US5054428A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for remote conditioned cue control of animal training stimulus
Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH
•
Filing: 1989-11-17
•
Granted: 1991-10-08
•
Expires: 2009-11-17
Abstract
Abstract A technique is disclosed for further training or control of a dog that has been previously trained to conform to a particular desired behavior. If the dog fails to conform to the expected behavior, a first remote control signal is transmitted to a collar-mounted receiver-stimulator to produce a first conditioned cue as a short duration electrical stimulation signal applied to the animal, to get the animal's attention and inform it that continued failure to conform to the expected behavior will result in a higher degree of electrical stimulation. If the animal fails to conform to the expected behavior, a second control signal is generated to produce a second conditioned cue of a higher degree of electrical stimulation than the first to the animal. Such subtle conditioned cues result in effective control or training of the dog with little or no discomfort to it.
Inventors
- 👤 Gregory J. Farkus
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 12:00
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01K; A01K27/00; A01K27/009; A01K15/00; A01K15/02; A01K15/021; A01K15/022
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
178 words
A method of training an animal, comprising the steps of: (a) training the animal to conform to a desired behavior; (b) later inducing the animal to conform to the desired behavior; (c) if the animal fails to continue to conform to the desired behavior, producing a first control signal to produce a first conditioned cue as a low degree of electrical stimulation applied to the animal; (d) producing the first conditioned cue as a short first preselected duration electrical stimulation signal applied to the animal in response to the first control signal to get the animal's attention and indicate to it that continued failure to conform to the desired behavior will result in a higher degree of electrical stimulation; (e) if the animal fails to conform to the desired behavior, producing a second control signal to produce a second conditioned cue as a higher degree of electrical stimulation; (f) producing the second conditioned cue as a second preselected duration electrical stimulation in response to the second control signal, the second preselected duration being substantially greater than the first.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
178 words
A method of training an animal, comprising the steps of: (a) training the animal to conform to a desired behavior; (b) later inducing the animal to conform to the desired behavior; (c) if the animal fails to continue to conform to the desired behavior, producing a first control signal to produce a first conditioned cue as a low degree of electrical stimulation applied to the animal; (d) producing the first conditioned cue as a short first preselected duration electrical stimulation signal applied to the animal in response to the first control signal to get the animal's attention and indicate to it that continued failure to conform to the desired behavior will result in a higher degree of electrical stimulation; (e) if the animal fails to conform to the desired behavior, producing a second control signal to produce a second conditioned cue as a higher degree of electrical stimulation; (f) producing the second conditioned cue as a second preselected duration electrical stimulation in response to the second control signal, the second preselected duration being substantially greater than the first.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 1 including producing a third control signal to produce a third conditioned cue as a higher degree of electrical stimulation if after step (f) the animal still fails to conform to the desired behavior, and producing the third conditioned cue as an electrical stimulation of a third preselected duration that is longer duration than the second preselected duration.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the animal wears a collar-mounted receiver-stimulator device for applying electrical stimulation to the animal, wherein the first control signal is produced in a remote transmitter which transmits the first control signal to the receiver-stimulator device and the second control signal is produced in the remote transmitter and transmitted to the receiver-stimulator device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 3 including producing the first control signal as a single pulse having a duration of approximately 3 milliseconds and applying it to a gated oscillator circuit which drives an output transformer to produce the first conditioned cue electrical stimulation signal and applies it to electrodes which contact the animal's skin.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 4 including producing the second control signal as a single pulse having a duration of approximately 12 milliseconds and applying it to the gated oscillator circuit, causing the gated oscillator circuit to effectuate the second preselected duration electrical stimulation as approximately four pulses of approximately 1 millisecond duration each at a repetition rate of approximately 325 hertz.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 5 including producing the third control signal as a single pulse having a duration of approximately 200 milliseconds and applying it to the gated oscillator circuit, causing the gated oscillator circuit to effectuate the third conditioned cue as approximately 64 pulses of approximately 1 millisecond duration each at a repetition rate of approximately 325 hertz.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
124 words
An apparatus for controlling an animal, comprising in combination: (a) means for producing a first control signal to produce a first conditioned cue as a low degree of electrical stimulation applied to the animal; (b) means for producing the first conditioned cue as an electrical stimulation signal of a first preselected duration applied to the animal in response to the first control signal; (c) means for producing a second control signal to produce a second conditioned cue as the higher degree of electrical stimulation after the first conditioned cue has been applied to the animal; (d) means for producing the second conditioned cue as an electrical stimulation of a second preselected duration substantially greater than the first in response to the second control signal.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
124 words
An apparatus for controlling an animal, comprising in combination: (a) means for producing a first control signal to produce a first conditioned cue as a low degree of electrical stimulation applied to the animal; (b) means for producing the first conditioned cue as an electrical stimulation signal of a first preselected duration applied to the animal in response to the first control signal; (c) means for producing a second control signal to produce a second conditioned cue as the higher degree of electrical stimulation after the first conditioned cue has been applied to the animal; (d) means for producing the second conditioned cue as an electrical stimulation of a second preselected duration substantially greater than the first in response to the second control signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 7 including means for producing a third control signal to produce a third conditioned cue as electrical stimulation after the second conditioned cue, the electrical stimulation of the third conditioned cue being of substantially higher degree than that of the second conditioned cue.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 8 including a collar-mounted receiver-stimulator device for applying electrical stimulation to the animal, and including a remote transmitter including means for remotely controlling the first and second control signals produced in the receiver-stimulator device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
65 words
The apparatus of claim 9 including a gated oscillator circuit which drives an output transformer to produce the first conditioned cue electrical stimulation signal and apply it to electrodes which contact the animal's skin, and means for producing the first control signal as a single pulse having a duration of approximately 3 milliseconds and applying it to an enable input of the gated oscillator circuit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus of claim 10 including means for producing the second control signal as a single pulse having a duration of approximately 12 milliseconds and applying it to the gated oscillator circuit, causing the gated oscillator circuit to effectuate the longer duration electrical stimulation as three pulses of approximately 1 millisecond duration each at a repetition rate of approximately 325 hertz.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus of claim 11 including means for producing the third control signal as a single pulse having a duration of approximately 200 milliseconds and applying it to the gated oscillator circuit, causing the gated oscillator circuit to effectuate the third conditioned cue as approximately 64 pulses of approximately 1 millisecond duration each at a repetition rate of approximately 325 hertz.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3589337A
Cited
US4202293A
Cited
US4335682A
Cited
US4440160A
Cited
US4524773A
Cited
US4539937A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-10-07 | 1995-04-08 | 1995-10-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-10-07 | 1999-04-08 | 1999-10-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-10-07 | 2003-04-08 | 2003-10-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |