UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE FOR INTERACTING WITH A PET

• US 20170081027A1
• Filed: 09/21/2015
• Published: 03/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bivens, John A., Kim, Minkyong, Li, Min, Pickover, Clifford A., Salapura, Valentina
• Granted Patent: US 9,637,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/00 Devices for taming animals, e.g. nose-rings or hobbles; Devices for overturning animals in general; Training or exercising equipment; Covering boxes
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/021 Electronic training devices specially adapted for dogs or cats
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/025 Toys specially adapted for animals
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/027 Exercising equipment, e.g. tread mills, carousels equipment for racing or riding sports events A63K
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle for interacting with a pet. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes a processor-based monitoring device to provide a behavioral assessment of the pet, an activity recommender to select an activity program dependent on the behavioral assessment, a motor mounted on the unmanned aerial vehicle to provide aerial movement based on the activity program, and an activity coordinator to perform a function based on the activity program. The function includes activating feedback outputs upon completion of the activity program.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle for interacting with a pet, the unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

a processor-based monitoring device to provide a behavioral assessment of the pet;

an activity recommender to select at least one activity program dependent on the behavioral assessment;

at least one motor mounted on the unmanned aerial vehicle to provide aerial movement based on the at least one activity program; and

an activity coordinator to perform at least one function based on the at least one activity program, wherein the at least one function includes activating at least one of a plurality of feedback outputs upon completion of the activity program.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor-based monitoring device monitors at least one of a pet location, sounds generated by the pet, expressions generated by the pet, movement of the pet, and nearness of the pet to safety hazards.

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one function includes dispensing a reward from a plurality of reward compartments.

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 3, further comprising a calorie counter to count calories of the reward and adjust the reward based on a total caloric intake parameter.

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one function includes behavior reinforcement to the pet.

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a steering controller to control the aerial movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle in multiple degrees of freedom.

7. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a scheduler to provide a calendar to the activity recommender to schedule the at least one activity program.

8. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an appliance communicator to communicate with at least one pet appliance.

9. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 8, wherein the at least one function includes communicating with the at least one pet appliance.

10. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a profiler to store information regarding a profile of the pet, wherein the profile includes at least one of a pet breed, pet type, pet capacity to cause damage, and pet capacity to self-injure.

11. A method for interacting with a pet using an unmanned aerial vehicle, the method comprising:

monitoring, by a processor-based monitoring device, the pet to provide a behavioral assessment of the pet;

selecting at least one activity program dependent on the behavioral assessment;

aerially moving the unmanned aerial vehicle system based on the at least one activity program; and

performing at least one function based on the at least one activity program, wherein the at least one function includes activating at least one of a plurality of feedback outputs upon completion of the activity program.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein monitoring includes monitoring at least one of a pet location, sounds generated by the pet, expressions generated by the pet, movement of the pet, and nearness of the pet to safety hazards.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one function includes dispensing a reward from a plurality of reward compartments.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one function includes counting calories of the reward and adjusting the reward based on a total caloric intake parameter.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one function includes behavior reinforcement to the pet.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein monitoring includes controlling the aerial movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle in multiple degrees of freedom.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one function includes communicating with the at least one pet appliance.

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a computer readable program for interacting with a pet using an unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to execute:

monitoring, by a processor-based monitoring device, the pet to provide a behavioral assessment of the pet;

selecting at least one activity program dependent on the behavioral assessment;

controlling, using control signals, aerial movement of an unmanned aerial vehicle based on the at least one activity program; and

performing at least one function based on the at least one activity program, wherein the at least one function includes activating at least one of a plurality of feedback outputs upon completion of the activity program.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein monitoring includes monitoring at least one of a pet location, sounds generated by the pet, expressions generated by the pet, movement of the pet, and nearness of the pet to safety hazards.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the at least one function includes dispensing a reward from a plurality of reward compartments.