Correcting necklace using geolocation technology and underground line fence

Abstract

The disclosed technology includes a pet collar that may be configured to determine its geolocated location and evaluate the location relative to a geofence of a predetermined geographic area. The collar may have a plurality of modes of operation including at least a first mode in which the collar is configured to detect the presence of a signal transmitted along a cable arranged along a boundary of a predetermined geographic area and a second mode in which the collar is configured to detect the presence of a signal transmitted along the cable arranged along a boundary of the predetermined geographic area. The collar is configured to receive geo-fence data and determine whether the collar is located within a predetermined geographic area based at least in part on the geo-fence data. The collar may be configured to prevent an animal wearing the collar from leaving a predetermined geographic area in a first mode or a second mode.

Description

[0001] Cross - reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 434,818, filed on Dec. 22, 2022, under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e), the entire content and substance of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as if set forth in full below. Background of the Invention

[0003] Pet owners living on properties without physical fencing often rely on specialized collars to prevent their pets from leaving the property. Correction collars (such as those that provide one or more electrical stimuli to the pet) are sometimes used, for example, to deter an animal from crossing the boundary of the property and / or wandering into a road. Some correction collars can be remotely actuated, such as by a pet owner using a handheld remote control for the correction collar. These systems typically require the pet owner to continuously observe the pet in order to actuate the collar, for example, when the pet approaches the boundary of the property and / or the road. The remote controls of these systems typically use radio - frequency (RF) transmitters to send actuation signals to the collar, and thus, the usefulness of these systems depends on the pet staying within the range of the RF transmitter. If the pet travels beyond the range of the RF transmitter, the pet owner will not be able to actuate the collar.

[0004] There are other correction collar systems that do not require such vigilant compliance by the pet owner. For example, in-ground wire systems typically include wires buried along the perimeter of a yard, which can provide an exact electronic boundary that reflects the physical boundary of the yard, regardless of the shape of the yard. These systems typically emit a signal from the buried wire, and when the pet approaches the wire (i.e., the boundary), the collar receives the signal from the wire, causing the collar to "correct" (e.g., emit a noise, emit an electronic shock, spray a liquid, and / or any other warning) the pet. As the pet gets closer to the boundary, the intensity of the correction can increase, with the aim of discouraging the pet from crossing the boundary. These systems have several drawbacks. For example, installing the wire is a labor-intensive process, which also means that pet owners typically hire a third party to install the wire. This in turn increases the cost of an already expensive system. Installation can also be difficult or impossible due to, for example, driveways, yards, rocks, and other structures or obstacles. In addition, the boundary wire of an in-ground wire system can be interrupted by lawn operations (e.g., digging or mowing), tree growth or planting, or excavation by a third party such as a utility company. Moreover, these systems are typically hardwired to a power source and are thus prone to power outages. If the power supply to an in-ground wire system is interrupted, the pet will escape the yard freely, without correction. In addition, such systems are only useful on the yard on which they are installed, and the electrical boundary is not easily adjusted (if at all) after installation. Furthermore, some pets are able to tolerate the initial discomfort of one or more corrections and are able to cross the boundary. When a pet that is not beyond the boundary of the pet owner's yard leaves the electrical boundary of an in-ground wire system, the collar stops correcting the pet. If the pet tries to return home, the pet will necessarily approach the electrical boundary (from the outside of the yard), causing the collar to correct the pet and discouraging the pet from re-entering the boundary of the yard. Thus, if a pet initially escapes the pet owner's yard, an in-ground wire system may actually delay or prevent the pet from returning to the pet owner's yard.

[0005] Other existing systems that do not require in-ground wiring typically include less expensive wireless systems. Generally, these systems transmit signals from short-range RF transmitters installed in a base station. The signals are received by a receiver installed in a collar, and when the receiver moves from the base station to a location beyond a predetermined range, the collar corrects the pet. In some systems, variable correction can be provided based on the distance of the receiver (and thus the collar and the pet) from the base station. For example, at a first distance, the collar can emit a warning sound; at a second distance, the collar can emit a low-intensity electronic stimulus; and at a third distance, the collar can emit a higher-intensity electronic stimulus. These systems also have several drawbacks. For example, these systems have a limited range due to various government regulations. Generally, the range of such systems is 300 feet - 1,000 feet. Further, the "boundary" of the system cannot be customized to reflect the physical boundaries of the pet owner's property. Instead, the theoretical boundary of the system is a circle with a radius of a predetermined distance from the base station. However, in practice, due to the nature of RF transmission, the actual boundary of the system is highly variable. That is, the range (and thus the boundary) of the system can be affected by factors including interference from other RF signals, multipath propagation, obstacles and other impediments, reflections, etc. This can result in unintentional correction of the pet owner's physical property and / or some parts being outside the boundary of the wireless system, such that the pet cannot enjoy the entire area of the property. Also, the boundary of the wireless system can extend beyond the physical boundary of the property, such that the pet (by the system) is allowed to move outside the range of the pet owner's property. Additionally, such systems require both the base station and the collar to be fully functional, which increases the chance of overall system failure. If the base station is damaged, the entire system may become inoperable.

[0006] There are some systems that include geolocation capabilities (e.g., via the Global Positioning System (GPS)). Certain geolocation-enabled systems include a geolocation tracking device installed in a collar (i.e., a tracking collar) and a handheld remote control for use by the pet owner. Generally, such systems are used in the sports market (e.g., for use with hunting dogs) for situations where the dog is allowed to freely roam in a relatively unbounded area. The position of the tracking collar is typically tracked and then transmitted via short-range RF to the remote control. While such systems may be useful in some situations, such as hunting with a well-trained hunting dog, these systems are not very useful for more common household pets. Such tracking systems generally have no restrictions on the area where the pet can freely travel, and once the pet travels beyond the range of the remote control, the pet is no longer tracked. And while some tracking systems can include a correction device in the collar that can be actuated by the remote control, the pet owner will need to continuously observe the pet's location and manually trigger the correction whenever the pet travels to a location beyond what the pet owner prefers.

[0007] Some geolocation-enabled systems can utilize wide area communication systems (such as via cellular networks and / or wide area networks (e.g., the Internet, etc.)) to send the location of a pet to the pet owner. Certain geolocation-enabled systems allow the owner to configure a geofence, which is a virtual perimeter of a real-world geographic area. Typically, in such systems, whenever the pet travels outside the geofence, the system notifies the owner that the pet has left the geofence area. While such systems can be useful in determining that a pet has run away or otherwise left the geofence area and in helping to locate a runaway pet, these systems are unable to provide any initial deterrence to discourage the pet from leaving the geofence area. Such systems also cannot provide any correction to guide the pet back into the geofence area. Thus, in the case where a pet escapes from a primary containment system (such as a physical fence, etc.), these systems are typically used as a secondary failsafe.

[0008] In addition, some existing collars include correction techniques for correcting unwanted animal behavior (such as barking, etc.). These systems are typically configured to detect a sound (e.g., barking) and then apply a correction. However, as will be recognized, unwanted animal behavior extends beyond barking and can include other behaviors as non-limiting examples, such as jumping on people, running away from the owner during a walk, and escaping from a yard or some other predefined area.

[0009] Further, pet owners typically use leashes to restrain pets when outside the home. Existing leashes are typically physical restraint devices (such as ropes, cords, or straps, etc.) and are typically available in various lengths. Adjustable leashes are also available, which allow the user to change the length as required or needed. For example, a short leash length may be suitable for dangerous, highly trafficked areas (such as city sidewalks, etc.), while a longer leash length may be permissible in less dangerous areas (such as outdoors along a hiking trail). The leash allows the pet owner to restrain the pet near the owner without fear of the pet running away and enables the owner to maintain control of the pet. However, such a leash can impose physical stress on the owner and the pet. For example, the pet owner may need to exert a significant amount of force to control the pet, especially for large pets and / or when the pet becomes distracted and suddenly lunges away from the owner (e.g., a dog tries to chase a squirrel). This can result in sudden jerking movements or some other pulling force, which can cause discomfort or injury to the owner (e.g., the owner's arm or shoulder) and / or the pet (e.g., the pet's neck or torso). SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] These and other problems can be solved by embodiments of the techniques disclosed herein. The disclosed techniques may include a collar configured to be worn by an animal. The collar may include a geolocation sensor and a receiver configured to receive a signal from a transmitter. The transmitter may be configured to send a signal along a cable disposed along the boundary of a predetermined geographic area. The collar may include a communication interface configured to send and receive data, a memory having instructions stored thereon, and a processor. The collar may be configured to operate in a first operation mode and in a second operation mode. The first operation mode includes determining whether the presence of a signal is detected by the receiver. The second operation mode includes: receiving geofence data corresponding to a predetermined geographic area; and determining whether the collar is located within the predetermined geographic area based at least in part on the geofence data.

[0011] The collar may be configured to operate in the first operation mode and the second operation mode simultaneously.

[0012] The collar may be configured to operate in a third operation mode, which includes periodically determining the position of the collar.

[0013] The collar may be configured to operate in the first operation mode and the third operation mode simultaneously.

[0014] The third operation mode may further include receiving geofence data corresponding to a predetermined geographic area and determining whether the collar is located within the predetermined geographic area. In response to determining that the collar is located outside the predetermined geographic area, the collar may be configured to transition to the second operation mode.

[0015] When in the second operation mode, the collar may further be configured to output one or more corrective actions to guide the animal wearing the collar back to the predetermined geographic area. In response to determining that the animal wearing the collar has returned to the predetermined geographic area, the collar may further be configured to transition to the first operation mode.

[0016] When in the first operation mode, the collar may further be configured to output a corrective action in response to detecting the presence of a signal via the receiver. In response to detecting the presence of a signal via the receiver, the collar may further be configured to transition to the second operation mode. In response to detecting the presence of a signal via the receiver, the collar may further be configured to transition to operating in the first operation mode and the third operation mode simultaneously. The third operation mode may include: receiving geofence data corresponding to a predetermined geographic area; and determining whether the collar is located within the predetermined geographic area.

[0017] When in the second operation mode, the collar may further be configured to output a corrective action in response to determining that the collar is located outside the predetermined geographic area based at least in part on the geofence data.

[0018] In response to determining that the collar was previously in a first operating mode and no signal presence is detected via the receiver, the collar can further be configured to output a notification to a user device to indicate to the user to check the transmitter and the cable.

[0019] The collar can further include a magnetometer configured to determine the direction in which the animal wearing the collar is facing. In response to determining (i) that the animal wearing the collar is outside a predetermined geographic area and (ii) the boundary away from the predetermined geographic area, the collar can further be configured to indicate, via one or more corrective actions, that the animal wearing the collar orient itself towards the predetermined geographic area.

[0020] In response to determining (i) that the animal wearing the collar is outside a predetermined geographic area and (ii) facing the boundary of the predetermined geographic area, the collar can further be configured to prevent the collar from outputting corrective actions.

[0021] In response to determining that the animal wearing the collar has returned to the predetermined geographic area, the collar can further be configured to operate in the first operating mode.

[0022] In response to determining that the transmitter cannot output a signal via the cable, the collar can further be configured to activate a second operating mode.

[0023] The collar can further be configured to automatically generate a boundary line by detecting the presence of a signal from the transmitter and recording the location where the presence of the signal is detected.

[0024] The collar can further be configured to operate in the second operating mode until the boundary line is fully generated, where the boundary line is fully generated when the boundary line forms a closed loop. The collar can further be configured to automatically switch to the first operating mode in response to determining that the boundary line is fully generated.

[0025] The collar can be configured to receive geofence data corresponding to a predetermined geographic area and operate in the first operating mode in response to determining, at least in part based on the geofence data, that the collar is within the predetermined geographic area. The first operating mode can include temporarily deactivating location tracking via a geolocation sensor and determining whether a signal presence is detected via the receiver.

[0026] When the collar is in the first operating mode, the collar can further be configured to output a corrective action in response to detecting the presence of a signal via the receiver.

[0027] In response to detecting the presence of a signal via the receiver, the collar can further be configured to switch to the second operating mode, which includes determining the position of the collar via a geolocation sensor.

[0028] In response to determining that the collar is outside a predetermined geographical area, the collar can be further configured to operate in a second operating mode, the second operating mode including determining the position of the collar via a geolocation sensor.

[0029] When in the second operating mode, the collar can be further configured to determine whether the presence of a signal is detected via a receiver. In response to determining that the animal wearing the collar has returned to the predetermined geographical area, the collar can be further configured to operate in a first operating mode.

[0030] The collar can further include a magnetometer configured to determine the direction in which the animal wearing the collar is facing. In response to determining (i) that the animal wearing the collar is outside the predetermined geographical area and (ii) away from the boundary of the predetermined geographical area, the collar can be further configured to indicate, via one or more corrective actions, that the animal wearing the collar orient itself towards the predetermined geographical area. In response to determining (i) that the animal wearing the collar is outside the predetermined geographical area and (ii) facing the boundary of the predetermined geographical area, the collar can be further configured to prevent the collar from outputting corrective actions.

[0031] In response to determining that the animal wearing the collar has returned to the predetermined geographical area, the collar can be further configured to operate in a first operating mode. In response to determining that the transmitter cannot output a signal via a cable, the collar can be further configured to operate in a second operating mode, the second operating mode including determining the position of the collar via a geolocation sensor.

[0032] When the collar is in the first operating mode, the collar can be further configured to cause the collar to periodically determine, via a geolocation sensor, whether the collar is within the predetermined geographical area.

[0033] The disclosed technology can include a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the system to: receive geofence data corresponding to a predetermined geographical area; receive position data corresponding to the position of a collar worn by an animal; and operate in a first operating mode in response to determining that the collar is within the predetermined geographical area. The first operating mode can include temporarily deactivating location tracking and determining whether the presence of a signal generated by a transmitter is detected via a receiver of the collar, the transmitter being configured to transmit a signal along a cable disposed along the boundary of the predetermined geographical area.

[0034] When the collar is in the first operating mode, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, can further cause the system to output a corrective action in response to detecting the presence of a signal via the receiver.

[0035] In response to detecting the presence of a signal via a receiver, instructions, when executed by one or more processors, may further cause the system to transition to a second operating mode, the second operating mode including determining the position of the collar.

[0036] In response to determining that the collar is outside a predetermined geographical area, instructions, when executed by one or more processors, may further cause the system to operate in a second operating mode, the second operating mode including determining the position of the collar.

[0037] When in the second operating mode, instructions, when executed by one or more processors, may further cause the system to determine whether the presence of a signal is detected via the receiver.

[0038] In response to determining that the animal wearing the collar has returned to the predetermined geographical area, instructions, when executed by one or more processors, may cause the system to operate in a first operating mode.

[0039] Instructions, when executed by one or more processors, may further cause the system to receive direction data from a magnetometer, the magnetometer being configured to determine the direction in which the animal wearing the collar is facing.

[0040] In response to determining (i) that the animal wearing the collar is outside the predetermined geographical area and (ii) is facing away from the boundary of the predetermined geographical area, instructions, when executed by one or more processors, may further cause the system to indicate, via one or more corrective actions, that the animal wearing the collar orient itself towards the predetermined geographical area.

[0041] In response to determining (i) that the animal wearing the collar is outside the predetermined geographical area and (ii) is facing the boundary of the predetermined geographical area, instructions, when executed by one or more processors, may further cause the system to prevent the collar from outputting a corrective action.

[0042] In response to determining that the animal wearing the collar has returned to the predetermined geographical area, instructions, when executed by one or more processors, may further cause the system to operate in a first operating mode.

[0043] In response to determining that the transmitter cannot output a signal via a cable, instructions, when executed by one or more processors, may further cause the system to operate in a second operating mode, the second operating mode including determining the position of the collar.

[0044] When the system is in the first operating mode, instructions, when executed by one or more processors, may further cause the system to periodically determine whether the collar is within the predetermined geographical area.

[0045] Additional features, functions, and applications of the disclosed technology are discussed in more detail herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, and in which:

[0047] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary system in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0048] Figure 2 is a component diagram of an exemplary user device in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0049] Figure 3 is a component diagram of an exemplary collar in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0050] Figure 4A depicts two geofence regions overlaid on a map in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0051] Figure 4B depicts a geofence region overlaid on a map in accordance with the present disclosure; and

[0052] Figure 5 illustrates a dynamic geofence region in accordance with the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] Throughout the present disclosure, certain examples are described with respect to a wireless fencing system including a pet collar having geolocation and / or geofencing capabilities. However, the disclosed technology is not limited thereto. The disclosed technology can effectively locate, herd, and / or contain livestock or other animals in a predetermined location. The disclosed technology can effectively prevent wildlife (such as deer, etc.) from crossing roads or other areas that are dangerous to wildlife, people, or people's premises. Additionally, the disclosed technology can be effectively used to locate lost toddlers or elderly people and / or guide such lost people to a safe location.

[0054] The disclosed technology will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the disclosed technology can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein. The components described below as constituting various elements of the disclosed technology are intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Many suitable components that perform the same or similar functions as the components described herein are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosed electronic devices and methods. Such other components not described herein can include (but are not limited to), for example, components developed after the development of the disclosed technology.

[0055] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is to be understood that examples of the disclosed techniques may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this description. References to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", "exemplary embodiment", "some embodiments", "certain embodiments", "different embodiments", etc. indicate that embodiments of the disclosed techniques so described may include particular features, structures, or characteristics, but not every embodiment must include that particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, repeated use of the phrase "in one embodiment" does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may.

[0056] Throughout this specification and the claims, the following terms take at least the meanings explicitly associated herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The term "or" is intended to mean inclusive "or". Further, the terms "a", "an", and "the" are intended to mean one or more, unless otherwise stated or clearly indicated to the contrary from the context as being singular.

[0057] Unless otherwise specified, use of the ordinal adjectives "first", "second", "third", etc. to describe a common object merely indicates different examples of like objects and is not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, whether temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner.

[0058] The disclosed technology relates to a pet collar that can be configured to determine its geolocation position and evaluate that position relative to a geofence area, which can correspond to a "safe zone" (or a predetermined "restricted zone"). If the collar determines that its position is within the safe zone but near the geofence (i.e., the boundary of the geofence area), the collar can be configured to provide a warning "correction" (e.g., light, vibration, audible warning, or a prerecorded voice command). As used herein, the terms "correction" and "corrective action" are used interchangeably. If the collar determines that it is outside the predetermined safe zone, the collar can also be configured to provide a stronger correction (e.g., an electronic shock, a liquid spray) to deter the pet from continuing to move away from the safe zone. The collar can also be configured to guide the pet back to the safe zone, such as by varying the intensity and / or type of the correction provided, at least in part, based on the distance of the collar from the geofence or the orientation of an embedded compass (e.g., to determine whether the animal wearing the collar is moving away from or towards a particular area). Different commands can also be sent remotely by a user and transmitted to the collar via a user device at any time. The user device can also be configured to display different features of the collar, such as its current or historical location, its orientation, and / or the current physical activity of the animal wearing the collar (such as running or walking, etc.). Aspects and functions of the disclosed technology are discussed more fully below.

[0059] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an example system that can be configured to perform one or more processes that can determine the geolocation of an animal wearing a collar and / or provide a correction to the animal via the collar based on the animal's geolocation relative to a geofence. Figure 1 The components and arrangements shown are not intended to limit the disclosed embodiments, as the components used to implement the disclosed processes and features can vary.

[0060] A user device 110 (e.g., a mobile phone, a smart watch, a tablet computer, a portable laptop computer, or other computing device) can communicate with a collar 120 having geolocation capabilities. The disclosed technology can include communication between the collar 120 and multiple user devices 110. For example, a user's mobile phone and the user's smart watch can communicate with the collar 120. As a more specific example, a user can adjust settings via one or more user devices 110 (e.g., via a laptop computer or a mobile device), and the user can interact with the collar 120 via the same or other user devices 110 (e.g., the smart watch can act as an anchor point for a wireless leash, as described more fully below). The collar 120 can include a geolocation sensor (GLS) 360. The collar 120 is capable of sending data - such as location data corresponding to the geolocation and / or compass direction of the collar 120 (as described more fully below) - and is capable of sending the data directly and / or via a network 130 to the user device 110. The user device 110 can include an accelerometer 350 or some other suitable motion detection device.

[0061] The collar 120 and / or the user device 110 can communicate with a geolocation service provider (GLSP) server 140, and the GLSP server 140 can be configured to determine the geolocation of the collar 120 (and thus the animal wearing the collar 120) at least in part based on the location data received from the collar 120. Alternatively, one, some, or all of the steps performed by the GLSP server 140 can be performed by employing a GLSP processor 142 and a GLSP memory 144.

[0062] As a non - limiting example, a geolocation system (e.g., GLS 360 and / or GLSP server 140) can be configured to improve positioning accuracy by sending remotely provided GPS correction data (such as real - time kinematic (RTK) positioning data, etc.) to the GPS receiver of the collar 120. The collar 120 can be configured to determine the effectiveness of the geolocation system (such as by comparing geolocation data with other location - specific data (e.g., using WiFi signal strength, short - range wireless beacons, or other methods to determine the location of the collar 120 and comparing the determined location with the geolocation data to calculate geolocation accuracy), receiving status data indicating the functionality of the geolocation system or other information indicating the accuracy, effectiveness, or reliability of the geolocation system). The collar 120 and / or the user device 110 can be configured to provide an alert, notification, light (e.g., LED), or other indication that the accuracy, effectiveness, or reliability of the geolocation system is below a predetermined threshold, such that it is not recommended that the user rely solely on the geolocation system of the collar 120 until the accuracy, effectiveness, or reliability of the geolocation system returns above the predetermined threshold. The collar 120 can be configured to adjust the rules corresponding to the application of a correction action (e.g., whether to produce a warning sound, vibration, or electronic stimulation; the intensity of the electronic stimulation) based on the current accuracy, effectiveness, or reliability of the geolocation system. For example, if the location of the collar 120 is currently unreliable, the collar 120 can be configured to normally produce a correction action if it is determined that the collar 120 is one foot outside the boundary of a geofence location, but when it is determined that the geolocation system is below a predetermined reliability or accuracy threshold, the collar 120 can be configured to limit or prevent the production of a correction action unless it is determined that the collar 120 is five feet, ten feet, or some other distance from the boundary of the geofence area. When it is determined that the geolocation system is below a predetermined reliability or accuracy threshold, the collar 120 can be configured to not produce a correction action unless or until the reliability or accuracy of the geolocation system returns above the predetermined reliability or accuracy threshold. As discussed more fully below, the collar 120 can be configured to provide a warning that the condition or operating state of the collar 120 is not conducive to allowing the animal wearing the collar 120 to be outside.

[0063] Alternatively or in addition, the collar 120 can be configured to emit one or more positive encouragements (e.g., an encouraging audio recording that can be pre-installed or pre-recorded by the owner) when the collar 120 or an associated device determines that the animal wearing the collar 120 has performed or completed the desired action (e.g., stopped moving towards the geofence boundary). If the reliability or accuracy of the geolocation system is lower than a predetermined reliability or accuracy threshold, the collar 120 can be configured to output one or more positive encouragements. This can allow the collar 120 to provide a certain level of input and / or direction to the animal's behavior without the risk of unexpected or unnecessary corrections (e.g., unnecessary electrical stimulation).

[0064] Communication between or among the user device 110, the collar 120, and / or the GLSP server 140 can occur via the network 130. The network 130 can be of any suitable type, including a separate connection via the Internet (such as cellular or WiFi TM network, etc.). The network 130 can use direct connections such as RF modules, Bluetooth TM 、Bluetooth TM Low Energy (BLE), WiFi TM 、ZigBee TM 、Long Range (LoRa), Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN), Ultra Wideband, Ambient Backscatter Communication (ABC) protocol, USB, or LAN, etc. to connect the user device 110, the collar 120, and / or the GLSP server 140. The information sent can be encrypted or otherwise protected, depending on the desired level of data privacy and / or data security.

[0065] Similarly, the user device 110, the collar 120, and / or the GLSP server 140 can communicate with each other using direct connections such as RF modules, Bluetooth TM 、BLE, WiFi TM 、ZigBee TM 、ABC protocol, USB, or LAN, etc. These connections can be encrypted or otherwise protected, depending on whether confidentiality is desired.

[0066] Examples of the user device 110 are in Figure 2is shown in more detail below. As shown, user device 110 may include: a processor 210; an input / output (I / O) device 220; a memory 230 including an operating system (OS) 232, a storage device 234, and a program 236, where the storage device 234 may be any suitable data repository; and a communication interface 240. The communication interface 240 may include a transceiver. User device 110 may further include a perimeter interface, a mobile network interface communicating with the processor 210, a bus configured to facilitate communication between different components of the user device 110, and / or a power source configured to power one or more components of the user device 110. User device 110 may include a geolocation sensor (GLS) 250 for determining the geolocation of the user device 110. User device 110 may include a user interface (U / I) device for receiving user input data, such as data representing clicks, scrolls, taps, presses, or keystrokes on an input device capable of detecting tactile input, etc. User device 110 may include a display.

[0067] User device 110 may include a perimeter interface, which may include hardware, firmware, and / or software enabling communication with different perimeter devices, such as media drives (e.g., disk, solid state, or optical drives), other processing devices, or any other input source used in conjunction with the present technology, etc. The perimeter interface may include a serial port, a parallel port, a general-purpose input and output (GPIO) port, a game port, a universal serial bus (USB), a micro USB port, a high-definition multimedia (HDMI) port, a video port, an audio port, a Bluetooth TM port, a near field communication (NFC) port, another similar communication interface, or any combination thereof.

[0068] The mobile network interface may provide access to a cellular network, the Internet, or another wide area network. The mobile network interface may include hardware, firmware, and / or software allowing the processor 210 to communicate with other devices via a wired or wireless network, whether local or wide area, private or public, as known in the art. The power source may be configured to provide appropriate alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) to power the components.

[0069] As described above, user device 110 may be configured to communicate remotely with one or more other devices, such as collar 120 and / or GLSP server 140, etc. User device 110 may be configured to communicate with one or more devices via network 170. User device 110 may be configured to receive and send location data and / or account data indicating a user account associated with the user device 110.

[0070] The processor 210 may include one or more of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor, a coprocessor, etc. capable of executing stored instructions and operating on stored data, or a combination thereof. The memory 230 may include one or more suitable types of memory (e.g., transient or non-transient memory, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic disk, optical disk, floppy disk, hard disk, removable storage cartridge, flash memory, redundant array of independent disks (RAID), etc.) for storing files including an operating system 232, application programs 236 (including, for example, a web browser application, a widget or gadget engine, and / or other applications as necessary), executable instructions, and data. One, some, or all of the processing techniques described herein may be implemented as a combination of executable instructions and data within the memory 230.

[0071] The processor 210 may be one or more known processing devices, such as those from Intel TM manufactured Pentium TM family, AMD TM manufactured Turion TM family, or ARM TM manufactured Cortex TM family, or SecurCore TM of microprocessors. The processor 210 may constitute a single-core or multi-core processor that performs parallel processing simultaneously. For example, the processor 210 may be a single-core processor configured with virtual processing technology. Those skilled in the art will understand that other types of processor arrangements may be implemented to provide the capabilities disclosed herein.

[0072] The user device 110 may include one or more storage devices 234 configured to store information for performing at least some of the functions disclosed herein by the processor 210 (or other components). As an example, the user device 110 may include a memory 230 that includes instructions enabling the processor 210 to execute one or more application programs, network communication processes, and any other type of application or software known to be available on a computer system. Alternatively, the instructions, application programs, or other software may be stored in an external storage device and / or may be obtainable from a remote memory via a network. The one or more storage devices may be transient or non-transient, magnetic, semiconductor, tape, optical, removable, non-removable, or other types of storage devices or tangible computer-readable media.

[0073] The user device 110 may include a memory 230 that includes instructions that, when executed by a processor 210, perform one or more processes consistent with the functions disclosed herein. The methods, systems, and articles of manufacture according to the disclosed embodiments are not limited to separate programs or computers configured to perform dedicated tasks. For example, the user device 110 may include a memory 230 that may include one or more programs 236 that perform one or more functions of the disclosed techniques. Additionally, the processor 210 may execute one or more programs 236 located remotely from, for example but not limited to, the GLSP server 140. For example, the user device 110 may access one or more remote programs 236 that, when executed, perform at least one function disclosed herein. One or more programs 236 may be configured to receive location data indicative of the geolocation of the user device 110 and / or the collar 120. One or more programs 236 may be configured to display on a display of the user device 110 an image representative of the geolocation of the user device 110 and / or the collar 120. The program 236 may be configured to send instructions to the collar 120 to provide correction to an animal wearing the collar 120 (e.g., emit a noise (such as a different sound, voice, music, or other recording, etc.); generate a vibration; emit an electronic stimulation; spray a liquid; and / or generate any other desired warning).

[0074] The memory 230 of the user device 110 may include one or more memory devices that store data and instructions for performing one or more of the disclosed features. The memory 230 may include software components that, when executed by the processor 210, perform one or more processes consistent with those disclosed herein. The memory 230 may include a geofence database for storing data related to one or more geofence areas (i.e., safe zones) in which an animal wearing the collar 120 is permitted to freely travel or data related to one or more geofence areas (i.e., restricted zones) from which an animal wearing the collar 120 is restricted. The user device 110 may be configured to "record" one or more geofences when a user draws a virtual boundary. For example, the user device 110 may be configured to "record" one or more geofences when a user draws a virtual boundary on a display depicting a map. The user device 110 may be configured to "record" one or more geofences when a user physically travels a desired boundary. For example, the user device 110 may be configured to record location data indicative of the geolocation of the user device 110 via the GLS 250 when a user carries the user device 110 along a desired boundary.

[0075] The user device 110 may include any number of hardware and / or software applications that are executed to facilitate any operation. One or more I / O interfaces may be used to receive or collect data and / or user instructions from a variety of input devices. The received data may be processed by one or more computer processors and / or stored in one or more memory devices as needed in different implementations of the disclosed technology.

[0076] The collar 120 may be configured to communicate with one or more external motion sensors. Such motion sensors may be located, for example, in the user's home. The collar 120 may be configured to receive data from the motion sensors and may be configured to determine the activities of the animal wearing the collar 120, such as jumping, lying, running, or sitting, based on the received motion sensor data and / or other data detected by various components of the collar 120. The data received from the motion sensors may also be used to determine animal behavior when the collar 120 is in a training mode, which will be described more fully below. Because the motion sensor data may support or supplement the data detected by the collar 120, the motion sensor data may increase the accuracy and sensitivity of the collar 120 with respect to detected animal behavior. This may be useful because immediate correction of undesired animal behavior may contribute to training the animal, increasing the effectiveness of animal training.

[0077] Although the user device 110 has been described above for implementing the technologies described herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other functionally equivalent technologies may be employed. For example, as is known in the art, some or all of the functions implemented via executable instructions may also be implemented using firmware and / or hardware devices (such as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic arrays, state machines, etc.). Additionally, the user device 110 may include more or fewer components than those illustrated and / or described above.

[0078] In Figure 3An example of the collar 120 is shown in greater detail. As shown, the collar 120 may include: a processor 310; an input / output (I / O) device 320; a memory 330 containing an operating system (OS) 332, a storage device 334, and / or a program 336, where the storage device 334 may be any suitable data repository; a communication interface 340; an accelerometer 350 or other suitable motion detection device; a geolocation sensor (GLS) 360 for determining the geolocation of the collar 120; a user interface (U / I) device 370 for receiving user input data, such as data representing clicks, scrolls, taps, presses, or keystrokes on an input device capable of detecting tactile input; and / or a light-emitting diode (LED) 380 or other suitable lighting device. The collar 120 may include a thermometer 390 (e.g., a temperature gauge, a thermocouple, a resistive temperature measurement device, a thermistor, or any other temperature measurement device). The collar 120 may be configured to adjust certain settings of the collar 120 based on whether the collar 120 is located indoors or outdoors. For example, if the collar 120 determines that it is located indoors, the collar 120 may be configured to adjust the type and / or severity of the applied correction, the power usage of the collar 120 (e.g., disabling the GLS 360 when the collar 120 is indoors), or other features. The collar 120 may include multiple thermometers 390, and one or more thermometers may be configured to measure the ambient air temperature, and one or more thermometers may be configured to measure the temperature of the animal wearing the collar 120. The collar 120 may include one or more biometric sensors, which may be configured to measure or detect biometric information associated with the animal wearing the collar 120. The biometric sensors may include one or more sensors configured to measure heart rate data, blood pressure data, hormone data, audio data (e.g., data corresponding to a cat's meow, a dog's bark, a cough, a sneeze, or other sounds produced by the animal wearing the collar 120), respiratory data, brain wave data, olfactory data (e.g., data corresponding to the odor of the animal wearing the collar 120). The collar 120 may include an electronic compass sensor 395 (e.g., a magnetometer) to, for example, determine the direction in which the animal wearing the collar 120 is facing. As will be appreciated, the electronic compass sensor 395 may enable the collar 120 to determine that the animal wearing the collar 120 and the user using the user device 110 are moving in the same direction. The collar 120 may be configured to issue a corrective action when it is determined that the animal wearing the collar 120 and the user using the user device 110 are not facing the same or similar directions or when the corresponding paths of the animal wearing the collar 120 and the user using the user device 110 diverge.

[0079] The collar 120 can be configured to generate corrections, which can include emitting noise (such as different sounds, voices, music, or other recordings), generating vibrations, generating light, emitting an electronic stimulus, ejecting a liquid, generating any other desired warning, or any combination thereof. The collar 120 can be configured to emit sounds that are inaudible to the human ear (e.g., a sound similar to a dog whistle). The disclosed technology can be configured to allow a user to send real-time commands via the user device 110 that will be emitted from the speaker of the collar 120. The communication interface 340 can include a transceiver. The collar 120 can further include a perimeter interface, a mobile network interface that communicates with the processor 310, a bus configured to facilitate communication between different components of the collar 120, an electronic stimulation device, an ejection device and an ejection reservoir, a speaker, and / or a power source configured to power one or more components of the collar 120. The collar 120 can exclude certain components discussed herein. For example, depending on the complexity of the program instructions, the collar 120 may not include (i.e., omit) an OS, which can provide relatively limited functionality (compared to a collar 120 that includes an OS), but can also reduce the power consumption of the collar 120 (compared to a collar 120 that includes an OS).

[0080] The collar 120 can be configured to sense and / or determine the magnitude or severity of the correction required for a particular animal or the wearer of the collar 120. For example, compared to other animals, certain animals may be particularly stubborn and / or have a high tolerance for corrections. Alternatively or in addition, an animal can respond differently to a given correction depending on the animal's current mindset (e.g., mood (happy, anxious, angry), level of excitement). Alternatively or in addition, the effectiveness of a given correction can depend on certain factors, such as how the collar 120 is positioned on the animal's neck (or other body part), whether hair, fur, or another barrier blocks the contact between the collar 120 and the animal's skin and / or the degree of contact. Thus, before this particular animal responds to the correction, this particular animal may require a higher magnitude and / or severity of correction. Conversely, another animal may be more sensitive to corrections, such that if a normal intensity correction is used, this particular animal will experience a stronger correction than is required. As another example, an elderly person wearing the disclosed technology may have difficulty hearing, such that a louder audible correction is required. Optionally, when the collar 120 is first set up or first used with a particular animal and / or wearer (e.g., during a correction magnitude determination mode), the magnitude or severity determination can be made, and the magnitude or severity determination can be saved in an account associated with the user of the collar 120 and / or the wearer of the collar 120. Thus, if necessary, the account can subsequently be associated with a second different collar 120, at which time the second collar 120 can be made to adopt the same magnitude and / or severity settings as the first collar 120.

[0081] To sense and / or determine the magnitude or severity of correction required for a particular animal or wearer of the collar 120, the collar 120 can be configured to monitor feedback after issuing a correction and / or command. In a correction magnitude determination mode, the collar 120 can be configured to first issue a correction at the lowest magnitude or severity setting, and the collar 120 can be configured to monitor feedback (e.g., heart rate data from a heart rate monitor, movement from the GLS 360 and / or accelerometer 350) to determine whether the animal or wearer of the collar 120 has responded to the correction and / or whether the animal or wearer of the collar 120 has responded appropriately to the correction. Responding appropriately to a correction can mean, for example, that the animal or wearer of the collar 120 correctly follows the command (e.g., stops moving towards the geofence boundary in response to receiving a correction instructing the animal or wearer to stop). If the animal or wearer of the collar 120 does not respond (or does not respond appropriately) to the correction, the correction magnitude determination mode can include iteratively issuing corrections of increasing magnitude or severity until the animal or wearer of the collar 120 does respond (or respond appropriately) to the correction.

[0082] For example, if a correction of the electronic stimulation type has been issued, an increased heart rate (e.g., a detected heart rate above a predetermined heart rate threshold, at least a predetermined heart rate increase associated with the correction, at least a predetermined heart rate increase within a predetermined time) can indicate that the current magnitude or severity of the correction is sufficient. Alternatively or additionally, data from the GLS 360 or accelerometer 350 can be analyzed to determine whether the animal has stopped moving, changed direction, or otherwise responded to the correction.

[0083] As will be appreciated, the magnitude or severity determined when the collar 120 is in the correction magnitude determination mode can be used as a base magnitude or severity, and if a need arises, this base magnitude or severity can be temporarily increased for a more severe correction. For example, the base magnitude can be used as a warning that the animal or wearer is approaching the boundary, and when the collar 120 crosses the boundary, a correction of a magnitude greater than the base magnitude can be issued. Further, the correction magnitude determination mode can be configured to operate alone or in combination with another mode (such as a training mode, etc.) as described herein.

[0084] Alternatively or additionally, the collar 120 can be configured to increase the duration of the correction (e.g., output of an electrical stimulation, an audio instruction). The collar 120 can be configured to incrementally increase the duration of the correction in the same or a similar manner as described with respect to increasing the magnitude or severity of the correction. That is, the collar 120 can be configured to incrementally increase the magnitude, duration, or a combination thereof.

[0085] The power supply may include one or more batteries. The batteries may be replaceable. The batteries may be rechargeable. The collar 120 may include a solar panel or other components configured to absorb solar energy and convert the absorbed solar energy into electrical energy (and this energy may be stored in the battery). The collar 120 may be configured to adjust the power usage rate, for example, when certain features are detected as not being necessary (such as disabling the GLS 360 when the collar 120 is indoors or when it is determined that the animal is resting), or when the power level of the battery is determined to be below a predetermined threshold. The collar 120 may be configured to adjust the power usage rate upon receiving a user command (such as a wireless command from a separate user device (e.g., a mobile phone) or a command received at the collar 120 (such as via a button arranged on the collar 120, etc.)). Other energy harvesting techniques (such as motion harvesting or radio frequency harvesting, etc.) may also be integrated into the collar 120 and used to harvest energy, which can then be converted into electricity and stored in the battery. The collar 120 may include a display that may indicate the power level of the battery and / or whether the battery needs to be replaced or recharged. The collar 120 may be configured to send the battery status of the collar 120 to the user device 110, which may include sending an alert indicating low power or no power. The collar 120 may be configured to send an alert to the user device if the collar 120 falls off or is otherwise removed from the animal. The collar 120 may be configured to send an alert to the user device 110 if the temperature exceeds one or more predetermined thresholds.

[0086] The collar 120 may include a housing. The housing may enclose some or all of the different components of the collar 120. The housing may be integrated with and / or permanently integrated or attached to a strap (or necklace) configured to be worn by an animal or a person. Alternatively, the housing may be configured to be detachably attached to a strap (or necklace) configured to be worn by an animal or a person. The housing may be weather-resistant, water-resistant, weatherproof, or waterproof, depending on, for example, the environment in which the collar 120 is mainly used. The housing may be configured to provide various levels of protection against solid particles, such as IP5x or IP6x protection, etc., depending on, for example, the environment in which the collar 120 is mainly used.

[0087] The collar 120 may include a camera or a mount for an external camera. The collar 120 may be configured to record video and / or images and send the recorded video and / or images to the user device 110. The collar 120 may include a microphone configured to record audio data associated with the animal. The microphone may record audio, and the audio data may be saved to the memory 330 of the collar 120 for later use. The audio data may be sent to the user device 110 in real time. The microphone may be configured to record audio in response to a signal received from the user device 110 indicating an instruction to record audio.

[0088] The accelerometer 350 may be configured to detect movement of the collar 120, and upon detecting the collar 120, the processor 310 may be configured to perform certain functions. For example, the collar 120 may be configured such that when the accelerometer detects movement exceeding a predetermined amount of movement, the camera and / or GLS 360 are engaged to record and / or track the activities of the animal wearing the collar 120. Among other advantages, this arrangement may extend the battery life of the collar 120 by reducing the amount of time the camera and / or GLS 360 are engaged during inactive periods (e.g., when the animal is sleeping). This arrangement may also provide better management of the memory 330 such that storage space is not wasted when recording video or images of the animal or the animal's surroundings during inactive periods. The GLS 360 may be configured to record and load the movement of the animal by saving relevant data to the memory 330. The saved movement data may then be downloaded or otherwise sent to the user device 110 for viewing. The movement of the animal may be sent in real time such that, for example, the user may view the real-time movement of the animal via the user device 110. As described herein, one or more motion sensors may detect and send motion sensor data, which may be used by the collar 120 to determine the current behavior of the animal, such as jumping, resting, or walking.

[0089] Memory 330 may include a geofence database for storing data related to one or more geofence regions (i.e., safe zones) where the animal wearing the collar 120 is allowed to move freely or data related to one or more geofence regions (i.e., restricted zones) where the animal wearing the collar 120 is restricted. Memory 330 may include a default safe zone that may correspond to the property line of the user's residence. For example, if the user orders the collar 120 for delivery to the user's residence, the location of the user's residence may be found through the user's mailing address. Memory 330 may include a default restricted zone that may, for example, correspond to all roads. The collar 120 may communicate (either directly or via the network 130) with the user device 110 to synchronize the safe zones and restricted zones stored on either device. One, some, or all of the safe zones and / or restricted zones may be permanent, which may be useful in cases where the animal wearing the collar 120 rarely (if ever) leaves a particular location (e.g., livestock on a farm). One, some, or all of the safe zones and / or restricted zones may be temporary or adjustable, which may be useful if the animal wearing the collar 120 frequently moves to multiple locations. For example, a pet owner may have a primary residence and a vacation home, and in such a scenario, it may be useful to establish safe zones for both locations. Additionally, the safe zones and / or restricted zones may be configured and / or arranged (e.g., by the user directly at the collar 120 or via the user device 110) to change according to, for example, the time of day or the day of the week. For example, a pet owner may desire to allow the pet to roam freely on the entire pet owner's property during the day but restrict the pet to the backyard at night.

[0090] The disclosed technology may enable a pet owner to remotely engage or disengage various sides, segments, or portions of the geofence via the user device 110. The collar 120 may be configured to disable correction if the collar 120 is within a predetermined distance of the user device 110. For example, if the distance between the collar 120 and the user device is within the range of 1 foot to 3 feet, 3 feet to 5 feet, 5 feet to 10 feet, or 10 feet to 20 feet, the collar 120 may be configured to disable correction. The collar 120 may be configured to calculate the distance between the collar 120 and the user device 110 by comparing the geospatial locations of the collar 120 and the user device 110. The collar 120 may be configured to use transmitting and detecting short-range radio frequency (RF) signals and use an RF transmission algorithm such as Bluetooth TMSignal strength measurements are used to calculate the distance between the collar 120 and the user device 110. For example, this distance can prove useful if a pet owner decides to take the pet for a walk or drive the pet to another location. In such a scenario, the collar 120 can disable correction so that the pet owner can drive in a driveway, for example, without manually disabling the geofence and without fear of the pet suffering from incorrect correction. If the collar 120 determines that it is outside the geofence area and not within the predetermined distance of the user device 110 after crossing the geofence while the collar 120 is within the predetermined distance of the user device 110, the collar 120 can be configured to send a notification to the user device 110 before providing correction to the animal. The notification can request and / or require confirmation from the user before providing correction to the animal. The foregoing determination can be made by the user device 110, and a command regarding whether to provide correction or suspend correction can be sent from the user device 110 to the collar 120.

[0091] The disclosed technology can enable a user to select whether areas within a particular geofence indicate a safe zone or a restricted zone, and can enable the user to make such a selection on the collar 120 itself or via the user device 110. The collar 120 and / or the user device 110 can default to determining that certain areas are restricted zones. For example, the collar 120 and / or the user device 110 can be configured to determine that all roads or bodies of water are restricted zones. One or more programs 336 can be configured to determine whether the positioning of the collar 120 is approaching or outside of one or more of the geofence areas saved to the memory 330.

[0092] Program 336 can be configured to provide corrections when it is determined that the positioning of the collar 120 is approaching or outside of a geofence area stored in the memory 330 (e.g., an audible warning via the speaker of the collar 120, an electronic stimulation provided by the electronic stimulation device of the collar 120). Program 336 can be configured to provide a correction if the collar 120 has been in the warning area for at least a predetermined amount of time. The warning area can be a virtual warning edge or boundary located within the "safe area" and a predetermined distance from the virtual boundary of the safe area geofence. Program 336 can be configured to guide the animal wearing the collar 120 back to a predetermined geofence area when it is determined that the positioning of the collar 120 is outside of the stored geofence area. When it is determined that the collar 120 is near a road or other dangerous area (as a non-limiting example, this can be determined at least in part based on data received from an accelerometer, gyroscope, and / or GNSS receiver), program 336 can be configured to provide a correction and / or guide the animal away from the road or another dangerous area. The audible warning correction can be pre-installed on the memory 330 and can include, for example, beeps, rings, whistles, or other noises. The audible warning can be downloaded, installed, or recorded by the user. The audible warning can be recorded by the microphone of the collar 120. The audio warning can be recorded via the user device 110 and transmitted from the user device 110 to the collar 120. The volume of the audible correction can be preset or configurable. For example, if the animal wearing the collar 120 has difficulty hearing, the volume of the audible correction can be increased. As the collar 120 gets closer to the virtual boundary of the geofence, the volume of the audible warning correction can be incrementally increased. When the collar 120 or a related device determines that the animal wearing the collar 120 has performed or completed the desired action, the collar 120 can be configured to stop issuing corrections and / or issue one or more positive encouragements (e.g., an audio recording of an encouragement that can be pre-installed or pre-recorded by the owner). For example, the collar 120 can be configured to stop outputting corrections when the collar 120 (e.g., toward the boundary) stops moving, and / or can output one or more positive encouragements when the collar 120 starts moving away from the geofence boundary, road, and / or some other location (e.g., after a warning correction has been issued).

[0093] Program 336 can be configured to determine (or receive an indication of) the accuracy of the instant geolocation data and can be configured to adjust the sensitivity of the virtual boundary at least in part based on the accuracy of the instant geolocation data, which can reduce the likelihood of error correction (e.g., an electronic stimulation correction that should be a warning correction when the collar 120 is still within the permissible area). For example, the collar 120 can typically determine its sensed location within a 5-foot radius of its actual location. Thus, this example collar 120 can be configured to provide a warning correction when the sensed location of the collar 120 enters within 1 foot of the virtual boundary. This example collar 120 can also be configured to provide an electronic stimulation correction when the sensed location of the collar 120 travels more than 5 feet beyond the virtual boundary. If this example collar 120 experiences a reduction in the accuracy of the instant geolocation data due to, for example, a weak or inhibited geolocation signal, the example collar 120 can be configured to dynamically adjust the sensed location at which the correction is provided. For example, if the accuracy of the example collar 120 decreases to a radius of 10 feet, then the exemplary collar 120 can be configured to provide a warning correction when the sensed location of the collar 120 should travel more than 7 feet beyond the virtual boundary and to provide an electronic stimulation correction when the sensed location of the collar 120 should travel more than 10 feet beyond the virtual boundary. The amount of consideration given to the change in the positioning accuracy of the collar 120 can be customized by the user and can be selected by the user via the collar 120 itself or via the user device 110. The collar 120 can be configured to eliminate the correction when the positioning accuracy of the collar 120 drops below a predetermined threshold. If the positioning accuracy of the collar 120 is below the predetermined threshold, the collar 120 can be configured to provide only certain types of corrections. For example, if the positioning accuracy of the collar 120 is below the predetermined threshold, the collar 120 can be configured to emit only a warning sound or an encouraging sound.

[0094] Similarly, the intensity of the electronic stimulation correction can increase incrementally depending on how long the collar 120 has been within the restricted area (or outside the safe area) or how far the collar 120 has traveled from the geofence. The intensity of the electronic stimulation correction can be at least in part based on the type of restricted area. For example, a road can be assigned a relatively high level of electronic stimulation compared to a neighbor's yard. The intensity of the electronic stimulation correction - both the total intensity of all corrections and the selective intensity of corrections associated with certain areas - can be customized by the user at the collar 120 itself or via the user device 110.

[0095] The collar 120 can be configured to guide the animal back to a predetermined area, such as a safe area within a geofence, etc. The collar 120 can achieve this by increasing the intensity of the correction when the collar 120 travels away from the geofence area and decreasing the intensity of the correction when the collar 120 travels towards the geofence area. The collar 120 can be configured to determine the orientation of the collar 120, such as by including a GLS 360, an electronic compass sensor 395, and / or a gyroscope in the collar 120. The collar 120 can be configured to guide the animal back to the center of the geofence and away from restricted areas, at least in part based on data indicating the movement state and orientation of the collar 120. The collar 120 can be configured to provide direction commands (e.g., turn right or left) based on the projected path of the collar 120 and upcoming restricted areas, obstacles, or other features (e.g., roads, waterways). The collar 120 can be configured to determine that the animal wearing the collar 120 has correctly followed the provided direction commands, and the collar 120 can be configured to provide positive reinforcement, such as playing a recording of the user praising the animal or a "return whistle". The collar 120 can be configured to provide negative reinforcement if the collar 120 determines that the animal wearing the collar 120 has not correctly followed the provided orientation commands (such as by issuing a corrective action). For example, if the animal is near the geofence within the geofence area and facing the geofence, the collar 120 can be configured to issue an audible correction in the form of a prerecorded command instructing the animal to stop or turn. As another example, if the animal is outside the geofence area and facing the geofence, the collar 120 can be configured to issue an audible correction in the form of a prerecorded command instructing the animal to walk forward. This is useful in providing initial "self-training" to the animal, such that there is no need for the user to manually train the animal and / or acclimate the animal to the geofence and collar system. Additionally, once the animal is initially trained in one location on the system, the animal will be more likely to understand the meaning of different corrections received in other geographical locations. The collar 120 can be configured to provide a simpler correct / error correction, such that the collar 120 can provide correction until the animal wearing the collar 120 faces the correct direction, rather than attempting to guide the animal to turn left or right. For some animals, this can be easier to learn. The collar 120 can generally guide the animal towards a safe area, or more specifically, can guide the animal towards the precise location from which the animal left the safe area. The benefit of doing so is that the collar determines that there is an exit / entrance at that location, while there may be a physical barrier preventing the animal from returning to any general location within the enclosure. Similarly, the collar 120 can guide the animal towards a predetermined entry point (e.g., a door, a gate). The predetermined entry point can be the same location as the location from which the animal left the safe area. Alternatively, the entry point can be different from the location from which the animal left the safe area.The entry point can be input by the user and / or the entry point can be identified by the collar 120 or the backend server (such as by analyzing aerial images of the area, etc.).

[0096] The processor 310 can be configured to enable the LED 380 if the positioning of the collar 120 is outside the geofence area. The collar 120 can include a photosensor, a photodetector, or other light-sensing device, and the processor 310 can be configured to enable the LED 380 when the amount of detected light drops below a predetermined level. The processor 310 can be configured to enable the LED 380 if the positioning of the collar 120 is outside the geofence area and the amount of detected light drops below a predetermined level. The processor 310 can be configured to cause the LED 380 to indicate the strength and / or the determined accuracy of the geolocation signal. Alternatively or additionally, the processor 310 can cause a plurality of LEDs 380 to indicate (e.g., by a color-coding scheme, by providing numbers and / or letters via the plurality of LEDs 380) the strength of the battery or the geolocation signal and / or the determined accuracy of the geolocation signal. Alternatively or additionally, such information can be provided via a display arranged on the collar 120. Information regarding the battery strength, the geolocation signal strength, and / or the determined accuracy of the geolocation signal can serve as an indicator for the user as to whether it is an appropriate time for training (e.g., if the collar 120 will need to be charged in the near future, the user may not want to start training). As discussed below, the processor 310 can be configured to enable the LED 380 when the collar 120 is in the leash mode, which can alert passersby that the animal wearing the collar 120 is under the control of the user via the collar 120.

[0097] The collar 120 can be used indoors in combination with an additional short-range wireless beacon (such as a Bluetooth TM transmitter, etc.). The collar 120 can be configured not to generate a correction when receiving a signal from a specific wireless beacon, regardless of the proximity of the collar 120 to the geofence. The collar 120 can be configured not to generate a correction if the signal received from the wireless beacon is within a predetermined threshold, which can indicate a close proximity of the collar 120 to the wireless beacon. This can provide a local "safe zone" regarding the wireless beacon. The wireless beacon can be permanently or semi-permanently installed. For example, the wireless beacon can be installed in a known safe area near the edge of the geofence or just outside the geofence to ensure that no correction occurs there. The wireless beacon can be portable. For example, the wireless beacon can be installed in a car or on a keychain, which may be useful if the pet owner frequently transports the pet by car.

[0098] The collar 120 can be configured to generate a correction when receiving a signal from a specific wireless beacon that exceeds a predetermined threshold, which can indicate a close proximity of the collar 120 to the wireless beacon. For example, placing the wireless beacon on a kitchen worktop can have the effect of preventing a pet from entering the kitchen. The predetermined threshold (which corresponds to the distance from the wireless beacon) and / or the intensity, type, and / or progression of the correction can be selectively adjusted by a user, such as at a wireless transmitter, at the collar 120, or at the user device 110, etc. The wireless beacon and / or the collar 120 can be configured to record and save an analysis corresponding to the interaction between the wireless beacon and the collar 120. For example, the analysis can include the number of times the collar 120 travels within a predetermined distance of the wireless beacon, information related to the position of the collar 120 relative to the wireless beacon over time, etc.

[0099] The collar 120 can be used for use with, for example, service animals. As will be understood, if the owner of a service animal requires assistance, the service animal is typically trained to "alert". The collar 120 (such as via the accelerometer 350, microphone, etc.) can be configured to detect when the service animal wearing the collar 120 is "alert". For example, the collar 120 can detect the continuous rotation of a service animal that is spinning in circles by using a gyroscope in order to trigger such an alert. When it is detected that the animal is "alert", the collar 120 can be configured to send a notification requesting assistance to an emergency service provider and / or a predetermined security contact. The notification can include a message indicating the detected "alert", the time of the detected "alert", and / or the location of the collar 120 and / or the user device 110. The collar 120 can issue a record of the request for assistance and / or can send a signal to the user device 110 such that the user device 110 issues a record of the request for assistance and / or such that the user device 110 sends a notification to an emergency service provider and / or a predetermined contact.

[0100] The collar 120 may include multiple operation modes. For example, the collar 120 may include an outdoor mode (e.g., for use when the animal is outdoors), an indoor mode (e.g., for use when the animal is indoors), a low power mode (e.g., for use when the battery life of the collar 120 is below a predetermined threshold), a training mode (e.g., corresponding to the time during which a user trains the animal), an activity mode (e.g., the time during which it is determined that the animal is active), a rest mode (e.g., for reducing the frequency at which the collar 120 measures and / or transmits data so that battery life can be conserved when it is determined that the animal is sleeping at a location a predetermined distance from a geofence boundary), a leash mode (e.g., a mode that provides an "electronic leash" when the animal is outdoors and being walked by a user carrying the user device 110), a pet relief mode (e.g., for determining when and where the animal defecates or urinates), a stay away mode (e.g., for providing correction when the collar 120 moves within a predetermined distance of a device associated with a particular person or user), a lost mode (e.g., for use when the animal is outside a predetermined geofence area or when the animal is otherwise determined to be "lost"), or any other useful mode. The collar 120 may be configured to be in a single operation mode at a given time, and the collar 120 may be configured to be in two or more operation modes at a given time. For example, when in the outdoor mode, the collar 120 may also be in the leash mode, the pet relief mode, and / or the lost mode. One or more modes may be associated with one or more other modes. For example, the rest mode may be associated with the low power mode such that when the program 336 determines that the animal is resting (e.g., the collar 120 determines that the activity level of the animal is below a predetermined activity threshold), the collar 120 may be in the low power mode such that the collar 120 measures and / or transmits location data, biometric data, or other data at a lower frequency than when the collar 120 is not in the low power mode).

[0101] The disclosed technology can enable a user to manually change the operation mode of the collar 120. For example, the user can manually change the operation mode of the collar 120 via the program 336, and / or the user can manually change the operation mode of the collar 120 via the U / I device 370 (e.g., one or more buttons on the collar 120). The collar 120 can indicate (e.g., via the LED 380) the operation mode in which the collar 120 is currently operating. Alternatively or additionally, the collar 120 can include a display that can be configured to display the operation mode in which the collar 120 is currently operating. The program 336 can be configured to dynamically and automatically change between different operation modes based on the detected data (e.g., the positioning data of the collar 120 and / or the user device 110, the temperature data associated with the environment and / or the animal wearing the collar 120, the biometric data associated with the animal wearing the collar 120, the accelerometer data associated with the collar 120).

[0102] Each operation mode can include one or more default settings. For example, according to a given operation mode, the frequency of collecting or sending specific positioning data or other information can be different (e.g., in the lost mode, in which the collar 120 can be configured to send a constant data stream of positioning, while in the non-lost outdoor mode, the collar 120 can be configured to send positioning data periodically).

[0103] Program 336 can be configured to determine whether the collar 120 is located outdoors or indoors. Program 336 can compare the ambient temperature data received from the thermometer 390 with local outdoor temperature data to determine whether the collar 120 is located outside. For example, the collar 120 can receive local outdoor temperature data (e.g., from the user device 110 and / or the server) and can compare the local outdoor temperature data with the temperature data measured by the thermometer 390. Alternatively, the collar 120 can send the measured temperature data to the user device 110 and / or the server, and the user device 110 and / or the server can compare the local outdoor temperature data with the temperature data measured by the thermometer 390. Regardless of which device performs the comparison, if the measured temperature data is within a predetermined temperature value range or within a predetermined error range relative to the local outdoor temperature data, it can be determined that the collar 120 is outdoors. The local outdoor temperature data can be received from a third-party weather service or from some other source. Program 336 (or some other device) can receive an indoor temperature value corresponding to, for example, the user's home, and Program 336 (or some other device) can compare the detected temperature data with the indoor temperature value to determine whether the collar 120 is indoors. The indoor temperature can be assumed to be a predetermined temperature value, such as, for example but not limited to, 72°F. Program 336 can be configured to compare the measured temperature data with the indoor temperature and the local outdoor temperature data, and Program 336 can be configured to determine whether the collar 120 is outdoors or indoors based on whether the measured temperature data is closer to the local outdoor temperature data or the indoor temperature, respectively. Program 336 can be configured to determine that the collar 120 is outdoors based on the performance (e.g., speed, signal strength) of a GPS signal or other geolocation signal, a short-range wireless signal (e.g., a Bluetooth signal). Program 336 can be configured to abort at least some correction actions (e.g., correction actions corresponding to a safe area and / or a restricted area) when the animal is indoors because GPS signal accuracy and quality may not be available indoors. Program 336 can be configured to determine that the animal wearing the collar 120 is being transported (e.g., by a car or other vehicle) at least in part based on GPS data. For example, the collar 120 can determine that the collar 120 is moving based on GPS data, but can also determine based on other data (e.g., from the accelerometer 350) that the animal wearing the collar 120 is not walking or running. Program 336 can be configured to abort at least some correction actions (e.g., correction actions corresponding to a safe zone and / or a restricted zone) when transporting the animal.

[0104] One or more short-range wireless transmitters (e.g., beacons) may be positioned near a threshold (e.g., a door) of a building, and the measured signal strength of the signal transmitted between the collar 120 and the transmitter may be used to determine whether the collar 120 is inside or outside the building. When it is determined that the collar 120 is in a predetermined area (e.g., waiting outside the door), the collar 120 (or the server) may be configured to send a notification indicating that the collar 120 is in the predetermined area to the user device 110, and the notification may indicate that the user should let the animal wearing the collar 120 enter the building. Alternatively, the user device 110 may receive data indicating the location of the collar 120 and may provide an alert when it is determined that the collar 120 is in the predetermined area. The collar 120, the user device 110, and / or the server may be configured to determine the direction the animal is facing (e.g., based on a comparison of signal strengths measured by two or more devices in the collar 120, based on geolocation data, beacon proximity, and / or electronic compass direction), and this information may be used to determine whether the animal is ready to enter the building. Accordingly, the collar 120, the user device 110, and / or the server may issue a notification for the user to let the animal enter the building. This information may be sent to an automatic or motorized dog door, which may automatically allow the animal wearing the collar 120 to enter or leave the building.

[0105] Further, the collar 120, the user device 110, and / or the server can be configured to determine whether the collar 120 is indoors or outdoors (e.g., based on a comparison of signal strengths measured by two or more devices in the collar 120, based on geolocation data, beacon proximity, and / or electronic compass direction). Accordingly, the collar 120, the user device 110, and / or the server can determine whether to switch the collar 120 between an indoor mode and an outdoor mode. For example, the received signal strength and the number of received satellite signals (e.g., signal count, number of satellites corresponding to the received signals) can be statistically analyzed; the statistics can be performed in real time (or near real time), and filters on the incoming data can be applied to reduce errors. The collar, the user device 110, and / or the server can be configured to determine an intensity rating at least in part based on an analysis of the signals and corresponding data (e.g., signal strength, number of received signals). The resulting intensity rating can be compared to one or more intensity thresholds for a desired indoor and / or outdoor intensity rating, and a determination can be made as to whether the collar 120 is indoors or outdoors. The collar 120, the user device 110, and / or the server can perform a calibration process, whereby the user can "train" a statistical model by collecting data (e.g., baseline data) indoors and / or outdoors to adapt the thresholds to its corresponding environment. The calibrated thresholds can be saved to the memory of the collar 120 - and generally to the algorithms of the program 336 - or can be saved and only associated with the geolocation where the calibration occurred. This location-specific association can be based on geographical coordinates or by an associated fence identifier. By saving multiple thresholds in multiple geolocations or fences, the collar 120 can adjust the thresholds it uses based on its current location to result in a more accurate determination.

[0106] Alternatively or additionally, such as when the collar 120 is indoors but near a large window and thus has a high satellite signal strength, the collar 120, user device 110, and / or server may also determine that the result is indeterminate. The collar 120, user device 110, and / or server may then consider the motion state of the collar 120 (e.g., using its accelerometer) to determine whether the collar 120 may or may not have transitioned (e.g., from indoors to outdoors, from outdoors to indoors) and may maintain the last state (e.g., indoors, outdoors) unchanged. The collar 120, user device 110, and / or server may also support an "intermediate" mode, where the collar 120 cannot determine the current indoor or outdoor state. In this "intermediate" mode, the collar 120 may take different actions. For example, the collar 120, user device 110, and / or server may freeze the last determined / received GPS coordinate location when in the indoor mode, move the coordinate location when in the outdoor mode, and / or adjust the location when in the intermediate mode. The collar 120, user device 110, and / or server may modify the adjustment when in the intermediate mode to avoid large movements that may be caused by inaccurate satellite readings to prevent erratic jumps in the location. The collar 120, user device 110, and / or server may be configured to abort at least some correction actions (e.g., correction actions corresponding to a safe zone and / or restricted area) when the animal is in the intermediate state because GPS signal accuracy and quality may be unavailable and / or unreliable indoors. Optionally, if the geolocation indicates that it has left the fence when in the intermediate state, the collar 120, user device 110, and / or server will utilize only encouraging feedback (e.g., no electronic stimulation).

[0107] Alternatively or additionally, the collar 120, user device 110, and / or server may be configured to determine whether the collar 120 is indoors based on determining whether the most recent location data (or the most recent location data above a predetermined accuracy threshold) indicates that the collar 120 has moved across a geofence boundary that separates an outdoor location from an outdoor location (e.g., a geofence boundary aligned with the outer wall of a house or other building). For example, program 3:36 or the backend server may be configured to automatically determine the indoor / outdoor geofence boundary based on satellite or aerial imagery or the area. That is, program 3:36 and / or the backend server may be configured to receive one or more images indicating a top view of the area, identify one or more buildings from the images, and create an indoor / outdoor geofence boundary for each of the identified buildings indicating the outer wall.

[0108] If program 3:36 determines that the collar 120 is outdoors, program 3:36 may transition the collar 120 to the outdoor mode. Transitioning to the outdoor mode may include transitioning the power consumption of the collar 120. For example, when outdoors, WiFi TMIts use can be assumed to be restricted, and the collar 120 can be configured to disable WiFi when the collar 120 is outdoors. TM Alternatively or additionally, the collar 120 can be configured to enable GLS 360 when the collar 120 is outdoors and disable or reduce the power-on time of GLS 360 when the collar 120 is indoors. Compared with the indoor mode, the outdoor mode can include one or more different geofences. For example, the outdoor mode can include one or more geofences to prevent the animal from leaving the yard or some other area, which is unnecessary when the animal is indoors.

[0109] If the program 336 determines that the collar 120 is indoors, the program 336 can convert the collar 120 to the indoor mode. Converting to the indoor mode can include converting the power consumption of the collar 120. For example, as described above, when the collar 120 is indoors, the collar 120 can be configured to disable GLS 360, and / or when the collar 120 is outdoors, the collar 120 can be configured to enable WiFi. TM Compared with the outdoor mode, the indoor mode can include one or more different geofences. For example, it may be desirable to prevent the animal from entering the bedroom or kitchen, and when the animal is indoors, there is no need to prevent the animal from leaving the yard or some other area. A short-range wireless receiver (such as BLE, etc.) can be used to establish and determine the indoor fence (e.g., safe area and / or unsafe area), and compared with other systems, the short-range wireless receiver may require less energy. Since the determination of the indoor mode and / or outdoor mode can rely on the GLS receiver data, the program 336 can activate the receiver indoors when the animal moves for a short time or on schedule (e.g., at a predetermined time, at a predetermined interval / duration) to re-analyze the input signal and re-determine the indoor state; if it is determined that the collar 120 remains indoors, the program 336 can power down the GLS receiver again. The periodic cycling of the GLS receiver power, especially when cycling only when the accelerometer determines the presence of movement, can provide accurate indoor / outdoor determination while also minimizing power consumption.

[0110] Program 336 can receive data from one or more sensors of collar 120, such as data measured by accelerometer 350 and / or GLS 360, and can determine the activity level or type of activity of the animal based on the received data. The determined activity can correspond to a command received from the animal wearing collar 120. For example, the animal can be trained to provide, and collar 120 can be configured to detect a predetermined activity and / or posture indicating a particular need or desire of the animal (e.g., signal that the user or another person is injured or in need of help, send a request to the user to let the animal outside, send a request to the user to provide water and / or food). This functionality can be particularly useful for service animals. For example, a service animal can determine that its owner needs medical treatment and can perform a predetermined activity and / or posture. When a predetermined activity and / or posture is detected, collar 120 can be configured to enable an alarm from collar 120 itself (e.g., via a speaker, LED 380, and / or the display of collar 120). When a predetermined activity and / or posture is detected, collar 120 can be configured to send an alarm or notification to user device 110. When a predetermined activity and / or posture is detected, collar 120 can be configured to send a call and / or notification to a third party, such as a predetermined contact, an emergency service provider, a healthcare provider, and / or some other contact. Collar 120 can be configured to send a call and / or notification via WiFi TM , a cellular network, or any other communication method. Collar 120 can be configured to send the location of collar 120 via a call and / or notification (e.g., the current location of collar 120 and / or the location of collar 120 when collar 120 detects a predetermined activity and / or posture). The location of collar 120 can be determined at least in part based on data received from GLS 360.

[0111] Program 336 can be configured to determine the type of activity of the animal (e.g., running, walking, playing, jumping, sitting, lying down, petting) based on data measured via the accelerometer 350, GLS 360, biometric sensor, camera, or some other sensor, and program 336 can be configured to learn data patterns associated with the animal over time (e.g., accelerometer data patterns). For example, collar 120 can include an internal neural network, and via a collar training mode, the user can be enabled to train the neural network to learn the g-levels and electronic compass data associated with specific behaviors. As will be appreciated, standard learning algorithms can be employed to improve the accuracy of the neural network until the neural network can accurately distinguish and / or identify each learned behavior. The association of the most recent behavior with a designated behavior is performed by the user via user device 110 (e.g., a smart phone running an application configured to communicate with collar 120 and the neural network of collar 120). A specific behavior can be displayed or input or otherwise specified via user device 110. Program 336 can be configured to transition collar 120 to a corresponding operating mode based on the determined activity type. For example, program 336 can determine that the animal is active or can determine that the animal is stationary, and program 336 can transition the operating mode of collar 120 based on that determination. The program can be configured to adjust the type of corrective action (e.g., vibration, warning sound, electronic stimulation) according to the activity determined by program 336. For example, if the animal transitions from a stationary or inactive position to jumping up on a person, it may be desirable to provide a severe corrective action, and if the animal transitions from a playing activity type to jumping up on a person, it may be desirable to provide a less severe corrective action (or none at all) because it can be assumed that the person is playing with the animal. Program 336 can determine that the animal is a "high energy" animal that requires a more severe corrective action (e.g., electronic stimulation) based on the animal's activity level, as higher energy animals are generally less receptive (or not at all) to less severe corrective actions (e.g., warning sounds, vibrations).

[0112] If program 336 determines that the animal is active, program 336 may transition collar 120 to an active mode. For example, the active mode may include measuring and / or transmitting measured data at a more frequent rate compared to the rest mode. The active mode may be configured to detect undesired activity on the animal portion and may be configured to issue corrective actions designed to prevent or correct those undesired activities. For example, when collar 120 is in the active mode (or some other mode), program 336 may be configured to determine (e.g., based on accelerometer data and / or recorded audible data) the behavior of the animal, such as sleeping, running, jumping, barking, jumping on a person, or any other behavior. Program 336 may be configured to distinguish desired or permissible behaviors from undesired behaviors. Program 336 may be configured to receive input from the user indicating one or more desired or permissible behaviors and / or one or more undesired behaviors such that the permissible / undesired behaviors are user-configurable. Upon detecting an undesired behavior, program 336 may be configured to initiate a corrective action via collar 120.

[0113] If program 336 determines that the animal is resting, program 336 may transition collar 120 to a rest mode. Program 336 may transition collar 120 to the rest mode only if the animal has a low activity level at a location that is beyond a predetermined distance from the perimeter of a predetermined geofence area. The rest mode may correspond to a low power mode in which collar 120 may be configured to measure and / or transmit data on a less frequent basis compared to the active mode, the leash mode, the lost mode, or other modes in which a higher granularity or higher refresh rate of data is required or desired.

[0114] Program 336 can be configured to determine when an animal has defecated or urinated and can be configured to transition the collar 120 to a pet relief mode. For example, program 336 can be configured to make such a determination based on data from the accelerometer 350 and / or the electronic compass sensor 395, as described herein. Upon detecting that the animal has defecated or urinated, program 336 can be configured to send a notification to the user device 110 to indicate that the animal has defecated or urinated and / or can store or send the location of the defecation or urination such that the user can locate and clean the defecation or urination. The notification can include a map detailing the location of each respective defecation or urination. The user device 110 can be configured to track defecations or urinations that have not been cleaned. The user device 110 can be configured to receive data indicating the location of one or more defecations or urinations and can be configured to provide an alert or warning if the user device 110 moves within a predetermined distance of the defecation or urination in order to prevent the user from stepping in the defecation or urination. The user device 110 can be configured to receive an input from the user indicating that the user has cleaned one or more specific defecations or urinations such that the corresponding defecation or urination can be removed from the list of defecations or urinations not yet cleaned that is tracked by the user device 110.

[0115] The training mode can include a geolocation setting where the collar 120 is configured to send a constant stream of location data. This can allow for highly refined and continuously updated geolocation data, which helps minimize false geolocation readings that can lead to corrective actions that impede the animal's training to the geofence boundary and avoid or stop approaching the boundary.

[0116] The leash mode can correspond to providing a "wireless leash" that can be configured to keep the animal wearing the collar 120 within a predetermined distance relative to the user device 110 (e.g., the user's mobile phone, the user's smartwatch). The length of the leash (i.e., the predetermined distance) can be adjusted by the user, such as via the user device 110 and / or via the U / I device 370 of the collar 120. The length of the leash can be automatically adjusted based on proximity to a restricted area or other obstacles (e.g., roads, waterways). The length of the leash can be a predetermined distance or radius from the user device 110, allowing the animal to travel within the predetermined distance or radius from the user device 110, and when the user device 110 moves (e.g., as indicated by the positioning data provided by the GLS 250 of the user device 110), the center of the area in which the animal is allowed to travel (i.e., the center of the circle from which the predetermined distance or radius extends) can move. The collar can be configured to issue a correction and / or orientation command if the current distance between the collar and the user device 110 is greater than the predetermined distance. The collar 120 can be configured to provide a direction command (e.g., turn right or left) based on, for example, the positioning of the collar 120 and / or a comparison of the electronic compass data corresponding to the collar 120 with the boundaries of the leash length. That is, the collar 120 can be configured to determine whether the collar 120 is approaching the maximum distance of the leash length and can provide a direction command or other cue to guide the animal closer to the user device 110. The user is allowed to manually adjust the area in which the animal is allowed to travel via the user device 110.

[0117] The collar 120 (or the user device 110 or the server) can be configured to determine whether the user and the animal are side by side, the user (via the positioning data from the user device 110) is guiding the animal (via the positioning data from the collar 120), or the animal is guiding the user. In some scenarios, the user may expect the animal to walk side by side or behind the user (e.g., for obedience purposes), while in other scenarios (e.g., playing catch), the user may expect to allow the animal to run in front of the user. Thus, depending on the positioning of the collar 120 relative to the user device 110, the leash length can be restricted at different distances. As an example, the user can adjust the wireless leash to allow the animal to walk behind the user until a distance of 10 feet from the user, walk side by side with the user until a distance of 5 feet from the user, and not allow the animal to walk in front of the user (i.e., a leash distance of 0 feet from the user).

[0118] The LED 380, display, or audio recording on the collar 120 can indicate that the collar 120 is in the tethering mode. The LED 380, display, or audio recording can be configured to alert passersby that the animal is being wirelessly tethered and that the animal is not unrestrained. The user device 110 can be configured to detect a spatial gesture performed by the user via the accelerometer 260. The user device 110 can be configured to compare the detected gesture data indicating the detected spatial gesture with one or more stored gesture data, each stored gesture data indicating a corresponding user command. The user device 110 can determine a similarity level between the detected gesture data and at least one of the stored gesture data, and if the similarity level between the detected gesture data and a particular stored gesture data is higher than a predetermined threshold, the user device 110 can send the corresponding user command to the collar 120. The collar 120 can receive the user command and can issue a corresponding prompt, directional command, and / or corrective action. Thus, the detected movement of the user device 110 and the corresponding prompt, directional command, and / or corrective action issued at the collar 120 can mimic a wireless and / or unconstrained version of a traditional tether. For example, the user can "yank" or "drag" the user device (e.g., similar to dragging a physical tether) to provide a directional command at the collar 120 to command the animal to move closer to the user or face the user of the user device 110.

[0119] The leash mode may include a function that enables multiple animals wearing the collar 120 to be walked simultaneously by a user using one or more user devices 110. The user device 110 (such as through an application or a network-accessible platform, as discussed more fully below) may be configured such that a first user (e.g., a pet owner) can "lend" or otherwise temporarily (or permanently, if desired) transfer control of the animal wearing the collar 120 to a second user using a second user device 110. For example, a pet owner can temporarily transfer (or share) control of the animal wearing the collar 120 to a family member, a dog walker, a trainer, a veterinary office, or some other person or entity. As another example, a pet owner can permanently transfer (or share) control of the animal wearing the collar 120 to a family member, another person who adopts the animal wearing the collar 120, or some other person or entity. The user device 110 that transfers control or management of the animal wearing the collar 120 can be configured to restrict the permissions of the assignee or administrator. The user device 110 can be configured to assign the same amount of control to the user device 110 of the assignee or administrator as the user of the user device 110 (e.g., the user of the first user device 110 can have a spouse who uses the second user device 110 and the second user device 110 can have the same permissions and capabilities as the user's first user device 110). The user device 110 of the assignee or administrator can be capable of adjusting some or all of any configured settings. Conversely, the user device 110 of the assignee or administrator can be restricted from adjusting some or all of any configured settings.

[0120] The program 336 can be configured to transition the collar 120 to a keep-away mode or to operate in a keep-away mode simultaneously with other modes, which can cause the collar 120 to provide one or more corrections when the collar 120 moves within a predetermined distance of one or more devices associated with one or more specific persons or users ("animal adversaries"). As a non-limiting example, this functionality may be desirable in situations where a person is afraid of or otherwise adverse to the animal wearing the collar 120 and the animal adversary desires to keep the animal at a predetermined distance away from the animal adversary. Such animal adversaries can include police officers, mail or package delivery providers, or any other person who desires to keep the animal away from him or her, such as a frail or elderly person, a person who is afraid of the animal wearing the collar 120, a person with an animal-related allergy, or simply a person who does not like the animal wearing the collar 120. Similarly, a pet owner may desire that their pet stay away from visitors when their pet is undergoing behavioral training or is not well-trained (such as when exhibiting unwanted behaviors such as jumping or biting visitors, etc.). As more fully explained herein, the device associated with the animal adversary can be a mobile device configured to emit a signal (such as a Bluetooth signal, etc.).

[0121] Program 336 can be configured to transition to the stay-away mode upon receiving a corresponding instruction from the user device 110, the backend server, or some other device, or can be configured to always remain enabled in the stay-away mode. The user device 110 can receive user input requesting to initiate the stay-away mode for a specific user or group of users. The stay-away mode initiation request can include contact information (e.g., phone number) corresponding to a specific device or an account associated with a specific person (e.g., email address, account associated with a mobile phone application). The backend server can receive the stay-away mode initiation request, and the backend server can send an invitation message (e.g., email message, text message, message on a mobile phone application) to a device or account associated with the specific person. The invitation message can include a message indicating that the recipient (i.e., the animal adverse party) can utilize the stay-away feature to help prevent the animal wearing the collar 120 from moving within a predetermined distance of the mobile device or some other computing device associated with the animal adverse party (i.e., the animal adverse device). The invitation message can include a link to download an application (e.g., the stay-away application), through which the animal adverse party can engage or disengage the stay-away function and / or control the distance from the animal adverse device at which the collar 120 will start providing correction to the animal. The predetermined distance can be an adjustable distance that is adjustable by the user via the user device 110 and / or by the animal adverse party via the animal adverse device.

[0122] Alternatively or additionally, in order to require the animal adverse party to download the application, the link can direct to a web page that requests a device identifier associated with the animal adverse device (e.g., Bluetooth identifier, BLE identifier, MAC identifier). Alternatively or additionally, the user device 110 can directly obtain the device identifier associated with the animal adverse device from the animal adverse device. For example, the user device 110 can pair with or otherwise connect (e.g., via Bluetooth, BLE, NFC, hardwired connection) to the animal adverse device, request the device identifier associated with the animal adverse device, and receive the device identifier associated with the animal adverse device.

[0123] Alternatively or additionally, for the user to invite the animal adverse party to participate in the stay-away system, the animal adverse party can request permission from the user to participate in the stay-away system. The animal adverse party can download the stay-away application and create a user account in the stay-away application. The animal adverse party can send a request to allow participation in the stay-away system to the user device 110 via the animal adverse device and / or the stay-away application, such that if the collar moves within the predetermined distance of the animal adverse device, the collar 120 will provide correction. If the user approves the request, the user can enable the stay-away mode via the user device 110 and / or the program 336.

[0124] Alternatively or in addition, in order to be invited or requested to participate in staying away from the system, an animal adverse party may obtain permission to participate by being a member of a stay-away group. The stay-away group may refer to a group of people with certain memberships, such as a group of police officers, a group of mail or package delivery providers, or any other group of people who require animals to stay away from group members. Program 336 or the relevant server may control and audit the membership and members of the group itself. Program 336 or the server may require a photo of each animal adverse party, whether they are included in the stay-away group or not.

[0125] Program 336 (or the relevant server) may assign a unique identifier to the animal adverse party and / or the animal adverse device. The animal adverse device may emit a signal (e.g., a Bluetooth signal, a BLE signal), and the collar 120 may be configured to determine the distance between the collar 120 and the animal adverse device based on, for example, the signal strength of the detected emitted signal. Thus, the animal adverse device may perform the same or similar functions as the short-range wireless beacon disclosed herein, and the collar 120 may be configured to provide one or more corrections when the collar 120 moves within a predetermined distance of the animal adverse device.

[0126] As mentioned above, the animal adverse party may install the stay-away application on his or her device. The stay-away application may include a user interface that enables the animal adverse party to control whether the stay-away function is engaged or disengaged and / or the minimum predetermined distance between the animal adverse device and the collar 120. Alternatively or in addition, Program 336 and / or the user device 110 may enable the user to control whether to engage or disengage the stay-away function with respect to the animal adverse device or a specific animal adverse device among multiple animal adverse devices. Program 336 and / or the user device may enable the user to control the minimum predetermined distance between the collar 120 and one, some, or all of the animal adverse devices.

[0127] Instead of assigning a unique identifier to each individual animal adverse or each individual animal adverse device, the program 336 may allow a user to authorize one or more animal adverse devices to take a keep-away mode with respect to one or more collars 120 via a single authorization code. The authorization code may expire after a predetermined time has passed. For example, the authorization code may have a lifespan of one day, one hour, or any other predetermined duration, and after the predetermined time has expired, the authorization code will no longer allow the animal adverse device to repel the collar 120 (i.e., when the collar 120 moves within a predetermined distance of the corresponding animal adverse device, the collar 120 will no longer provide correction). The time-based repeated expiration of the authorization code can help prevent unauthorized devices from repelling the collar 120. The program 336, via the user device 110 (or the server), may send the authorization code to the collar 120 and the animal adverse device. The animal adverse device may send a keep-away signal including the authorization code, and the collar 120 may receive the keep-away signal and compare the received authorization code with the saved authorization code. If the received authorization code matches the saved authorization code, the collar 120 may be configured to determine the distance between the collar 120 and the corresponding animal adverse device, and then provide correction if the collar 120 is within a predetermined distance of the animal adverse device.

[0128] The program 336 (or the server) may be configured to randomly generate a new authorization code before the current authorization code expires and send it to the collar 120 and the animal adverse device. The collar 120 and the animal adverse device may be configured to receive the new authorization code and replace the current authorization code with the new authorization code when the current authorization code expires. The collar 120 and the animal adverse device may thus delete the expired authorization code.

[0129] The keep-away application may obtain the device-specific identifier (e.g., MAC address, beacon identifier) of the animal adverse device for backend auditing. For example, the program 336 may be configured to save the device-specific identifier of the animal adverse device. The program 336 may be configured to send the device-specific identifier to the server. The program 336 may be configured to send the device-specific identifier and the event time to the server whenever an event occurs (e.g., the collar 120 keeps away from the animal adverse device). The server may include (or be connected to) a database that stores the device-specific identifier of each animal adverse device associated with the collar 120 and the corresponding username of the animal adverse user associated with the animal adverse device. Thus, any event data (e.g., associated with an example of the collar 120 keeping away from the animal adverse device) may be recorded and linked to the animal adverse user associated with the animal adverse device that the collar 120 is away from.

[0130] Alternatively or additionally, the stay-away mode can include the following functionality: when the collar 120 is moved within a predetermined distance of one or more objects different from the device of an associated animal adverse, cause the collar 120 to provide one or more corrections. For example, when the collar 120 is moved within a predetermined distance of a vehicle, another collar (e.g., which may represent another animal), furniture (e.g., to prevent the animal from getting on the couch), certain plants (e.g., to prevent the animal from urinating on potted indoor plants), stairs (e.g., to prevent an elderly animal or person from going down the stairs), and / or any predetermined hazard or object, the collar 120 can provide one or more corrections. To determine whether the collar 120 is within a predetermined distance of a given object, the collar 120 can use radar, lidar, one or more electronic signals transmitted from a vehicle or other object (e.g., Bluetooth TM , BLE, WiFi TM , ZigBee TM , ABC protocol), RF signal strength analysis, inductive loop detection, image detection and / or object recognition of an image from a camera, etc., sound detected via a microphone and / or accelerometer, and / or any combination thereof to identify the given object and / or the distance between the given object and the collar 120, just a few non-limiting examples.

[0131] In the case of sound detection, the microphone and / or accelerometer can be configured to detect sound and / or vibration, and the collar 120 can be configured to determine whether the detected sound and / or vibration is within a predetermined range of frequency values or outside (i.e., higher or lower than) a predetermined frequency threshold. As a non-limiting example, a predetermined range of frequency values can indicate traffic or a single vehicle. The collar 120 can compare the detected sound and / or vibration with multiple predetermined ranges of frequency values, which can respectively correspond to corresponding hazards or concerns.

[0132] For example, a first predetermined range of frequency values can correspond to an internal combustion engine vehicle and a second predetermined range of frequency values can correspond to an electric vehicle. The collar 120 can also compare the detected sound and / or vibration with a loudness threshold or an amplitude threshold, which can indicate an approximate proximity of the collar 120 to a corresponding object. The collar 120 can compare the detected sound and / or vibration with a plurality of loudness thresholds or amplitude thresholds. Continuing with the above example, a first loudness threshold or amplitude threshold can correspond to the collar 120 being within a predetermined distance from an internal combustion engine vehicle, and a second loudness threshold or amplitude threshold can correspond to the collar 120 being within a predetermined distance from an electric vehicle. Further, the collar 120 can determine the duration of the detected sound or vibration having a predetermined frequency range or exceeding a predetermined frequency threshold. For example, a sound within a given frequency value range having a long detected duration can indicate a road or other traffic route, while a sound within a given frequency value range having a very short detected duration can indicate a single overtaking vehicle. Even further, the collar 120 can determine a trend of the detected sound or vibration. For example, if the loudness or amplitude of the detected sound or vibration increases, then the collar 120 can determine that the distance between the collar 120 and the corresponding object or hazard is decreasing and can issue a correction, while if the loudness or amplitude of the detected sound or vibration decreases, then the collar 120 can determine that the distance between the collar 120 and the corresponding object is increasing and can forego providing a correction. To determine such a trend, the collar 120 can receive first sound or vibration data and second subsequent sound or vibration data, and the collar 120 can compare the first sound or vibration data with the second sound or vibration data to determine the trend.

[0133] The collar 120 can perform a similar analysis using radar data, lidar data, RF signal strength analysis, electronic signal data, inductive loop detection data, optical / camera data, and the like.

[0134] The collar 120 can have default settings that can be overridden by the user if desired. For example, if the collar 120 enters within a predetermined distance of traffic (e.g., a road), the collar 120 can have a default setting for issuing a correction. For example, if the animal wearing the collar 120 is a service animal or some other type of animal that often comes into close contact with and / or travels across a road, the setting can be overridden. Alternatively or additionally, the collar 120, the user device 110, and / or the server can be configured to determine whether the animal is traveling in a car or other vehicle. If it is determined that the animal is traveling in a car or other vehicle, then the collar 120 can be configured to prevent the output of at least some corrections (e.g., corrections related to the collar 120 crossing a given geofence boundary). Optionally, certain corrections can remain enabled (e.g., corrections related to barking).

[0135] Program 336 can be configured to transition the collar 120 to a lost mode when the collar 120 is outside a safe area or in a restricted area. The collar 120 can be configured to transition to the lost mode immediately after the collar 120 moves outside the safe area or into the restricted area, or the collar 120 can be configured to transition to the lost mode after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed while the collar 120 is outside the safe area within the restricted area. These predetermined times can be different. For example, the collar 120 can be configured to transition to the lost mode immediately or in a short period (e.g., one minute) after the collar 120 is moved into the restricted area, and the collar can be configured to transition to the lost mode after a longer predetermined time (e.g., 30 minutes) has elapsed after the collar 120 has been moved out of the safe area. The collar 120 (or the server) can be configured to send a notification indicating that the collar 120 has entered the lost mode to the user device 110. Alternatively, the user device 110 can receive data indicating the location of the collar 120 and can provide an alert when it determines that the collar 120 has entered the lost mode (e.g., the collar 120 is outside the safe area or in the restricted area). The lost mode can include a geolocation setting where the collar 120 is configured to send a constant stream of location data such that continuously updated geolocation data is available at the user device 110. This can enable the user to more easily locate the lost animal.

[0136] When in the lost mode, the collar 120 can be configured to emit an audible signal, and when the pet hears the sound, the pet is trained to go home immediately. This sound is a standard pet training mechanism, similar to ringing a "dinner bell", and the pet will associate that there is something delicious at home. By automatically emitting this special sound, the collar 120 can utilize the pet's own homing instinct to bring the lost pet home. Alternatively or additionally, the collar 120 can be configured to give the animal cues or provide directional commands to guide the animal home. The application can be configured to track and / or display the history of the route the animal has previously traveled (e.g., during the dog's walk). When in the lost mode, the program 336 can be configured to select a route home by determining the route the animal has previously traveled. For example, if there is a route home that the animal has traveled several times before, then the animal is likely to be familiar with the environment associated with the route, making it less likely for the animal to be confused or distracted. Therefore, by following this route, the collar 120 can guide the animal home faster and more effectively. The program 336 can be configured to select the route that the animal has traveled most frequently, the fastest by the animal, or by some other metric. The collar 120 can be configured to emit an audible notification (i.e., play a prerecorded audible message) that indicates the fact that the animal is lost, the name of the animal, and / or instructions on how to return the animal to its owner, such as by providing the name and / or contact information of the owner (e.g., the owner's phone number, address, or any other useful identification information associated with the owner). The type of contact information provided by the collar 120 can be configured by the owner or user based on privacy preferences or other concerns.

[0137] Alternatively or additionally, to provide cues or instructions to the animal wearing the collar 120 (e.g., "go home" dinner bell-like alarm, clicker training), the lost mode can include the collar 120 being configured to emit an audible notification to any passerby, which can indicate a warning or instruction. For example, the collar 120 can emit an audible notification requesting any passerby to contact the user via the contact information included in the audible notification. As another example, the collar 120 can request the passerby to avoid approaching the animal or can notify the passerby that the user is currently on the way to the animal. This can enable those bystanders who might not otherwise be comfortable to help return the animal. For example, a doorman might otherwise be uncomfortable approaching a strange animal (e.g., afraid of approaching an unconstrained animal, even one wearing a traditional identification tag), but in the case where the collar 120 notifies the doorman that the user is on the way to the animal, the doorman can be encouraged to monitor the safety of the animal from a safe distance (e.g., ensure that the animal does not wander into traffic).

[0138] If collar 120 transitions to a lost mode, program 336 can provide a notification to the user via user device 110. Program 336 can receive an indication from the user that the user is en route to collar 120. Program 336 can be configured to send a notification to collar 120 that the user is en route to collar 120. Collar 120 can be configured to receive the notification and issue an audible notification indicating that the user is en route to collar 120. Collar 120 (or the server) can determine the distance between collar 120 and the user device and / or can calculate an estimated travel time for the user device 110 to travel to the location of collar 120. The audible notification issued by collar 120 can include the estimated travel time of user device 110 and / or the estimated distance between collar 120 and user device 110.

[0139] The disclosed technology can be used with young children or the elderly. For example, a young child or an elderly person who is prone to confusion can be equipped with collar 120, which is configured to issue a record indicating that the wearer of collar 120 should return to a safe area in response to determining that collar 120 is leaving a safe area or approaching a restricted area (e.g., a road).

[0140] Different aspects and functionality of collar 120 can be selectively controlled, tracked, and viewed via user device 110, such as through a graphical user interface (GUI) of a mobile phone application or a web-accessible platform (e.g., a website). As described herein, different embodiments of the GUI are collectively referred to as an "application". The application and / or collar 120 can be configured to automatically provide a geofence when an address is entered into the application. The automatically provided geofence can be adjusted or edited by the user. Collar 120 can be configured to receive input from the user to automatically install a geofence upon arrival at a location. For example, a pet owner and a pet can arrive at a new location, the pet owner can provide input indicating to automatically install a geofence at the current location, collar 120 can determine its current location, and can automatically create a geofence following the property lines of the location.

[0141] Collar 120, user device 110, and / or the application can be compatible with one or more different mapping technologies (such as Google TM Maps, Apple TM Maps, and Bing TM Maps (commonly referred to as "map service providers"), etc.). The geofence and / or the geofence area can be overlaid on a map. By the user drawing a geofence on the map within the application, the geofence can be input into the application, and the user can select whether the geofence area is a safe area or a restricted area. In Figure 4A and Figure 4BAn example geofence overlaid on a map is depicted. An application can be configured to record a geofence when the user device 110 is carried along the perimeter of a desired geofence area. The application can provide for downloading different pre-created and / or crowdsourced geofences, such as geofences corresponding to a dog running in a public park or hotel or a map track (e.g., a map mountain track). One or more geofences can be transferred from the user device 110 or otherwise sent to the collar 120. Such sending can be done wirelessly (such as via Bluetooth TM or WiFi TM etc.) or via a wired connection (such as via USB etc.). The application can include a window or interface for editing existing geofences (such as pre-installed geofences, previously created geofences, downloaded geofences, and / or crowdsourced geofences, etc.). The application can include a window or interface for deleting existing geofences.

[0142] The collar 120, the user device 110, and / or the application can be configured to receive map data from a map service provider and can be configured to automatically determine a safe zone and / or a restricted zone based on the map data. For example, all roads can be defaulted to restricted zones and / or all water bodies can be defaulted to restricted zones. These determinations can be based at least in part on identifying data within the map data (e.g., labels for certain areas), object recognition of images (e.g., overhead images) indicated or included in the map data, and / or any other method of identifying areas from the map data. Alternatively or additionally, the collar 120, the user device 110, and / or a remote server (e.g., a backend server) can calculate a dynamic fence defined by the outline of the edges of roads (and / or other predefined and / or user-specified barriers, such as water bodies, etc.) surrounding, encircling, and / or approaching the current location of the animal. If the user device 110 or the server determines the dynamic fence, then the user device 110 or the server can send information to the collar 120. As Figure 5As shown, a dynamic fence can be created around the entire neighborhood block that includes the house in which the collar 120 is located. The dynamic fence can be created as an alternative or supplement to a geofence that tracks another boundary, such as the boundary of the pet owner's property, etc. Thus, if the animal is about to leave the pet owner's property, the dynamic fence will automatically be available to help prevent the animal from approaching a road or other obstacle. As described, the dynamic fence can be a geofence in addition to or outside of a geofence that tracks the boundary of the pet owner's property or another geofenced area. If the collar 120 is about to leave the dynamic fence area (e.g., cross a road), the collar 120, the user device 110, and / or the server can automatically create a subsequent dynamic fence (e.g., once the collar 120 enters a new bounded area, such as a new neighborhood block, etc.) to help prevent the animal from re-entering the road or other dangerous environments. If the collar 120 leaves the first geofence area (e.g., crosses the initial dynamic fence), the collar 120 can be configured to increase the severity and / or duration of the correction associated with a subsequent geofence area (e.g., a subsequent dynamic fence).

[0143] The application can include an option for using the collar 120 with an underground wire fence. As Figure 4BAs shown, the collar 120 can be further configured to be used with an underground wire fence, such as a system having a transmitter 402 and a cable 40 (sometimes referred to as an "invisible fence"). For example, a pet owner can have an underground wire fence that includes a buried cable 404 installed along the boundary line or edge of a predetermined geographical area where the pet owner wants to keep the animal inside, such as the property line of the pet owner, etc. The underground wire fence can include a transmitter 402 that is in electrical communication with the cable 404 and is configured to generate or transmit a signal distributed through the cable 404. By distributing the signal through the cable 404 by the transmitter 402, the underground wire fence can be configured to output a signal near the edge of the predetermined geographical area. The collar 120 can further include a receiver that can detect the presence of the signal. For example, the receiver can be or include the previously described communication interface 340, or the receiver can be a separate sensor or component configured to detect the signal. The receiver can be configured to detect any form of signal output by the underground wire fence such that the collar 120 can be used with any type of underground wire fence (invisible fence), although different types or different manufacturers of underground wire fences use different signals. In other words, the collar 120 can be a universal collar configured to be used with multiple types of underground wire fences, where the transmitter 402 (e.g., via the cable 404) outputs a signal. When the receiver detects the signal, the collar 120 can be configured to determine that the animal or person wearing the collar is near the boundary of the predetermined area and output a corrective action to prevent the wearer of the collar 120 from leaving the predetermined area. The corrective action can be or include any one of the corrective actions or combinations of corrective actions previously described herein. For example, the collar 120 can be configured to output more than one corrective action, where the intensity of each corrective action increases to prevent the wearer of the collar 120 from leaving the predetermined geographical area.

[0144] As Figure 4B shown, the cable 404 can be positioned a predetermined distance from the actual boundary of the property line, or the cable 404 can be located substantially on the property line. Alternatively, the cable 404 can be positioned to establish any other desired fence boundary area (e.g., the previously described "safe" or "restricted" area). Additionally, the geofence can be configured such that it is aligned with the position of the cable 404 and / or the property line. Alternatively, the geofence can be positioned a certain distance beyond the boundary formed by the cable 404 such that the wearer of the collar 120 must first cross the cable 404 before crossing the geofence.

[0145] Similar to the previously described geofence, the cable 404 can form an underground line fence boundary as part of the same containment system. The underground line fence boundary can be input into the application by the user of the application, and the user can be enabled to select whether the underground line fence boundary area is a safe area or a restricted area. The user can be allowed to draw the underground line fence boundary by using the application to draw a virtual boundary that is proximate to the perimeter of the underground line fence. The virtual boundary is positioned by the user to extend beyond the actual underground line fence perimeter. In Figure 4B An example underground line fence boundary overlaid on a map is depicted. In this example, once the outer virtual perimeter is downloaded into the collar 120, it provides several functions—it notifies the collar 120 that there is an underground line boundary within the virtual perimeter and treats the detection of such a line as the virtual boundary; it notifies the collar that if it determines that its position is outside the virtual boundary, then it has definitely left the underground line fence boundary and presumably there is no detection; it provides the user with a useful visual representation of the location of the underground line boundary and virtual means for configuring, enabling, or disabling the boundary; and it forms a 'backup' boundary if the underground line fence becomes inoperative.

[0146] The application can also be configured to automatically detect the actual location of the underground line fence boundary by recording the underground line fence boundary when the user device 110 is carried along the perimeter formed by the underground line fence boundary or when the collar 120 is brought near the cable 404 and the signal from the transmitter 402 is detected by the collar 120. For example, a dog wearing the collar 120 can be placed in a yard where the cable 404 is installed along the property line, and the collar 120 can detect the signal output by the transmitter 402 via the cable 404 and track or mark the GPS coordinates of the detected signal. As the dog wearing the collar 120 continues to walk around or near the boundary formed by the cable 404 (continuously when led by the owner or periodically as the dog approaches different areas of the cable 404 over time), the collar 120 can track the location of the detected signal and mark that location as part of the boundary formed by the cable 404. Finally, once all or most of the locations where the cable 404 is located are marked on the map, the area in which the dog is to remain can be automatically determined, and the application can set that area as the predefined area.

[0147] When determining a predetermined area by detecting the location where a signal exists, the collar 120 can be configured to include the wearer of the collar 120 within a set geofence. For example, a dog owner can place his or her dog in a yard with an underground wire fence, and the collar 120 can be configured to keep the dog within the geofence until the collar 120 that detects the location of the cable 404 by the dog walking near the cable 404 and the marker draws the cable 404. Once the cable 404 is further drawn, the collar 120 can switch to a mode in which the collar 120 mainly relies on the underground wire fence rather than GPS to save energy.

[0148] Depending on determining whether the collar 120 is inside or outside the boundary formed by the cable, the collar 120 can be configured to switch between at least a first operating mode and a second operating mode or some combination thereof. For example, the collar 120 can be configured to operate in a first operating mode when it is determined that the collar 120 is within a predetermined geographical area, and to operate in a second operating mode when it is determined that the collar 120 is outside the predetermined geographical area. The option to operate between these two modes can be user-configurable, for example, on an application on the user device or on the user interface of the collar 120. The first operating mode can be a mode in which the collar 120 mainly relies on the underground wire fence. For example, the first operating mode can include at least temporarily deactivating the location tracking of the collar 120 so that the battery life can be extended. As will be understood, when the collar 120 is located within the boundary formed by the cable 404, the animal or person wearing the collar can be kept within the boundary mainly by detecting the signal sent by the underground wire fence rather than via geolocation. In this case, the first operating mode can include determining whether a signal output by the transmitter 402 via the cable 404 is detected, indicating that the wearer of the collar 120 is approaching the boundary of the predetermined area. If the collar 120 detects a signal using the receiver, the collar 120 can be configured to output a corrective action to prevent the wearer of the collar 120 from leaving the predetermined area. Alternatively, the collar 120 can be configured to activate the second operating mode to track the position of the collar 120 when a signal from the underground wire fence is detected. When the second operating mode is activated, the collar 120 can output a corrective action only when the collar 120 determines that the collar 120 has crossed the boundary of the predetermined area (e.g., crossed the underground wire fence) to encourage the wearer of the collar 120 to return to the predetermined area.

[0149] The collar 120 can be configured to output different corrective actions based on the strength of the signal detected from the transmitter 402 or by the distance the collar has moved away from and beyond the detected signal. For example, when the wearer of the collar 120 approaches the cable 404, the collar 120 can be configured to output a warning sound upon first detecting the signal. If the wearer of the collar 120 continues to approach the cable 404 and the strength of the signal 404 increases, the collar 120 can be configured to output subsequent corrective actions that provide a more intense corrective action, such as an electric shock, a spray, a tactile feedback, etc. Alternatively, the collar 120 can be configured to output a warning sound once the cable 404 is detected and then escalate as the wearer moves past and beyond the cable 404 in the same direction.

[0150] For example, if the wearer of the collar 120 crosses the boundary formed by the cable 404 such that the underground wire fence and the associated corrective actions do not prevent the wearer of the collar 120 from leaving a predetermined geographical area, the collar 120 can be configured to switch to a second operating mode. Further, the collar 120 can be configured to operate in both the first and second operating modes simultaneously. For example, the collar 120 can activate both the first and second operating modes simultaneously to further ensure that the wearer of the collar 120 is kept within a predetermined geographical area.

[0151] The second operating mode may include activating location tracking such that the location of the collar 120 is tracked in accordance with many of the examples described herein. The location tracking may include continuously or near continuously tracking the location of the collar 120, or the location tracking may include periodically tracking the location of the collar 120. If the location of the collar is only periodically checked, the location may be updated approximately every few minutes, every minute, every 30 seconds, every 10 seconds, every 5 seconds, every 2 seconds, every 1 second, or several times per second, depending on the particular configuration. By transitioning to the second operating mode, the collar 120 may provide corrective actions to the wearer of the collar 120 to redirect the wearer of the collar 120 back into a predetermined geographic area. For example, the second operating mode may include activating the lost mode described previously herein such that the collar 120 is configured to determine the direction in which the wearer of the collar is moving forward or facing and provide corrective actions to guide the wearer of the collar 120 back into the predetermined geographic area. The collar 120 may further be configured to stop or prevent corrective actions that would otherwise be output when a signal from the transmitter 402 is detected as the wearer of the collar 120 is guided back into the predetermined geographic area. For example, although the collar 120 would typically provide corrective actions when a signal is detected (i.e., as described with respect to the first operating mode), the collar 120 may deactivate this function because the wearer of the collar 120 is approaching the cable 404 from outside the predetermined geographic area such that the wearer of the collar 120 is not prevented from re-entering the predetermined geographic area. Thus, compared to existing underground fence systems that typically provide corrective actions as the collar 120 approaches the line 404 even when the wearer of the collar 120 is attempting to return to the predetermined geographic area, the disclosed techniques may be configured to better encourage the wearer of the collar 120 to return to the predetermined geographic area.

[0152] The collar 120 may further be configured to activate the second operating mode when the wearer of the collar 120 approaches the cable 404 of the underground fence line. For example, if the collar 120 detects a signal output by the transmitter 402 via the cable 404, the collar 120 may be configured to transition to the second operating mode. In this manner, the collar 120 may be configured to include additional methods of tracking and preventing the wearer of the collar 120 from leaving the predetermined geographic area. For example, if the collar 120 activates the second operating mode when a signal from the transmitter 402 is first detected, the collar 120 may track the location, direction, and speed of the wearer of the collar 120 as the wearer moves forward and output corrective actions corresponding to the location, direction, and speed. For example, if the wearer of the collar 120 appears to be running at a high rate of speed toward the boundary of the predetermined geographic area (e.g., a dog chasing a car, a person, an animal, etc.), the collar 120 may be configured to output its highest level or strongest corrective action to quickly prevent the wearer of the collar 120 from leaving the predetermined geographic area.

[0153] In the second or third operating mode, the collar 120 can be configured to determine the distance between the position of the collar 120 and the boundary formed by the geofence or cable 404, and determine the approximate time it will take for the wearer of the collar 120 to move from its current location to the boundary of a predefined geographic area. The collar 120 can further set the frequency of checking the position of the collar 120 based on the approximate time it will take for the wearer of the collar 120 to travel the distance to the boundary. For example, if it takes the wearer of the collar 120 approximately 30 seconds to travel the calculated distance to the boundary, the collar 120 can be configured to periodically check the position of the collar 120 every 30 seconds. In this way, the collar 120 can be configured to maximize battery life by only checking the position of the collar 120 as frequently as needed. The estimated time it will take for the wearer of the collar 120 to travel to the boundary of a predefined geographic area can be based on the maximum or average speed of the wearer of the collar 120 as calculated from previous positioning tracking data.

[0154] The collar 120 can be further configured to activate a third operating mode, in which the collar 120 periodically checks the position of the collar 120. For example, the collar 120 can periodically check the position of the collar 120 every few minutes, every minute, every thirty seconds, every 10 seconds, every 5 seconds, every 2 seconds, every 1 second, or several times per second, depending on the specific configuration. The collar 120 can operate individually in the third operating mode or in the third operating mode in combination with the first operating mode or the second operating mode. For example, when the collar 120 transitions to the first operating mode, it will typically deactivate the location tracking to conserve battery power. However, the collar 120 can operate in the third operating mode and the first operating mode simultaneously to periodically check the position of the collar 120 to ensure that the collar 120 remains within a predetermined geographical area. For example, if the wearer of the collar 120 is about to leave the predetermined geographical area and the collar 120 is not automatically triggered to transition to the second operating mode for some reason (e.g., the collar 120 fails to detect the signal output by the transmitter), the collar 120 can periodically check the location of the collar 120 in the third operating mode and transition to the second operating mode if it is determined that the collar 120 is outside the predetermined geographical area. When re-entering the predetermined geographical area, the collar 120 can transition back to the first operating mode and the third operating mode. Additionally, if the collar 120 determines that the wearer of the collar 120 is determined to be outside the predetermined geographical area and the collar has not been automatically transitioned to the second operating mode, the collar 120 can be further configured to output a notification to the user device 110 to instruct the user to check the transmitter 402 and the cable 404 to ensure that the underground wire fence is working properly. Further still, the collar 120 can be configured to operate in the first operating mode, the second operating mode, and the third operating mode simultaneously. Additionally, when the second operating mode or the third operating mode is active, as described elsewhere, the collar 120 can also be configured to send the position of the collar 120 to the user for display on the user application; thus, even when the collar 120 remains contained within the underground wire fence area through the first operating mode, the user is provided with a perception of the location of the collar 120.

[0155] The collar 120 can be further configured to communicate with the transmitter 402 and automatically switch to a second operating mode when the transmitter 402 and / or the cable 404 cannot output a signal. For example, it is not uncommon for the cable 404 of an underground wire fence to be damaged due to yard work or root growth. When the cable 404 is damaged, many existing underground wire fence systems cannot output a signal via the transmitter 402 and appear to have no operable fence. In the case of existing systems, animals are typically able to leave a predefined geographic area because the underground wire fence has failed. In some cases, such underground wire fence systems include warning lights or sounds in an attempt to notify the owner that the underground wire fence is not operating properly. The underground wire fence system can be configured to output a notification indicating that the underground wire fence is inoperable or has degraded performance to the collar 120 or to the user device 110. In response, the collar 120 can automatically switch to a second operating mode or a third operating mode to track the position of the collar 120 and enforce a specified boundary. If the collar 120 initially switches to the third operating mode, the collar can be configured to determine whether the collar 120 is outside the geofence, and if so, the collar 120 can switch to the second operating mode. By automatically switching to the second operating mode (initially or after first switching to the third operating mode), the disclosed technology can determine the location of the wearer of the collar 120 and prevent the wearer of the collar 120 from leaving the predefined geographic area (i.e., crossing the geofence). The underground wire fence and / or the collar 120 can be further configured to periodically output a notification informing the user of the status of the underground wire fence. For example, even when the underground wire fence is currently disabled (e.g., in standby mode), the underground wire fence and / or the collar 120 can be configured to output a notification to the user device 110 informing the user that the underground wire fence is working properly.

[0156] The collar 120 can be further configured to take further actions based on sensing a signal from the transmitter 402. As a non-limiting example, in response to detecting a signal output from the transmitter 402 via the wire 404, the collar 120 can be configured to output an alert to the user device 110, output an alert to a connected audible device, turn on or off a light (e.g., a yard light), output a signal to a connected smart device, which can then trigger other actions (e.g., output a signal to a smart home center, which can then take further actions) and / or output additional commands to cause a desired action to occur. In other words, the collar 120 can treat the detection of the signal as a trigger event to cause a desired action to occur according to a specific application.

[0157] The application may include a window or menu in which the user can configure correction rules based on the proximity of the collar 120 to a geofence and / or correction rules for a selected portion of the geofence. The configuration of the correction rules may include selecting different proximities of the collar 120 to the geofence corresponding to different correction levels. For example, the user can select via the application the distance from the geofence that results in a warning correction, the distance from the geofence that results in a low electrical stimulation correction, the distance from the geofence that results in a medium electrical stimulation correction, and the distance from the geofence that results in a high electrical stimulation correction. The application may provide an interface through which the user can configure correction rules for the collar group 120 and / or the individual collar 120. For example, the user may be enabled to provide a first set of rules for some or all of the collars 120 corresponding to cows, a second set of rules for some or all of the collars 120 corresponding to horses, a third set of rules for some or all of the collars 120 corresponding to all sheepdogs, and a fourth set of rules for the collar 120 corresponding to a particular coonhound.

[0158] The application may allow the user to configure the initial settings of the collar 120. As mentioned herein, the collar 120 may have default settings related to a safe zone and / or a restricted zone. These default settings may be modified and / or overridden based on user preferences that may be input via the application. For example, if the collar 120 is traveling on a road (e.g., if the animal is a service animal), the user may override the output of the correction, and / or the user may modify the predetermined distance between the road (or other object or hazard) at which the collar 120 will issue a correction.

[0159] As another example, the user may input information regarding the temperament of the animal (i.e., the wearer of the collar 120) with respect to other animals. If the animal is aggressive towards other animals or if the user otherwise desires to prevent the animal from coming into contact with other animals, the settings of the collar 120 may be modified based on one or more types of detection data (such as sound data and / or camera data, etc.) to prevent the collar 120 from entering within a predetermined distance of another smart collar (e.g., of the same type as the collar 120) and / or to prevent the collar 120 from entering within a predetermined distance of other animals (or only one or more specific types of animals). On the other hand, if the animal is friendly towards other animals, the settings of the collar 120 may be modified to allow the collar 120 to enter within any distance of other animals.

[0160] As yet another example, the user may input information related to whether the wearer of the collar 120 (e.g., an animal, a person) can swim. If the user indicates that the wearer cannot swim or cannot swim well, the collar 120 can provide corrections to prevent the wearer from moving near a water body. Alternatively, if the user indicates that the wearer can swim, the collar 120 can allow the collar 120 to move near and / or into the water body without outputting any corrections. Optionally, the collar 120, the user device 110, and / or the application can be configured to grade the difficulty of swimming in certain water bodies and can classify one or more water bodies according to severity. Classifying a given water body as a safe zone or a restricted zone can be at least partially based on the swimming difficulty associated with the water body. For example, the wearer of the collar 120 may be good at swimming such that the wearer is allowed to swim in calm ponds and lakes, but may desire to prevent the wearer of the collar 120 from entering a water body with a fast-flowing river. Thus, if the collar 120 moves to a position within a predetermined distance of a water body with a swimming difficulty threshold higher than a certain value, the collar 120 can be configured to output a correction value, and the swimming difficulty threshold can be predetermined, determined by the collar 120 or the application, or input by the user.

[0161] The application can include a window or interface for displaying a real-time and / or historical correction ledger or a trend analysis (or any other type of analysis) of the real-time and / or historical correction ledger. This can help enable the user to enhance and / or correct the configured boundaries. The application can include a window or interface for displaying a trend analysis (or any other type of analysis) of the real-time location and / or position of the animal or historical pet locations (such as a heat map, etc.). The application can include a window or interface for viewing the location of the user device 110 relative to the collar 120, which can be useful, for example, when trying to locate a lost animal.

[0162] The application can include a window or interface for selectively determining which collars 120 are assigned to which animals, which collars 120 are assigned to which geofences, when certain collars 120 are assigned to certain geofences, editing the association of the collars 120 with the geofences, grouping the collars 120, ungrouping the collars 120, deleting the collars, etc.

[0163] As will be appreciated, a difficult problem in pet behavior is teaching an animal to stop destructive behavior when the owner is not present. For example, a dog may chew on shoes or furniture when the owner leaves his or her house, and upon returning home, the owner can discipline the dog. However, due to the time delay associated with discipline or other factors, the dog may not be able to associate the disciplinary action with the destructive behavior. The collar 120 can be configured to provide real-time or near real-time corrective action to prevent the animal from engaging in destructive behavior. The collar 120 can be configured to communicate with and / or operate in conjunction with a camera system. One or more cameras of the camera system can be configured to record video, and the camera system (or a system associated with the collar 120) can be configured to analyze the video to determine whether the animal wearing the collar 120 is chewing, biting, scratching, or otherwise damaging or destroying property or other objects (e.g., shoes, furniture). The collar 120 can be configured to issue corrective actions of varying severity or intensity based on, for example, the identified damaged property or object, the persistence or historical tendency of the animal to engage in damaging behavior, or manual input from the user. Thus, the collar 120 can be used to automatically teach an animal to avoid engaging in destructive behavior or other undesirable behaviors.

[0164] The disclosed technology can be further understood in accordance with the following clauses:

[0165] Clause 1: A collar configured to be worn by an animal, the collar comprising: a geolocation sensor; a receiver configured to receive a signal from a transmitter configured to send a signal along a cable disposed along a boundary of a predetermined geographic area; a communication interface configured to send and receive data; a memory having instructions stored thereon; and a processor, wherein the collar is configured to: operate in a first operating mode that includes determining whether a signal is detected via the receiver; and operate in a second operating mode that includes: receiving geofence data corresponding to the predetermined geographic area; and determining, at least in part based on the geofence data, whether the collar is within the predetermined geographic area.

[0166] Clause 2: The collar according to Clause 1, wherein the collar is configured to operate in the first operating mode and the second operating mode simultaneously.

[0167] Clause 3: The collar according to Clause 1, wherein the collar is further configured to operate in a third operating mode that includes periodically determining the position of the collar.

[0168] Clause 4: The collar according to Clause 3, wherein the collar is configured to operate in the first operating mode and the third operating mode simultaneously.

[0169] Clause 5: The collar according to Clause 3, wherein the third operating mode further includes: receiving geofence data corresponding to a predetermined geographic area; and determining whether the collar is located within the predetermined geographic area.

[0170] Clause 6: The collar according to Clause 5, wherein in response to determining that the collar is outside the predetermined geographic area, the collar is configured to transition to the second operating mode.

[0171] Clause 7: The collar according to Clause 6, wherein when in the second operating mode, the collar is further configured to output one or more corrective actions to guide the animal wearing the collar back to the predetermined geographic area.

[0172] Clause 8: The collar according to Clause 7, wherein in response to determining that the animal wearing the collar has returned to the predetermined geographic area, the collar is further configured to transition to the first operating mode.

[0173] Clause 9: The collar according to Clause 1, wherein when in the first operating mode, the collar is further configured to output a corrective action in response to detecting the presence of a signal via the receiver.

[0174] Clause 10: The collar according to Clause 9, wherein in response to detecting the presence of a signal via the receiver, the collar is further configured to transition to the second operating mode.

[0175] Clause 11: The collar according to Clause 9, wherein in response to detecting the presence of a signal via the receiver, the collar is further configured to transition to operate in both the first operating mode and the third operating mode simultaneously, the third operating mode including: receiving geofence data corresponding to a predetermined geographic area; and determining whether the collar is located within the predetermined geographic area.

[0176] Clause 12: The collar according to Clause 1, wherein when in the second operating mode, the collar is further configured to output a corrective action in response to determining that the collar is outside the predetermined geographic area based at least in part on the geofence data.

[0177] Clause 13: The collar of Clause 12, wherein in response to determining that the collar was previously in the first operating mode and no signal presence was detected via the receiver, the collar is further configured to output a notification to the user device to instruct the user to check the transmitter and cable.

[0178] Clause 14: The collar according to Clause 12, further comprising a magnetometer configured to determine the direction in which the animal wearing the collar is facing.

[0179] Clause 15: A collar according to clause 14, wherein, in response to determining that (i) the animal wearing the collar is located outside of a predetermined geographic area and (ii) is moving away from a boundary of the predetermined geographic area, the collar is further configured to instruct the animal wearing the collar to orient itself toward the predetermined geographic area via one or more corrective actions.

[0180] Clause 16: The collar of clause 15, wherein, in response to determining that the animal wearing the collar is (i) outside of the predetermined geographic area and (ii) facing a boundary of the predetermined geographic area, the collar is further configured to prevent the collar from outputting a corrective action.

[0181] Clause 17: The collar of clause 16, wherein, in response to determining that the animal wearing the collar has returned to a predetermined geographic area, the collar is further configured to operate in the first mode of operation.

[0182] Clause 18: The collar of clause 1, wherein, in response to determining that the transmitter is unable to output a signal via the cable, the collar is further configured to activate the second operating mode.

[0183] Clause 19: The collar of clause 1, wherein the collar is further configured to automatically generate a boundary line by detecting the presence of a signal from the transmitter and recording a location where the presence of the signal is detected.

[0184] Clause 20: The collar of clause 19, wherein the collar is further configured to operate in the second operating mode until the boundary line is fully generated, the boundary line being fully generated when the boundary line forms a closed loop.

[0185] Clause 21: The collar of clause 20, wherein the collar is further configured to automatically transition to the first operating mode in response to determining that the boundary line is fully generated.

[0186] Item 22: A collar configured to be worn by an animal, the collar comprising: a geolocation sensor; a receiver configured to receive a signal from a transmitter configured to transmit the signal along a cable disposed along a boundary of a predetermined geographic area; a communication interface configured to send and receive data; a memory having instructions stored thereon; and a processor, wherein the collar is configured to: receive geofence data corresponding to the predetermined geographic area; and in response to determining that the collar is within the predetermined geographic area based at least in part on the geofence data, operate in a first operating mode, the first operating mode comprising: temporarily deactivating location tracking via the geolocation sensor; and determining whether the presence of a signal is detected via the receiver.

[0187] Clause 23: The collar according to Clause 22, wherein when the collar is in the first operating mode, the collar is further configured to output a corrective action in response to detecting the presence of a signal via the receiver.

[0188] Clause 24: The collar according to Clause 23, wherein in response to detecting the presence of a signal via the receiver, the collar is further configured to transition to a second operating mode, the second operating mode including determining the position of the collar via a geolocation sensor.

[0189] Clause 25: The collar according to Clause 22, wherein in response to determining that the collar is located outside a predetermined geographical area, the collar is further configured to operate in a second operating mode, the second operating mode including determining the position of the collar via a geolocation sensor.

[0190] Clause 26: The collar according to Clause 25, wherein when in the second operating mode, the collar is further configured to determine whether the presence of a signal is detected via the receiver.

[0191] Clause 27: The collar according to Clause 25, wherein in response to determining that the animal wearing the collar has returned to the predetermined geographical area, the collar is further configured to operate in the first operating mode.

[0192] Clause 28: The collar according to Clause 25, further comprising a magnetometer configured to determine the direction in which the animal wearing the collar is facing.

[0193] Clause 29: The collar according to Clause 28, wherein in response to determining (i) that the animal wearing the collar is located outside the predetermined geographical area and (ii) is facing away from the boundary of the predetermined geographical area, the collar is further configured to indicate via one or more corrective actions that the animal wearing the collar orient itself towards the predetermined geographical area.

[0194] Clause 30: The collar according to Clause 29, wherein in response to determining (i) that the animal wearing the collar is located outside the predetermined geographical area and (ii) is facing the boundary of the predetermined geographical area, the collar is further configured to prevent the collar from outputting a corrective action.

[0195] Clause 31: The collar according to Clause 30, wherein in response to determining that the animal wearing the collar has returned to the predetermined geographical area, the collar is further configured to operate in the first operating mode.

[0196] Clause 32: The collar according to Clause 22, wherein in response to determining that the transmitter cannot output a signal via the cable, the collar is further configured to operate in a second operating mode, the second operating mode including determining the position of the collar via a geolocation sensor.

[0197] Clause 33: The collar according to Clause 22, wherein when the collar is in a first operating mode, the collar is further configured to periodically determine, via a geolocation sensor, whether the collar is located within a predetermined geographic area.

[0198] Clause 34: A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the system to: receive geofence data corresponding to a predetermined geographic area; receive location data corresponding to the location of a collar worn by an animal; and operate in a first operating mode in response to determining that the collar is within the predetermined geographic area, the first operating mode including temporarily deactivating location tracking; and determine whether the presence of a signal generated by a transmitter is detected via a receiver of the collar, the transmitter being configured to transmit a signal along a cable disposed along the boundary of the predetermined geographic area.

[0199] Clause 35: The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to Clause 34, wherein when the collar is in the first operating mode, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, are further configured to cause the system to output a corrective action in response to detecting the presence of the signal via the receiver.

[0200] Clause 36: The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to Clause 35, wherein in response to detecting the presence of the signal via the receiver, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, further cause the system to transition to a second operating mode, the second operating mode including determining the location of the collar.

[0201] Clause 37: The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to Clause 34, wherein in response to determining that the collar is outside the predetermined geographic area, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, further cause the system to operate in a second operating mode, the second operating mode including determining the location of the collar.

[0202] Clause 38: The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to Clause 37, wherein when in the second operating mode, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, further cause the system to determine whether the presence of the signal is detected via the receiver.

[0203] Clause 39: The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to Clause 37, wherein in response to determining that the animal wearing the collar has returned to the predetermined geographic area, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the system to operate in the first operating mode.

[0204] Clause 40: The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to Clause 37, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, further cause the system to receive orientation data from a magnetometer configured to determine the orientation of an animal wearing a collar.

[0205] Clause 41: The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to Clause 40, wherein, in response to determining (i) that the animal wearing the collar is outside a predetermined geographic area and (ii) facing away from the boundary of the predetermined geographic area, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, further cause the system to indicate, via one or more corrective actions, that the animal wearing the collar orient itself towards the predetermined geographic area.

[0206] Clause 42: The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to Clause 41, wherein, in response to determining (i) that the animal wearing the collar is outside a predetermined geographic area and (ii) facing the boundary of the predetermined geographic area, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, further cause the system to prevent the collar from outputting a corrective action.

[0207] Clause 43: The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to Clause 42, wherein, in response to determining that the animal wearing the collar has returned to the predetermined geographic area, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, further cause the system to operate in a first operating mode.

[0208] Clause 44: The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to Clause 34, wherein, in response to determining that the transmitter cannot output a signal via a cable, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, further cause the system to operate in a second operating mode, the second operating mode including determining the position of the collar.

[0209] Clause 45: The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to Clause 34, wherein, when the system is in the first operating mode, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, further cause the system to periodically determine whether the collar is within the predetermined geographic area.

[0210] Although certain embodiments of the disclosed technology have been described in connection with the presently considered most practical embodiments, it should be understood that the disclosed technology is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but rather, the disclosed technology is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims. While specific terms have been employed herein, they have been used in a general and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims

1. A collar configured to be worn by an animal, the collar comprising: A geolocation sensor; A receiver configured to receive a signal from a transmitter, the transmitter being configured to send a signal along a cable, the cable being arranged along the boundary of a predetermined geographical area; A communication interface configured to send and receive data; A memory having instructions stored thereon; And A processor, Wherein the collar is configured to: Operate in a first operating mode, the first operating mode including determining whether the presence of the signal is detected via the receiver; and Operate in a second operating mode, the second operating mode including: Receiving geofence data corresponding to the predetermined geographical area; and Determining whether the collar is located within the predetermined geographical area at least in part based on the geofence data.

2. The collar according to claim 1, wherein, The collar is configured to operate in the first operating mode and the second operating mode simultaneously.

3. The collar according to claim 1, wherein, The collar is further configured to operate in a third operating mode, the third operating mode including periodically determining the position of the collar.

4. The collar according to claim 3, wherein, The collar is configured to operate in the first operating mode and the third operating mode simultaneously.

5. The collar according to claim 3, wherein, The third operating mode further includes: Receiving the geofence data corresponding to the predetermined geographical area; and Determining whether the collar is located within the predetermined geographical area.

6. The collar according to claim 5, wherein In response to determining that the collar is located outside the predetermined geographical area, the collar is configured to switch to the second operating mode.

7. The collar according to claim 6, wherein, When in the second operating mode, the collar is further configured to output one or more corrective actions to guide the animal wearing the collar back to the predetermined geographical area.

8. The collar according to claim 7, wherein, In response to determining that the animal wearing the collar has returned to the predetermined geographical area, the collar is further configured to switch to the first operating mode.

9. The collar according to claim 1, wherein When in the first operating mode, the collar is further configured to output a corrective action in response to detecting the presence of the signal via the receiver.

10. The collar according to claim 9, wherein, In response to detecting the presence of the signal via the receiver, the collar is further configured to switch to the second operating mode.

11. The collar according to claim 9, wherein, In response to detecting the presence of the signal via the receiver, the collar is further configured to switch to operating in the first operating mode and the third operating mode simultaneously, the third operating mode including: Receiving the geofence data corresponding to the predetermined geographical area; and Determining whether the collar is located within the predetermined geographical area.

12. The collar according to claim 1, wherein, When in the second operating mode, the collar is further configured to output a corrective action in response to determining that the collar is located outside the predetermined geographical area at least in part based on the geofence data.

13. The collar according to claim 12, wherein, In response to determining that the collar was previously in the first operating mode and the presence of the signal was not detected via the receiver, the collar is further configured to notify the user device to output an indication for the user to check the transmitter and the cable.

14. The collar according to claim 12, further comprising a magnetometer configured to determine the direction in which the animal wearing the collar is facing.

15. The collar according to claim 14, wherein, In response to determining (i) that the animal wearing the collar is outside the predetermined geographical area and (ii) facing away from the boundary of the predetermined geographical area, the collar is further configured to indicate, via one or more corrective actions, that the animal wearing the collar orient itself towards the predetermined geographical area.

16. The collar according to claim 15, wherein, In response to determining (i) that the animal wearing the collar is outside the predetermined geographical area and (ii) facing the boundary of the predetermined geographical area, the collar is further configured to prevent the collar from outputting the corrective action.

17. The collar according to claim 16, wherein, In response to determining that the animal wearing the collar has returned to the predetermined geographical area, the collar is further configured to operate in the first operating mode.

18. The collar according to claim 1, wherein, In response to determining that the transmitter cannot output the signal via the cable, the collar is further configured to activate the second operating mode.

19. The collar according to claim 1, wherein, The collar is further configured to automatically generate a boundary line by detecting the presence of the signal from the transmitter and recording the location at which the presence of the signal is detected.

20. The collar according to claim 19, wherein, The collar is further configured to operate in the second operating mode until the boundary line is fully generated, where the boundary line is fully generated when the boundary line forms a closed loop.

21. The collar according to claim 20, wherein, The collar is further configured to automatically switch to the first operating mode in response to determining that the boundary line is fully generated.

22. A collar configured to be worn by an animal, the collar comprising: A geolocation sensor; A receiver configured to receive a signal from a transmitter configured to send a signal along a cable disposed along the boundary of a predetermined geographical area; A communication interface configured to send and receive data; A memory having instructions stored thereon; And A processor, Wherein the collar is configured to: Receive geofence data corresponding to the predetermined geographical area; and Operate in a first operating mode in response to determining, at least in part based on the geofence data, that the collar is within the predetermined geographical area, the first operating mode comprising: Temporarily deactivate location tracking via the geolocation sensor; and Determine whether the presence of the signal is detected via the receiver.

23. The collar according to claim 22, wherein, When the collar is in the first operating mode, the collar is further configured to output a corrective action in response to detecting the presence of the signal via the receiver.

24. The collar according to claim 23, wherein, In response to detecting the presence of the signal via the receiver, the collar is further configured to switch to a second operating mode, the second operating mode comprising determining the position of the collar via the geolocation sensor.

25. The collar according to claim 22, wherein, In response to determining that the collar is outside the predetermined geographical area, the collar is further configured to operate in the second operating mode, the second operating mode comprising determining the position of the collar via the geolocation sensor.

26. The collar according to claim 25, wherein, When in the second operating mode, the collar is further configured to determine whether the presence of the signal is detected via the receiver.

27. The collar according to claim 25, wherein, In response to determining that the animal wearing the collar has returned to the predetermined geographical area, the collar is further configured to operate in the first operating mode.

28. The collar according to claim 25, further comprising a magnetometer configured to determine the direction in which the animal wearing the collar is facing.

29. The collar according to claim 28, wherein, In response to determining (i) that the animal wearing the collar is outside the predetermined geographical area and (ii) away from the boundary of the predetermined geographical area, the collar is further configured to indicate, via one or more corrective actions, that the animal wearing the collar orient itself towards the predetermined geographical area.

30. The collar according to claim 29, wherein, In response to determining (i) that the animal wearing the collar is outside the predetermined geographical area and (ii) facing the boundary of the predetermined geographical area, the collar is further configured to prevent the collar from outputting the corrective action.

31. The collar according to claim 30, wherein, In response to determining that the animal wearing the collar has returned to the predetermined geographical area, the collar is further configured to operate in the first operating mode.

32. The collar according to claim 22, wherein, In response to determining that the transmitter cannot output the signal via the cable, the collar is further configured to operate in a second operating mode, the second operating mode including determining the position of the collar via the geolocation sensor.

33. The collar according to claim 22, wherein, When the collar is in the first operating mode, the collar is further configured to cause the collar to periodically determine, via the geolocation sensor, whether the collar is located within the predetermined geographical area.

34. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the system to: Receive geofence data corresponding to a predetermined geographical area; Receive location data, the location data corresponding to the location of a collar worn by an animal; And In response to determining that the collar is within the predetermined geographical area, operate in a first operating mode, the first operating mode including: Temporarily deactivate location tracking; And Determine whether the presence of a signal generated by a transmitter is detected via a receiver of the collar, the transmitter being configured to send a signal along a cable disposed along the boundary of the predetermined geographical area.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 34, wherein, When the collar is in the first operating mode, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, are further configured to cause the system to output a corrective action in response to detecting the presence of the signal via the receiver.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 35, wherein, In response to detecting the presence of the signal via the receiver, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the system to transition to a second operating mode, the second operating mode including determining the position of the collar.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 34, wherein, In response to determining that the collar is outside the predetermined geographical area, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the system to operate in a second operating mode, the second operating mode including determining the position of the collar.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 37, wherein, When in the second operating mode, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the system to determine whether the presence of the signal is detected via the receiver.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 37, wherein, In response to determining that the animal wearing the collar has returned to the predetermined geographical area, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to operate in the first operating mode.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 37, wherein, The instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the system to receive direction data from a magnetometer configured to determine the direction in which the animal wearing the collar is facing.

41. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 40, wherein, In response to determining (i) that the animal wearing the collar is outside the predetermined geographical area and (ii) away from the boundary of the predetermined geographical area, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the system to indicate, via one or more corrective actions, that the animal wearing the collar orient itself towards the predetermined geographical area.

42. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 41, wherein, In response to determining (i) that the animal wearing the collar is outside the predetermined geographical area and (ii) facing the boundary of the predetermined geographical area, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the system to prevent the collar from outputting the corrective action.

43. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 42, wherein, In response to determining that the animal wearing the collar has returned to the predetermined geographical area, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the system to operate in the first operating mode.

44. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 34, wherein, In response to determining that the transmitter cannot output the signal via the cable, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the system to operate in a second operating mode, the second operating mode including determining the position of the collar.

45. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 34, wherein, When the system is in the first operating mode, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the system to periodically determine whether the collar is in the predetermined geographical area.

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