Enhanced methods and systems for human-pet communication are described. Example embodiments provide an Internet Canine communication system (“ICCS”). The ICCS facilitates remote communication and interaction with between a dog and its owner, caretaker, trainer, family member, or the like. The ICCS may include a base station or similar device that is configured to deliver treats to a dog and to transmit audio/visual communication between the dog and a remote client device operated by a human user. The ICCS may also facilitate training the dog to utilize the ICCS to communicate with the user, such as by answering calls from or initiating calls to the remote client device of the user.
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13. A method for interacting with a pet, comprising:
providing a system for communicating with a pet from a user communication device, the system including a treat dispenser having a pet detection mechanism for detecting input from the pet, video conferencing software, and an audio/video device;
training the pet to answer a call from a user by:
playing an audio signal via the audio/video device;
causing one of the treats to be delivered from the treat dispenser to the pet; and
stopping the play of the audio signal;
facilitating outgoing calls from the pet to the communication device, by:
initiating a sound to indicate a preselected outgoing call time period during which the pet may initiate a call to the communication device;
during the preselected outgoing call time period, receiving an indication that the pet has selected a control of the treat dispenser via the pet detection mechanism; and
in response to the received indication, initiating an outgoing call to the communication device, the outgoing call including transmitting live audio or video of the pet.
1. A method for interacting with a pet, comprising:
providing a system for communicating with a pet from a user of a communication device, the system including a treat dispenser for delivery of treats to a pet, a personal computing device in communication with the treat dispenser and further comprising a processor for sending and receiving communication commands, and a speaker in proximity to the treat dispenser;
training the pet to make a call to the user by:
playing an audio signal via the speaker;
causing one of the treats to be delivered from the treat dispenser to the pet; and
stopping the play of the audio signal; and
facilitating outgoing calls from the pet to the communication device, by:
initiating a sound to indicate a preselected outgoing call time period during which the pet may initiate a call to the communication device;
during the preselected outgoing call time period, receiving an indication that the pet has selected a control of the treat dispenser; and
in response to the received indication, initiating an outgoing call to the communication device, the outgoing call including transmitting live audio or video of the pet.
2. The method of
receiving from the communication device a selection of one of the multiple food trays; and
in response to the received selection, delivering a treat to the selected food tray.
3. The method of
receiving from the communication device a command to move the toy; and
in response to the received command, causing the toy to move.
4. The method of
receiving at the system a communication command;
recognizing the communication command; and
in response to the communication command, causing one of the treats to be delivered from the treat dispenser to the pet.
5. The method of
6. The method of
7. The method of
8. The method of
9. The method of
playing audio of a spoken command via the speaker in time proximity to when the user utters the spoken command so that the pet hears and associates the spoken command played by the speaker and the spoken command uttered by user; and
causing one of the treats to be delivered from the treat dispenser to the pet.
10. The method of
recording the spoken commands via an audio input device; and
playing one of the recorded spoken commands via the speaker.
11. The method of
12. The method of
14. The method of
15. The method of
16. The method of
17. The method of
playing an audio signal that notifies the pet of the availability of a treat;
playing audio of a spoken command via the audio/video device in time proximity to when the user utters the spoken command so that the pet hears and associates the spoken command played by the audio/video device with the spoken command uttered by the user; and
causing one of the treats to be delivered from the treat dispenser to the pet.
18. The method of
recording the spoken command via an audio input device; and
playing the spoken command via the audio/video device.
19. The method of
receiving from the communication device a selection of one of the multiple food trays; and
in response to the received selection, delivering a treat to the selected food tray.
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This application is a FIG. 12 is a flow diagram that illustrates a first process for interacting with a pet, according to an example embodiment.One embodiment provides a first method (illustrated as process 1200 shown in FIG. 12) for interacting with a pet, comprising: providing a system for communicating with a pet from a user of a communication device (block 1201), the system including a treat dispenser for delivery of treats to a pet, a personal computing device in communication with the treat dispenser and further comprising a processor for sending and receiving communication commands, and a speaker in proximity to the treat dispenser; training the pet to make a call to the user (block 1202) by: playing an audio signal via the speaker (block 1203); causing one of the treats to be delivered from the treat dispenser to the pet (block 1204); and stopping the play of the audio signal (block 1205); and facilitating outgoing calls from the pet to the communication device (block 1206), by: initiating a sound to indicate a preselected outgoing call time period during which the pet may initiate a call to the communication device (block 1207); during the preselected outgoing call time period, receiving an indication that the pet has selected a control of the treat dispenser (block 1208); and in response to the received indication, initiating an outgoing call to the communication device, the outgoing call including transmitting live audio or video of the pet (block 1209).
In the first method, the treat dispenser may include multiple food trays that are each configured to deliver treats to the pet, and further comprising: receiving from the communication device a selection of one of the multiple food trays; and in response to the received selection, delivering a treat to the selected food tray.
In the first method, the treat dispenser may have an associated toy that is moveable in response to commands received from the communication device, and further comprising: receiving from the communication device a command to move the toy; and in response to the received command, causing the toy to move.
The first method may further include receiving at the system a communication command; recognizing the communication command; and in response to the communication command, causing one of the treats to be delivered from the treat dispenser to the pet. The communication command may be a spoken command uttered by a user of the communication device, the spoken command played by the personal computing device via the speaker. The communication command may be a verbal command from the user, and the system may further include an audio input device configured to receive the communication command.
The first method may further include during the preselected outgoing call time period, delivering a treat, wherein receiving the indication that the pet has selected the control of the treat dispenser includes receiving an indication that the pet has accessed the treat.
In the first method, facilitating outgoing calls from the pet to the communication device may include in response to the received indication, providing the pet with a treat, thereby rewarding the pet for initiating the outgoing call.
The first method may further include training the pet to respond to spoken commands of a user when played via the speaker by, when the user is in the room with the training dispenser: playing audio of a spoken command via the speaker in time proximity to when the user utters the spoken command so that the pet hears and associates the spoken command played by the speaker and the spoken command uttered by user; and causing one of the treats to be delivered from the treat dispenser to the pet.
In the first method, training the pet to respond to spoken commands of the user may include: recording the spoken commands via an audio input device; and playing one of the recorded spoken commands via the speaker. In the first method, the audio signal may be played from one of an audio signaling device or the speaker. In the first method, the audio signal may be played continuously until receipt of input from the pet.
Another embodiment provides a second method (illustrated as process 1300 shown in FIG. 13) for interacting with a pet, comprising: providing a system for communicating with a pet from a user communication device (block 1301), the system including a treat dispenser having a pet detection mechanism for detecting input from the pet, video conferencing software, and an audio/video device; training the pet to answer a call from a user by (block 1302): playing an audio signal via the audio/video device (block 1303); causing one of the treats to be delivered from the treat dispenser to the pet (block 1304); and stopping the play of the audio signal (block 1305); facilitating outgoing calls from the pet to the communication device (block 1306), by: initiating a sound to indicate a preselected outgoing call time period during which the pet may initiate a call to the communication device (block 1307); during the preselected outgoing call time period, receiving an indication that the pet has selected a control of the treat dispenser via the pet detection mechanism (block 1308); and in response to the received indication, initiating an outgoing call to the communication device, the outgoing call including transmitting live audio or video of the pet (block 1309).
The second method may further include connecting a computing device to the treat dispenser, the computing device executing the video conferencing software, wherein the computing device is connected to the treat dispenser via at least one of a cable or wireless connection.
The second method may further include during the preselected outgoing call time period, delivering a treat, wherein receiving the indication that the pet has selected the control of the treat dispenser includes receiving an indication that the pet has accessed the treat.
In the second method, facilitating outgoing calls from the pet to the communication device may include in response to the received indication, providing the pet with a treat, thereby rewarding the pet for initiating the outgoing call.
The second method may further include training the pet to obtain a treat from the treat dispenser by: playing an audio signal that notifies the pet of the availability of a treat playing audio of a spoken command via the audio/video device in time proximity to when the user utters the spoken command so that the pet hears and associates the spoken command played by the audio/video device with the spoken command uttered by the user; and causing one of the treats to be delivered from the treat dispenser to the pet.
In the second method, training the pet to obtain a treat from the treat dispenser by playing the spoken command may include: recording the spoken command via an audio input device; and playing the spoken command via the audio/video device.
In the second method, the treat dispenser may include multiple food trays that are each configured to deliver treats to the pet, and may further include: receiving from the communication device a selection of one of the multiple food trays; and in response to the received selection, delivering a treat to the selected food tray.
It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those already described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims. Moreover, in interpreting both the specification and the claims, all terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. In particular, the terms “includes,” “including,” “comprises,” and “comprising” should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced elements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements, components, or steps that are not expressly referenced. Where the written description and/or claims refer to at least one of something selected from the group consisting of A, B, C and N, the text should be interpreted as requiring at least one element from the group (A, B, C N), rather than A plus N, or B plus N, etc.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/988,066, filed Jan. 5, 2016 and entitled “INTERNET CANINE COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND METHOD;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/765,546, filed Feb. 12, 2013 and entitled “INTERNET CANINE COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND METHOD;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/752,217, filed Jan. 28, 2013 and entitled “INTERNET CANINE COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND METHOD;” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/689,270, filed Jun. 2, 2012 and entitled “INTERNET CANINE COMMUNICATION DEVICE,” are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent with or contrary to the definition or use of that term provided herein, the definition or use of that term provided herein governs.
While one or more embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of specific embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.
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