Systems, devices, and methods for pets determing, monitoring, and / or predicting pet safety and / or wellness

Abstract

Pet sensor systems may be configured to monitor and / or measure one or more aspects of an environment in which a pet is, or may be, located s. The monitoring information and / or measurements may be used to determine and / or predict pet safety and / or wellness and / or train a pet safety and / or wellness model configured to predict pet safety and / or wellness under various conditions and situations. In some embodiments, the pet safety and / or wellness model may be personalized to particular pets, pet types, environments, and / or user preferences.

Description

SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS FOR PETS DETERMING, MONITORING, AND / OR PREDICTING PET SAFETY AND / OR WELLNESSRelated Application

[0001] This application is an INTERNATIONAL (PCT) application of, and claims priority to, United States Provisional Patent Application Number: 63 / 679,853, filed on 06 August 2024 and entitled “TEMPERATURE SENSING SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS FOR PET SAFETY,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.Field

[0002] This invention relates to monitoring, determining, and / or predicting pet safety and / or wellness under various conditions.Background

[0003] Pet, and in particular dog, owners and / or caregivers often face the challenge of walking their pets on hot days, when hot pavement and / or ground surfaces can pose a risk of burns to pets’ paws or general discomfort for the pet. Traditional methods of gauging ground temperature, such as the “back of the hand” test, are inconsistent and unreliable; potentially exposing them to risks of burns or irritated paws.Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides a way for pet owners and / or caregivers to assess a temperature of surfaces and the ground upon which their pet may walk so that the owner / caregiver may make an informed choice regarding whether or not the paws of their pets are at risk of trauma and / or injury due to prolonged contact with ground that is too hot or too cold. Embodiments of the invention include a temperature sensing system that can be removably or permanently attached to, for example, the pet, a device attached to the pet such as a collar, harness, leash, attachment for the device (e.g., a GPS tracker, a refuse bag holder, etc.) and / or the person walking the dog via, for example, a clip-on device, bracelet, phone case or other attachment, and / or necklace. Exemplary devices and systems disclosed herein may include a ground temperature sensor that directly (e.g., beeping and / or flashing) and / or indirectly (e.g., via a software application running on a smart phone or smartwatch) alerts the user when the temperature exceeds, or falls below, an unsafe threshold so that the user may reduce and / or eliminate exposure of the pet to surfaces that fall that may be unsafe by, for example, moving the pet, picking the pet up, or foregoing a walk with the pet, thereby preventing potential burns, freezer burn, and / or injuries to the pet’s paws and / or skin.

[0005] The systems and / or devices disclosed herein may comprise a temperature sensor (e.g., an infrared thermometer) configured to measure a temperature of a surface a pet is, or may later be, standing on. The systems and / or devices may further comprise a user interface and / or a transceiver configured to receive a temperature measurement from the temperature sensor and provide an indication of the temperature measurement to a user; a power source configured to provide electrical power to the temperature sensor and the user interface and / or transceiver; and a housing configured to house the temperature sensor, the power source, and the user interface and / or the transceiver and orient the temperature sensor so that it faces the surface. When the systems and devices include a transceiver, the transceiver may be configured to communicate the temperature information to an external user device like a smart phone or smart watch running a software application configured to display an indication of the temperature and / or a message regarding whether or not the temperature exceeds, or falls below, a safety threshold. In some embodiments, the sensor system may include data processing circuitry and / or a processor configured to determine if a temperature of the surface exceeds a threshold value and, if so, providing a warning to the user via the user interface and / or the transceiver. In some embodiments, sensor system may also include processing circuitry configured to receive the temperature and determine if it exceeds a threshold and, if so, the processing circuitry may be further configured to communicate a warning to a pet care giver via the user interface and / or transceiver.

[0006] In some embodiments, the sensor system may further include one or more of a barometric pressure sensor configured to measure a barometric pressure proximate to the pet, an environmental sensor configured to measure a feature (e.g., wind speed, air quality, risk of ultraviolet light exposure, degree of cloudiness, etc.) of an environment proximate to the pet, a humidity sensor configured to measure a level of humidity in an environment proximate to the pet, a motion sensor, an accelerometer, and / or a global positioning device configured to determine a position of the housing.

[0007] In some embodiments, the sensor system and / or housing may be configured to be removably attached to, for example, a strap, pet garment, pet collar, pet harness, pet leash, or a person taking care of the pet. Additionally, or alternatively, the sensor system and / or a component thereof may be integrated into, for example, a strap, pet garment, pet collar, pet harness, pet leash, and / or a garment or accessory worn and / or controlled by a person taking care of the pet.

[0008] In some embodiments, the sensor system further may include one or more light meter(s) configured to measure a level of light incident thereon from one or more directions (e.g., top, bottom, front, back, left, and / or right side(s) of the pet). The detected light may be used to determine how much the light (e.g., visible, ultraviolet, and / or infrared) and / or solar energy may impact the pet’s safety and / or wellness. In some embodiments, a pet’s size, fur color, and / or general health may be used to determine how much the light and / or solar energy may impact the pet’s safety and / or wellness.

[0009] Exemplary methods disclosed herein may include inputting weather data, pet information, user preferences, and / or environmental information into a pet safety and / or wellness model configured to determine an indication of pet safety and / or wellness using the received data; receiving an output from the pet safety and / or wellness model, the output including a pet safety and / or wellness prediction determined using the received data; and communicating the output to a user via, for example, a display device of a user device and / or a user interface of a sensor system worn and / or wearable by the pet. In some instances, the data is received from a user device configured with, for example, an environment and / or weather monitoring software application. Additionally, or alternatively, the data may be received from sensor systems and / or sensor system components as disclosed herein that may, for example, be worn by the pet and / or pet owner.

[0010] Exemplary outputs of the pet safety and / or wellness model may pertain to a prediction of whether the pet’s paws will be damaged by a temperature (e.g., burned or frozen) of a surface the pet is standing on, whether the pet is likely to get overheated by walking outside, and / or whether the pet needs a sweater to keep warm in view of the weather data. In some cases, a temperature of a surface the pet is standing on may be received from a temperature sensor being worn by the pet and the indication may be further responsive to the temperature of the surface.

[0011] In some embodiments, feedback may be received from a caregiver of the pet regarding the accuracy of the pet safety and / or wellness prediction and the pet safety and / or wellness model may be updated responsively to the feedback. Exemplary feedback includes, but is not limited to, whether the pet’s paws were damaged / hurt as a result of the surface temperature, whether the pet became overheated while taking a walk, and a state of the pet’s safety and / or wellness.

[0012] In some embodiments, information about the pet (e.g., age, breed, size, color) and / or pet health information may be input into the pet safety and / or wellness model and, in these embodiments, the prediction may be responsive to this information. Additionally, or alternatively pet mobility information may be input into the pet safety and / or wellness model and the prediction is responsive to the pet mobility information. Exemplary pet mobility information includes, but is not limited to, pet joint health, pet activity levels, and pet medical condition.

[0013] In some embodiments, the methods disclosed herein may receive a surface temperature for a surface a pet is standing on, determine whether the surface temperature exceeds or is below a threshold value and / or may cause damage to the pet’s paws, and provide an indication of the determination to a display device or a user interface. At times, the surface temperature may be received from a temperature sensor (e.g., an infrared thermometer) being worn by the pet.Additionally, or alternatively, weather data may be received from, for example, a sensor system and / or a user device and the determination of whether the surface temperature may cause damage to the pet’s paws may further be responsive to the weather data.

[0014] In another embodiment, pet information may be received along with environmental information, weather information, and / or geolocation information for the pet. Then, an indication of safety and / or wellness for the pet may be determined using the pet information and the ground surface temperature information, environmental information, weather information, and / or geolocation information.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the disclosed invention.

[0016] FIG. 1 provides a block diagram of an exemplary sensor system, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention;

[0017] FIG. 2 is a diagram of a pet wearing a plurality of sensor systems and / or sensors, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention;

[0018] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary system that may be configured to execute one or more methods disclosed herein, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining an indication of pet safety and / or wellness, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention;

[0020] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for training a pet safety and / or wellness model configured to predict pet safety and / or wellness, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention; and

[0021] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an exemplary method for assessing and / or predicting pet safety and / or wellness using a pet safety and / or wellness model, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.

[0022] Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals and characters, unless otherwise stated, are used to denote like features, elements, components, or portions of the illustrated embodiments. Moreover, while the subject invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings, the description is done in connection with the illustrative embodiments. It is intended that changes and modifications can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the true scope and spirit of the subject invention as defined by the appended claims.Detailed Description

[0023] Systems, devices, and methods configured to conveniently provide accurate and reliable ground and / or surface temperature readings and / or warnings indicating when unsafe temperature thresholds for ground and / or surface temperatures may be exceeded are herein provided. These temperature readings and / or warnings may be used by pet owners and / or caregivers to reduce the risk of pets’ paws burning resulting from exposure to hot and / or cold ground and / or surfaces. The systems and / or devices disclosed herein can be attached to a pet’s collar, harness, leash, or the person walking and / or taking care of the pet and arecapable of generating and / or sending alerts when the ground temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold. Additionally, the systems and devices disclosed herein may be configured to collect and transmit various behavioral and environmental data to provide comprehensive heat maps for geographies and / or insights into pet health and safety.

[0024] The present invention provides pet, and in particular, dog owners / caregivers with a reliable and convenient tool to ensure their pets’ safety from hot ground surfaces. By offering real-time alerts, comprehensive environmental monitoring, and crowdsourced data insights and predictive analytics, the systems and devices disclosed herein enhance the overall safety and well-being of dogs during walks in hot or cold weather. The integration of additional sensors and GPS functionality further extends the utility of the devices and systems disclosed herein, making them a valuable tool for pet owners. Furthermore, by addressing the risk of burns on dogs' paws from hot ground surfaces, the systems and devices disclosed herein offer a practical solution for pet owners, ensuring a safer and more enjoyable experience during walks in warm weather free from the need to manually monitor ground and / or surface temperature.

[0025] Turning now to the figures, FIG. 1 provides a block diagram of an exemplary device and / or system 100 in which the invention may be embodied. Device and / or system 100 includes a housing 105, a temperature sensor 110, a user interface 115, a transceiver 120, processing circuitry 125, a power source 130, one or more environmental sensors 135, a memory 140, an accelerometer 145, a motion sensor 150, a GPS device 155, a humidity sensor 160, a pet monitor 165, a barometric pressure sensor 170, a microphone 175, a visual alert system 180, an audible alert system 185, a light meter 186, a camera 190, a speaker 192, one or more ports 194, a clock 196, and a light source / photodetector pair 198. Not all embodiments of device and / or system 100 will include all the components shown in FIG. 1 . However, most embodiments will include temperature sensor 110 and at least one of user interface 115, visual alert system 180, and an audible alert system 185.

[0026] Housing 105 may be configured to house the components of device and / or system 100 and may further be configured to attached to a pet, a device attached to and / or worn by a pet (leash, collar, vest, and / or harness), or a pet owner / caregiver via any acceptable mechanism including, but not limited to, clips,snaps, glue, zippers, and / or Velcro™. Exemplary form factors for housing include, for example, a housing that clips onto or otherwise attaches to, for example, a garment (e.g., vest or sweater) or device (e.g., collar, harness, etc.) the pet is wearing. Additionally, or alternatively, housing 105 and / or components of system 100 may be integrated into the garment and / or device the pet is wearing. In some embodiments, housing 105 may include thermal insulation (e.g., foam or reflective material) configured and / or designed to thermally insulate one or more components of system 100 from the pet’s body temperature and / or breath. Additionally, or alternatively, housing 105 may have a reflective coating and / or cooperate with a reflective garment for the pet configured to reflect heat and / or light away from the pet, thereby helping them maintain a lower body temperature, which may be desirable during warm weather.

[0027] Temperature sensor 110 may be any sensor configured to sense a temperature of a surface and / or the ground upon which a pet may walk. Exemplary temperature sensors 110 include, but are not limited to, infrared thermometers,, thermal cameras, and contact thermometers. Temperature sensor 110 may be arranged within housing 105 so that it faces away from the pet and / or towards the ground. Power source 130 may be any appropriate power source including, but not limited to, a rechargeable battery that may be recharged via port 194 embodied as a power coupling and / or a solar cell in electrical communication with and / or physically coupled to housing 105.

[0028] User interface 115 may be any interface (e.g., touch screen, button, keypad, etc.) configured to receive input from a user (e.g., instructions to power on / power down, provide temperature readings, set temperature thresholds, set alert preferences, etc.) and / or provide output (e.g., temperature readings and / or alerts) to the user. Alerts may take any form, including, but not limited to, audible beeping, buzzing, words provided on a display device, lights, and changing color of lights.

[0029] Memory 140 may be configured to store data and / or measurements taken by one or more components of system 100 as well as one or more sets of instructions and / or stored user preferences that may be executed by processing circuitry 125. For example, processing circuitry 125 may be configured to receive a temperature measurement from temperature sensor 110 and communicate that temperature measurement to transceiver 120 for communication to an external device (e.g., a user’s smart phone or smart watch) and / or trigger an alert via userinterface 115. For example, when the ground temperature provided by temperature sensor 110 exceeds the predefined threshold, processing circuitry may initiate communication of an alert to the user via, for example, user interface 115, audible alert system 185, visual alert system 180, and / or the software application running on the user’s device. The alert can be an audible beep, a vibration, or a visual indicator such as an LED light. This immediate feedback allows the pet owner / caregiver to take appropriate action to protect their pet.

[0030] Accelerometer 145 and / or motion sensor 150 may be configured to, for example, detect motion of a pet, determine an orientation of the pet (e.g., standing or lying down), count a number of steps the pet has taken over a period of time (e.g., during a walk or during the day) gather data that may be used to evaluate gait patterns, and / or gather information that may be used to detect any physiological changes or potential health issues that may be inferred from in the dog’s movement.

[0031] Environmental sensor 135, humidity sensor 160, and / or barometric pressure sensor 170 may be configured to measure various environmental conditions, including, but not limited to, ambient temperature, ambient wind, ambient humidity, air quality, solar intensity, carbon dioxide, oxygen, methane, particulate matter (e.g., PM10 and / or PM2.5), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and / or barometric pressure. These additional data points may be provided to users via user interface 115 and / or their software application in order to, for example, help users understand the overall heat index and make more informed decisions about when and where to walk their dogs or take their pets outside. Pet monitor 165 may be configured to monitor one or more physiological aspects of the pet, including, but not limited to, pet temperature, pet respiratory rate, and / or pet heart rate.

[0032] Transceiver 120 may be configured to wirelessly communicate data to the user’s software application, user device 310, and / or a cloud computing environment. This enables real-time monitoring of ground temperatures and the creation of heat maps that provide insights into temperature variations across different areas, along various walking routes or paths, at various times of day and / or seasons of the year. Crowdsourced data from multiple users can help identify hot spots within geographic regions and safer walking paths for dogs. GPS device 155 may be configured to enable the tracking of walking routes and identification of specific locations with hazardous temperatures. This feature also enhances the crowdsourced data by providing precise geographical information for the sensorproviding the crowdsourced information, which enables accurate mapping of the sensor measurements to geographic locations.

[0033] Light meter 186 may be configured to sense and / or measure an amount and / or level of light incident thereon. In some embodiments, a pet may be wearing a plurality of light sensors as, for example, a band that extends over the pet’s back and / or garment that includes a plurality of light meters 186 arranged on a left, right, front, back, bottom, and / or top of the pet so that a level of light incident thereon from a plurality of directions may be measured. This information and, optionally, pet size, weight, pet hair type / density, and / or hair color may be used to determine how the light incident on the pet may impact the pet’s safety and / or wellness and, in particular, whether and / or how much it may contribute to the pet becoming overheated and / or sunburnt.

[0034] FIG. 2 is a diagram of a pet 200 (in this case, a dog) wearing an exemplary plurality (in this case, three) devices 100 embodied in a first housing 105A, a second housing 105B, and a third housing 105C. First and second housings 105A and 105B are positioned on / in a torso strap 210 configured to wrap around pet’s 200 torso so that second housing 105B is positioned on a lower (as oriented in the figure) side, or belly, of pet 200 and first housing 105A is positioned on a side of pet 200 as shown. Third housing 105C is positioned on a collar 215 configured to wrap around pet’s neck in a manner similar to a traditional dog collar. In some embodiments, a position of second housing 105 may enable projection of light and / or sound as an outgoing beam 220 toward a surface 225 (e.g., sidewalk, street, grass, dirt, etc.) pet 200 is standing on by a light source of light source / photodetector pair 198 and / or speaker 192, respectively. Light and / or sound may be reflected from surface 225 as an incoming beam 230 received and / or detected by a photodetector of source / photodetector pair 198 and / or microphone 175, respectively. In these embodiments, clock 196 and / or processing circuitry 125 may record when, in time, outgoing beam 220 is emitted and / or incoming beam 230 is received. Additionally, or alternatively, incoming beam 230 may be infrared radiation emitted by surface 225 and detected by temperature sensor 110 when temperature sensor 110 is embodied as an infrared thermometer.

[0035] It is to be noted that use of three devices 100 in FIG. 2 is illustrative only. In some embodiments, a pet may wear only one device 100, two devices 100, or more than three devices 100 (e.g., 4-10) as needed and / or desired by pet’s 200owner and / or caregiver. Additionally, or alternatively, not all first-third housings 105A- 105C may include the same components. For example, first housing 105A may include a first transceiver 120, processing circuitry 125, barometric pressure sensor, and humidity sensor; second housing 105B may house speaker 192, microphone 175, temperature sensor 110, camera 190, and / or source / photodetector pair 198, and a second transceiver; and third housing 105C may house user interface 115, visual alert system 180, audible alert system 185, GPS device 155, and / to a third transceiver 120.

[0036] In some embodiments, collar 215 and torso strap 210 may be physically, electrically, and / or communicatively coupled as, for example, part of a harness or system for pet 200 that, in some cases, may also be configured to couple to a leash for pet 200. In these embodiments, components of first, second, and / or third housings 105A, 105B, and / or 105C may be electrically and / or communicatively coupled to, for example, share information and / or electrical power between them.

[0037] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary system 300 that includes sensor system 100, a user device 310, a computing platform 330, an optional database 320, and an optional communication network 340. User device 310 may be any device configured to, and / or capable of, being in communication with device and / or system 100 including, for example, smart phones, smart watches, wearable devices, and tablet computers. Communication between sensor system 100 and user 310 may be via, for example, a near-field and / or short-range communication protocol (e.g., BLUETOOTH™, radio, etc.) and / or via communication network 340, which may be any communication network that enables communication between device and / or system 100 and user device 310, such as Wi-Fi and / or a cellular network.

[0038] Computing platform 330 may be any computer or set of computers configured to execute one or more methods disclosed herein and may be, for example, a neural network, a deep neural network, a convolutional neural network, a recurrent neural network, a gated recurrent unit (GRU) network, and / or a long shortterm memory (LSTM) network. In some embodiments, computing platform 330 and / or a portion thereof may be resident within a cloud, or remote, computer environment. At times, computing platform 330 may include a machine learning architecture such as a deep neural network configured to develop, train, and / or test one or more algorithms, models, or processes as, for example, described herein.The machine learning models may incorporate a variety of models such as decision trees, linear regression models, logistic regression models, neural networks, classifiers, support vector machines (SVMs), inductive logic programming, ensembles of models (e.g., using techniques such as bagging, boosting, random forests, etc.), genetic algorithms, Bayesian networks. Examples of neural networks can include convolutional neural networks (CNNs) such as U-Net architectures and Residual Networks (Res-Net). The machine learning models may be configured to perform a variety of tasks including, for example, a regression, a classification, a clustering, or a segmentation. The machine learning models can be trained using a variety of approaches, such as deep learning, association rules, inductive logic, clustering, maximum entropy classification, learning classification, etc. In some cases, the machine learning models may use supervised learning. In other cases, the machine learning models use unsupervised learning and may be built, tested, and / or validated on computer systems and / or networks (i.e., computing platform 330) configured to do so.

[0039] Optional database 320 may be configured to, for example, store information received from one or more components of system 300, sets of instructions for execution by computing platform 330, user device 310, and / or sensor system 100, and / or an output from one or more processes described herein.

[0040] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method 400 for determining an indication of pet safety. Method 400 may be executed by any of the systems, devices, and / or components disclosed herein. For example, method 400 may be executed by processing circuitry 125 and / or a processor of a user device (e.g., user device 310) running a software application configured to execute method 400 and / or a portion thereof. In some embodiments, a set of instructions for executing method 400 may be stored in a memory in communication with the processor of the user device and / or processing circuitry (e.g., memory 140).

[0041] In step 405, information about a pet may be received. The information received in step 405 may include, but is not limited to, an identifier for the pet (e.g., name, owner, radio tag ID, microchip information, etc.), one or more characteristics of the pet including, but not limited to, age, physical condition, type, breed, size, color, hair length, height, gait, separation between paws and / or legs, and / or jobs the pet has been trained to do (e.g., seeing-eye dog, bomb-sniffing dog, etc.). On some occasions, information about the pet may include a height of the pet and / or a lengthof the pet’s legs and / or a medical diagnosis for the pet. Optionally, in step 410, location information for the pet may be received from, for example, the user and / or a device like GPS device 155 and / or location-determining hardware and / or software resident within user’s device. Optionally, in step 415, weather and / or environmental information for an environment in which the pet is located and / or may soon enter may be received from, for example, barometric pressure sensor 170, environmental sensor 135, temperature sensor 110, and / or humidity sensor 160, and / or a weather and / or environment monitoring and / or reporting software application running on the user’s device. Additionally, or alternatively, information about a ground surface may be received in step 410. Exemplary ground surface information includes, but is not limited to, material (e.g., concrete, gravel, asphalt, mulch, grass, leaves, tec.), color (black, grey, brown, green, etc.). Additionally, or alternatively, information about an environment in which the pet resides may be received in step 410. Exemplary environment information includes, but is not limited to, park, forest, urban, urban residential neighborhood, city center (with a plurality of sky scrapper buildings), and backyard.

[0042] In step 420, a preliminary indication of pet safety and / or wellness may be determined using, for example, the information / data received in steps 405, 410, and / or 415. The determination of step 420 may be provided to the user via, for example, a user interface like user interface 115 and / or a user device like user device 310 in step 425. In some embodiments, the determination of step 420 may be made using a pet safety and / or wellness model such as the pet safety and / or wellness model generated via execution of method 500.

[0043] In step 430, sensor information may be received from, for example, one more components of device 100. For example, ambient temperature, ambient noise, barometric pressure, and / or humidity may be received from temperature sensor 110, microphone 175, barometric pressure sensor 170, and / or humidity sensor 160, respectively. Additionally, or alternatively, execution of step 430 may include receiving information about an environment in which the pet is located from environmental sensor 135. Exemplary environmental information includes, but is not limited to, ambient wind, air quality, solar intensity, and / or heat and / or light that may be reflected from surfaces onto the pet as may occur in urban environments with a plurality of buildings that have heat and / or light reflecting surfaces.

[0044] Additionally, or alternatively, execution of step 430 may include receiving an image of an environment in which the pet is located from camera 190. In some embodiments, these images may be visual images and / or thermal images that measure, or indicate, a temperature of various features of an environment (e.g., sidewalk or objects and / or buildings). For example, camera 190 and / or temperature sensor 110 may be configured to provide information about heat radiating from a surface (e.g., a sidewalk or walkway) upon which the pet is walking as, for example, a thermal image and / or a surface temperature measurement. Additionally, or alternatively, execution of step 430 may include receiving one or more physiological aspects of the pet (e.g., body temperature, respiratory rate, and / or heart rate) from pet monitor 165 and / or receiving one or more indications of motion of the pet from motion sensor 150. Additionally, or alternatively, execution of step 430 may include receiving a distance of the pet’s torso or belly from a surface upon which the pet is standing (e.g., sidewalk, street, grass, ground, dirt, etc.). This distance may be determined and / or received from, for example, sonic information that may be used to measure a time period it takes for a sound such as a chirp, ping, and / or beep of audible or inaudible (e.g., high frequency or ultrasound) sound that is emitted by speaker 192 and detected by microphone 175 and / or light information that measures a length of time it takes for light emitted by a light source of light source / photodetector pair 198 to be detected by a photodetector of source / photodetector pair 198. The time it takes for the light and / or sound to travel to the surface and be reflected / detected by microphone 175 and / or the photodetector of source / photodetector pair 198 may be used to calculate the distance between the microphone 175 / speaker 192 pair or light source / photodetector pair 198, respectively by inputting standard values for the speed of sound in air or the speed of light, respectively, into Equation 1 : distance = speed / time Equation 1 wherein speed equals the speed of sound in air of approximately 343m / s, which may be adjusted in accordance with temperature and atmospheric conditions proximate to the pet (as provided by, for example, temperature sensor 110, barometric pressure sensor 170, environmental sensor 135, weather information received from user device 310, and / or humidity sensor 160) when microphone 175 / speaker 192 pair are used to provide the time measure and 299,792,458m / s when light source / photodetector pair 198 are being used to provide the time measurement.

[0045] In step 435, an indication of pet safety and / or wellness may be determined using the information received in step 405, 410, 415, and / or 430. The indication may be, for example, a warning that a surface the pet is standing on, or will be standing on, is too hot, a warning that a heat index proximate to the pet is too high, an indication that the pet has been breathing too heavily for too long (e.g., 10 minutes), and / or a warning that an amount of humidity may make it difficult for the pet to breathe. In step 440, the indication of pet safety and / or wellness may be provided to the user via, for example, user interface 115, visual alert system 180, audible alert system 185, speaker 192, and / or the user device. Optionally, in step 445, the sensor information, or other information received and / or determinations made via execution of method 400 may be provided to a third party such as a research facility and / or governmental agency to, for example, gather atmospheric, environmental, and / or temperature data that may be used to, for example, monitor and / or make predictions regarding weather, pollution, and / or atmospheric chemical composition over time. For example, data from sensor system may be used to supplement data used to make regional weather predictions and / or perform climate analysis, monitor particulate matter in the air, monitor diurnal cycles for greenhouse gasses (e.g., CO2, methane) and other gasses (e.g., O2 and / or nitrogen) to, for example, predict temperature changes and / or variations in air quality.

[0046] In some embodiments, process 400 and / or portions thereof may be performed multiple times over a time period (e.g., days, weeks, months, or year) so that, for example, patterns for pet safety and / or wellness conditions may be established so that, for example, recommendations for when and / or where to walk your dog and / or take your pet outside may be prepared.

[0047] In one exemplary embodiment, the information received in step 405 may indicate that the pet is a female 4-year old chihuahua dog that has legs that are 5 inches long. In step 410, information that the ground surface the dog will be walking on a concrete sidewalk in an urban neighborhood with few trees. The weather received in step 415 may indicate that ambient temperature for the geographic region in which the dog is located is 34°Celsius (C) and 80% humidity. The information received in steps 405, 410, and 415 may be used to determine a preliminary indication of pet safety and / or wellness in step 420 which may be provided to the user in step 425. The determination of pet safety and / or wellness may indicate that the ground will be hot (approximately 31.5°C) but not so hot that itwill burn the pet’s paws and due to the elevated ambient and ground temperature, it is recommended to take a shorter walk than normal, walk in shaded areas as possible, and to bring water for the pet to drink along the way as needed. In step 430, sensor information received from a sensor (e.g., sensor system 100) positioned on, or proximate to, the dog, may indicate that the ground temperature is actually 38 °C and the determination of step 435 may indicate that the ground is so hot that it is in danger of burning the dog’s paws and, in step 435 it may be recommended to walk the dog on a different surface (e.g., grass or mulch) or wait until a later time in the day to walk the dog when the ground temperature decreases to a safer temperature.

[0048] In another example, information in step 405 may indicate that a pet care giver is planning to walk an eight year old huskie dog with respiratory problems in an urban city center area with a lot of light reflecting surfaces (e.g., windows).Information received in steps 410 and 415 may indicate the ambient temperature is 29°C, the air quality index (AQI) is 100, the humidity is 70%, and the ground surface is a concrete sidewalk. A preliminary indication of pet safety and / or wellness may indicate that the environment may not be safe for the dog due to the high AQI and temperature in view of the dog’s age, fur density, and / or rate of heat retention for huskies, in general and / or this huskie in particular, the dog’s hair color and how that may impact how much of the light shining from the sun and / or reflected from reflective surfaces in the environment may be absorbed by the dog’s fur, and the dog’s respiratory issues. In step 430 sensor information may indicate that the AQI is actually 112, a level of light being absorbed by the dog’s fur is high, and the ambient temperature is 31 °C where the dog is located and, in step 435, it may be determined that it is not safe for the dog to be outside due to elevated risk of heat-related stress and in step 435, an indication that it is not safe for the dog to be outside may be provided to the caregiver for the dog. In some instances, execution of step 420 and / or 435 may involve monitoring ambient conditions and / or sensed conditions to determine when in the day it is safe to walk the dog responsively to, for example, changes in weather conditions and / or AQI.

[0049] In another example, the owner of the eight year old huskie dog with respiratory problems may want to take the dog for a walk in a city park and the preliminary indication of pet safety and / or wellness of step 420 indicates that it is safe to walk the dog and the dog may be monitored via a sensor system like sensorsystem 100 during the walk to, for example, measure the length of the walk (via., for example, GPS device 155), the number of steps the dog takes (via, for example, accelerometer 145 and / or motion sensor 150 data), and the dog’s respiratory rate during the walk (via, for example, pet monitor 165 data). The information from sensor system may be received via step 430 may then be used to determine the pet’s wellness in step 440 and respiratory health along the walk.

[0050] In another example, sensor system 100 and, in particular, microphone 175 and processing circuitry 125 may actively monitor sounds within an environment to, for example, determine sudden changes in sound and / or detect traffic noise that may indicate the pet (usually a dog) is walking toward, and / or is too close to, traffic and, if so, in step 440 an indication (in the form of for example, an audible tone or vibration of the sensor housing) may be communicated to the user to alert them to a potentially hazardous traffic condition.

[0051] In another example, sensor data may be received in step 430 while a dog is out for a walk that indicates a ground temperature is getting dangerously high (step 435) and an alert may be provided to the user so that he / she may change routes for the walk and / or go back home.

[0052] In another example, sensor data received in step 430 may be pet health data, like a respiratory rate, heart rate, and / or degree of mobility, received from pet monitor 165 and it may be analyzed to determine one or more indications of pet health and / or disease progression. This sensor data may be provided to the user in step 440 and / or a third party (e.g., a veterinarian or pet caregiver) in step 445. For example, a dog’s respiratory rate may be associated with its cardiovascular health, wherein faster respiratory rate may be correlated with declining cardiovascular health and, in particular, when the dog exhibits shortness of breath at rest that may be an indication of declining cardiovascular health. When this information is provided to the user and / or a caregiver for the dog, adjustments to treatment (e.g., medication, exercise, etc.) for the cardiovascular condition may be made.

[0053] In some embodiments, only a portion of method 400 may be performed. For example, on some occasions, the determination of step 420 that is provided to a user in step 425 may be used by a user to delay taking their pet outside in which case execution of steps 430-445 would unnecessary. Alternatively, in some cases, only steps 430-440 may be performed while the pet is outside and / ora dog is being walked without the preliminary indication of pet safety and / or wellness.

[0054] At times, method 400 may be executed a plurality of times to get historical information for the dog over time to, for example, monitor the dog’s health and / or find patterns between the information received in steps 405, 410, 415, and / or 430, and / or the determinations of steps 420 and / or 435 and the dog’s health, which may be used to predict the dog’s health for future walks and / or situations in a variety of conditions via, for example, execution of method 400 and / or use of a pet safety and / or wellness model such as the pet safety and / or wellness model generated via execution of method 500 and / or used via execution of method 600.

[0055] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method 500 for training a pet safety and / or wellness model configured to receive sensor information and predict pet safety and / or wellness. Method 500 may be executed by any of the systems, or system components, disclosed herein. In many cases, method 500 is executed by computing platform 330 using, for example, information and / or instructions stored on and / or received from database 320, sensor system 100, and / or user device 415.

[0056] Initially, in step 505, a plurality (e.g., 10-2,000,000) of sets of sensor data for a plurality of pets may be received from, for example, system 100.Optionally, pet information (e.g., the pet information received in step 405 of method 400) correlated to one or more of the sets of sensor information may also be received in step 505. In some embodiments, one or more sets of sensor data may be associated with data identifying, for example, the sensor (e.g., manufacturer, capabilities, etc.) and / or a housing for a sensor (e.g., type, whether the housing has thermal insulation, etc.). Optionally, in step 510, information about a pet and / or an environment in which the pet is located when the sensor data is taken / measured may be received. The information received in step 510 may be similar to the information received in step 405, 410, and / or 415 and may include, for example, location data and / or weather data correlated to one or more of the sets of sensor data received from, for example, a sensor worn by a pet (e.g., a sensor of sensor system 100), a user device (e.g., user device 310), and / or a weather service.

[0057] In step 515, determinations of pet safety and / or wellness correlated to one or more of the sets of sensor data may be received. The determinations of pet safety and / or wellness may be similar to those determined via execution of process 400 and / or or observations from a pet owner and / or caregiver regarding the healthand / or wellness of their pet and may include the determinations of, for example, steps 420 and / or 435.

[0058] In step 520, the sets of sensor data and correlated data (e.g., the data of steps 510 and 515) may be divided into a training set and a testing set. The training set may be input into a machine learning architecture that may be resident on, for example, computer platform 330 so that a first version of a pet safety and / or wellness model may be generated (step 525). The training set may be used in step 525 to build and / or train a model that uses sensor data, location data, and / or weather data correlated with pet safety and / or wellness determinations to make predictions of pet safety and / or wellness determinations under, for example, varying weather conditions, geographic locations, and / or recommendations for pet care.

[0059] In step 530, the first version of the pet safety and / or wellness model generated via execution of step 525 may be tested using the testing set. Results of the testing may be evaluated (step 535) to iteratively update, tune, and / or modify the pet safety and / or wellness model to, for example, improve accuracy and / or reduce processing time, thereby generating a second, or updated, version of the pet safety and / or wellness model (step 540). Optionally, in step 545, the second, or updated, version of the pet safety and / or wellness model may be provided to a user device like user device 310 and / or a computer like computing platform 330 and / or stored in a memory and / or database.

[0060] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an exemplary method 600 for assessing and / or predicting pet safety and / or wellness using a pet safety and / or wellness model such as the pet safety and / or wellness model generated in method 500. Method 600 may be executed by, for example, any of the systems, or system components, disclosed herein.

[0061] Initially, sensor data may be received from, for example, a sensor like sensor 100 and / or a component thereof (step 605). Optionally, in step 610, additional information about the pet (e.g., breed size, age, gender, medical condition, whether the dog has already walked today, made a bowel movement, etc.), environment (e.g., weather, climate, air quality, etc.), date and / or time of day may be received. Optionally, in step 615, user inputs and / or preferences may be received. User inputs and / or preferences may include, for example, preferences for how results of execution of method 600 are displayed, how input for pet safety and / or wellness model should be weighted or prioritized and / or where information is stored. In someembodiments, user inputs and / or preferences may include information regarding equipment used to obtain the sensor data (e.g., model number or unique identifier).

[0062] Data received in steps 605, 610, and / or 615 may then be input into, for example, the pet safety and / or wellness model (step 620) of method 500 and one or more outputs may be received (step 625) and provided to the user, a user device (e.g., user device 310) and / or a user interface like user interface 115 (step 630).

[0063] In one example, a walking route for a 5 year old springer spaniel may be received (e.g., steps 605, 610, and / or 615) as input along with additional information in the form of, for example, humidity, barometric pressure, temperature, and a ground surface type of asphalt in a suburban neighborhood not expected to reflect light to the coat of the springer spaniel may be input into a pet safety and / or wellness model (step 620) and a corresponding output may be received (step 625) indicating that, for example, there are predicted no pet wellness and / or safety concerns for walking the dog. Additionally, or alternatively, sensor information / measurements as the dog is walking along the route may be received from a sensor system like sensor system 100 and input into pet safety and / or wellness model (step 620). The corresponding output may be used to determine, for example, walking speed, respiration rate for the dog, gait characteristics (e.g., even gait, uneven gait, and / or gait patterns that may be indicative of health and / or mobility concerns for the dog), respiratory patterns, an indication that the dog is overheated, and / or an indication that the dog is receiving sufficient exercise and / or is not in any danger (e.g., burning paws on ground that is too hot, inhaling polluted air, etc.).

[0064] In some embodiments, method 600 may be repeated over time with the same pets and / or a group of pets so that, for example, patterns in the data may be identified and / or the pet safety and / or wellness model may be iteratively adapted to a particular pet and / or set of pets over time so that a pet safety and / or wellness model may be personalized to the pet, the geographic region the pet is in, the type of environment the pet is in, and / or a host of other factors.

[0065] The systems, devices, and methods disclosed herein may be used in a variety of scenarios. For example, the systems, devices, and methods disclosed herein may be used to aid elderly or disabled pet owners by offering reminders to walk their pets during safer times of the day based on collected temperature data. Additionally, or alternatively, the systems, devices, and methods disclosed herein may be used by handlers / owners of service and / or therapy animals that accompanytheir handlers throughout the day by providing information to help ensure these working dogs are not exposed to dangerous ground temperatures, thereby maintaining their health and readiness. Additionally, or alternatively, the systems, devices, and methods disclosed herein may be used by pet daycare and / or boarding facilities to remotely monitor animals while they are outside playing and / or resting, thereby receiving information to assist with ensuring all dogs are safe from extreme temperatures while being outside. Additionally, or alternatively, the systems, devices, and methods disclosed herein may be used by veterinarians to gather data on a pet's activity levels and environmental exposure, aiding in diagnosing and treating medical conditions, heat-related illnesses, and / or conditions affecting gait and mobility.

[0066] Additionally, or alternatively, the systems, devices, and methods disclosed herein may be used to monitor pet behavior to, for example, gather data that may be used to monitor the dog's vital signs, alerting the owner to potential health issues during walks and / or be input into a machine learning architecture to analyze the pet’s behavior patterns over time, identifying changes, such as lethargy or hyperactivity, that might indicate health issues or stress. The data gathered by the devices, systems, and methods disclosed herein may also be used to provide advanced analytics via, for example a software application running on a user device (e.g., user device 310) and / or on computer device (e.g., computer platform 320) and these analytics may provide insights into, for example, the pet’s activity levels, health trends, and optimal walking times based on historical data. Additionally, or alternatively, the systems, devices, and methods disclosed herein may be configured to offer personalized activity recommendations based on the pet’s health data, ensuring they get the right amount of exercise without overheating. This may also provide an estimate of the total calories burned by the pet each day to help ensure the pet is not over- or under-fed.

[0067] Additionally, or alternatively, the systems, devices, and methods disclosed herein may be used to link to / communicate with emergency services or a vet in case of health emergencies for the pet or the pet’s owner / caregiver and this communication may provide real-time location and health data (for the pet) to responders.

[0068] In some embodiments, the systems, devices, and methods disclosed herein may be configured for integration with smart home or automobile systems likethermostats, thereby allowing the device to trigger actions such as turning on fans or cooling systems when high temperatures are detected within an environment.

Claims

ClaimsI claim:1 . A sensor system comprising: a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of a surface a pet is standing on; at least one of a user interface and a transceiver configured to receive a temperature measurement from the temperature sensor and provide an indication of the temperature measurement to a user; a power source configured to provide electrical power to the temperature sensor, the and the at least one user interface and transceiver; and a housing configured to house the temperature sensor, the user interface and / or the transceiver, and the power source and orient the temperature sensor so that it faces the surface.

2. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to provide a warning message to the user when the temperature measurement exceeds a threshold.

3. The sensor system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the sensor system further comprises at least one of a barometric pressure sensor configured to measure a barometric pressure proximate to the pet, an environmental sensor configured to measure a feature of an environment proximate to the pet, and a humidity sensor configured to measure a level of humidity in an environment proximate to the pet.

4. The sensor system of any of claims 1-3, wherein sensor system further comprises at least one of a motion sensor and an accelerometer.

5. The sensor system of any of claims 1-4, wherein the sensor system further comprises a global positioning device configured to determine a position of the housing.

6. The sensor system of any of claims 1-5, wherein temperature sensor is an infrared temperature sensor.

7. The sensor system of any of claims 1-6, further comprising processing circuitry configured to determine if a temperature of the surface exceeds a threshold value and, if so, providing a warning to the user via the at least one user interface and transceiver.

8. The sensor system of any of claims 1-7, wherein the sensor system is configured to be removably attached to a strap, pet garment, pet collar, pet harness, pet leash, or a person taking care of the pet.

9. The sensor system of any of claims 1-8, further comprising an environmental sensor configured to measure a feature of an environment in which the pet is located.

10. The sensor system of any of claims 1-9, wherein the sensor system further comprises a light meter configured to measure light incident thereon.11 . The sensor system of any of claims 1-10, wherein the sensor system further comprises a plurality of light meter configured to measure light incident thereon from a corresponding plurality of directions.

12. The sensor system of any of the above claims further comprising a processing circuitry configured to receive the temperature and determine if it exceeds a threshold.

13. A processor-implemented method comprising: inputting weather data into a pet safety and / or wellness model configured to determine an indication of pet safety and / or wellness using weather data; receiving an output from the pet safety and / or wellness model, the output including a pet safety and / or wellness prediction determined using the weather data; and providing an indication of the output to a display device or a user interface.

14. The processor-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the weather data is received from a user device.

15. The processor-implemented method of claim 13 or 14, wherein the weather data is received from the sensor system of claim 1 or claim 3.

16. The processor-implemented method of any of claims 13-15, wherein the output pertains to a prediction of whether the pet’s paws will be damaged by a temperature of a surface the pet is standing on.

17. The processor-implemented method of any of claims 13-16, further comprising: receiving a temperature of a surface the pet is standing on from a temperature sensor being worn by the pet.

18. The processor-implemented method of any of claims 13-17, further comprising: receiving feedback from a caregiver of the pet regarding accuracy of the pet safety and / or wellness prediction; andupdating the pet safety and / or wellness model responsively to the feedback.

19. The processor-implemented method of any of claims 13-18, further comprising: inputting pet health information into the pet safety and / or wellness model, wherein the prediction is responsive to the pet health information.

20. The processor-implemented method of any of claims 13-19, further comprising: inputting pet mobility information into the pet safety and / or wellness model, wherein the prediction is responsive to the pet mobility information.

21. A processor-implemented method comprising: receiving a surface temperature for a surface a pet is standing on; determining whether the surface temperature may cause damage to the pet’s paws; and providing an indication of the determination to a display device or a user interface.

22. The processor-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the surface temperature is received from a temperature sensor of being worn by the pet.

23. The processor-implemented method of claim 22, wherein temperature sensor is an infrared thermometer.

24. The processor-implemented method of any of claims 21-23, further comprising: receiving weather data from the sensor system of claim 1 or claim 3, wherein the determination is responsive to the weather data.

25. A processor-implemented method comprising: receiving pet information; receiving at least one of environmental information, weather information, and geolocation information; determining an indication of safety and / or wellness for the pet using the pet information and the at least one ground surface temperature information, environmental information, weather information, and geolocation information.

26. The processor-implemented method of claim 25, further comprising: receiving a surface temperature for a surface a pet is standing on, wherein the indication of safety and / or wellness is responsive to the surface temperature.

27. The processor-implemented method of claim 25 or 26, further comprising: receiving a measurement from a sensor included in the sensor system of any of claims 1-12, wherein the indication of safety and / or wellness is responsive to the measurement.

28. The processor-implemented method of claim 25, 26, or 27, further comprising: receiving an indication of movement from the sensor system of claim 4, wherein the indication of safety and / or wellness is responsive to the indication of movement.

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