Wireless animal training, monitoring and remote control system

• US 10,238,092 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2017
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jr., Nicholas Jay Bonge
• Original Assignee: Jr., Nicholas Jay Bonge
• Inventors: Bonge, Jr., Nicholas Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US15/480,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20170202186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 3405733
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/008 incorporating GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/02 Training or exercising equipment, e.g. mazes or labyrinths for animals A01K15/04 takes precedence; Electric shock devices circuits therefor H03K3/537; Toys specially adapted for animals
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/021 Electronic training devices specially adapted for dogs or cats
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/022 Anti-barking devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/023 Anti-evasion devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/006 with light-emitting or ornamental devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/009 with electric-shock, sound, magnetic- or radio-waves emitting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0065 Evaluating the fitness, e.g. fitness level or fitness index
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/011 Identifying the radio environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 : using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 : using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

An animal training and/or monitoring system and an animal-worn device that is capable of receiving and sending various inputs and outputs, respectively, from/to a wireless mobile device. The wireless mobile device has a software application that allows a human user to wirelessly communicate with the animal-worn transceiver via direct, networked or cellular wireless protocols. The animal-worn device interacts with the applications on the wireless mobile device to allow for a variety of functions, such as the transfer of commands or stimuli to the animal, the transfer of data regarding the animal or its environment to the wireless mobile device, and/or the transfer of instructions from the animal-worn device to an external device. The wireless mobile device may also transmit new firmware to the animal-worn device to modify its inputs and outputs.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring the activity of an animal comprising:

an animal worn device comprising;

a housing;

a processor;

an accelerometer;

a strap affixed to the housing to be fitted around a neck of the animal for fastening the housing to the animal without any other animal worn garment;

a transceiver for communicating with a wireless mobile device via a low energy protocol; and

a preprogrammed application to run on the wireless mobile device;

wherein output oscillations from the accelerometer generated by the animal taking steps is sent to the wireless mobile device; and

wherein instructions in the preprogrammed application in the wireless mobile device divides a known gait of the animal by the output oscillations to determine a velocity or distance traveled by the animal which is displayed on the wireless mobile device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the velocity or distance traveled for a given time span is displayed in terms of a relative number derived from the output oscillations from the accelerometer.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the distance traveled for a given time span is displayed in terms of total amount of time wherein the animal was not at rest.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the distance traveled for a given time span is displayed in terms of total amount of time the animal spent at or above or below a predetermined activity level.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the distance traveled for a given time span is displayed in terms of total amount of energy the animal exerted.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the distance traveled for a given time span is displayed in terms of average energy per unit time.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the animal worn device further comprises one or more outputs for applying stimulus to the animal which comprise at least one output selected from a group including a tone generator, an electrical stimulus generator, a light generator, a vibration generator, a liquid spray module configured to spray a liquid mist, a gas spray module configured to spray a gas, a speaker and a radio transmitter.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the animal worn device further comprises one or more inputs selected from a group including a vibration sensor, a temperature sensor, a microphone, an audio recorder, a heart rate monitor, a magnetometer, a GPS locator, a radio receiver, a photo sensor, a conductivity sensor, a humidity sensor, a water sensor, a gyroscope and a camera.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a programmable wireless mobile device comprising a display and a processor configured to execute the pre-programmed computer application.

10. A system for monitoring activity of an animal comprising:

an animal worn device comprising;

a housing;

a processor;

one or more inputs including an accelerometer;

a strap affixed to the housing to be fitted around a neck of the animal for fastening the housing to the animal without any other animal worn garment;

a transceiver for communicating with a wireless mobile device via a low energy protocol; and

a preprogrammed application to run on the wireless mobile device configured to provide a real-time exercise routine for the animal;

wherein data from the one or more inputs is sent from the animal worn device to the wireless mobile device in real time;

wherein at least one additional data parameter is entered into the preprogrammed application at the mobile device; and

wherein the preprogrammed application displays data received from the inputs and the at least one additional data parameter as entered into the preprogrammed application, or data processed by the preprogrammed application using the at least one additional data parameter, in real-time as the animal progresses through the exercise routine.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the data is displayed by the preprogrammed application in terms of energy per unit time.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the data is displayed by the preprogrammed application in terms of energy units.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the data is displayed by the preprogrammed application in terms of a relative number derived from the data from the accelerometer.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the data is displayed by the preprogrammed application in terms of an amount of energy exerted by the animal at, above or below a predetermined activity level.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the data is displayed by the preprogrammed application in terms of average energy per unit time.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the data is displayed by the preprogrammed application in terms of an average number derived from the data from the accelerometer.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein the one or more inputs further includes inputs selected from a group including a vibration sensor, a temperature sensor, a microphone, an audio recorder, a heart rate monitor, a magnetometer, a GPS locator, a radio receiver, a photo sensor, a conductivity sensor, a humidity sensor, a water sensor, a gyroscope and a camera.

18. The system of claim 10 further comprising a programmable wireless mobile device comprising a display and a processor configured to execute the pre-programmed computer application.

19. A system for monitoring activity of an animal comprising:

an animal worn device comprising;

a housing;

a processor;

one or more inputs including an accelerometer;

a strap affixed to the housing and fitted around a neck of the animal for fastening the housing to the animal without any other animal worn garment;

a transceiver for communicating with a wireless mobile device via a low energy protocol; and

a preprogrammed application to run on the wireless mobile device configured to provide a real-time exercise routine for the animal and a human exercising in tandem with the animal;

wherein data from the one or more inputs is transmitted from the animal worn device to the wireless mobile device in real-time during the course of the exercise routine;

wherein at least one additional data parameter is entered into a preprogrammed application at the mobile device;

wherein the preprogrammed application displays the data from the animal worn device and the at least one additional data parameter, or data processed by the preprogrammed application using the at least one additional data parameter, in real-time as the animal and the human progress through the exercise routine.