Systems, devices and methods for monitoring animal status

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method. The method includes: providing a monitoring device to an animal, the animal being monitored by a user having a user device; determining location data defining a spatial area; determining location data of the monitoring device; sensing movement of the animal using the monitoring device; and determining whether the monitoring device is connected to the user device via a first communication system when the movement of the animal exceeds a movement threshold. The method also includes determining whether the monitoring device is connected to a second communication system when the monitoring device is not connected to the user device via the first communication system, and determining whether the monitoring device is located in the spatial area by comparing the location data defining the spatial area with the location data of the monitoring device.

Description

[0001] Related Applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 564,408, filed on September 9, 2019, Russian Patent Application No. RU2019106674, filed on March 11, 2019, and Eurasian Patent Application No. EA201990499, filed on March 13, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure generally relates to a system, apparatus, and method for monitoring a condition, and more particularly, to a system, apparatus, and method for monitoring a condition of an animal. Background Art

[0004] Traditional technology uses a tracker mounted on an animal's collar to notify a user of the animal's location. Such a system typically involves sending the animal's location data from the collar to the user.

[0005] For example, U.S. Patent Application No. US2017 / 332330 published on November 16, 2017 discloses sending animal location data to a user's electronic device. U.S. Patent Application No. US2018 / 064068 published on March 8, 2018 discloses using an electronic animal collar to receive data from various modules and a user's electronic device to determine the animal's location. US2017202180 published on July 20, 2017 discloses receiving data from, for example, sensors and an animal owner's smartphone to determine the animal's safety factor.

[0006] Disadvantages of the above conventional methods include the high risk of error involved in analyzing large amounts of data and / or determining safety factors. This high risk of error often results in an incorrect determination of the animal's location safety zone and / or an incorrect animal safety status. These deficiencies often result in repeated false alarms and cause anxiety to the animal owner, which can incorrectly reflect the animal's safety status and reduce the quality of determining the animal's safety status in conventional systems.

[0007] The exemplary disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods are directed to overcoming one or more of the above-identified disadvantages and / or other deficiencies in the prior art. Summary of the invention

[0008] In one exemplary aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method. The method includes providing a monitoring device to an animal, the animal being monitored by a user having a user device; determining location data defining a spatial area; determining location data of the monitoring device; sensing movement of the animal using the monitoring device; and determining whether the monitoring device is connected to the user device via a first communication system when the movement of the animal exceeds a movement threshold. The method also includes: determining whether the monitoring device is connected to a second communication system when the monitoring device is not connected to the user device via the first communication system; determining whether the monitoring device is located in the spatial area by comparing the location data defining the spatial area with the location data of the monitoring device; and transmitting alarm data to the user device when the monitoring device is not located in the spatial area.

[0009] On the other hand, the present disclosure is directed to a system. The system includes an animal status module, a processor, a monitoring device, and a user device, wherein the animal status module includes computer executable code stored in a non-volatile memory. The animal status module, the processor, the monitoring device, and the user device are configured to determine location data defining a safe geographic area, determine location data of the monitoring device, sense the movement of the animal using the monitoring device, and when the movement of the animal exceeds a movement threshold, determine whether the monitoring device is connected to the user device via a first communication system. The animal status module, the processor, the monitoring device, and the user device are also configured to determine whether the monitoring device is connected to a second communication system when the monitoring device is not connected to the user device via the first communication system, determine whether the monitoring device is located in a safe geographic area by comparing the location data defining the safe geographic area with the location data of the monitoring device, and transmit alarm data to the user device when the monitoring device is not located in the safe geographic area. Each of the first communication system and the second communication system is a Bluetooth system or a Wi-Fi network. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 An exemplary disclosed system illustrating at least some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0011] Figure 2 An exemplary disclosed system illustrating at least some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0012] Figure 3 An exemplary disclosed system illustrating at least some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0013] Figure 4 illustrates an exemplary process of at least some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary computing device according to at least some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure; and

[0015] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of an example network according to at least some example embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] These exemplary disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods may include using electronic monitoring devices to determine the safety status of an animal. In at least some exemplary embodiments, the exemplary disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods may include using an electronic collar or microchip to monitor the status of an animal, which may be applied to the animal by an owner of a pet or farm animal.

[0017] These exemplary disclosed systems, devices, and methods may include monitoring and / or determining whether an animal's status is safe or unsafe, for example, depending on geographic location, surrounding conditions, and / or any other suitable factors. The exemplary disclosed systems, devices, and methods may include any suitable animal status monitoring applications, such as keeping pets in a yard or other predetermined area, keeping livestock, managing tracked animals (e.g., endangered species), and / or any other desired application for monitoring animal status.

[0018] In at least some exemplary embodiments, Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the exemplary disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods may include a system 300. The system 300 may include one or more monitoring devices 305, one or more user devices 310, one or more communication systems 315, one or more user devices 320, and / or one or more communication systems 325. The monitoring device 305, the user device 310, and / or the user device 320 may send and receive data via the communication systems 315 and 325. The user device 320 may be located at the same location as the user, or may not be located at the same location as the user.

[0019] Monitoring device 305 may be any suitable device that may be attached to, embedded in, and / or worn by animal 308 (e.g., a dog, cat, hamster, mouse, rat, horse, mule, donkey, cow, sheep, pig, whale, dolphin, seal, shark, bird, or any other desired pet, livestock, marine animal, or other animal that may move on land, sea, and / or air). Monitoring device 305 may be a collar (e.g., an electronic collar), a smart ring or smart bracelet, or any other suitable device that may be worn by animal 308. Monitoring device 305 may also be a microchip that may be attached to the skin of animal 308 or embedded in its body. Monitoring device 305 may communicate with other devices of system 300 (e.g., user device 310 and / or user device 320) via communication system 315 and / or communication system 325 (e.g., via Bluetooth, a Wi-Fi network, and / or any other suitable communication technology). The monitoring device 305 may include a positioning component, such as a global positioning system (GPS) component, a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) component, and / or a similar component that can determine the geographic location of the animal 308. For example, the monitoring device 305 may include a GNSS module and / or component, a communication module, and / or other suitable components. In at least some exemplary embodiments, the monitoring device 305 may communicate using any suitable communication technology, such as a global system for mobile communications (GSM), narrowband (e.g., narrowband IoT, such as LTE Cat1, LTE-M, NB-IoT), Wi-Fi, and / or Bluetooth (e.g., including Bluetooth Low Energy or BLE standards). The monitoring device 305 may include any suitable communication components, such as a 2G / 3G modem and / or a component for operating with a 4G and / or 5G network.

[0020] Monitoring device 305 may include any suitable sensor for sensing data associated with animal 308. For example, monitoring device 305 may include a position sensor (e.g., a GPS and / or GNSS component as described above) and / or a sensor for sensing the rate of change of position of animal 308, such as an accelerometer. For example, monitoring device 305 may include a displacement sensor, a velocity sensor, an inclinometer, and / or an accelerometer. Monitoring device 305 may include a sensor for sensing the body temperature of animal 308, changes in ambient temperature (e.g., a thermometer), lighting levels or intensity, ambient humidity, and / or any other suitable parameter. Monitoring device 305 may also include a heartbeat sensor for sensing the heartbeat of animal 308. For example, monitoring device 305 may include a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and / or a light sensor (e.g., light intensity, lighting, and / or any other similar suitable sensor), a communication module or component (e.g., a BLE, Wi-Fi, narrowband, and / or GNSS component or module), a SIM chip, an accelerometer, a water sensor (e.g., a humidity sensor), and / or a thermometer.

[0021] In at least some exemplary embodiments, monitoring device 305 may include a location sensor, such as a geolocation sensor, that measures a geographic location. For example, the location sensor may be a global positioning system sensor or any other suitable type of sensor for sensing a location with suitable accuracy. For example, the location sensor may provide an accurate location of animal 308 in the same location as monitoring device 305 within about 10 feet, within about 5 feet, within about 3 feet (e.g., within about 3 and 1 / 2 feet, e.g., within 3.6 feet), and / or within about 1 foot.

[0022] In at least some exemplary embodiments, the monitoring device 305 may include an ambient pressure, altitude and / or temperature sensor, which can determine the altitude or other geographic location information based on the sensed atmospheric pressure and / or sensed temperature. The sensor can determine the location and / or altitude directly based on, for example, communication with a global positioning system or other location positioning system. Also, for example, the monitoring device 305 may include a ranging device and / or a detection device. In at least some exemplary embodiments, the monitoring device 305 can communicate with an exemplary public user device (e.g., a smartphone operated using iOS or Android) below a 433mHz radio frequency via a radio antenna, which can be connected to the exemplary public user device (e.g., via a system radio antenna, which can be inserted into the exemplary public user device using any suitable port such as USB type-C or Lightning) for any suitable application, such as for providing security (e.g., rangers or police) or for hunting. The monitoring device 305 can sense the height above sea level (e.g., or any other desired reference point for measuring altitude or elevation). The monitoring device 305 may include, for example, a barometer or any other suitable device for sensing atmospheric pressure (e.g., ambient pressure). Monitoring device 305 may include any suitable sensing components, such as thermocouples, resistance temperature detectors (RTDs), thermistors, and / or semiconductor-based temperature sensing components. Monitoring device 305 may include any suitable integrated sensor or sensor subarrays for determining ambient pressure, location data (e.g., geographic location and / or altitude or elevation), and / or body temperature of animal 308 and / or ambient temperature at the location of monitoring device 305.

[0023] The monitoring device 305 may include a controller that can control the operation of the monitoring device 305. The controller may include, for example, a processor (e.g., a microprocessor logic control device) or a board assembly. Also for example, the controller may include an input / output device that allows the controller to connect (e.g., via wireless, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or any other suitable communication technology) to other components of the system 300. For example, the controller may control the operation of the monitoring device 305 based on input received from the exemplary disclosed modules of the system 300 (e.g., as described below), the user devices 310 and 320, and / or input provided directly to the monitoring device 305 by the user (e.g., via any suitable user interface provided on the monitoring device 305, such as a keyboard, buttons, and / or a touch screen). The controller may communicate with the components of the system 300 via wireless communication, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, network communication, the Internet, and / or any other suitable technology (e.g., as disclosed herein).

[0024] The monitoring device 305 may include any suitable communication components. For example, the monitoring device 305 may include any suitable type of receiver device (e.g., a Wi-Fi / Bluetooth receiver). The monitoring device 305 may include any suitable transceiver device (e.g., a transmitter device and / or a receiver device) for sending data to other components of the system 300 and receiving data from other components of the system 300. The monitoring device 305 may send and / or receive data wirelessly via any suitable technology, such as wirelessly sending data via any suitable network, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, wireless Internet, and / or any other desired technology. The monitoring device 305 may send and / or receive data at any desired constant or variable interval and / or substantially continuously.

[0025] The monitoring device 305 can be formed of any suitable material for a wearable device for the animal 308, such as polycarbonate (PC), barium (e.g., BaSO4), silicone materials, polymer materials, structural metals (e.g., structural steel), copolymer materials, textile materials, thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers, resin-containing materials, polyethylene, polystyrene, polypropylene, epoxy resin, phenolic resin, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), a mixture of ABS and PC, acetal (POM), acetate, acrylic (PMMA), liquid crystal polymer (LCP), polyester film, polyamide-nylon, polyamide-nylon 6, polyamide-nylon 11, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polycarbonate (PC), polyetherimide (PEI), polyethylene (PE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW The collar holder of the monitoring device 305 may be formed of a silicone material. In at least some exemplary embodiments, the monitoring device 305 may include a plastic material including a barium material (e.g., BaSO4) and / or any other suitable material that may cause the monitoring device 305 to contrast in an X-ray image (e.g., appear in one or more colors that contrast with other objects such as the body of an animal). For example, monitoring device 305 may include any suitable material that enables monitoring device 305 to be easily discernible in (eg, compared to) an X-ray or other diagnostic image of the digestive system of an animal that has consumed monitoring device 305.

[0026] The user device 310 can be any suitable user device for receiving input and / or providing output (e.g., raw data or other desired information) to a user (e.g., user 312). The user device 310 can be, for example, a touch screen device (e.g., a smartphone, a tablet computer, a smart board, and / or any suitable computer device), a computer keyboard and monitor (e.g., a desktop or laptop computer), an audio-based device for inputting and / or receiving output via voice input, a tactile-based device for inputting and receiving output based on touch or sensory input, a dedicated user device or interface designed to work specifically with other components of the system 300, and / or any other suitable user device or interface. For example, the user device 310 can include a touch screen device of a smartphone or a handheld tablet computer. For example, the user device 310 can include a display that can include a graphical user interface to facilitate the user to input input and / or receive output. For example, the system 300 can provide notifications to the user via outputs sent to the user device 310.

[0027] In at least some exemplary embodiments, user device 310 may include dedicated software and register with system 300 based on the operation of the exemplary disclosed modules described below. User device 310 may allow pairing with one or more monitoring devices 305 via the exemplary disclosed modules (e.g., a Bluetooth module as described below).

[0028] System 300 may include one or more modules that may be partially or substantially fully integrated with one or more components of system 300, such as user devices 310 and / or 320, one or more monitoring devices 305, and / or any exemplary network described herein (e.g., a cloud-based network). One or more modules may be software modules, as described below with respect to Figure 5 As described. For example, one or more modules may include computer executable code stored in non-volatile memory. One or more modules may also include a processor, or alternatively, a processor for processing data associated with system 300, which may be partially or substantially fully integrated into any portion (e.g., or a combination of multiple portions) of system 300. One or more modules (e.g., a module for Bluetooth communication, a module for Wi-Fi communication, a module for executing exemplary disclosed algorithms, and / or any other suitable module) may store data and / or be used to control some or all of the exemplary disclosed processes described herein.

[0029] User device 320 can be similar to user device 310. User device 320 (e.g., and / or user device 310) can also be any suitable accessory, such as a smart watch, a Bluetooth headset, and / or other suitable device that can be detected by monitoring device 305 (e.g., operated via Bluetooth). For example, user device 320 can act as a Bluetooth beacon (e.g., to facilitate operation of system 300 between monitoring device 305, user device 310, communication system 315, and / or user device 320). For example, user device 320 can act as a Bluetooth beacon device to indirectly connect monitoring device 305 and user device 310. In at least some exemplary embodiments, user device 320 can be detected by monitoring device 305 via communication system 315 (e.g., via Bluetooth coverage), so that user device 320 can thereby act as a Bluetooth beacon to determine the safety status of animal 308, as described herein.

[0030] The communication system 315 may provide any suitable communication, such as Bluetooth communication coverage, near field communication, and / or any other desired communication. The communication system 315 may be any suitable wireless system that allows data to be exchanged between the monitoring device 305, the user device 310, and / or the user device 320 using radio waves (e.g., short wavelength radio waves such as UHF waves) over a short distance (e.g., up to about 10 meters, and / or up to about 100 meters).

[0031] The communication system 325 may be any suitable network communication system, such as a Wi-Fi network. For example, the communication system 325 may be any suitable radio communication system for providing a wireless local area network for the monitoring device 305 , the user device 310 , and / or the user device 320 .

[0032] Figure 3 Another exemplary configuration of system 300 is shown, which may include a plurality of monitoring devices 305A, 305B, 305C, 305D, 305E, 305F, and 305G, which may be similar to monitoring device 305 (e.g., and each monitoring device may be attached to, embedded in, or worn by animal 308); a plurality of user devices 310A, 310B, and 310C, which may be similar to user device 310 (e.g., and each user device may be associated with a user); a plurality of communication systems 315A, 315B, and 315C; and a plurality of communication systems 325A, 325B, and 325C, which may be similar to communication system 325. Some or all of the exemplary disclosed components of system 300 may also communicate with network 301 (e.g., the Internet or other suitable communication networks disclosed herein). Information may be exchanged over network 301 via one or more high-speed connections, such as over-the-air (OTA) connections. Figure 3The exemplary disclosed monitoring devices and user devices shown may represent separate devices and / or different locations of the same device or multiple devices.

[0033] Figure 3 Also shown is a region 330. The region 330 can be, for example, a safe area that is safe for the animal 308. The region 330 can be defined by data (e.g., spatial data such as Cartesian coordinates) that can be stored and / or processed by an exemplary disclosed module of the system 300. The region 330 can be static and / or dynamically change over time based on the operation of the system 300. The region 330 can be based on user input, predetermined criteria, and / or artificial intelligence operation of the system 300, as described below. The region 330 can define (e.g., geographically define) a geographic area, such as a land area, a water area, and / or any other suitable geographic location. The region 330 can be any desired size, such as less than 100 square feet (SF), up to about 1,000 SF, up to about 10,000 SF (e.g., about 8,000 SF) or larger (e.g., one acre or more acres or one square mile or more square miles). Area 330 may define a safe area for animal 308, such as a user's yard, a safe grazing area for an animal, a safe terrain area, and / or a safe area for animal 308 to walk, run, swim, and / or fly. Area 330 may define a safe area for animal 308, for example, based on environmental, legal, ecological, and / or any other desired criteria. In at least some exemplary embodiments, area 330 may be a "safe" area for animal 308, such as an apartment, house, suburb, aviary, fence, yard, or any other desired location.

[0034] The exemplary disclosed systems, devices, and methods can be used in any application suitable for monitoring the status of animals. For example, the exemplary disclosed systems, devices, and methods can be used in any suitable application for monitoring and / or determining whether the status of an animal is safe or unsafe, for example, based on geographic location, surrounding conditions, and / or any other suitable factors. The exemplary disclosed systems, devices, and methods can be used in any suitable application involving animal status monitoring, for example, keeping pets in a yard or other predetermined area, keeping livestock, managing tracked animals (e.g., endangered species), and / or any other desired application for monitoring the status of animals.

[0035] Figure 4 An exemplary operation or algorithm is shown for the exemplary disclosure system 300. The process 400 begins at step 405.

[0036] At step 410, the system 300 may receive input data (e.g., from a user or other suitable source) and determine the boundaries of the area 330 (e.g., geographic data such as 2-dimensional and / or 3-dimensional spatial coordinate data). The system 300 may also receive data from an exemplary disclosed monitoring device (e.g., monitoring device 305, 305A, 305B, 305C, 305D, 305E, 305F, and / or 305G) and / or an exemplary disclosed user device (e.g., user device 310, 310A, 310B, 310C, and / or 320).

[0037] For example, at step 410, one or more users (e.g., user 312), such as owners of one or more animals 308, may register their respective user devices 310 (e.g., and / or user devices 320) with the system 300. For example, the user 312 may communicate with one or more modules of the system 300 via any exemplary disclosed communication system (e.g., as disclosed herein) to provide data identifying the user, the user device 310 and / or 320, the exemplary disclosed monitoring device, the animal 308, the communication system (e.g., as disclosed herein), and / or the area 330. The user 312 may obtain an account through one or more modules of the system 300. The user 312 may pair the corresponding user device 310 and / or 320 with the corresponding exemplary disclosed monitoring device. For example, a connection may be established between the corresponding exemplary disclosed monitoring device and the user device.

[0038] Each user 312 can input data defining an area 330 (e.g., the area can be a "safe" area that does not pose a risk of injury or death to the animal 308). The user 312 can use the exemplary disclosed user device to draw the area 330 (e.g., by drawing on a map displayed by the exemplary disclosed user device based on the operation of one or more modules of the system 300). For example, the user 312 can draw (e.g., trace with a finger or cursor) the area on an electronic map displayed by the exemplary disclosed user device. The user 312 can also input geographic coordinates via the exemplary disclosed user device and / or utilize the global positioning component of the exemplary disclosed user device as described above to send real-time data to the system 300 defining the area 330 (e.g., walking, driving, sailing and / or flying around the perimeter of the area 330 to transfer or "draw" the area 330 in real time or near real time). The system 300 can also determine the area 330 based on predetermined criteria, artificial intelligence operations, user input, emergency data (e.g., flood and / or weather data), crowdsourced data (e.g., data provided by social networks), law enforcement or government data, and / or any other suitable data source that defines a "safe" geographic area. Region 330 may be defined by any suitable technique for defining a geographic area or space. Region 330 may be updated from time to time during operation of system 300 using the exemplary techniques described above.

[0039] In at least some exemplary embodiments, the area 330 can be formed by a user selecting a specific area on a map through an exemplary disclosed user device (e.g., an electronic device or other device disclosed herein, for example). For example, the user can select a specific area on a map through an electronic device and / or select a specific area on a map by listing coordinates (e.g., GNSS and / or GPS coordinates) of a specific area that defines a safe zone for one or more animals 308.

[0040] A network may also be identified at step 410. For example, a user may input and / or system 300 may detect an exemplary disclosed "safe" communication system (e.g., communication system 315, 315A, 315B, 315C, 325, 325A, 325B, and / or 325C) operating in or near area 330. The exemplary "safe" communication system may be identified based on user input, registration with system 300, meeting predetermined criteria (e.g., an entity of an operating system), and / or any other suitable technique. For example, one or more modules of system 300 (e.g., as described above), such as a Wi-Fi (e.g., and / or Bluetooth) module of system 300, may operate to detect and store data (e.g., a list) of the exemplary disclosed "safe" communication system. If an unknown Wi-Fi network is detected in area 330, the Wi-Fi network may be added to the list of "safe" Wi-Fi networks through operation of system 300.

[0041] In at least some exemplary embodiments, the determination of secure communication systems (e.g., Wi-Fi networks) may include detecting Wi-Fi networks operating in area 330 and including those networks in a list of “safe” networks that may be stored by one or more modules of system 300. For example, the list of secure networks may be stored (e.g., saved) in internal memory of an exemplary disclosed monitoring device and / or any other suitable component of system 300. For example, a list of secure network access points (e.g., secure Wi-Fi access points with credentials and Cartesian coordinates) may be stored in a backend of system 300, and the backend of system 300 may communicate those secure areas to one or more monitoring devices 305. If system 300 detects new wireless networks in or near area 330, those networks may be added to an existing (e.g., already created) list of “safe” Wi-Fi networks, which may further reduce the risk of errors in determining the safe or unsafe status of animal 308.

[0042] At step 410, as well as any other steps of process 400, one or more exemplary disclosed monitoring devices (e.g., monitoring devices 305, 305A, 305B, 305C, 305D, 305E, 305F, and / or 305G) and / or one or more exemplary disclosed user devices (e.g., user devices 310, 310A, 310B, 310C, and / or 320) may send and / or receive data to each other via exemplary disclosed communication systems (e.g., communication systems 315, 315A, 315B, 315C, 325, 325A, 325B, and / or 325C) and / or network 301. Animal 308 may initially be identified by system 300 (e.g., a backend of system 300, such as a backend of network 301) as being in a safe state, and / or its initial state may be verified by system 300 based on operation of system 300, such as described herein. For example, a back end of system 300 (eg, a back end of the exemplary disclosed network described herein) may make the decisions of process 400 based on data received from exemplary disclosed monitoring devices and user devices.

[0043] At step 415, system 300 can determine whether the movement of one or more animals 308 has exceeded a predetermined threshold. The exemplary disclosed monitoring devices (e.g., monitoring devices 305, 305A, 305B, 305C, 305D, 305E, 305F, and / or 305G) can detect animal movement using the exemplary disclosed sensors described above (e.g., via accelerometers, position sensors, inclinometers, heartbeat sensors, and / or any other suitable technology described herein). If the animal 308 moves above a threshold (or has an attribute that exceeds a threshold), such as a predetermined threshold, process 400 can proceed to step 420. If the animal 308 does not move above a predetermined threshold, process 400 can return to step 410.

[0044] Any suitable predetermined threshold value may be set for the movement of the animal 308. For example, the predetermined threshold value may be set based on user input, predetermined criteria (e.g., based on the type of animal), and / or manual operation of the system 300, as described below. The threshold value (e.g., predetermined threshold value) may be that the animal 308 moves continuously for 15 seconds or moves for 15 seconds within one minute. The threshold value may also be that the animal 308 moves more than a certain total distance (e.g., 10 feet, 20 feet, 100 feet, or any other desired distance) during the process 400 or during a certain time period (e.g., during 10 minutes, 30 minutes, one hour, or any other desired time period). For example, the system 300 may initially measure the movement of a given animal associated with a given monitoring device based on the number of physical steps or strides taken by the animal. For example, the number of physical steps or strides taken by the animal may be converted into a linear distance (e.g., mileage or any other suitable distance metric) based on a predetermined formula that takes into account attributes such as the type of animal, the breed type, the age of the animal, and / or the height of the animal. The threshold may also be based on any other data sensed by the exemplary disclosed monitoring devices (e.g., monitoring devices 305, 305A, 305B, 305C, 305D, 305E, 305F, and / or 305G), such as a specific body temperature of animal 308, specific ambient lighting (e.g., at dusk, dawn, or any other desired time), or any other desired threshold based on sensed data.

[0045] In at least some exemplary embodiments, when an exemplary disclosed threshold is exceeded (e.g., when prolonged continuous movement of animal 308 is sensed), the state of animal 308 may be determined. Thus, in situations where there is a high probability of a change in state (e.g., when animal 308 is moving), the state of animal 308 (e.g., a safe or unsafe state) may be determined. If animal 308 is not moving (e.g., sleeping) or is slightly changing position (e.g., changing the position of its body), the probability of the state of animal 308 may be low, and the state may not be checked in such a situation or case. For example, a condition of prolonged continuous movement of animal 308 may be determined by, for example, an exemplary disclosed monitoring device disclosed herein.

[0046] When system 300 receives data exceeding the exemplary disclosed threshold (e.g., from an exemplary disclosed monitoring device), process 400 proceeds to step 420. At step 420, system 300 may check the connection (e.g., Bluetooth connection) between the exemplary disclosed monitoring device (e.g., monitoring device 305, 305A, 305B, 305C, 305D, 305E, 305F, and / or 305G) and the exemplary disclosed user device (e.g., user device 310, 310A, 310B, 310C, and / or 320).

[0047] For example, Figure 1 As shown, a connection (e.g., a Bluetooth connection) between a user device 310 of a user 312 and a monitoring device 305 attached to or worn by an animal 308 may be confirmed via a communication system 315 (e.g., Bluetooth communication). Figure 1 An exemplary situation is shown in which a user 312 is located relatively close to an animal 308, and the safety status of the animal 308 can be determined accordingly based on the proximity of the user 312 to the animal 308 (e.g., the animal 308 is safe because it is close to the user 312 who can care for or protect the animal 308).

[0048] Likewise, for example, Figure 2 As shown, a connection (e.g., a Bluetooth connection) between a user device 320 and a monitoring device 305 attached to or worn by an animal 308 can be confirmed. Because the user device 320 can be a beacon device associated with the user device 310 and the user 312 (e.g., as described herein), the system 300 can confirm that there is a similar Figure 1 For example, if there is no direct connection (e.g., Bluetooth communication) between monitoring device 305 and user device 310 via communication system 315, system 300 can determine whether other devices (e.g., beacon devices) such as user device 320 described above are communicating with monitoring device 305 via communication system 315. Figure 2 As shown, user device 320 can be used as a Bluetooth beacon. For example, system 300 can communicate with monitoring device 305 and user devices 310 and 320 to confirm the presence of user 312 in the vicinity of animal 308 (e.g., system 300 queries data from the device to confirm that user 312 is close to animal 308). User devices 310 and 320 can be associated with a single user 312 or multiple users 312. For example, any desired number of users 312 (e.g., owners or trusted users) can be associated with a given animal 308. Because user devices can be registered with system 300 as described herein (e.g., assuming that user 312 has provided access permission), system 300 can query user devices 310 and 320 and monitoring device 305 to confirm the proximity of one or more users 312 to animal 308. Therefore, at step 420, system 300 can utilize any suitable user device, such as a Bluetooth beacon.

[0049] At step 425, the system 300 may determine whether the connection checked at step 420 has been established (e.g., has been made). If a connection has not been made, the process 400 may proceed to step 435. If a connection has been made, the process 400 may proceed to step 430, where the system 300 may determine and record that the animal 308 is in a safe state. The system 300 may make such a determination for any desired number of animals 308.

[0050] In at least some exemplary embodiments, at step 425, if monitoring device 305 is connected to user device 310 via Bluetooth (e.g., Figure 1 or Figure 2 ), the process 400 can proceed to step 430, in which the system 300 determines that the user 312 (e.g., the animal owner) is present near the animal 308 and cancels further activities to determine the safety status of the animal, which can reduce the risk of errors in determining the status of the animal 308 (e.g., avoiding false alarms and incorrect status reports). For example, the system 300 can thereby reduce the risk of erroneously determining the safe and / or unsafe status of one or more animals 308.

[0051] At step 435, system 300 may check for a connection (e.g., a wireless connection such as a Wi-Fi connection) between an exemplary disclosed monitoring device (e.g., monitoring device 305, 305A, 305B, 305C, 305D, 305E, 305F, and / or 305G) and an exemplary disclosed communication system (e.g., communication system 325, 325A, 325B, and / or 325C). For example, Figure 2 As shown, in addition to Bluetooth communications with user device 310 via user device 320 acting as a Bluetooth beacon, monitoring device 305 can also communicate with communication system 325 (e.g., Wi-Fi communications).

[0052] Likewise, for example, Figure 3 As shown, in addition to Bluetooth communication with user device 310A, monitoring device 305A can also communicate with communication system 325A (e.g., Wi-Fi communication). Monitoring device 305B can communicate with communication system 325B (e.g., Wi-Fi communication). Monitoring devices 305C and 305E can communicate with Bluetooth (e.g., through respective communication systems 315B and 315C), but cannot communicate with Wi-Fi through the exemplary disclosed communication systems (e.g., communication systems 325, 325A, 325B, and 325C). Similarly, for example, monitoring devices 305D, 305F, and 305G do not communicate with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

[0053] Process 400 may proceed to step 440, where system 300 may determine whether the connection identified in step 435 is established (e.g., for the exemplary disclosed monitoring device that is not connected, such as the Bluetooth connection determined in steps 420 and 425). Figure 3 As shown, no connection, such as a Bluetooth connection, is established for monitoring devices 305B, 305D, 305F, and 305G. Based on steps 420 and 425 above, monitoring devices 305A, 305C, and 305E may be determined to have a secure status. Since monitoring device 305B can communicate via communication system 325B (e.g., a "secure" Wi-Fi system), such as Wi-Fi communication, process 400 may proceed to step 430 of monitoring device 305B, and a secure status may be determined for monitoring device 305B.

[0054] In at least some exemplary embodiments, if a connection is not established between a monitoring device (e.g., monitoring device 305B) and an exemplary disclosed user device via a connection (e.g., a Bluetooth connection) as described in steps 420 and 425 above, a security status may be assigned to animal 308 if there is a connection to a "secure" Wi-Fi network (e.g., communication system 325A, 325B, or 325C). Also, for example, when a secure Wi-Fi SSID (service set identifier) ​​is set without Cartesian coordinates (e.g., without coordinates of area 330), a security status may be assigned to animal 308. For example, setting a secure SSID may provide a security status. For example, communication system 325B may be a "secure" Wi-Fi network that allows animal 308 to be determined by a Wi-Fi module of monitoring device 305B. Also, for example, if there is a connection to a single Wi-Fi network (e.g., communication system 325B) or multiple secure communication systems (e.g., Wi-Fi networks) of a secure area, a security status may be assigned to the animal. Also for example, when a secure Wi-Fi SSID (service set identifier) ​​is set, a secure status can be assigned to the animal 308. This can further reduce the risk of incorrectly determining the animal's security status. At step 410, the user and / or system 300 can select one or more "secure" networks, such as a "secure" Wi-Fi network.

[0055] As mentioned above, Figure 3 As shown, monitoring devices 305D, 305F, and 305G may not perform the communication described in steps 415 and 420 (e.g., Bluetooth communication), nor may they perform the communication described in steps 435 and 440 (e.g., Wi-Fi communication). Process 400 may proceed to step 445 for monitoring devices 305D, 305F, and 305G.

[0056] In step 445, the system 300 can determine the location of one or more animals 308 by receiving location data (e.g., or other sensory data as described herein) from various exemplary disclosed monitoring devices and comparing the location data (e.g., or other sensory data) to geographic data for the area 330 (e.g., or other predetermined criteria or data as described herein).

[0057] For example, system 300 can query monitoring devices 305D, 305F, and 305G for location data of corresponding animal 308 (e.g., as sensed by sensors and components as described above). System 300 can use one or more modules, such as those described herein, to determine whether each of monitoring devices 305D, 305F, and 305G worn by, embedded in, or attached to animal 308 is located in region 330 (e.g., within region 330 or any other region selected by a user or within an area bounded by region 330 or any other region selected by a user). The determination can be made using, for example, a Cartesian coordinate system or other suitable mathematical techniques.

[0058] In at least some exemplary embodiments, if a connection between the exemplary disclosed monitoring device and the communication system described in steps 415 and 420 above (e.g., a Bluetooth connection) and a connection between the exemplary disclosed monitoring device and the communication system described in steps 435 and 440 above (e.g., a “secure” Wi-Fi network connection) has not been established, the system 300 may assign a “safe” status to a given animal 308 when the location coordinates of the given animal 308 (e.g., based on data from the corresponding monitoring device of the animal 308) are within the area or any safe area 330 added by the user 330. This operation may allow one or more modules (e.g., a GNSS module and / or a GPS module) of the exemplary disclosed monitoring device and / or other components of the system 300 as described herein to determine that the given animal 308 is present in the area 330 (e.g., a “safe” area), and to assign and record a “safe” status to the given animal 308. If the location coordinates of a given animal 308 are not within the area or range of area 330 (e.g., safe area coordinates), an "unsafe" status can be assigned and recorded for the given animal 308, and the system 300 can provide an alert notification (e.g., a phone call, text, application notification, or other suitable notification or alert) to the given user 312 via a corresponding exemplary disclosed user device.

[0059] Process 400 may proceed to step 450, where system 300 may determine whether given animal 308 is located in area 330 (or meets other suitable criteria) based on location data (e.g., or other suitable data) provided by the exemplary disclosed monitoring device. Figure 3As shown, the location data sensed and / or provided by the monitoring device 305D attached to, embedded in, or worn on the corresponding animal 308 can indicate that the corresponding animal 308 is located in the area 330 (a "safe" area). The process 400 can proceed to step 430 for the monitoring device 305D, and the system 300 can determine the "safe" status of the corresponding animal 308 of the monitoring device 305D. The location data sensed by the monitoring devices 305F and 305G can indicate that the corresponding animal 308 associated with these devices is not located in the area 330. The process 400 can proceed to step 455 for the monitoring devices 305F and 305G, and the system 300 can determine the "unsafe" status of the corresponding animal 308 of the monitoring devices 305F and 305G. The system 300 can also send an alarm or an alarm notification to the respective users of the monitoring devices 305F and 305G who are paired or associated with the animal 308 by sending data to the exemplary disclosed user devices of these users. The process 400 can end at step 460.

[0060] In at least some exemplary embodiments, the exemplary disclosed method may include detecting a user's electronic device and determining a safe zone and a secure Wi-Fi network at the animal's location. The determination of the animal's safety status may be performed when the animal is in continuous motion for a long period of time. Therefore, when a connection is made between the electronic monitoring device and the user's electronic device via Bluetooth, an initial safety status may be assigned to the animal. If there is no connection between the monitoring device and the user's electronic device, a safety status may be assigned to the animal when the electronic monitoring device is connected to a secure Wi-Fi network. If there is no connection between the electronic monitoring device and the secure Wi-Fi network, a safety status may be assigned to the animal when the GNSS coordinates of the animal's location are detected within the GNSS safety zone coordinate range.

[0061] In at least some exemplary embodiments, the disclosed exemplary systems, apparatuses, and methods may include determining the safety status of an animal based on the animal's prolonged continuous motion, which may eliminate the step of checking the animal's status if the animal is stationary and / or if the animal has inconspicuous, discrete, and / or non-continuous activity (e.g., when the probability of a status change from safe to unsafe is low or extremely low). Thus, errors in determining the safety status of an animal may be reduced or avoided, thereby reducing (e.g., initially reducing) the risk of errors in one or more stages of the exemplary disclosed methods.

[0062] In at least some exemplary embodiments, when a connection is established via Bluetooth between a monitoring device attached to or worn by an animal and a user electronic device, a safety status may be initially assigned to the animal, which may provide the ability to detect an owner in the vicinity of the animal, thereby assigning a safety status to the animal without further method or process steps. If a connection has not yet been established between the monitoring device and the user electronic device via Bluetooth, a safety status may be assigned to the animal when there is a connection between the monitoring device and one or more secure Wi-Fi networks. This may allow (e.g., in the absence of an animal owner in the vicinity of the animal) the animal to be assigned a safety status by detecting the animal within a coverage area (e.g., a "safe" area) of one or more secure Wi-Fi networks and then performing a safety status check on the animal. If there is no connection between the electronic monitoring device and one or more "safe" Wi-Fi networks, the animal may be assigned a safety status when the coordinates of the animal's location are detected within the safe zone coordinate range. This may allow the process to be completed, including assigning a safe or unsafe status to the animal, and if the animal's status is unsafe, the animal's owner is notified of the unsafe status by sending a notification to the animal's owner's exemplary disclosed user device (e.g., electronic device).

[0063] In at least some exemplary embodiments, the exemplary disclosed method determines the safe state of the animal when the probability of the state change is relatively high or highest, which can reduce (e.g., initially reduce) the number of times or iterations of the operating state check system, which can reduce the risk of erroneously determining an unsafe state of the animal. The exemplary disclosed system and method can also extend (e.g., significantly extend) the battery life of the exemplary disclosed monitoring device. Determining the safe state at each stage of the exemplary disclosed method can allow the exemplary inspection process to be stopped and run from the beginning at the appropriate time or stage. Step-by-step inspection allows the current state of the animal to be determined and avoids collecting and / or processing a large amount of data (large batches of data) that may be received from the electronic monitoring device. This can reduce the risk of inaccurately determining the safety state of the animal, which can achieve the result (e.g., technical result) of reducing the risk of errors in determining the state of the animal while increasing battery life (e.g., thereby improving the quality of determining the safety state of the animal).

[0064] In at least some exemplary embodiments, the exemplary disclosed methods may allow for elimination of repeated determinations of safe states for animals that are sleeping or immobile, which may result in erroneous determinations of unsafe states (e.g., false alarms). The exemplary disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods may also allow for less energy to be consumed, and such energy savings may allow for reduced risk of premature battery discharge of monitoring equipment, and may also extend the battery life of monitoring equipment. This may reduce the risk of animal loss based on system failure, which may improve the quality of current state determinations.

[0065] In at least some exemplary embodiments, the safety status can be checked based on the existence of a connection between the collar and the electronic device of the animal owner via a BLE channel. If there is a connection with the electronic device of the owner via the BLE channel, the animal status can be determined to be safe. If there is no connection with the electronic device of the owner via the BLE channel, the animal status can be determined to be safe in the list of safe Wi-Fi networks.

[0066] Check and search for available Wi-Fi networks near the animal. If you are on a secure network (e.g., scanning from monitoring device 305

[0067] If there is an available Wi-Fi network in the list of Wi-Fi networks (e.g., safe networks during the monitoring period), the animal status can be determined to be safe. In addition, the exemplary disclosed system can use data about Wi-Fi networks (e.g., nearby safe Wi-Fi access points and / or Cartesian safe areas) collected during the life cycle of the exemplary disclosed monitoring device. For example, the system 300 can use a third-party service (e.g., Google Geolocation API) to obtain the geolocation of global Wi-Fi access points. If there is no available Wi-Fi network in the list of safe networks, the GNSS module can be accessed, the coordinates of the animal's location can be determined, and the obtained GNSS coordinates can then be searched in the coordinates of the safe area. If the GNSS coordinates of the animal's location are determined within the safe zone coordinate range, the animal can be assigned a safe status. In the event of inconsistent coordinates (e.g., the animal is not within the area defined by the coordinates), the animal can be assigned an unsafe status, and a notification can be sent to the owner's smartphone that the animal is outside the safe area.

[0068] In at least some exemplary embodiments, the disclosed exemplary methods may include detecting a user electronic device, determining a coordinate range of a safe zone, and determining a safe Wi-Fi network and / or other Wi-Fi networks close to a safe Wi-Fi access point or spatial area. The exemplary disclosed methods may be implemented in the case of a long-term continuous movement of an animal. Therefore, when the electronic monitoring device and the user electronic device are connected via Bluetooth, an initial safe state may be assigned to the animal. If there is no connection between the monitoring device and the user electronic device, a safe state may be assigned to the animal when the electronic monitoring device is connected to a safe Wi-Fi network. If there is no connection between the electronic monitoring device and the safe Wi-Fi network, a safe state may be assigned to the animal when the GNSS coordinates of the animal's location are detected within the GNSS safe zone coordinate range. The long-term continuous movement of the animal may be determined by the data of the duration of the movement and the overload received from the accelerometer of the electronic monitoring device. The safe zone of the animal's location may be determined by the user selecting a specific area on the map through the electronic device. If there is no Bluetooth connection between the electronic monitoring device and the user's electronic device, it may be checked whether there are other electronic devices in the Bluetooth coverage area. In the case of detecting other devices, these other devices may be used as Bluetooth beacons. If an unknown Wi-Fi network is detected in a safe area, the exemplary disclosed system can obtain and use information associated with the unknown Wi-Fi network to analyze the area in which the exemplary disclosed user device is located (e.g., an area where it may be difficult to receive GPS signals). The user can select any desired "safe" Wi-Fi network. If one or more "safe" Wi-Fi networks are detected, a safe status can be assigned to the animal.

[0069] In at least some exemplary embodiments, the exemplary disclosed method may include providing a monitoring device (e.g., monitoring device 305, 305A, 305B, 305C, 305D, 305E, 305F, or 305G) to an animal, the animal being monitored by a user having a user device; determining location data defining a spatial area (e.g., area 330); determining location data of the monitoring device; sensing movement of the animal using the monitoring device; and determining whether the monitoring device is connected to the user device via a first communication system when the movement of the animal exceeds a movement threshold. The disclosed exemplary method may also include: determining whether the monitoring device is connected to a second communication system (e.g., as described below) when the monitoring device is not connected to the user device via the first communication system; determining whether the monitoring device is located in the spatial area by comparing the location data defining the spatial area with the location data of the monitoring device; and transmitting alarm data to the user device when the monitoring device is not located in the spatial area. The first communication system may be a Bluetooth system. The second communication system may be a Wi-Fi network. The exemplary disclosed method may also include sending data indicating the safety status of the animal to the user device when the movement of the animal is less than the movement threshold. The disclosed exemplary method may also include, when the monitoring device is connected to the user device via the first communication system, sending data indicating the safety status of the animal to the user device, and maintaining the safety status until the movement of the animal exceeds the movement threshold. The exemplary disclosed method may also include, when the monitoring device is connected to the second communication system, sending data indicating the safety status of the animal to the user device, and maintaining the safety status until the movement of the animal exceeds the movement threshold. The exemplary disclosed method may also include, when the monitoring device is located in the spatial area, sending data indicating the safety status of the animal to the user device, and maintaining the safety status until the movement of the animal exceeds the movement threshold. Sensing the movement of the animal using the monitoring device may include using an accelerometer included in the monitoring device. Determining the location data of the monitoring device may include using a positioning system selected from the group consisting of GNSS and GPS. The exemplary disclosed method may also include pairing the user device (smartphone) with the monitoring device (a collar worn by the animal), wherein the animal is a pet of the user. The exemplary disclosed method may also include updating the location data defining the spatial area, which is the safety area of ​​the animal. The movement threshold may be that the animal moves continuously for 15 seconds.

[0070] In at least some exemplary embodiments, determining whether the monitoring device is connected to the second communication system may also include determining whether a trusted SSID is active in the Wi-Fi coverage area of ​​the monitoring device without a direct connection. A secure Wi-Fi access point may be used to send or receive some data based on an event. For example, BLE commands may not be used because BLE (e.g., Bluetooth Low Energy) speeds may be relatively low and the system may use Wi-Fi to download new firmware relatively quickly. If there is no BLE connection with the exemplary disclosed user device (e.g., during a walk or other activity), the exemplary disclosed system may also use a secure Wi-Fi AP to send accumulated trajectory information. After a direct connection is established (e.g., via an embedded modem and sim chip), backend commands may be received.

[0071] An exemplary disclosed system may include an animal status module (e.g., one or more modules described herein), including computer executable code stored in non-volatile memory, a processor, a monitoring device (e.g., monitoring device 305, 305A, 305B, 305C, 305D, 305E, 305F, or 305G), and a user device. The animal status module, processor, monitoring device, and user device may be configured to determine location data defining a safe geographic area (e.g., area 330), determine location data of the monitoring device, sense movement of the animal using the monitoring device, and when the movement of the animal exceeds a movement threshold, determine whether the monitoring device is connected to the user device via a first communication system. The animal status module, processor, monitoring device, and user device may be configured to determine whether the monitoring device is connected to the second communication system (e.g., or the monitoring device is close to the second communication system or other similar system without being connected to the second communication system) when the monitoring device is not connected to the user device via the first communication system, determine whether the monitoring device is located in the safe geographical area by comparing the location data defining the safe geographical area with the location data of the monitoring device, and transmit alarm data to the user device when the monitoring device is not located in the safe geographical area. Each of the first communication system and the second communication system may be a Bluetooth system or a Wi-Fi network. The animal status module, processor, monitoring device, and user device may be configured to: when the monitoring device is connected to the user device via the first communication system, send data indicating the safety status of the animal to the user device, and maintain the safety status until the animal's movement exceeds a movement threshold (e.g., if the exemplary disclosed monitoring device is in sleep mode). The animal status module, processor, monitoring device, and user device may be configured to: when the monitoring device is connected to the second communication system, send data indicating the safety status of the animal to the user device, and maintain the safety status until the animal's movement exceeds a movement threshold. For example, the secure state may be maintained until the monitoring device identifies (e.g., "sees") a trusted Wi-Fi AP with or without direct connectivity, or identifies (e.g., "sees") other Wi-Fi APs that are relatively close to the Wi-Fi AP (e.g., or in the case of an exemplary disclosed monitoring device entering a sleep mode and remaining in sleep mode until the animal's movement exceeds a predetermined motion threshold). The animal status module, processor, monitoring device, and user device may be configured to: send data indicating the animal's secure state to the user device when the monitoring device is located in a secure geographic area, and maintain the secure state until the animal's movement exceeds the motion threshold. The Wi-Fi network may be located in a secure geographic area.

[0072] In at least some exemplary embodiments, the exemplary disclosed method may include providing a monitoring device (e.g., monitoring device 305, 305A, 305B, 305C, 305D, 305E, 305F, or 305G) to an animal, the animal being monitored by a user having a user device; determining location data defining a spatial area; determining location data of the monitoring device; sensing movement of the animal using the monitoring device; and determining whether the monitoring device is directly connected to the user device via Bluetooth communication when the movement of the animal exceeds a movement threshold. The disclosed exemplary method may also include: determining whether the monitoring device is connected to a Wi-Fi network when the monitoring device is not directly connected to the user device via Bluetooth communication; determining whether the monitoring device is located in the spatial area by comparing the location data defining the spatial area with the location data of the monitoring device; and transmitting alarm data to the user device when the monitoring device is not located in the spatial area. The exemplary disclosed method may also include identifying additional Wi-Fi networks located in the spatial area, and indicating a safety status of the animal when the monitoring device is connected to the additional Wi-Fi network. The disclosed example method may also include identifying a Bluetooth beacon device when the monitoring device is not directly connected to the user device via Bluetooth communications, and using the Bluetooth beacon device to indirectly connect the monitoring device to the user device.

[0073] In at least some exemplary embodiments, a BLE-connected lighting device (e.g., a flashlight) can be paired with an exemplary disclosed monitoring device via an exemplary disclosed user device. The flashlight can be attached to an attachment device (e.g., a metal ring) of the exemplary disclosed monitoring device. When an animal is in an unsafe state, such as that determined herein, the exemplary disclosed system can control the flashlight to turn on to help the user find the animal. Also, for example, a user can remotely control the flashlight using an exemplary disclosed user device. For example, a user and / or an exemplary disclosed system can control the flashlight to emit light at any desired intensity and / or flashing mode.

[0074] Exemplary disclosed systems, devices, and methods can provide efficient and effective techniques for improving the quality of determining the safety status of an animal. For example, exemplary disclosed systems, devices, and methods can reduce the risk of errors when determining the status of an animal, which can, for example, reduce the number of false alarms and other incorrect reports of the status of an animal. Exemplary disclosed systems, devices, and methods can also reduce the amount of energy used to determine the status of an animal (e.g., reduce energy intensity).

[0075] Figure 5An illustrative diagram of a computing device applicable to an embodiment of the system of the present disclosure is shown. Computing device 100 may generally include a central processing unit (CPU, 101), optional other processing units (including a graphics processing unit (GPU)), a random access memory (RAM, 102), a motherboard 103, or alternatively / additionally include a storage medium (e.g., a hard drive, a solid-state drive, a flash memory, a cloud storage), an operating system (OS, 104), one or more application software 105, a display element 106, and one or more input / output devices / devices 107, including one or more communication interfaces (e.g., RS232, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB). Useful examples include, but are not limited to, personal computers, smart phones, notebook computers, mobile computing devices, tablet computers, touch pads, and servers. Multiple computing devices may be operably linked to form a computer network in a manner that distributes and shares one or more resources, such as a cluster computing device and a server group / farm.

[0076] Various examples of such general multi-unit computer networks suitable for use with the disclosed embodiments, their typical configurations, and many standardized communication links are well known to those skilled in the art and will be explained in more detail below and by the following description. Figure 6 Shown.

[0077] According to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, data may be transmitted to the system, stored by the system, and / or transmitted by the system to users of the system via a local area network (LAN) (e.g., an office network, a home network) or a wide area network (WAN) (e.g., the Internet). According to the previous embodiments, the system may include many servers connected by one or more LANs and / or WANs. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that there may be a variety of ways to configure the system, and it is contemplated that embodiments of the present disclosure may be used in any configuration.

[0078] In general, users of computing devices can use the systems and methods provided herein, whether or not they are connected to a network. Similarly, some steps of the methods provided herein can be performed by components and modules of the system, whether or not they are connected. When these components / modules are offline, once the offline components / modules are online again with the rest of the network (or its related parts), the data generated by them will be sent to the relevant other parts of the system. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, some applications of the present disclosure may not be accessible when not connected to a network, however, when a user / offline system component or module is later connected to the system network, the user or the module / component of the system itself may be able to write data that will be consumed by the system or its other components offline from the rest of the system.

[0079] refer to Figure 6, shows a schematic overview of a system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The system includes one or more application servers 203 for electronically storing information used by the system. Applications in the servers 203 can retrieve and manipulate information in storage devices and exchange information via WAN 201 (e.g., the Internet). Applications in the servers 203 can also be used to manipulate remotely stored information and process and analyze data stored remotely via WAN 201 (e.g., the Internet).

[0080] According to an exemplary embodiment, Figure 6 As shown, the information exchange carried out through WAN 201 or other networks can be carried out through one or more high-speed connections. In some cases, the high-speed connection can be an over-the-air download (OTA), through a networking system, directly connected to one or more WAN 201, or directed through one or more routers 202. Router 202 is entirely optional, and one or more routers 202 may or may not be utilized according to other embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that server 203 may be connected to WAN 201 in a variety of ways to exchange information, and it is contemplated that embodiments of the present disclosure are used together with any method for connecting to a network to exchange information. In addition, although the present application relates to high-speed connections, embodiments of the present disclosure may be used for connections of any speed.

[0081] The components or modules of the system may be connected to the server 203 in a variety of ways via the WAN 201 or other network. For example, the components or modules may be connected to the system as follows: i) via a computing device 212 directly connected to the WAN 201, ii) via computing devices 205, 206 connected to the WAN 201 via a routing device 204, iii) via computing devices 208, 209, 210 connected to a wireless access point 207, or iv) via a wireless connection (e.g., CDMA, GSM, 3G, 4G) to the WAN 201 via a computing device 211. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that there are a variety of ways that a component or module may be connected to the server 203 via the WAN 201 or other network, and it is contemplated that embodiments of the present disclosure are used with any method of connecting to the server 203 via the WAN 201 or other network. In addition, the server 203 may include a personal computing device, such as a smartphone, which acts as a host for other computing devices to connect to.

[0082] The communication means of the system may be any means for transmitting data, including text, binary data, images, and video, over one or more networks or to one or more peripheral devices attached to the system or system modules or components. Suitable communication means may include, but are not limited to, wireless connections, wired connections, cellular connections, data port connections, A wireless communication device may be used to connect a wireless communication device, ...

[0083] The exemplary disclosed system may, for example, utilize the collected data to prepare data sets and variables and submit them to a cloud computing cluster and / or other analysis tools (e.g., predictive analysis tools) that may use artificial intelligence neural networks to analyze the data. The exemplary disclosed system may, for example, include a cloud computing cluster that performs predictive analysis. For example, the exemplary disclosed system may utilize neural network-based artificial intelligence to predictively assess risk. For example, the exemplary neural network may include multiple input nodes that may be interconnected and / or networked with multiple additional and / or other processing nodes to determine a predicted result (e.g., a location as described in the examples herein).

[0084] For example, exemplary artificial intelligence processes may include filtering and processing data sets, simplifying data sets by statistically eliminating irrelevant, unchanged, or redundant variables or creating new variables that are amalgamations of a set of underlying variables, and / or splitting data sets into training, test, and validation data sets using at least one stratified sampling technique. For example, prediction algorithms and methods may include regression models, tree-based methods, logistic regression, Bayesian methods, deep learning, and neural networks, both as stand-alone and ensemble-based, and the final prediction may be based on a model / structure that provides the highest degree of accuracy and stability, as judged by implementation against test and validation data sets. Also for example, exemplary artificial intelligence processes may include processing for training a machine learning model to make predictions based on data collected by an exemplary disclosed sensor.

[0085] Traditionally, a computer program includes a finite sequence of computing instructions or program instructions. It should be understood that a programmable device or computing apparatus can receive such a computer program and produce technical effects by processing its computing instructions.

[0086] Programmable devices or computing devices include one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, embedded microcontrollers, programmable digital signal processors, programmable devices, programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic, storage devices, application specific integrated circuits, etc., which can be appropriately adopted or configured to process computer program instructions, execute computer logic, store computer data, etc. Throughout this disclosure and elsewhere, computing devices may include any and all suitable combinations of at least one general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, programmable data processing device, processor, processor architecture, etc. It should be understood that the computing device may include a computer-readable storage medium, and the medium may be internal or external, removable and replaceable or fixed. It will also be understood that the computing device may include a basic input / output system (BIOS), firmware, operating system, database, etc., which may include, interface, or support the software and hardware described herein.

[0087] The embodiments of the system described herein are not limited to applications involving conventional computer programs or programmable devices running them. For example, it is contemplated that embodiments of the disclosure claimed herein may include optical computers, quantum computers, analog computers, etc.

[0088] Regardless of the type of computer program or computing device involved, the computer program can be loaded onto a computing device to produce a specific machine capable of performing any and all of the functions described. This specific machine (or its networked configuration) provides a technique for performing any and all of the functions described.

[0089] Any combination of one or more computer-readable media may be utilized. A computer-readable medium may be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium. A computer-readable storage medium may be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared or semiconductor system, device or apparatus, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Illustrative examples of computer-readable storage media may include the following: an electrical connection with one or more wires, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer-readable storage medium may be any tangible medium capable of containing or storing a program used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, device or device.

[0090] The data storage may be comprised of one or more of a database, a file storage system, a relational data storage system, or any other data system or structure configured to store data. The data storage may be a relational database, working in conjunction with a relational database management system (RDBMS) for receiving, processing, and storing data. The data storage may include one or more databases for storing information related to the processing of motion information and estimation information, and one or more databases configured to store and retrieve motion information and estimation information.

[0091] Computer program instructions may be stored in a computer-readable memory capable of directing a computer or other programmable data processing device to operate in a specific manner. The instructions stored in the computer-readable memory constitute an article of manufacture including computer-readable instructions for implementing any and all of the described functions.

[0092] A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal containing a computer readable program code, such as in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that may transmit, propagate, or send a program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0093] Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0094] The elements described in the flowcharts and block diagrams of all the accompanying drawings imply the logical boundaries between the elements. However, according to software or hardware engineering practice, the depicted elements and their functions can be implemented as some parts of a monolithic software structure, independent software components or modules, or components or modules using external routines, codes, services, etc., or any combination of these. All of these implementations are within the scope of the present disclosure. In view of the foregoing, it should be understood that the elements of the block diagram and the flow chart support the combination of the device for performing the specified function, the combination of the steps for performing the specified function, the program instruction technology for performing the specified function, etc.

[0095] It should be understood that computer program instructions may include computer executable code. Various languages ​​for expressing computer program instructions are possible, including but not limited to Kotlin, Swift, C#, PHP, C, C++, Assembler, Java, HTML, JavaScript, CSS, etc. These languages ​​may include assembly language, hardware description language, database programming language, functional programming language, imperative programming language, etc. In some embodiments, computer program instructions may be stored, compiled or interpreted as running on a computing device, a programmable data processing device, a heterogeneous combination of processors or processor architectures, etc. Without limitation thereto, embodiments of the system described herein may take the form of a mobile application, firmware for monitoring equipment, network-based computer software, etc., including client / server software, software as a service, peer-to-peer software, etc.

[0096] In some embodiments, computing device can execute computer program instructions including multiple programs or threads. Multiple programs or threads can be processed more or less simultaneously to improve the utilization of processor and promote the function of substantially the same time. As an implementation, any and all methods, program codes, program instructions, etc. described herein can be implemented in one or more threads. The thread can generate other threads, which themselves can be assigned priorities associated therewith. In some embodiments, computing device can process these threads based on priority or any other order based on the instructions provided in the program code.

[0097] Unless expressly stated or context dictates otherwise, the verbs "process" and "execute" are used interchangeably to mean executing, processing, interpreting, compiling, assembling, linking, loading, etc. Any and all combinations of the foregoing, etc. Thus, embodiments that process computer program instructions, computer executable code, etc. may appropriately act upon the instructions or code in any and all ways just described.

[0098] The functions and operations presented herein are not inherently related to any specific computing device or other device. Various general-purpose systems may also be used in conjunction with programs according to the teachings herein, or it may be convenient to construct more specialized devices to perform the required method steps. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the structures required for various these systems and equivalent variations are apparent. In addition, the embodiments of the present disclosure are described without reference to any specific programming language. It should be understood that a variety of programming languages ​​may be used to implement the present teachings described herein, and any reference to a specific language is provided to disclose the embodiments and best modes of the present disclosure. The embodiments of the present disclosure are very suitable for various computer network systems on a variety of topologies. In this field, the configuration and management of large networks include storage devices and computing devices, which are communicatively coupled to different computing and storage devices via a network (e.g., the Internet, also referred to as "network" or "World Wide Web").

[0099] Throughout this disclosure and elsewhere, block diagrams and flow charts illustrate methods, apparatus (e.g., systems), and computer program products. Each element in the block diagrams and flow charts, and corresponding combinations of each element in the block diagrams and flow charts, illustrates the functionality of the methods, apparatus, and computer program products. Any and all such functionality ("depicted functionality") may be implemented by: computer program instructions; a dedicated, hardware-based computer system; a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions; a combination of general-purpose hardware and computer instructions; etc. - any or all of which may be generally referred to herein as a "component," "module," or "system."

[0100] Although the foregoing drawings and descriptions set forth functional aspects of the disclosed systems, the particular arrangement of software for implementing these functional aspects should not be inferred from these descriptions unless explicitly stated or clear from the context.

[0101] Each element in the flow chart can depict a step or a group of steps of the computer-implemented method. In addition, each step can include one or more sub-steps. For illustrative purposes, these steps (and any and all other steps determined and described above) are presented in order. It should be understood that the embodiment can include an alternative order of steps suitable for specific applications of the technology disclosed herein. All these changes and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure. The depiction and description of steps in any particular order are not intended to exclude embodiments with steps in different orders, unless a specific application requires, explicitly stated, or otherwise clear from the context.

[0102] The functions, systems, and methods described herein can be used and presented in multiple languages. The various systems can be presented in one or more languages, and the language can be easily changed at any point in the above process or method. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the systems can be provided in multiple languages, and it is contemplated that embodiments of the present disclosure can be used with any language.

[0103] It should be noted that the features shown in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and as those skilled in the art will recognize, features of one embodiment may be used with other embodiments, even if not explicitly stated herein. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the embodiments.

[0104] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations may be made to the disclosed systems and methods. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the disclosed methods and apparatus. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, with the true scope being indicated by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method comprising: providing a monitoring device to an animal, the animal being monitored by a user having a user device; determining location data defining a spatial region; Determining location data of the monitoring device; sensing movement of the animal using the monitoring device; wherein the monitoring device is capable of entering a sleep mode until the movement of the animal exceeds a predetermined movement threshold, and when the movement of the animal exceeds the movement threshold, determining whether the monitoring device is connected to the user device via a first communication system, and assigning a safe state to the animal when the monitoring device is connected to the user device via the first communication system; determining whether the monitoring device is connected to a second communication system when the monitoring device is not connected to the user device via the first communication system, and assigning a safe status to the animal when the monitoring device is connected to the second communication system; determining whether the monitoring device is located in the spatial area by comparing the location data defining the spatial area with the location data of the monitoring device when the monitoring device is not connected to the second communication system, and assigning a safe status to the animal when the monitoring device is located in the spatial area; and When the monitoring device is not located in the spatial area, alarm data is transmitted to the user device. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first communication system is a Bluetooth system. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second communication system is a Wi-Fi network.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending data indicating a safety status of the animal to the user device when the movement of the animal is less than the movement threshold.

5. The method according to claim 1 also includes sending data indicating the safety status of the animal to the user device when the monitoring device is connected to the user device via the first communication system, and maintaining the safety status until the movement of the animal exceeds the movement threshold.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending data indicating a safety status of the animal to the user device when the monitoring device is connected to the second communication system, and maintaining the safety status until the movement of the animal exceeds the movement threshold.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprises, when the monitoring device is located in the spatial area, sending data indicating a safety status of the animal to the user device, and maintaining the safety status until the movement of the animal exceeds the movement threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing the movement of the animal using the monitoring device comprises using an accelerometer included in the monitoring device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location data of the monitoring device comprises using a positioning system selected from the group consisting of GNSS and GPS.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising pairing the user device with the monitoring device, wherein the user device is a smartphone, the monitoring device is a collar worn by the animal, and the animal is a pet of the user.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising updating the location data defining the spatial area, the spatial area being a safe area for the animal.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the movement threshold is 15 seconds of continuous movement of the animal.

13. A system comprising: an animal status module, comprising computer executable code stored in a non-volatile memory; processor; Monitoring equipment; and User equipment; The animal status module, processor, monitoring device and user device are configured as follows: Identify location data that defines safe geographic areas; Determining location data of the monitoring device; sensing movement of the animal using the monitoring device; wherein the monitoring device is capable of entering a sleep mode until the movement of the animal exceeds a predetermined movement threshold, and when the movement of the animal exceeds the movement threshold, determining whether the monitoring device is connected to the user device via a first communication system, and assigning a safe status to the animal when the monitoring device is connected to the user device via the first communication system; determining whether the monitoring device is connected to a second communication system when the monitoring device is not connected to the user device via the first communication system, and assigning a safe status to the animal when the monitoring device is connected to the second communication system; determining whether the monitoring device is located in the safe geographic area by comparing the location data defining the safe geographic area with the location data of the monitoring device when the monitoring device is not connected to the second communication system, and assigning a safe status to the animal when the monitoring device is located in the safe geographic area; and When the monitoring device is not located in the secure geographic area, transmitting alarm data to the user device; Each of the first communication system and the second communication system is a Bluetooth system or a Wi-Fi network.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the animal status module, processor, monitoring device and user device are configured to: when the monitoring device is connected to the user device via the first communication system, send data indicating the safety status of the animal to the user device, and maintain the safety status until the movement of the animal exceeds the movement threshold.

15. A system according to claim 13, wherein the animal status module, processor, monitoring device and user device are configured to: when the monitoring device is connected to the second communication system, send data indicating the safety status of the animal to the user device, and maintain the safety status until the movement of the animal exceeds the movement threshold.

16. A system according to claim 13, wherein the animal status module, processor, monitoring device and user device are configured to: when the monitoring device is located in the safe geographic area, send data indicating the safety status of the animal to the user device, and maintain the safety status until the movement of the animal exceeds the movement threshold.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the second communication system is located in the secure geographic area.

18. A method comprising: providing a monitoring device to an animal, the animal being monitored by a user having a user device; determining location data defining a spatial region; Determining location data of the monitoring device; sensing movement of the animal using the monitoring device; wherein the monitoring device is capable of entering a sleep mode until the animal's movement exceeds a predetermined movement threshold, and when the animal's movement exceeds the movement threshold, determining whether the monitoring device is directly connected to the user device via Bluetooth communication, and assigning a safe status to the animal when the monitoring device is connected to the user device via the Bluetooth communication; determining whether the monitoring device is connected to a Wi-Fi network when the monitoring device is not directly connected to the user device via Bluetooth communications, and assigning a safety status to the animal when the monitoring device is connected to the Wi-Fi network; when the monitoring device is not connected to the Wi-Fi network, determining whether the monitoring device is located in the spatial area by comparing the location data defining the spatial area with the location data of the monitoring device, and assigning a safe status to the animal when the monitoring device is located in the spatial area; and When the monitoring device is not located in the spatial area, alarm data is transmitted to the user device.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising identifying an additional Wi-Fi network located in the area of ​​space and indicating a safety status of the animal when the monitoring device is connected to the additional Wi-Fi network.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising identifying a Bluetooth beacon device when the monitoring device is not directly connected to the user device via Bluetooth communications, and using the Bluetooth beacon device to indirectly connect the monitoring device to the user device.

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