Vehicle Pet Bowl Tracking With RF Triangulation and Level Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pet bowls lack features to accurately track the location and monitor the content levels of food and water within vehicles, especially during transportation, which can lead to inconvenience and neglect in providing adequate care for pets during long trips.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle-integrated system with RF signal transmitters and receivers, combined with sensors in the pet bowl to track the location and monitor water levels and temperature, using triangulation and capacitive sensors to determine the pet bowl's location and content conditions, and outputting this information on a human-machine interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If portable pet bowls are used during vehicle transport, then pets can receive food and water, but the location and content levels of the bowls cannot be tracked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions (location tracking via RF transmitter, content level sensing via capacitive sensors, temperature monitoring) into a single integrated pet bowl system. The controller consolidates data from all sensors and communicates with the vehicle's existing display system, avoiding the need for separate tracking devices and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The pet bowl is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it serves as a container for food/water, a location tracker via RF transmitter, a content level monitor via capacitive sensors, and a temperature regulator. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate devices for each function, resolving the contradiction between information tracking and system complexity.
2Measurement precision
If sensors are added to monitor pet bowl content, then content levels can be tracked, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses capacitive sensors positioned at specific locations on the bowl to detect content levels. The sensors are strategically placed to measure different height levels of food or water, providing precise local measurements without requiring a complex array of sensors throughout the entire bowl structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The capacitive sensors automatically detect content levels by measuring changes in electrical capacitance caused by the presence of food or water. The system requires no manual intervention or complex mechanical components - the sensors self-monitor and transmit data to the controller, simplifying the overall system while maintaining high measurement precision.
3Measurement precision
If RF signal transmitters are integrated into the pet bowl, then location tracking is enabled, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The RF signal transmitter in the pet bowl operates periodically rather than continuously, transmitting location data at scheduled intervals. This periodic operation maintains accurate location tracking capability while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous transmission, resolving the contradiction between tracking precision and energy use.
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
Enables accurate tracking and monitoring of pet bowls within vehicles, ensuring pets receive adequate food and water, and alerts owners to refill or adjust conditions as needed, enhancing pet care during travel.
Implementation Method 1
an RF signal transmitter located on the pet bowl for transmitting an RF signal
Implementation Method 2
the controller processes the RF signal received by each of the plurality of RF signal receivers and performs triangulation to determine the location of the pet bowl
Implementation Method 3
one or more sensors for sensing one or more characteristics of the pet bowl
Implementation Method 4
the one or more sensors senses a temperature of the content in the pet bowl
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle is provided that includes a vehicle body, a plurality of RF signal receivers located at a plurality of locations within the vehicle, a portable pet bowl configured to be transported in the vehicle body, the pet bowl including a container for holding content such as water, an RF signal transmitter located on the pet bowl for transmitting an RF signal, and a controller for processing the RF signal received by each of the plurality of RF signal receivers and determining a location of the pet bowl based on the received RF signals.