over a communication network. The information comprises one or more of: information about heating of the aqueous medium, and information about the failure related to one or more of: the at least one component of the thawing apparatus and thawing of the frozen semen.

In yet another embodiment, the thawing apparatus is further adapted to receive, from the external device, one or more of: a plurality of temperature thresholds configured for thawing the frozen semen, the plurality of thawing cycle times configured for thawing the frozen semen, and configurations for updating at least one functionality of the at least one component of the thawing apparatus.

In yet another embodiment, the thawing apparatus is further adapted to provide, to a user, one or more of: an indication indicating the temperature of the aqueous medium and the notification indicating the failure related to one or more of: the at least one component of the thawing apparatus and thawing of the frozen semen.

In yet another embodiment, the thawing apparatus is further adapted to operate using an external battery pack or an internal battery pack with charging capability.

In another aspect, a method for thawing frozen semen of at least one subject is provided. The method is performed by a thawing apparatus. The method comprises obtaining the frozen semen of the at least one subject, wherein the frozen semen being in contact with an aqueous medium. The method comprises selecting a thawing cycle time indicating a time interval for thawing the frozen semen from a plurality of thawing cycle times configured for thawing the frozen semen, and controlling heating of the aqueous medium to achieve a desired temperature determined for thawing of the frozen semen of the at least one subject in accordance with the thawing cycle time and a temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen.

These and other aspects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating preferred embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described in relation to the accompanying drawings in which

Figures 1A and 1B disclose an thawing apparatus for thawing frozen semen of at least one subject in accordance with an embodiment herein;

Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating method steps of a method performed for thawing frozen semen of at least one subject in accordance with an embodiment herein;

Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating method steps performed for determining a desired temperature to control heating of the aqueous medium for thawing frozen semen in accordance with an embodiment herein;

Figures 4A-4H illustrate various views of an example thawing apparatus in accordance with an embodiment herein; and

Figures 5A-5F illustrate operating steps of an example thawing apparatus for thawing frozen semen in accordance with an embodiment herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.

The present invention provides a thawing apparatus alternative to existing thawing devices that perform thawing process resulting in poor quality of semen for Artificial Insemination (AI). The thawing apparatus of the present invention performs thawing of frozen semen of at least one subject for the AI by controlling heating of an aqueous medium that is being in contact with the frozen semen. The thawing apparatus of the present invention controls heating of the aqueous medium to a desired temperature determined for thawing the frozen semen in accordance with a thawing cycle time selected from a plurality of configured thawing cycle times, and a temperature threshold selected from a plurality of configured temperature thresholds. The desired temperature is determined based on feedback correction controls comprising a proportion control, an integral control, and a derivative control. The thawing apparatus of the present invention also communicates a status/information about heating of the aqueous medium to an external device in communication with the thawing apparatus for further controlling the thawing of frozen semen. Thus, the thawing process may be performed without damaging the semen of the at least one subject for the AI.

Figures 1A and 1B disclose an example thawing apparatus 100 in accordance with an embodiment herein. The thawing apparatus 100 referred herein may be a veterinary based portable electronic device adapted for thawing frozen semen of at least one subject for Artificial Insemination (AI). The AI refers to a process of injecting the semen of male animals to uterus of female animals for healthy reproduction, wherein the animals belong to livestock such as, but are not limited to, cattle, goats, buffaloes, sheep, or any other farm/domestic animals. In some examples, the at least one subject may refer to male animals belonging to the livestock. The semen of the at least one subject may be frozen for storage and transport purpose, so that the semen may be used at any location as and when required. The thawing of the frozen semen refers to melting/liquefying the frozen semen for artificially inseminating into the uterus of the female animals.

Various types of thawing devices are available for thawing the frozen semen for the AI. The available thawing devices have a fixed temperature threshold and a fixed thawing cycle time for thawing the frozen semen. In addition, the available thawing devices use a typical ON/OFF heating methods for thawing the frozen semen. Thus, while thawing the frozen semen, the available thawing devices may damage the semen or degrade a quality of the semen required for the AI.

Therefore, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the thawing apparatus 100 is provided for efficient thawing of the frozen semen as per required temperature threshold.

As depicted in Figures 1A and 1B, the thawing apparatus 100 comprises a memory 102, a processor 104, a Proportional Integral Derivate (PID) controller 106, a communication unit 108, a thawing container 110, a heating element 112, a user interface 114, a battery pack 116a/116b and at least one sensor 118. In some embodiments, the battery pack may be an internal battery pack 116a, as depicted in Figure 1A. In some embodiments, the battery pack may be an external battery pack 116b with charging capability/adapter, as depicted in Figure 1B. In some examples, the above said components of the thawing apparatus 100 are connected with each other using at least one of: a wired network, a cellular network, a wireless local area network (LAN), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy, Zigbee, Wi-Fi direct (WFD), Ultra-wideband (UWB), infrared data association (IrDA), near field communication (NFC), Controller Area Network (CAN), Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART), and so on. The PID controller 106 may in some embodiments be adapted to control the above said components of the thawing apparatus 100.

The internal battery pack 116a or the external battery pack 116b is adapted to provide a power supply to operate the thawing apparatus 100 for thawing the frozen semen. The internal battery pack 116a may comprise a rechargeable battery.

The communication unit 108 may be adapted to enable the thawing apparatus 100 to communicate with an external device (not shown) through a communication network. In some examples, the external device may include, but are not limited to, a server, a computing device, an embedded device, a multi-processor system, a microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronic device, a network computing device, or a combination thereof. In some examples, the server may be a standalone server or a server deployed on cloud. In some examples, the computing device may include a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant, PDA, a handheld device, a laptop computer, or a combination thereof. In some examples, the communication unit 108 may comprise Radio Frequency (RF) based modules to support the communication between the thawing apparatus 100 and the external device over the communication network. Examples of the communication network may include, but are not limited to, a wired network, a cellular network, a wireless LAN, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy, Zigbee, WFD, UWB, IrDA, NFC, Global Positioning System (GPS), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Long Range Radio (LoRa), Internet Protocol v6 (IPv6) over Low-Power Wireless Personal Area Networks (6LoWPAN), Wireless Smart Utility Network (WiSUN), NarrowBand-Internet of Things (NB-IoT), and so on. Also, the communication unit 108 may be adapted to enable the thawing apparatus 100 to connect to an Access Point (AP), which allows the thawing apparatus 100 to obtain an access to the Internet and an AP provider together.

In some embodiments, the communication unit 108 may be adapted to receive, from the external device, at least one of, but is not limited to, configurations for updating at least one functionality of at least one component of the thawing apparatus 100, a plurality of temperature thresholds configured for thawing the frozen semen, a plurality of thawing cycle times configured for thawing the frozen semen, and so on. In some examples, the at least one component of the thawing apparatus 100 may include a hardware component 102-114, a software component being executed on the PID controller 106 for thawing the frozen semen, a firmware component, and so on, of the thawing apparatus 100. In some examples, the configuration received for updating the at least one functionality of the firmware component may include a Firmware Over The Air (FOTA) configuration.

The temperature threshold indicates a temperature at which the thawing of the frozen semen has to be performed. In some examples, the plurality of temperature thresholds may vary from 37?C to 42?C. The thawing cycle time indicates a time interval for thawing the frozen semen that is the frozen semen has to be thawed within the thawing cycle time. In some examples, the thawing cycle time may indicate the time interval varying from 30 seconds to 45 seconds for thawing the frozen semen. In some examples, the thawing cycle time may indicate the time interval varying between 0 and 60 seconds/minutes for thawing the frozen semen. The plurality of temperature thresholds and the plurality of thawing cycle times may be configured by an administrator (admin) or through the external device in an administration access mode or a secure mode for thawing the frozen semen. In some examples, the administration access mode or the secure mode are pre-defined operating modes, which may be enabled before operating the thawing apparatus 100 for thawing the frozen semen. Pre-configuring the plurality of temperature thresholds and the plurality of thawing cycle times prevent a normal operator or a user of the thawing apparatus 100 from selecting an erroneous temperature threshold and an erroneous thawing cycle time for thawing the frozen semen. Further, due to the configured plurality of temperature thresholds and the plurality of thawing cycle times, the thawing apparatus 100 may be used for thawing the different forms of frozen semen of multiple livestock animals. Thereby, saving cost and time involved in thawing the frozen semen. For example, a thawing cycle time of 30 seconds and a temperature threshold of 37?C may be used for normal frozen semen and a thawing cycle time of 45 seconds and a temperature threshold of 42?C for sex sorted semen.

In some embodiments, the communication unit 108 may also adapted to receive, from the external device, one or more of: a thawing cycle input, and a threshold input. The thawing cycle input indicates the thawing cycle time selected for thawing the frozen semen. The threshold input indicates the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen.

The user interface 114 may be adapted to enable the user/operator of the thawing apparatus 100 to interact with the thawing apparatus 100. In some embodiments, the user interface 114 may comprise at least one of, but is not limited to, an operational button 407 (as depicted in Figure 4A), a temperature set button 406 (as depicted in Figure 4A), a thawing cycle button, a display 402, a first light emitting diode (LED) 404, a second LED 405, and so on (as depicted in Figure 4A). In some examples, the user interface 114 of the thawing apparatus 100 with the internal battery pack 116a may comprise a power ON/OFF button 418, and charging status LEDs 420 (as depicted in Figure 4A). In some examples, the display 402 may comprise a seven segment Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). In some examples, the first LED 404 and the second LED 405 may include red color LEDs.

The operational button 407 may be used to start and stop operations of the thawing apparatus 100. The temperature set button 406 may be used by the user to enter the threshold input indicating the temperature threshold selected by the user for thawing the frozen semen. The thawing cycle set button may be used by the user to enter the thawing cycle input indicating the thawing cycle time selected by the user for thawing the frozen semen. The display 402 may be used to indicate a current temperature of the thawing apparatus 100 that is the temperature at which thawing of the frozen semen is being performed. The first LED 404 and the second LED 405 may be used to indicate a power status of the thawing apparatus 100 and an operational status of the thawing apparatus 100, respectively. The power ON/OFF button 418 may be used to turn ON/OFF of the thawing apparatus 100. The charging status LEDs 420 may be used to indicate a charging status of the internal battery pack 116a (i.e., the battery status).

The thawing container 110 referred herein may be a container filled with an aqueous medium. In some embodiments, the aqueous medium may be water. In some examples, the thawing container 110 may comprise a container in a cylindrical shape. It should be noted that the thawing container 110 may be in any suitable shape including the cylindrical shape. The thawing container 110 filled with the aqueous medium may be adapted to hold at least one semen straw comprising frozen semen of at least one subject for thawing. Thus, the frozen semen be in contact with the aqueous medium. In some examples, the at least one subject refers to the male animals belonging to the livestock. In some examples, the thawing container 110 filled with the aqueous medium may comprise multiple semen straws together up to 10 to 15.

The heating element 112 may be adapted to heat the aqueous medium in the thawing container 110 for thawing the frozen semen. In some embodiments, the heating element 112 may comprise a silicon-based rubber heater with a nichrome heating wire nitted across silicon-laminated pads. The silicon-based rubber heater may facilitate efficient and rapid heat transfer to heat the aqueous medium uniformly across the thawing container 110, due to natural virtue of silicon. Thus, usage of the silicon-based rubber heater for heating the aqueous medium eliminates a need for further vibrator or similar equipment for uniform temperature and water leakage issues, which further reduces overall cost of the thawing apparatus 100.

The PID controller 106 referred herein may comprise at least one of: a central processing controller, a microcontroller, or the like. The PID controller 106 may be adapted to control heating of the aqueous medium for thawing the frozen semen.

For controlling the heating of the aqueous medium, the PID controller 106 obtains the frozen semen of the at least one subject that is to be thawed/melted from the thawing container 110. The thawing container 110 holds the frozen semen in a form of the semen straw and the frozen semen is being in contact with the aqueous medium.

On obtaining the frozen semen to be thawed, the PID controller 106 selects the thawing cycle time indicating the time interval for thawing the frozen semen. In some embodiments, the PID controller 106 may select the thawing cycle time based on the thawing cycle input received from the user through the user interface 114. In some embodiments, the PID controller 106 may select the thawing cycle time based on the thawing cycle input received from the external device in communication with the thawing apparatus 100 through the communication unit 108. The thawing cycle input indicates the thawing cycle time selected from the plurality of thawing cycle times pre-configured for thawing the frozen semen.

On selecting the thawing cycle time, the PID controller 106 selects the temperature threshold for thawing the frozen semen. In some embodiments, the PID controller 106 may select the temperature threshold based on the threshold input received from the user through the user interface 114. In some embodiments, the PID controller 106 may select the threshold based on the threshold input received from the external device in communication with the thawing apparatus 100 through the communication unit 108. The threshold input indicates the temperature threshold selected from the plurality of temperature thresholds configured for thawing the frozen semen.

On selecting the thawing cycle time and the temperature threshold, the PID controller 106 enables the heating element 112 to initiate heating of the aqueous medium for thawing the frozen semen. Once heating of the aqueous medium is initiated, the PID controller 106 controls heating of the aqueous medium to achieve a desired temperature determined for thawing of the frozen semen in accordance with the thawing cycle time and the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen.

For controlling heating of the aqueous medium, the PID controller 106 determines a temperature of aqueous medium (i.e., a current temperature of the aqueous medium) while heating the aqueous medium. In some embodiments, the PID controller 106 obtains analog-to-digital converter (ADC) values related to the temperature of the aqueous medium from the at least one sensor 118. In some embodiments, the at least one sensor 118 comprises a Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD) sensor. In some examples, the at least one sensor 118 is positioned in a center from a bottom of the thawing apparatus 100 for accurate determination of the temperature of the aqueous medium. The PID controller 106 determines the temperature of the aqueous medium from the obtained ADC values.

On determining the temperature of the aqueous medium, the PID controller 106 determines the desired temperature for heating of the aqueous medium. In an embodiment herein, the desired temperature may also be referred to as feedback control input, PID input, or the like. The PID controller 106 determines the desired temperature based on the determined temperature of the aqueous medium and the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen. Such a desired temperature acts as an efficient control feedback loop to obtain thawing accuracy at greatest extent and in addition does not make the temperature of the aqueous medium to overshoot/undershoot. Thus, the temperature of the aqueous medium does not damage the semen or any component of the thawing apparatus 100.

For determining the desired temperature, the PID controller 106 determines a temperature error (also be referred to as error). The temperature error indicates a difference between the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen and the temperature of the aqueous medium. The PID controller 106 determines the desired temperature for heating of the aqueous medium by correcting the temperature error using each of feedback correction controls pre-defined for correcting the temperature error. In some embodiments, the feedback correction controls comprise a proportion control, an integral control, and a derivative control. For determining the desired temperature for heating of the aqueous medium, the PID controller 106 calculates a proportional term (PTerm), an integral term (ITerm), and a derivative term (DTerm). In some examples, the PID controller 106 may calculate the PTerm, ITerm, and DTerm as:
Pterm=Kp*error
ITerm+=error*fSample_time
DTerm-delta_error/fSample_time

wherein “Kp” indicates a proportional constant, “fSample_time "/sampling time indicates PID loop repetition interval (for example, 100 millisecond), and “delta_error” may be a difference between the current temperature error and a previous/last temperature error (current error-last error). The PID controller 106 determines the desired temperature for heating of the aqueous medium from the PTerm, ITerm, and DTerm. The desired temperature is determined for achieving the thawing of the frozen semen in accordance with the thawing cycle time and the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen. In an example, the PID controller 106 determines the desired temperature/PID output as:
PID output=(PTerm+(Ki*ITerm)+(kd*DTerm)

In some examples, PID constants such as, the proportional constant, the delta error, and the sampling time may depend on power consumption of the heating element 112. Therefore, the PID constants may be updated in accordance with power requirements of the heating element 112. For example, different PID constants may be selected for the heating element 112 with specification of 12 Volt (V) 2Ampere (A) and 12V 5A. In some examples, the PID controller 106 may update steps involved in determination of the desired temperature for heating of the aqueous medium based on different power requirements of the heating element 112. In some examples, the PID controller 106 may also update the steps involved in determination of the desired temperature for heating of the aqueous medium based on determining whether an input power source comprises the internal battery pack 116a (for example, 12V 2A battery power supply) or the external battery pack 116b (for example, 12V 5A external power supply).

Upon determining the desired temperature for heating of the aqueous medium, the PID controller 106 controls heating of the aqueous medium to the desired temperature. For controlling heating of the aqueous medium, the PID controller 106 converts the determined desired temperature into Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal. In an embodiment, the PID controller 106 may convert the determined desired temperature into the PWM signal based on the desired temperature and a PWM range supported by the battery based thawing apparatus 100. In some examples, the PWM range supported by the battery based thawing apparatus 100 varies from 0 to 400 PWM values. In some examples. the PWM may be calculated as:
PWM=(PID output/desired temperature*MaxPWM)/100
wherein, the MaxPWM indicates maximum PWM range/values supported by the heating element 112 of the thawing apparatus 100.

After converting the desired temperature determined for heating of the aqueous medium to the PWM signal, the PID controller 106 controls heating of the aqueous medium to the desired temperature based on the PWM signal. In some examples, controlling heating of the aqueous medium based on the PWM signal involves modifying (increasing or decreasing) a power signal of the heating element 112 to heat the aqueous medium, which in turn modifies (increases or decreases) the temperature of the aqueous medium to achieve the desired temperature. Thereby, thawing the frozen semen in accordance with the selected thawing cycle time and the temperature threshold.

Consider an example scenario, wherein a thawing cycle time of 30 seconds and a temperature threshold of 37?C is selected for thawing the frozen semen. In such a scenario, the PID controller 106 initiates heating of the aqueous medium being in contact with the frozen semen (i.e., the semen straw comprising the frozen semen) for thawing the frozen semen. Once the heating is initiated, the PID controller 106 controls heating of the aqueous temperature by continuously determining the desired temperature for achieving thawing of the frozen semen in accordance with the thawing cycle time of 30 seconds and the temperature threshold of 37?C. The PID controller 106 determines the desired temperature based on the current temperature of the aqueous medium and the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen (for example, 37?C). For instance, consider that current temperature of the aqueous medium is 30?C. In such a scenario, the PID controller 106 determines the temperature error as 7 indicating the difference between the current temperature of the aqueous medium, 30?C and the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen, 37?C. The PID controller 106 determines the desired temperature for heating of the aqueous medium by correcting the temperature error of 7 using the proportion control, the integral control, and the derivative control. The PID controller 106 controls, for example herein increases, the temperature of the aqueous medium to achieve the desired temperature. Controlling heating of the aqueous medium to the desired temperature results in thawing of the frozen semen in accordance with the thawing cycle time of 30 seconds and the temperature threshold of 37?C.

The PID controller 106 may also be adapted to detect at least one failure related to the at least one component of the thawing apparatus 100 and/or thawing of the frozen semen. In some examples, the failure related to the at least one component corresponds to errors/anomaly detected in at least one of: the thawing container 110, the heating element 112, the at least one sensor 118, the communication unit 108, the memory 102, the components of the user interface 114, or the like (i.e., the hardware components). In some examples, the failure related to the at least one component corresponds to failure in the software component/firmware component of the thawing apparatus 100. In some examples, the at least one failure related to the thawing of the frozen semen may comprise a failure indicating that the temperature of the aqueous medium exceeds the desired temperature determined for heating of the aqueous medium, a failure indicating that the temperature threshold has not been selected from the plurality of temperature thresholds configured for thawing the frozen semen, or the like.

On detecting the at least one failure related to the at least one component of the thawing apparatus 100 and/or thawing of the frozen semen, the PID controller 106 generates a notification related to the detected at least one failure for troubleshooting. In some examples, the notification may comprise an error code indicating a type of failure. The error code indicating the type of failure is described in detail in conjunction with table 1 (illustrated in later embodiments). For example, the notification may comprise error codes E1, E2, and E5 indicating failure of the at least one sensor 118, the heating element 112, and the communication unit 108, respectively.

The communication unit 108 may also be adapted to transmit information to the external device in communication with the thawing apparatus. In some examples, the information may comprise one or more of: status about heating of the aqueous medium, and information about the failure related to the one or more of: the at least one component of the thawing apparatus and thawing of the frozen semen. Thus, thawing of the frozen semen may be controlled remotely. In addition, the external device may use the information for further analytics purposes, which may be an efficient source for Operation Efficiency/Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of the users and aiding to define a training program for the users to operate the thawing apparatus 100.

The user interface 114 may also adapted to provide to the user, an indication indicating the temperature of the aqueous medium and the notification indicating the failure related to one or more of: the at least one component of the thawing apparatus and thawing of the frozen semen. The user interface 114 may comprise one or more of: a display, a buzzer, or the like, to provide the above-said indication in a form of text, sound, image, and so on.

Thus, detecting and notifying the failure related to the at least one component of the thawing apparatus 100 or thawing of frozen semen aid the user in identifying a reason for the failure and determining remedies to be performed for troubleshooting.

The processor 104 may be adapted to update the at least one functionality of the at least one component of the thawing apparatus 100 based on the configurations received from the external device.

The memory 102 may be adapted to store at least one of: the plurality of thawing cycle times and the plurality of temperature thresholds configured for thawing the frozen semen, the thawing cycle time and the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen, information about the frozen semen, the desired temperature, the failure related to the at least one component of the thawing apparatus 100 or the thawing process, and so on.

Working of Invention: The thawing apparatus 100 may be enabled to operate for thawing the frozen semen of the at least one subject for the AI. The frozen semen (in form of semen straws) is inserted into the thawing container 110 filled with aqueous medium for thawing. The communication unit 108/user interface 114 receives the thawing input indicating the thawing cycle time and the threshold input indicating the temperature threshold for thawing the frozen semen. The PID controller 106 enables heating of the aqueous medium and controls heating of the aqueous medium to achieve the desired temperature determined for thawing the frozen semen in accordance with the thawing cycle time and the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen. The communication unit 108 transmits the information about thawing of the frozen semen to the external device in communication with the thawing apparatus 100. In addition, the PID controller 106 detects the failure related to one or more of: the at least one component of the thawing apparatus 100 and thawing of the frozen semen. The communication unit 108 transmits the information about the detected failure to the external device. The user interface 114 provides the notification to the user indicating the detected failure.

Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating method steps of a method 200 performed for thawing the frozen semen of the at least one subject in accordance with an embodiment herein. The method 200 is being performed by the thawing apparatus 100 for thawing the frozen semen for the AI.

At step 202, the method 200 comprises obtaining the frozen semen of the at least one subject, wherein the frozen semen (in a form of the semen straws) being in contact with the aqueous medium. In some examples, the at least one subject may belong to livestock. In some examples, the aqueous medium may be water.

At step 204, the method 200 comprises selecting the thawing cycle time indicating the time interval for thawing the frozen semen from the plurality of thawing cycle times configured for thawing the frozen semen. In some examples, the step 204 of selecting the thawing cycle time for thawing the frozen semen may comprise selecting the thawing cycle time upon receiving the thawing input from one or more of: the user operating the thawing apparatus, and the external device in communication with the thawing apparatus over the communication network. The thawing input indicates the thawing cycle time selected from the plurality of thawing cycle times configured for thawing the frozen semen.

At step 206, the method 200 comprises controlling heating of the aqueous medium to achieve the desired temperature determined for thawing of the frozen semen in accordance with the thawing cycle time and the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen. In some examples, the temperature threshold may be selected for thawing the frozen semen upon receiving the threshold input from one or more of: the user operating the thawing apparatus 100 and the external device in communication with the thawing apparatus 100. The threshold input indicates the temperature threshold for thawing the frozen semen.

In some embodiments, the step 206 of controlling heating of the aqueous medium comprises determining the temperature of the aqueous medium while heating the aqueous medium. In some embodiments, determining the temperature of the aqueous medium comprises obtaining the ADC values related to the temperature of the aqueous medium using the at least one sensor 118 and determining the temperature of the aqueous medium from the obtained ADC values . In some examples, the at least one sensor 118 may comprise the RTD sensor.

Upon determination of the temperature of the aqueous medium, the method may comprise determining, based on the determined temperature of the aqueous medium and the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen, the desired temperature for heating of the aqueous medium. In some embodiments, determining the desired temperature for heating of the aqueous medium may comprise determining the temperature error indicating the difference between the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen and the temperature of the aqueous medium and determining the desired temperature by correcting the temperature error. In some examples, the temperature error may be corrected using each of the feedback correction controls pre-defined for correcting the temperature error. The feedback correction controls may comprise the proportion control, the integral control, and the derivative control.

Once the desired temperature is determined, the method may comprise controlling heating of the aqueous medium to achieve the desired temperature. The desired temperature indicates a temperature for heating the aqueous medium in order to achieve thawing of the frozen semen in accordance with the thawing cycle time and the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen.

In some embodiments, controlling heating of the aqueous medium to achieve the desired temperature may comprise converting the desired temperature determined for heating of the aqueous medium into the PWM signal and controlling, based on the PWM signal, heating of the aqueous medium.

In some embodiments, the method 200 may comprise detecting the failure related to one or more of: the at least one component of thawing apparatus and the thawing of the frozen semen, and generating the notification related to the detected failure.

In some embodiments, the method 200 may comprise transmitting the information to the external device in communication with the thawing apparatus 100 over the communication network. In some examples, the information may comprise one or more of: information about heating of the aqueous medium and information about the failure related to one or more of: the at least one component of the thawing apparatus 100 and thawing of the frozen semen. In some embodiments, the method may further comprise receiving, from the external device, one or more of: the plurality of temperature thresholds configured for thawing the frozen semen, the plurality of thawing cycle times configured for thawing the frozen semen, and configurations for updating the at least one functionality of the at least one component of the thawing apparatus.

In some embodiments, the method 200 may comprise providing, to the user, one or more of; the indication indicating the temperature of the aqueous medium, and the notification indicating the failure related to one or more of: the at least one component of the thawing apparatus and thawing of the frozen semen.

Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating method steps performed for determining the desired temperature to control heating of the aqueous medium in accordance with an embodiment herein.

At step 301, the PID controller 106 of the thawing apparatus 100 determines the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen. In some examples, the temperature threshold for thawing the frozen semen may be determined based on the threshold input received from one or more of: the user operating the thawing apparatus 100 and the external device in communication with the thawing apparatus 100. The threshold input indicates the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen.

At step 302, the PID controller 106 calculates the temperature error indicating the difference between the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen and the temperature of the aqueous medium determined (at step 307) while heating the aqueous medium.

At step 303, the PID controller 106 determines the desired temperature/PID output by correcting the temperature error using the proportional control, the integral control, and the derivative control. The desired temperature indicates the temperature for achieving thawing of the frozen semen in accordance with the thawing cycle time and the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen.

At step 304, the PID controller 106 converts the determined desired temperature into the PWM signal based on the PWM range supported by the heating element 112 of the thawing apparatus 100.

At step 305, the PID controller 106 modifies the temperature/power signal of the heating element 112 based on the PWM signal for heating of the aqueous medium to the desired temperature. Thereby, controlling heating of the aqueous medium to the desired temperature achieves thawing of the frozen semen in accordance with the selected thawing cycle time and temperature threshold.

Steps 306 and 308 are feedback-control loop steps, at which the temperature of the aqueous medium is continuously determined and used as a feedback input for further refining the desired temperature determined for heating of the aqueous medium. At step 306, the PID controller 106 obtains the ADC values from the at least one sensor/RTD sensor 118 and determines the temperature of the aqueous medium from the obtained ADC values at step 308.

Figures 4A-4H illustrate various views of the example thawing apparatus 100 in accordance with an embodiment herein.

Figure 4A depicts a front view of the thawing apparatus 100. The thawing apparatus 100 comprises the thawing container 110 filled with the aqueous medium to hold the at least one semen straw comprising the frozen semen of the at least one subject. A flappable cap 401 of the thawing container 110 is depicted in Figure 4A, which can be opened to fill the aqueous medium and insert the at least one semen straw into the thawing container 110. In some examples, the cap 401 of the thawing container 110 may be made up of Polyurethane (PU) based Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material.

The thawing apparatus 100 further comprises the user interface 114 for enabling the user to interact with the thawing apparatus 100. The user interface 114 comprises the display 402, the first/top LED 404, the second/bottom LED 405, the temperature set button 406, the operational button 407, the power ON/OFF button 418, and the charging status LEDs 420. In some examples, a material used to enclose the display 402, the first LED 404, the second LED 405, the temperature set button 406, the operational button 407, the power ON/OFF button 418, and the charging status LEDs 420 may be made up of a plastic.

The display 402 may be used to indicate the temperature at which thawing of frozen semen is being performed. The first LED 404 and the second LED 405 may be used to indicate the power status of the thawing apparatus 100 and the operational status of the thawing apparatus 100, respectively. The operational button 407 may be used to start and stop operations of the thawing apparatus 100. The temperature set button 406 may be used by the user to enter the threshold input indicating the temperature threshold selected by the user for thawing the frozen semen. The power ON/OFF button 418 may be used to turn ON/OFF of the thawing apparatus 100. The charging status LEDs 420 may be used to indicate a charging status of the internal battery pack 116a of the thawing apparatus 100.

The thawing apparatus 100 may further comprise an IP65 based flexible membrane sticker 403 for symbol indication and protection

In some examples, the thawing apparatus 100 may be enclosed using a front cover 408 made up of PU based ABS. Thereby, providing an IP65 based waterproof enclosure to prevent water entering in the thawing apparatus 100 while in operation or transport with any weather conditions.

Figure 4B depicts a back view of the thawing apparatus 100. As depicting in Figure 4B, the thawing apparatus 100 comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) power jack 410. In some examples, the USB power jack 410 may be an IP65 based USB Micro B Connector.
In some examples, a back cover 409 of the thawing apparatus 100 may be made up of the PU based ABS material.

Various other views, such as, a top view, a bottom view, a left side view, a right side view, an expanded 3D view, and an apparatus perspective view of the thawing apparatus 100 are depicted in Figures 4C, 4D, 4E, 4F, 4G, and 4H, respectively. In some examples, as depicted in Figure. 4C (the top view), the thawing apparatus 100 may comprise a handhold 412, which may be used to carry the thawing apparatus 100 for field operations.

Figures 5A-5F illustrate operating steps of the thawing apparatus 100 for thawing the frozen semen in accordance with an embodiment herein.

For thawing the frozen semen, the aqueous medium is filled into the thawing container 110. In some examples, the aqueous medium may be water. For filling the water into the thawing container 110, the cap 401 of the thawing apparatus 100 is opened as depicted in Figure 5A and the water is filled into the aqueous medium. Once the water is filled, the cap 401 is closed properly as depicted in Figure 5B. In some examples, the water of 20 milliliter (ml) with temperature ranging between 10?C and 30?C may be filled in the thawing container 110.

Once the thawing container 110 is filled with the water, the thawing apparatus 100 is turned ON by switching on the power ON/OFF button 418 as depicted in Figure 5C.

Once the thawing apparatus 100 is turned ON, a self-check mode may be initiated. In the self-check mode, the first/top LED 404 present on the thawing apparatus 100 indicates an ON state by emitting a solid glow. Also, the second/bottom LED 405 may blink and the buzzer may be operated to provide a long buzzer sound indicating the ON state of the thawing apparatus 100. In addition, the current temperature of the thawing apparatus 100 is displayed on the display 402 (for example, seven-segment display).

After performing the above-described steps in the self-check mode, a pre-heat mode is initiated. In the pre-heat mode, the following steps may be performed:
the operational button 407 is pressed to enable the thawing apparatus 100 to enter into a heating mode, as depicted in Figure 5D;
the buzzer and the first/top LED 404 are turned ON;
the buzzer starts operating to provide a buzzer sound when the thawing apparatus 100 reaches the temperature threshold (selected for thawing the frozen semen, for example, 37?C default) after waiting for few minutes, for example, 2 to 5 minutes depending on the actual temperature of the water;
the user is allowed to wait for 10 to 15 seconds to check whether the temperature of the thawing apparatus 100 is maintained as per the temperature threshold; and
the semen straw comprising the frozen semen of the at least one subject is taken out from a stored container and inserted into the thawing container 110 by opening the cap from the top and the open cap is closed after inserting the semen straw into the thawing container 110.

Once the thawing apparatus 100 is pre-heated, a thawing mode is initiated. In the thawing mode, the following steps may be performed:
the operational button 407 is pressed one time to initiate thawing process;
the second LED is turned ON indicating the operational status (i.e., ON status) of the thawing apparatus 100;
the user is allowed to wait for the thawing cycle time selected for thawing the frozen semen (for example, 30 seconds) to be completed. In some examples, the display 402 may display a counter of 0 to 30 seconds (thawing cycle count);
the buzzer is operated to provide a very short buzzer sound for few times, for example, 10 times, and the second/bottom LED 405 starts blinking indicating completion of the thawing cycle time; and
once the thawing cycle time is completed, the semen straw from the thawing container 110 is removed to proceed further for the AI. In an example, the thawing mode of the thawing apparatus 100 is depicted in Figure 5E.

After completion of the thawing mode, the thawing apparatus 100 may wait for another cycle starting with the pre-heat mode. If no any further thawing process is required, the thawing apparatus 100 may be turned OFF.

In some examples, a commissioning mode may be initiated to select the temperature threshold and the thawing cycle time for thawing the frozen semen. In some examples, before the commissioning mode, the thawing apparatus 100 may be pre-configured for the default parameters such as, setting the temperature threshold and the thawing cycle time for thawing the frozen semen as 37?C and 30 seconds. In the commissioning mode, the following steps may be performed:
the operational button and the temperature set button are pressed together as depicted in Figure 5F, for few seconds, for example, 5 seconds, to enter the thawing apparatus 100 into the commissioning mode/configuration mode;
the actual/current temperature of the thawing apparatus 100 is displayed on the display 402 and the buzzer is operated;
the temperature set button 406 is pressed multiple times to select the temperature threshold from the plurality of temperature thresholds configured for thawing the frozen semen. In some examples, the plurality of temperature thresholds configured for thawing the frozen semen may vary from 37?C to 42?C;
the user is allowed to observe the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen on the display 402 and press the operational button 407 to activate or set the selected temperature threshold for thawing the frozen semen;
the buzzer is operated to provide a buzzer sound once the temperature threshold is set; and
the user is allowed to either turn OFF the thawing apparatus 100 or continue the thawing process from the thawing mode.

In some examples, the commissioning mode may be initiated before the pre-heat mode and after the thawing mode. If the commissioning mode is already initiated and the user wants to select the temperature threshold in the commissioning mode one more time, then the thawing apparatus 100 has to be restarted. Further, in some examples, if the temperature set button 406 is not operated for more than pre-defined seconds, for example, 10 seconds, in the commissioning mode for selecting the temperature threshold, the thawing apparatus 100 may be configured with the previously selected temperature threshold for thawing the frozen semen.

It should be noted that the thawing apparatus 100 may also be configured with the temperature threshold for thawing the frozen semen based on the threshold input received from the external device in communication with the thawing apparatus 100. The threshold input indicates the temperature threshold for thawing the frozen semen.

In an embodiment, the thawing apparatus 100 may also detect the failure related to the at least one component of the thawing apparatus or the thawing process. The thawing apparatus 100 may also generate the notification for the detected failure. The notification comprises an error code indicating the type of the failure. Various error codes indicating the type of failure are depicted in an example table below:
Error code Type of failure
Hardware Error
E0 Push button failure
E1 Buzzer failure
E2 Heating element failure
E3 Power/first LED failure
E4 Operational/second LED failure
E5 Temperature Sensor failure
Software Error/Firmware Error
F0 Temperature threshold not from the configured temperature thresholds
F1 Communication unit failure
F2 File system (comprising information related to thawing) failure
F3 Memory/flash memory failure
Alert Code
A0 Water/Aqueous medium temperature above the temperature threshold
Table: Error codes indicating type of failure

Various embodiments of the thawing apparatus 100 and methods disclosed herein provide technical advantage over conventional thawing devices. As the claimed invention enables the thawing apparatus 100 to perform thawing of the frozen semen by controlling heating of the aqueous medium to the desired temperature determined for achieving the thawing of the frozen semen in accordance with the thawing cycle time and the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen. The desired temperature is determined by correcting the temperature error between the temperature of the aqueous medium and the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen using the proportional control, the integral control, and the derivate control.

The present invention may be a better alternative to the conventional thawing devices by operating over multiple temperature thresholds and thawing cycle times and without damaging the semen for the AI.

The present invention also enables the thawing apparatus 100 to communicate status/information about heating of the aqueous medium/thawing of the frozen semen to the external device in communication with the thawing apparatus 100 over the communication network. Thus, the thawing of frozen semen may be controlled efficiently for the AI.

The present invention also enables the thawing apparatus 100 to generate the notification comprising error codes for indicating the failure detected related to the at least one component of the thawing apparatus 100 or the failure detected related to thawing process. Therefore, aiding the user of the thawing apparatus 100 in identifying a reason for the failure and remedies for troubleshooting.

The present invention enables the thawing apparatus 100 to operate based on either the internal battery pack 116a or the external battery pack 116b.

The present invention provides the thawing apparatus 100 with reduced size and cost compared to conventional thawing devices.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments and examples thereof, other embodiments and equivalents are possible. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with functional and procedural details, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in terms of the procedural steps within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms. Thus, various modifications are possible of the presently disclosed system and process without deviating from the intended scope of the present invention. , Claims:WE CLAIM:
1. A thawing apparatus (100) for thawing frozen semen of at least one subject, the thawing apparatus (100) is being adapted to:
obtain the frozen semen of the at least one subject, wherein the frozen semen being in contact with an aqueous medium;
select a thawing cycle time indicating a time interval for thawing the frozen semen from a plurality of thawing cycle times configured for thawing the frozen semen; and
control heating of the aqueous medium to achieve a desired temperature determined for thawing of the frozen semen of the at least one subject in accordance with the thawing cycle time and a temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen.

2. The thawing apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one subject belongs to livestock.

3. The thawing apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein the aqueous medium is water.

4. The thawing apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein heating the aqueous medium using a heating element (112) comprising a silicon-based rubber heater with a nichrome heating wire nitted across silicon laminated pads.

5. The thawing apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein the thawing apparatus (100) is adapted to select the thawing cycle time for thawing the frozen semen by:
receiving, from one or more of: a user operating the thawing apparatus (100) or an external device in communication with the thawing apparatus, a thawing cycle input indicating the thawing cycle time for thawing the frozen semen.

6. The thawing apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein the thawing apparatus (100) is adapted to select the temperature threshold for thawing the frozen semen by:
receiving, from one or more of: the user operating the thawing apparatus (100) and the external device in communication with the thawing apparatus (100), a threshold input indicating the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen.

7. The thawing apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein the thawing apparatus (100) is adapted to control heating of the aqueous medium by:
determining a temperature of the aqueous medium while heating the aqueous medium;
determining, based on the determined temperature of the aqueous medium and the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen, the desired temperature for heating of the aqueous medium; and
controlling the heating of the aqueous medium to achieve the desired temperature.

8. The thawing apparatus (100) according to claim 7, wherein the thawing apparatus (100) is adapted to determine the temperature of the aqueous medium by:
obtaining analog-to-digital converter (ADC) values related to the temperature of the aqueous medium from at least one sensor (118); and
determining the temperature of the aqueous medium from the obtained ADC values.

9. The thawing apparatus (100) according to claim 8, wherein the at least one sensor (118) comprises a Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD) sensor.

10. The thawing apparatus (100) according to claim 7, wherein the thawing apparatus (100) is adapted to determine the desired temperature for heating of the aqueous medium by:
determining a temperature error indicating a difference between the temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen and the temperature of the aqueous medium; and
determining the desired temperature by correcting the temperature error using each of feedback correction controls pre-defined for correcting the temperature error, wherein the feedback correction controls comprise a proportion control, an integral control, and a derivative control.

11. The thawing apparatus (100) according to claim 7, wherein the thawing apparatus (100) is adapted to control heating of the aqueous medium by:
converting the desired temperature determined for heating of the aqueous medium into to a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal; and
controlling, based on the PWM signal, heating of the aqueous medium to achieve the desired temperature.

12. The thawing apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein the thawing apparatus (100) is further adapted to:
detect a failure related to one or more of: at least one component of the thawing apparatus (100) and thawing of the frozen semen; and
generate a notification related to the detected failure.

13. The thawing apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein the thawing apparatus (100) is further adapted to transmit information to the external device in communication with the thawing apparatus (100) over a communication network, wherein the information comprises one or more of:
information about heating of the aqueous medium; and
information about the failure related to one or more of: the at least one component of the thawing apparatus (100) and thawing of the frozen semen.

14. The thawing apparatus (100) according to claim 13, wherein the thawing apparatus (100) is further adapted to receive, from the external device, one or more of:
a plurality of temperature thresholds configured for thawing the frozen semen;
the plurality of thawing cycle times configured for thawing the frozen semen; and
configurations for updating at least one functionality of the at least one component of the thawing apparatus (100).

15. The thawing apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein the thawing apparatus (100) is further adapted to provide, to a user, one or more of: an indication indicating the temperature of the aqueous medium and the notification indicating the failure related to one or more of: the at least one component of the thawing apparatus (100) and thawing of the frozen semen.

16. The thawing apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein the thawing apparatus (100) is further adapted to operate using an external battery pack (116b) or an internal battery pack (116a) with charging capability.
17. A method (200) performed by a thawing apparatus (100) for thawing frozen semen of at least one subject, the method comprising:
obtaining (202) the frozen semen of the at least one subject, wherein the frozen semen being in contact with an aqueous medium;
selecting (204) a thawing cycle time indicating a time interval for thawing the frozen semen from a plurality of thawing cycle times configured for thawing the frozen semen; and
controlling (206) heating of the aqueous medium to achieve a desired temperature determined for thawing of the frozen semen of the at least one subject in accordance with the thawing cycle time and a temperature threshold selected for thawing the frozen semen