Animal control system

• US 6,575,120 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2000
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dogwatch Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Dogwatch Incorporated
• Inventors: Stapelfeld, Norval, Mariner, Thomas, Peterson, Frederic T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLZEN, STEPHEN A
• Application Number:
  US09/658,357
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 119/721, 119/720, 119/719
• US Class Current: 119/720
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/021 Electronic training devices specially adapted for dogs or cats
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/023 Anti-evasion devices

Abstract

An animal control system is provided in which an AM transmission signal includes qualification criteria which upon proper decoding provides intended stimuli to an animal. The transmit signal comprises modulated pulses having a first amplitude and a second amplitude which upon decoding represent logic zero and logic one states. The receiver employs microprocessor based digital circuitry for decoding and processing of the AM transmit signal. The transmit signal is transmitted in alternating odd and even frames, each of which has particular characteristics and which upon proper decoding by the receiver causes successive weak and strong stimuli to be provided to the animal.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the movement of an animal, comprising:

a transmitter for providing modulated pulses of first and second amplitude levels and coded with stimulus type and rate information;

a loop antenna for defining a protected area in which an animal is to be contained; and

a receiver/stimulus unit mounted on the animal and operative to digitally decode the received signal to provide successive weak and strong stimuli of the same type to the animal.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver/stimulus unit includes a microcontroller based decoder operative to detect odd and even frames of received signals from the transmitter and antenna;

and wherein the decoder is operative to compare during each frame the received signal with a predetermined threshold and to decode the received signals which are above the threshold.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the receiver/stimulus unit includes a variable gain amplifier operative to reduce the gain of the received signal during each frame by a specified amount prior to comparison of the received signal with the predetermined threshold.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said receiver/stimulus unit includes a collar removably mounted on and in contact with said animal.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said stimuli comprise an audible alarm.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said stimuli comprise an electrical shock.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said antenna comprises a loop of cable.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said animal is contained within said area defined by said antenna.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said animal is restricted from said area defined by said antenna.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver/stimulus unit includes an antenna assembly having three antennas arranged along mutually orthogonal axes.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said receiver/stimulus unit further comprises a plurality of gain transistors, a respective gain transistor of said plurality of gain transistors in electrical communication with a respective antenna of said plurality of antennas.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver/stimulus unit is battery powered, having a sleep mode to conserve power.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver/stimulus unit includes a programmable memory for programming of intended system parameters.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the receiver/stimulus unit further includes a front end circuit coupled to the antenna assembly, a signal processor circuit, a warning circuit, a shock application circuit and electrodes which are attachable to the skin of an animal.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the front end circuit of the receiver/stimulus unit includes a plurality of gain transistors each associated with a respective one of the plurality of antennas, and circuitry for sequential enabling of the gain transistors.

16. A system for controlling the movement of an animal comprising:

a transmitter/control unit for generating amplitude modulated pulses containing encoded data;

an antenna coupled to the transmitter/control unit for radiating the modulated signal in a defined area; and

a receiver/stimulus unit for receiving the energy from the antenna and for decoding the received signal to provide alternating weak and strong stimuli of the same type to the animal upon qualification of the decoded signal.

17. A method for controlling the movement of an animal in which energy radiated in a defined area is detected by a receiver worn by the animal, the receiver being operative to select a stimulus type and provide the selected stimulus to the animal upon a valid detection of predetermined characteristics in a received signal, the method comprising:

a. detecting a received signal of at least a first duration and amplitude above a predetermined threshold;

b. measuring the amplitude of the received signal after a second duration;

c. providing in response to the measurement of step b selected stimuli of a first magnitude;

d. detecting a received signal of at least the first duration and amplitude above a predetermined threshold within a predetermined time-period following the measurement of step b;

e. measuring the amplitude of the received signal detected in step d after a second duration;

f. providing in response to the measurement of step e selected stimuli of the same type as step c of a second magnitude;

g. repeating steps a through f for so long as the detection of steps a and d continue.

18. A system for controlling the movement of an animal comprising:

a transmitter for providing a signal having a DC component representing a first logic level and pulses alternately keyed on and off representing a second logic level;

a loop antenna for defining a protected area in which an animal is to be contained;

a receiver/stimulus unit mounted on the animal and operative to digitally decode the received signal to provide alternating weak and strong stimuli of the same type to the animal.