Selective Pet Door With RFID Antenna Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pet door technologies do not allow selective control of entry and exit for multiple pets, failing to prevent intruders while ensuring safe access for authorized animals, particularly in allowing some pets to exit while denying others.
Innovation Solution
A selective pet door with a safety mode and programming method that uses RFID tags and an electronic control system with proximity detectors and controllable locks to manage the movement of pets, allowing entry and exit control for multiple pets, including a safety mode that permits entry but not exit for certain pets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single RFID antenna is placed on one side of the door, then the RFID reader is closer to the animal's tag improving read reliability, but the system cannot distinguish direction of travel and cannot provide selective entry/exit control
Solution Approach 1:
The single RFID antenna is segmented into two separate antennas positioned on opposite sides of the door. This segmentation allows each antenna to independently detect RFID tags and enables the system to determine which side of the door the animal is approaching from, thereby providing directional awareness and selective entry/exit control while maintaining reliable tag reading.
Solution Approach 2:
The pet door tunnel acts as an intermediary structure that positions the animal between the two RFID antennas during the learning process. By requiring the animal to pass through the tunnel, the system can detect the tag from both sides and determine the animal's intended direction of travel, enabling selective control without compromising reading reliability.
2Ease of operation
If the pet door allows all identified pets free access, then ease of operation is maximized, but safety is compromised as pets cannot be restricted from exiting
Solution Approach 1:
The pet door system dynamically adjusts its access control rules based on the animal's direction of travel. When an animal approaches from the inside, the door can be programmed to allow exit; when approaching from the outside, entry can be permitted or denied. This dynamic control provides both convenience for authorized pets and safety restrictions when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the RFID tag detection and directional sensors to determine whether to allow or deny access. The control system continuously monitors which side of the door the animal is approaching from and applies the appropriate access rule, providing both ease of operation for permitted pets and safety control when required.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual locks or additional electronic locks are added to provide selective control, then access control capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical locking systems with a simpler electronic control system that uses RFID technology and directional detection. Instead of multiple physical locks, the system uses electronic control of a single flap mechanism based on RFID tag identification and approach direction, achieving selective access control with reduced mechanical complexity.
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 secure and selective control of pet movement, preventing intruders while ensuring safe return of pets that are not allowed to exit, such as kittens following older cats, by using RFID tags and electronic controls to manage lock operations based on pet identification and direction of travel.
Implementation Method 1
an RFID reader to read an RFID tag on a pet to control the controllable lock in response
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
We describe various improvements to selective pet doors for allowing selective control of entry/exit to/from a building. In embodiments the pet door comprise: a tunnel portion defining a tunnel for entry/exit of a pet; one or more moveable flaps, for example one towards either end of said tunnel; and one or more controllable locks each for a respective said flap. In some preferred embodiments a safety mode is provided so that if, say, a kitten might follow an older cat through the pet door as the older cat leaves the safety mode enables the kitten to return safely. These and other embodiments also provide improved antenna configurations for reading tags of microchipped pets, and multiple door configurations in which a first controllable lock is controls opening of a first flap, and a second controllable lock controls opening of a second flap.