Animal collar including tracking and location device

• US 6,720,879 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2001
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Time-N-Space Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Time-N-Space Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Edwards, Marlena
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US09/920,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20020021219A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.3, 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/586, 340/825.49, 340/825.72, 340/815.68, 340/825.69
• US Class Current: 340/573.3
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/021 Electronic training devices specially adapted for dogs or cats
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/006 with light-emitting or ornamental devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/009 with electric-shock, sound, magnetic- or radio-waves emitting devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/023 Power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up provisions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/028 Communication between parent and child units via remote transmission means, e.g. satellite network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0283 via a telephone network, e.g. cellular GSM
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article

Abstract

This invention relates to an animal collar for locating and tracking animals. The animal collar is provided with a digital video camera that may be remotely controlled transmit real time full motion video signals over a broadband wireless communication network to allow a pet owner to view the immediate surroundings of a lost pet. The animal collar is further provided with a global positioning (GPS) unit that communicates with GPS satellites to determine the geographic coordinates of the animal collar.

Claims

1. An apparatus for locating or tracking animals comprising:

an animal collar including;

a digital video camera that generates video signals,

a digital recorder including a pro-recorded message;

a global positioning unit operative for receiving a global positioning signal,

a controller in communication with the digital video camera and the global positioning unit, the controller including a wireless communications link;

a remote source in communication with the wireless communication link, the controller being operative to transmit the video signals to said remote source and the controller being operative to cause said digital recorder to play said prerecorded message responsive to a command signal from said remote source.

2. The apparatus for locating or tracking animals of claim 1 wherein the digital camera is movably mounted to said animal collar and the controller transmits a motion control signal to the digital video camera.

3. The apparatus for locating or tracking animals of claim 2 wherein the digital camera moves according to a rotation pattern responsive to the motion control signal.

4. The apparatus for locating or tracking animals of claim 3 wherein the digital camera rotates through a pan angle of up to 360°

and a tilt angle of up to 180°

responsive to the motion control signal.

5. The apparatus for locating or tracking animals of claim 4 wherein the digital camera rotates for up to 30 seconds through a pan angle of 360°

.

6. The apparatus for locating or tracking animals of claim 3 wherein the controller includes memory that stores the rotation pattern of the digital camera.

7. The apparatus for locating or tracking animals of claim 1 wherein the controller determines the coordinates where the animal collar is located and transmits the coordinates to the remote source responsive to the global positioning signal.

8. The apparatus of for locating or tracking animals of claim 1 further comprising a telephony device disposed on the animal collar operative to place a call to a programmed phone number.

9. The apparatus for locating or tracking animals of claim 1 wherein the remote source comprises one of a remote computing device and a remote receiver.

10. The apparatus for locating or tracking animals of claim 9 wherein the controller transmits real time full motion video signals to one of the remote computing device and the remote receiving device.

11. The apparatus for locating and tracking animals of claim 9 wherein the controller transmits time lapse video signals to one of the remote computing device and the remote receiver.

12. The apparatus for locating and tracking animals of claim 9 wherein the controller transmits the global positioning signal to the remote source.

13. The apparatus for locating and tracking animals of claim 9 wherein the controller converts the global positioning signal to location coordinates and transmits the location coordinates to one of the remote computing device and the remote receiver.

14. The apparatus for locating or tracking animals of claim 1 wherein the global positioning unit and the digital camera default to a sleep state.

15. An animal collar comprising:

a digital video camera that generates video signals,

a digital recorder including a prerecorded message;

a global positioning unit operative for receiving a global positioning signal,

a controller in communication with the digital video camera and the global positioning unit, the controller including a wireless communications link, the controller being operative to transmit the video signals and the global positioning signals to a remote source responsive to a command from the remote source and the controller being operative to cause said digital recorder to play said prerecorded message responsive to a command signal from a remote source.

16. The animal collar of claim 15 wherein the digital camera is movably mounted to said animal collar and the controller transmits a motion control signal to the digital video camera.

17. The animal collar of claim 15 wherein the digital camera moves according to a rotation pattern responsive to the motion control signal.

18. The animal collar of claim 17, wherein the digital camera rotates through a pan angle of up to 360°

and a tilt angle of up to 180°

responsive to the command signal.

19. The animal collar of claim 18 wherein the digital camera rotates for up to 30 seconds through a pan angle of 360°

.

20. The animal collar of claim 17 wherein the controller includes memory that stores the rotation pattern of the digital camera.

21. The animal collar of claim 15 wherein the controller determines the coordinates where the animal collar is located and transmits the coordinates to a remote source responsive to the global positioning signal.

22. The animal collar of claim 15 further comprising a telephony device disposed on the animal collar operative to place a call to a programmed phone number.