Patent Publication Number: US-2015075446-A1

Title: Pet training system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to animal husbandry, and more particularly to a pet training system. 
     DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART 
     Pet training systems, and particular pet training systems for dogs, typically have a collar module that imparts a stimulus to the dog, such as an electrostatic shock or audible buzzer or tone, in response to a behavior that a user desires to correct. For example, if the dos is barking, the user can use a remote transmitter to actuate the stimulus to let the dog know that such behavior is not desired. Such remote transmitters may further include a level setting to allow the strength of the stimulus to be adjusted. Further, such systems may have multiple types of stimuli, such as audio and tactile stimuli. 
     However, such prior art dog training systems do not provide for the convenience of controlling the system through a user&#39;s smart phone or other portable electronic device. Further, prior art systems do not allow for multiple pets to be easily added or removed from the remote controller. Prior art systems do not provide a means for varying the strength of each stimulus based on a particular pet. 
     Prior art so-called virtual fences are also known, whereby a receiver on the pet&#39;s collar detects proximity to a fence border defined by a wire having a signal imparted thereon that is detectable by the receiver. When the signal strength reaches a predetermined threshold, the receiver activates the stimulus to alert the pet that an area he is approaching is off-limits. Such prior art systems do not allow different fence lines for different pets, or different stimuli at different distances for each pet. 
     Prior art barking control systems include a collar module fitted with a vibration sensor or microphone to detect the barking of the pet, whereupon they deliver a stimulus to the pet to let the pet know that barking is not permitted. Such prior art bark control systems do not provide different stimuli for different pets, nor do they provide differing “grace periods” for allowing barking to only occur for a programmed period of time. Therefore, there is a need for a device that overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks. The present invention accomplishes these objectives. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present device a training system for a pet of a user. The pet is preferably wearing a collar or other article, and the user has a portable electronic device, such as a smart mobile phone, or the like, that has at least a wireless transmitter, a receiver and a display screen. 
     The system includes at least one collar module that is adapted to be fixed with the collar and to deliver a stimulus to the pet. Each collar module includes an enclosure that has at least one collar attachment mechanism, at least one stimulus transducer, and a circuit that includes at least a power source, a wireless receiver capable of receiving an instruction signal from the portable electronic device, and a memory. The at least one stimulus transducer may be an audio transducer, a vibration transducer, an electrostatic shock transducer, or the like. 
     The collar module is adapted to assign a distance from the portable electronic device based on a strength measurement of the instruction signal from the portable electronic device. In response to the instruction signal received from the portable electronic device, at least one distance threshold may be programmed in the memory of the circuit and associated with one of the at least one stimulus transducers. As such, if the distance from the portable electronic device exceeds one of the distance thresholds the associated stimulus transducer is activated. Further, the software application is adapted to display a level setting of each stimulus transducer on the display screen, and to display a control for allowing the user to change the level setting of each stimulus transducer. 
     A software application resident on the portable electronic device is adapted to display on the display screen a choice of actuators for the user. Each actuator represents one of the at least one stimulus transducers. The software application enables the portable electronic device to further send the instruction signal to the circuit of the collar modules for activating the at least one stimulus transducer of the collar module selected by the user on the display screen. 
     In one embodiment, the software application is adapted to display a bark training setting and an on/off indicator for each of the at least one stimulus transducer on the display screen. A control is further displayed and allows for the user to change the bark training setting and the on/off indicator for each of the at least one stimulus transducer. Further, the circuit of the collar module additionally includes a bark sensor, such that when the bark sensor detects that the pet is barking, the selected stimulus transducers are activated based on the bark training settings and the on/off indicator for each of the stimulus transducers. 
     In one embodiment, the circuit further includes a wireless transmitter capable of sending information signals to the portable electronic device. The software application is further adapted to receive the information signals of the collar module with its receiver. The wireless transmitter is adapted to send the distance measurement to the portable electronic device and the software application is adapted to display the distance measurement on the display screen, such that the user is informed of the distance between him and the pet. 
     In one embodiment, wherein the user has a plurality of pets wearing a collar, a plurality of the collar modules are included, each having the enclosure that is adapted to receive a visually-distinct sleeve therearound. The memory of each collar module includes a collar module address distinct from the collar module addresses of each other collar module. 
     In such an embodiment the software application is adapted to display on the display screen a choice of actuators associated with the selected pet, each pet associated with the unique collar module address of the collar module worn by that pet. The software application may further allow each distinct pet to be named by the user so that actuators may be displayed for each pet by name. Alternately, each distinct pet may be assigned a color matching the visually-distinct sleeve around the collar module worn by the pet. In this way, the user is able to differentiate each pet when sending commands to the collar module of each pet. 
     In such an embodiment having multiple collar modules and pets, and wherein the portable electronic device is connected with a large area wireless network, each collar module may receive the instruction signals through the large area wireless network. In this way the range of the system may be expanded. Further, in the embodiment wherein each collar module includes one of the wireless transmitters, each collar module may be adapted to transmit its location through the network to the portable electronic device, its location determined by triangulation location data delivered by the network where available, or by further inclusion of a GPS module in the circuit that determines the latitude and longitude coordinates of the collar module. 
     In such an embodiment, the portable electronic device may include a map on the display with position indicators for each of the collar modules. The software application may further provide a fence control for allowing the user to draw a virtual fence on the map and around the positions of each of the collar modules, such that if any of the pets wander outside of the boundaries of the fence the portable electronic device transmits an instruction signal to that pet&#39;s collar module to activate one or more of the stimulus transducers. Further, the distance thresholds may be established in such an embodiment such that the distance may be calculated by the location of each pet and the virtual fence. 
     In the embodiment including the large area wireless network, the portable electronic device is not required to be portable, and instead may be a desktop computer at a fixed location, such as a residence for example. In such an embodiment, the virtual fence may be established as the boundary of the residential property, or the immediate neighborhood of the pet, for example, subject to the accuracy and resolution of the GPS module or the triangulation calculation delivered by the wide area wireless network. 
     The present invention provides for the convenience of controlling the pet training system through a user&#39;s smart phone or other portable electronic device. Further, multiple pets may be easily added or removed from the remote controller. The strength of each stimulus based on a particular pet may also be readily controlled by the present invention, which also provides for a virtual fence with variable fence lines for different pets, and different stimuli at different distances away from the fence for each pet. The present invention further provides a bark control system having different stimuli for different pets, as well as differing “grace periods” for allowing barking to only occur for a programmed period of time, a different grace period for each pet. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a user with a portable electronic device in wireless communication with a collar module of a pet; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of a collar module with a visually distinct sleeve; 
         FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of  FIG. 2  with the sleeve omitted; 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram representing the components of the collar module; 
         FIG. 5  is a display screen of the portable electronic device, showing a plurality of stimulus transducer controls; 
         FIG. 6  is the display screen of the portable electronic device, showing a level setting; 
         FIG. 7  is the display screen of the portable electronic device, showing a plurality of pets and a selector control therefore; 
         FIG. 8  is the display screen of the portable electronic device, showing a map with relative distances between each of a plurality of pets and the user; 
         FIG. 9  is the display screen of the portable electronic device, showing a bark training control; and 
         FIG. 10  is the display screen of the portable electronic device, showing a virtual fence on a map with the locations of two of the pets displayed. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. The following explanation provides specific details for a thorough understanding of and enabling description for these embodiments. One skilled in the art will understand that the invention may be practiced without such details. In other instances, well-known structures and functions have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments. 
     Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to.” Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number respectively. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below” and words of similar import, when used in this application, shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. When the claims use the word “or” in reference to a list of two or more items, that word covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list and any combination of the items in the list. When the word “each” is used to refer to an element that was previously introduced as being at least one in number, the word “each” does not necessarily imply a plurality of the elements, but can also mean a singular element. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a training system  10  for a pet  20  of a user  30 . The pet  20  is preferably wearing a collar  25  or other article, and the user  30  has a portable electronic device  35 , such as a smart mobile phone, or the like, that has at least a wireless transmitter  36 , a receiver  37  and a display screen  38 . 
     The system  10  includes at least one collar module  40  that is adapted to be fixed with the collar  25  and to deliver a stimulus to the pet  20 . Each collar module  40  includes an enclosure  50  that has at least one collar attachment mechanism  60 , at least one stimulus transducer  7  ( FIG. 4 ), and a circuit  80  that includes at least a power source  90 , such as a rechargeable or replaceable battery, a wireless receiver  100  capable of receiving an instruction signal from the portable electronic device  35 , and a memory  110 . 
     The at least one stimulus transducer  70  may be an audio transducer  71 , such as a buzzer, speaker, or piezoelectric buzzer, as is known in the art. Another of the at least one stimulus transducers  70  may be a vibration transducer  72 , such as an electric motor having an offset weight, as is known in the art. Another of the at least one stimulus transducers  70  may be an electrostatic shock transducer  73  having at least two electrodes  77  adapted to contact the pet  20  when the collar module  40  is fixed with the collar  25  to the pet  20 , as is known in the art. Other types of transducers  70  may be included as they are discovered or determined appropriate for affecting pet behavior. 
     An LED indicator  74  may be further included for indicating that the circuit  80  is in an active or “on” state, as opposed to a hibernation or “off” state. A power button  75  may be further included for activating the circuit  80  or deactivating the circuit  80 . Further a microphone  76  may be included in the circuit  80  along with a processor  78  for storing a vocal command of the user  30  into the memory  110  for playback through the audio transducer  71  when the audio transducer  71  is activated. For example, the voice command maybe “Stop” or “Down” or “Quiet,” or other commands typically given by a pet owner. Multiple such vocal commands may be stored for use in different circumstances or states of the system  10 . 
     The collar module  40  is adapted to assign a distance d from the portable electronic device  35  based on a strength measurement of the instruction signal from the portable electronic device  35 . In response to the instruction signal received from the portable electronic device  35 , at least one distance threshold d T  may be programmed in the memory  110  of the circuit  80  and associated with one of the at least one stimulus transducers  70 . As such, if the distance d from the portable electronic device  35  exceeds one of the distance thresholds d T  the associated stimulus transducer  70  is activated. 
     For example, the user  30  may determine that the pet  20  should get an audible warning from the audio transducer  71  if the pet  20  exceeds a first distance threshold d 1  of 20 meters away from the user  30 , a vibration warning from the vibration transducer  72  if the pet exceeds a second distance threshold d 2  of 30 meters away from the user  30 , and an electrostatic shock front the electrostatic shock transducer  73  if the pet  20  exceeds a third distance threshold d 3  of 40 meters away from the user  30 . In this way, once the pet  20  experiences all of the different types of stimulus that the system  10  provides and correlates them to the distances away from the user  30  where they are each activated, the pet  20  will tend to stay within the first distance threshold d 1  of 20 meters. Each of these distance thresholds d T  may be changed by the user  30  by adjusting an associated actuators  130  ( FIG. 5 ) in the software application  120 . 
     Further, the software application  120  is adapted to display a level setting  140  ( FIGS. 5 and 6 ) of each stimulus transducer  70  on the display screen  38 , and to display a control  150  for allowing the user to change the level setting  140  of each stimulus transducer  70 . The software application  120 , through the portable electronic device  35 , transmits an instruction signal representative of the selected level setting  140  set for each stimulus transducer  70  to the circuit  80 , and the circuit  80  is adapted to store each level setting  140  in the memory  110 . As such, when each stimulus transducer  70  is activated, the stimulus transducer  70  is attenuated based on the associated level setting  140 . For example, if the level setting for the electric shock transducer  73  is set at 50%, then when the electric shock transducer  73  is activated it is only activated at 50% of its full potential strength. 
     A software application  120  resident on the portable electronic device  35  is adapted to display on the display screen  38  a choice of actuators  130  for the user  30 . Each actuator  130  represents one of the at least one stimulus transducers  70 . The software application  120  enables the portable electronic device  35  to further send the instruction signal to the circuit  80  of the collar modules  40  for activating the at least one stimulus transducer  70  of the collar module  40  selected by the user on the display screen  38 . 
     In one embodiment, the software application  120  is adapted to display a bark training setting  160  and an on/off indicator  170  for each of the at least one stimulus transducer  70  on the display screen  38 . A control  180  is further displayed and allows for the user  30  to change the bark training setting  160  and the on/off indicator  170  for each of the at least one stimulus transducer  70 . The software application  120 , in such an embodiment, is adapted to transmit an instruction signal representative of the selected bark training setting  160  and the on/off indicator  170  for each of the at least one stimulus transducer  70  to the circuit  80 . The circuit  80  is adapted to store the bark training setting  160  and the associated on/off indicator  170  for each of the at least one stimulus transducers  70  in the memory  110 . Further, the circuit  80  of the collar module  40  additionally includes a bark sensor  190 , such that when the bark sensor  190  detects that the pet  40  is barking, the selected stimulus transducers  70  are activated based on the bark training settings  160  and the on/off indicator for each of the stimulus transducers  70 . 
     In one such embodiment, the bark training setting  160  includes on and off states, whereby when in the off state the circuit  80  of the collar module  40  does not activate the at least one stimulus transducer  70  even when the bark sensor  190  detects that the pet  20  is barking. The bark training stetting  160 , in addition to the on/off indicators  170  representative of their on and off states, further includes a grace time indication  200 . The circuit  80 , in such an embodiment, further includes a timer  210 , such that when a positive grace time  200  is set on the portable electronic device  35  by the user  30 , the circuit  80  of the collar module  40  activates the associated at least one stimulus transducer  70  only after the bark sensor  190  detects the pet  20  has barked for a longer duration than the grace time  200 . 
     In one embodiment, the circuit  80  further includes a wireless transmitter  220  capable of sending information signals to the portable electronic device  35 . The software application  120  is further adapted to receive the information signals of the collar module  40  with its receiver  37 . The wireless transmitter  220  is adapted to send the distance adapted to display the distance measurement d on the display screen  38 , such that the user  30  is informed of the distance d between him and the pet  20 . 
     In an embodiment wherein the portable electronic device  35  includes a microphone  39 , the user  30  may speak to the pet  20  through the microphone  39 , the software application  120  transmitting the vocal signal to the pet  20  through the wireless transmitter  36  to the wireless receiver  100  of the collar module to be played on the audio transducer  71 , for example. 
     In one embodiment, wherein the user  30  has a plurality of pets  20  wearing a collar  25 , a plurality of the collar modules  40  are included, each having the enclosure  50  that is adapted to receive a visually-distinct sleeve  230  therearound ( FIG. 3 ), the sleeve  230  being a unique color or having a unique pattern applied thereto, for example. The memory  110  of each collar module  40  includes a collar module address  240  distinct from the collar module addresses  240  of each other collar module  40 . 
     In such an embodiment the software application  120  is adapted to display on the display screen  38  a choice of actuators  130  associated with the selected pet  20 , each pet  20  associated with the unique collar module address  240  of the collar module  40  worn by that pet  20 . The software application  120  may further allow each distinct pet  20  to be named by the user  30  ( FIG. 7 ) so that actuators  130  may be displayed for each pet  20  by name  21  ( FIGS. 5-7  and  9 ). Alternately, each distinct pet  20  may be assigned a color In this way, the user  20  is able to differentiate each pet  20  when sending commands to the collar module  40  of each pet  20 . It may be the case, for example, that a first of the pets  20  is able to wander a further distance d than another pet  20  without becoming lost, and as such the distance thresholds d T  set for the first pet  20  may be set further away than the distance thresholds d T  that are set for the second pet  20 . 
     In such an embodiment having multiple collar modules  40  and pets  20 , and wherein the portable electronic device  35  is connected with a large area wireless network  250  such as a WiFi network, GPRS, GSM, 3G or 4G cellular networks, paging network, SMS networks, or the like, each collar module  40  may receive the instruction signals through the large area wireless network  250 . In this way the range of the system  10  may be expanded. 
     Further, in the embodiment wherein each collar module  40  includes one of the wireless transmitters  220 , each collar module  40  may be adapted to transmit its location through the network  250  to the portable electronic device  35 , its location determined by triangulation location data delivered by the network  250  where available, or by further inclusion of a GPS module  182  in the circuit  80  that determines the latitude and longitude coordinates of the collar module  40 . 
     In such an embodiment, the portable electronic device  35  may include a map  182  on the display  35  ( FIGS. 8 and 10 ) with position indicators for each of the collar modules  40 . The software application  120  may further provide a fence control  180  for allowing the user to draw a virtual fence  181  on the map  182  and around the positions of each of the collar modules  40 , such that if any of the pets  20  wander outside of the boundaries of the fence  181  the portable electronic device  35  transmits an instruction signal to that pet&#39;s collar module  40  to activate one or more of the stimulus transducers  70 . Further, the distance thresholds d T  may be established in such an embodiment such that the distance d may be calculated by the location of each pet  20  and the virtual fence  181 . For example, the user  30  may determine that any particular pet  20  gets an audible warning from the audio transducer  71  if the pet  20  comes within a first distance threshold d 1  of the virtual fence  181 , such as 20 meters. Such a pet  20  may receive a vibration warning from the vibration transducer  72  if the pet approaches within a second distance threshold d 2  of the virtual fence  181  of 10 meters, for example. Such a pet may receive an electrostatic shock front the electrostatic shock transducer  73  if the pet  20  crosses the virtual fence  181 , wherein the third distance threshold d 3  is zero meters or outside of the virtual fence  181 . In this way, once the pet  20  experiences all of the different types of stimulus that the system  10  provides and correlates them to the distances away from the virtual fence, the pet  20  will tend to stay within the virtual fence  181 . Each of these distance thresholds d T  may be changed by the user  30  by adjusting the associated actuators  130  in the software application  120 , and each of these distance thresholds d T  may be set differently for each pet  20  and their associated collar module  40 . 
     In the embodiment including the large area wireless network  250 , the portable electronic device  35  is not required to be portable, and instead may be a desktop computer at a fixed location, such as a residence for example. In such an embodiment, the virtual fence  181  may be established as the boundary of the residential property, or the immediate neighborhood of the pet  20 , for example, subject to the accuracy and resolution of the GPS module  182  or the triangulation calculation delivered by the wide area wireless network  250 . 
     While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, while the system  10  is contemplated for use with the pets  20  being dogs, other pet species may be able to be trained with such a system. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims. 
     Particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the invention with which that terminology is associated. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Description section explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the invention encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the invention. 
     The above detailed description of the embodiments of the invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed above or to the particular field of usage mentioned in this disclosure. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. Also, the teachings of the invention provided herein can be applied to other systems, not necessarily the system described above. The elements and acts of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. 
     All of the above patents and applications and other references, including any that may be listed in accompanying filing papers, are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions, and concepts of the various references described above to provide yet further embodiments of the invention. 
     Changes can be made to the invention in light of the above “Detailed Description.” While the above description details certain embodiments of the invention and describes the best mode contemplated, no matter how detailed the above appears in text, the invention can be practiced in many ways. Therefore, implementation details may vary considerably while still being encompassed by the invention disclosed herein. As noted above, particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the invention with which that terminology is associated. 
     While certain aspects of the invention are presented below in certain claim forms, the inventor contemplates the various aspects of the invention in any number of claim forms. Accordingly, the inventor reserves the right to add additional claims after filing the application to pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects of the invention.