Patent Publication Number: US-2023134736-A1

Title: Pet breeding tool

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a pet breeding tool, and more particularly, to a pet breeding tool capable of utilizing a light bar disposed on a roller to provide a stable imaging function. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     A pet breeding cage has limited inner space, and an animal cannot recklessly run inside the cage. A roller is disposed inside the pet breeding cage to be a toy for the animal. The conventional pet breeding cage disposes an illumination light bar on the roller, and the illumination light bar is illuminated when the roller is rotated to form a circular image due to visual persistence. The illumination light bar in the conventional pet breeding cage is illuminated in a constant scintillating frequency. A rotary speed of the roller is randomly changed due to behavior of the animal. If the conventional pet breeding cage intends to display a specific pattern via the illumination light bar illuminated in the constant scintillating frequency, the specific pattern within the circular image resulted from the illumination light bar may be deformed or faulted because of the randomly changed speed of the roller, which means the conventional pet breeding cage cannot display the stable image via the illumination light bar. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a pet breeding tool capable of utilizing a light bar disposed on a roller to provide a stable imaging function for solving above drawbacks. 
     According to the claimed invention, a pet breeding tool includes a roller, an optical sensor and an operation processor. The roller is adapted to rotate relative to an axle direction. The optical sensor is adapted to emit a detection beam toward the roller and receive a reflection beam from the roller. The operation processor is electrically connected to the optical sensor. The operation processor is adapted to analyze the reflection beam for acquiring rotation data of the roller, and further transform random variation of the rotation data into behavior of the roller for immediately adjusting output information relevant to the foresaid behavior. 
     According to the claimed invention, the roller is disposed inside a cage. The cage includes a first pivoting portion, the roller comprises a second pivoting portion connected with the first pivoting portion in a rotatable manner, the axle direction is a structurally vertical direction of the second pivoting portion, and the optical sensor is disposed on the first pivoting portion and adapted to project the detection beam onto the second pivoting portion. 
     According to the claimed invention, the cage includes a fence and a base, the fence is fixed on the base to form a closed space whereinside the roller is disposed, the optical sensor is disposed on the fence or the base and adapted to project the detection beam onto an outer surface of the roller. 
     According to the claimed invention, the operation processor adjusts a specific parameter of the output information proportional to the random variation of the rotation data. 
     According to the claimed invention, the operation processor analyzes the random variation of the rotation data to acquire a number of circles and a rotary speed of the roller when being spun, so as to accordingly decide content of the output information. The operation processor acquire a moving distance, a moving period and a moving speed of a target object in accordance with the number of circles and the rotary speed in response to the target object moved inside a chamber of the roller. 
     According to the claimed invention, the pet breeding tool further includes an illumination light bar electrically connected to the operation processor. The operation processor is adapted to adjust a scintillating frequency of the illumination light bar in accordance with the random variation of the rotation data, so as to stably show the output information via the illumination light bar. The roller includes a roundel structure and an annular structure connected to each other, and a target object is able to move on the annular structure, and the illumination light bar is disposed on the roundel structure. 
     According to the claimed invention, the pet breeding tool further includes a display panel electrically connected to the operation processor. The operation processor is adapted to adjust a control parameter of the display panel in accordance with the random variation of the rotation data, so as to stably display the output information on the display panel. 
     According to the claimed invention, the pet breeding tool further includes a feeder electrically connected to the operation processor. The feeder has a valve and used to accommodate feed. The operation processor is adapted to lock or unlock the valve in accordance with accumulated variation of the rotation data. The operation processor analyzes the accumulated variation to compute calorie expenditure of a target object moved inside the roller. 
     According to the claimed invention, the pet breeding tool further includes an image identifier electrically connected to the operation processor. The operation processor is adapted to lock or unlock the valve in accordance with an identification result of the image identifier. 
     According to the claimed invention, the pet breeding tool further includes a signal transmitter electrically connected to the operation processor. The operation processor is adapted to transmit the output information toward an external device via the signal transmitter in a wire manner or in a wireless manner. 
     The pet breeding tool of the present invention can dispose the illumination light bar on the roller, and the illumination light bar can display the output information as the stable and complete image due to the visual persistence when the roller is rotated. The rotary speed of the roller is varied randomly in accordance with the behavior of the hamster; if the scintillating frequency of the illumination light bar is constant, the image formed by the illumination light bar may be deformed or faulted due to random change of the rotary speed of the roller. Therefore, the present invention can utilize the optical sensor to detect the number of circles and the rotary speed of the roller, and then immediately adjust the scintillating frequency of the illumination light bar in accordance with the known random variation of the rotation data of the roller, so that the performance image generated by the illumination light bar can be stable and not interfered by random rotation of the roller. 
     These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is an appearance diagram of a pet breeding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  2    is a functional block diagram of the pet breeding apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  3    and  FIG.  4    respectively are diagrams of the pet breeding apparatuses according to different embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Please refer to  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  2   .  FIG.  1    is an appearance diagram of a pet breeding apparatus  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG.  2    is a functional block diagram of the pet breeding apparatus  10  according to the embodiment of the present invention. The pet breeding apparatus  10  can include a cage  12  and a pet breeding tool  13 . A target object O lives in the cage  12 . The pet breeding tool  13  is disposed inside the cage  12  to provide entertainment and survival supply. The pet breeding tool  13  can optionally include a roller  14 , an optical sensor  16 , an illumination light bar  18  and an operation processor  20 . The cage  12  can have a fence  22  and a base  24 . The base  24  can be an area whereinside the target object O stays and exercises, and the target object O can be a hamster or other animal. 
     The fence  22  can be fixed to sides of the base  24  to form a closed space for constraining the target object O. The roller  14  can be disposed inside the cage  12  in a rotatable manner. The roller  14  can have a chamber  26 , and further have a roundel structure  28  and an annular structure  30  connected to each other. The chamber  26  can be an open space formed by the roundel structure  28  and the annular structure  30 . The roundel structure  28  can be rotatably disposed on the fence  22 . The target object O can run on the annular structure  30 , and the annular structure  30  can be rotated relative to the cage  12  via the roundel structure  28 . 
     The optical sensor  16  can be disposed on the fence  22 , and may be above or near to a side the roller  14 . The optical sensor  16  can project a detection beam onto an outer surface of the roller  14 , and receive a reflection beam from the roller  14 . The illumination light bar  18  can be disposed on the roundel structure  28  of the roller  14 . The illumination light bar  18  can change its displaying content via adjustment of beam color and a scintillating frequency. The illumination light bar  18  can be a strip-type light bar. Two opposite ends of the strip-type light bar can respectively point toward an edge and a center of the roundel structure  28 , which means if a supporting rib structure is connected between the roundel structure  28  and the annular structure  30 , the illumination light bar  18  can be disposed on the said supporting rib structure. A number and distribution of the illumination light bar  18  is not limited to the embodiment shown in  FIG.  1   . When the roller  14  is rotated, a plurality of the illumination light bar  18  can provide a circular image due to visual persistence. 
     The operation processor  20  can be electrically connected to the optical sensor  16  and the illumination light bar  18 . The operation processor  20  can analyze the reflection beam to acquire rotation data of the roller  14 . For example, the annular structure  30  of the roller  14  can be a fencing structure, and the operation processor  20  can analyze an amplitude variation of the reflection beam during a unit period to compute a number of circles and a rotary speed of the roller  14 ; further, the annular structure  30  of the roller  14  may be an arc-surface structure, and the operation processor  20  can analyze a movement of an identification point formed on the arc-surface structure and detected by the reflection beam to compute the number of circles and the rotary speed of the roller  14 . The rotation data of the roller  14  is not limited to the number of circles and the rotary speed, which depends on an actual demand, and computation of the rotation data is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. 
     When the rotation data of the roller  14  is acquired, the operation processor  20  can transform random variation of the rotation data into behavior of the roller  14 , and immediately adjust output information relevant to the behavior of the roller  14 . The output information can be displayed by the illumination light bar  18 , or be performed or sent via any possible units or methods, which depends on a design demand. Generally, a running speed of the target object O inside the roller  14  is inconstant, so that the operation processor  20  can decide the behavior of the roller  14  belongs to uniform rotation, speed-up rotation or slow-down rotation via analysis of the rotation data of the roller  14 . The illumination light bar  18  can display the output information due to the visual persistence resulted from rapid rotation, and therefore the operation processor  20  can maintain, increase or decrease the scintillating frequency of the illumination light bar  18  in accordance with the rotation data of the roller  14 , so as to perform the output information via the stable circular image generated by the illumination light bar  18 . 
     In the embodiment, if the roller  14  is rotated in a constant speed, the operation processor  20  can keep the illumination light bar  18  in a specific scintillating frequency; if the roller  14  is rotated in a speed-up mode, the operation processor  20  can increase the scintillating frequency of the illumination light bar  18 ; if the roller  14  is rotated in a slow-down mode, the operation processor  20  can decrease the scintillating frequency of the illumination light bar  18 . The operation processor  20  can dynamically adjust the scintillating frequency of the illumination light bar  18  proportional to the random variation of the rotation data; however, the operation processor  20  may adjust the scintillating frequency of the illumination light bar  18  in accordance with the random variation of the rotation data in a non-linear manner. The operation processor  20  can further adjust information content or a specific parameter of the output information in accordance with the random variation of the rotation data, such as adjust a pattern, a color or a symbol within the circular image. 
     The pet breeding tool  13  can further include a display panel  32  electrically connected to the operation processor  20 . The display panel  32  can be disposed outside the cage  12 , such as being disposed above the fence  22  or on a side the fence  22 . When the operation processor  20  analyzes the reflection beam of the optical sensor  16  and acquires the rotation data of the roller  14 , the operation processor  20  can further adjust a control parameter of the display panel  32  in accordance with the random variation of the rotation data, so that the display panel  32  can stably display the output information. The illumination light bar  18  and the display panel  32  can be both used to display the output information, and may be disposed on the pet breeding apparatus  10  alternatively or simultaneously. 
     The pet breeding tool  13  can further include a feeder  34 , an image identifier  36  and a signal transmitter  38  electrically connected to the operation processor  20 . When the number of circles and the rotary speed of the roller  14  are acquired, the operation processor  20  can decide whether to open or close a valve  40  of the feeder  34  in accordance with accumulated variation of the rotation data. The valve  40  can be used to release or deposit feed inside the feeder  34 . The accumulated variation of the rotation data can be interpreted as a moving distance, a moving period and a moving speed of the target object O. If at least one of the moving distance, the moving period and the moving speed exceeds a predefined threshold, the target object O is exercised adequately, and the operation processor  20  can open the valve  40  to release the feed from the feeder  34 . If the moving distance, the moving period and/or the moving speed does not exceed the predefined threshold, the target object O has insufficient exercise, and the operation processor  20  can close the valve  40  to encourage the target object O to exercise for the feed. 
     In another possible embodiment, the operation processor  20  can further analyze the accumulated variation of the rotation data to compute calorie expenditure of the target object O when running inside the roller  14 , and then display the related output information on the illumination light bar  18  and/or the display panel  32 . The operation processor  20  can control an open angle and an open period of the valve  40  for adjusting a feeding amount of the feeder  34 , so as to control health of the target object O. 
     If there has a plurality of target objects O existed inside the pet breeding apparatus  10 , the image identifier  36  can identify body features of the plurality of target objects O via any available image identification skill, and decide to open or close the valve  40  of the feeder  34  in accordance with an identification result. For example, if one target object O just dined stays around the feeder  34 , the operation processor  20  can close the valve  40 ; if the dined target object O leaves away and another hungry target object O approaches to the feeder  34 , the operation processor  20  can open the valve  40  for releasing the feed. 
     The signal transmitter  38  can sent the output information to an external device in a wire manner or in a wireless manner. The external device may be a smart phone or any portable communication apparatus. If the user leaves home, the pet breeding apparatus  10  is generally stayed at home, and the operation processor  20  can sent the output information, which may represent and is displayed on the illumination light bar  18  and/or the display panel  32 , synchronously toward the external device. The output information may be an accumulated moving distance, a length and distribution of the moving period, a fast moving speed, the calorie expenditure, and the feeding amount of the target object O, so that the user can be immediately aware of health condition of the pet. 
     Please refer to  FIG.  3    and  FIG.  4   .  FIG.  3    and  FIG.  4    respectively are diagrams of the pet breeding apparatuses  10 A and  10 B according to different embodiments of the present invention. As shown in  FIG.  3   , the optical sensor  16 A of the pet breeding apparatus  10 A can be optionally disposed on the base  24  of the cage  12 , and preferably located under the roller  14 . Functions of the optical sensor  16 A are similar to functions of the optical sensor  16 , and a detailed description is omitted herein for simplicity. As shown in  FIG.  4   , the cage  12  of the pet breeding apparatus  10 B can have a first pivoting portion  42 , and the roller  14  can have a second pivoting portion  44 . The first pivoting portion  42  and the second pivoting portion  44  can respectively be a shaft and an axle hole, which depend on the design demand. The second pivoting portion  44  can be connected to the first pivoting portion  42  in a rotatable manner. The pet breeding apparatus  10 B can dispose the optical sensor  16 B on one of the first pivoting portion  42  and the second pivoting portion  44 , and thus the optical sensor  16 B can project the detection beam onto another pivoting portion to receive and analyze the reflection beam for acquiring the rotation data of the roller  14 . 
     In conclusion, the pet breeding tool of the present invention can dispose the illumination light bar on the roller, and the illumination light bar can display the output information as the stable and complete image due to the visual persistence when the roller is rotated. The rotary speed of the roller is varied randomly in accordance with the behavior of the hamster; if the scintillating frequency of the illumination light bar is constant, the image formed by the illumination light bar may be deformed or faulted due to random change of the rotary speed of the roller. Therefore, the present invention can utilize the optical sensor to detect the number of circles and the rotary speed of the roller, and then immediately adjust the scintillating frequency of the illumination light bar in accordance with the known random variation of the rotation data of the roller, so that the performance image generated by the illumination light bar can be stable and not interfered by random rotation of the roller. 
     Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.