Data collection equipment

Abstract

The pet entertainment device may include at least one housing that may contain memory, a power source, a transceiver, and / or at least one sensor. The sensor may be configured to detect one or more parameters corresponding to at least one pet interaction with the device. The device may include a processor that may be configured to receive the one or more parameters. The processor may be configured to generate data corresponding to the one or more parameters. The processor may transmit one or more signals corresponding to the data to one or more remote servers. The device may include at least one haptic motor configured to generate at least some vibrations through the at least one housing. The processor may be configured to control at least some vibrations based on the occurrence of a predetermined condition or a command from one or more remote servers.

Description

[Background technology]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 392,002, filed July 25, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0002] Animal / pet toys come in a variety of forms that may or may not be specifically intended for play by animals (e.g., pets and / or animal companions). Some toys come in a variety of forms, such as bones, balls, tug toys, squeaky toys, discs, stuffed toys, sticks, etc.

[0003] Animal toys can serve different purposes, such as assisting with teething, motivating exercise, and providing mental stimulation. Some animal toys can promote animal health, such as dental health. Many people around the world have beloved pets or companion animals. Animals and humans often lack the ability to effectively communicate their pets' current health or health-related information to pet caretakers and / or veterinarians. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present disclosure may describe a pet entertainment device (e.g., a toy) that includes a first housing that at least partially encloses a processor, a memory, a power source, and at least one sensor. The at least one sensor may be configured to generate data regarding parameters related to the pet's health, behavior, and / or habits, including use of the pet entertainment device (e.g., a toy). The device may include a transmitter configured to transmit the sensor data, or a derivative thereof.

[0005] The pet entertainment device may include at least one housing. The at least one housing may include a memory (e.g., a memory storage device), a power source, a transceiver, and / or at least one sensor. The at least one sensor may be configured to detect one or more parameters corresponding to at least one pet interaction with the device. The device may include a processor. The processor may be configured to receive the one or more parameters. The processor may be configured to generate data corresponding to the one or more parameters. The processor may be configured to transmit one or more signals corresponding to the data to one or more remote servers and / or wireless devices (e.g., a smartphone).

[0006] The device may include at least one haptic motor configured to generate at least some vibrations through at least one housing, and the processor may be configured to control at least some vibrations based on the occurrence of a predetermined condition or commands from one or more remote servers and / or wireless devices (e.g., a smartphone).

[0007] The at least one sensor may include a camera configured to perform ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy on the pet. The camera may have memory to support facial recognition of the pet and / or video recording of the inside of the pet's mouth and / or the pet's movements. The one or more cameras may be, for example, RGB, black and white, thermal, or infrared. The at least one sensor may include an amperometric hydrogen sulfide sensor configured to detect the pet's bad breath condition. The at least one sensor may include a pressure sensor and / or a temperature sensor.

[0008] The at least one housing may include water-resistant rubber and / or rubber-like material, silicone, and / or soft plastic. The at least one sensor may include an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a proximity beacon, a pH meter, and / or a pressure or force sensor. The at least one housing may include a clock, a Wi-Fi™ antenna, a cellular antenna, and / or a Bluetooth™ antenna. The at least one house may include a sub-GHz radio to support low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) communications, and / or components to support low-power mesh network communications protocols such as Zigbee, and / or an RFID chip.

[0009] The at least one pet interaction may include playing with the device, blowing on the device, vocalizing near the device, approaching the device, touching the device, and / or biting the device one or more times. For example, the pet may be near the device without physically contacting the device. The pet may have RFID from a wearable device or a chip implanted in the pet to interact with and indicate proximity to the entertainment device.

[0010] The processor may be configured to process data from the at least one sensor using one or more algorithms and / or models stored in the memory to determine the time of one or more interactions, the frequency of one or more interactions, the duration of one or more interactions, the type of interaction, the bite force of one or more interactions, the bite evenness of one or more interactions, the pet's pH, the pet's blood health, the pet's temperature, the pet's oral hygiene, the pet's cognitive health, the pet's emotional health or well-being, the pet's behavior, the pet's life stage, the pet's seasonality or circadian rhythm, the location of one or more interactions, the pet's excessive movement or vocalizations, at least one unique characteristic of the one or more interactions, the presence of saliva, and / or the pet's identity. The processor may be configured to integrate and / or transform the data before the data is transmitted.

[0011] The processor may be configured to generate data from the at least one sensor such that one or more remote servers and / or wireless devices (e.g., smartphones) may process the data using one or more algorithms and / or models stored in the server memory to determine one or more interaction times, one or more interaction frequency, one or more interaction durations, one or more interaction types, one or more interaction bite force, one or more interaction bite evenness, the pet's pH, the pet's blood health, the pet's temperature, the pet's oral hygiene, the pet's cognitive health, the pet's emotional health or well-being, the pet's behavior, the pet's life stage, the pet's seasonality or circadian rhythm, the one or more interaction locations, the pet's excessive movement or vocalizations, at least one unique characteristic of the one or more interactions, the presence of saliva, and / or the pet's identity. The processor may be configured to integrate and / or transform the data before the data is transmitted.

[0012] The at least one housing may be a first housing. The device may include a second housing. The second housing may be configured to couple to the first housing. The second housing may include a second sensor different from the at least one sensor, an antenna different from any antennas in the first housing, and / or other components different from the at least one sensor, antenna, or other components in the first housing.

[0013] The transceiver may be configured to wirelessly transmit data to one or more remote servers and / or other devices (e.g., a smartphone, etc.). The device may include at least one charging port operably coupled to a power source. The device may include at least one data port operably coupled to the processor. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary entertainment device communication network operable to control one or more portions of an entertainment device communication system via one or more devices, such as an entertainment device control device (ADCD) device, among other devices.

[0016] [Figure 2] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the modular pet entertainment device and the components of the entertainment device.

[0017] [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an example flow diagram of at least one technique for capturing data corresponding to one or more objects in an entertainment device monitoring system.

[0018] [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the hardware configuration of an exemplary device that may control one or more portions of an entertainment device system / communications network, such as the ADCD device of FIG.

[0019] [Figure 5] FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of the modular pet entertainment device and the components of the entertainment device.

[0020] [Figure 6A] FIG. 6A shows an example of an exploded shell of the interior of a pet entertainment device.

[0021] [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B shows an example of an inner core with the "shell", spring, and foam disassembled.

[0022] [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an exemplary block diagram of components in a modular design of a pet entertainment device.

[0023] [Figure 8] 8A-8E show various views of an exemplary pet entertainment device.

[0024] [Figure 9] 9A and 9B show exemplary views of the open inner / internal core showing the protected PCB and one or more other electrical components of the entertainment device.

[0025] [Figure 10] 10A-10E illustrate details of at least a portion of a PCB of at least one exemplary entertainment device.

[0026] [Figure 11] 11A-11G illustrate details of at least a portion of a PCB of at least one exemplary entertainment device.

[0027] [Figure 12]12A-12E illustrate details of at least a portion of a PCB of at least one exemplary entertainment device.

[0028] [Figure 13] 13A-13C show an exemplary testing scheme for measuring engagement and / or bite force on an entertainment device.

[0029] [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is an exemplary profile showing test weight / bite force measurement signals for at least four (4) sensors of a test entertainment device.

[0030] The drawings depict one or more aspects of the present disclosure and do not limit the scope of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] The following description of preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention in any way. The description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which should be considered part of the entire written description. Any reference to direction or orientation in the description of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein is intended merely for convenience of description and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. Relative terms such as "lower," "upper," "horizontal," "vertical," "upper," "below," "top," "lower," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," "front," and "rear," as well as terms derived therefrom (e.g., "horizontally," "below," "upward," etc.), should be construed as referring to the orientations shown in the drawings described or discussed therein. These relative terms are merely for convenience of description and do not require a particular orientation unless expressly so indicated. Terms such as "attached," "fixed," "connected," "coupled," "interconnected," "fixed," and other similar terms refer to relationships, where structures are fixed or attached to one another, whether directly or indirectly, through intervening structures, and both movable and fixed attachments or relationships, unless expressly stated otherwise. The discussion herein describes and illustrates several possible non-limiting combinations of features that may exist alone or in other combinations. Furthermore, as used herein, the term "or" should be interpreted as a logical operator that yields true whenever one or more of its operands are true. Furthermore, as used herein, the term "based on" should be interpreted as meaning "based at least in part on," and therefore is not limited to being interpreted as "fully based on."

[0032] As used throughout, "range" is used as shorthand to describe any and all values ​​within that range. Any value within a range can be selected as an end point of the range. Additionally, all references cited within this specification are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. In the event of a conflict between a definition in this disclosure and a definition in a cited reference, the present disclosure controls.

[0033] In the following description, where block diagrams or circuits are shown and described, those skilled in the art will recognize that, for clarity, not all peripheral components or circuits are shown in the diagrams or described in the descriptions. For example, common components such as memory devices and power supplies may not be discussed herein because their roles will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. Furthermore, the terms "couple" and "operably couple" can refer to the direct or indirect coupling of two components of a circuit.

[0034] Features of the present invention may be implemented in software, hardware, firmware, or a combination thereof. The computer programs described herein are not limited to any particular embodiment and may be implemented in an operating system, an application program, a foreground or background process, a driver, or any combination thereof. The computer programs may run on a single computer or server processor, or on multiple computer or server processors.

[0035] A processor as described herein may be any central processing unit (CPU), microprocessor, microcontroller, computational or programmable device or circuitry configured to execute computer program instructions (e.g., code). Various processors may be embodied in any suitable type of computer and / or server hardware (e.g., desktop, laptop, notebook, tablet, mobile phone, etc.) and may include all the usual ancillary components necessary to form a functional data processing device, including, but not limited to, buses, software and data storage such as volatile and non-volatile memory, input / output devices, graphical user interfaces (GUIs), removable data storage, and wired and / or wireless communication interface devices such as Wi-Fi™, Bluetooth™, LAN, cellular, satellite communications, etc.

[0036] The computer-executable instructions or programs (e.g., software or code) and data described herein may be programmed into and tangibly embodied in non-transitory computer-readable media accessible to and readable by each processor described herein, which may configure and direct the processor to perform desired functions and processes by executing the instructions encoded in the media. A device embodying a programmable processor configured with such non-transitory computer-executable instructions or programs is hereinafter referred to as a "programmable device" or "device," and multiple programmable devices in communication with each other may be referred to as a "programmable system." It should be noted that a non-transitory "computer-readable medium" as described herein may include any suitable volatile or non-volatile memory, including, but not limited to, random access memory (RAM) and its various types, read-only memory (ROM) and its various types, USB flash memory, and magnetic or optical data storage devices (e.g., internal / external hard disks, floppy disks, magnetic tape, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, optical disks, ZIP™ drives, Blu-ray disks, and others), which may be written to and / or read by a processor operatively connected to the medium.

[0037] In certain embodiments, the present invention may be embodied in the form of computer-implemented processes and apparatus, such as a processor-based data processing and communication system or computer system for performing those processes. The present invention may also be embodied in the form of software or computer program code embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, such that when the software or computer program code is loaded and executed in the data processing and communication system or computer system, the computer program code segments may configure a processor to create specific logic circuits configured to implement the processes.

[0038] Disclosed herein are embodiments of pet entertainment devices (e.g., toys) that may be data collection devices incorporating at least one sensor for detecting health conditions related to a pet's mental, physical, or oral health, or for detecting conditions such as aging, periodontitis, or arthritis. Data regarding such conditions may complement veterinary evaluations by providing a continuous and objective system for data collection between veterinary visits. Data collected by the entertainment device (e.g., toys) may be analyzed using algorithms and / or models developed for interpreting health-related data. Certain versions of entertainment devices (e.g., toys) may incorporate features that provide calming or soothing support to pets experiencing anxiety. Certain versions of entertainment devices (e.g., toys) may provide entertainment or distraction to pets. Such features may promote pet health, enrich the pet's environment, and foster long-term and enhanced pet-parent relationships. Improved pet toys that monitor pet health behaviors and / or habits and / or promote pet well-being may be useful.

[0039] Some examples of features that an entertainment device (e.g., a toy) may provide are collecting data (e.g., pet temperature over time), responding to the pet in some way (e.g., the toy moving away from the pet), battery-powered engagement (e.g., a ball that can move on its own, a laser pointer, a ball launcher), and cognitive challenges (e.g., having the pet solve a puzzle before getting a treat).

[0040] One or more, or multiple, entertainment devices can be used in combination with each other to measure the same type of data (e.g., oral health) in different ways (e.g., one toy measures oral pH and another measures bite force, together providing a composite portrayal of the animal's oral health). Multiple entertainment devices may provide complementary information (e.g., one toy measures bite force and another measures movement and / or records the time that movement occurs, together providing a composite portrayal of aging, etc.). An entertainment device may measure oral pH and another may measure location relative to home, with the two devices providing entirely different information about the pet in general (e.g., one toy provides information about oral health and another provides information about whether the pet is inside or outside, etc.).

[0041] The entertainment device may communicate with other environmental sensors, such as a collar-mounted wearable or a smart feeder, to generate information about the pet and / or its health. Activity data from the wearable, plus the timing and duration of play, when paired with the device, may provide information about mobility. For example, a pet with limited mobility and / or no engagement with toys may be in pain, whereas a pet with high overall activity and high engagement with toys may be an older animal pet with healthy joints / no pain, or a young animal such as a puppy. The wearable device may provide information such as how much time the animal spends awake and, of that, how much time the animal interacts with the entertainment device as an indicator of mental stimulation, etc.

[0042] Different versions of entertainment devices (e.g., toys) may be tailored for specific data collection or other goals. For example, a device may have a video camera, temperature sensor, gyroscope, accelerometer, and Bluetooth™ beacon to play audio sounds and primarily intended to measure anxiety behavior. Another embodiment may have a UV camera, force sensor, gyroscope, accelerometer, Bluetooth™ beacon, proximity sensing capabilities, and / or pH meter and primarily intended to measure oral hygiene characteristics. Sensors may include accelerometers, gyroscopes, thermometers / temperature sensors, cameras, microphones, speakers, pressure sensors, proximity beacons, pH meters, clocks, Wi-Fi™ and Bluetooth™ communication antennas, and sensors for detecting bad breath compounds, including, but not limited to, hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, and hydrogen disulfide (such sensors may be miniaturized amperometric hydrogen sulfide sensors or ultraviolet light for UV spectrum detection / spectroscopy). It is understood that the features listed herein are not exhaustive and that different features can be added or subtracted for various combinations.

[0043] As used herein, a "sensor" may refer to any device configured to enable the capture of data about parameters related to an entertainment device (e.g., a toy) or a pet using the entertainment device (e.g., a toy). Additionally, "data" or "sensor data" may refer to any type of data obtained from a sensor or based on data obtained from a sensor. Such data includes, but is not limited to, information extracted or derived from a sensor or sensor signal or from an image capture device such as a camera, and combinations thereof, regardless of the form of the extracted information. Such data may be in the form of, for example, mathematical data (e.g., an equation mathematically representing at least a portion of a sensor signal), analog data (e.g., a waveform of a sensor signal), and / or digital data (e.g., a representation of at least a portion of a sensor signal in digital form). The data may include statistical features derived from the sensor signal. The data may include measurements such as the interval between sensor signals, the duration for which a sensor signal is captured, the time at which a sensor signal is captured, a calendar date, a geographic location, etc., and / or the timing of a sensor signal relative to the type of play or the type of stimulation provided by the toy (e.g., a tactile signal, etc.). Different data features may be useful for assessing different health states and / or measuring different types of behaviors. Particular combinations of data / data features may be uniquely informative for a given behavior and / or health state.

[0044] 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary entertainment device communication system network (ADCSN) 100 operable to monitor and / or control one or more portions of an entertainment device monitoring system (ADMS). One or more of digital and / or analog control signals, electronic content, various input signals, and / or various output signals, among other entertainment device monitoring system information, may be communicated to / across / between the entertainment device communication system network 100. One or more of discrete control and / or continuous control schemes, techniques, and / or algorithms and / or models may be processed / implemented across / from / by the entertainment device communication system network 100.

[0045] Electronic content may include media content, electronic documents, device-to-device communications, streaming media content, digital image still frames, digital streaming video, internet / cloud-based electronic applications / services / databases, electronic communications / services (e.g., video / audio conferencing), internet-based electronic services, virtual reality content and / or services, augmented reality content and / or services, media captioning content and / or services, electronic commerce, video components / elements of electronic content, and / or audio components / elements of electronic content, among other types of electronic content.

[0046] In one or more scenarios, ADCSN devices 110a-d may send / receive signals and / or communications and / or receive data service(s) from a wide area network (WAN) 120 via a connection to an entertainment device communications network (ADCN) 130. One or more nodes of the entertainment device communications network 130 and / or the WAN 120 may communicate with one or more cloud-based nodes (not shown) via the Internet 124.

[0047] The ADCN devices may include, for example, a modem 110a, a process control device / logic controller 110b, a wireless router including an embedded modem 110c, or a media gateway 110d, (e.g., a digital subscriber line (DSL) modem, a voice over internet protocol (VOIP) terminal adapter, a video game console, a digital versatile disc (DVD) player, a communications device, a hotspot device, etc.), among others. The entertainment device communications network 130 may be, for example, a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network, a local area network (LAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), a cellular network, and / or a personal area network (PAN), as well as others. As used herein, an entertainment device control device (ADCD) may be any of devices 110a-110d and / or 140a-140i, an internet gateway, a router device, a set-top box (STB), a process control device / logic controller, a smart media device (SMD), a cloud computing device, any type of ADCD, and / or any other suitable device (e.g., wired and / or wireless) that may be configured to implement, for example, one or more of the techniques and / or functions disclosed herein.

[0048] The ADCD device can facilitate communication between the WAN 120 and devices 140a-140i. The cable modem or embedded MTA (eMTA) 110 can facilitate communication between the WAN 120 and computer 140a. The process control device / logic controller 110b can facilitate communication between the WAN 120 and a television / monitor / display 140b (e.g., a media presentation device, a graphical user interface, a process control interface, etc.) and / or a digital video recorder (DVR). The wireless router 110c can facilitate communication between computer 140c and the WAN 120.

[0049] Media gateway 110d can facilitate communication between mobile device 140d (e.g., pet entertainment device, pet wearable device, tablet computing device, smartphone, personal digital assistant (PDA) device, laptop computing device, etc., where one or more of the devices are PC-based, iOS-based, Linux-based, and / or Android-based, etc.) and WAN 120. One or more speaker devices (e.g., audio emitting device / system) 140e may be in communication with entertainment device communication network 130, process control device / logic controller 110b, and / or television / monitor / display 140b, etc. Camera devices 140g, 140h, and / or 140i may be in communication with computer 140a, television / display / monitor 140b, computer 140c, and / or entertainment device communication network 130, among other devices and networks.

[0050] One or more speaker devices 140e (e.g., surround sound speakers, home theater speakers, other external wired / wireless speakers, loudspeakers, full-range drivers, subwoofers, woofers, mid-range drivers, tweeters, coaxial drivers, etc.) may broadcast at least the audio component of the electronic / media content, among other audio signals, processes, and / or applications. One or more speaker devices 140e may be capable of emitting sound in a preconfigured acoustic / physical pattern (e.g., a conical pattern, a directional pattern, etc.). For example, a process control device / logic controller status monitoring audio alert may be conveyed through one or more of the speaker devices 140e.

[0051] One or more microphone devices 140f may be external / standalone microphone devices. One or more microphone devices 140f may be in communication with entertainment device communication network 130, process control device / logic controller 110b, television / display / monitor 140b, computer 140a, computer 140c, mobile device 140a, etc. Any of devices 110a-110d and / or devices 140a-140i may include internal microphone devices. One or more speaker devices 140e (e.g., “speakers”) and / or one or more microphone devices 140f (e.g., “microphones,” which may be “high quality” devices such as far-field microphones, noise-canceling microphones, shotgun microphones, dynamic microphones, ribbon microphones, and / or diaphragm microphones of various sizes, Bluetooth™-based remote / control devices, RF4CE-based remote / control devices, etc.) may have wired and / or wireless connections (e.g., Bluetooth™, Wi-Fi™, private protocol communication networks, etc.) to any of the other devices 140a-140i, to the entertainment device communication network 130, the WAN 120, and / or the Internet 124.

[0052] Camera devices 140g-140i may provide digital video input / output capabilities to one or more of devices 110a-110d and / or devices 140a-140d. Camera devices 140g-140i may communicate with any of devices 110a-110d and / or devices 140a-140f, possibly via wired and / or wireless connections, for example. One or more of camera devices 140g-140i may capture digital images, digital video streams, and / or scan various types of images, such as Universal Product Code (UPC) codes and / or Quick Response (QR) codes, among other images. One or more of camera devices 140g-140i may provide video input / output for video surveillance (e.g., function as a webcam or the like), for example, among other video functions.

[0053] Any of camera devices 140g-140i may include a microphone device and / or a speaker device. The input / output of any of camera devices 140g-140i may possibly include, for example, an audio signal / packet / component that is separate / separable from or in some (e.g., separable) combination with the video signal / packet / component of any of camera devices 140g-140i.

[0054] One or more of the camera devices 140g-140i may detect the presence of one or more objects and / or objects that may be in proximity to the camera device 140g-140i and / or may be within the same general space (e.g., the same room, the same space, the same room, the same partitioned area, etc.) as the camera device 140g-140i. One or more of the camera devices 140g-140i may measure the general activity level (e.g., high activity, medium activity, and / or low activity) of one or more objects that may be detected by the camera device 140g-140i. One or more of the camera devices 140g-140i may detect one or more general characteristics (e.g., height, body shape, skin color, pulse rate, heart rate, respiratory rate, object size, object volume, object bulk, etc.) of one or more objects detected by the camera device 140g-140i. One or more of the camera devices 140g-140i may be configured to recognize one or more specific objects, for example. One or more of camera devices 140g-140i may be configured to detect the subject's attention / gaze towards another object (e.g., detect objects and / or objects that may correspond to the subject's attention / gaze towards another object or object, such as an entertainment device).

[0055] One or more of camera devices 140g-140i may use wireless communication with any of devices 110a-110d and / or 140a-140d, such as Bluetooth™ and / or Wi-Fi™, among other wireless communication protocols. One or more of camera devices 140g-140i may be external to any of devices 110a-110d and / or 140a-140d. One or more of camera devices 140g-140i may be internal to any of devices 110a-110d and / or 140a-140d.

[0056] One or more of the camera devices 140g-140i may be industrial vision camera devices. The vision camera may be a Gigabit Ethernet-enabled device (e.g., 10 GB Ethernet). The vision camera may function in black and white, infrared, and / or color. The vision camera may have a performance of at least 8.8 megapixels, etc. The vision camera may have a resolution of 4096 x 2160 pixels, etc. For example, the vision camera may be a device manufactured by Baumer (such as the VLXT-90C.I LX series or equivalent, or other devices described herein) and may capture images in various forms, such as digital still image frames and / or video streams, possibly at, for example, 0-95 frames per second (fps). The vision camera may have one or more parameters that are remotely and / or locally configurable. A lower resolution camera may be preferred.

[0057] AMCD devices, such as process control / logic controller devices, media gateway devices, among others, may support a visual and / or audio interface with users, viewers, and / or entertainment device communication network 130 operators. This interface may support, for example, smart enhancements to the user / viewer / operator experience in the entertainment device communication network environment, or any network environment. One or more traditional and / or current viewer experiences may be enhanced utilizing the visual and / or audio interface, possibly deriving, for example, smart actions and / or results.

[0058] In one or more scenarios, any of the devices 110a-110d, 140a-140i, among other devices, may be used to implement any of the capabilities, techniques, methods, and / or apparatus described herein.

[0059] WAN network 120 and / or entertainment device communications network 130 may be implemented as any type of wired and / or wireless network, including a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a global network (Internet), etc. Accordingly, WAN network 120 and / or entertainment device communications network 130 may include one or more communicatively coupled network computing devices (not shown) to facilitate the flow and / or processing of network communications traffic over a series of wired and / or wireless interconnections. Such network computing devices may include, but are not limited to, one or more access points, routers, switches, servers, computing devices, and / or storage devices, etc.

[0060] 2 is a block diagram of at least one entertainment device (e.g., a toy) 202. Device 202 may include a charging port and / or data port 206 (e.g., which may include a water-resistant or waterproof grommet), a camera port 208 for ultraviolet spectroscopy (e.g., which may include a miniaturized amperometric hydrogen sulfide sensor), a speaker / microphone port 210, force, pressure, and temperature sensors 212, a pH meter 214, an exterior material 218 (e.g., a rubberized, water-resistant material that is suitable for chewing but safe for teeth), and internal components 220 (e.g., an accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity beacon, clock, and Wi-Fi™ and Bluetooth™ communication antennas, and / or a rechargeable power source). It is understood that the features / elements listed herein are not exhaustive and that different features / elements can be added or subtracted for various combinations depending on the health conditions, parameters, behaviors, and / or habits of interest.

[0061] 5 illustrates at least one scenario for the modularity of the entertainment device 502 (e.g., a toy). In a modular embodiment, different components can be added to or removed from the entertainment device 502 (e.g., a toy) by a pet parent and / or researcher to change its appearance and / or capabilities. This can include, but is not limited to, adding or removing a charging and / or data port with a water-resistant / waterproof grommet 524, a speaker / microphone port 526, a camera / port 504, an ultraviolet spectroscopy and / or miniaturized amperometric hydrogen sulfide sensor 512, a force and / or pressure and / or temperature sensor 506, internal components 508 such as a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a Bluetooth™ beacon, proximity sensing capabilities, a pH meter 510, etc. The entertainment device 502 (e.g., a toy) can have a variety of shapes (balls, bones, stuffed animals, blocks, etc., not shown) and sizes suitable for cats and dogs of different sizes and for animals. The modularity of entertainment device 502 may be seen in modular section 530, which may include components that may focus, for example, on analyzing separation anxiety in pets. Modular section 532 may include components that may focus, for example, on oral health in pets. Sections 530 and / or 532 are examples and may be interchanged with various other sections / modules (not shown), for example, to detect other behavioral / health conditions.

[0062] The amount of time an animal / pet needs to be in contact with or proximity to an entertainment device (e.g., a toy) to capture useful / relevant data may vary depending on the data being collected. Data collected by the entertainment device (e.g., a toy) may be analyzed using algorithms and / or models developed for interpreting health-related data. Examples of various data endpoints that may be used in health-related algorithms and / or models are time of play, date of play, frequency of play, duration of play, type of play, length of time spent in proximity to the toy, identification of which pet is playing with the toy, bite force and / or pressure, bite evenness, pH, UV light - blood, UV light or hydrogen sulfide detector - measuring hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, and hydrogen disulfide, proximity, Bluetooth™, camera / microphone. These parameters, or derivatives thereof, can be used to assess various health or behavioral characteristics, for example, as indicators of life stage, development, or aging, seasonality and / or circadian rhythms, physical, mental, or emotional health, stamina or well-being, play type, location, or intensity, and / or unique or distinguishing characteristics of the playing pet. Several play parameters, such as play type, bite force, play timing, and oral hygiene parameters, can be used to identify which pets are engaging with toys. A camera for visually identifying pets can be used to determine which pets are playing with toys, perhaps in conjunction with or independent of a wearable collar that can be used to determine which pets are playing with toys.

[0063] In addition to these health-related outcomes, the entertainment device (e.g., toy) may also aid in training, skill development, and / or establishing a bond between the pet and pet parent. The entertainment device (e.g., toy) may have an exterior that is durable and resistant to destruction, yet suitable for data collection instruments and not harmful to the pet's teeth. In preferred embodiments, the entertainment device (e.g., toy) is water-resistant or waterproof, given that it may be chewed or dropped into water. For example, rubberized and / or silicone and / or soft plastic materials with ports for charging / battery insertion and audio / visual data capture may be used.

[0064] Materials used for the interior portion of the pet entertainment device may include nylon, carbon, silicone, soft plastic, and / or rubber to be robust against continuous stress. For the exterior layer, flexible filaments, which are flexible and thin, may allow readings to pass through without additional interference. These materials also do not cause injury to the animal. The exterior portion of the entertainment device may include a shell.

[0065] In one or more scenarios, foam pad(s) may be placed on either side of the pressure sensor(s). One or more small springs may be added under each shell to facilitate foam expansion and / or shell return to its original position. These springs may act to return the shell to its original shape, restore components, and / or maintain an airtight seal between the shell and the external pet entertainment device interface layer. The external shell may be soft and / or flexible to absorb impact forces. This may be achieved with a rubber or other flexible material film.

[0066] It may be useful to develop ways to prevent pets / animals from becoming bored with entertainment devices (e.g., toys). In one or more scenarios, a modular attachment system may be used to vary the shape, size, weight, and texture of the toy. In this way, a (single) device can behave as if it were multiple and provide a rational data set that can later be used to determine health, something not commercially available in the pet industry.

[0067] Figure 6A shows an example of an exploded internal shell 602 of a pet entertainment device. Figure 6B illustrates the inner core 604 with the "shell" exploded, showing the springs and foam 606, among other things.

[0068] The outer shell may be soft and / or flexible to absorb impact forces, which may be achieved using a rubber or other flexible material film as described herein.

[0069] The shape of the entertainment device may be such that it can distribute forces evenly throughout its entirety and / or maintain a rigid base shape. This may occur with the oblong cylindrical body illustrated in Figures 6A and 6B. The inner layer of development may be fabricated, for example, with nylon carbon mesh filaments.

[0070] The entertainment device may include a central core that may surround the primary electrical components. This core may have two flat sides and have docking ports for add-ons. These add-ons may have their own connection ports and / or can be attached to one of the two sides to add length, texture, and / or shape variations to the physical appearance of the overall entertainment device. In this way, the entertainment device can even change its weight, become softer or harder, and in some cases become an entirely new type of entertainment device (e.g., a toy).

[0071] Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) is a low-power wireless technology that supports point-to-point, broadcast, and mesh topologies. In addition, the BLE protocol stack is widely supported. A connection to the Internet can relay data from a BLE device to a server or gateway. Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) may be used, for example, for pet entertainment devices because it is a low-energy solution for device communication. Other communication protocols may be used as described herein.

[0072] For the processor / microprocessor, the Nordic NRF52 series may be used, among other devices, as it is a low-power wireless SoC microcontroller and supports Bluetooth™ low power. The Nordic microcontroller may have its own built-in antenna, reducing component complexity in the design.

[0073] With respect to the pressure sensors, force resistive sensors and / or piezoelectric sensors may be used. At least four (4) circular pressure sensors may be used in the pet entertainment device to represent at least four (4) different areas of the surface of the pet entertainment device.

[0074] In one or more scenarios, the pet entertainment device may be a multi-layered and / or component pet toy that utilizes a modular connection system to adapt its shape, size, and / or texture, for example, to prevent boredom. The outer textured layer may be a pet-safe, durable, and / or soft, silicone-like surface intended to absorb impact trauma and / or prevent discomfort that may be caused by a much harder inner layer. Between the inner and outer layers are a series of pressure-resistant sensors that can send signals to an internal processing system based on applied force. The inner layer may be a stronger, more force-resistant material, such as carbon fiber-reinforced nylon filament. Within it may be an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and / or PCB design. The IMU may function as a point of reference for a spatial and / or activity monitoring system. The signals sent by the IMU may be transferred to a microcontroller located on the PCB. The one or more microcontrollers may collect, evaluate, filter, and / or process the signals and / or transfer the data (e.g., wirelessly via BLE) to an external storage bank and / or a remote server and / or a wireless device (e.g., a smartphone) for further processing and / or interpretation.

[0075] 7 is an example block diagram of components in a modular design of a pet entertainment device 702. Device 702 may include, among other elements, one or more pressure shells 704, one or more foam inserts 706, one or more sensor actuators 708, one or more haptic motors 710, one or more IMUs 712, and / or a PCB 718 (e.g., located in the core structure of device 702). PCB 718 may include a wireless microcontroller chip, a battery charger, an IMU, a haptic motor driver, and / or a Bluetooth™ communication interface (not shown).

[0076] 8A-8E show various views of an exemplary pet entertainment device 802. The device 802 may be a shape-adjustable system that may consist of a primary core, which may be a housing for modular attachments and primary electrical components. The outer layer (shown) may be constructed of a soft, malleable material for animal interface protection and impact resistance to the overall product, while not significantly affecting the pressure sensor readings. The inner layer (not shown) may be constructed of a more rigid, stress-resistant material to protect the internal electrical components and maintain structural stability and / or shape. The device 802 may have a female docking system (not shown) that may be attachable to the inner core components. The device 802 may have a male port (not shown) for attaching a pressure sensor to the inner core's electrical system. A removable cover 806 may provide access to the inner core of the device 802 (e.g., to access the PCB and other components).

[0077] 9A and 9B show exemplary views 902 and 904 of an open inner / internal core, showing a protected PCB and one or more other electrical components. The inner core may include an outer layer that may be the same as the outer layer of the modules described herein. The inner core may include an inner layer that may have the same material composition as the module. The inner core may be a housing for primary electrical components that perform data acquisition, interpretation, and / or data export. It may house a battery and may include one or more pressure sensors between the inner and outer layers (e.g., a module). A shell, perhaps padded with a thin layer of foam, may be used to help focus pressure forces directly toward the force-resistive sensor. The electrical system may include, for example, the module pressure sensor, its own pressure sensor, PCB, and battery components, among other components. The inner core may include a female docking port that can form a seamless connection to the module. It may also include a female connection port for connection to the module electronics and may have port(s) for USB charging and / or data transfer.

[0078] One or more printed circuit boards (PCBs) may contain the wireless SoC, IMU, battery management circuitry, haptic motors, flash memory, and / or antenna(s) for various communication protocols and may be routed directly to the PCB controller. The PCB may be small enough to fit within the core structure. The PCB may have connections for pressure sensors, USB connectors, and / or batteries, among many other devices.

[0079] The wireless SoC may be a microcontroller that samples data from a pressure sensor and may interface with an IMU, among other functions. It may transmit processed and / or associated data (e.g., short-term). The SoC may retain data long-term and / or temporarily in flash memory. The IMU may include an accelerometer and / or gyroscope embedded on the chip, which may output its data to the SoC via I2C and / or SPI protocols, among other protocols. A lithium polymer (LiPo) battery may be small enough to fit within the core and / or have sufficient capacity to provide good autonomy for the device's entertainment.

[0080] 10A-10E illustrate details of at least a portion of a PCB of at least one exemplary entertainment device.

[0081] 11A-11G illustrate details of at least a portion of a PCB of at least one exemplary entertainment device.

[0082] 12A-12E illustrate details of at least a portion of a PCB of at least one exemplary entertainment device.

[0083] 13A-13C show an exemplary testing scheme for pet engagement and / or bite force measurements with / on an entertainment device. In FIG. 13A-13C, an animal jaw testing scheme 1304 may be used to test an entertainment device 1306 with an animal jaw testing rig 1308. Different test weights 1312 and / or 1314 may be added to the rig 1308 to simulate different bite force input conditions on the entertainment device 1306.

[0084] FIG. 14 is an exemplary profile 1402 showing test weight / bite force measurement signals for at least four (4) sensors of a test entertainment device (not shown).

[0085] Referring now to FIG. 3, diagram 300 illustrates an exemplary technique for operating an entertainment device over an entertainment device communication network. The method may be performed by an entertainment device control device (ADCD), which may be located in the entertainment device and / or elsewhere in the entertainment device communication network, among other devices. For example, the entertainment device control device may be a process control / logic controller 110b and / or a cloud computing device, among other devices 110a-110d and / or 140a-140i. The entertainment device control device (ADCD) may be in communication with any of the devices in the entertainment device communication system network (ADCSN) 100. At 302, a process may start or resume.

[0086] At 304, the entertainment device controller may be configured to detect, via the at least one sensor, one or more parameters corresponding to at least one pet interaction with the device. At 306, the entertainment device controller may be configured, by a processor, to receive the one or more parameters.

[0087] At 308, the entertainment device controller may be configured, by a processor, to generate data corresponding to the one or more parameters. At 310, the entertainment device controller may be configured to transmit, via the transceiver, one or more signals corresponding to the data to one or more remote servers and / or wireless devices (e.g., smartphones). At 312, the process may be stopped or restarted.

[0088] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a hardware configuration of an exemplary device that may function as a process controller / logic controller, such as the entertainment device controller 110b of FIG. 1, among other devices, such as 140a-140i, and any of devices 110a-110d. The hardware configuration 400 may be operable to facilitate the delivery of information from an internal server of the device. The hardware configuration 400 may include a processor 410, a memory 420, a storage device 430, and / or an input / output device 440. One or more of the components 410, 420, 430, and 440 may be interconnected using, for example, a system bus 450. The processor 410 is capable of processing instructions for execution within the hardware configuration 400. The processor 410 may be a single-threaded processor, or the processor 410 may be a multi-threaded processor. The processor 410 may be capable of processing instructions stored in the memory 420 and / or the storage device 430.

[0089] The memory 420 can store information within the hardware configuration 400. The memory 420 can be a computer-readable medium (CRM), for example, a non-transitory CRM. The memory 420 can be a volatile memory unit and / or a non-volatile memory unit.

[0090] The storage device 430 may be capable of providing mass storage to the hardware configuration 400. The storage device 430 may be a computer-readable medium (CRM), such as a non-transitory CRM. The storage device 430 may include, for example, a hard disk drive, an optical disk drive, a flash memory, and / or some other mass storage device. The storage device 430 may be a device external to the hardware configuration 400.

[0091] The input / output device(s) 440 may provide input / output operations for the hardware configuration 400. The input / output device(s) 440 (e.g., transceiver device(s)) may include one or more of a network interface device (e.g., an Ethernet card), a serial communication device (e.g., an RS-232 port), one or more universal serial bus (USB) interfaces (e.g., a USB 2.0 port), and / or a wireless interface device (e.g., an 802.11 card). The input / output device(s) may include a driver device configured to send communications to and / or receive communications from one or more networks (e.g., the entertainment device communication network 130 of FIG. 1). The input / output device(s) 400 may be in communication with one or more input / output modules (not shown), which may be proximate to the hardware configuration 400 and / or remote from the hardware configuration 400. One or more output modules may provide input / output functionality in digital signal format, discrete signal format, TTL format, analog signal format, serial communication protocol, Fieldbus protocol communication, and / or other open or proprietary communication protocols, and / or the like.

[0092] Camera device 460 may provide digital video input / output capabilities to hardware configuration 400. Camera device 460 may communicate with any of the elements of hardware configuration 400, possibly via, for example, system bus 450. Camera device 460 may capture digital images and / or scan various types of images, such as, for example, Universal Product Code (UPC) codes and / or Quick Response (QR) codes, among other images described herein. In one or more scenarios, camera device 460 may be identical to and / or substantially similar to any of the other camera devices described herein.

[0093] The camera device 460 may include at least one microphone device and / or at least one speaker device (not shown). The input / output of the camera device 460 may possibly include, for example, audio signals / packets / components that are separate / separable from or in some (e.g., separable) combination with the video signals / packets / components of the camera device 460.

[0094] Camera device 460 may also detect the presence of one or more objects that may be in proximity to camera device 460 and / or may be in the same general space as camera device 460 (e.g., the same room, enclosed area, etc.). Camera device 460 may measure the general activity level (e.g., high activity, medium activity, and / or low activity) of one or more objects that may be detected by camera device 460. Camera device 460 may detect one or more general characteristics (e.g., height, body shape, skin color, pulse rate, heart rate, respiratory rate, etc.) of one or more objects detected by camera device 460. Camera device 460 may be configured to recognize one or more specific objects, for example.

[0095] The camera device 460 may be in wired and / or wireless communication with the hardware configuration 400. In one or more scenarios, the camera device 460 may be external to the hardware configuration 400. In one or more scenarios, the camera device 460 may be internal to the hardware configuration 400.

[0096] Given the description provided herein, one skilled in the art can contemplate and implement a pet entertainment device that may include at least one housing. The at least one housing may include a memory, a power source, a transceiver, and / or at least one sensor. The at least one sensor may be configured to detect one or more parameters corresponding to at least one pet interaction with the device. The device may include at least one processor. The processor may be configured to receive the one or more parameters. The processor may be configured to generate data corresponding to the one or more parameters. The processor may be configured to transmit one or more signals corresponding to the data to one or more remote servers and / or wireless devices (e.g., a smartphone).

[0097] The device may include at least one haptic motor configured to generate at least some vibrations through at least one housing. The processor may be configured to control at least some vibrations based on the occurrence of predetermined conditions or commands from one or more remote servers and / or wireless devices (e.g., smartphones). For example, the predetermined conditions may include reaching or exceeding a bite force threshold and / or an engagement time threshold, among other variables.

[0098] The at least one sensor may include a camera configured to perform ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy on the pet. The at least one sensor may include an amperometric hydrogen sulfide sensor configured to detect a halitosis condition in the pet. The at least one sensor may include a pressure sensor and / or a temperature sensor.

[0099] The at least one housing may include water-resistant rubber and / or rubber-like material, silicone, and / or soft plastic. The at least one sensor may include an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a proximity beacon, a pH meter, various types of camera devices, and / or pressure or force sensors. The at least one housing may include a clock, a Wi-Fi™ antenna, a cellular antenna, and / or a Bluetooth™ antenna.

[0100] Measurement of the at least one pet interaction device may include playing with the device, blowing on the device, vocalizing near the device, touching the device, and / or biting the device one or more times, among other interactions and / or measurements of pet characteristics.

[0101] The processor may be configured to process data from the at least one sensor using one or more algorithms and / or models stored in the memory to determine one or more interaction times, one or more interaction frequency, one or more interaction duration, one or more interaction type, one or more interaction bite force, one or more interaction bite evenness, the pet's pH, the pet's blood health, the pet's temperature, the pet's oral hygiene, the pet's cognitive health, the pet's emotional health or well-being, the pet's behavior, the pet's life stage, the pet's seasonality or circadian rhythm, the one or more interaction locations, the pet's excessive movement or vocalizations, at least one unique characteristic of the one or more interactions, and / or the pet's identity. Information about the geographic location, the pet's mobility, and / or the pet's training may also be provided.

[0102] The processor may be configured to generate data from the at least one sensor such that one or more remote servers and / or wireless devices (e.g., smartphones) may process the data using one or more algorithms and / or models stored in the server memory to determine the time of one or more interactions, the frequency of one or more interactions, the duration of one or more interactions, the type of one or more interactions, the bite force of one or more interactions, the bite evenness of one or more interactions, the pet's pH, the pet's blood health, the pet's temperature, the pet's oral hygiene, the pet's cognitive health, the pet's emotional health or well-being, the pet's behavior, the pet's life stage, the pet's seasonality or circadian rhythm, the location of one or more interactions, the pet's excessive movement or vocalizations, at least one unique characteristic of one or more interactions, and / or the pet's identity. Information about the geographic location, the pet's mobility, and / or the pet's training may also be provided.

[0103] The at least one housing may be a first housing. The device may include a second housing. The second housing may be configured to couple to, surround, and / or be surrounded by the first housing. The second housing may include a second sensor different from the at least one sensor, an antenna different from any antennas in the first housing, and / or other components different from the at least one sensor, antenna, or other components in the first housing.

[0104] The transceiver may be configured to wirelessly transmit data to one or more remote servers and / or wireless devices (e.g., a smartphone). The device may include at least one charging port operably coupled to a power source. The device may include at least one data port operably coupled to the processor.

[0105] While the present invention has been described in terms of specific examples, including presently preferred embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will recognize that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above-described systems and techniques. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the present invention should be construed broadly as set forth in the appended claims.

[0106] The subject matter of the present disclosure and its components may be implemented by instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processing units to perform the processes and / or functions described herein. Such instructions may include, for example, interpreted instructions such as script instructions, e.g., JavaScript or ECMAScript instructions, or executable code and / or other instructions stored on a computer-readable medium. C++, C#, and / or C, Python scripts, and / or the Zephyr RTOS may be used.

[0107] Implementations of the subject matter and / or functional operations described in this specification and / or the accompanying drawings may be provided in digital electronic circuitry, computer software, firmware, and / or hardware (including the structures disclosed herein and their structural equivalents), and / or in combinations of one or more of them. The subject matter described herein may also be implemented as one or more computer program products, e.g., as one or more modules of computer program instructions encoded on a tangible program carrier for execution by and / or to control the operation of a data processing device.

[0108] A computer program (also known as a program, software, software application, script, or code) may be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and / or declarative or procedural languages. It may be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as modules, components, subroutines, and / or other units suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program may or may not correspond to a file in a file system. A program may be stored in a portion of a file that holds other programs and / or data (e.g., one or more scripts stored in a markup language document), in a single file dedicated to the program in question, and / or in multiple associated files (e.g., files storing one or more modules, subprograms, or portions of code). A computer program may be deployed to run on one computer, or on multiple computers that may be located at one site, distributed across multiple sites, and / or interconnected by a communications network.

[0109] The processes and / or logic flows described in this specification and / or the accompanying drawings may be implemented by one or more programmable processors executing one or more computer programs to perform functions by operating on input data and / or generating output, thereby binding the processes to particular machines (e.g., machines programmed to perform the processes described herein). The processes and / or logic flows may also be implemented by, and apparatus may be implemented as, special purpose logic circuitry, such as an FPGA (field programmable gate array) and / or an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit).

[0110] Computer-readable media suitable for storing computer program instructions and / or data may include all forms of non-volatile memory, media, and storage devices, including, by way of example, semiconductor storage devices (e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and / or flash memory devices), magnetic disks (e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks), magneto-optical disks, and / or CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and / or memory may be supplemented by, or incorporated in, special purpose logic circuitry.

[0111] While the specification and accompanying drawings contain many specific implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any invention and / or claims, but rather as descriptions of features that may be specific to the described example implementation. Certain features described in this specification in the context of separate implementations may also possibly be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Various features that are possibly described in the context of a single implementation may also be implemented separately in multiple combinations or in any suitable subcombination. Features may be described above as acting in a particular combination and / or may possibly be claimed as such (e.g., initially), but one or more features from a claimed combination may, in some cases, be excised from the combination. A claimed combination may be directed to subcombinations and / or variations of the subcombination.

[0112] Although operations may be illustrated sequentially in the figures, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order and / or sequentially shown, and / or that all of the illustrated operations be performed, to achieve useful results. The program components and / or systems described may generally be integrated together in a single software product and / or packaged in multiple software products.

[0113] Examples of the subject matter described herein are described. The actions recited in the claims can be performed in different orders and still achieve useful results, unless expressly stated otherwise. For example, the processes illustrated in the accompanying drawings do not require the particular order and / or sequential order shown to achieve useful results. Multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous in one or more scenarios.

[0114] While the present disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, it is to be understood that the same is illustrative and not to be considered as limiting in character, and that only certain embodiments have been shown and described, and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the disclosure are desired to be protected.

Claims

1. 1. A pet entertainment device comprising: At least one housing, at least in part: Memory and Power supply and A transceiver; at least one sensor configured to detect one or more parameters corresponding to at least one pet interaction with the device; a processor having at least receiving the one or more parameters; generating data corresponding to said one or more parameters; and a processor configured to transmit one or more signals corresponding to said data to one or more remote servers;

2. The device, and at least one haptic motor configured to generate at least some vibration through the at least one housing, wherein the processor:

10. The pet entertainment device of claim 1, further configured to control said at least some vibrations based on at least one of the occurrence of a predetermined condition or a command from said one or more remote servers.

3. 3. The pet entertainment device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a camera configured to perform at least one of ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy on the pet, visual identification of the pet, or infrared imaging of the pet.

4. The pet entertainment device of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said at least one sensor further comprises an amperometric hydrogen sulfide sensor configured to detect a halitosis condition in said pet.

5. The pet entertainment device of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said at least one sensor includes at least one of a pressure sensor or a temperature sensor.

6. The pet entertainment device of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the at least one housing comprises at least one of a water-resistant rubber, a rubber-like material, silicone, or a soft plastic.

7. The pet entertainment device of any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a proximity beacon, a pH meter, or a pressure or force sensor.

8. The pet entertainment device of any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the at least one housing further comprises at least one of a clock, a Wi-Fi antenna, a cellular antenna, or a Bluetooth antenna.

9. 9. The pet entertainment device of any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the at least one pet interaction includes at least one of playing with the device, blowing on the device, vocalizing near the device, touching the device, or biting the device one or more times.

10. the processor:

10. The pet entertainment device of claim 9, further configured to process the data from the at least one sensor using one or more algorithms stored in the memory to determine at least one of: a time of one or more interactions, a frequency of one or more interactions, a duration of one or more interactions, a type of interaction, a bite force of one or more interactions, a bite evenness of one or more interactions, the pet's pH, the pet's blood health, the pet's temperature, the pet's oral hygiene, the pet's cognitive health, the pet's emotional health or well-being, the pet's behavior, the pet's life stage, the pet's seasonality or circadian rhythm, a location of the one or more interactions, excessive movement or vocalizing and whining of the pet, at least one inherent characteristic of the one or more interactions, a geographic location, an indicator of pet mobility, an indicator of pet training, an interval between sensor signals, a duration for which sensor signals are captured, a time of day, a calendar date, or the identity of the pet.

11. the processor:

10. The pet entertainment device of claim 9, further configured to process the data generated from the at least one sensor using one or more algorithms stored in a server memory to determine at least one of: a time of one or more interactions, a frequency of one or more interactions, a duration of one or more interactions, a type of interaction, a bite force of one or more interactions, a bite evenness of one or more interactions, the pH of the pet, the blood health of the pet, the temperature of the pet, the oral hygiene of the pet, the cognitive health of the pet, the emotional health or well-being of the pet, the behavior of the pet, the life stage of the pet, the seasonality or circadian rhythm of the pet, a location of the one or more interactions, excessive movement or vocalizing and whining of the pet, at least one unique characteristic of the one or more interactions, an indicator of pet mobility, an indicator of pet training, an interval between sensor signals, a duration for which a sensor signal is captured, a time of day, a calendar date, or the identity of the pet.

12. the at least one housing is a first housing, and the device comprises:

12. The pet entertainment device of any of claims 1 to 11, further comprising a second housing configured to couple to the first housing, the second housing including at least one of a second sensor different from the at least one sensor, an antenna different from any antenna in the first housing, or other components different from the at least one sensor, antenna, or other components in the first housing.

13. A pet entertainment apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said transceiver is configured to transmit said data wirelessly to said one or more remote servers.

14. The pet entertainment device of any of claims 1 to 13, further comprising at least one charging port operably coupled to said power source.

15. The pet entertainment device of any preceding claim, further comprising at least one data port operably coupled to said processor.

16. 1. A method of operating a pet entertainment device, said device comprising: At least one housing, at least in part: Memory and Power supply and A transceiver; a processor; and at least one housing containing at least one sensor, wherein the method comprises: detecting, via the at least one sensor, one or more parameters corresponding to at least one pet interaction with the device; receiving, by the processor, the one or more parameters; generating, by the processor, the data corresponding to the one or more parameters; transmitting, via the transceiver, one or more signals corresponding to the data to one or more remote servers.

17. The device, and at least one haptic motor configured to generate at least some vibration through the at least one housing, the method comprising:

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising controlling the at least some vibrations based on at least one of the occurrence of a predetermined condition or a command from the one or more remote servers.

18. 18. The method of claim 16 or claim 17, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a camera, and the method further comprises performing ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy on the pet.

19. 19. The method of any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the at least one sensor further comprises an amperometric hydrogen sulfide sensor, and the method further comprises detecting a bad breath condition of the pet.

20. 20. The method of any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein the at least one pet interaction comprises at least one of playing with the device, blowing on the device, vocalizing near the device, touching the device, or biting the device one or more times.

21. 21. The method of claim 20, processing the data from the at least one sensor using one or more algorithms stored in the memory; and determining, through the processing, at least one of the following: a time of one or more interactions, a frequency of one or more interactions, a duration of one or more interactions, a type of interaction, a bite force of one or more interactions, a bite evenness of one or more interactions, the pH of the pet, the blood health of the pet, the temperature of the pet, the oral hygiene of the pet, the cognitive health of the pet, the emotional health or well-being of the pet, the behavior of the pet, the life stage of the pet, the seasonality or circadian rhythm of the pet, a location of the one or more interactions, excessive movement or vocalizing and whining of the pet, at least one unique characteristic of the one or more interactions, an interval between sensor signals, a duration for which a sensor signal is captured, a time of day, a calendar date, or an identity of the pet.

22. 21. The method of claim 20, generating, via the processor, the data from the at least one sensor to determine at least one of: a time of one or more interactions, a frequency of one or more interactions, a duration of one or more interactions, a type of interaction, a bite force of one or more interactions, a bite evenness of one or more interactions, the pet's pH, the pet's blood health, the pet's temperature, the pet's oral hygiene, the pet's cognitive health, the pet's emotional health or well-being, the pet's behavior, the pet's life stage, the pet's seasonality or circadian rhythm, the location of the one or more interactions, the pet's excessive movement or vocalizing and whining, at least one unique characteristic of the one or more interactions, an interval between sensor signals, a duration for which a sensor signal is captured, a time of day, a calendar date, or the identity of the pet, and enabling the one or more remote servers to process the data using one or more algorithms stored in server memory.

23. The method of any one of claims 16 to 22, further comprising wirelessly transmitting said data to said one or more remote servers via said transceiver.

24. 24. The method of any one of claims 16 to 23, wherein the device further comprises a charging port, and the method further comprises charging the power source via the charging port.

25. The method of any one of claims 16 to 24, wherein the device further comprises a data port, the method further comprising communicating with the processor via the data port.

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