Pet car seat with IoT sensor

Abstract

The present invention relates to a car seat for a pet, and for this purpose, the invention may provide a car seat for a pet equipped with an IoT sensor comprising: a main body having a seating space in which a pet can be seated; an environment control unit for controlling the temperature and / or humidity inside the seating space; at least one environment sensor for sensing environmental information regarding the seating space; and a control unit for controlling the environment control unit based on environmental information sensed by the environment sensor to control the temperature and / or humidity inside the seating space.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pet car seat that facilitates monitoring and management of pets. Background Technology

[0002] The following description merely provides background information related to the present embodiment and does not constitute prior art.

[0003] With the pet-owning population increasing exponentially due to factors such as rising income levels and the rise in single-person households resulting from an aging population, it has been observed that the age range of pet owners is also diverse.

[0004] This phenomenon is attributed to the increasing number of people raising pets due to the rise in single-person households and the trends of low birth rates and an aging population, and the pet-related industry is also showing rapid growth.

[0005] In particular, one in five households in Korea is said to be a 'pet-fam' family living with a pet. The term 'pet-fam' is a neologism combining 'pet' and 'family,' referring to people who do not view their pets as mere animals but care for them and provide for their needs as if they were a member of the family.

[0006] As such, even if people live with pets that bring them joy and happiness, treating them like family, it is actually not easy to spend an entire day with them. It has been shown that pets left alone at home feel a great deal of loneliness when people are away, and out of concern for this, many people actually install dedicated CCTVs for pets at home to monitor their condition.

[0007] However, spending an entire day with a pet is practically not an easy task. Studies have shown that pets left alone at home experience significant loneliness when their owners are away, and concerned about this, many people actually install dedicated pet CCTVs to monitor their animals. However, this method relies solely on visual observation, and since it is difficult to continuously monitor the camera footage, there is a problem in that details are inevitably missed. Additionally, receiving high-definition video leads to an increase in data transmission volume.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need to develop technology that enables the monitoring of pets and allows for the acquisition of necessary information without missing any details.

[0009] Meanwhile, as the number of households raising pets increases, so does the number of people traveling with their pets in vehicles. Since pets can be injured in the event of sudden braking, sharp turns, or accidents while inside a vehicle, and because there is a need for a safe space for them to sit while the vehicle is in motion, research into products that enable pets to ride safely in vehicles, such as pet car seats, is actively underway. Prior art literature

[0010] Republic of Korea Published Patent No. 10-2023-0099063 The problem to be solved

[0011] The present invention provides a pet car seat equipped with an IoT sensor that minimizes the pet from moving out of the seat space by monitoring the internal environment of the seating space where the pet is seated through a sensor and adjusting the internal environment based on the results to provide an optimized environment for the pet.

[0012] The problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned problems to be solved will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains from the descriptions below. means of solving the problem

[0013] A pet car seat equipped with an IoT sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned purpose may include a main body having a seating space where a pet can be seated, an environment control unit for controlling the temperature and / or humidity inside the seating space, at least one environment sensor for sensing environmental information regarding the seating space, and a control unit for controlling the environment control unit based on the environmental information sensed by the environment sensor to control the temperature and / or humidity inside the seating space.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the main body may include an upper body formed with at least four side walls and having a seating space formed in a shape where the upper part is partially or entirely open, and a lower body formed on the lower surface of the upper body, wherein a seating seat on which the pet can be seated is detachably attached.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the main body may further include a fixing member that is fixed to a seat of a vehicle.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the fixing member may be an ISOFIX, which is a bracket for fixing an infant car seat fixed to the seat of the vehicle.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the fixing member may have a fastening portion at one end connected to a main body and at the other end engaged with a headrest or seat belt device of a vehicle.

[0018] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the environment control unit may be a heating element formed in the lower body and disposed inside the lower part of the seating sheet, which generates heat upon the supply of power.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the pet car seat may further include a power supply unit having a rechargeable battery that supplies power to the heating element under the control of the control unit.

[0020] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the environment sensor is an IoT sensor that broadcasts the sensed environment information via short-range wireless communication, and the pet car seat further includes a communication unit for being connected to the environment sensors via short-range wireless communication, and the control unit can control the power supply to the heating element based on the environment information received through the communication unit to control the temperature and / or humidity of the seating space.

[0021] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a functional sheet that can be replaced depending on the degree of contamination may be detachably attached to the seating sheet.

[0022] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit can control the temperature and / or humidity of the mounting space by controlling the power supply time and / or amount of power supply to the heating element. Effects of the invention

[0023] According to the embodiments of the present invention described above, by monitoring the internal environment of the seating space where the pet is seated through a sensor and adjusting the internal environment based on this to provide an optimized environment for the pet, the pet's escape from the seat space can be minimized. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0024] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating the overall configuration of a pet car seat according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 2 and FIGS. 3 are drawings for explaining the detailed configuration of a car seat for pets according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a pet monitoring and management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining an external device in a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the monitoring and control process for a pet car seat according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0025] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Prior to this, terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted in a meaning and concept consistent with the technical spirit of the present invention, based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the terms to best describe his invention. Accordingly, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all aspects of the technical spirit of the present invention; therefore, it should be understood that various equivalents and modifications capable of replacing them may exist at the time of filing this application.

[0026] Hereinafter, a car seat for pets according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating the overall configuration of a pet car seat according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are drawings for explaining the detailed configuration of a pet car seat according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a drawing illustrating the configuration of a pet monitoring and management system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining an external device in a system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Prior to describing the present invention, companion animals may refer to dogs, cats, etc., but are not limited thereto.

[0029] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, a pet car seat (100) has a structure that can be fixed to a seat of a vehicle and may be equipped with a main body composed of an upper body (110) and a lower body (120) and a fixing member (150) that is fixed to a seat of a vehicle.

[0030] The upper body (110) may be manufactured from a fabric material and may have a support formed therein to support the fabric. Specifically, the upper body (110) may include vertical frames formed vertically at the four corners of its lower surface as supports. By supporting the fabric with the vertical frames, four side walls of the upper body (110) can be formed, thereby forming a seating space (112) that is composed of four side walls and has an open top.

[0031] The lower body (120) may be formed at the lower part of the upper body (110), and the upper part of the lower body (120) may be provided with a seating seat (122) on which a pet can sit.

[0032] Through this structure, the main body composed of an upper body (110) and a lower body (120) is provided with a seating sheet (122) that forms the upper surface of the lower body (120) and on which a pet is seated, and the side is sealed with respect to the seating sheet (122), so that a part of the upper surface is open.

[0033] In an embodiment of the present invention, the seating sheet (122) is manufactured in a form that is detachably attachable to the lower body (120), and a functional sheet (123) made of a waterproof or anti-contamination functional material may be attached to the upper surface of the seating sheet (122).

[0034] That is, the seating sheet (122) can be attached to the lower body (120) while attached to the functional sheet (123).

[0035] Additionally, the functional sheet (123) can be attached to the seating sheet (122). This allows the functional sheet (123) to be replaced by the user depending on the degree of contamination.

[0036] Meanwhile, a heating element (124) corresponding to an environment control unit for controlling the temperature and humidity of the seating space (112) may be provided inside the lower body (120).

[0037] In an embodiment of the present invention, the heating element (124) may be composed of a heating fiber according to the voltage applied from the power supply unit (142).

[0038] In addition, the pet car seat (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention may be equipped with at least one environmental sensor (130) installed on the inner surface of the main body, such as the inner surface of the upper body (110), for sensing environmental information regarding the seating space (112). Here, the environmental sensor (130) may sense environmental information, such as temperature and humidity inside the seating space (112), and then provide this information to the control unit (140).

[0039] The control unit (140) can control the temperature and / or humidity inside the mounting space (112) by applying voltage to the heating element (124) through the power supply unit (142) based on environmental information sensed by the environmental sensor (130).

[0040] The fixing member (150) may be a bracket for fixing an infant car seat that is fixed to the seat of a vehicle that is a means of transportation, and may be an example of an ISOFIX.

[0041] Additionally, the fixing member (150) may be a headrest or seat belt device fixed to a seat of a vehicle. In this case, the fixing member (150) may be provided with a fastening part (152) such that one end is connected to the main body and the other end is engaged and fastened to the headrest or seat belt device.

[0042] Meanwhile, the power supply unit (142) according to the embodiment of the present invention may be a rechargeable battery or a disposable battery that generates power by self-generating power using heat generated from a heating element (124) or is charged by receiving external power to supply power.

[0043] In an embodiment of the present invention, the environment sensor (130) may be an IoT sensor capable of transmitting sensed environment information to an external device (200 in FIG. 4) connected via short-range wireless communication. That is, a plurality of environment sensors (130) may be connected to a communication unit (144) via short-range wireless communication and transmit sensed environment information to a control unit (140).

[0044] Additionally, the communication unit (144) can connect the external device (200) and the pet car seat (100) via short-range wireless communication. Through this, the control unit (140) receives control information from the external device (200) and, based on this, can control the power supply to the heating element (124), which is the environment control unit.

[0045] Specifically, the control unit (140) can determine whether to supply power to the heating element (124) based on control information, and then adjust the temperature and / or humidity of the seating space (112) based on this.

[0046] Meanwhile, the external device (200) may be a computing device comprising a central processing unit (CPU) (201), interfaces (202), and a bus (203) (such as a PCI (peripheral component interconnect)), as illustrated in FIG. 5. When operating under the control of appropriate software or firmware, the CPU (201) may implement specific functions associated with the functions of a specifically configured computing device or machine. For example, in an embodiment of the present invention, a user's smartphone may be configured or designed to function as a program system for providing a pet care service utilizing the CPU (201), memory (204), and interface(s) (202). Additionally, in an embodiment of the present invention, the CPU (201) may be caused to perform functions and / or tasks for providing one or more different types of pet care services under the control of software modules / components (e.g., including an operating system and any appropriate application software, drivers, etc.).

[0047] The CPU (201) may include one or more processor(s) (206), such as, for example, a Motorola processor, an Intel microprocessor family, or a MIPS microprocessor family. In an embodiment of the invention, the processor(s) (206) may include hardware specifically designed to control the operations of a computing device (e.g., application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROMs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.). Additionally, memory (204), such as non-volatile random access memory (RAM) and / or read-only memory (ROM), also forms part of the CPU (201). However, there are many different ways in which memory can be combined with the system. Memory blocks (204) may be used for various purposes, such as caching and / or storage of data, programming instructions, etc.

[0048] As used herein, the term “processor” is not limited to integrated circuits referred to as processors in the art, but broadly refers to microcontrollers, microcomputers, programmable logic controllers, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and any other programmable circuits.

[0049] In an embodiment of the present invention, the interfaces (202) are provided as interface cards (sometimes referred to as “line cards”), and the interface cards control the transmission and reception of data packets over a computing network and sometimes support other peripherals used with a computing device. Among the interfaces (202) that may be provided are Ethernet interfaces, Frame Relay interfaces, cable interfaces, DSL interfaces, Token Ring interfaces, etc. Additionally, various types of interfaces may be provided, such as Universal Serial Bus (USB), Serial, Ethernet, FireWire, PCI, Parallel, Radio Frequency (RF), Bluetooth, Near Field Communication (e.g., using near-field magnetics), 802.11 (WiFi), Frame Relay, TCP / IP, ISDN, Fast Ethernet interfaces, Gigabit Ethernet interfaces, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) interfaces, High Speed ​​Serial Interface (HSSI) interfaces, Point of Sale (POS) interfaces, Fiber Data Distributed Interface (FDDI), etc.

[0050] These interfaces (202) may include ports suitable for communication with a suitable medium. In some cases, they may also include an independent processor, and in some cases, volatile and / or non-volatile memory (e.g., RAM).

[0051] Although the system illustrated in FIG. 5 illustrates one specific architecture for a computing device for implementing the technology of the invention described herein, this is by no means the only device architecture in which at least some of the features and technologies described herein may be implemented. For example, architectures having one or any number of processor(s) (206) may be used, and such processor(s) (206) may exist within a single device or be distributed among any number of devices. In one embodiment, one processor (206) handles communication along with routing calculations. In various embodiments, program features and / or functions for providing different types of pet care services may be implemented in a system for providing pet care services comprising a client device and server system(s) (such as a server system to be described in more detail below).

[0052] Regardless of the network device configuration, the system of the present invention may employ one or more memories or memory modules (e.g., memory blocks) configured to store data, program instructions for general-purpose network operations, and / or other information related to the functions of the pet care service technologies described herein. The program instructions may, for example, control the operation of an operating system and / or one or more applications. The memory or the memory modules may also be configured to store data structures, keyword classification information, advertising information, user click and impression information, and / or other specific non-program information described herein.

[0053] Since such information and program instructions may be employed to implement the systems / methods described herein, at least some network device embodiments may include nontransitory machine-readable storage media, which may be configured or designed to store, for example, program instructions, state information, etc. for executing the various operations described herein. Examples of such nontransitory machine-readable media include, but are not limited to, magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; optical media such as CD-ROM disks; magneto-optical media such as floptical disks; and hardware devices such as read-only memory devices (ROM), flash memory, memristor memory, random access memory (RAM), etc., which are specifically configured to store and execute program instructions. Examples of program instructions include both machine code, such as that generated by a compiler, and files containing higher-level code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter.

[0054] Examples of external devices (200) corresponding to the computing device described above include communication-capable devices such as smartphones, PDAs, personal computers, and laptops, but are not limited thereto.

[0055] In the case where the external device (200) according to the embodiment of the present invention is a smartphone, it can be connected to the pet car seat (100) through the execution of an app (APP) and control the pet car seat (100) can be performed.

[0056] Specifically, the app can be connected to the pet car seat (100) via short-range wireless communication, such as Bluetooth or Bluetooth LE, based on the user's execution. That is, depending on the execution of the app, the external device (200) can be connected via short-range wireless communication through the communication unit (144) or connected via short-range wireless communication with the environment sensor (130).

[0057] Through this, the external device (200) receives and stores environmental information broadcast from the environmental sensor (130) of the pet car seat (100) via the app, and can set an optimized environmental control value based on the stored environmental information. Specifically, the app collects environmental information regarding the temperature or humidity of the seating space (112) and, in addition, calculates an optimized environmental control value, such as temperature and / or humidity value, through deep learning and machine learning, and then sets it.

[0058] Subsequently, as the app receives environmental information, it checks whether the received environmental information matches within a preset threshold range by comparing it with the preset environmental control value to determine whether environmental control is required. If environmental control is required, it can transmit a control signal for environmental control to the pet car seat (100). Accordingly, the control unit (140) of the pet car seat (100) can control the power supply unit (142) so that power is supplied to the heating element (124).

[0059] Additionally, an app stored in memory (204) in a form executable on an external device (200) provides a pet selection interface that allows selecting a pet, and can set up an artificial intelligence model for environmental control of the selected pet through the interface. Here, the pet selection interface may be a setting window that allows not only selecting the type of pet but also setting the breed for the selected type.

[0060] In addition, the app can receive an artificial intelligence model for environmental control corresponding to the pet set through the settings window from a server (not shown) connected via an external communication network based on the type and breed of the pet set through the interface, and then set up an artificial intelligence model that operates with environmental information as input based on this.

[0061] Afterwards, the app is connected to the pet car seat (100) to receive environmental information, predicts an environmental control value based on an artificial intelligence model that operates with the received environmental information as input, and transmits the environmental control value to the pet car seat (100) to perform control over the pet car seat (100).

[0062] With reference to FIG. 6, the process of an external device (200) as described above monitoring and controlling a pet car seat (100) will be explained.

[0063] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the monitoring and control process for a pet car seat according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0064] As illustrated in FIG. 6, first, an external device (200) provides a selection interface that allows the user to select the type and breed of their pet through the app according to the execution of the app (S300).

[0065] When the type and breed of the pet are selected through the selection interface, the app sets optimized environmental control values ​​for the type and breed of the pet (S302). Specifically, the app can set environmental control values ​​by transmitting information about the type and breed of the pet to a server (not shown) connected via a wired or wireless communication network and receiving the environmental control values ​​in response. Here, the environmental control values ​​may be temperature and / or humidity information within the seating space (112) of the pet car seat (100).

[0066] Then, the app performs an action to connect the pet car seat (100) and the external device (200) via short-range wireless communication, thereby connecting the external device (200) and the pet car seat (100) via short-range wireless communication (S304).

[0067] Afterwards, the app receives environmental information from the pet car seat (100) (S306).

[0068] Then, the app checks whether environment information deviates from environment control values ​​within a preset threshold range by comparing environment information with set environment control values, and determines whether environment control is necessary (S308).

[0069] Based on the judgment result of S308, if it deviates, the app determines that environmental control is required and transmits a control signal for environmental control to the pet car seat (100) (S310). Accordingly, the pet car seat (100) can control the temperature and / or humidity of the seating space (112) by controlling the power supply unit (142) so that power is supplied to the heating element (124) according to the control signal.

[0070] According to an embodiment of the present invention as described above, although it has been explained as an example of receiving and setting environmental control values ​​for the type and breed of pet, an artificial intelligence model for the type and breed of pet may also be received from a server and set.

[0072] Meanwhile, combinations of each block of the attached block diagram and each step of the flowchart may be executed by computer program instructions. Since these computer program instructions can be loaded into the processor of a general-purpose computer, a specialized computer, or other programmable data processing equipment, the instructions executed through the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing equipment create a means to perform the functions described in each block of the block diagram.

[0073] Since these computer program instructions may be stored in a computer-available or computer-readable recording medium (or memory), etc., which can be directed toward a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to implement a function in a specific way, the instructions stored in the computer-available or computer-readable recording medium (or memory) may also be used to produce a manufactured item containing instruction means that perform the function described in each block of the block diagram.

[0074] And, since computer program instructions can be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing equipment, instructions that perform a series of operation steps on a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to create a process executed by a computer and perform the computer or other programmable data processing equipment may also provide steps for executing the functions described in each block of the block diagram.

[0075] Additionally, each block may represent a module, segment, or part of code containing at least one executable instruction for executing a specified logical function(s). Also, it should be noted that in some alternative embodiments, the functions mentioned in the blocks may occur out of order. For example, two blocks shown in succession may actually be executed substantially simultaneously, or the blocks may be executed in reverse order according to the corresponding function. Explanation of the symbols

[0076] 100 : Pet car seat 110 : Upper body 120 : Lower body 130: Environmental sensor 140 : Control unit 200 : External device

Claims

Claim 1 A car seat for a pet comprises a main body having a seating space where a pet can be seated, an environment control unit for controlling the temperature and / or humidity inside the seating space, at least one environment sensor for sensing environmental information regarding the seating space, and a control unit for controlling the environment control unit based on environmental information sensed by the environment sensor to control the temperature and / or humidity inside the seating space. The main body comprises an upper body formed with at least four side walls and having a seating space formed with a top that is partially or entirely open, and a lower body formed on the lower surface of the upper body, to which a seating seat for the pet can be seated is detachably attached. A functional seat that can be replaced according to the degree of contamination is detachably attached to the seating seat. The car seat further comprises a fixing member that is fixed to a vehicle seat, wherein one end is connected to the main body and the other end is provided with a fastening part that engages with the vehicle's headrest or seat belt device for fastening. A pet car seat equipped with an IoT sensor, characterized in that it is fixed to an ISOFIX bracket for fixing the car seat, and the environment control unit is formed in the lower body of the main body and is a heating element that generates heat according to the supply of power from a power supply unit having a rechargeable battery that supplies power to the heating element according to the control of the control unit. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 delete Claim 4 delete Claim 5 delete Claim 6 delete Claim 7 delete Claim 8 delete

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