Pet locator

• US 6,441,778 B1
• Filed: 10/03/2000
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pfizer Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jennifer Durst
• Inventors: Durst, Jennifer, McAlexander, Joseph C., Fowler, Eugene F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Dao
• Application Number:
  US09/678,571
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.07, 342/357.06, 342/357.09, 342/457, 701/213, 701/215
• US Class Current: 342/357.55
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/36 relating to the receiver frond end
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0202 Child monitoring systems using a transmitter-receiver system carried by the parent and the child
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0247 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0261 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A locating device for attachment to an animal and adapted to obtain and communicate location information about the animal to a base station, comprising a controller having an input for location data and a first communication port; a satellite navigation system receiver coupled to a first antenna and having a location data output coupled to the location data input of said controller; a communication transceiver coupled to a second antenna to receive and transmit communications between the locating device and the base station and having a second communication port coupled to the first communication port of the controller; and a housing to enclose the controller, the satellite navigation system receiver and communication transceiver, configured to be attached to the animal. The controller upon activation operates automatically to obtain location data from the satellite navigation system receiver via the location data output, store the location data in the memory and cause the location data to be accessed from the memory, coupled to the communication transceiver and transmitted to the base station.

Claims

1. A locating device for attachment to an animal and adapted to obtain and communicate location information about said animal to a fixed or mobile base station, comprising:

a controller having a memory, an input for location data and a first communication port;

a satellite navigation system receiver coupled to a first antenna and having a location data output coupled to said location data input of said controller;

a communication transceiver coupled to a second antenna to receive and transmit communications between said locating device and said base station and having a second communication port coupled to said first communication port of said controller; and

a housing for enclosing said controller, said GPS receiver and said communication transceiver, configured to be attached to said animal;

wherein said controller upon activation operates automatically to obtain location data from said satellite navigation system receiver via said location data output, store said location data in said memory and cause said location data to be accessed from said memory, coupled to said communication transceiver and transmitted to said base station.

2. The locating device of claim 1, wherein said controller upon activation further operates automatically to update said location data and cause said updated location data to be transmitted to said base station.

3. The locating device of claim 1, comprising:

a collar, having a first end and a second end, attached to said housing for attaching said locating device.

4. The locating device of claim 3, wherein said collar comprises:

a clasp having a first conductive part and a second conductive part, each said part attached to a respective first end and second end of said collar and adapted to couple said first and second ends of said collar together; and

an electrical interlock, cooperative with said clasp to provide electrical continuity to enable energizing of said locating device when said first conductive part and said second conductive part are coupled together.

5. The locating device of claim 4, wherein said electrical interlock comprises:

a first cable having electrical conductivity coupled at a first end to said first conductive part of said clasp and coupled at a second end to a first terminal of said controller; and

a second cable having electrical conductivity coupled at a first end to said second conductive part of said clasp and coupled at a second end to a second terminal of said controller.

6. The locating device of claim 4, wherein said electrical continuity is provided through said first and second conductive parts of said clasp.

7. The locating device of claim 3, wherein said collar comprises:

a device to support said first antenna in a skyward orientation to receive transmitted location signals from a navigation satellite when said collar is attached to said body portion of said animal.

8. The locating device of claim 7, wherein said first antenna is enclosed within said collar.

9. The locating device of claim 3, wherein said collar is configured to orient said first antenna on a skyward side of said animal and said housing is disposed upon said collar such that the mass of said housing and its contents is operable to maintain said skyward orientation of said first antenna.

10. The locating device of claim 1, wherein said controller is operable to associate time data with said location data for transmission to said base station.

11. The locating device of claim 1, wherein said controller is operable to calculate direction and rate of movement from said location data for transmission to said base station.

12. The locating device of claim 1, wherein said GPS receiver comprises:

a receiving device having an RF input coupled to said first antenna;

an enable input response to an activation signal coupled thereto; and

a location data output coupled to said controller to provide a location data signal;

wherein said satellite navigation system receiver is configured to receive and process navigation signals to provide said location data signal.

13. The locating device of claim 12, wherein said navigation signals comprise:

differential navigation signals to enable determination of location data signals.

14. The locating device of claim 1, wherein said communication transceiver comprises:

a receiver coupled to said second antenna during a reception mode to receive transmissions related to location data from said base station via a paging system; and

a transmitter coupled to said second antenna during a transmission mode to transmit location data to said base station via said paging system.

15. The locating device of claim 1, wherein said communication transceiver comprises:

a two-way paging transceiver coupled to said second antenna and adapted to operate with a paging system to provide said receiving and transmitting communications between said locating device and said base station.

16. The locating device of claim 1, wherein said housing comprises:

an enclosure to provide water resistant protection of said locating device.

17. The locating device of claim 1, wherein said housing comprises:

an enclosure to provide impact resistant protection of said locating device.

18. The locating device of claim 1, further comprising:

a signal detector responsive to a predetermined parameter of an RF signal received by said second antenna in excess of a predetermined threshold to provide an output operable to activate said controller and enable said satellite navigation system receiver.

19. The locating device of claim 18, wherein said predetermined parameter comprises:

at least one parameter selected from the group including signal strength, signal-to-noise ratio, time of transmission or the displacement from a reference location of said signal detector.

20. The locating device of claim 18, wherein said predetermined threshold comprises:

a signal having an acceptance probability of at least 0.9.

21. The locating device of claim 1, further comprising:

a magnetic compass supported by said housing, coupled to and activated by said controller and operable to provide a compass heading output signal to be transmitted to said base station via said communication transceiver.

22. The locating device of claim 21, wherein said compass heading output signal is provided responsive to a failure of said navigation satellite receiver to provide said location data.

23. The locating device of claim 1, wherein said memory in said controller comprises:

a non-volatile memory to store pre-formatted messages for output by said controller and operating programs for use by said controller.

24. The locating device of claim 23, wherein said pre-formatted messages comprise:

data messages associated with particular location, time, heading or rate of movement data upon communication therewith to said base station.

25. The locating device of claim 23, wherein said pre-formatted messages comprise:

data messages associated with particular location, time, heading or rate of movement data upon readout of said data at said locating device.

26. The locating device of claim 23, wherein said pre-formatted messages comprise:

data messages providing identification information including at least one or more of wearer'"'"'s name, wearer'"'"'s home address, a contact telephone number, a vaccination status and a veterinarian'"'"'s name and telephone number.

27. The locating device of claim 23, wherein said pre-formatted messages comprise:

a message relating to loss of satellite signals, loss of collar integrity, locating device exits a designated area, locating device enters said designated area, power source is weak or locating device is in a fringe area.

28. The locating device of claim 1, wherein said memory in said controller comprises:

a non-volatile memory to periodically store back-up location and time data to be downloaded to said base station via said communication transceiver responsive to a command from said base station.

29. The locating device of claim 1, wherein said first communication port of said controller comprises:

a signal input to signals received by said communication transceiver; and

a signal output of signals transmitted by said communication transceiver.

30. The locating device of claim 1, wherein said first antenna coupled to said satellite navigation system receiver comprises a satellite navigation system receive antenna configured as a patch antenna.

31. The locating device of claim 1, wherein said second antenna comprises a two-way communications antenna.

32. The locating device of claim 1, wherein said controller is operable to respond to information entered at a data entry device coupled to said base station and communicated via said communication transceiver to said controller.

33. The locating device of claim 4, wherein said controller is operable to deactivate said locating device responsive to a message transmitted from said base station, prior to removal of said collar.

34. The locating device of claim 33, wherein said controller is operable to respond to said message to deactivate said locating device without activating an alarm.

35. The locating device of claim 1, wherein said controller is adapted to become activated when:

said locating device is secured to said animal;

power is coupled to said locating device; and

said animal passes a perimeter enclosing an area.

36. The locating device of claim 35, wherein said one or a plurality of coordinate positions are specified by a user when said controller becomes activated.

37. The locating device of claim 35, wherein said area includes an origin.

38. The locating device of claim 37, wherein said origin is separate from said base station.

39. The locating device of claim 37, wherein said origin is substantially coincident with said base station.

40. The locating device of claim 35, wherein said perimeter is defined by a single coordinate position comprising a generally circular area substantially centered at an origin corresponding to said coordinate position.

41. The locating device of claim 35, wherein said perimeter enclosing an area comprises:

a boundary of a polygon having apexes formed by each of said plurality of coordinate positions, including a generally circular perimeter therearound, and lines tangent to the outer portions of said generally circular perimeter of each adjacent pair of said plurality of coordinate positions.

42. The locating device of claim 37, wherein said perimeter is separated from said origin by a radius determined by said satellite navigation system.

43. The locating device of claim 42, wherein said perimeter specified by a plurality of coordinate positions includes an area at each position within a circle having said radius.

44. The locating device of claim 35, wherein said area enclosed by said perimeter is specified by one or a plurality of coordinate positions defined by said location data obtained by said locating device.

45. The locating device of claim 44, wherein said perimeter is defined following coupling of power to said locating device wherein said controller establishes an origin position of said locating device.

60. The locating device of claim 1, comprising:

an independent power source coupled to said controller, said satellite navigation system receiver and said communication transceiver to supply power thereto.

61. The locating device of claim 60, comprising:

a switch, coupled in series with said power source and said controller, to activate said controller of said locating device.

62. The locating device of claim 61, wherein said switch is supported on said housing.

63. The locating device of claim 60, said power source comprising:

a rechargeable battery; and

a charging circuit coupled to said rechargeable battery and coupleable to a source of charging energy.

64. The locating device of claim 63 wherein said charging circuit comprises a solar cell.

65. The locating device of claim 1, comprising:

a display coupled to said controller to readout data retrieved from said memory by said controller in human readable form; and

a readout control coupled to said display to activate said display and controlling said readout of data by said display.

66. The locating device of claim 1, comprising:

a display supported by said housing and coupled to said controller to readout date retrieved from said memory by said controller in human readable form; and

a readout control supported by said housing and coupled to said display to activate said display and controlling said readout of data by said display.

67. The locating device of claim 1, comprising:

a switch coupled in series with a power source and said controller, to activate said controller of said locating device.

68. The locating device of claim 67, wherein said switch is supported on said housing.

69. The locating device of claim 1, comprising:

a test button supported by said housing and coupled to said controller to initiate a test communication between said locating device and said base station.

70. The locating device of claim 69, wherein said test button is supported by said housing.

71. The locating device of claim 69, wherein said test communication causes a pre-formatted message to be retrieved from said memory by said controller and transmitted by said communication transceiver to said base station.

72. The locating device of claim 1, comprising:

an optical data port coupled with said controller to read and write information and command instructions respectively from and to said memory in said controller responsive to instructions communicated to said controller via said communication transceiver or via said optical data port.

73. The locating device of claim 72, wherein said optical data port comprises:

an infrared transmitter to output a signal from the group including data signals, status signals and instruction signals, from said memory in said controller; and

an infrared detector to input a signal, from the group including data signals, status signals and instructions signals, to said memory in said controller.

74. The locating device of claim 1, comprising:

an RF data port coupled to said controller to read and write data and instructions respectively from and to said controller.

75. The locating device of claim 1, wherein said memory in said controller comprises:

a random access memory for storing said location data.

76. The locating device of claim 23, said pre-formatted messages comprising:

status messages associated with particular conditions of said locating device to be communicated to a display.

77. The locating device of claim 76, said status messages comprising:

a message relating to a condition from among the group including loss of satellite signals, loss of collar integrity, locating device exits a designated area, locating device enters said designated area, power source weak and locating device in fringe area.

78. The locating device of claim 1, wherein said memory in said controller comprises:

a non-volatile memory to periodically store back-up data.

79. The locating device of claim 78, wherein said back-up data comprises location data and associated time date.

80. The locating device of claim 78, wherein said controller is operable to download said back-up data via said first communication port.

81. The locating device of claim 80, wherein said first communication port comprises an optical data port.

82. The locating device of claim 1, wherein said first antenna coupled to said satellite navigation system receiver is enclosed within a collar securing said locating device.

83. The locating device of claim 32, wherein said data entry device comprises:

a plurality of key switches, each said key switch associated with a designated symbol.

84. The locating device of claim 35, said controller is operable to transmit a pre-formatted message to said base station when said locating device exits said designated area.

85. The locating device of claim 35, said controller is operable to transmit a pre-formatted message to said base station when said locating device enters said designated area.

46. A system for locating an animate object beyond a designated area, comprising:

a wireless bidirectional communication system;

a first transceiver operable as a base station in said communication system to receive and display location information and transmit commands; and

a locating device enclosed in a housing configured to be attached to said animate object and operable as a mobile station in said communication system to respond to said commands and, upon activation, to automatically obtain location information and transmit said location information to said first transceiver wherein said locating device further comprises;

a controller having an input for location data and a first communication port;

a satellite navigation system receiver coupled to a first antenna and having a location data output coupled to said location data input of said controller; and

a second transceiver coupled to a second antenna for receiving and transmitting communications between said locating device and said first transceiver and having a second communication port coupled to said first communication port of said controller.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein said first transceiver comprises:

a receiver interfaced to a first antenna via a duplexer during a reception mode to receive location data from said locating device via said communication system, and

a transmitter interfaced to said first antenna via said duplexer during a transmission mode to transmit said commands to said locating device via said communication system.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein said receiver comprises:

a data readout device to output said location data.

49. The system of claim 47, wherein said transmitter comprises:

a data entry device to input said commands and other data.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein said commands comprise data, instructions or information related to locating said mobile object.

51. The system of claim 46, wherein said base station includes a fixed base station or a mobile base station.

52. The system of claim 46, wherein said controller comprises

a memory wherein is stored said location data, obtained from said satellite navigation system receiver via said location data output, for coupling to said second transceiver and subsequent transmission to said first transceiver.

53. The system of claim 46, wherein said controller comprises:

a processor operable under program control and having a random access memory and a non-volatile memory, and

an operating program stored in said non-volatile memory to control said automatic operation of said controller.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein said controller is operable to associate time data with said location data for transmission to said first transceiver.

55. The system of claim 53, operable to calculate direction and rate of movement from said location data for transmission to said first transceiver.

56. The system of claim 46, said satellite navigation system receiver comprising:

a receiving device having an RF input coupled to said first antenna;

an enable input to receive an activation signal; and

a location data output coupled to said controller to provide a location data signal;

wherein said satellite navigation system receiver is configured to receive and process navigation signals to provide said location data signal.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein said navigation signals comprise:

differential GPS signals to enable determination of location data signals.

58. The system of claim 46, said second transceiver comprising:

a two-way paging transceiver coupled to said second antenna and operable with a paging system to provide said receiving and transmitting communications between said locating device and said first transceiver.

59. The system of claim 46, said housing comprising:

an enclosure to provide water resistant and impact resistant protection of said locating device.