TELEMETRY-ENABLED TRAP MONITORING SYSTEM

• US 20160012703A1
• Filed: 03/24/2015
• Published: 01/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: New Frequency, Inc.
• Original Assignee: New Frequency, Inc.
• Inventors: Moran, Todd, Hollis, Darrell, Bowers, Frank, Desjardins, Leo, Cruse, Michael, Keegan, Kevin, Warren, Bret
• Application Number:
  US14/666,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20160012703A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 23/00 Traps for animals
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 23/16 Box traps
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 31/002 Detecting animals in a given area
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/51 Remote controlling of devices based on replies, status thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

Disclosed is a trap including a status LED configured to indicate a trap status, a door sensor configured to indicate a door status, and a status button, configured to: 1) wake a micro controller such that the telemetry-enabled trap can be registered with a telemetry system, and 2) cause the status LED to indicate at least the trap status and the door status. Also disclosed is a method for monitoring the trap. The method includes receiving GPS data, monitoring the GPS data for valid positional information, and receiving an event message from a trap tracker module.

Claims

1. A trap comprising:

a status LED configured to indicate a trap status;

a door sensor configured to indicate a door status; and

a status button, configured to;

wake a micro controller such that the telemetry-enabled trap can be registered with a telemetry system, and

cause the status LED to indicate at least the trap status and the door status.

2. An apparatus for capturing animals comprising:

a trap having a movable trapping member;

a circuit comprising;

a sensor arranged to sense a status of the movable trapping member,

an indicator; and

a controller arranged to receive a signal from the sensor and control the indication in response to the signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a GPS module electrically coupled to the controller for receiving positional data.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the indicator is selected from a group comprising:

a LED, a transmitter, and an audible indicator.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a status activator in electrical communication with the controller, the controller having a sleep state and a wake state, the controller programmed to:

wake upon receiving an input from the status activator, and

cause the indicator to indicate at least status of the door.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the status activator is selected from a group comprising:

a button, a switch, and a toggle.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a battery in electrical communication with the status LED, the sensor, and the activator; and

a battery charger in electrical communication with the battery.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the battery charger is a smart battery charger.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sensor is selected from the group comprising:

a momentary switch, a Hall Effect sensor and an optical interrupter device.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is a micro-controller in electrical communication with the status activator.

11. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a telemetry module in electrical communication with the controller.

12. A trap tracker monitoring system comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a message;

a memory housing a database configured to store the message and trap information; and

a processor configured to display a trap tracker web application, the trap tracker web application configured to present the message and the trap information through a web browser.

13. The trap tracker monitoring system of claim 12, further comprising a telemetry network configured to route a message to a wireless communications transfer protocol (WCTP) gateway.

14. The trap tracker monitoring system of claim 13, wherein the message comprises positional data, a sensor indication, and a battery voltage indication.

15. A method for monitoring a trap, the method comprising:

receiving an event message from a trap tracker module, the event message comprising GPS data; and

monitoring the GPS data for valid positional information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein monitoring the GPS data for valid positional information comprises monitoring the GPS data during a status check.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein monitoring the GPS data for valid positional information comprises monitoring the GPS data while the trap is being registered.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the message comprises a battery voltage indication.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising determining when the trap needs to be serviced, wherein the determination that the trap needs to be serviced is based at least on the battery voltage indication.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising monitoring the trap for a trap event.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein monitoring the trap for the trap event comprises waking a micro-controller from a sleep mode at predetermined time intervals to determine if the trap event occurred.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving a heartbeat message indicating the trap is operating properly and no event has occurred.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising determining a maintenance schedule based on information contained in the heartbeat message.