Pet Collar Urination-Urgency Detection Using Dual Physiological Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pet monitoring systems do not effectively detect the urgency of a companion animal's need to urinate, leading to potential accidents and inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
A pet collar with integrated sensors and a control circuit that monitors heart rate and electric activity of the detrusor muscle to identify the urgency of urination, generating a visible alarm and transmitting an alert to an appropriate authority.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If existing pet monitoring systems are used, then basic pet monitoring is provided, but the urgency of urination need cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensing capabilities (heart rate monitoring and detrusor muscle electric activity detection) into a single integrated collar device. This merging allows the system to detect urination urgency by analyzing the correlation between cardiac activity and bladder muscle activity, achieving precise detection without requiring multiple separate devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The collar device performs multiple functions: it monitors heart rate, detects detrusor muscle electric activity, analyzes the correlation between these signals to determine urination urgency, and provides alarm notifications. This multi-functionality enables comprehensive pet monitoring while specifically addressing the detection of urination needs.
2Reliability
If no potty-sensing capability is provided, then the system remains simple, but accidents cannot be prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of urination urgency by continuously monitoring heart rate and detrusor muscle activity before the actual urination event occurs. By identifying the correlation between these physiological signals and urination needs in advance, the system can provide early warning alarms that enable timely intervention and prevent accidents.
Solution Approach 2:
The collar system provides real-time feedback to the owner through alarm notifications when urination urgency is detected. This feedback mechanism allows the owner to respond promptly to the pet's needs, creating a closed-loop system that continuously monitors and responds to physiological changes, thereby improving reliability in accident prevention.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are integrated to detect urination urgency, then detection accuracy improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sensing function into two distinct sensor components: a heart rate sensor for detecting cardiac activity and a separate sensor for detecting detrusor muscle electric activity. By segmenting the sensing system this way, each sensor can be optimized for its specific function while maintaining ease of manufacture, and the combined data provides accurate urination urgency detection.
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
Effectively alerts the owner to the animal's need to urinate, preventing accidents and providing timely intervention.
Implementation Method 1
detects the electric activity of the nervous system associated with the detrusor muscle
Implementation Method 2
detects the heart rate of the companion animal
Data Source
AI summary
The pet collar with potty-sensing capability is adapted for use by a companion animal. The pet collar with potty-sensing capability is worn by the companion animal. The pet collar with potty-sensing capability detects the heart rate of the companion animal. The pet collar with potty-sensing capability detects the electric activity of the nervous system associated with the detrusor muscle of the companion animal. The pet collar with potty-sensing capability identifies known correlations between: a) the heart rate of the companion animal; b) the electric activity associated with the detrusor muscle; and, c) the urgency of the need of the companion animal to urinate. The pet collar with potty-sensing capability generates an alarm condition to indicate that the companion animal needs to urinate.