Geolocation Pet Collar for Wireless Boundary Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pet containment systems, such as correction collars and wireless fences, face challenges including high installation costs, limited range, interference, susceptibility to power outages, and inability to adapt to property boundaries, leading to ineffective pet containment and potential escape risks.
Innovation Solution
A collar with geolocation capabilities that provides geo-fencing and corrective actions based on predetermined geographical areas, using a combination of geolocation sensors, accelerometers, and magnetometers to guide pets within or outside designated zones, and issue warnings or shocks to maintain them within safe areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If in-ground wired systems are used to provide precise electronic boundaries, then boundary accuracy is improved, but installation complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical in-ground wire system with a wireless electronic boundary system using GPS satellites and RF communication. The collar receives satellite signals to determine position and communicates wirelessly with the owner's device, eliminating the need for physical wire installation while maintaining boundary definition capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless system using GPS satellites serves multiple functions: it provides universal location determination anywhere on Earth, enables boundary definition without physical installation, allows remote communication between collar and owner, and adapts to any property shape or size, making the system universally applicable.
2Ease of operation
If RF transmitters are used for remote actuation, then ease of operation is improved, but operational range is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces GPS satellites and cellular/network infrastructure as intermediaries between the collar and the owner's device. The collar communicates location data through these intermediaries, enabling remote monitoring and actuation beyond direct RF range, while the owner's smartphone serves as an intermediary control interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from direct-line RF communication in two dimensions to satellite-based positioning and network communication in three-dimensional space, allowing operation across much greater distances and eliminating line-of-sight requirements.
3Manufacturing precision
If in-ground wired systems are used, then boundary definition is improved, but reliability decreases due to power outage susceptibility
Solution Approach 1:
The collar system operates autonomously using its own onboard battery power source, determining position via GPS satellites and communicating through the pet owner's device. It does not depend on external power infrastructure, making it self-sufficient and immune to power outages affecting wired systems.
4Reliability
If correction collars are used to discourage boundary crossing, then containment effectiveness is improved, but pet welfare deteriorates due to electric shocks
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides continuous feedback to the pet through the smartphone application, allowing the owner to monitor location in real-time and adjust boundary parameters. The collar can provide warnings and corrections, but the owner maintains control and can modify settings based on pet behavior and welfare considerations.
Solution Approach 2:
The boundary parameters and correction settings are dynamic and adjustable by the owner through the smartphone app, allowing adaptation to different situations and pet needs. The system can be reconfigured without physical installation changes, enabling flexible response to welfare concerns.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The collar effectively maintains pets within or guides them back to safe zones, reducing escape risks and providing customizable, reliable containment without the need for continuous owner supervision, while adapting to various environments and power conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a geolocation sensor configured to determine a geographic location of the collar
Implementation Method 2
an accelerometer configured to determine motion of the collar
Implementation Method 3
a magnetometer configured to determine a direction in which the collar is facing
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed technology includes a pet collar that can be configured to determine its geolocational position and evaluate that position with respect to the geo-fence of a predetermined, geo-fenced “safe” zone. If the collar determines that its position is inside a safe zone but is near the geo-fence, the collar may be configured to provide a warning correction. If the collar determines that it is outside a predetermined safe zone, the collar can also be configured to provide a stronger correction to discourage the pet from continuing away from the safe zone. The collar may also be configured to guide the pet back to the safe zone such as by varying the strength and/or type of correction provided based at least in part on the distance of the collar from the geo-fence.