U.S. patent number RE41,629 [Application Number 09/788,266] was granted by the patent office on 2010-09-07 for ultrasonic transceiver and remote controlled devices for pets.
Invention is credited to Nicholas J. Bonge, Jr..
United States Patent |
RE41,629 |
Bonge, Jr. |
September 7, 2010 |
Ultrasonic transceiver and remote controlled devices for pets
Abstract
An ultrasonic transceiver device and remote output devices
controlled by the transceiver for use by domestic pets. The
transceiver utilizes a fixed interval edge detect modulation system
to lock out stray environmental noise thereby, avoiding false
triggering and greatly increasing the working range. Output devices
include: a wireless pet containment system in which ultrasonic
transmitters are mounted on a series of posts defining the
perimeter of the containment area and a receiver device adapted to
be worn by a domestic animal. Upon receiving the transmitted
ultrasound the receiver device sounds a warning tone followed by an
electric shock to train the animal to stay within the perimeter; a
sonic alarm system to deter a domestic animal from entering a
restricted area whereby, an ultrasonic transmitter is worn by the
animal and a receiver with an alarm output is placed in a
stationary location to sound an alarm chasing the animal from the
area in which the receiver is placed; a remote pet training device
whereby a hand held transmitter is carried by a human trainer and a
receiver unit is worn by the pet, the receiver produces a set of
training tones in response to the modulated ultrasound produced by
the transmitter; and a remotely operated pet door which
automatically opens under its own power when it receives a signal
from an ultrasonic transmitter worn by a pet.
Inventors: |
Bonge, Jr.; Nicholas J.
(Ventura, CA) |
Family
ID: |
22738298 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/788,266 |
Filed: |
February 15, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
08199614 |
Feb 22, 1994 |
05872516 |
Feb 16, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
340/573.3; 367/6;
340/552; 340/541; 367/93; 119/719; 119/720 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01K
15/023 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G08B
23/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;340/573.1,573.3,573.4,573.5,573.7,540,550,566,572.1
;119/719,720,721,905,906,14.03,51.02,163 ;43/70 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Trieu; Van T.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Christie, Parker & Hale,
LLP.
Claims
What is claimed is:
.[.1. A directional, ultrasonic transceiver for pets comprising: an
ultrasonic transmitter means for creating an ultrasonic signal
within an elongated ultrasonic field envelope, said transmitter
means possessing sound shaping means for further augmenting said
ultrasonic field envelope to a more beam-like profile; an
ultrasonic receiver means for wearing by a pet for the detection of
said ultrasonic signal within said elongated ultrasonic field
envelope, said receiver means possessing means for delivering a
sensory stimulus to said animal upon reception of said ultrasonic
signal..].
2. A directional ultrasonic pet detection system comprising: a
transmitter means for wearing by a pet, said transmitter means
having a directional ultrasonic output, said ultrasonic output
emitted in a direction downward toward the ground directly in front
of said pet and bounced forwardly in the direction in which said
pet is facing; directional receiver means for detecting said
forwardly bounced ultrasonic output, only when said pet is facing
said receiver means; means for converting said detected ultrasonic
output to an electric voltage output for the activation of remote
controlled apparatus for pets.
3. A directional.[.,.]. ultrasonic transceiver for pets comprising:
an ultrasonic transmitter means.[.,.]. for creating an ultrasonic
signal within an ultrasonic field envelope, said ultrasonic
transmitter means possessing modulation means for the creation of
one or more modulation codes in said ultrasonic signal, said
modulation codes being selectively transmitted; an ultrasonic
receiver means for detection of said ultrasonic signal within said
ultrasonic field envelope, said ultrasonic receiver means
possessing demodulation means to differentiate between said
modulation codes and means for converting the said ultrasonic
signal to one or more electric voltage outputs, the output selected
depending upon the particular modulation code received, for the
activation of various remote controlled apparatus for pets.
4. A directional.[.,.]. ultrasonic transceiver for pets comprising:
an ultrasonic transmitter means.[.,.]. for creating an ultrasonic
signal within an ultrasonic field envelope, the output of said
ultrasonic transmitter means comprising a series of ultrasound
bursts having a predetermined pulse duration, said bursts being
emitted at a predetermined rate of bursts per unit time.[.,.].
.Iadd.;.Iaddend. an ultrasonic receiver means for detection of said
ultrasonic signal within said ultrasonic field envelope; said
ultrasonic receiver means employing a method of rejecting
environmental noise and surface reflections of the bursts by
sensing the low to high transition of a first received burst then
rejecting any low to high transition of a next received burst which
does not occur within a predetermined, narrow window of time and
further rejecting said low to high transition of said next received
burst if it is not approximately equal in peak amplitude to said
low to high transition of said first received burst, said receiver
means further measuring the time duration between said first and
next received bursts and activating an electric voltage output
means, for the operation of remote controlled apparatus for pets,
only when a predetermined number of bursts have been received and
accepted at said predetermined rate of bursts per unit time.
5. A directional ultrasonic detection system to chase pets out of
restricted areas comprising: transmitter means for wearing around
the neck of a domestic animal, said transmitter means having a
directional ultrasonic output, said output downwardly pointed
toward the ground directly in front of said domestic animal and
bounced forwardly in the direction in which said animal is facing;
directional receiver means for detecting said ultrasonic output
only when said animal forwardly approaches said receiver means on a
proximate line of sight path; means for creating a sensory stimulus
at said receiver means for training said domestic animal to retreat
from said receiver means upon said detection.
6. The invention of claim 5 wherein said sensory stimulus is a
visible light ray.
7. The invention of claim 5 wherein said sensory stimulus is a
sonic alarm.
8. A self opening and closing pet door to automatically open in the
presence of an ultrasonic signal and automatically close in the
absence of said signal comprising: a transmitter means for wearing
by a pet, said transmitter means having a directional ultrasonic
output, said ultrasonic output emitted in a direction downward
toward the ground directly in front of said pet.Iadd., .Iaddend.and
bounced forwardly in the direction in which said pet is
facing.Iadd.;.Iaddend. directional receiver means for detecting
said forwardly bounced ultrasonic output, only when said pet is
facing said receiver means; means for converting said detected
ultrasonic output to an electric voltage output; a casing with
opening to allow a domestic animal to pass from one side of said
casing to another.[.,.]. .Iadd.;.Iaddend. a movable panel normally
placed within said opening to obstruct the path of the animal
through said casing.[.,.]. .Iadd.;.Iaddend. means for moving said
movable panel out of said opening in said door casing upon
reception of the transmitted ultrasonic signal by said ultrasonic
receiver means.[.,.]. .Iadd.;.Iaddend. means for guiding said
movable panel along its path.[.,.]. .Iadd.;.Iaddend. means for
attaching said casing to a wall or door of a building
structure.
9. The invention of claim 8 wherein.[.,.]. said receiver means
possesses means to effectively control the distance from the
domestic animal at which said receiver means detects said
ultrasonic output.
10. The invention of claim 8 wherein .[.the.]. .Iadd.said
.Iaddend.means to move said movable panel comprises an electric
motor.[.,.]. .Iadd.;.Iaddend. a spool attached to the shaft of said
electric motor.[.,.]. .Iadd.;.Iaddend. a cable, one end of which is
attached to said spool, the other of which is attached to said
movable panel for the purpose of raising said movable panel as said
cable winds around said spool as said spool rotates with the shaft
of said electric motor.
11. The invention of claim 10 wherein.[.,.]. return of said movable
panel to its normal position within the opening of said casing is
automatically accomplished by the force of gravity once said
electric motor is deactivated in the absence of reception of said
ultrasonic output by said receiver means.
12. A directional.[.,.]. ultrasonic area restriction system for
animals comprising: an ultrasonic transmitter means and sound
shaping means.[.,.]. for creating an ultrasonic signal within an
elongated ultrasonic field envelope, said ultrasonic field envelope
having an outermost boundary, said outermost boundary having its
length several times greater than its width; ultrasonic receiver
means for wearing by an animal, said receiver means for detection
of said ultrasonic signal when said animal, approaching from
outside of said ultrasonic field envelope, crosses said outermost
boundary; means for creating a sensory stimulus to said animal upon
reception of said ultrasonic signal by said receiver means, said
sensory stimulus being for the purpose of training the animal to
avoid crossing said outermost boundary of said ultrasonic field
envelope.
13. The invention of claim 12 further comprising.[.,.]. means for
attaching said ultrasonic transmitter means to a positioning post
to be placed in the ground.
14. The invention of claim 12 wherein.[.,.]. the transmitter means
alternately generates two separate modulated signals to define two
independent boundaries, the receiver means thereby independently
activating a warning tone output and a shock output depending upon
which modulated signal is received.
15. The invention of claim 12 further comprising a variable gain
control at said transmitter means to effectively control the size
of said ultrasonic field envelope.
16. The invention of claim 12 wherein.[.,.]. said sensory stimulus
comprises a sonic alarm.
17. The invention of claim 12 wherein said sensory stimulus
comprises an electric shock.
18. The invention of claim 12 wherein said sensory stimulus
comprises a warning tone followed by an electric shock.
19. The invention of claim 12 wherein.[.,.]. said ultrasonic field
envelope approximates a beam transmitted along the perimeter of an
area to restrict animals to roaming within said perimeter and
further comprising a pair of said transmitter means attached to a
positioning post to be placed in the ground to establish one corner
of the restrictive perimeter.
20. The invention of claim 19 wherein.[.,.]. said pair of
transmitter means are mounted within casings and allowed to rotate
relative to one another to adjust the angle of said corner.
.Iadd.21. An automatic pet door system comprising: a casing
defining a door opening; a panel movably connected to said casing
within guiding means said door opening; a motor attached to said
casing; a cable having a first cable end attached to said motor and
having a second cable end attached to said panel; a pet worn
actuator; a receiver on said casing, said motor selectively moving
said panel in said guiding means to open said door in response to a
signal received by said receiver from said activator; and said
motor having a rotatable drive shaft to which a spool is attached
wherein said first cable end is attached to said spool so that said
cable is wound around said spool during operation of said
motor..Iaddend.
.Iadd.22. The door system of claim 21 further comprising a pulley
attached to said panel, said second cable end being threaded
through said pulley and being attached to said attachment end of
said locking pin..Iaddend.
.Iadd.23. The door system of claim 21 further comprising a locking
pin releasably connected to said panel and having an attachment end
and a free end, said second cable end being attached to said
attachment end of said locking pin..Iaddend.
.Iadd.24. The door system of claim 23 wherein said panel is in an
open position when a predetermined length of said cable is wound
around said spool, and said locking pin is disengaged from said
locking pin hole..Iaddend.
.Iadd.25. The door system of claim 23 wherein said casing includes
a locking pin hole and further comprising a means for biasing said
free end into said locking pin hole, said biasing means being
attached to said panel..Iaddend.
.Iadd.26. The door system of claim 25 wherein said panel has a
closed position when said predetermined length of said cable is
unwound from said spool and said locking pin is in said locking pin
hole..Iaddend.
.Iadd.27. The door system of claim 26 wherein said panel moves from
said open position to said closed position within said door opening
by the force of gravity when said motor is
deactivated..Iaddend.
.Iadd.28. A pet door comprising: a panel; a casing defining a door
opening, said panel being slidably mounted to said casing for
movement within said door opening; a drive means for selectively
moving said panel; said drive means including a motor attached to
said casing and a cable having a first cable end attached to said
motor and a second cable end attached to said panel; a transmitter
means attached to a pet, which activates said drive means only when
said pet is facing said door; a locking pin movably connected to
said panel and having an attachment end and a free end, said second
cable end being attached to said attachment end and said casing
including a locking pin hole with said free end being insertable
into said locking pin hole, said locking pin including a biasing
means for urging said free end into said locking pin
hole..Iaddend.
.Iadd.29. The door of claim 28 wherein said motor has a drive shaft
to which a spool is attached wherein said door is in an open
position when a predetermined length of said cable is substantially
wound around said spool and said locking pin is disengaged from
said locking pin hole..Iaddend.
.Iadd.30. The door of claim 28 wherein said door has a closed
position when said predetermined length of said cable is unwound
from said spool and said locking pin extends into said locking pin
hole..Iaddend.
.Iadd.31. The door of claim 28 wherein said transmitter means emits
a directional ultrasonic output in a forward direction and a
downward direction from said pet and further comprising a receiving
means electrically connected to said motor for receiving said
directional ultrasonic output..Iaddend.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of the invention pertains to an ultrasonic transceiver to
control output devices for use by and for pets and more
particularly to a transceiver with modulation characteristics to
improve range and avoid false triggering in the control of a
wireless pet containment system; a sonic alarm for area
restriction; a remote pet trainer and a remotely operated, fully
automatic pet door.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention has the purpose of facilitating a means by which
pets can self activate automatic devices and allow humans to
operate the devices remotely. The scope of this invention includes
a modulated ultrasonic transceiver utilizing a fixed duration edge
detect means to extend the range of the device by distinguishing
between a low level transmitted signal and environmental noise.
This is employed to control a wireless pet containment system; a
sonic alarm for area restriction; a remote pet trainer and a
remotely operated, fully automatic pet door but, its uses can
easily be extended to other output devices.
PRIOR ART
Conventional devices utilizing ultrasound for remote sensing, such
as ultrasonic burglar alarms, have been severely limited by the
directionality, acoustical shadowing and limited range inherently
characteristic of ultrasonic devices. For that reason they have
been largely replaced by radio frequency and infrared
transceivers.
In the pet field, electronic containment systems and remote
trainers use radio frequency based transmitters and receivers.
These devices are expensive to produce and severely restricted by
the fact that they create interference to other radio frequency
transmissions. To avoid this problem, manufacturers must use
extremely low power devices, practical for only very short range
operation, or subject the design to restrictions placed upon it by
regulating agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission.
The use of ultrasound has been largely ignored as an alternative
for the reasons listed above.
Electronic pet containment systems typically employ a radio
frequency transmitter and an antenna in the form of a buried cable
to enclose the perimeter of the containment area. As the pet
wearing an R.F. receiver approaches the buried cable, a warning
tone is sounded. Then, if the animal has not retreated from the
perimeter after a predetermined time, an electric shock is
delivered. Such systems present certain difficulties such as having
to burry the cable.
Remote trainers typically use a hand held radio frequency
transmitter to activate a single output (usually an electric shock
or an irritating sound pulse) at the receiver worn by the pet. The
single output of conventional systems is always used as a negative
reinforcing stimulus rather than a positive enforcement of a
specific behavior.
Conventional systems using sound to chase intruding animals from a
restricted area use either infrared detection to sense the presence
of the intruder (in much the same manner as a burglar alarm) or
radio frequency. In addition to the fact that both such systems are
relatively expensive to manufacture, the infrared system has the
disadvantage that it will trigger on any warm body including humans
and is therefore not selective. A system of this type may work well
in keeping the family dog off the couch but, it would also drive
the people of the household away form the couch as well. The radio
frequency systems are selective but, to date are limited to a range
of less than four feet to avoid expense and unwanted R.F.
interference.
It would therefore be desirable to create a remote transceiver
system for pets to facilitate containment, training and area
restriction which has relatively long range capability, which does
not interfere with radio frequency devices nor is subject to the
governmental restrictions of radio frequency devices, which is
selective to an individual transmitted signal and which is
relatively inexpensive to mass produce. The invention described
herein provides such a system.
The current state of the art with respect to electronic pet doors
is limited to devices which are operated by a magnet or a very low
power R.F. transmitter worn on a pet's collar. The limited range of
these transmitters restricts the design to smaller units suitable
only for cats or small dogs. The transmitter used in this type of
device merely acts to unlock a hinged panel to be physically pushed
open by the pet and returned by gravity or a spring mechanism. The
pet door device presented here uses the transmitted ultrasound to
trigger the activation of an electric motor and transport mechanism
to move a panel in and out of the door opening in a somewhat
similar fashion to that of a power car window thereby, facilitating
added security from intruders and weather and automatic operation
requiring no human effort.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention makes practical use of the directionality inherent
in ultrasonic transmission and offers a novel means of modulating
the transmitted signal to increase the working range from a
conventional twenty-five feet to over three hundred feet. This is
achieved by delivering the ultrasonic signal output in periodic
bursts. The receiver is designed to detect these bursts by sensing
a repeated low to high transition at the amplifier input at
predetermined intervals corresponding to the periodic rate of
generation of ultrasonic bursts at the transmitter. Thus, sporadic
environmental noise in the frequency range of the transceiver is
essentially filtered out allowing the amplifier in the receiver to
trigger on extremely low level signals.
Applied to the development of a wireless pet containment system,
the present invention requires no antenna nor buried cable and
specifically optimizes and makes use of the inherent directionality
of ultrasound to approximate a linear beam of ultrasound forming a
wireless boundary. The signal modulation and edge detect receiver
virtually eliminate the possibility of false triggering which would
allow the device to needlessly shock the animal. Additionally, it
is possible to simultaneously send two individually modulated
ultrasonic signals, one of higher amplification for a wider
transmitted beam and one of lower amplification for a narrower
transmitted beam, to separately control the warning tone and shock
outputs at the receiver, making it impossible for a clever animal
to run through the perimeter and out of range during the time delay
from warning tone to shock used by conventional devices.
The invention in its present form also provides a useful
alternative to the use of R.F. transmission in the creation of a
remote training device by greatly extending the range of
conventional ultrasonic transceivers. The result is a remote
training device with a useful range comparable to that of a
conventional R.F. transceiver but, without the possibility of
interfering with the reception of radio, television and other R.F.
signals. The training device then uses one or more preset
ultrasonic pulse rates to trigger one or more tones for use in
obedience training of pets.
The directional characteristics of ultrasound are of great value
applied to the operation of an automatic pet door by allowing an
acceptable frontal activation range when the pet is facing and
approaching receiver but, greatly reducing the probability of false
triggering of the receiver when the pet is just passing by at even
closer range than the frontal activation distance. The modulated
pulsed signal and edge detect receiver technique are employed to
create an ultrasonic key code so that the device may be operated
only by the pet wearing a transmitter with those specific
modulation characteristics to be sensed by the receiver. This type
of pet door achieves the advantages of preventing stray animals and
intruders from entering the home through the pet door (a common
problem with conventional mechanical pet doors) and provides
protection against strong wind which can easily blow through the
hinged flap of a conventional pet door.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the ultrasonic pet containment
system.
FIG. 2 schematically illustrates the sonic alarm used for area
restriction.
FIG. 3 schematically illustrates the remote pet trainer.
FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the automatic pet door.
FIG. 5 is a cross-section of the automatic pet door taken along
lines .[.1--1.]. .Iadd.5-5 of FIG. 4.Iaddend..
FIG. 6 is a vertical cross section of the automatic pet door taken
along lines .[.2--2.]. .Iadd.6-6 of FIG. 5.Iaddend..
FIG. 7(a) is a block diagram of the ultrasonic transmitter.
FIG. 7(b) is a block diagram of the ultrasonic receiver.
FIG. 8 schematically illustrates an alternative embodiment of the
pet containment system.
FIG. 9(a) illustrates the burst modulated ultrasonic wave form
typically emitted by the ultrasonic transmitter showing the high to
low transitions sensed by the receiver in the absence of
environmental background noise.
FIG. 9(b) illustrates the burst modulated ultrasonic wave form
typically emitted by the ultrasonic transmitter showing the high to
low transitions sensed by the receiver in the presence of
background noise of the same carrier frequency as the transmitter
with typical sporadic peaks which are of greater amplitude than the
transmitted ultrasonic signal.
FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram of the operational amplifier employed
as part of the ultrasonic receiver.
FIG. 11 is an alternate embodiment of the pet containment system
using two separate signals to individually control warning tone and
shock outputs.
FIG. 12 is a cross-section of the receiver assembly.
FIG. 13 is an alternate embodiment of the receiver assembly.
FIG. 14 is a cross-section of the transmitter casings and
positioning post used in the pet containment system.
FIG. 15 is a circuit diagram of the ultrasonic transmitter with
modulator.
FIG. 16A is a diagram of the automatic pet door control circuit
power supply.
FIG. 16B is a diagram of the automatic pet door control circuit
motor controller.
FIG. 16C B is a diagram of the automatic pet door control circuit
operational amplifier.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention is an ultrasonic transceiver designed
specifically to control various output devices for use by domestic
animals. The output devices, which are also the subject of this
invention, include a wireless pet containment system; a sonic alarm
for area restriction; a remote pet trainer and a remotely operated,
fully automatic pet door. The basic ultrasonic transceiver, shown
in block form in FIGS. 7(a) and (b), utilizes a conventional quartz
crystal controlled oscillator 1 to generate the carrier frequency.
Ultrasonic frequencies of 32.7 KHZ and 40 KHZ are convenient
because microphones, piezo speakers and quartz crystals of these
values are readily available. The oscillated signal is fed to a
modulator 2. FIG. 15 is an electrical schematic of the oscillator
and modulator which together employ a "hex schmitt trigger" and
"quad dual input schmitt NAND" integrated circuit to create a
pulsed output consisting of periodic bursts of high frequency
ultrasound of the type shown in FIG. 9(a). Various other modulation
techniques may be employed to develop individual coded signals each
to activate a separate functional output. These may include
frequency modulation, amplitude modulation, pulse rate modulation,
the generation of a pulse code or other techniques. The means
employed in the embodiment of FIG. 15 simply varies the time
interval between output bursts. The output amplitude is equal to
the maximum plus and minus voltage supplied to the device which is
typically limited to the maximum voltage rating of the integrated
circuits of three to six volts direct current. The pulsed signal
may be fed to an operational amplifier 3 to increase the working
voltage supplied to the output speaker 4. The preferred embodiment
employs a narrow band piezo transducer for the speaker due to its
high efficiency. The electric current demand of such a device may
be easily optimized to less than fifty microamperes facilitating
the use of a small light-weight power source 5, such as a lithium
coin cell battery, which can easily be worn by a pet with an
acceptable useful life at the 50 microampere current consumption of
six months to one year.
The receiver utilizes a narrow band piezo electric microphone 6 fed
to a multi-stage operational amplifier 7 of the variety shown in
FIG. 10. The use of discrete components, instead of commercial
grade integrated circuits in this embodiment, allows quiescent
electric current consumption of the receiver to be also limited to
under 50 microamperes providing acceptable battery life from a
light-weight lithium source 11.
The demodulation technique employs an edge detector which senses
the low to high transition of the initial burst received at the
amplifier. FIG. 9(a) shows that in the absence of background noise,
the transition is measured from the zero state to the peak
amplitude of the initial burst. As shown in FIG. 9(b) background
noise shifts the zero baseline at each edge to the background
level. The low to high transition is then sensed as the difference
between the background level and the peak amplitude of the pulse.
Once the first edge is detected, a timer is started with its
duration equal to the interval between bursts of the transmitted
signal. While the timer is running, the sensor is disabled so
changes in background are not mistaken for another edge. At the end
of the timing period the sensor resumes within a narrow time
window. If a second edge is sensed within this time window it is
taken as receipt of the modulated signal the output device 9 is
activated. The technique may be repeated for multiple edge detect
cycles before the output is activated, for added insurance against
the probability of detecting a transition in the background noise
which happens to occur within the edge detect time window. This
technique greatly increases the working range of the device since
it requires only a very small transition in ultrasound amplitude to
trigger the device. The magnitude of that transition may be much
less than the background ultrasound level. The fact that
environmental background noise is generally sporadic with large
momentary peaks, represents a problem to conventional devices which
trigger on fixed signal levels and are apt to confuse a large
background peak with the actual transmitted signal. In this device,
background noise may be much larger than the minimum edge amplitude
and indeed higher, at its peak, than that of the transmitted signal
itself without affecting the sensitivity or range of the device.
Even in worst case conditions where some unusual source of
background noise level is high and of long, steady duration, it may
only serve to mask some of the transmitted signal ultimately
reducing range yet, it is still impossible for the device to
trigger falsely on the background noise.
FIG. 14 shows the working elements of the receiver enclosed within
tubular upper casing 10. Speaker 4 is mounted inside tubular
ultrasound shaping element 12 which is projected through a hole in
the casing. The purpose of ultrasound shaping element 12 is to
narrow the projected ultrasound envelope to more closely resemble a
beam of ultrasound. Mounted within the casing is printed circuit
board 13 with protruding contact spring 19 and leaf contact 20
contacting, respectively, the negative and positive terminals of
lithium coin cell battery 14. Battery retainer 15 is threaded into
the casing to hold the battery in place and seal off one end of the
casing. Cover 18 is pressed into the opposite end of the casing to
seal that end. Lower casing 23, identical to casing 10 and housing
identical elements, is fitted into counter-bore 40 in the upper
casing and allowed to rotate relative to that casing for proper
positioning until secured in a fixed position by set screw 17
passing through a threaded hole in the counter-bored wall and into
groove 16 thus, locking upper and lower casings rigidly together.
Post 20 is fitted into counter-bore 41 of the lower casing. Set
screw 42 of the lower casing passes through a threaded hole in the
casing's counter-bored wall and into groove 22 in the post locking
lower casing and post rigidly together.
FIG. 12 shows the receiver assembly in which housing 28 encases
microphones 54 and 55 spaced 180 degrees apart to provide a direct
line of sight to posts to the left and right of the animal as it
approaches the boundary. Holes 69 and 70 provide sound paths to
microphones 54 and 55. Acoustical speaker 52, pressed into
integrally molded retaining cylinder 66, generates the warning tone
emitted through hole 52. Battery holder 51 secures and contacts
lithium coin cells 56 and 57 with access to the batteries provided
by battery cover 53 secured to housing 28 with screws 62 and 63.
Microphones 54 and 55, battery holder 51 and speaker 52 are wired
to printed circuit board 50 providing the sensing, amplifying and
output circuitry. Threaded electrodes 58 and 59 are soldered
directly to printed circuit board 50 and protrude through holes in
housing 28 and holes in strap 29 and secured to the housing with
nuts 58 and 59. This also secures strap 29 relative to housing 28
as it passes through integrally molded bezel slots 67 and 68.
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the interlaced ultrasound
envelopes 26 created to form a perimeter when the receiver post 20
and like posts are placed in the ground with upper and lower
receiver casings, 10 and 23 respectively, positioned to form the
corners of the perimeter. The actual boundary line 27 is defined be
the intersection of the inside leading edges of the ultrasound
envelopes. Receiver casing 28 is attached to a domestic animal by
strap 29 with buckle 30 looping through the receiver casing and
around the animal's neck.
FIG. 8 schematically illustrates an alternate embodiment of the pet
containment system whereby, a single transmitter inside casing 23
is mounted on post 20. The transmitter casing is positioned so that
the transmitted ultrasound envelopes a specific area off limits to
the pet. Receiver casing 28 and mounting arrangement to the animal
is identical to that shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 11 schematically illustrates the use of dual signal levels and
modulations to define two separate boundary perimeters. Outside
boundary area 31 is the area covered by the stronger signal. The
modulation of this signal causes the receiver to generate the
warning tone. That tone is delivered to the animal wearing the
receiver when it crosses within outer perimeter 32. Inside boundary
area 33 is the area covered by the weaker signal. The modulation of
this signal causes the receiver to generate an electric shock. The
shock is delivered to the animal wearing the receiver when it
crosses within inter perimeter 34. This dual boundary technique is
more effective in training the animal than the time delay method
because the shock boundary is more clearly defined for the animal.
Efforts on the part of the animal to run through the boundary
before the shock is delivered are fruitless and the resultant
containment system is more positive.
In the field of pet training, it has been shown by noted animal
behaviorists that cats dogs and other animals respond positively to
tones as training stimuli. The results of testing the training
device described herein indicate that both dogs and cats can
distinguish individual tones if separated by at least 1000 hertz.
Each tone may then be used to positively enforce a specific
behavior or command e.g. sit, stay, heal, come, fetch, etc.
Negative stimuli, such as a loud piercing, tone or an electric
shock may be used conjunctively to deter bad behavior and enforce
the "NO!" command.
The training device of FIG. 3 utilizes the transceiver of FIGS.
7(a) and (b) with outputs at the receiver capable of producing
multiple tones with pitch separation of at least 1000 hertz, and an
electric shock corresponding to preset modulated signals produced
at the transmitter. The receiver is housed within casing 28 and
strapped to the animal as in FIGS. 1 and 8. The receiver assembly
of FIG. 13 is similar that of FIG. 12 in all respects except that
it utilizes a single microphone 65 oriented to face the ground when
housing 28 is attached to the animal so that it may more easily
sense the part of the transmitter signal which is reflected off the
ground. This allows the device to be used effectively even when the
animal is not facing the trainer so long as the line of sight
between transmitter and animal is not obstructed.
The preferred embodiment of the sonic alarm system is shown in FIG.
2. In this embodiment, transmitter and receiver positions used in
the pet containment system are switched so that the receiver of
FIG. 7(b), which now activates a sonic alarm output device and
visual flashing light each mounted within casing 73 with microphone
74, alarm speaker 75 and flashing light element 78, is stationary.
The transmitter of FIG. 7(a) is mounted within housing 72 and
attached to a domestic animal by strap 76 with buckle 77 looping
through the receiver casing and around the animal's neck. In this
arrangement, transmitter housing 72 may be made quite small since
there is no need for a tone generating speaker or shocking device
providing a more comfortable and light weight device to be worn by
the animal. Receiver casing 73 may now be easily positioned at any
desired location such as couch, chair, kitchen table, etc. The
variable gain control of amplifier 7, FIG. 7(b) now acts to
determine the working range of the system.
.[.FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of the automatic pet door
controlled by the transceiver of FIGS. 7(a) and (b) utilizing a
transmitter arrangement identical to that of FIG. 2 wherein the
transmitter of FIG. 7(a) is mounted within housing 72 and attached
to a domestic animal by strap 76 with buckle 77 looping through the
receiver casing and around the animal's neck. FIG. 16 shows the a
typical working circuit of one embodiment of the automatic pet
door. Here there is no need to use discrete transistors in the
receiver to conserve power since the device is ultimately powered
by household alternating current..].
.Iadd.FIG. 4 illustrates an automatic pet door that is controlled
by the transceiver of FIGS. 7(a) and (b). The door utilizes a
transmitter arrangement identical to that of FIG. 2 wherein the
transmitter of FIG. 7(a) is mounted within housing 72. For
attachment, housing 72 is attached to strap 76 and strap 76 is
looped around the animal's neck and secured with buckle 77 as
discussed above. Receiver 82 is mechanically attached to pet door
as shown in FIG. 4 and discussed below. With respect to the
electrical configuration for receiver 82, FIG. 16B shows a typical
working circuit of one embodiment of receiver 82 for the automatic
pet door shown in FIG. 4. Note that for the pet door there is no
need to use discrete transistors in the working circuit for the
receiver to conserve power. This is because receiver 82 for the pet
door is ultimately powered by household alternating
current..Iaddend.
.[.FIG. 5 shows that door casing 80 houses all of the elements of
the receiver and door assembly. In this embodiment, an output
device of FIG. 7(a) is a normally open relay 124, FIG. 16B, which
routes power to motor 96, FIG. 5, when the transmitter signal is
received by microphone 82. Movable panel 81, which is normally
within opening 83 and completely obstructing it, is then guided
upwards to allow the animal to pass through opening 83. FIG. 5
shows that door casing 80 of FIG. 4 is constructed by joining left
frame member 90, right frame member 92, top frame member 91 and
bottom frame member 93. Said frame members, in this embodiment, are
custom wood mouldings but, could easily be made from extruded
aluminium or plastic. Grooves 94 and 95 shown in FIG. 6, in left
and right frame members 90 and 92 respectively, act to guide
movable panel 81 along its path. Electric motor 96 is held in
position by mounting bracket 97 and drives spool 98, which is
rigidly fixed to motor shaft 99 with set screw 100. Cable 101 is
thereby wound around spool 98 upon the counter-clockwise motion of
electric motor 96. Cable 101 is looped around pulley 102 and
prevented from slipping off pulley 102 by cable guide 103. Pulley
102 and cable guide 103 are rigidly attached to movable panel 81
with shoulder screw 104. Cable 101 is then fed to one end of
locking pin 105, looped through a hole in that end and held in
place by cable crimp 106. Locking pin 105 is held in place by
bracket 108 and allowed to translate linearly in holes 106 and 107.
Bracket 108 is rigidly fixed to movable panel 81 by screws 109 and
110. Compression spring 111 fitted around stepped shaft of locking
pin 107 act to push locking pin 107 toward left frame member 90 and
into hole 101 thus, preventing the movable panel from being moved
out of opening 83 while there is slack in cable 101 as when motor
96 is idle. Thus, it is not possible for an intruder to manually
lift movable panel 81. As cable 101 is wound around spool 98 when
motor shaft 99 is rotated, the weight of movable panel 81 acts to
create tension in cable 101. Said tension acts against compression
spring 111 pulling locking pin 107 away from left frame member 90
and out of hole 101 freeing movable panel 81 and allowing it to
move upward with cable 101. Front and rear plates 112 and 113, FIG.
6, respectively are locked into grooves 127 and 114 respectively
and act to enclose the assembly. Holes 115, 116, 117, 118, 119 and
120, FIG. 5, are provided to mount the assembly to a household door
or wall..].
.Iadd.Referring now to FIGS. 4-6, the pet door of the present
invention is shown in greater detail. Specifically, door casing 80
is constructed by joining the opposing ends top frame member 91 to
one end of left frame member 90 and one end of right frame member
92. The other respective ends of left frame member 90 and right
frame member 92 are attached to opposing ends of bottom frame
member 93 (See FIG. 5). With this configuration, the door casing
defines a door opening 83, and movable panel 81 is slidably mounted
to door casing 82 within door opening 83. To do this, vertical
grooves (not shown) are formed in the respective inner surfaces of
left frame member 90 and right frame member 92. These vertical
grooves interfit with movable panel 81 and act to guide movable
panel 81 vertically along its upward/downward path. Left frame
member 90, right frame member 92, top frame member 91 and bottom
frame member 98 are preferably custom wood moldings, but could
easily be made from aluminum or plastic materials.
The pet door of the present invention further includes an electric
motor 96 that is fixed to top frame member 91 with mounting bracket
97. Motor shaft 99 extends outwardly from motor 96, and spool 98 is
rigidly fixed to motor shaft 99 with set screw 100 (See FIG. 5) so
that spool 98 rotates with motor shaft 99 during operation. To
raise and lower movable panel 81, cable 101 is attached to motor 96
and to movable panel 81. More specifically, one end of cable 101 is
attached to spool 98. Cable 101 is then looped around a pulley 102
and a cable guide 103 that are rigidly attached to movable panel 81
with shoulder screw 104. The other end of cable 101 is fed to one
end of locking pin 105 and attached with cable crimp 106. Cable
guide 103 prevents cable 101 from slipping off pulley 102 during
operation of the pet door.
Pin bracket 108 is rigidly fixed to movable panel 81 by screws 109
and 110, and locking pin 105 is slidably mounted to bracket 108, as
best seen in FIG. 5. This allows locking pin 105 to move in
translation into locking pin hole 107 which is formed in left frame
member 90. A compression spring 111 is fitted around locking pin
105 and biases locking pin 105 into locking pin hole 107, thus,
preventing the movable panel from being moved out of door opening
83 while there is slack in cable 101. With this configuration, it
is not possible for an intruder to manually lift movable panel
81.
Front and rear plates 112 and 114, FIG. 6, respectively interfit
with grooves 127 and 113 and act to enclose the upper portion of
the assembly. Door mounting holes 115-120, FIG. 5, are provided to
mount the assembly to a household door or wall.
During operation, receiver 82 receives an input signal that is
received from the transmitter within transmitter housing 72 only
when the pet is facing the pet door, as discussed above. Receiver
82 receives this signal, and, provided the received meets the
predetermined parameters also discussed above, closes normally open
relay 124, FIG. 16B, which further closes to route power to motor
96. As motor 96 is activated and rotates, attached spool 98 turns,
and cable 101 is wound around spool 98 when motor shaft 99 is
rotated. As cable 101 is wound around spool 98, a tension force is
created in cable 101. The tension force in cable 101 counteracts
and overcomes the force from compression spring 111 that biases
locking pin 105 into locking pin hole 107. Accordingly, locking pin
105 is pulled out of locking pin hole 107 and away from left frame
member 90, which frees movable panel 81 for upward movement as
cable 101 is gathered around spool 98..Iaddend.
In this embodiment activation of electric motor 96 ultimately acts
lift movable panel 81. When power is removed from electric motor
96, as in the absence of a signal sensed by the ultrasonic receiver
of FIG. 7(b), movable panel 81 will return to its initial position
under the force of gravity. A shown in FIG. 16B, the speed of
return may be controlled by the addition of resistor 121 and diode
122 across the legs of electric motor 96 to create an electro
magnetic field in the internal coil of electric motor 96 which is
resistive to the motion of motor shaft 99 in the direction of
unwind thus, slowing the downward motion of the panel.
FIG. 16B further shows that the coil to relay 124 is energized upon
sensing the ultrasonic signal. Timer 125 holds relay 124 on,
providing power to motor 96, for a selected amount of time after
the signal is lost. Electrical energy is stored in capacitor 123 on
the counter-clockwise motion of motor 96 as movable panel 81 is
hoisted upward. This same energy is released upon the deactivation
of relay 124 providing a momentary surge of current to move motor
96 in the clockwise reverse direction in order to overcome any
static friction in the system and start movable panel 81 on its
downward path under the force of gravity.
* * * * *