Electronic fence system and controlling method thereof

• US 7,081,821 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2004
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SOS Co., Inc. (Dogtra Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Ho-Yun So
• Inventors: So, Ho Yun
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Labbees, Edny
• Application Number:
  US10/845,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20050139169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.3, 340/573.4, 119/720, 119/721
• US Class Current: 340/573.3
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/023 Anti-evasion devices

Abstract

An electronic fence system comprises a fence wire which radiates a radio signal for defining a boundary; a transmitter electrically connected to the fence wire and transmitting a boundary radio signal including a mode selection signal; and a receiver attached to the pet, that receives the boundary defining signal, and that generates either electrical shock only, or a combination of electrical shock and vibration as well as sound depending on the mode selection signal.

If the pet has a hearing loss, or the circumference is noisy, a warning signal can be given through a touch to the skin of the pet. Since a vibration is applied first, and the shock follows it, no severe shock need be applied to the pet that will return into the confined area after having received a vibration. A pet'"'"'s activity is restricted in a predetermined area.

Claims

1. An electronic fence system comprising:

a fence wire buried in a yard along the boundary of a confined area within which a pet may move about freely, and which radiates a radio signal for defining a boundary;

a transmitter electrically connected to the fence wire and transmitting a boundary radio signal for defining the boundary to the fence wire, the boundary signal including a mode selection signal for selecting a direct shock mode to the pet or a combination shock mode after first producing a sound; and

a receiver attached to the pet, that receives the boundary radio signal for defining the boundary with respect to a pet'"'"'s approach to the fence wire, and that generates either electrical shock only, or electrical shock and vibration as well as sound depending on the mode selection signal, comprised of a first and a second sensor unit for receiving the boundary radio signal from the fence wire and transforming the boundary radio signal into binary data, a power supplier including a voltage regulator, a recharge battery, and a charger, a power switch for applying power to the power supplier while the user pushes the power switch, a low voltage display for sensing the voltage of the recharge battery and for displaying its low voltage status, a vibration generator for applying a vibration to the pet according to the command of the receiver controller, a sound signal generator for generating a sound according to the command of the receiver controller, a shock generator for giving an electrical shock to the pet according to the command of the receiver controller, a receiver controller for receiving the signal sent from the transmitter through the first and the second sensor, and controlling the respective units for giving either electrical shock only, or a combination of electrical shock and vibration as well as sound or electrical shock and vibration as well as sound depending on the mode selection signal to the pet according to the command of the receiver controller and a power actuator for continually applying power to the power supplier according to a power hold signal received from the receiver controller.

2. The electronic fence system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter further includes:

a power supply unit which receives alternating current power source and supplies constant voltage;

a mode selector for selecting either electrical shock only, a combination of electrical shock and vibration;

or electrical shock and vibration as well as sound to the pet;

a disconnection display for sensing a breaking of the fence wire, generating a disconnection signal, and displaying a disconnection;

a shock level selector for selecting a level of shock to the pet;

a transmitter controller for controlling the above units and transmitting a boundary display signal to the fence wire the boundary signal including a data comprising a level inputted from the shock level selector and a mode transmitted from the mode selector, and the transmitter controller for displaying a disconnection status according to a disconnection sensing signal transmitted from the disconnection display; and

an amplifying unit for amplifying a signal transmitted to the fence wire from the transmitter controller.

3. The electronic fence system of claim 2, wherein the signal that is applied to the fence wire from the transmitter controller is an amplitude modulation signal modulated with a 10 kHz signal, and the signal includes an identification number, a shock level, and mode selection data.

4. The electronic fence system of claim 2, wherein the intensity of the radio signal radiated from the fence wire is dependent on the receiver, which is attached to the pet, approaching within 10 m from the boundary of the confined area.

5. The electronic fence system of claim 2, wherein the disconnection display comprises a disconnection sensor for sensing whether it has been disconnected or not by measuring the voltage power applied to the fence wire at one end of it, and also for sending the sensing status to the transmitter controller, and the disconnection display also includes a disconnection display emit diode for displaying the disconnection status according to the control of the transmitter controller.

6. The electronic fence system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor unit and the second sensor unit comprise a first and a second sensor, a first and a second filter, a first and a second amplifier, and a first and a second waveform generator, respectively.