Patent ID: 6396402
Filing Date: 2002-05-28
Classification: A01M

Abstract:
Apparatus for deterring woodpeckers from tapping on and excavating within an object comprising:a housing having a mounting assembly for mounting the housing on the object so as to receive vibrations therefrom; a transducer arranged for converting vibrations in the object and into electrical signals, the transducer being arranged to be responsive to the vibrations preferentially over airborne sounds; a sound transmitter for emitting a deterrent sound externally of the housing; a memory containing a plurality of audible deterrent sounds which act as a deterrent to the woodpeckers; and a processing circuit arranged to: process the electrical signals to discriminate transient woodpecker induced vibrations from long-term background vibrations and to provide an output signal in response to detection of a woodpecker induced vibration; count the number of output signals within a predetermined time interval; and, when a predetermined count is reached within the predetermined time interval, to effect actuation of the deterrent by extracting at least one of the sounds from the memory and activating the sound transmitter to transmit the sound.