Pest control techniques
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- installing a plurality of pest control devices each including a wireless communication circuit;
positioning a hand held interrogator to receive information from a first one of the pest control devices by wireless transmission; and
changing position of the hand held interrogator to receive information from a second one of the pest control devices by wireless transmission, the second one of the pest control devices being spaced apart from the first one of the pest control devices;
wherein the information from the first one of the pest control devices includes a pest control device identifier and a bait status indication.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A pest control system (20) includes pest control devices (110) installed about an area or building (22). These devices (110) each include a bait member and a communication circuit. The communication circuit may be in the form of a passive RF tag that transmits information indicative of bait status and an identifier unique to each pest control device (110). A hand held interrogator (30) is provided to locate and communicate with the pest control devices (110) via the communication circuit. A data collection unit (40) to accumulate data gathered from the pest control devices (110) may alternatively or additionally be utilized. The bait member may be configured with a magnetic component to provide a magnetic signature indicative of the bait consumption behavior of targeted varieties of pest. The devices optionally include one or more environmental sensors to evaluate and predict pest behavior.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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installing a plurality of pest control devices each including a wireless communication circuit; positioning a hand held interrogator to receive information from a first one of the pest control devices by wireless transmission; and changing position of the hand held interrogator to receive information from a second one of the pest control devices by wireless transmission, the second one of the pest control devices being spaced apart from the first one of the pest control devices; wherein the information from the first one of the pest control devices includes a pest control device identifier and a bait status indication. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method, comprising:
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installing a plurality of pest control devices each including a wireless communication circuit; positioning a hand held interrogator to receive information from a first one of the pest control devices by wireless transmission; changing position of the hand held interrogator to receive information from a second one of the pest control devices by wireless transmission, the second one of the pest control devices being spaced apart from the first one of the pest control devices; and wherein said installing includes placing the first one of the pest control devices at least partially below ground, the first one of the pest control devices being installed with a monitoring bait member for termites, and further comprising; detecting at least partial consumption of the monitoring bait member from the information about the first one of the pest control devices obtained with the interrogator; and installing a pesticide bait member for termites in response to said detecting.
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8. A method comprising:
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installing a plurality of pest control devices each including a wireless communication circuit; positioning a hand held interrogator to receive information from a first one of the pest control devices by wireless transmission; and changing position of the hand held interrogator to receive information from a second one of the pest control devices by wireless transmission, the second one of the pest control devices being spaced apart from the first one of the pest control devices; wherein the pest control devices each include an edible bait member for one or more species of pest, and further comprising evaluating bait status information obtained from each of the pest control devices with the interrogator to identify which of the pest control devices have attracted the one or more species of pest. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A pest control device, comprising:
- at least one bait member operable to be consumed or displaced by one or more species of pest and a passive RF communication circuit responsive to a wireless stimulation signal to transmit information about said pest control device, wherein said bait member includes a magnetic material to provide a magnetic signature corresponding to consumption of said bait member by one or more pests.
- View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A combination, comprising:
- at least two pest control devices each arranged to be spaced apart from one another in an area to be protected from one or more pests, said pest control devices each including a passive RF communication circuit responsive to a stimulation signal, wherein said passive RF communication circuit is operable to provide a different identification signal for each of said pest control devices, at least one of said pest control devices includes a pest sensor operable to provide a status signal indicative of consumption or displacement of a member by the one or more pests, and further comprising an interrogator operable to output said stimulation signal and receive data corresponding to said different identification signal and said status signal in response to said stimulation signal;
wherein said interrogator is in a hand-held form operable to locate each said pest control devices by wireless transmission. - View Dependent Claims (17)
- at least two pest control devices each arranged to be spaced apart from one another in an area to be protected from one or more pests, said pest control devices each including a passive RF communication circuit responsive to a stimulation signal, wherein said passive RF communication circuit is operable to provide a different identification signal for each of said pest control devices, at least one of said pest control devices includes a pest sensor operable to provide a status signal indicative of consumption or displacement of a member by the one or more pests, and further comprising an interrogator operable to output said stimulation signal and receive data corresponding to said different identification signal and said status signal in response to said stimulation signal;
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18. A system, comprising:
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A plurality of pest control devices, two or more of said pest control devices each including a wireless communication circuit, said devices being arranged for independent installation to protect a selected area from one or more species of pest; a hand held interrogator operable to establish wireless communication with each of said two or more pest control devices individually, said communication between said interrogator and a respective one of said two or more pest control devices being selectable in accordance with position of said interrogator relative to said two or more pest control devices; and a data collection unit operable to receive information from said interrogator about one or more of said pest control devices; wherein said pest control devices each include said wireless communication circuit, a bait member for said one or more species of pest, and an electrically conductive pest detection loop coupled to said wireless communication circuit, said pest detection loop being arranged to be altered by said one or more species of pest to provide a pest detection signal through said wireless communication circuit in response to a signal from said interrogator. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system, comprising:
- at least one pest control device including a pest sensing member, said member including a magnetic material, said magnetic material providing a magnetic field that changes in response to removal of said magnetic material from said member by one or more pests, said at least one pest control device further including a circuit operable to generate a signal corresponding to said magnetic field.
- View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A system, comprising:
- at least one pest control device including a member to sense at least one species of pest and a communication circuit, said communication circuit being operable to transmit a device identification code and pest detection information, wherein said member includes a magnetic material to provide a magnetic signature indicative of a degree of removal of said magnetic material from said member.
- View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method, comprising:
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installing a plurality of pest control devices each including a bait for one or more species of pest and a wireless communication circuit; and interrogating the pest control devices with a wireless communication device, the wireless communication device receiving a plurality of identification signals each corresponding to a different one of the pest control devices during said interrogating; wherein the wireless communication circuit is in the form of a hand-held wireless interrogator and includes a passive RF transponder responsive to a stimulation signal from the wireless communication device, the passive RF transponder sending a respective one of the identification signals and a status signal indicative of pest activity. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A method, comprising:
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installing a plurality of pest control devices each including a bait for one or more species of pest and a wireless communication circuit; and interrogating the pest control devices with a wireless communication device, the wireless communication device receiving a plurality of identification signals each corresponding to a different one of the pest control devices during said interrogating; wherein said bait for at least one of said pest control devices includes a magnetic material operable to provide a magnetic signature corresponding to bait consumption. - View Dependent Claims (47)
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Specification