Abstract:
An animal training system including a programming apparatus and an animal training collar. The animal training collar is communicatively couplable to the programming apparatus. The animal training collar includes at least one stimulation probe and a programmable device operatively connected to the at least one stimulation probe to activate the at least one stimulation probe. The at least one stimulation probe also transferring data at least one of to and from the programming apparatus.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to an animal collar assembly, and, more particularly, to an animal collar assembly including a reprogrammable processing circuit.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Stimulation devices are used for the modification of behavior of an animal. The stimulation device is often associated with a collar worn by the animal and is provided to improve the behavior of the animal. Some stimulation devices include twin electrodes that are positioned against the skin of an animal, which delivers an electrical stimulus to modify the behavior of the animal. The stimulus can also be in the form of a vibration, an audible noise or other sensory stimulation to gain the attention of the animal.  
         [0005]     It is known to replace memory chips, such as programmable read only memories (PROM) in order to reprogram a device. Often integrated circuit sockets are utilized to allow the removable insertion of a PROM. Also it is known to reprogram a device by using a reprogrammable non-volatile memory and provide a data channel by which updated programming information is delivered to the non-volatile programmable memory. Reprogramming can be done by way of a computer interfacing the memory of a device by way of direct electrical connection, such as utilizing a BNC connection. It is known to provide data ports to allow access to programmable functions within a sealed electronic circuit assembly.  
         [0006]     What is needed in the art is a method and apparatus to accomplish a reprogramming of a sealed animal training collar.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention provides an animal collar assembly including a sealed housing that is reprogrammable without having a programming port.  
         [0008]     The invention comprises, in one form thereof, an animal training system including a programming apparatus and an animal training collar. The animal training collar is communicatively couplable to the programming apparatus. The animal training collar includes at least one stimulation probe and a programmable device operatively connected to the at least one stimulation probe to activate the at least one stimulation probe. The at least one stimulation probe also transferring data at least one of to and from the programming apparatus.  
         [0009]     An advantage of the present invention is that the housing is sealed and data is transferred to the programmable device by way of a stimulation probe  
         [0010]     Another advantage of the present invention is that the light emitting diode is utilized to transfer data from the programmable device to the programming apparatus.  
         [0011]     Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the battery contact and another stimulation probe are utilized to place the programmable device into a reprogramming mode. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of an animal collar assembly of the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a schematicized view of the training module portion of the collar assembly of  FIG. 1  and an embodiment of a programming apparatus connected thereto; and  
         [0015]      FIGS. 3A-3C  illustrate a method of programming the training module of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     
    
       [0016]     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]     Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a collar assembly  10  including a collar strap  12  and a training module  14 . Collar strap  12  is arranged to be placed about the neck of an animal and adjusted to appropriately snug training module  14  against a portion of the neck of the animal.  
         [0018]     Now, additionally referring to  FIG. 2 , training module  14  includes a housing  16 , an electrode probe  18 , an electrode probe  20 , a battery contact  22 , a signal emitter  24  and a programmable device  26 . Housing  16  is connected to collar strap  12  and encloses programmable device  26  completely. Housing  16  is hermetically sealed. Additionally housing  16  may be molded to completely encapsulate all of the components therein. Extending from housing  16  are electrode probes  18  and  20 , which deliver a stimulus to the animal at appropriate times, as determined by programmable device  26 . Housing  16  includes a removable and/or rechargeable battery, not shown and housing  16  specifically has a battery contact  22 , which for the sake of clarity is illustrated as a single battery contact  22  without illustrating an associated battery contact.  
         [0019]     Signal emitter  24  may be a light emitting diode (LED)  24  or an acoustic device  24  such as an audio speaker  24  or a piezoelectric sound emitter  24 . Signal emitter  24  is operatively powered by a battery, not shown, and is connected to programmable device  26  for the conveying of information from programmable device  26  by way of signal emitter  24 . Information conveyed by way of LED  24 , during normal operations of collar assembly  10 , may include operational status of training module  14 , condition of the battery and/or acknowledgment of the receipt of a message from a transceiver, not shown. Acoustic device  24  may be used to emit acoustic signals as instructions or warnings to the animal.  
         [0020]     For the sake of clarity, other elements which may be included in training module  14  have been omitted, such as a radio transmitter and/or receiver and separate memory, which may be a part of programmable device  26 . Programmable device  26  is operatively connected to signal emitter  24  and electrodes  18  and  20 . The connection is simply shown as a line in the schematic rendering of  FIG. 2  and it should be understood that a separate high voltage circuit is connected to electrode probe  18  and/or  20  during operational use of training module  14  and that the connection directly shown with programmable device  26  may be disconnected during the operational use of training module  14 .  
         [0021]     As mentioned earlier housing  16  may be a completely sealed unit, which does not lend itself to replacement of memory devices therein. The construct of a sealed or molded housing  16  would result in a destructive disassembly of housing  16  in the event access to components within housing  16  is desired. The advantage of having a sealed and/or molded housing  16  is that training module  14  is then highly impervious to moisture and may be simpler to manufacture. It may become necessary after training module  14  has been manufactured to modify the function and/or performance characteristics thereof. An advantage of the present invention is that it allows the product to be reprogrammed following the manufacture when normal microprocessor programming inputs are no longer available.  
         [0022]     A programming apparatus  30  is interconnected with training module  14 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . Programming apparatus  30  includes a signal detector  32  that is connected by way of conductor  34 . Signal detector  32  is positioned proximate to signal emitter  24  to allow information to be communicated from programmable device  26  to programming apparatus  30 . Signal detector  32  may be a light detector  32  if signal emitter  24  is LED  24 , and signal detector  32  is a microphone  32  if signal emitter  24  is an acoustic device  24 . Conductor  36  connects programming apparatus  30  to battery contact  22 . Conductor  38  connects programming device  30  to first electrode probe  18 . Conductor  40  connects programming apparatus  30  to second electrode probe  20 . Programming apparatus  30  receives information by way of signal emitter  24  as signal emitter  24  is pulsed and/or modulated by programmable device  26 . Information is sent to programmable device  26  by way of conductor  38 , which is communicatively connected to high voltage electrode probe  18 . Conductors  36  and  40  are utilized by programming apparatus  30  to place programmable device  26  into a mode that allows the reprogramming of programmable device  26 . For example, a voltage level and/or current is passed between battery contact  22  and electrode probe  20  to cause programmable device  26  to initiate method  100 , described later. Once programmable device  26  is placed into a programming mode electrical signals on conductor  38  allow programming apparatus  30  to send information through high voltage electrode probe  18  to programmable device  26 . Information in the form of acknowledgement signals or other information may be passed by way of signal emitter  24  through signal detector  32  by way of electrical signals in conductor  34  to programming apparatus  30 .  
         [0023]     A desired program, to be placed into programmable device  26 , is contained within programming apparatus  30  and once programmable device  26  is placed into a programmable mode, programming apparatus  30  sends the new program. The information bytes of the new program are sent as an electrical signal by way of high voltage electrode probe  18 , which is then received by programmable device  26 . Programmable device  26  sends acknowledgement signals that the information is being received by way of signal emitter  24  and the information is stored in a memory, which may be a part of programmable device  26  or a separate memory, not shown. This allows the programming and reprogramming of programmable device  26  by utilizing the available electrical, acoustic and/or optical connections to interface and communicate between programming apparatus  30  and programmable device  26 .  
         [0024]     While training module  14  of collar assembly  10  is reprogrammed by utilizing battery contact  22  and high voltage electrode probe  18  to place programmable device  26  in a programming mode, the use of these contacts are illustrative and other contacts may be used to accomplish this function. Programmable device  26 , which may be a microprocessor, is held in a reset state when voltage is applied between battery contact  22  and stimulation probe ground electrode  20 . Training module  14  may be powered by an internal rechargeable battery, if the replaceable battery is removed.  
         [0025]     Now, additionally referring to  FIGS. 3A-3C , there is shown a method  100 , which can represent an embodiment of a method carried out by programming apparatus  30  and programmable device  26  for the programming of programmable device  26 . At step  102 , programmable device  26  is placed into a boot load mode by action of programming apparatus  30  by the supplying of a voltage between battery contact  22  and electrode  20 . Time is checked at step  104  to determine whether a predetermined time has passed and if not a check is undertaken at step  106  to see if a start bit has been received. If no start bit has been received method  100  proceeds back to step  104 . If the timeout at step  104  is exceeded then method  100  goes to return  150  and training module  14  exits to the normal operational mode and executes an operational program, not illustrated. If a start bit is received at step  106  then a message is obtained at step  108 . If the message indicates a start mode then the method continues to step  112  and sends an acknowledge signal, which may be sent by way of signal emitter  24 . If the message is not a start message then the method returns to step  104 . In steps  114  through  120  there is a check to see if too much time has expired and if so the method proceeds to step  122 . If there is a start bit received at step  116  another message is retrieved at step  118  until a predetermined message count is equaled at step  120 . If the message count is achieved at step  120  method  100  proceeds to determining if the message indicates a programming mode is to be started, at step  122 . If the message is not that a programming mode should be started then method  100  terminates by way of step  150 . If a programming mode is initiated an acknowledge signal is sent at step  124  and then a loop that includes steps  126  through  132  is initiated to obtain messages until a byte count is equal to a predetermined number, such as 5. If the message received is an erase command then the flash memory segments of programmable device  26  are erased and an acknowledgement that the erase has occurred is sent at step  138 . If the message received is to write the data at step  140  then the data is written at step  142  and an acknowledgement is sent at step  144 . Method  100  then returns to step  126  to retrieve additional information. Once the information has been completed an ending message may be sent and method  100  ends and programming device  26  exits to the normal operational mode. The mechanism for ending the programming mode is for the removal of the reset signal from the device, which is a removal of a voltage level set between battery contact  22  and electrode probe  20 .  
         [0026]     Advantageously the present invention uses a methodology to update and/or reprogram microprocessor software in sealed electronic pet training products following the completion of normal manufacturing process and tests. This allows for changes and corrections to the performance characteristics of the product long after the product has been manufactured and is accomplished without any added cost of special programming connection points, which would affect the appearance of the product. The internal microprocessor is programmed by utilizing available electrical connections and the optical indicator that otherwise have other functions in the operational mode of the pet training product. The method outlined as method  100  may be permanently programmed into the memory of programmable device  26 , thereby allowing for the initiation of method  100  when initiated by programming apparatus  30 .  
         [0027]     While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.