Remote Control Collar for Pets

Abstract

This utility model relates to devices for correcting the direction of motion. It comprises a belt (1), a housing (2) with a microcontroller (5), a radio module (7), an inertial module (6)—an accelerometer and a gyroscope—as well as two vibration motors (3, 4) on the left and right. The microcontroller receives commands via the radio module, reads yaw and pitch angles from the inertial module, and outputs control signals to the vibration motors. The technical result is increased accuracy in executing rotation commands, a reduction in false alarms, and the elimination of non-adaptive vibration signal generation.

Description

[0001] The utility model relates to devices for controlling the movement of pack and farm animals (donkeys, horses, mules, cattle), in particular to collars with tactile stimulation, and can be used in conditions without direct visibility (forest, hills) or when it is necessary to correct the direction of movement without physical contact with the animal.

[0002] Various collars for remote influence on animals are known from the prior art.

[0003] Patent RU 2019123456 A1 is known for a dog collar containing a vibration motor and a radio receiver, designed to correct unwanted behavior (barking, aggression). A drawback of this solution is the inability to control the direction of movement—only a single signal is transmitted, without distinguishing between "left" and "right."

[0004] The "Nofence" system (publication WO 2020128322 A1) is a well-known electronic fence collar that emits a beep and then vibrations when approaching a virtual boundary. The drawback is that the device only keeps the animal within the zone, but does not allow for operator-controlled turning.

[0005] A collar with a GPS tracker and a vibration alert when the dog wanders outside the permitted area (US 20150020750 A1) is known. The drawback is the lack of directional stimulation (left / right) and the inability to initiate a targeted turn.

[0006] The closest analogue (prototype) to the claimed utility model is a collar for remote animal training, comprising a belt, an electronic unit with a microcontroller, a radio module, and two vibration motors attached to the belt on the left and right sides (patent CN 209314590 U, 2019). In this prototype, the operator can send separate signals to the left or right vibration motor, prompting the animal to move in the corresponding direction. However, the vibration is sent without regard to the animal's current head position, resulting in reduced control accuracy: when feeding, surveying the area, or tilting the head, the signal may be ignored or cause an inappropriate response.

[0007] The disadvantages of the prototype are:

[0008] low control accuracy - the vibration signal is sent without feedback about the position of the animal's head relative to the body;

[0009] false alarms - with random head movements there is no mechanism for selectively sending commands;

[0010] Lack of adaptability - the intensity and duration of vibration are not adjusted depending on the current head orientation.

[0011] The technical problem that the utility model is aimed at solving is the creation of a collar that provides remote control of an animal’s turns (left / right) by taking into account the current orientation of its head using inertial sensors.

[0012] The technical result is to increase the accuracy of execution of rotation commands, reduce false alarms and eliminate non-adaptive transmission of vibration signals.

[0013] The technical result is achieved in that a collar for remotely controlling the movement of an animal, comprising a flexible belt (1), a housing (2), a microcontroller (5), a radio module (7) and two vibration motors - left (3) and right (4), differing from the closest analogue in that an inertial measuring module (6) is additionally introduced into the housing, including an accelerometer and a gyroscope, wherein the microcontroller (5) is connected to the inertial module (6) and to the radio module (7), as well as to the left (3) and right (4) vibration motors, and contains a control circuit connected to the inertial module and to each of the vibration motors, with the possibility of activating the left or right vibration motor depending on the values ​​​​of the yaw angle and pitch angle measured by the inertial module (6).

[0014] In this case:

[0015] The inertial measurement module (6) is designed to measure the yaw angle and pitch angle of the animal's head;

[0016] the mass of vibration motors and inertial module does not exceed 150g;

[0017] Powered by a lithium-ion battery (8) with a capacity of at least 1000 mAh.

[0018] Additional distinguishing features:

[0019] The inertial module (6) is based on the MPU-6050 microcircuit or an analogue;

[0020] vibration motors (3, 4) - eccentric type with vibration frequency of 150-200 Hz and adjustable amplitude;

[0021] on the body (2) there is a LED indicator (9) for charging and power-on;

[0022] The belt (1) is made of nylon webbing with a quick-release buckle.

[0023] The utility model is illustrated by a drawing, where Fig. 1 shows an unfolded view of the collar (in the straightened state, a top view of the outer side of the belt). The following are indicated by callout arrows in the drawing:

[0024] 1 - flexible belt;

[0025] 2 - electronic unit housing;

[0026] 3 - left vibration motor;

[0027] 4 - right vibration motor;

[0028] 5 - microcontroller (shown conditionally inside case 2);

[0029] 6 - inertial measurement module (inside housing 2);

[0030] 7 - radio module (inside case 2);

[0031] 8 - battery (inside case 2);

[0032] 9 - LED indicator on the surface of the case.

[0033] All components located inside the housing (5, 6, 7, 8) are shown with dotted lines, as they are located under the cover. Understanding the utility model does not require depicting the electrical connections.

[0034] The collar operates as follows. The operator sends a radio signal with the "left" or "right" command from the control panel (an external device, not included in the utility model). The collar's radio module (7) receives the signal and transmits it to the microcontroller (5). The microcontroller (5) requests current data from the inertial module (6): yaw and pitch angles. If the pitch angle exceeds 20°, the command is ignored - the LED (9) blinks red. If the animal is normal, then for the "left" command, the microcontroller (5) sends short pulses of low amplitude to the left vibration motor (3). After each pulse, it reads the change in the yaw angle and, if necessary, increases the amplitude or sends a contrast pulse to the right vibration motor (4). For the "right" command, the right vibration motor (4) is similarly activated. All components are housed in a sealed IP67 casing.

[0035] The utility model is industrially applicable, as it can be implemented using commercially available components (STM32 or ESP32 microcontrollers, MPU-6050 sensors, vibration motors from mobile devices, and 18650 lithium-ion batteries). The collar can be assembled at any facility with a printed circuit board assembly and electronics setup line. The materials used (nylon, plastic, rubber) are standard.

Claims

1. A collar for remotely controlling the movement of an animal, comprising a flexible belt (1), a housing (2), a microcontroller (5), a radio module (7) and two vibration motors - left (3) and right (4), characterized in that an inertial measuring module (6) is additionally introduced into the housing, including an accelerometer and a gyroscope, wherein the microcontroller (5) is connected to the inertial module (6) and to the radio module (7), as well as to the left (3) and right (4) vibration motors, and contains a control circuit connected to the inertial module and to each of the vibration motors, with the ability to activate the left or right vibration motor when the yaw angle exceeds a threshold value of 15° and with the ability to block commands when the pitch angle exceeds a threshold value of 20°.

2. The collar according to paragraph 1, characterized in that the microcontroller is configured to supply short pulses of increasing amplitude to the corresponding vibration motor, followed by repeated reading of the yaw angle, and in the absence of a response, with the ability to supply an additional pulse to the opposite vibration motor.

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