Mobile telephone dog training tool and method

• US 9,801,356 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2017
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Specifi-Kali, LLC
• Original Assignee: Specifi-Kali, LLC
• Inventors: Bianchi, James C., Holland, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): ABBOTT-LEWIS, YVONNE RENEE
• Application Number:
  US15/605,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20170258043A1
• Time in Patent Office: 159 Days
• Field of Search: 119720, 119721, 119712, 119719, 3405731, 3405732, 3405733
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/008 incorporating GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/021 Electronic training devices specially adapted for dogs or cats
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/001 Collars
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/009 with electric-shock, sound, magnetic- or radio-waves emitting devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption

Abstract

A mobile telephone adapts to use as a gundog training tool by interfacing with a dog collar using a wireless communication device, such as a WWAN text or IP interface, a WLAN interface or a radio transceiver that couples to the mobile telephone and is accessible to a training application running on the mobile telephone. The dog collar includes a GPS receiver to provide position information to the mobile telephone and a shock device to provide training stimulus to the dog. A wireless headset interfaces with the mobile telephone to provide audible indications of position to an end user, such as a dog point and tone indicators of directions to the dog. A wireless handset interfaces with the mobile telephone to accept inputs for application to the collar, such as training stimulus.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

a first radio communicating wireless signals with a first protocol, the first protocol communicating at a connection interval having periodic transmissions;

a second radio communicating wireless signals with a first protocol;

a processor interfaced with the first radio and the second radio; and

non-transitory memory interfaced with the processor and storing instructions that when executed by the processor;

receives information with wireless signals sent by an external radio to the first radio;

communicates the information with wireless signals sent by the second radio;

increases the connection interval time if the first radio has a predetermined number of connection interval communications that pass without data transfer.

2. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the instructions:

queue information if the information fails to fit into a connection interval for communication; and

decreases the connection interval time if the queued information exceeds a predetermined amount.

3. The communication device of claim 2 wherein the instructions set an initial connection interval based at least in part on the number of external radios communicating with the second radio.

4. The communication device of claim 3 wherein the instructions set the initial connection interval based at least in part on how often the external radios communicate with the second radio.

5. The communication device of claim 4 wherein the instructions:

detect a change in the number of external radios communicating with the second radio; and

in response to detecting the change, increasing the connection interval time if the number of external radios decreases and decreasing the connection interval time if the number of external radios increases.

6. The communication device of claim 5 wherein the external radios comprise dog collars transmitting GPS position reports through VHF wireless communications.

7. The communication device of claim 6 wherein the first radio communicates with a mobile telephone.

8. A method for communicating information with wireless signals, the method comprising:

communicating information as wireless signals with a first wireless radio having a first wireless protocol, the first wireless protocol communicating information at a connection interval having periodic transmissions;

processing the information with a processor interfaced with the first wireless radio;

communicating the information with the processor to one or more external devices;

detecting a predetermined number of connection intervals at the first wireless radio that pass without data transfer; and

in response to the detecting, increasing the connection interval time.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

queuing information if the information fails to fit into a connection interval for communication; and

decreasing the connection interval time if the queued information exceeds a predetermined amount.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the one or more external devices comprises an external radio, the communicating the information with the processor to one or more external devices further comprising communicating wireless signals from a second wireless radio to the external radio.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the external radio comprises a MURS band VHF radio.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising setting the connection interval at least in part on the number of external radios communicating with the second radio.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the information comprises GPS coordinates.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the information comprises commands for execution by the one or more external devices.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein the first wireless radio communicates with a mobile telephone.