Location based wireless pet containment system using single base unit

• US 10,514,439 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2018
• Issued: 12/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Radio Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: Radio Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Seltzer, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Taylor, Barry W
• Application Number:
  US16/003,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20190187240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/006 Automatic identification systems for animals, e.g. electronic devices, transponders for animals identification systems for access to feeding pens A01K1/0209; ear tags with electronic identification means A01K11/004
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/008 incorporating GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/023 Anti-evasion devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/009 with electric-shock, sound, magnetic- or radio-waves emitting devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/765 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/825 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/01 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/043 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/12 Means for determining sense of direction, e.g. by combining signals from directional antenna or goniometer search coil with those from non-directional antenna determining direction by amplitude comparison of signals derived by combining directional and non-directional signals G01S3/24, G01S3/34
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/46 using antennas spaced apart and measuring phase or time difference between signals therefrom, i.e. path-difference systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/50 the waves arriving at the antennas being pulse modulated and the time difference of their arrival being measured
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/06 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/12 by co-ordinating position lines of different shape, e.g. hyperbolic, circular, elliptical or radial
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection

Abstract

A wireless animal location system is provided that identifies a location of a pet roaming within an environment using a single base unit. The wireless animal location system tracks and manages animal behavior in the environment using information of pet location.

Claims

1. A device comprising,

a base unit including a first transceiver, a second receiver, and a third receiver, wherein the first transceiver comprises a first antenna, the second receiver comprises a second antenna, and the third receiver comprises a third antenna, wherein the first transceiver, the second receiver, and the third receiver are communicatively coupled with at least one processor of the base unit, wherein the base unit comprises a clock that synchronizes communications of the first transceiver, the second receiver, and the third receiver, wherein the first transceiver, the second receiver, and the third receiver comprise vertices of a triangle;

the first transceiver configured to transmit a communication to a transceiver remote to the base unit;

the first transceiver, the second receiver, and the third receiver configured to receive a response from the transceiver, wherein the response comprises a return communication;

the at least one processor configured to use information of the return communication to determine a first time of flight, wherein the first time of flight comprises the time elapsed between transmission of the return communication and the receiving of the return communication by the first transceiver;

the at least one processor configured to use the first time of flight to determine a first distance between the first transceiver and the transceiver;

the at least one processor configured to use the clock to determine a time difference of arrival between the first transceiver receiving the return communication, the second receiver receiving the return communication, and the third receiver receiving the return communication;

the at least one processor configured to determine an angular value using information of the time difference of arrival, the relative positioning of the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna and signal transmission speed of the return communication, wherein the angular value comprises an angle between a reference direction and an axis, wherein the reference direction comprises a fixed unit vector originating at a vertex of the triangle and extending along a side of the triangle, wherein the vertices of the triangle approximately define a plane, wherein a plurality of quadrants partition the plane into radial segments extending from the base unit, wherein the information of the time difference of arrival comprises an order of reception between the initial two antennas receiving the return communication, wherein the angular value and the first distance approximate a location of the transceiver.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the triangle comprises an equilateral triangle.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein sides of the equilateral triangle are equal to or less than 20 cm.

4. The device of claim 1, the at least one processor configured to determine the time difference of arrival using the difference in phase of a carrier signal of the return communication among the first transceiver, the second receiver, and the third receiver.

5. The device of claim 1, the determining the angular value including using the order of reception between the initial two antennas to locate the transceiver in a quadrant of the plurality of quadrants.

6. The device of claim 5, the determining the angular value including constructing a right triangle, wherein the initial two antennas comprise vertices of the right triangle, wherein a first side of the right triangle is oriented in a direction of the transceiver in the quadrant, wherein a second side comprises a line between the initial two antennas.

7. The device of claim 6, the determining the angular value including determining a first length of the first side using the signal transmission speed and the time difference of arrival between the initial two antennas receiving the return communication.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein a second length comprises a length of the second side.

9. The device of claim 8, the determining the angular value comprising determining the angular value using the first length, the second length, and information of the quadrant.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is communicatively coupled with a stimulus unit positioned in a collar worn by an animal.

11. The device of claim 10, the at least one processor configured to identify at least one instruction using the first distance and the angular value.

12. The device of claim 11, the at least one instruction including logging the first distance and the angular value.

13. The device of claim 12, the identifying the at least one instruction including transmitting the at least one instruction to the transceiver.

14. The device of claim 13, the at least one instruction including an instruction to apply a positive stimulus.

15. The device of claim 14, the at least one instruction including an instruction to apply a negative stimulus.

16. A device comprising,

a base unit including at least three transceivers, wherein the at least three transceivers are communicatively coupled with at least one processor of the base unit, wherein the base unit comprises a clock that synchronizes communications of the at least three transceivers;

a first transceiver of the at least three transceivers configured to transmit a communication to a transceiver remote to the base unit;

the at least three transceivers configured to receive a response from the transceiver, wherein the response comprises a return communication;

the at least one processor configured to use information of the return communication to determine a first time of flight, wherein the first time of flight comprises the time elapsed between transmission of the return communication and the receiving of the return communication by the first transceiver;

the at least one processor configured to use the first time of flight to determine a first distance between the first transceiver and the transceiver;

the at least one processor configured to use the clock to determine a time difference of arrival among the at least three transceivers receiving the return communication;

the at least one processor configured to determine an angular value using information of the time difference of arrival, the relative positioning of the at least three transceivers and signal transmission speed of the return communication, wherein the angular value comprises an angle between a reference direction and an axis, wherein the reference direction comprises a fixed unit vector originating at a vertex of the triangle and extending along a side of the triangle, wherein the vertices of the triangle approximately define a plane, wherein a plurality of quadrants partition the plane into radial segments extending from the base unit, wherein the information of the time difference of arrival comprises an order of reception between the initial two antennas receiving the return communication, wherein the angular value and the first distance approximate a location of the transceiver.