Applying mesh network to pet carriers

• US 9,906,897 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2014
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Milne, James R., Carlsson, Gregory Peter, Zustak, Frederick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T
• Application Number:
  US14/333,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20160021493A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 3405391, 34053913, 3405731, 3405733, 34053911, 119 772, 119163, 119496, 119501, 119719, 119720, 119481, 119497
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0236 Transport boxes, bags, cages, baskets, harnesses for animals; Fittings therefor for poultry A01K31/002; for pigeons A01K31/07
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Mesh node modules are associated with pet carriers and companion nodes can dynamically form a mesh network which uploads location information of the nodes and in some cases additional information, e.g., temperature or pet physical parameter signals, to a network. The information may be downloaded to an owner'"'"'s CE device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a pet carrier defining an enclosure openable to load and unload an animal into the enclosure and closable to maintain the animal securely within the enclosure, the enclosure having one or more ventilation openings into the enclosure when the enclosure is closed;

at least one location sensor engaged with the pet carrier;

at least one wireless transmitter supported by the pet carrier;

at least one computer readable storage medium bear instructions executable by a processor; and

at least one processor supported by the pet carrier and configured to receive signals from the location sensor, the processor also being configured for accessing the computer readable storage medium to execute the instructions to configure the processor to;

determine, using information from the transmitter, whether communication with a network through at least one network access point is available; and

responsive to a determination that communication with the network through at least one network access point is available, automatically send at least one of the location signals to the network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to receive a wireless command, responsive to user input on a device receiving the location signals, a signal to control at least one environmental control apparatus in the pet carrier;

and

responsive to the wireless command, alter an operating state of the environmental control apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network is an ad hoc mesh network.

4. The apparatus claim 1, wherein the network includes the Internet.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising at least one shock sensor supported by the pet carrier, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor configure the processor to:

upload signals to the network via the transmitter representing shock to the pet carrier as indicated by the signals from the shock sensor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor configure the processor to, responsive to a determination that communication with the network through at least one network access point is available, automatically send a sequence of location signals to the network.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor configure the processor to:

receive at least one pet signal representing a physical parameter of a pet within the pet carrier, and/or receive at least one environmental signal representing at least one environmental parameter within the pet carrier; and

upload the pet signal and/or environmental signal to the network.