Abstract:
A device and method for deterring animals from entering a predetermined area. The device and method for deterring animal behavior can greatly increase safety of the animals and increase the safety of the surroundings for humans by limiting personal contact, and by repelling unwanted animals away from an area under protection. In particular, the device and method deters or repels animals from an area under protection by using at least one of mechanical vibrations, sounds, lights and aromas.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a device and method for deterring animals from a predetermined area. In particular, the present invention is directed to a device and method that repels or deters animals from an area under protection, by using at least one of mechanical vibrations, sounds, lights and aromas. 
         [0002]    Animals, such as deer, rabbits, etc., can cause considerable damage as they enter and feed in fields, yards and gardens. Farmers also are troubled by animals that stampede through grain and eat or damage crops. 
         [0003]    In the background art, fences and the like have been used to deter animals from causing the type of damage discussed above. Though fences can have the desired effect of keeping the animals away, the cost of building a fence strong enough to deter relatively large wild animals (e.g., deer) can be prohibitively expensive due to construction costs (e.g., height and strength of fencing required to repel large animals) and often must be electrified to be effective. 
         [0004]    Other background art devices for deterring animals utilize animal limiting means to deter an undesired action or promote a desired action from an animal. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,192 discloses a device for deterring animals where at least one water sprinkler is used as the animal limiting means. In the 192′ patent, sprinklers produce a sudden jet of water to frighten or startle an animal away from the predetermined area. However, the device of the 192′ patent may be cost prohibitive for deterring animals because the sprinklers would necessitate installing a water line to each device. 
         [0005]    Another background art example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,892,446 which discloses an animal deterrent device that uses a light source and a pre-tuned radio to deter wild animals from entering a predetermined area. Upon detecting the presence of an animal with a heat and motion sensor, the light and radio are activated. The combination of visual and auditory stimulants work together to frighten the animal away from the predetermined area. 
         [0006]    However, a problem with these and similar background art devices and methods for deterring animals is that, over time, the targeted animals can become accustomed or desensitized to the stimulus of the animal limiting means of the device. For example, the animals may become accustomed to the constant stimulation of their senses by water, light or sound emitted from the animal deterring limiting means of the device in the same way that one becomes accustomed or desensitized to the constant barking of a dog or sounding of an alarm. The desensitization of animals to these background art animal deterring devices results in the decreased effectiveness of the above-discussed animal limiting means and increased numbers of unwanted animals invading predetermined areas such as gardens, homes, and roadways. 
         [0007]    Therefore, there is a need in the art for a device and method for repelling or deterring animals from predetermined areas that is cost effective and not prone to desensitize the target animals over time. Moreover there is a need in the art for a device and method for deterring animals that does not harm the animals or the environment. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention is a device and method for deterring animal behavior that can greatly increase safety of the animals and increase the safety of the surroundings for humans by limiting personal contact, and by repelling or deterring unwanted animals away from predetermined areas. 
         [0009]    One embodiment of the present invention is a device for deterring animals comprising: an enclosure; at least one spike configured to secure the enclosure to a surface and transfer energy in the form of mechanical vibrations to the surface; a sensor configured to detect the presence of an animal near a predetermined area; at least one animal limiting unit configured to generate a stimulus to deter a detected animal from entering the predetermined area; and a control unit with means for varying the stimulus of the at least one animal limiting unit in a random fashion. Preferably the animal limiting unit is at least one of a mechanical vibration-based unit, a noise-based unit, a light-based unit, and an aroma generator based unit. Preferably, the means for varying includes but is not limited to microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital logic and other conventional electronics for programmed control. 
         [0010]    Another embodiment of the invention is a method for deterring animals comprising: sensing the presence of an animal near a predetermined area; generating at least one animal limiting stimulus; and varying the period of time at least one animal limiting stimulus is generated in at least one of a fixed and random fashion. Preferably, the animal limiting stimulus is based on at lease one of mechanical vibrations, noise frequencies, lights and aromas. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  shows an exemplary schematic diagram of the present invention; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  shows an exemplary flow diagram of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]    The present invention is a device triggered by the presence of an animal that is to be repelled or deterred from entering a predetermined area. The device and method of the present invention is a randomized, non-duplicating scheme for deterring or repelling animals at least due to mechanical vibrations of the ground or another surface and that may further include at least one of three additional types of animal limiting means that stimulate the more highly developed senses (e.g., auditory, visual, olfactory (i.e., smell)) of an unwanted animal. Stimulating these senses promotes a reaction similar to fear and panic within each animal. Due to the randomized selection of mechanical vibrations, lights and aromas, animals cannot become accustomed or desensitized to the animal limiting stimuli of the animal deterring device and thus, cannot learn to ignore or disregard the device as harmless. 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  shows an exemplary schematic diagram of the animal deterring device  100  of the present invention.  FIG. 2  shows an exemplary flow diagram of the method for deterring animals of the present invention animal  101 . Both figures are further described in the following paragraphs. 
         [0015]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the animal deterring device  100  includes an enclosure or a housing  103  that is attached to at least one spike  105 . The at least one spike  105  is driven into the ground  107  or some other surface so that the enclosure or housing  103  is fixed to the ground  107  or other surface. Alternatively, the animal deterring device  101  may include a plurality of spikes  105 . The animal deterring device  101  includes a sensor  109  to detect the presence of an animal near the predetermined area. Examples of the sensor  109  that are to be used with the present invention include, but are not limited to: motion sensors, infra-red sensors, and heat sensors. Upon sensor  109  detecting an unwanted animal near the predetermined area, the animal deterring device  100  operates at least one of the four animal limiting means to repel or deter the animal from approaching the predetermined area. 
         [0016]    In addition, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the animal deterring device  100  includes a control unit  111  that operates, in a random fashion, at least one of four animal limiting means that are used to deter the animal from entering the predetermined area. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the animal limiting means include, but are not limited to, a mechanical vibration unit  113 , a noise generator unit  115 , a controlled light source unit  117  and an aroma generator based unit  119 . 
         [0017]    Further, the control unit  111  is capable of operating each of the at least one of four animal limiting means  113 ,  115 ,  117 ,  119  both individually and collectively. Operating the animal limiting means in a random fashion prevents the targeted animals from becoming desensitized to the stimuli of animal limiting means  113 ,  115 ,  117 ,  119  of the animal deterring device  100 . 
         [0018]    The control unit  111  is computer-based and can be programmed to provide a pseudo random nature to the operation of each of the animal limiting means  113 ,  115 ,  117 ,  119 . Examples of computer-based elements in the control unit  111  include, but are not limited to, microprocessors, microcontrollers and digital logic. The control unit  111  also includes analog electronic components that provide for analog interfaces to at least the solenoid post  101 , sensor  109  and speaker  121  of the noise generator unit  115 . Analog components include, but are not limited to transistors, amplifiers and analog integrated circuits. 
         [0019]    The mechanical vibration unit  113  shown in  FIG. 1  is comprised of a solenoid  110  a solenoid post  101 , and a spike  105 . The mechanical vibrations are created by having the solenoid post  101  on the solenoid  110  transfer energy to the spike  105  either directly or indirectly. The mechanical vibration unit  113  creates a randomly patterned mechanical vibration that is transferred to the ground or another surface via the at least one spike ( FIG. 1 ,  105 ) that is driven into the ground ( FIG. 1 ,  107 ) or other surface. The random mechanical vibrations generated by the mechanical vibrations unit  113  are varied in a random fashion by the control unit  111 . The mechanical vibrations will be felt by the animal through the ground or other surface and acts to scare the animal away from the predetermined area. 
         [0020]    In addition, in a preferred environment the mechanical vibration unit  113  also produces a range of noise frequencies. Preferably, the range of noise frequencies extends from 1 Hz to 100 KHz. The noise frequencies from the mechanical vibration unit  113  are amplified and can be frequency modulated to produce a sound output by the noise generator unit  115  shown in the schematic diagram of  FIG. 1 . The noise generator unit  115  emits the amplified and frequency modulated sound that is derived from the noise generated by the mechanical vibration unit  113  via a speaker  121 . The rate of amplification and frequency modulation of noise frequencies is varied in a random fashion by the control unit  111 . The resulting sound emitted by the speaker  121  of the noise generation unit  115  is at an amplitude and in a range of frequencies that is audible to the unwanted animal and will repel or deter the animal from entering a predetermined area. In a preferred embodiment, the noise is produced by having the solenoid post  101  in the solenoid  110  strike a metal plate  114  in the noise generation unit  115  placed between the solenoid post  101  and the spike  105 . The metal plate  114  is free to move and may or may not be dimpled. 
         [0021]    Further,  FIG. 1  shows a controlled light source unit  117  that will be operated by the control unit  111  and produces visual animal limiting means that repel or deter an unwanted animal from entering a predetermined area. The intensity and the on/off cycle time of the light sources  118  of the controlled light source unit  117  are varied in a random fashion that is determined and controlled by the control unit  111 . The parameters (i.e., light intensity, on/off cycle time) of the controlled light source unit  117  are varied in a random fashion to repel or deter an unwanted animal from entering a predetermined area. Examples of light sources to be used in the present invention include, but are not limited to light-emitting diodes, incandescent lights, halogen lights and fluorescent lights. At least one of the light sources on the animal deterring device  100  will appear to move by, for example, being rotatably mounted on the animal deterring device  100  such that the light source may be pointed in a desired direction. The controlled light source unit  117  more preferably includes automatic control of the light sources  118  by the control unit  111  in order to direct the light sources in the direction of the animal, as indicated by the sensor  109 . 
         [0022]    Furthermore,  FIG. 1  shows an aroma-based generator unit  119  that produces an animal limiting aroma means that stimulates an animal&#39;s sense of smell in a way that will repel or deter an unwanted animal from entering a predetermined area. In a preferred embodiment, the aroma-based generator unit  119  will use, for example, a liquid mist from a pressurized aerosol spray device. Alternatively, gas vapor from a heated material may be used by the aroma-based generator unit  119 . 
         [0023]    Moreover, the housing  103  of  FIG. 1  further includes interface connectors (not shown) to which the animal limiting units  113 ,  115 ,  117 ,  119  are connected. The interface connectors provide the animal limiting units  113 ,  115 ,  117 ,  119  with an electrical connection to the control unit  111  over which electrical signals are sent to control each unit. Examples for the electrical connection include, but are not limited to parallel bus, serial bus, PCIbus, USB, and PMCIA. The housing  103  also includes an internal battery operated power supply (not shown) that supplies stand-alone power to the animal deterring device  100 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  shows an exemplary flow diagram of the method of the present invention. Step  201  of  FIG. 2  is sensing the presence of an unwanted animal near a predetermined area. In Step  203  to Step  209  of  FIG. 2 , at least one of four animal limiting means are used to generated animal limiting stimuli that repel or deter the unwanted animal from the predetermined area. In particular, Step  203  involves generating a mechanical vibrating animal limiting stimulus. The mechanical vibrating of Step  203  will always be generated regardless of the use of any other stimuli. In Step  205 , a noise frequency or based animal limiting stimulus is generated. Step  207  involves generating a light-based animal limiting stimulus. In Step  209 , an aroma-based animal limiting stimulus is generated. Step  211  involves varying at least one of the four animal limiting stimuli of Step  203  to Step  209  in a random fashion. Varying the stimuli prevents the unwanted animal from become accustomed or desensitized to a particular animal limiting stimulus. 
         [0025]    In Step  211 , at least one of the three additional animal limiting stimuli of Step  205  to Step  209  is output from the animal deterring device to repel or deter the unwanted animal for the predetermined area. Alternatively, Step  211  could provide any two or three of the additional animal limiting stimuli of Steps  205  to Step  209 , each of varying in a random fashion, as an output from the animal deterring device  100 . 
         [0026]    In Step  213 , each of the four animal limiting stimuli of Step  203  to Step  209  is output from the animal deterring device to repel or deter the unwanted animal for the predetermined area. Each of the four animal limiting stimuli in Step  203  to Step  209  may be varied individually and the overall period of time (i.e., time interval) each randomly varied animal limiting stimulus is used can also vary in either a fixed or random fashion. 
         [0027]    The foregoing description of the present invention provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.