ANIMAL TRAVEL CARRIER

• US 20110005466A1
• Filed: 05/21/2010
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Susan Furth
• Original Assignee: Susan Furth
• Inventors: FURTH, SUSAN
• Application Number:
  US12/784,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20110005466A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/496
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0236 Transport boxes, bags, cages, baskets, harnesses for animals; Fittings therefor for poultry A01K31/002; for pigeons A01K31/07
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0245 Boxes or cages
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A travel carrier suitable for use in transporting a live animal via a mode of transportation, comprises an enclosure of suitable size and shape for a live animal; a power source; a video camera connected to the power source and arranged in the enclosure for capturing a video image of the animal in the enclosure; and an RF transmitter. The transmitter, which is operatively connected to the video camera, transmits a signal representing a video image of the animal to a remote receiver. The carrier may also comprise a GPS unit disposed on or in the enclosure, which is operatively connected to a transmitter, for transmitting a signal representing the location of the carrier to the remote receiver.

Claims

1. An animal travel carrier suitable for use in transporting a live animal via a mode of transportation, said carrier comprising, in combination:

an enclosure of suitable size and shape for a live animal;

a source of electric power;

a video camera, connected to the power source, and arranged in the enclosure for providing a video image of the animal in the enclosure; and

a transmitter connected to said video camera, for transmitting a signal representing said video image to a remote receiver.

2. The travel carrier of claim 1, wherein the power source comprises one or more batteries.

3. The travel carrier of claim 1, wherein the power source includes a connection to a local source of power.

4. The travel carrier of claim 1, wherein the local source of power is provided on the mode of transportation.

5. The travel carrier of claim 1, further comprising a potable, temperature-regulated water supply connected to said power source.

6. The carrier of claim 1, further comprising a GPS unit connected to the power source and disposed on or within the enclosure, wherein the GPS unit provides a signal representing the location of the enclosure to said remote receiver.

7. The carrier of claim 6, wherein the GPS unit is connected to the transmitter for transmitting the location of the carrier to the remote receiver.

8. The carrier of claim 6, wherein the transmitter unit is coupled to an automatic timer that turns the transmitter unit off or on at a predetermined time.

9. The carrier of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor disposed in or on the enclosure, the temperature sensor being coupled to the transmitter for transmitting a signal representing the temperature inside and/or outside the enclosure to said remote receiver.

10. The carrier of claim 9, further comprising an electric heating device disposed on or in the enclosure and a thermostat for controlling the heating device to maintain a desired temperature in the enclosure.

11. The carrier of claim 9, further comprising an electric cooling device disposed on or in the enclosure and a thermostat for controlling the cooling device to maintain a desired temperature in the enclosure.

12. The carrier of claim 1, further comprising an electric light disposed on the interior of the enclosure.

13. The carrier of claim 1, which further comprises:

a video control unit connected to the video camera; and

a receiver connected to the video control unit,

wherein the receiver is operative to receive an external control signal to control the video camera.

14. The carrier of claim 1, which further comprises a listening device, connected to the power source, for detecting sound in the interior of the enclosure.

15. The carrier of claim 1, which further comprises:

a source of a sound signal,

an amplifier connected to the sound signal source, and

a speaker or other sound-producing device connected to the amplifier for producing sound to be heard by the animal.

16. The carrier of claim 15, wherein the sound signal source is a receiver for receiving the sound signal transmitted from a remote location.

17. The carrier of claim 16, further comprising a microphone and a transmitter, located remotely from said carrier, for transmitting said sound signal to said receiver, whereby a human operator may speak to the animal in the carrier.

18. A system for transporting a live animal, said system comprising, in combination:

a carrier suitable for use in transporting said animal via a mode of transportation, said carrier comprising;

an enclosure of suitable size and shape for the animal;

a video camera arranged in said enclosure for capturing a video image of a live animal in said enclosure; and

a transmitter coupled to said video camera, for transmitting a signal representing said video image to a remote receiver; and

a receiver, disposed remotely from said carrier, for receiving said signal from the transmitter on said carrier; and

an image display unit, suitable for use by a human operator and coupled to the receiver, for displaying said video image.

19. The transport system recited in claim 18, wherein the carrier further comprises a potable, temperature regulated water supply.

20. The transport system recited in claim 18, further comprising a GPS unit disposed on said enclosure, wherein said transmitter is coupled to said GPS unit for transmitting a signal representing the location of the enclosure to said receiver and wherein said image display unit is operative to display said location.

21. The transport system recited in claim 20, wherein the transmitter is coupled to an automatic timer that turns the transmitter off or on at a predetermined time.

22. The transport system recited in claim 18, further comprising a temperature sensor disposed in said enclosure, wherein said transmitter is coupled to said temperature sensor for transmitting a signal representing the temperature inside the enclosure to said receiver, and wherein said image display unit is operative to display said temperature.

23. The transport system recited in claim 18, further comprising an electric heating device disposed on said enclosure, and a thermostat for controlling the heating device to maintain a desired temperature in said enclosure.

24. The transport system recited in claim 18, further comprising an electric cooling device disposed on said enclosure, and a thermostat for controlling the cooling device to maintain a desired temperature in said enclosure.

25. The transport system recited in claim 18, wherein said carrier further comprises an electric light arranged on the inside of said enclosure, for illuminating the interior of the enclosure.

26. The transport system recited in claim 18, wherein said carrier includes a second receiver and a control unit, connected to said second receiver, for receiving a control signal, for controlling the video camera.

27. The transport system recited in claim 18, wherein said remote receiver is coupled to said image display unit via the Internet.

28. The transport system recited in claim 18, wherein said carrier further comprises a sound unit, arranged in said enclosure, for producing sound in the interior of the enclosure.

29. The transport system recited in claim 28, wherein said carrier includes a second receiver, coupled to said sound unit, for receiving a sound signal transmitted from a remote location.

30. The transport system recited in claim 29, further comprising a microphone and a transmitter, located remotely from said carrier, for transmitting said sound signal to said second receiver.