Pest control techniques

• US 20010033230A1
• Filed: 03/20/2001
• Published: 10/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dow Agrosciences LLC (Corteva, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dow Agrosciences LLC (Corteva, Inc.)
• Inventors: King, James, Trompen, Mick A., Warren, Malcolm, Wujek, Dennis, Arnoldy, Anton, Ray, Scott, Gorgacz, Stanley M., Barber, Daniel, Robertson, Sterett
• Granted Patent: US 7,348,890 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.2
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/026 combined with devices for monitoring insect presence, e.g. termites bait stations A01M1/2005; detecting other animals in a given area A01M31/002
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/2011 for crawling insects
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/24 Arrangements connected with buildings, doors, windows, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 2200/011 Crawling insects
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 31/002 Detecting animals in a given area

Abstract

A pest control system (20) includes pest control devices (110) installed about an area or building (22). These devices (110) each include a bait member and a communication circuit. The communication circuit may be in the form of a passive RF tag that transmits information indicative of bait status and an identifier unique to each pest control device (110). A hand held interrogator (30) is provided to locate and communicate with the pest control devices (110) via the communication circuit. A data collection unit (40) to accumulate data gathered from the pest control devices (110) may alternatively or additionally be utilized. The bait member may be configured with a magnetic component to provide a magnetic signature indicative of the bait consumption behavior of targeted varieties of pest. The devices optionally include one or more environmental sensors to evaluate and predict pest behavior.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

installing a pest control device including a communication circuit; and

locating the pest control device after installation by receiving a wireless transmission from the pest control device.

2. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the pest control device is one of a plurality of pest control devices placed at least partially in the ground about a building during said installing, the pest control devices each including a passive RF transmitter configured to transmit a unique identifier in response to an interrogation signal from a hand-held interrogator.

3. The method of

claim 2

, wherein the pest control device is installed at least partially below ground and further comprising servicing the pest control device after said locating.

4. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said locating includes sending an interrogation signal to the transmitter of the pest control device with an interrogator and receiving an identification signal from the pest control device in response to the interrogation signal.

5. The method of

claim 4

, wherein the pest control device includes a bait member and further comprising receiving a bait status signal in response to the interrogation signal.

6. The method of

claim 5

, further comprising transmitting information about the pest control device from the interrogator to a data collection device.

7. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said pest control device is provided with a monitoring bait during said installing and further comprising detecting at least partial consumption of the monitoring bait and installing a pesticide bait in response to said detecting.

8. A method, comprising:

installing a plurality of pest control devices each including a wireless communication circuit;

positioning a hand held interrogator to receive information from a first one of the pest control devices by wireless transmission; and

changing position of the hand held interrogator to receive information from a second one of the pest control devices by wireless transmission, the second one of the pest control devices being spaced apart from the first one of the pest control devices.

9. The method of

claim 8

, further comprising transmitting the information from the first one of the pest control devices and the information from the second one of the pest control devices to a data collection unit.

10. The method of

claim 8

, further comprising repositioning the interrogator to communicate with a third one of the pest control devices.

11. The method of

claim 8

, wherein the pest control device includes a bait member and the information from the first one of the pest control devices includes a pest control device identifier and a bait status indication.

12. The method of

claim 8

, wherein the wireless communication circuit of at least one of the pest control devices includes a passive RF transmitter.

13. The method of

claim 8

, wherein said installing includes placing at least one of the pest control devices at least partially below ground and further comprising locating the pest control devices through wireless communication with the interrogator.

14. The method of

claim 8

, wherein said installing includes placing the first one of the pest control devices at least partially below ground, the first one of the pest control devices being installed with a monitoring bait member for termites, and further comprising:

detecting at least partial consumption of the monitoring bait member from the information about the first one of the pest control devices obtained with the interrogator; and

installing a pesticide bait member for termites in response to said detecting.

15. The method of

claim 8

, wherein the pest control devices each include an edible bait member for one or more species of pest, and further comprising evaluating bait status information obtained from each of the pest control devices with the interrogator to identify which of the pest control devices have attracted the one or more species of pest and predicting future behavior of the one or more species of pest from said evaluating.

16. A pest control device, comprising:

at least one bait member operable to be consumed or displaced by one or more species of pest and a passive RF communication circuit responsive to a wireless stimulation signal to transmit information about said pest control device.

17. The device of

claim 16

, further comprising an active RF circuit.

18. The device of

claim 16

, wherein said passive RF circuit is operable to include a unique identification signal in said information, said identification signal corresponding to a discrete, multibit code assigned to the pest control device.

19. The device of

claim 16

, further comprising an electrically conductive loop coupled to said passive RF communication circuit, said loop being arranged to be altered during consumption or displacement of said bait member to provide a status signal having a first state indicating said loop is electrically closed and a second state indicating said loop is electrically open.

20. The device of

claim 16

, further comprising a housing containing said bait member and said passive RF communication circuit.

21. The device of

claim 16

, wherein said bait member includes a magnetic material to provide a magnetic signature corresponding to consumption of said bait member by one or more pests.

22. The device of

claim 16

, further comprising a sensor for measuring a change in at least one of temperature, humidity, or barometric pressure.

23. A combination, comprising:

at least two pest control devices each arranged to be spaced apart from one another in an area to be protected from one or more pests, said pest control devices each including a passive RF communication circuit responsive to a stimulation signal.

24. The combination of

claim 23

, wherein said passive RF communication circuit is operable to provide a different identification signal for each of said pest control devices.

25. The combination of

claim 24

, wherein at least one of said pest control devices includes a pest sensor operable to provide a status signal indicative of consumption or displacement of a member by the one or more pests.

26. The combination of

claim 25

, further comprising an interrogator operable to output said stimulation signal and receive data corresponding to said different identification signal and said status signal in response to said stimulation signal.

27. The combination of

claim 26

, wherein said interrogator is in a hand-held form operable to locate each of said pest control devices by wireless transmission.

28. The combination of

claim 27

, further comprising a data collection unit operable to receive said data from said interrogator.

29. A system, comprising:

A plurality of pest control devices, two or more of said pest control devices each including a wireless communication circuit, said devices being arranged for independent installation to protect a selected area from one or more species of pest;

a hand held interrogator operable to establish wireless communication with each of said two or more pest control devices individually, said communication between said interrogator and a respective one of said two or more pest control devices being selectable in accordance with position of said interrogator relative to said two or more pest control devices; and

a data collection unit operable to receive information from said interrogator about one or more of said pest control devices.

30. The system of

claim 29

, wherein said wireless communication circuit includes a passive RF transponder energized by a stimulation signal from said interrogator.

31. The system of

claim 30

, wherein said wireless communication circuit includes an active RF communication circuit.

32. The system of

claim 29

, wherein at least one of said pest control devices includes a bait, said bait including a magnetic material.

33. The system of

claim 29

, wherein at least one of said pest control devices includes an environmental sensor.

34. The system of

claim 29

, wherein said wireless communication circuit for each of said two or more pest control devices is operable to transmit a different identification signal to uniquely identify each of said two or more pest control devices in response to a signal from said interrogator.

35. The system of

claim 29

, wherein said pest control devices each include said wireless communication circuit, a bait member for said one or more species of pest, and an electrically conductive pest detection loop coupled to said wireless communication circuit, said pest detection loop being arranged to be altered by said one or more species of pest to provide a pest detection signal through said wireless communication circuit in response to a signal from said interrogator.

36. A system, comprising:

at least one pest control device including a pest sensing member, said member including a magnetic material, said magnetic material providing a magnetic field that changes in response to removal of said magnetic material from said member by one or more pests, said at least one pest control device further including a circuit operable to generate a signal corresponding to said magnetic field.

37. The system of

claim 36

, wherein said circuit is further configured for wireless communication.

38. The system of

claim 37

, further comprising a device operable to receive information transmitted by said wireless communication.

39. The system of

claim 38

, wherein said circuit includes at least one magnetoresistor.

40. The system of

claim 36

, wherein said pest sensing member is configured as a bait including said magnetic material and said monitoring signal corresponds to a magnetic signature that changes as said bait is consumed.

41. The system of

claim 36

, wherein said at least one pest control device further includes a sensor to measure at least one of temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure.

42. The system of

claim 36

, wherein said at least one pest control device is a plurality.

43. A system, comprising:

at least one pest control device including a member to sense at least one species of pest and a communication circuit, said communication circuit being operable to transmit a device identification code and pest detection information.

44. The system of

claim 43

, further comprising an interrogator operable to generate a stimulation signal and wherein said communication circuit includes a passive RF transmission circuit responsive to said stimulation signal to transmit said device identification code and said pest detection information.

45. The system of

claim 44

, further comprising a data collection unit operable to receive data from said interrogator.

46. The system of

claim 43

, wherein said communication circuit includes an active RF transmitter/receiver.

47. The system of

claim 43

, wherein said at least one pest control device further includes a sensor to measure at least one of temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure.

48. The system of

claim 43

, wherein said member includes a magnetic material to provide a magnetic signature indicative of a degree of removal of said magnetic material from said member.

49. The system of

claim 43

, wherein said at least one pest control device is a plurality.

50. A system, comprising:

at least one pest control device including a pest sensor, a first environmental sensor, and a circuit operable to communicate information corresponding to a first environmental characteristic detected with said first environmental sensor and pest detection status determined with said pest sensor.

51. The system of

claim 50

, further comprising an interrogator operable to generate a stimulation signal and wherein said circuit further defines a passive RF transmitter responsive to said stimulation signal to transmit said information.

52. The system of

claim 51

, further comprising a data collection unit operable to receive data from said interrogator.

53. The system of

claim 50

, wherein said first circuit defines an active RF transmitter/receiver.

54. The system of

claim 50

, wherein said pest sensor includes a member with a magnetic material to provide a magnetic signature indicative of a degree of removal of said magnetic material from said member.

55. The system of

claim 50

, wherein said at least one pest control device is a plurality.

56. A method, comprising:

installing a plurality of pest control devices each including a bait for one or more species of pest and a wireless communication circuit; and

interrogating the pest control devices with a wireless communication device, the wireless communication device receiving a plurality of identification signals each corresponding to a different one of the pest control devices during said interrogating.

57. The method of

claim 56

, further comprising receiving pest activity status information from each of the pest control devices with the wireless communication device.

58. The method of

claim 57

, further comprising transmitting data to a data collection unit from the wireless communication device.

59. The method of

claim 56

, wherein the wireless communication device is in the form of a hand-held wireless interrogator.

60. The method of

claim 59

, further comprising locating each of the pest control devices with the interrogator.

61. The method of

claim 59

, wherein the wireless communication circuit includes a passive RF transponder responsive to a stimulation signal from the wireless communication device, the passive RF transponder sending a respective one of the identification signals and a status signal indicative of pest activity.

62. The method of

claim 56

, wherein the pest control devices each include a sensor to measure at least one of temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure.

63. The method of

claim 62

, further comprising sending data to the wireless communication device from the sensor for each of the pest control devices, comparing the data to pest activity in the pest control devices, and predicting pest behavior based on said comparing.

64. The method of

claim 56

, wherein said bait for at least one of said pest control devices includes a magnetic material operable to provide a magnetic signature corresponding to bait consumption.

65. The method of

claim 64

, further comprising monitoring said magnetic signature to evaluate pest bait consumption behavior.

66. The method of

claim 56

, wherein the bait of each of the pest control devices is selected to be edible by subterranean termites and said installing includes placing at least a portion of the pest control devices at least partially below ground.

67. The method of

claim 56

, wherein the bait for each of the pest control devices is of a pest activity monitoring variety, and further comprising:

detecting at least partial consumption of the bait for at least one of the pest control devices from data obtained with the interrogator; and

installing a pesticide bait member in response to said detecting.