Wireless Pet Containment Using Zone Lookup Tables

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current pet containment systems using GPS and radio links face limitations such as accuracy issues, high computational demands, battery life problems, and interference from environmental factors, leading to ineffective training and potential harm to pets.

Innovation Solution

A wireless location-assisted zone guidance system with a self-contained collar that uses GPS or equivalent signals to determine the pet's location and provide behavioral guidance through a processor-controlled stimulation system, allowing for efficient and humane training by defining multiple guidance zones and automatically detecting assisted guidance regions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If GPS and radio link systems are used for pet containment, then location tracking capability is improved, but accuracy issues and interference from environmental factors occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocation tracking accuracyVSAvoidsystem reliability under environmental interference

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a processor as an intermediary that receives GPS location data and compares it against stored boundary coordinates. This intermediary processing layer filters and interprets raw GPS signals, reducing the impact of environmental interference on the final containment decision. The processor acts as a mediator between the GPS system and the stimulation apparatus, ensuring more reliable operation under varying environmental conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If computational algorithms for zone detection are implemented, then guidance zone detection capability is improved, but computational demands and battery consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveguidance zone detection capabilityVSAvoidbattery consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-storing boundary coordinates and zone definition data in the device's memory before the pet begins moving. When the pet enters a containment area, the processor simply compares the current GPS position against these pre-loaded boundaries rather than performing complex real-time calculations. This approach maintains high detection capability while significantly reducing computational demands and battery consumption during operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If stimulation apparatus is used for training, then behavioral guidance effectiveness is improved, but potential harm to pets occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetraining effectivenessVSAvoidpotential harm to pets

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring the pet's location via GPS and providing stimulation only when the pet crosses defined boundary lines. The system provides immediate feedback at the moment of boundary violation, allowing the pet to associate the stimulation with the specific action of crossing the line. This targeted feedback approach improves training effectiveness while minimizing unnecessary stimulation and potential harm by only activating when truly needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Reliability

If fixed containment structures are used, then territory control is improved, but portability and adaptability are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveterritory control effectivenessVSAvoidportability and environmental adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical containment structures (fences, walls) with an electronic system comprising GPS reception, processing, and stimulation apparatus. This substitution eliminates the need for physical barriers while maintaining territory control effectiveness. The system can be easily transported between locations and adapted to different environments by simply redefining boundary coordinates in the memory, providing both reliability and adaptability that fixed structures cannot achieve.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS10455810B1Wireless location assisted zone guidance system region lookup

Publication Date: 2019.10.29 GPSIP INC

AI summary

An assisted zone guidance system automatically activates a stored assisted guidance region based upon collar position at initiation, relative location of one or more assisted guidance regions, and possible query results. The assisted guidance regions are stored within a look-up table that is defined by at least one reference point, and rows and columns that are offset from the reference. The table rows and columns correspond to geographic locations. The value retrieved from the indexed array is used to either create a new assisted guidance region, select an assisted guidance region that contains the current collar location, or if the collar is not within a region to select an adjacent assisted guidance region. Each assisted guidance region contains a plurality of guidance zones that each have an associated set of characteristics used to provide behavioral guidance to an animal.