Integrated apparatus and method to combine a wireless fence collar with GPS tracking capability
First Claim
1. A dog collar having a strap and a housing held by the strap comprising:
- a fence module configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one transmitter within a wireless fence dog containment system to determine a dog'"'"'s position relative to a containment area defined by a wireless fence;
a GPS module configured to wirelessly transmit dog location data from the collar to a first device to provide remote dog location tracking capability at the first device;
wherein;
the fence module is configured to be operationally active and the GPS module is configured to be inactive as long as the dog remains within the containment area so that the collar operates in a wireless fence mode;
the fence module is further configured to power up the GPS module upon detecting that the dog is no longer in the containment area so that the collar operates in a GPS mode, wherein the powering up comprises the GPS module receiving at least one signal from the fence module;
the GPS module is further configured, upon determining using information of the dog location data that the dog is beyond a set distance from the containment area, to send a “
sleep request”
signal to the fence module in response to which the fence module enters an inactive state while the collar is in the GPS mode; and
the GPS module is further configured, upon determining using information of the dog location data that the dog is within a set distance from the containment area to send a “
wake request”
signal to the fence module, whereupon the fence module returns from the inactive state to an active state, whereupon the fence module re-establishes communication with the at least one transmitter within the wireless fence dog containment system and resumes operation in the wireless fence mode, wherein the fence module is configured to power down the GPS module upon returning to the active state.
14 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated apparatus and method is provided for a collar that is configured to operate as part of a wireless fence system that contains and monitors the location of a dog within a containment area defined by the wireless fence system and further configured to provide GPS tracking capability when the dog has escaped from the containment area. As long as the dog remains in the area defined by the wireless fence, the collar operates solely in a wireless fence mode, communicating with the transmitters used as part of the wireless fence system. The GPS tracking function remains “asleep” and is not activated unless and until the dog escapes. Once GPS mode is activated, fence mode is shut down and operation of the GPS enables the dog owner or other individual to receive SMS messages and/or email with information on the dog'"'"'s location on a smart-phone, tablet or PC.
92 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A dog collar having a strap and a housing held by the strap comprising:
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a fence module configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one transmitter within a wireless fence dog containment system to determine a dog'"'"'s position relative to a containment area defined by a wireless fence; a GPS module configured to wirelessly transmit dog location data from the collar to a first device to provide remote dog location tracking capability at the first device; wherein; the fence module is configured to be operationally active and the GPS module is configured to be inactive as long as the dog remains within the containment area so that the collar operates in a wireless fence mode; the fence module is further configured to power up the GPS module upon detecting that the dog is no longer in the containment area so that the collar operates in a GPS mode, wherein the powering up comprises the GPS module receiving at least one signal from the fence module; the GPS module is further configured, upon determining using information of the dog location data that the dog is beyond a set distance from the containment area, to send a “
sleep request”
signal to the fence module in response to which the fence module enters an inactive state while the collar is in the GPS mode; andthe GPS module is further configured, upon determining using information of the dog location data that the dog is within a set distance from the containment area to send a “
wake request”
signal to the fence module, whereupon the fence module returns from the inactive state to an active state, whereupon the fence module re-establishes communication with the at least one transmitter within the wireless fence dog containment system and resumes operation in the wireless fence mode, wherein the fence module is configured to power down the GPS module upon returning to the active state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of tracking location of a dog both when the dog is within a containment area of a wireless dog fence system and when the dog has escaped from the containment area, comprising the steps of:
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providing the dog with a collar having a fence module and GPS module, wherein the fence module is configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one transmitter within a wireless fence dog containment system to determine a dog'"'"'s position relative to a containment area defined by a wireless fence, and the GPS module is configured to wirelessly transmit dog location data from the collar to a first device when the dog is outside the containment area; activating and using the fence module as long as the dog remains within the containment area so that the collar operates in a wireless fence mode, wherein the GPS module resides in an inactive state when the collar is in the wireless fence mode; activating the GPS module upon the fence module detecting that the dog is no longer in the containment area so that the collar switches from its wireless fence mode to a GPS mode; wherein; the GPS module, upon determining using information of the dog location data that the dog is beyond a set distance from the containment area, sends a “
sleep request”
signal to the fence module;the fence module, in response to receiving a “
sleep request”
signal, enters into its inactive state while the collar is operating in the GPS mode;the GPS module wirelessly transmits the dog location data, including GPS coordinates, from the collar to the first device in the GPS mode; wherein; the GPS module, upon determining using information of the dog location data that the dog has returned to within the set distance, sends a “
wake request”
signal to the fence module, whereupon in response to receiving the “
wake request”
signal the fence module switches from its inactive state to an active state, andthe collar resumes wireless fence mode operation upon re-establishment of communication between the fence module and the at least one transmitter within the wireless fence dog containment system. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A dog collar having a strap and a housing held by the strap comprising:
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a fence module configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one transmitter within a wireless fence dog containment system to determine a dog'"'"'s position relative to a containment area defined by a wireless fence; a GPS module configured to wirelessly transmit dog location data from the collar to a first device to provide remote dog location tracking capability at the first device; wherein; the fence module is configured to be operationally active and the GPS module is configured to be inactive as long as the dog remains within the containment area so that the collar operates in a wireless fence mode; the fence module is further configured to power up the GPS module upon detecting that the dog is no longer in the containment area so that the collar operates in a GPS mode, wherein the powering up comprises the GPS module receiving at least one signal from the fence module; the GPS module is further configured, upon determining using information of the dog location data that the dog is beyond a set distance from the containment area, to send a “
sleep request”
signal to the fence module in response to which the fence module enters an inactive state while the collar is in the GPS mode; andthe GPS module is further configured, upon determining using information of the dog location data that the dog is within a set distance from the containment area to send a “
wake request”
signal to the fence module, whereupon the fence module returns from the inactive state to an active state, whereupon the fence module re-establishes communication with the at least one transmitter within the wireless fence dog containment system and resumes operation in the wireless fence mode, wherein the fence module is configured to power down the GPS module upon returning to the active state, wherein the powering down comprises the GPS module receiving at least one signal from the fence module.
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21. A dog collar having a strap and a housing held by the strap comprising:
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a fence module configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one transmitter within a wireless fence dog containment system to determine a dog'"'"'s position relative to a containment area defined by a wireless fence; a GPS module configured to wirelessly transmit dog location data from the collar to a first device to provide remote dog location tracking capability at the first device, wherein the fence module and the GPS module are directly communicatively connected within the housing, wherein the fence module comprises a first power source, wherein the GPS module comprises a second power source different than the first power source; wherein; the fence module is configured to be operationally active and the GPS module is configured to be inactive as long as the dog remains within the containment area so that the collar operates in a wireless fence mode; the fence module is further configured to power up the GPS module upon detecting that the dog is no longer in the containment area so that the collar operates in a GPS mode, wherein the powering up comprises the GPS module receiving at least one signal from the fence module; the GPS module is further configured, upon determining using information of the dog location data that the dog is beyond a set distance from the containment area, to send a “
sleep request”
signal to the fence module in response to which the fence module enters an inactive state while the collar is in the GPS mode; andthe GPS module is further configured, upon determining using information of the dog location data that the dog is within a set distance from the containment area to send a “
wake request”
signal to the fence module, whereupon the fence module returns from the inactive state to an active state, whereupon the fence module re-establishes communication with the at least one transmitter within the wireless fence dog containment system and resumes operation in the wireless fence mode, wherein the fence module is configured to power down the GPS module upon returning to the active state.
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Specification