U.S. patent application number 15/614906 was filed with the patent office on 2017-12-07 for lost and found notifications for pets based on geolocation and profile information.
This patent application is currently assigned to BarkHappy Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is BarkHappy Inc.. Invention is credited to Ninis Samuel.
Application Number | 20170347627 15/614906 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 60481936 |
Filed Date | 2017-12-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170347627 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Samuel; Ninis |
December 7, 2017 |
LOST AND FOUND NOTIFICATIONS FOR PETS BASED ON GEOLOCATION AND
PROFILE INFORMATION
Abstract
An infrastructure and methodologies to support automated lost
and found pet alerts based on geo-proximity and other criteria. In
various embodiments, a pet/dog owner initiates a lost pet alert by
entering location and lost pet report information via a
downloadable application. This information is processed and stored
in a database maintained by a cloud/remote server. The server
identifies potential recipients for a lost pet alert and transmits
alerts for display on user devices meeting select criteria such as
proximity thresholds. Upon receiving a found pet report, the server
sends an automated found pet notice to the owner of the animal and
other users meeting predetermined criteria. Curated listings of
lost and found pet notifications may also be maintained for
selective presentation on user devices.
Inventors: |
Samuel; Ninis; (Austin,
TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
BarkHappy Inc. |
Austin |
TX |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
BarkHappy Inc.
Austin
TX
|
Family ID: |
60481936 |
Appl. No.: |
15/614906 |
Filed: |
June 6, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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62346912 |
Jun 7, 2016 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01K 11/008 20130101;
G06Q 50/26 20130101; A01K 15/021 20130101; G01S 5/0009 20130101;
G06F 16/95 20190101; G01S 19/16 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A01K 11/00 20060101
A01K011/00; G06F 17/30 20060101 G06F017/30; G01S 5/00 20060101
G01S005/00; G06Q 50/26 20120101 G06Q050/26; A01K 15/02 20060101
A01K015/02 |
Claims
1. A method of generating lost pet notifications for receipt by
mobile devices of pet owners, the method comprising: receiving,
from a first mobile device, lost pet report information relating to
a lost pet, the lost pet report information including first
geolocation information; establishing a proximity threshold
relating to the first geolocation information, the proximity
threshold for use in location-based identification of prospective
lost pet notification recipients; receiving second geolocation
information relating to a second mobile device; determining, based
on the second geolocation information, that the second mobile
device is within the established proximity threshold; and
responsive to determining that the second mobile device is within
the proximity threshold, transmitting a lost pet notification for
visual presentation on the second mobile device, the lost pet
notification including profile information relating to the lost
pet.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first geolocation information
includes information relating to a last known location of the lost
pet.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the information relating to the
last known location of the lost pet is derived, at least in part,
from information transmitted by a location tracking device attached
to the lost pet.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving periodic
updates to the first geolocation information.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, from the
second mobile device, found pet report information relating to the
lost pet; and transmitting a found pet notification to the first
mobile device.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the profile information includes
previously stored and maintained profile information relating to
the lost pet.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the lost pet notification further
includes a link to the lost pet report information or information
derived therefrom.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the lost pet notification further
includes at least one of: contact information for an owner of the
lost pet, a link for messaging an owner of the lost pet, a last
known location of the lost pet, or reward information.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first geolocation information
is derived from a location tracking device attached to the lost
pet, the lost pet report information identifying the lost pet.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: identifying zip code
information associated with the first mobile device, wherein the
proximity threshold is established based, at least in part, on the
zip code information.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, as a
precondition to transmitting the lost pet notification, that the
second mobile device is configured to receive lost pet
notifications.
12. A server comprising: a communication interface configured to
operate via a network to communicate with a plurality of mobile
devices; processing circuitry operably coupled to the communication
interface; memory coupled to the processing circuitry, the memory
maintaining a database of profile information relating to pets and
pet owners; and program code stored in the memory, wherein the
processing circuitry operates according to the program code to:
receive, from a first mobile device via the communication
interface, lost pet report information relating to a lost pet, the
lost pet report information including first geolocation
information; establish a proximity threshold relating to the first
geolocation information, the proximity threshold for use in
location-based identification of prospective lost pet notification
recipients; receive, via the communication interface, second
geolocation information relating to a second mobile device;
determine, based on the second geolocation information, that the
second mobile device is within the established proximity threshold;
and responsive to determining that the second mobile device is
within the proximity threshold, transmit a lost pet notification,
via the communication interface, for visual presentation on the
second mobile device, the lost pet notification including profile
information relating to the lost pet.
13. The server of claim 12, wherein the first geolocation
information includes information relating to a last known location
of the lost pet.
14. The server of claim 13, wherein the first geolocation
information is derived, at least in part, from a location tracking
device attached to the lost pet.
15. The server of claim 12, wherein the processing circuitry
further operates according to the program code to: receive, from
the second mobile device, found pet report information relating to
the lost pet; and transmit a found pet notification to the first
mobile device.
16. The server of claim 12, wherein the lost pet notification
further includes at least one of: contact information for an owner
of the lost pet, a link for messaging an owner of the lost pet, a
last known location of the lost pet, or reward information.
17. The server of claim 12, wherein the processing circuitry
further operates according to the program code to: identify zip
code information associated with the first mobile device, wherein
the proximity threshold is established based, at least in part, on
the zip code information.
18. A mobile device, comprising: a first communication interface
configured to support communications with a cloud server; a second
communication interface configured to receive geolocation
information from a tracking device attached to a pet; GPS circuitry
for ascertaining geolocation information relating to the mobile
device; a display; processing circuitry operably coupled to the
first communication interface, the second communication interface,
the GPS circuitry, and the display; memory coupled to the
processing circuitry, the memory storing application software,
wherein upon execution of the application software the processing
circuitry is configured to: present a user interface on the
display, the user interface visually presenting options for user
input of lost pet report information relating to the pet, the lost
pet report information including information derived from at least
one of the geolocation information relating to the mobile device or
the geolocation information from the tracking device; receive lost
pet report information via the user interface; and transmit, via
the first communication interface, the lost pet report information
to a remote server for use in generating a lost pet notification;
and automatically receive, via the first communication interface,
found pet notifications generated by the cloud server.
19. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the user interface
further includes an option for disabling automatic receipt of found
pet notifications generated by the cloud server.
20. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the processing circuitry
is further configured to transmit, via the first communication
interface, periodic updates to the geolocation information relating
to the mobile device.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present U.S. Utility Patent Application claims priority
pursuant to 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application
No. 62/346,912, entitled "LOST AND FOUND NOTIFICATIONS FOR PETS
BASED ON GEOLOCATION AND PROFILE INFORMATION", filed Jun. 7, 2016,
which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety
and made part of the present U.S. Utility Patent Application for
all purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to social networking
systems and, more particularly, to automated lost and found
notifications for pets based on geolocation and social profile
information.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
[0003] Pet owners often confront the distressing problem of a lost
animal, such as a dog or cat. Unfortunately, the existing options
for alerting others about a lost pet can be time consuming and
largely rely on serendipity for success. For example, pet owners
often post missing signs in their local neighborhoods, and may
create postings on websites and social network sites, such as
FACEBOOK.RTM. or CRAIGSLIST.RTM., to enlist help in locating a lost
pet. Using dogs as an example, most do not have GPS tracking
devices, and many do not wear proper identification tags and have
not been implanted with an identification microchip. Even when a
lost dog is equipped with such identification, someone locating or
sheltering the dog has limited ability to the unite dog with its
owner.
[0004] In many popular social networks, especially profile-centric
social networks, activity centers on web pages or social spaces
that enable members to manage their own profile, view profiles of
others, and communicate and share activities, interests, opinions,
status updates, audio/video content, etc. Social networking
services may also allow members to track certain activities of
other members of the social network, collaborate, connect with
existing friends, former acquaintances and colleagues, and
establish (via first-person profiles) new connections with other
members or dating prospects.
[0005] Individual members typically connect to hosted social
networking services through existing web-based platforms via a
computing device, tablet or smartphone. In so-called "cloud"
computing, relevant computing tasks are performed, in a centralized
manner, on remote computers/servers which are typically accessed
via Internet connections and (virtualized) network infrastructures.
One benefit of cloud computing is that it may reduce the relative
processing and storage capabilities required by user devices (e.g.,
a cloud computer may load a webpage or other information accessed
by a tablet device and communicate only required information back
to the tablet device). Accordingly, recent years have witnessed an
ever-growing amount of content, application software and back-end
processing being migrated from local to cloud-based data storage
and management. Cloud-based services, software and content are
typically available on-demand.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary network providing automated
lost and found pet alerts in accordance with an embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram representation of a
server for generating and providing lost and found pet
notifications in accordance with an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0008] FIG. 3 is an operational flow diagram illustrating a method
for performing lost pet alert operations utilizing exemplary alert
criteria and proximity thresholds in accordance with an embodiment
of the present disclosure.
[0009] FIG. 4 is an operational flow diagram illustrating a method
for performing found pet notifications operations utilizing
exemplary alert criteria and proximity thresholds in accordance
with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0010] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary user interface presented on
a mobile device for establishing lost pet report information in
accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0011] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary user interface presented on
a mobile device to support entry of found pet report information in
accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0012] FIG. 7 shows screens shots illustrating options for user
entry of lost pet geolocation information as presented on a mobile
device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 8 shows screens shots illustrating options for user
selection and display of lost pet notifications as presented on a
mobile device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0014] FIG. 9 shows screens shots illustrating options for user
selection and display of found pet notifications as presented on a
mobile device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0015] FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram of an example mobile
device configured to support lost and found pet alert/notification
operations in accordance with an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] In various embodiments of the technology described herein,
an infrastructure and methodologies are provided to support the
creation of lost and found pet notifications for communication to,
for example, a specific community of pet owners. The disclosed
technology permits novel interaction between pet owners and others
that may be of help in locating and retrieving a lost pet.
[0017] Briefly, in exemplary embodiments a mobile device user
initiates a lost pet report or a found pet report by entering
relevant lost pet report information through a downloadable mobile
application. Such information may include a pet's name, physical
characteristics and breed, a photo, owner contact information,
reward information, as well as the geolocation of where the pet was
last seen. In the case of found pet, location information may
likewise be provided by other mobile device users.
[0018] Such information may be stored in profile databases
maintained by and accessible to a central or cloud/remote server
("server") that supports the mobile application. Among other
functions, the server operates to generate and curate lists of lost
or found pet reports and proactively identify target recipients of
lost pet or found pet alerts/notifications based on geolocation
information and other criteria associated with such reports. In
certain embodiments, one or more proximity thresholds may also be
utilized to limit notifications to mobile devices based on
geolocation information.
[0019] Upon identifying a group of users/mobile devices within a
proximity threshold of a lost pet report and/or meeting other
criteria, the server generates an automated lost pet alert (also
referred to herein as a "lost pet notification") that is
communicated to mobile devices associated with users identified
group of users. The notification may be automatically displayed
upon receipt by an appropriately configured mobile device. A lost
or found pet notification may present recipients with various
options for viewing lost and found pet report information. Various
options for interacting with the owner of the lost pet or found pet
may also be presented (e.g., within a lost/found pet alert) as
described in greater detail below.
[0020] In one embodiment, the server automatically sends text
and/or sound push notifications to a mobile device when a lost or
found pet is reported in proximity and ready to be viewed. Such
notifications may generally relate to a single lost pet or found
pet, and may be sent once or on a repeated basis. Subsequent
reminders may be communicated to the mobile device. In certain
embodiments, lost and found pet alerts may be communicated on a
daily basis in near real time as report information is received.
Alerts may also be curated by a remote server in an inclusive list
for on demand viewing.
[0021] While various devices (such as mobile phones, wearable
technology, tablet computing devices (tablets), personal computers
(PCs)) are described, other devices not described herein may be
used in the interactions described in this disclosure. In addition,
although implementation examples are noted herein, the
implementation is not limited to such disclosed embodiments.
[0022] Further, the embodiments described below may be practiced in
a variety of networks that utilize wireless, wired or optical
connections, or any combinations thereof. For example, the
illustrated communication links may utilize one or more of various
transmission media--such as wireless media (radio frequencies,
microwave, satellite, infrared, etc.), coaxial cable, shielded
twisted pair cable, fiber-optic cable, and power line wires--and
operate in accordance with a variety of communication and
networking protocols (TCP/IP, UPnP, IPv6, etc.) and standards (3G,
4G, IMT-Advanced, DOCSIS, xDSL, Wi-Fi/802.11x, WiMax, Bluetooth,
NFC, etc.). In addition, the communication links may comprise a
picocell, femtocell, metrocell, heterogeneous network (HetNet)
and/or multi-hop network utilizing a spanning tree protocol, direct
wireless connections, peer-to-peer links, etc. One or more of such
networks may include the Internet and/or the World Wide Web
("web"), and may be public, private, virtual or any combination
thereof.
[0023] As used herein, the term "owner" or "user" may include one
or more human owners or caretakers of a particular pet that is
missing, or a person that has located or is harboring a lost pet.
Other entities, such as an animal shelters, vets, or other
businesses, may likewise participate in the alert system and submit
lost and found information for dogs (or other animals) that can be
used for lost or found pet alerts.
[0024] Further, the term "pet" as used herein includes, but is not
limited to, dogs, cats and other animals. In addition, the systems
and methodologies described herein may also be extended to other
entities, such as human babies, children, and adults having special
needs. The following disclosure references dogs as exemplary
pets.
[0025] Referring more particularly to FIG. 1, an exemplary network
100 providing automated lost and found pet alerts in accordance
with an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The
exemplary network 100 targets qualifying users within a boundary
114. The illustrated embodiment includes a remote server 102
configured to perform alert processing operations, as well as a
mobile device 104 associated with an owner 108 reporting a lost dog
106. The remote server 102 and mobile device 104 are configured to
operate with one or more wired and wireless communication links
116, which may be one or more of a variety of networks such as
described above. In the embodiment of network 100, the mobile
device 104 may be a smartphone, tablet device, wearable
communication device or the like that includes functionality
allowing the owner 108 to enter lost dog information and
profiling/preference information for the lost dog 106. The lost dog
106 may be fitted with a tracking device or like technology that
provides and/or receives short range and/or long range tracking
information 120. Such tracking information 120 may be received, for
example, by appropriately configured mobile devices or stationary
transceivers, and incorporated in lost or found pet alerts.
[0026] Various devices within network 100 may have geographical
location (geolocation) capabilities to determine the location of
the respective devices in a relevant area. In the example of
network 100, the mobile device 104 of owner 108, as well as a
mobile device the owner 112 of a pet 110 may be linked to GPS
satellites 118a and 118b to obtain GPS geolocation information.
Timing signals from multiple such GPS satellites may be used to
determine the geolocation of a device and generate geospatial
metadata. While this data typically comprises latitude and
longitude coordinates, it may also include location names and
altitude, bearing, distance, and like data. Other technology and
methods for determining geolocation information are described
herein. In the illustrated example, the mobile device 104 is within
a boundary 114 defining a geographical region or area corresponding
to a proximity threshold for use by remote server 102 in filtering
and targeting users for receipt of lost pet notifications as
described more fully below.
[0027] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram representation 200 of a
server 202 for generating and providing lost and found pet
notifications in accordance with an embodiment of the present
disclosure. In this example, the server 202, which may be local,
remote or combinations thereof, is operable to output and/or
receive lost and found pet notifications 204, lost/found pet report
information 206, and related geolocation information 208 via a
communication interface 210.
[0028] The server 202 includes processing circuitry 212 and memory
214 for storing both program code utilized by the processing
circuitry 212 and other data relating to server operations. In the
illustrated embodiment, memory 214 includes lost and found logic
216, as well as a database 218 of pet/user profiles and proximity
criteria 220 for use by the lost and found logic 216 to identify
mobile devices for receiving lost and found pet notifications based
on, for example, an associated zip code or last known geolocation.
Exemplary operation of the lost and found logic 216 is described
more fully below in conjunction with FIGS. 3 and 4.
[0029] In addition, the illustrated server 202 includes various
functionality/modules for supporting lost and found pet alert
operations and fee-based services. In particular, an advertising
engine 222 is provided to support in-application advertisements
(e.g., when a mobile device is utilizing a free version of a
downloadable application that includes lost and found pet alert
capabilities), advertising fee billing and invoicing. The
advertising engine 222 may perform other services, such as
providing support for competitive bidding for advertising by
dog-friendly business, advertisement notifications areas, search
terms and phrases, search categories, etc. Such services may be
securely performed through the use of various security functions
provided by security module 224. Security module 224 may also
perform user verification/authentication operations and provide
restricted access to owner and pet profile information.
[0030] In various embodiments, the server 202 also includes a
tracking and reporting module 226 configurable to track owner
mobile devices and/or pets having an established profile. The
tracking and reporting module 226 may perform other functions such
as measuring and generating advertising/marketing campaign
statistics for use by advertisers, logging of fee-based interaction
with the automated lost and found pet alert system, etc. A lost and
found pet alert activation module 228 is also provided for
performing lost and found pet notifications and monitoring
operations (e.g., activating lost and found pet notifications upon
power-on of a relevant mobile device or entry of a mobile device or
pet into a particular geographic area).
[0031] It is noted that processing circuitry 212 may comprise
standalone or distributed hardware, hardware and software,
applications executed by processing circuitry, or various
combinations thereof, and be configurable to support various
functionalities disclosed herein. Further, processing circuitry 212
may be included in a standalone server, cloud-based server farm,
and/or the various types of other types of devices (for example,
certain operations described as being performed by the server 202
may instead be performed in a computing device associated with a
dog owner).
[0032] FIG. 3 is an operational flow diagram illustrating a method
300 for performing lost pet notification operations utilizing
exemplary alert criteria and proximity thresholds in accordance
with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method may be
performed, for example, by the lost and found pet alert logic 216
of the server 202 of FIG. 2 or, to varying degrees, by a computing
device or mobile device associated with an owner of a pet.
[0033] In operation, lost dog report information is generated at
step 302 by a pet owner. The lost dog report information may
include, for example, dog profile information, owner contact
information, reward information, and geolocation information
including information relating to the last known location of the
lost dog. Such information may be provided, for example, over one
or more wired and wireless communication networks 304 via a mobile
device including a downloadable application that facilitates entry
of profile information regarding dog, or derived from other sources
or databases.
[0034] In various embodiments, the remote server 202 may maintain
profile information for use in generating lost and found pet
notifications. Such profile information may include an
individual/stand-alone profile for a given pet, a sub-profile of a
pet that is associated with an owner profile, etc. Profile
information may include zip code and recent geolocation information
for use in a criteria-based identification process 306. All or only
a portion of a pet's profile information may be used in generating
lost and found pet notifications.
[0035] In certain embodiments, lost and found pet alert criteria
are established for use in identifying lost pet notification
recipients based on profile information and geolocation
information. For example, a proximity threshold or radius (e.g., 5
miles) is established relative to a last known location of a
missing pet. The proximity threshold may be determined, for
example, based on configurable settings in a remote server that may
account for owner preference information. In some embodiments, zip
code information may be used by the lost and found logic 216 in
lieu of real time or previously stored geo-location information to
perform proximity determinations in order to conserve the battery
life of owners' mobile devices, or in the event real time
geolocation information is unavailable (e.g., a device is in a
reduced power state, or user preference information does not permit
sharing of real time location information).
[0036] In an example, the lost and found pet alert criteria are
utilized in step 308 to identify recipients of a lost pet
notification based on geolocation information. Relevant geolocation
information may comprise, for example, zip code or other address
information provided by a dog owner, real-time geolocation data
from a mobile device or a tracking device affixed to a pet, or
historical geolocation data.
[0037] Based on the relevant geolocation information, a
determination is made that the certain groups of users are within
the relevant proximity threshold. If such users have lost/found pet
alerts enabled, they will qualify for receiving a lost pet
notification. In the illustrated example, User A and User B are
determined to be within a proximity threshold and have alerts
enabled. In response, the server 202 communicates (e.g., via one or
more wired and wireless communication networks 304) a lost pet
notification to one or more mobile devices associated with User A
and User B at step 310.
[0038] FIG. 4 is an operational flow diagram illustrating a method
400 for performing found pet notification operations utilizing
exemplary alert criteria and proximity thresholds in accordance
with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The lost and found
pet alert criteria may be utilized in lost and found pet alert
operations performed, for example, by the lost and found logic 216
of FIG. 2 or, to varying degrees, by a computing device or mobile
device associated with an owner of a pet.
[0039] In operation, found dog report information is generated at
step 402 by a user of a mobile device. The found dog report
information may include, for example, information such as a photo
of the found dog, name of the dog (e.g., as identified on a dog tag
or by a tracking device), gender and approximate age of the dog,
geolocation information including information relating to the
current location of the found dog, contact information for the
finder of the dog, etc. Such information may be provided, for
example, over one or more wired and wireless communication networks
404 via a mobile device including a downloadable application that
facilitates entry of profile information regarding dog, or derived
from other sources or databases.
[0040] In the illustrated embodiment, exemplary lost and found pet
alert criteria (including a proximity threshold) is utilized in
steps 406 and 408 to identify recipients of a found pet
notification. Such criteria may include, for example, zip code
and/or GPS information from mobile devices and/or pet tracking
devices. In some embodiments, zip code information may be used by
the lost and found logic 216 in lieu of real time or
previously-stored geo-location information to perform proximity
determinations in order to conserve the battery life of owners'
mobile devices, or in the event real time geolocation information
is unavailable.
[0041] In the illustrated example of step 408, User A and User B
are determined to be within a proximity threshold and have alerts
enabled. In response, the server 202 communicates (e.g., via one or
more wired and wireless communication networks 404) a lost pet
notification to one or more mobile devices associated with User A
and User B at step 410. In this example, lost and found pet alert
criteria include preset/configurable criteria fields relating to a
proximity threshold, alert enabled status, and timing of a last
known location. The proximity field is set to five (5) miles and/or
a matching zip code. In order to be considered qualified to receive
a lost and found pet alert, a user/mobile device may have to pass a
geolocation/proximity check.
[0042] Based on the foregoing, application of the lost and found
pet alert criteria to profile information for Users A-D results in
the exclusion of User C and User D as recipients of a lost pet
alert due to lack of proximity/zip code match or alerts being
disabled.
[0043] In alternate embodiments, further processing operations may
be performed such that only one lost or found pet notification is
generated. For example, if a lost or found pet notification for a
dog has previously been communicated to a particular device,
further alerts may be suppressed. In addition, it is noted that the
found pet notification operations may be performed on a standalone
basis that is not contingent on a corresponding lost pet
report.
[0044] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary user interface 502 presented
on a mobile device 500 for establishing lost pet report information
in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the
illustrated embodiment, the user interface 502 may be a feature of
and invoked by a software program or downloaded application, such
as the BARKHAPPY.RTM. application, that includes various other
additional features, including features based upon profiles
established for dogs.
[0045] In the illustrated embodiment, at step 504 a user enters
lost dog report information such as a name, photo, brief
description, contact information, reward information, etc. As
described more fully in conjunction with FIG. 7, the example user
interface 502 permits a user to input geolocation information (step
506) relating to a lost pet by selecting a location on a map. A
user of the mobile device can confirm a particular location to
include in lost pet report information as a last known location.
Alternatively, geolocation information may be derived from
information received from a tracking device affixed to the lost pet
or retrieved from a profile database. The lost dog report
information is included in a lost dog report generated or
transmitted to a remote server at step 508.
[0046] It is noted that the lost pet information described herein
is non-inclusive, and other information might also be incorporated
into a dog's lost pet report for use in generating lost and found
pet alerts. In addition, the downloadable application can be
constructed for use on a wide variety of platforms or operating
systems including, by way of example and without limitation, iOS,
Android, and Windows-based platforms or other proprietary or open
source software platforms or web-based code.
[0047] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary user interface 600 presented
on a mobile device to support entry of found pet report information
in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this
example, at step 602 a user enters location and other found pet
report information relating to a found dog. The found pet report
information may include, without limitation, a photograph and
description of a found dog, contact information for a user of the
mobile device, etc. The user may also enter location information
(step 604) for the found dog, or such information may be derived
from information received from a tracking device affixed to the
lost pet or retrieved from a profile database that includes
location information for the mobile device. The found pet report
information is used in the preparation of a found pet report
(generated by or transmitted to a remote server at step 606) which,
in turn, is used to provide found pet notifications to qualified
users meeting established selection criteria (e.g., the pet
owner(s) and previous recipients of a lost pet notification).
[0048] FIG. 7 shows screens shots illustrating options for user
entry of lost pet geolocation information as presented on a mobile
device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
disclosure. In this example, at step 700 a mobile device user
selects a point on a map displayed on the mobile device in order to
indicate a last known location for a lost dog. Next, at step 702,
an address or other location indicator corresponding to the
selected point is presented on the user interface and confirmed by
the user. When confirmed, the location is added to lost dog report
information provided to a remote server at step 704. A similar
process may be utilized to determine geolocation information for a
found dog report.
[0049] FIG. 8 shows screens shots illustrating options for user
selection and display of lost pet notifications as presented on a
mobile device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the
present disclosure. In particular, various lost pet notifications
may be accessible under or automatically displayed through an alert
section of a user interface.
[0050] In the illustrated embodiment, at step 800 a lost dog
notification is transmitted to mobile devices within a geographic
region identified by a proximity threshold. This proximity
threshold may differ from or be the same as a proximity threshold
used to identify target recipients of a related found dog
notification. Upon receiving one or more lost dog notifications, a
user of a recipient mobile device may navigate to a lost dog menu
(step 802) to view general information regarding lost dogs in the
area. At step 804, the user may then select a particular lost dog
notification to view specific information regarding a lost dog of
interest, such as profile and geolocation information, reward
information, etc. The lost pet notification may include, for
example, a link to lost pet report information or information
derived therefrom, contact information for an owner of the lost
pet, a link for messaging an owner of the lost pet, and the last
known location of the lost pet. As described more fully below, an
interactive map may also be presented on the recipient mobile
device.
[0051] FIG. 9 shows screens shots illustrating options for user
selection and display of found pet notifications as presented on a
mobile device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the
present disclosure. In particular, differing found pet notification
messages may be accessible under or automatically displayed through
a notification section of a user interface.
[0052] In the illustrated embodiment, at step 900 a found dog
notification is transmitted to mobile devices within a geographic
region identified by a proximity threshold. This proximity
threshold may differ from or be the same as a proximity threshold
used to identify target recipients of a related lost dog
notification. Upon receiving one or more found dog notifications, a
user of a recipient mobile device may navigate to a found dog menu
(step 902) to view general information regarding found dogs in the
area. At step 904, the user may then select a particular found dog
notification to view specific information regarding a found dog of
interest, such as profile information, geolocation information,
etc.
[0053] In certain embodiments, an interactive map may also be
presented at step 900. The interactive map may include location
markers or icons for all nearby dogs participating in the lost and
found pet alert system, markers for dog friendly parks,
bars/restaurants, stores, other miscellaneous dog friendly points
of interest, suggested meeting places, upcoming social events, etc.
Current lost/found pet report information may be automatically
highlighted on the interactive map, and in some contemplated
embodiments profile information for other dogs may be accessible by
tapping on or otherwise selecting affiliated markers. A found pet
notification message and/or text message may be provided by or on
behalf of a hosted service, reading (by way of example): "We have a
new lost and found pet alert for Kerby!"
[0054] The foregoing alert/notification system and methodologies
may be utilized in conjunction with entities such as pet shelters,
veterinary clinics, dog friendly businesses, etc. that may
contribute to or receive various information such as location
information, dog profile information, etc. Further, real time
tracking information generated via a location tracking device
affixed to a dog may be gathered by standalone or premises sensors
located in such locations.
[0055] Referring now to FIG. 10, a schematic block diagram is shown
for an example mobile device 1000 configured to support lost and
found pet alert/pet notification operations in accordance with an
embodiment of the present disclosure. In the illustrated
embodiment, a first communication interface and transceiver
circuitry 1002 is operable to perform wireless or wired
communications between the mobile device 1000 and a remote server
102 over one or more communication channels. Depending on the
capabilities and configuration of the mobile device 1000,
communications with the remote server may be unilateral or
bidirectional/interactive, and utilize either a proprietary or
standardized communication protocol. Communications may include,
for example, pet and owner profiling information, lost and found
pet report information, geolocation information, lost and found pet
alert criteria information, user responses to menu options, lost
and found pet notifications, control signals, audio/video content,
interactions with hosted service data, relayed information,
etc.
[0056] The mobile device 1000 further includes a second
communication interface and transceiver circuitry 1004 configured
to communicate with and receive geolocation information from a
location tracking or GPS device attached to or embedded in a pet
such as dog 106. In some embodiments, this geolocation information
may be relayed to the remote server 102 via the first communication
interface and transceiver circuitry 1002. The dog 106 may be owned
by a user of the mobile device 1000 and have associated profile
information used for lost and found pet alert and social networking
purposes. Alternatively, the dog 106 may be a found dog or a nearby
lost dog. Geolocation information may be included in profile
information entered via the user interface (e.g., zip code of
residence, address where the pet resides, indication of current
location on an interactive map, etc.), generated automatically by
location circuitry/software included in the mobile device, or
received from a tracking device 1018 attached to the relevant
pet.
[0057] In addition, the mobile device 1000 includes processing
circuitry 1006 operable to process and manage communications with
the remote server 102, execute downloadable applications and other
device software, perform graphics processing and security
operations, etc. The mobile device 1000 may further incorporate
dynamic and/or static memory 1008 for storing, in various
embodiments, downloaded or pre-installed application software, pet
profile information, owner profile information, etc. (collectively
represented as element 1010). The illustrated mobile device 1000
also includes GPS circuitry 1012 and a display 1014 that, at the
direction of processing circuitry 1006, presents an interactive
user interface such as shown in FIGS. 5-9.
[0058] In certain embodiments, a user and/or pet owner interacts
with the mobile device 1000 via user interface circuitry 1016. User
input to the mobile device 1000 may include, for example, data
entry through a keypad, touchscreen, remote control device, gaming
controller, device control buttons, voice or gesture commands,
storage device, etc. For example, voice or gesture commands may be
utilized to trigger lost and found pet alert services such as those
described above. Authorized access to or control of the mobile
device 1000 can be facilitated through unique biometric
identifiers, passwords, token-based identification, and like
authentication means. The mobile device 1000 may perform core or
underlying functionality 1020. Alternatively, the mobile device may
primarily function as a social networking interface or
communication device, or be programmable to perform specific
functions within a social or lost and found pet alert network.
Although not separately illustrated, speaker circuitry may also be
included in the mobile device 1000 and be utilized, for example, to
provide an audible notification of new lost or found pet
alerts.
[0059] The interactive user interface may include various options
allowing a pet owner or other device user to input
profile/preference information relating to a pet. The user
interface may be presented, for example, upon opening a
downloadable application installed on the mobile device. In
addition to the lost/found report information previously described,
pet profile/preference information may be entered or viewed
including, for example, one or more of dog breed, dog age, dog
size, dog temperament, compatibility with other dogs, and preferred
activities.
[0060] The mobile device also receives and/or generates geolocation
information for transmission to a remote server for use in lost and
found pet alert operations. Periodic updates to the geolocation
information may also be transmitted to the remote server. The
mobile device 1000 may be configured to automatically receive a
lost or found pet notification from the server, and such
notifications may be presented in a visual and/or audio format.
[0061] While embodiments of the automated lost and found pet alert
system described herein may be supported via one or more features
of a downloadable/smartphone application, various functionality may
also be supported through a software application for personal
computers, or it may reside on a hosted site as an Internet-based
application. Similarly, while the automated lost and found pet
alert system may be supported by functionality added to an existing
smartphone application (e.g., the BARKHAPPY.RTM. application), such
functionality is equally suitable for incorporation in a
stand-alone application or program.
[0062] As may be used herein, the term(s) "operably coupled to",
"coupled to", and/or "coupling" includes direct coupling between
items and/or indirect coupling between items via an intervening
item (e.g., an item includes, but is not limited to, a component,
an element, a circuit, and/or a module) where, for an example of
indirect coupling, the intervening item does not modify the
information of a signal but may adjust its current level, voltage
level, and/or power level. As may also be used herein, inferred
coupling (i.e., where one element is coupled to another element by
inference) includes direct and indirect coupling between two items
in the same manner as "coupled to". As may further be used herein,
the term "configured to", "operable to" or "operably coupled to"
indicates that an item includes one or more of power connections,
input(s), output(s), etc., to perform, when activated, one or more
its corresponding functions and may further include inferred
coupling to one or more other items. As may even further be used
herein, the term "associated with", includes direct and/or indirect
association of separate items and/or one item being embedded within
another item.
[0063] The term "module" is used in the description of one or more
of the embodiments. A module includes a processing module, a
processor, a functional block, hardware, and/or memory that stores
operational instructions for performing one or more functions as
may be described herein. Note that, if the module is implemented
via hardware, the hardware may operate independently and/or in
conjunction with software and/or firmware. As also used herein, a
module may contain one or more sub-modules, each of which may be
one or more modules.
[0064] As may also be used herein, the terms "processing module",
"processing circuit", "processing circuitry", "processor" and/or
"processing unit" may be a single processing device or a plurality
of processing devices. Such a processing device may be a
microprocessor, micro-controller, digital signal processor,
microcomputer, central processing unit, field programmable gate
array, programmable logic device, state machine, logic circuitry,
analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or any device that
manipulates signals (analog and/or digital) based on hard coding of
the circuitry and/or operational instructions. The processing
module, module, processing circuit, and/or processing unit may be,
or further include, memory and/or an integrated memory element,
which may be a single memory device, a plurality of memory devices,
and/or embedded circuitry of another processing module, module,
processing circuit, and/or processing unit. Such a memory device
may be a read-only memory, random access memory, volatile memory,
non-volatile memory, static memory, dynamic memory, flash memory,
cache memory, and/or any device that stores digital information.
Note that if the processing module, module, processing circuit,
and/or processing unit implements one or more of its functions via
a state machine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logic
circuitry, the memory and/or memory element storing the
corresponding operational instructions may be embedded within, or
external to, the circuitry comprising the state machine, analog
circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logic circuitry. Still further
note that, the memory element may store, and the processing module,
module, processing circuit, and/or processing unit executes, hard
coded and/or operational instructions corresponding to at least
some of the steps and/or functions illustrated in one or more of
the Figures. Such a memory device or memory element can be included
in an article of manufacture.
[0065] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure have been
described above with the aid of method steps illustrating the
performance of specified functions and relationships thereof. The
boundaries and sequence of these functional building blocks and
method steps have been arbitrarily defined herein for convenience
of description. Alternate boundaries and sequences can be defined
so long as the specified functions and relationships are
appropriately performed. Any such alternate boundaries or sequences
are thus within the scope and spirit of the claims. Further, the
boundaries of these functional building blocks have been
arbitrarily defined for convenience of description. Alternate
boundaries could be defined as long as the certain significant
functions are appropriately performed. Similarly, flow diagram
blocks may also have been arbitrarily defined herein to illustrate
certain significant functionality. To the extent used, the flow
diagram block boundaries and sequence could have been defined
otherwise and still perform the certain significant functionality.
Such alternate definitions of both functional building blocks and
flow diagram blocks and sequences are thus within the scope and
spirit of the claimed subject matter. One of average skill in the
art will also recognize that the functional building blocks, and
other illustrative blocks, modules and components herein, can be
implemented as illustrated or by discrete components, application
specific integrated circuits, processors executing appropriate
software and the like or any combination thereof.
[0066] The one or more embodiments are used herein to illustrate
one or more aspects, one or more features, one or more concepts,
and/or one or more examples of the claimed subject matter. A
physical embodiment of an apparatus, an article of manufacture, a
machine, and/or of a process may include one or more of the
aspects, features, concepts, examples, etc. described with
reference to one or more of the embodiments discussed herein.
Further, from figure to figure, the embodiments may incorporate the
same or similarly named functions, steps, modules, etc. that may
use the same or different reference numbers and, as such, the
functions, steps, modules, etc. may be the same or similar
functions, steps, modules, etc. or different ones. While one or
more particular architectures are described herein, other
architectures can likewise be implemented that use one or more data
buses not expressly shown, direct connectivity between elements,
and/or indirect coupling between other elements as recognized by
one of average skill in the art.
[0067] While particular combinations of various functions and
features of the one or more embodiments have been expressly
described herein, other combinations of these features and
functions are likewise possible. The present invention is not
limited by the particular examples disclosed herein and expressly
incorporates these other combinations.
* * * * *