Electronic fence system and controlling method thereof

• US 20050139169A1
• Filed: 05/12/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SOS Co., Inc. (Dogtra Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Ho-Yun So
• Inventors: So, Ho Yun
• Granted Patent: US 7,081,821 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/721
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/023 Anti-evasion devices

Abstract

An electronic fence system comprises a fence wire which radiates a radio signal for defining a boundary; a transmitter electrically connected to the fence wire and transmitting a boundary radio signal including a mode selection signal; and a receiver attached to the pet, that receives the boundary defining signal, and that generates either electrical shock only, or a combination of electrical shock and vibration, or electrical shock and vibration as well as sound depending on the mode selection signal. If the pet has a hearing loss, or the circumference is noisy, a warning signal can be given through a touch to the skin of the pet. Since a vibration is applied first, and the shock follows it, no severe shock need be applied to the pet that will return into the confined area after having received a vibration. A pet'"'"'s activity is restricted in a predetermined area.

Claims

1. An electronic fence system comprising:

a fence wire buried in a yard along the boundary of a confined area within which a pet may move about freely, and which radiates a radio signal for defining a boundary;

a transmitter electrically connected to the fence wire and transmitting a boundary radio signal for defining the boundary to the fence wire, the boundary signal including a mode selection signal for selecting a direct shock mode to the pet or a combination shock mode after first producing a sound; and

a receiver attached to the pet, that receives the boundary defining signal with respect to a pet'"'"'s approach to the fence wire, and that generates either electrical shock only, or a combination of electrical shock and vibration, or electrical shock and vibration as well as sound depending on the mode selection signal.

2. The electronic fence system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter further includes:

a power supply unit which receives alternating current power source and supplies constant voltage;

a mode selector for selecting either electrical shock only, a combination of electrical shock and vibration;

or electrical shock and vibration as well as sound to the pet;

a disconnection display for sensing a breaking of the fence wire, generating a disconnection signal, and displaying a disconnection;

a shock level selector for selecting a level of shock to the pet;

a transmitter controller for controlling the above units and transmitting a boundary display signal to the fence wire the boundary signal including a data comprising a level inputted from the shock level selector and a mode transmitted from the mode selector, and the transmitter controller for displaying a disconnection status according to a disconnection sensing signal transmitted from the disconnection display; and

an amplifying unit for amplifying a signal transmitted to the fence wire from the transmitter controller.

3. The electronic fence system of claim 1 wherein the receiver further including:

a first and a second sensor unit for transforming radio signal radiated from the fence wire into binary data;

a power supplier including a voltage regulator, a recharge battery, and a charger;

a power switch for applying power to the power supplier while the user pushes the power switch;

a low voltage display for sensing the voltage of the recharge battery and for displaying its low voltage status;

a vibration generator for applying a vibration to the pet according to the command of the receiver controller;

a sound signal generator for generating a sound according to the command of the receiver controller;

a shock generator for giving an electrical shock to the pet according to the command of the receiver controller;

a receiver generator for receiving the signal sent from the transmitter through the first and the second sensor, and controlling the respective units; and

a power actuator for continually applying power to the power supplier according to a power hold signal received from the receiver controller.

4. The electronic fence system of claim 2, wherein the signal that is applied to the fence wire from the transmitter controller is an amplitude modulation signal modulated with a 10 kHz signal, and the signal includes an identification number, a shock level, and mode selection data.

5. The electronic fence system of claim 2, wherein the intensity of the radio signal radiated from the fence wire is dependent on the receiver, which is attached to the pet, approaching within 10 m from the boundary of the confined area.

6. The electronic fence system of claim 2, wherein the disconnection display comprises a disconnection sensor for sensing whether it has been disconnected or not by measuring the voltage power applied to the fence wire at one end of it, and also for sending the sensing status to the transmitter controller, and the disconnection display also includes a disconnection display emit diode for displaying the disconnection status according to the control of the transmitter controller.

7. The electronic fence system of claim 3, wherein the first sensor unit and the second sensor unit comprise a first and a second sensor, a first and a second filter, a first and a second amplifier, and a first and a second waveform generator, respectively.

8. A method for controlling the electronic fence comprising:

a transmitter that emits a radio signal through a fence wire provided along the boundary of a confined area, a radio signal including a mode selection signal and a shock level signal, a mode selection signal which chooses either shock mode only or a combination mode with vibration followed by shock depending on the mode selector chosen by the user, and

a receiver attached to the body of a pet, which receives the radio signal, and applies to the pet either a shock only;

a vibration followed by a shock;

or a vibration followed by a shock and accompanied by a sound, which depends on the mode data embedded in the signal, wherein the level of shock depends on the data of shock level embedded in the radio signal.

9. The method for controlling electronic fence of claim 8 wherein power is applied to the power supplier of the receiver when the power switch of the receiver is ONed for longer than a predetermined time.

10. The method for controlling electronic fence of claim 8 wherein a shock to the pet by the receiver is applied for an amount of time that cannot physically damage the pet.

11. A method for controlling electronic fence comprising:

a transmitter that emits a radio signal through an antenna provided at the center of a confined area, the radio signal that is modulated by an FM, and the radio signal that includes a shock level signal and a mode selection signal that chooses either shock mode only, or a combination mode with vibration followed by shock depending on the mode selector chosen by the user, and

a receiver attached to the body of a pet which receives the radio signal modulated by FM, detects the data embedded on the signal, and applies to the pet either shock only;

vibration followed by shock;

or a combination of vibration and sound followed by a shock, wherein the level of the shock depends on the shock level data embedded in the radio signal.