PET ANIMAL COLLAR FOR HEALTH & VITAL SIGNS MONITORING, ALERT AND DIAGNOSIS

• US 20160198960A1
• Filed: 03/23/2016
• Published: 07/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Petpace Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Petpace Ltd.
• Inventors: MENKES, Avi
• Application Number:
  US15/077,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20160198960A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/001 Collars
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/009 with electric-shock, sound, magnetic- or radio-waves emitting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/40 Animals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0252 using ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0475 Special features of memory means, e.g. removable memory cards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0223 Magnetic field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/063 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1105 of laboratory animals, e.g. activity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6822 Neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6844 Monitoring or controlling distance between sensor and tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/72 Signal processing specially adapted for physiological signals or for diagnostic purposes character recognition, recognising digital ink, document-oriented image-based pattern recognition G06V30/00; recognition or understanding of postal images G06V30/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7465 Arrangements for interactive communication between patient and care services, e.g. by using a telephone network telemetry of measured physiological signal A61B5/0002
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 : Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R
• CPC Class Codes: A61D 13/00 : Thermometer holders specially adapted to veterinary purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61D 9/00 : Bandages, poultices, compresses specially adapted to veterinary purposes fetlock-joint protecting rings A01K13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 : Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems

Abstract

A collar for pet animals may have sensor elements remotely actuatable to measure vital signs of the animal (such as respiration, pulse, temperature and movement) and a processor that can interpret the results of multiple vital sign readings. A two way communication device alerts the pet owner, veterinarian or authorities. A veterinarian can remotely take a particular vital sign measurement when alerted. The sensor elements embedded in the collar'"'"'s band has at least one elastic pin extending toward the animal'"'"'s neck to gather data processed on the collar or remotely. To improve STN ratio, an elastic layer may absorb noise from friction due to movement of the animal'"'"'s head. The collar may adjust the tightness of the band for taking vital sign readings. For example pump may injects air through a tubular compertment running along the circumference of the band. A safety mechanism may release the collar.

Claims

1. A non-invasive collar for monitoring vital signs of a pet animal, wherein the pet animal is a dog or a cat, comprising:

a band having a layer of an elastic material, the band for positioning on a neck of the pet animal;

at least four sensor elements at different points of the band, each of the at least four sensor elements having at least one elastic pin projecting from the band towards the neck,

the at least four sensor elements comprising

(i) a first temperature sensor configured to measure ambient temperature and output a signal corresponding to ambient temperature,

(ii) a second temperature sensor configured to measure a skin temperature of the pet animal and output a signal representing vital sign data for skin temperature,

(iii) an acoustic sensor configured to measure at least one of heart rate and respiration rate and output at least one signal representing vital sign data for at least one of heart rate and respiration, and

(iv) at least one of a gyroscope, an accelerometer and a magnetometer, the at least one of the gyroscope, accelerometer and magnetometer configured to measure at least one of posture and movement and output a signal representing vital sign data for the at least one of posture and movement of the pet animal,

the collar, including the band and the at least four sensor elements, is configured to output the signals for the ambient temperature, skin temperature, at least one of heart rate and respiration and at least one of posture and movement, while being positioned on a single integrally connected body part of the pet animal.

2. The collar of claim 1, wherein the single integrally connected body part is the neck of the pet animal.

3. The collar of claim 1, wherein the collar in its entirety is on the neck of the pet animal.

4. The collar of claim 1, wherein the collar, including the band and the at least four sensor elements, is a single integrated unit.

5. The collar of claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to receive the signals representing the vital sign data and to execute software for processing the vital sign data using one or more combinations of the at least three vital sign bioparameters and the ambient temperature.

6. The collar of claim 1, the at least one of a gyroscope, an accelerometer and a magnetometer is configured to detect at least three of the following postures of a dog:

lying down laterally, lying down sternally (head up/down), lying on back, sitting, standing on four legs, jumping, trotting, running, eating/drinking, urinating (male/female), defecating, limping hind leg, limping front leg, scratching hind leg, and stretching.

7. The collar of claim 1, wherein the at least one of a gyroscope, an accelerometer and a magnetometer is configured to detect at least four of the following postures of a dog:

lying down laterally, lying down sternally (head up/down), lying on back, sitting, standing on four legs, jumping, trotting, running, eating/drinking, urinating (male/female), defecating, limping hind leg, limping front leg, scratching hind leg, and stretching.

8. The collar of claim 1, wherein the at least one of a gyroscope, an accelerometer and a magnetometer is configured to detect at least five of the following postures of a dog:

lying down laterally, lying down sternally (head up/down), lying on back, sitting, standing on four legs, jumping, trotting, running, eating/drinking, urinating (male/female), defecating, limping hind leg, limping front leg, scratching hind leg, and stretching.

9. The collar of claim 1, wherein the at least one of a gyroscope, an accelerometer and a magnetometer is configured to detect at least seven of the following postures of a dog:

lying down laterally, lying down sternally (head up/down), lying on back, sitting, standing on four legs, jumping, trotting, running, eating/drinking, urinating (male/female), defecating, limping hind leg, limping front leg, scratching hind leg, and stretching.

10. The collar of claim 1, wherein the at least one of a gyroscope, an accelerometer and a magnetometer is configured to detect at least nine of the following postures of a dog:

lying down laterally, lying down sternally (head up/down), lying on back, sitting, standing on four legs, jumping, trotting, running, eating/drinking, urinating (male/female), defecating, limping hind leg, limping front leg, scratching hind leg, and stretching.

11. The collar of claim 1, wherein the at least one of a gyroscope, an accelerometer and a magnetometer is configured to detect at least twelve of the following postures of a dog:

lying down laterally, lying down sternally (head up/down), lying on back, sitting, standing on four legs, jumping, trotting, running, eating/drinking, urinating (male/female), defecating, limping hind leg, limping front leg, scratching hind leg, and stretching.

12. The collar of claim 1, wherein the at least one of a gyroscope, an accelerometer and a magnetometer is configured to detect at least the following postures of a dog:

lying down laterally, lying down sternally (head up/down), lying on back, sitting, standing on four legs, jumping, trotting, running, eating/drinking, urinating (male/female), defecating, limping hind leg, limping front leg, scratching hind leg, and stretching.

13. The collar of claim 1, further comprising a two-way communication device for communication to and remote monitoring of the pet animal'"'"'s health by a remotely stationed veterinarian.

14. The collar of claim 1, wherein the acoustic sensor is configured to measure both heart rate and respiration rate.

15. The collar of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the gyroscope, accelerometer and magnetometer is configured to measure both posture and movement.

16. The collar of claim 1, further comprising a microphone for listening to special noises of the pet animal and a speaker for communicating sounds to the pet animal remotely.

17. The collar of claim 1, further comprising a memory storage for storing health information history of the pet animal, the memory storage accessible by the processor.

18. The collar of claim 1, further comprising a processor for executing algorithms to interpret an interdependence of the vital sign data and ambient temperature from the at least four sensor elements and arrive at a tentative diagnosis.

19. The collar of claim 1, wherein the pet animal is a dog.

20. The collar of claim 1, wherein the pet animal is a cat.