Patent US6043748A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6043748A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Satellite relay collar and programmable electronic boundary system for the containment of animals
Assignee: Invisible Fence Co Inc
•
Filing: 1997-12-19
•
Granted: 2000-03-28
•
Expires: 2017-12-19
Abstract
Abstract A programmable boundary pet containment system is provided for controlling the access of animals to areas outside of programmed boundaries. A programmable relay collar is provided on an animal to transmit positional data as detected from positional satellites to a remotely located processing station. The processing station calculates the relayed data to determine the position of the animal relative to a configuration data file establishing confinement area boundaries. Animals that are detected as venturing beyond the programmed boundaries are subject to a correction stimulus, such as a mild shock or audible signal, delivered to the animal by the relay collar as enabled by the remotely located processing station.
Inventors
- 👤 Scott F. Touchton
- 👤 Richard D. Mellinger
- 👤 Donald L. Peinetti
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 21:44
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08B; G08B21/00; G08B21/02; G08B21/0202; G08B21/028; A; A01; A01K; A01K15/00; A01K15/02; A01K15/021; A01K15/023; G08B21/023; G08B21/0261; G08B21/0288; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S119/00; Y10S119/908
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
119 words
An animal containment system for detecting the location of an animal relative to a positional satellite, the system comprising: (a) a transponder carried by the animal having a satellite data receiver for detecting positional satellite data of a selected characteristic, a transmitter responsive to said receiver for re-transmitting selected positional satellite data and a stimulus generator for generating a selected stimulus to the animal; and (b) a control station responsive to the selected positional satellite data from the transmitter including an animal speed monitor for updating retransmission rate of the transmitter relative to the change in location by the animal, and an animal controller for providing a control signal to the transponder to deliver the stimulus to the animal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
119 words
An animal containment system for detecting the location of an animal relative to a positional satellite, the system comprising: (a) a transponder carried by the animal having a satellite data receiver for detecting positional satellite data of a selected characteristic, a transmitter responsive to said receiver for re-transmitting selected positional satellite data and a stimulus generator for generating a selected stimulus to the animal; and (b) a control station responsive to the selected positional satellite data from the transmitter including an animal speed monitor for updating retransmission rate of the transmitter relative to the change in location by the animal, and an animal controller for providing a control signal to the transponder to deliver the stimulus to the animal.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for detecting the location of an animal relative to a positional satellite, comprising the steps of: a. detecting positional satellite data of a selected characteristic using a transponder carried by the animal having a satellite data receiver, b. retransmitting selected positional satellite data using a transmitter responsive to said receiver, c. generating a selected stimulus to the animal using a stimulus generator; and d. determining the change in location of the animal in response to the selected satellite positional data from the transmitter and an animal speed monitor for updating the retransmission rate of the transmitter relative to the change in location by the animal, and an animal controller for providing a control signal to the transponder to deliver the stimulus to the animal.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for detecting the location of an animal relative to a positional satellite, comprising the steps of: a. detecting positional satellite data of a selected characteristic using a transponder carried by the animal having a satellite data receiver, b. retransmitting selected positional satellite data using a transmitter responsive to said receiver, c. generating a selected stimulus to the animal using a stimulus generator; and d. determining the change in location of the animal in response to the selected satellite positional data from the transmitter and an animal speed monitor for updating the retransmission rate of the transmitter relative to the change in location by the animal, and an animal controller for providing a control signal to the transponder to deliver the stimulus to the animal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
143 words
An animal containment system for detecting the location of an animal relative to a positional satellite, the system comprising: (a) a transponder carried by the animal having a satellite data receiver for detecting positional satellite data of a selected characteristic, a transmitter responsive to said receiver for retransmitting selected positional satellite data and a stimulus generator for generating a selected stimulus to the animal; and (b) a control station responsive to the selected positional satellite data from the transmitter including a location detector for determining the change in location of the animal in response to the selected satellite positional data from the transmitter and animal speed monitor for updating the retransmission rate of the transmitter relative to the change in location by the animal, and an animal controller for providing a control signal to the transponder to deliver the stimulus to the animal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
143 words
An animal containment system for detecting the location of an animal relative to a positional satellite, the system comprising: (a) a transponder carried by the animal having a satellite data receiver for detecting positional satellite data of a selected characteristic, a transmitter responsive to said receiver for retransmitting selected positional satellite data and a stimulus generator for generating a selected stimulus to the animal; and (b) a control station responsive to the selected positional satellite data from the transmitter including a location detector for determining the change in location of the animal in response to the selected satellite positional data from the transmitter and animal speed monitor for updating the retransmission rate of the transmitter relative to the change in location by the animal, and an animal controller for providing a control signal to the transponder to deliver the stimulus to the animal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system according to claim 3, wherein the transponder includes a stimulus generator for generating an electrical shock or an audible sound that is delivered to the animal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system according to claim 3, wherein the control station transmits a control signal back to the transponder to enable the stimulus generator to deliver an audible warning or an electrical shock to the animal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system according to claim 3, wherein the processing station includes a location indicator to display a specific location of the animal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system according to claim 6, wherein the location indicator includes an alarm for indicating satellite failure or to provide an indication at the remotely located processing station of the movement of the animal is beyond a selected area.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system according to claim 3, wherein the control station includes an electronic animal tracking control system having a programmable relay unit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system according to claim 8, wherein the programmable relay unit is a transponder collar that is responsive to a positional satellite.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system according to claim 9, wherein the collar relays positional data to a remotely located processing station.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system according to claim 3, wherein the collar is provided for the reception of satellite signals such as G.P.S. NAVSTAR system transmissions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system according to claim 3, wherein the transponder configures a set of confinement boundaries that may be input or changed by a user when in a program mode.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system according to claim 3, wherein the transponder relates specific geographical coordinates or boundaries to detected positional satellite signals.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system according to claim 3, wherein the control station or a user configures a confinement boundary.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system according to claim 3, wherein the transponder includes a program mode that transmits relative values of the positional satellite signals when physically transporting the transponder along a boundary.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system according to claim 15, comprising a remotely located processing station for storing the transmitted relative values of the positional satellite.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system according to claim 3, wherein the control station is remotely located from the transponder.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system according to claim 3, wherein the control station stores boundary configuration data transmitted by the transponder.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system according to claim 18, wherein the configuration data is stored in a configuration data file.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system according to claim 3, wherein the transponder stores data defining a confinement boundary.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system according to claim 3, wherein the transponder includes a relay mode that continuously relays positional data as detected from positional satellites.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system according to claim 21, wherein the transponder includes power conserving circuitry that controls the rate of relay to conserve transponder battery life.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system according to claim 3, wherein the control station determines that the animal is moving toward a predetermined confinement boundary.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system according to claim 23, wherein the control station transmits a stimulus enable signal activating the transponder to generate a correction stimulus.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system according to claim 24, wherein the correction stimulus is a shock or audible signal.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system according to claim 3, wherein the control station determines that the animal is moving at a rate that is incompatible with a preselected animal's physical ability.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system according to claim 3, wherein the control station tracks the movement of the animal.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system according to claim 3, wherein the control station communicates with a personal computer for producing a visual display of a containment boundary and the animal's location from the selected positional data.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5461365A
Cited
US5650770A
Cited
US5594425A
Cited
US5868100A
Cited
US5791294A
Cited
US5742233A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-03-28 | 2003-09-27 | 2004-03-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-03-28 | 2007-09-27 | 2008-03-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-03-28 | 2011-09-27 | 2012-03-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |