Method and system for remote monitoring, care and maintenance of animals

• US 9,936,680 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2016
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Botsitter, LLC
• Original Assignee: Botsitter, LLC
• Inventors: Womble, Krystalka R., Piccioni, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): ABBOTT-LEWIS, YVONNE RENEE
• Application Number:
  US15/365,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20170079247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 119 515, 119 5111, 119 5101, 119 5102, 119 5112, 119 524, 119721, 119908, 119174, 119867, 119458, 119479, 119421, 119482, 119496, 119453
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/02 Training or exercising equipment, e.g. mazes or labyrinths for animals A01K15/04 takes precedence; Electric shock devices circuits therefor H03K3/537; Toys specially adapted for animals
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/021 Electronic training devices specially adapted for dogs or cats
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/022 Anti-barking devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/023 Anti-evasion devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/025 Toys specially adapted for animals
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/029 Electric or similar shock devices, e.g. prods
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/001 Collars
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/002 Harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/009 with electric-shock, sound, magnetic- or radio-waves emitting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/00 Other apparatus for animal husbandry
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/0114 Pet food dispensers; Pet food trays time-controlled A01K5/0291
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 5/02 Automatic devices automatic identification devices for stock A01K11/006
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure

Abstract

A system for remote care of an animal includes a robotic animal caregiver that includes a housing, a wireless data communication system disposed within the housing and wirelessly communicatively coupled with an external data communications system, and a microprocessor in communication with the wireless data communication system disposed within the housing. The system further includes a smart collar to be worn by the animal operable to determine a geo-location information of the animal and communicate with the microprocessor.

Claims

1. A system for remote care of an animal comprising:

a robotic animal caregiver including;

a housing;

a wireless data communication system disposed within the housing and wirelessly communicatively coupled with an external data communications system; and

a microprocessor in communication with the wireless data communication system disposed within the housing; and

a smart collar to be worn by the animal operable to determine a geo-location of the animal and communicate with the microprocessor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart collar is operable to transmit the geo-location information to the microprocessor, the microprocessor being operable to issue a corrective action to the animal via the smart collar in response to determining that the animal is approaching a prohibited geographic zone.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart collar is operable to transmit the geo-location information to the microprocessor, the microprocessor being operable to issue an encouraging action to the animal via the smart collar in response to determining that the animal is approaching a specified geographic zone.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the robotic animal caregiver is operable to determine that the animal is about to defecate at a location where defection is prohibited, and instructs the smart collar to administer a corrective action to the animal in response thereto.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the robotic animal caregiver is operable to determine that the animal is defecating at a location where defection is prohibited, and issues an electronic notification that may be transmitted to an electronic device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart collar further incorporates a video imaging system operable to generate video data and transmit to the microprocessor, and the microprocessor being operable to receive and analyze the video data to determine a proper course of action in response to the geo-location and video analysis data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart collar further incorporates a video imaging system operable to generate video data and transmit to the microprocessor, and the microprocessor being operable to receive and analyze the video data to detect a threat in the animal'"'"'s environment in response thereto.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart collar further incorporates a video imaging system operable to generate video data and transmit to the microprocessor, and the microprocessor being operable to receive and analyze the video data to detect a threat in the animal'"'"'s environment in response to the geo-location and video analysis data, and determine a proper course of action in response thereto.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart collar further incorporates a video imaging system operable to generate video data and transmit to the microprocessor, and the microprocessor being operable to receive and analyze the video data to identify a person captured in the video data using facial recognition, and determine a proper course of action in response thereto.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart collar further incorporates a microphone operable to receive audio data and transmit the audio data to the microprocessor, and the microprocessor being operable to receive and analyze the audio data to determine a proper course of action in response thereto.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart collar further incorporates a microphone operable to receive audio data including barking sounds and transmit the audio data to the microprocessor, and the microprocessor being operable to receive and analyze the audio data including barking sounds to determine a proper course of action in response thereto.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart collar further incorporates a microphone operable to receive audio data including sounds unique to the animal and transmit the audio data to the microprocessor, and the microprocessor being operable to receive and analyze the audio data including unique sounds to determine a proper course of action in response thereto.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart collar further incorporates a microphone operable to receive audio data including prolonged barking sounds and transmit the audio data to the microprocessor, and the microprocessor being operable to receive and analyze the audio data including prolonged barking sounds, and instruct the smart collar to administer a corrective action in response thereto.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart collar further incorporates a microphone operable to receive audio data including prolonged barking sounds and transmit the audio data to the microprocessor, and the microprocessor being operable to receive and analyze the audio data including prolonged barking sounds, and instruct the smart collar to playback a recorded audio message in response thereto.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart collar further incorporates a sensor operable to detect environmental hazardous substances and transmit the detected hazard substance information to the microprocessor, and the microprocessor being operable to receive and analyze the detected hazard substance information to determine a proper course of action in response thereto.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart collar further incorporates a sensor operable to detect a threatening condition in existence in the animal'"'"'s environment and transmit the threatening condition information to the microprocessor, and the microprocessor being operable to receive and analyze the detected threatening condition information to determine a proper course of action in response thereto.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart collar further incorporates a temperature sensor operable to measure at least one of body temperature of the animal and ambient temperature, and transmit the temperature information to the microprocessor, and the microprocessor being operable to receive and analyze the temperature information to determine a proper course of action in response thereto.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart collar further incorporates sensors operable to measure vitals data of the animal and transmit the vitals data to the microprocessor, and the microprocessor being operable to receive and analyze the vitals data to determine a proper course of action in response thereto.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is operable to receive the geo-location information of the animal from the smart collar and a weather report, and analyze the weather report and geo-location information to determine a proper course of action in response thereto.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is operable to determine a proper course of action in response to a stored activity routine of the animal and the geo-location information of the animal.