Traveling Invisible Electronic Containment Perimeter - Method and Apparatus

• US 20090102668A1
• Filed: 10/08/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Richard Folsland, Scott R. Thompson
• Original Assignee: Richard Folsland, Scott R. Thompson
• Inventors: Folsland, Richard, Thompson, Scott R
• Granted Patent: US 8,115,642 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.300
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/023 Anti-evasion devices

Abstract

This invention teaches a method and apparatus that combines GPS, map overlays, a means to draw containment perimeters directly over map overlays, and a means to transmit signals to any plurality of electronic stimulus control collars to contain humans or animals within each containment perimeter. A primary aspiration of this invention is to provide hunters with a means to effortlessly operate functions of an animal stimulus collar while hunting. Novel features include a means to specify a containment perimeter that travels with the hunter by drawing the same on a on a touch sensitive graphic user interface that displays a map of the local area. This invention is easy to use and readily accepts new perimeters, perimeter alterations, or a multiple of perimeters at will.

Claims

1. A stimulus collar tracking and control apparatus that compares the position of a plurality of stimulus collars to a plurality of containment zones and provides commands to activate functions of said plurality of stimulus collars based on said plurality of stimulus collar positions relative to said plurality of containment zones and comprises in combination:

(a) a primary control unit electrically coupled to a graphic user interface,

(b) an electronic means to enter boundaries representative of said containment zones into said graphic user interface,

(c) an electronic means to determine the location of said primary control unit,

(d) an electronic means to determine the location of said plurality of stimulus collars,

(3) an electronic means to execute comparison of said plurality of stimulus collar positions to said containment zone perimeters,

(f) an electronic means to use said plurality of stimulus collar positions as a basis to cause activation of functions of said plurality of stimulus collars.

2. An apparatus of claim 1 that further comprises a wireless means to communicate said caused activation of functions to said plurality of stimulus collars.

3. An apparatus of claim 1 that further comprises a wireless means to electrically couple components of said apparatus of claim 1 to each other.

4. An apparatus of claim 1 that further comprises a pointing means to enter said boundaries representative of said containment zones.

5. An apparatus of claim 1 that further comprises a function command interpreter to convert output from the said apparatus of claim 1 into signals that are usable by a plurality of existing stimulus collars.

6. An apparatus of claim 1 that further comprises an electronic means to manually cause said activation of stimulus collar functions.

7. A method to track and contain humans or animals with stimulus collars that comprises in combination:

(a) obtaining accurate location of the main controller,

(b) drawing a background map representative of said location of said main controller on a display,

(c) entering a plurality of containment zones by drawing perimeters thereof over said background map,

(d) obtaining the location of a plurality of stimulus collars,

(e) displaying properly positioned icons representative of each stimulus collar, main control, and containment zone,

(f) comparing the position of each collar to the outer perimeter of each containment zone,

(g) sending specific function to each collar representative of position relative to each containment zone.

8. A method of claim 7 that further comprises associating a plurality of stimulus collar activation functions with said plurality of containment zones.

9. A method of claim 7 that further comprises using a pointing device to enter said boundaries representative of said containment zones.

10. A method of claim 7 that further comprises infinitely repeating the said method of claim 7.

11. A method of claim 7 that further comprises moving a plurality of said containment zones relative to the operator of said main controller.

12. A method of claim 7 that further comprises moving a plurality of said containment zones relative to a plurality of components of said main controller.