SYSTEMS, METHODS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR MONITORING THE BEHAVIOR, HEALTH, AND/OR CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ANIMAL

• US 20120299731A1
• Filed: 05/25/2012
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle SA (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Pet Wireless, LLC
• Inventors: Triener, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 8,797,166 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0107 Cat trays; Dog urinals; Toilets for pets
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 31/12 Perches for poultry or birds, e.g. roosts
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/0114 Pet food dispensers; Pet food trays time-controlled A01K5/0291
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 7/00 Watering equipment for stock or game
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 17/08 for weighing livestock
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 21/22 Weigh pans or other weighing receptacles; Weighing platforms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer code products for monitoring the behavior, health, and/or characteristics of an animal are disclosed herein. In one implementation, the animal is positioned inside a waste container placed on a system that is adapted to determine, record and communicate over a network various animal health parameters. These parameters can be processed to determine trends, statistics and changes of animal physiological functions. The results can be used to access animal health conditions and issue warnings, alarms, messages, and other notifications to designated caretakers. These notifications may be displayed using various means such as computers and/or mobile devices. Data retrieval and review capability can provide improved understanding of an animal'"'"'s health conditions and facilitate early illness detection.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring the behavior of an animal, the system comprising:

a sensor configured to detect the presence of the animal;

a measuring device configured to measure a characteristic of the animal whenever presence of the animal is detected; and

a storage device configured to store the measured characteristics of the animal.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to calculate derived data from the measured characteristics.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the storage device is further configured to store threshold alert data and wherein the processor is configured to compare either the measured characteristic or derived data to the stored threshold alert data and to send an alert when the measured characteristic or derived data crosses the threshold alert data.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising an identification sensor configured to identify the animal as a specific animal from a plurality animals after presence of the animal is detected.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the measured characteristic is selected from the group consisting of:

the animal'"'"'s weight;

the weight of the animal'"'"'s waste;

the weight of a platform before the presence of the animal was detected;

the combined weight of the platform and the animal after the presence of the animal was detected;

the weight of a platform after the departure of the animal was detected;

the weight of the food consumed by the animal;

the weight of the water consumed by the animal;

the date when presence of the animal is detected;

the time when presence of the animal is detected;

the time when departure of the animal is detected; and

the duration of time between detection of the presence of the animal and the departure of the animal.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the derived data is selected from the group consisting of:

the daily frequency with which presence of the animal is detected;

the cumulative daily weight of the animal'"'"'s waste;

the cumulative daily weight of the food consumed by the animal;

the cumulative daily weight of the water consumed by the animal;

the average daily weight of the animal;

the maximum and the minimum daily weight of the animal;

the cumulative daily duration of time between each detection of the presence of the animal and the departure of the animal;

the average, maximum and minimum rates of food and water consumption, expressed in weight of food and water consumed per unit of time;

the cumulative daily number of times the presence of the animal is detected;

the amount of time since the last time presence of the animal is detected; and

the average daily time interval between instances where presence of animal is detected.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor, measuring device, and storage device are assembled in a stand-alone apparatus.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is remote cloud device.

9. A method for monitoring the behavior of an animal, the method comprising:

detecting the presence of the animal;

measuring a characteristic of the animal whenever presence of the animal is detected; and

storing the measured characteristics of the animal.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising calculating derived data from the measured characteristics.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising comparing the measured characteristic and/or derived data to the stored threshold alert data and sending an alert when the measured characteristic and/or derived data crosses the threshold alert data.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising identifying the animal as a specific animal from a plurality of animals after presence of the animal is detected.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the measured characteristic is selected from the group consisting of:

the animal'"'"'s weight;

the weight of the animal'"'"'s waste;

the weight of a platform before the presence of the animal was detected;

the combined weight of the platform and the animal after the presence of the animal was detected;

the weight of a platform after the departure of the animal was detected;

the weight of the food consumed by the animal;

the weight of the water consumed by the animal;

the date when presence of the animal is detected;

the time when presence of the animal is detected;

the time when departure of the animal is detected; and

the duration of time between detection of the presence of the animal and the departure of the animal.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the derived data is selected from the group consisting of:

the daily frequency with which presence of the animal is detected;

the cumulative daily weight of the animal'"'"'s waste;

the cumulative daily weight of the food consumed by the animal;

the cumulative daily weight of the water consumed by the animal;

the average daily weight of the animal;

the maximum and the minimum daily weight of the animal;

the cumulative daily duration of time between each detection of the presence of the animal and the departure of the animal;

the average, maximum and minimum rates of food and water consumption, expressed in weight of food and water consumed per unit of time;

the cumulative daily number of times the presence of the animal is detected;

the amount of time since the last time presence of the animal is detected; and

the average daily time interval between instances where presence of animal is detected.

15. A computer program product, embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the computer code product comprising:

computer code for detecting the presence of the animal;

computer code for measuring a characteristic of the animal whenever presence of the animal is detected; and

computer code for storing the measured characteristics of the animal.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising computer code for calculating derived data from the measured characteristics.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising computer code for comparing the measured characteristic and/or derived data to the stored threshold alert data and for sending an alert when the measured characteristic and/or derived data crosses the threshold alert data.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising computer code for identifying the animal as a specific animal from a plurality animals after presence of the animal is detected.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the measured characteristic is selected from the group consisting of:

the animal'"'"'s weight;

the weight of the animal'"'"'s waste;

the weight of a platform before the presence of the animal was detected;

the combined weight of the platform and the animal after the presence of the animal was detected;

the weight of a platform after the departure of the animal was detected;

the weight of the food consumed by the animal;

the weight of the water consumed by the animal;

the date when presence of the animal is detected;

the time when presence of the animal is detected;

the time when departure of the animal is detected; and

the duration of time between detection of the presence of the animal and the departure of the animal.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the derived data is selected from the group consisting of:

the daily frequency with which presence of the animal is detected;

the cumulative daily weight of the animal'"'"'s waste;

the cumulative daily weight of the food consumed by the animal;

the cumulative daily weight of the water consumed by the animal;

the average daily weight of the animal;

the maximum and the minimum daily weight of the animal;

the cumulative daily duration of time between each detection of the presence of the animal and the departure of the animal;

the average, maximum and minimum rates of food and water consumption, expressed in weight of food and water consumed per unit of time;

the cumulative daily number of times the presence of the animal is detected;

the amount of time since the last time presence of the animal is detected; and

the average daily time interval between instances where presence of animal is detected.