Animal training and tracking system using RF identification tags

• US 20050217607A1
• Filed: 04/22/2005
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dot Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Robelight LLC
• Inventors: Roberts, Jon L., Light, Elliott D., Boesch, Brian P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,937,042 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/721
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/021 Electronic training devices specially adapted for dogs or cats

Abstract

An animal training device for administering audio stimulus and physical encouragement to an animal. The trainer has a transmitter with variable signal strength. The animal worn device had a receiver that senses the signal strength. If the signal strength drops to a preset limit indicative of distance from the transmitter, a tone is sounded. Further signal drop results in a shock being delivered. Alternatively, a trainer module comprises an RFID poller and an animal module comprises an RFID tag. The poller sends a polling signal to the RFID tag. The polling signal is reflected back to the trainer module where the reflective signal is used to determine a separation distance. If the separation distance exceeds a preset threshold, an encouragement command is sent from the trainer module to the animal module.

Claims

1. A lead-less animal training device comprising:

an animal module worn by an animal comprising an RFID tag adapted to receive a polling signal and to transmit a reflected signal; and

a trainer module comprising;

an RFID tag query manager adapted to send the polling signal;

an RFID receiver adapted to receive the reflected signal from the RFID tag and wherein the trainer module is adapted to;

determine a separation distance between the animal module and the trainer module based on an attribute of the reflected signal; and

transmit a physical encouragement command when the separation distance exceeds a predetermined threshold; and

wherein the animal module further comprises;

a command receiver adapted to receive the physical encouragement command; and

a physical encouragement means adapted to administer physical encouragement to the animal in response to the physical encouragement means.

2. The lead-less animal training device of claim 1, wherein the physical encouragement command comprises a shock command and the physical encouragement means comprises a shock producer.

3. The lead-less animal training device of claim 2, wherein the shock command is issued when the separation distance exceeds a shock threshold distance.

4. The lead-less animal training device of claim 1, wherein the physical encouragement command comprises an audio command and the physical encouragement means comprises a sound producer.

5. The lead-less animal training device of claim 4, wherein the audio command is issued when the separation distance exceeds an audio threshold distance.

6. The lead-less animal training device of claim 1, wherein the physical encouragement command comprises a shock command issued when the separation distance exceeds a shock threshold distance and an audio command issued when the separation distance exceeds an audio threshold distance, and wherein the audio threshold distance is less than the shock threshold distance.

7. The lead-less animal training device of claim 1, wherein the RFID query manager is adapted to vary the polling signal power.

8. The lead-less animal training device of claim 1, wherein the RFID query manager is adapted to vary the RFID receiver sensitivity.

9. The lead-less animal training device of claim 1, wherein the attribute of the signal is a measure of signal strength associated with a separation distance.

10. The lead-less animal training device of claim 1, wherein the attribute of the reflected signal is that the reflected signal is not detectable by the receiver.

11. The lead-less animal training device of claim 1, wherein the attribute of the reflected signal is the time of reception of the reflected signal relative to the time the polling signal is sent.

12. A lead-less animal training device comprising:

an animal module worn by an animal comprising an RFID tag adapted to receive a polling signal and to transmit a reflected signal, wherein the reflected signal comprises an identifier unique to the RFID tag; and

a trainer module comprising;

an RFID tag query manager adapted to send the polling signal;

an RFID receiver adapted to receive the reflected signal from the RFID tag and wherein the trainer module is adapted to;

acquire the RFID tag identifier from the reflected signal;

determine a separation distance between the animal module and the trainer module based on an attribute of the reflected signal;

select a transmission link based on the RFID tag identifier; and

transmit a physical encouragement command over the selected transmission link when the separation distance exceeds a predetermined threshold associated with the RFID tag identifier; and

wherein the animal module further comprises;

a command receiver adapted to receive the physical encouragement command over the selected transmission link; and

a physical encouragement means adapted to administer physical encouragement to the animal in response to the physical encouragement means.

13. The lead-less animal training device of claim 12, wherein the physical encouragement command comprises a shock command and the physical encouragement means comprises a shock producer.

14. The lead-less animal training device of claim 12 wherein the shock command is issued when the separation distance exceeds a shock threshold distance.

15. The lead-less animal training device of claim 12, wherein the physical encouragement command comprises an audio command and the physical encouragement means comprises a sound producer.

16. The lead-less animal training device of claim 15, wherein the audio command is issued when the separation distance exceeds an audio threshold distance.

17. The lead-less animal training device of claim 12, wherein the physical encouragement command comprises a shock command issued when the separation distance exceeds a shock threshold distance and an audio command issued when the separation distance exceeds an audio threshold distance, and wherein the audio threshold distance is less than the shock threshold distance.

18. The lead-less animal training device of claim 12, wherein the RFID query manager is adapted to vary the polling signal power.

19. The lead-less animal training device of claim 12, wherein the RFID query manager is adapted to vary the RFID receiver sensitivity.

20. The lead-less animal training device of claim 12, wherein the attribute of the signal is a measure of signal strength associated with a separation distance.

21. The lead-less animal training device of claim 12, wherein the attribute of the reflected signal is that the reflected signal is not detectable by the receiver.

22. The lead-less animal training device of claim 12, wherein the attribute of the reflected signal is the time of reception of the reflected signal relative to the time the polling signal is sent.