Electronic animal control system with lightning arrester

Claim 2

An animal control system with lightning arrester for controlling the movement of an animal relative to a predetermined outdoor area comprising: (a) a signal transmitter for producing a signal of predetermined frequency, the signal transmitter having first and second output terminals; (b) a wire loop antenna positioned at said predetermined outdoor area and electrically connected with the transmitter for transmitting said signal at said predetermined outdoor area, the antenna having a first terminal connected with the first terminal of the transmitter and a second terminal connected with the second terminal of the transmitter; (c) a portable receiver carried by the animal responsive to said signal from said antenna for producing an animal control output to the animal when the animal moves into a selected vicinity of the antenna so that the movement of the animal is controlled at the predetermined area; and (d) a lightning arrester electrically connected between the transmitter and the antenna, said lightning arrester including: (1) a first conductor electrically connected between the first terminal of the transmitter and the first terminal of the antenna; (2) a second conductor electrically connected between the second terminal of the transmitter and the second terminal of the antenna; (3) a first choke coil electrically connected along the first conductor; (4) a second choke coil electrically connected along the second conductor; (5) a first threshold-voltage conduction device electrically connected between ground and a connection on the first conductor located between the first terminal of the transmitter and the first choke coil, the first threshold-voltage conduction device becoming conductive when voltage across the first threshold-voltage conduction device reaches a first predetermined threshold; (6) a second threshold-voltage conduction device electrically connected between ground and a connection on the second conductor located between the second terminal of the transmitter and the second choke coil, the second threshold-voltage conduction device becoming conductive when voltage across the second threshold-voltage conduction device reaches a second predetermined threshold; (7) a third threshold-voltage conduction device electrically connected between ground and a connection on the first conductor located between the first choke coil and the first terminal of the antenna, the third threshold-voltage conduction device becoming conductive when voltage across the third threshold-voltage conduction device reaches a third predetermined threshold; and (8) a fourth threshold-voltage conduction device electrically connected between ground and a connection on the second conductor located between the second terminal of the antenna and the second choke coil, the fourth threshold-voltage conduction device becoming conductive when voltage across the fourth threshold-voltage conduction device reaches a fourth predetermined threshold.

Claim 3

The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the lightning arrester includes a fifth threshold-voltage conduction device connected across the first and second conductors from a connection on the first conductor located between the first choke coil and the first terminal of the antenna to a connection on the second conductor located between the second choke coil and the second terminal of the antenna, the fifth threshold-voltage conduction device becoming conductive when voltage across the fifth threshold-voltage conduction device reaches a fifth predetermined threshold.

Claim 4

The system in accordance with claim 2 wherein the fifth threshold-voltage conduction device includes a gas tube.

Claim 5

The system in accordance with claim 2 wherein the first and second thresholds are each at a first level and wherein the third, fourth and fifth thresholds are each at a second level higher than the first level.

Claim 6

The system in accordance with claim 4 wherein the first and second threshold-voltage conduction devices each include a Zener diode and wherein the third, fourth, and fifth threshold-voltage conduction devices each include a gas tube.

Claim 7

The system in accordance with claim 2 wherein the first and second threshold-voltage conduction devices each include a Zener diode and wherein the third, fourth, and fifth threshold-voltage conduction devices each include a gas tube.

Claim 8

The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the third and fourth threshold-voltage conduction devices each include a gas tube.

Claim 9

The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first and second threshold-voltage conduction devices each include a Zener diode.

Claim 10

The system in accordance with claim 8 wherein the third and fourth threshold-voltage conduction devices each include a gas tube.

Claim 11

The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first and second thresholds are each at a first level and wherein the third and fourth thresholds are each at a second level higher than the first level.

Claim 12

The system in accordance with claim 10 wherein the first and second threshold-conduction devices each include a Zener diode and wherein the third and fourth threshold conduction devices each include a gas tube.

Claim 13

An animal control system with lightning arrester for controlling the movement of an animal relative to a predetermined outdoor area comprising: (a) a signal transmitter for producing a signal of predetermined frequency, the signal transmitter having first and second output terminals; (b) a wire loop antenna positioned at said predetermined outdoor area and electrically connected with the transmitter for transmitting said signal at said predetermined outdoor area, the antenna having a first terminal connected with the first terminal of the transmitter and a second terminal connected with the second terminal of the transmitter; (c) a portable receiver carried by the animal responsive to said signal from said antenna for producing an animal control output to the animal when the animal moves into a selected vicinity of the antenna so that the movement of the animal is controlled at the predetermined area; and (d) a lightning arrester electrically connected between the transmitter and the antenna, said lightning arrester consisting essentially of: (1) a first conductor electrically connected between the first terminal of the transmitter and the first terminal of the antenna; (2) a second conductor electrically connected between the second terminal of the transmitter and the second terminal of the antenna; (3) a first choke coil electrically connected along the first conductor; (4) a second choke coil electrically connected along the second conductor; (5) a first threshold-voltage conduction device electrically connected between ground and a connection on the first conductor located between the first terminal of the transmitter and the first choke coil, the first threshold-voltage conduction device becoming conductive when voltage across the first threshold-voltage conduction device reaches a first predetermined threshold; (6) a second threshold-voltage conduction device electrically connected between ground and a connection on the second conductor located between the second terminal of the transmitter and the second choke coil, the second threshold-voltage conduction device becoming conductive when voltage across the second threshold-voltage conduction device reaches a second predetermined threshold; (7) a third threshold-voltage conduction device electrically connected between ground and a connection on the first conductor located between the first choke coil and the first terminal of the antenna, the third threshold-voltage conduction device becoming conductive when voltage across the third threshold-voltage conduction device reaches a third predetermined threshold; (8) a fourth threshold-voltage conduction device electrically connected between ground and a connection on the second conductor located between the second terminal of the antenna and the second choke coil, the fourth threshold-voltage conduction device becoming conductive when voltage across the fourth threshold-voltage conduction device reaches a fourth predetermined threshold; and (9) a fifth threshold-voltage conduction device connected across the first and second conductors from a connection on the first conductor located between the first choke coil and the first terminal of the antenna to a connection on the second conductor located between the second choke coil and the second terminal of the antenna, the fifth threshold-voltage conduction device becoming conductive when voltage across the fifth threshold-voltage conduction device reaches a fifth predetermined threshold.

Claim 14

An animal control system with lightning arrester for controlling the movement of an animal relative to a predetermined outdoor area comprising: (a) a signal transmitter for producing a signal of predetermined frequency, the signal transmitter having first and second output terminals; (b) a wire loop antenna positioned at said predetermined outdoor area and electrically connected with the transmitter for transmitting said signal at said predetermined outdoor area, the antenna having a first terminal connected with the first terminal of the transmitter and a second terminal connected with the second terminal of the transmitter; (c) a portable receiver carried by the animal responsive to said signal from said antenna for producing an animal control output to the animal when the animal moves into a selected vicinity of the antenna so that the movement of the animal is controlled at the predetermined area; and (d) a lightning arrester electrically connected between the transmitter and the antenna, said lightning arrester consisting essentially of: (1) a first conductor electrically connected between the first terminal of the transmitter and the first terminal of the antenna; (2) a second conductor electrically connected between the second terminal of the transmitter and the second terminal of the antenna; (3) a first choke coil electrically connected along the first conductor; (4) a second choke coil electrically connected along the second conductor; (5) a first threshold-voltage conduction device electrically connected between ground and a connection on the first conductor located between the first terminal of the transmitter and the first choke coil, the first threshold-voltage conduction device becoming conductive when voltage across the first threshold-voltage conduction device reaches a first predetermined threshold; (6) a second threshold-voltage conduction device electrically connected between ground and a connection on the second conductor located between the second terminal of the transmitter and the second choke coil, the second threshold-voltage conduction device becoming conductive when voltage across the second threshold-voltage conduction device reaches a second predetermined threshold; (7) a third threshold-voltage conduction device electrically connected between ground and a connection on the first conductor located between the first choke coil and the first terminal of the antenna, the third threshold-voltage conduction device becoming conductive when voltage across the third threshold-voltage conduction device reaches a third predetermined threshold; (8) a fourth threshold-voltage conduction device electrically connected between ground and a connection on the second conductor located between the second terminal of the antenna and the second choke coil, the fourth threshold-voltage conduction device becoming conductive when voltage across the fourth threshold-voltage conduction device reaches a fourth predetermined threshold; and (9) a fifth threshold-voltage conduction device connected across the first and second conductors from a connection on the first conductor located between the first choke coil and the first terminal of the antenna to a connection on the second conductor located between the second choke coil and the second terminal of the antenna, the fifth threshold-voltage conduction device becoming conductive when voltage across the fifth threshold-voltage conduction device reaches a fifth predetermined threshold.

Claim 15

The system in accordance with claim 12 wherein the fifth threshold-voltage conduction device includes a gas tube.

Claim 16

The system in accordance with claim 12 wherein the first and second thresholds are each at a first level and wherein the third, fourth and fifth thresholds are each at a second level higher than the first level.

Claim 17

The system in accordance with claim 14 wherein the first and second threshold-voltage conduction devices each include a Zener diode and wherein the third, fourth, and fifth threshold-voltage conduction devices each include a gas tube.

Claim 18

The system in accordance with claim 12 wherein the first and second threshold-voltage conduction devices each include a Zener diode and wherein the third, fourth, and fifth threshold-voltage conduction devices each include a gas tube.