Patent Publication Number: US-2023142191-A1

Title: Electronic Animal Collar Assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM. 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The disclosure relates to animal collar assemblies and more particularly pertains to a new animal collar assembly for tracking, confining, and training an animal. The present invention discloses an animal collar assembly comprising a collar in communication with and under control of an electronic device, such as a cellphone, by means of programming code positioned on the electronic device, which allows tracking the dog using GPS transceiver, setting of a virtual perimeter, and training of the animal via a stimulator 
     (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     The prior art relates to animal collar assemblies. Prior art animal collar assemblies may comprise one or more of GPS transceivers, cameras, stimulators, radios, receivers, lights, and speakers. What is lacking in the prior art is an animal collar assembly comprising a collar in communication with and under control of an electronic device, such as a cellphone, by means of programming code positioned on the electronic device, which allows tracking the dog using a GPS transceiver, setting of a virtual perimeter, and training of the animal via a stimulator. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a collar, which is configured to be secured around a neck of an animal, such as a canine. An electronics module comprising a transceiver, a stimulator, and a receiver is engaged to the collar. The transceiver is Global Positioning System enabled. Programming code is selectively positionable on an electronic device, such as a cellphone of a user, enabling communication with and control of the electronics module to selectively track the animal, using the transceiver, and to selectively confine and correct the animal using the stimulator and one or both of the transceiver and the receiver. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is an isometric perspective view of an electronic animal collar assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a rear view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  5    is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  6    is a block diagram of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  7    is an in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS.  1  through  7    thereof, a new animal collar assembly embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS.  1  through  7   , the electronic animal collar assembly  10  generally comprises a collar  12 , which is configured to be secured around a neck  14  of an animal  16 , such as a canine  18 . The collar  12  comprises a strap  20  and a pair of connectors  22 , which are engaged singly to opposed ends  24  of the strap  20 . The connectors  22  are selectively mutually couplable to secure the collar  12  around the neck  14  of the animal  16 . The pair of connectors  22  may comprise a side release buckle  26 , or other connecting means, such as, but not limited to, traditional buckles and the like. The present invention also anticipates the collar  12  being of other types, such as, but not limited to, Martindale collars, head collars, harnesses, and the like. 
     An electronics module  28  is engaged to the collar  12 . The electronics module  28  comprises a housing  30 , which defines an interior space  32 . The housing  30  comprises one or more of rubber, silicone, and elastomer so that the housing  30  is resiliently flexible. A battery  34 , a microprocessor  36 , a transceiver  38 , a stimulator  40 , and a receiver  42  are engaged to the housing  30  and are positioned in the interior space  32 . The microprocessor  36  is operationally engaged to the battery  34 , the transceiver  38 , the stimulator  40 , and the receiver  42 . The transceiver  38  is Global Positioning System enabled. 
     The battery  34  is rechargeable. A solar panel  44  is engaged to the housing  30  and is operationally engaged to the battery  34 . The solar panel  44  is configured to convert electromagnetic radiation to an electrical current to charge the battery  34 . The present invention also anticipates the battery  34  being chargeable by means of a charging cord (not shown). 
     The stimulator  40  comprises at least one of a speaker  46 , a vibrator  48 , and a pair of prongs  50 . The microprocessor  36  can selectively actuate the speaker  46 , the vibrator  48 , and the pair of prongs  50  to deliver an audible signal, a vibratory signal, and a shock correction, respectively, to the animal  16 . 
     Programming code  52  is selectively positionable on an electronic device  54 , such as a cellphone  56  of a user. The programming code  52  enables communication with and control of the electronics module  28  to selectively track the animal  16 , using the transceiver  38 , and to selectively confine and to correct the animal  16  using the stimulator  40  and one or both of the transceiver  38  and the receiver  42 . The programming code  52  may emulate a control screen  58  on the electronic device  54 , as shown in  FIG.  7   . The present invention anticipates a variety of functions being enabled by the programming code  52 , such as, but not limited to, selectively actuating the transceiver  38 , receiver  42 , and stimulator  40 , and setting a virtual perimeter to confine the animal  16 . 
     In use, the collar  12  is secured around the neck  14  of the animal  16  and the programming code  52  is positioned on the electronic device  54 . The programming code  52  enables communication between the electronic device  54  and the electronics module  28 , allowing the user to selectively track the animal  16  using the transceiver  38 . The user also can selectively confine the animal  16  by setting the virtual perimeter using the programming code  52 . As the animal  16  approaches the virtual perimeter, it might receive an audible signal or a vibratory signal. Should the animal  16  breach the virtual perimeter, it might receive a shock correction. The user also can selectively correct the animal  16  for training purposes using the stimulator  40 . 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.