Variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus

• US 20070221138A1
• Filed: 03/22/2006
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Radio Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: Radio Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Lee, Albert, Lawrence, Steven, Mainini, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,011,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/720
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/021 Electronic training devices specially adapted for dogs or cats
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/009 with electric-shock, sound, magnetic- or radio-waves emitting devices

Abstract

A variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus controls the intensity of the stimulation by the controlling the voltage level present at the primary side of the transformer while maintaining a fixed signal to the correction pulse switch. A trigger signal contains information about the desired stimulus intensity level. A controller interprets the trigger signal and produces a voltage control signal associated with the desired energy level. Application of the voltage control signal to a power converter keeps the voltage level applied to an energy storage capacitor sufficient to produce the desired stimulation intensity.

Claims

1. A variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus comprising:

a trigger circuit producing a stimulus request;

a controller in communication with said trigger circuit, said controller producing a correction pulse switch activation signal in response to receipt of said stimulus request, said controller producing power converter drive signal corresponding to a desired stimulus intensity;

a power converter having an input in communication with said controller, said power converter producing an output voltage corresponding to said power converter drive signal at an output;

a transformer having a primary and a secondary, said primary in communication with said power converter output;

a correction pulse switch in communication with said controller, said correction pulse switch in communication with said primary, said correction pulse switch connecting said primary to a node having a voltage and producing a potential across said primary equal to a difference between said power converter output voltage and said node voltage; and

a pair of electrodes, each of said pair of electrodes being connected to said secondary, said pair of electrodes for transferring a correction stimulus to an animal, said correction stimulus having a voltage stepped from said potential across said primary.

2. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 1 wherein said transformer is in switched communication with said power converter.

3. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 2 wherein said correction pulse switch is disposed between said power converter output and said primary.

4. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 1 wherein said transformer is in switched communication with said node.

5. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 4 wherein said correction pulse switch is disposed between said node and said primary.

6. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second power converter in communication with said controller and said node, said second power converter producing an output voltage in response to a second power converter drive signal produced by said controller, said second power converter output voltage being said node voltage.

7. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 1 wherein said node is connected to a ground having a voltage, said node voltage being equal to said ground voltage.

8. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 1 wherein said node is connected to a power supply having a voltage, said node voltage being equal to said power supply voltage.

9. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a peak hold detector in communication with said power converter and said controller, said peak hold detector providing feedback of said power converter output voltage allowing said controller to adjust said power converter drive signal to maintain a desired said power converter output voltage.

10. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an energy recovery circuit in communication with said energy storage circuit and said controller.

11. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 1 wherein said correction pulse switch activation signal is identical for each said desired stimulus intensity.

12. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 1 wherein said correction pulse switch activation signal is a varied based on said desired stimulus intensity to improve energy transfer efficiency between said power converter and said transformer.

13. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 1 wherein said stimulus request communicates said desired stimulus intensity to said controller.

14. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a stimulus intensity selector, said controller reading said desired stimulus intensity from said stimulus intensity selector from stimulus intensity selector.

15. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 1 wherein said controller varies said stimulus intensity automatically in response to behavior of the animal.

16. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 1 wherein said power converter is a single-ended primary inductance converter.

17. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an energy storage circuit in communication with said power converter and said transformer.

18. A variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus comprising:

a trigger circuit producing a stimulus request;

a controller in communication with said trigger circuit, said controller producing a correction pulse switch activation signal in response to receipt of said stimulus request, said controller producing power converter drive signal corresponding to a desired stimulus intensity;

a power converter having an input in communication with said controller, said power converter producing an output voltage corresponding to said power converter drive signal at an output;

a transformer having a primary and a secondary, said primary in communication with said power converter output and to a node having a voltage;

a correction pulse switch in communication with said controller and said node, said correction pulse switch in communication with said primary, said correction pulse switch causing a potential proportional to power converter output voltage and said node voltage to be applied to said primary; and

a pair of electrodes, each of said pair of electrodes being connected to said secondary, said pair of electrodes for transferring a correction stimulus to an animal, said correction stimulus having a voltage stepped from said potential across said primary.

19. A variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus comprising:

a trigger circuit producing a stimulus request;

a controller in communication with said trigger circuit, said controller producing a correction pulse switch activation signal in response to receipt of said stimulus request, said controller producing power converter drive signal corresponding to a desired stimulus intensity;

a power converter having an input in communication with said controller, said power converter producing an output voltage corresponding to said power converter drive signal at an output;

a transformer having a primary and a secondary, said primary in communication with said power converter output and a node having a voltage;

a correction pulse switch in communication with said controller, said correction pulse switch in communication with said primary, said correction pulse switch completing a circuit producing a potential across said primary proportional to said power converter output voltage and said node voltage; and

a pair of electrodes, each of said pair of electrodes being connected to said secondary, said pair of electrodes for transferring a correction stimulus to an animal, said correction stimulus having a voltage stepped from said potential across said primary.

20. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 19 wherein said transformer is in switched communication with said power converter.

21. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 20 wherein said correction pulse switch is disposed between said power converter output and said primary.

22. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 19 wherein said transformer is in switched communication with said node.

23. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 22 wherein said correction pulse switch is disposed between said node and said primary.

24. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a second power converter in communication with said controller and said node, said second power converter producing an output voltage in response to a second power converter drive signal produced by said controller, said second power converter output voltage being said node voltage.

25. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 19 wherein said node is connected to a ground having a voltage, said node voltage being equal to said ground voltage.

26. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 19 wherein said node is connected to a power supply having a voltage, said node voltage being equal to said power supply voltage.

27. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a peak hold detector in communication with said power converter and said controller, said peak hold detector providing feedback of said power converter output voltage allowing said controller to adjust said power converter drive signal to maintain a desired said power converter output voltage.

28. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 19 further comprising an energy recovery circuit in communication with said energy storage circuit and said controller.

29. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 19 wherein said correction pulse switch activation signal is identical for each said desired stimulus intensity.

30. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 19 wherein said correction pulse switch activation signal is a varied based on said desired stimulus intensity to improve energy transfer efficiency between said power converter and said transformer.

31. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 19 wherein said stimulus request communicates said desired stimulus intensity to said controller.

32. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a stimulus intensity selector, said controller reading said desired stimulus intensity from said stimulus intensity selector from stimulus intensity selector.

33. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 19 wherein said controller varies said stimulus intensity automatically in response to behavior of the animal.

34. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 19 wherein said power converter is a single-ended primary inductance converter.

35. The variable voltage electronic pet training apparatus of claim 19 further comprising an energy storage circuit in communication with said power converter and said transformer.