Pet Waste Station Sensing for Waste Analysis and Visit Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pet waste machines are unable to analyze waste, differentiate between liquid and solid waste, track pet visits, or enable remote monitoring and control, and determine pad supply levels, leading to inefficiencies and potential health issues.
Innovation Solution
A control module equipped with a sensor system, including a camera, to detect pet activity, analyze waste, and generate user data, allowing for remote monitoring and control of pet waste stations, along with a system to track pad supply and health metrics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a self-cleaning pet waste machine uses a simple pad rolling mechanism, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the ability to analyze waste, track visits, and enable remote monitoring is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The pet waste machine is designed to perform multiple functions: waste collection, waste analysis via camera, visit tracking, pad supply monitoring, and remote monitoring capability. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by integrating diverse capabilities into a single system, improving adaptability while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
A control module serves as an intermediary component that coordinates between the simple pad rolling mechanism and the advanced features (camera, sensors, communication systems). This intermediary manages the complexity, allowing the basic mechanical structure to remain simple while enabling sophisticated waste analysis and monitoring capabilities
2Measurement precision
If the pet waste machine includes advanced sensor systems and analysis capabilities, then waste analysis and health tracking are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into distinct functional modules: a camera module for waste analysis, a control module for coordination, sensors for visit tracking and pad monitoring, and communication modules for remote access. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, improving measurement precision while managing overall device complexity through modular architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The machine performs self-analysis of waste using the integrated camera and control module, automatically detecting waste presence, type, and quantity without requiring external intervention. This self-service capability improves measurement precision while reducing the need for complex external monitoring systems
3Productivity
If the machine automatically advances the pad after pet exit, then productivity is improved and manual intervention is reduced, but the ability to determine if the pad is clean or soiled is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The control module uses feedback from the camera to determine whether the pad is soiled after pet usage. Based on this feedback, the system intelligently decides whether to advance the pad automatically. This feedback mechanism resolves the contradiction by providing the information needed for automatic operation while maintaining productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The camera captures images of the pad during or immediately after pet usage to assess soiling status before the pad advancement decision is made. This preliminary action ensures that the pad is only advanced when necessary, maintaining productivity while preventing loss of information about waste presence
Data Source
AI summary
A control module that may be configured to detect animal activity of a pet at a waste pad, litter box, or feeding station. The control module comprises a sensor system having a camera. The control module is configured to analyze pet information and generate user data based on the pet information. Additionally, a mobile device is configured to detect animal activity within a field of view. The mobile device is configured to analyze pet information and generate user data based on the pet information.