Abstract:
A pet identification tag with an electronic display which would display pet owner identification information when activated. Also, pertinent information for the pet can be displayed. The pet identification tag is small in size and readily mountable on an exterior structure, such as a dog or cat collar.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a pet identification tag and more particularly to a pet identification tag which electronically displays pertinent information about the pet to a human individual that desires to receive this information. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Owners of pets are always faced with the possibility of losing their pet. In an attempt to assure safe return of a pet, in the past, owners have placed the name of the pet and a phone number on a metallic or plastic tag that is to be worn by the pet in hopes that the finder of the lost pet will contact the owner if the pet is found. However, using of such a metal tag only permits the application of a limited amount of information, such as the pet&#39;s name and the phone number of the owner. It would be desirable to include on the identification tag additional information, such as the address of where the pet lives, possibly a cell phone and or business numbers, an e-mail address and even possibly unique medical information about the pet that requires the pet frequently consume a medicine. It would also be desirable to include on the pet identification special dietary information required by the pet. 
     The engraved information on the metal tag has a tendency to wear and become unreadable. The engraved information on plastic tags also has a tendency to wear which makes such unreadable. 
     Another disadvantage of prior art metal and plastic identification tags is that there is no way to change the information on the tag. If an owner moves to a new house which has a new phone number, it is necessary that the owner purchase a new tag and replace the old tag with the new tag. What is a common occurrence is that the owner neglects to obtain a new tag for the pet which means that if the pet becomes lost, the person finding the pet is not able to locate the owner because of inaccurate information. It would be desirable to provide a pet identification tag that could be reprogrammable by the owner eliminating a need to purchase an additional tag. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A basic embodiment of pet identification tag with electronic display which utilizes a rigid housing which has an internal chamber with an electronic chip being mounted within that internal chamber. The electronic chip has information recorded thereon which is to be recorded by the owner of the pet. That electronic information is to be displayed in any one of several different languages on a scrollable screen. A window is mounted in the rigid housing with the window permitting viewing of the scrollable screen. The housing has a baseplate fixedly mounted on the housing which is designed to enclose the internal chamber. The housing has a recess area with the recess area having a protruding tab. The protruding tab has a first connecting means. The baseplate has an extension with the extension being located against the protruding tab. The extension has a second connecting means. Both the first connecting means and the second connecting means are to connect with an attachment which is used to attach the tag to an exterior structure mounted on a pet. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the basic embodiment is modified by the first connecting means comprising a cavity. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the just previous embodiment is modified by the second connecting means comprising at least one hole. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the just previous embodiment is modified by the attachment including a ring. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the basic embodiment is modified by including of a programming button within the recess area of the housing. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the basic embodiment is modified by mounting of a pair of scroll buttons on the housing with these scroll buttons being mounted on the portion of the housing located opposite from the recess area and thereby readily accessible by any individual holding of the pet identification tag. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the basic embodiment is modified by the electronic chip requiring a pin number when programming of the chip eliminating any unauthorized programming of the chip; 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the basic embodiment is modified by the electronic chip having a back light to illuminate the scrollable screen. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is to be made to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown in the drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is an exterior front view of the pet identification tag with electronic display of this invention clearly showing the information being displayed on a scrollable screen which is located interior of and directly adjacent to a transparent window; 
     FIG. 2 is a right side view of the pet identification tag with electronic display of this invention taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the pet identification tag with electronic display of this invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through the pet identification tag with electronic display of this invention taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 2; and 
     FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through the pet identification tag with electronic display of this invention taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG.  3 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring particularly to the drawings, there is shown the pet identification tag with electronic display  10  of this invention. The tag  10  has a small sized, basically disc shaped, housing  12 . The housing  12  will normally be constructed of a plastic material. However, it is altogether possible that other rigid materials could be utilized, such as metal. The housing  12  has an internal chamber  14 . Formed within the front surface of the housing  12  is an enlarged opening  16 . Mounted within the enlarged opening  16  is a transparent window  18 . Normally, the window  18  will be constructed of acrylic plastic. However, it is considered to be within the scope of this invention that the window  18  could be constructed of glass. The side of the internal chamber  14  that is located opposite the window  18  is basically open with the exception that this open end of the internal chamber  14  is designed to be closed by the mounting of a baseplate  20  on the housing  12 . An O-ring seal  21  forms a watertight seal between the baseplate  20  and the housing  12 . Normally, the baseplate  20  will be constructed of a metallic material. The use of a metallic material is for strength purposes. However, it is considered to be within the scope of this invention that the baseplate  20  could also be constructed of a plastic material. The baseplate  20  is fixedly mounted to the housing  12  by means of a plurality of screw or bolt fasteners  22 . 
     Mounted within the internal chamber  14  is an electronic chip  26 . The electronic chip  26  is a product that is manufactured to certain specific requirements for this pet identification tag  10 . The electronic chip  26  is manufacturable by numerous different manufacturers. Associated with the electronic chip  26  is an electronically scrollable screen  29  which is covered by a separate transparent window  28 . The scrollable screen  29  is to be observable by a human through windows  18  and  28 . The electronic chip  26  is operated by battery  71 . The scrollable screen  29  is mounted on a printed circuit board  25  which also has electronic components  31  mounted thereon. The electronic chip  26  is to be programmable with certain information by depressing of programming buttons  30  and  32 . A programming manual is to be included in conjunction with the identification tag of this invention to guide the user into how to use the programming buttons  30  and  32  and scroll buttons  58  and  60  in order to record the desired information within the electronic chip  26  which will be displayed on the scrollable screen  29 . In order to program the chip  26 , the user may program in a PIN number. The PIN number will insure that only the authorized individual is performing the programming. Next, the user must select what language the information  64  is to be displayed. The typical languages would be English, French, Spanish, Italian and German. Normally, the desirable electronic information includes the pet&#39;s name, the phone numbers of the owner, the address of the owner and also other pertinent information such as specific medical requirements of the pet and also possible specific dietary requirements of the pet. Programming button  30 , when pressed, acts against a switch arm  34  of the electronic chip  26 . Pressing of the programming button  32  causes depressing of a switch arm  36  of the electronic chip  26 . Pressing of either button  58  or  60  will activate the tag  10  and illuminate the scrollable screen  29  by a back light  72 . A resilient (soft) insulation  73  is located between battery mount  77  and baseplate  20  which protects the chip  26  against physical shock. 
     The housing  12  includes a recess area  38 . The recess area  38  has formed therein a protruding tab  40 . The protruding tab  40  includes a cavity  42 . The baseplate  20  has a bifurcated extension in the form of a pair of spaced-apart plates  44  and  46 . The plates  44  and  46  are connected together by an apex plate  48 . The apex plate  48  is located flush with the baseplate  20 . Formed within the plate  44  is a hole  50 . Formed within the plate  46  is a hole  52 . The holes  50  and  52  connect with the cavity  42 . The apex plate  48  is to be mounted against the protruding tab  40  essentially closing of the cavity  42 . An attachment in the form of a split ring  54  is to be passed through the holes  50  and  52  and through the cavity  42 . The split ring  54  is to be used to mount the pet identification tag of this invention on an exterior structure, such as a pet collar. 
     It is to be understood that the programming buttons  30  and  32  are located within the confines of the recess area  38 . Because of the raised front section  56  of the housing  12  and the location of the split ring  54 , it would be difficult for a human to accidently press the programming buttons  30  and  32  which could affect the programmed information on the scrollable screen  29 . A human user must make a specific effort to press and hold either of the program buttons  30  and  32  thereby hopefully eliminating inadvertent contact of the buttons  30  and  32  by their location. 
     Button  58  is an up scroll button  58  and button  60  is a down scroll button. Pressing of the up scroll button  58  in the direction of arrow  62  will cause the information  64  on the scrollable screen  29  to be scrolled in an upward direction, that is toward the raised front section  56 . That means that the information  64  physically moves in the direction of the raised front section  56 . When a user presses the down scroll button  60  in the direction of arrow  66 , the information  64  will be moved toward the lower end of the housing  12  toward the scroll buttons  58  and  60 . It is to be noted that the scroll buttons  58  and  60  are located on the housing  12  essentially opposite the recessed area  38 . The scroll buttons  58  and  60  are to be readily accessible and usable by any individual, such as a individual that finds a lost pet. The position of the scroll buttons  58  and  60  and their respective up indicator  68  and down indicator  70  is to provide clear operating characteristic to any human being even if the human has never seen the pet identification tag of this invention. The information  64  is not displayed until a human either presses button  58  or  60  at which time the information will be displayed and a back light  72 , included within the electronic chip  26 , will cause illumination of the scrollable screen  29 . The function of the back light  72  is to illuminate the information  64  to make it easily readable even in a darkened environment. 
     The scroll button  58  operates against a switch arm  74  of the electronic chip  26 . The scroll button  60  operates against a switch arm  76  of the electronic chip  26 . The scroll button  58  has mounted thereon a shaft  78  which presses against the switch arm  74 . Surrounding a portion of the shaft  78  and extending between the housing  12  and the button  58  is a coil spring  80 . The coil spring  80  functions to exert a continuous bias tending to locate the button  58  in its outward inactivated position. The button  60  also has a similar shaft  82  and a similar coil spring  84 . It is to be noted also that programming buttons  30  and  32  have respectively similar shafts  86  and  88  and similar coil springs  90  and  92 .