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.
|
0. 29. A system for communicating with a pet, comprising:
a base station comprising:
a treat bin;
a treat dispenser configured to deliver a pet treat from the treat bin; and
an input device comprising at least one of a microphone, a motion detector, or a camera;
wherein the base station is configured to:
play at least one of audio or image data received from a user of a remote client device;
notify the pet to indicate beginning of a preselected outgoing call time period during which the pet may initiate a call to the remote client device;
during the preselected outgoing call time period, receive a signal from the input device indicative of a sound or action; and
in response to the received signal during the preselected outgoing call time period, begin transmission to the remote client device of data associated with the pet.
0. 41. A system for communicating with a pet, comprising:
a base station including a speaker and an input device comprising at least one of a microphone, a motion detector, or a camera; and
a mobile application that includes instructions that are configured to execute on a central processing unit of a remote client device to cause, in response to user input, a treat delivery command to be communicated to the base station,
wherein the base station is configured to:
receive the treat delivery command;
in response to the treat delivery command:
dispense at least one treat; and
play via the speaker an audio signal that notifies the pet of availability of a treat; and
transmit to the mobile application data associated with the pet, wherein the base station begins transmission of the data associated with the pet in response to a sound or action that is detected via the input device.
0. 37. A system for communicating with a pet, comprising:
a base station comprising:
a treat bin;
a treat dispenser that delivers treats from the treat bin;
an audio device;
an input device comprising at least one of a microphone, a motion detector, or a camera; and
a microprocessor that is configured to:
receive a treat delivery command from a remote client device; and
in response to the received treat delivery command, cause:
the treat dispenser to deliver at least one treat from the treat bin; and
the audio device to play an audio signal that notifies the pet of availability of a treat; and
wherein the system:
in response to user input to an application that includes instructions executing on a central processing unit of the remote client device, causes the treat delivery command to be communicated to the microprocessor;
plays at least one of audio or image data received from the remote client device; and
transmits to the application on the remote client device audio or image data associated with the pet, wherein the system begins transmission of the audio or image data associated with the pet in response a sound or action that is detected via the input device.
0. 24. A system for communicating with a pet, comprising:
a base station having:
a treat bin;
a treat dispenser configured to deliver a pet treat from the treat bin;
an audio device including at least one of a speaker or a bell; and
an input device comprising at least one of a microphone, a motion detector, or a camera;
a mobile application that includes instructions that, when executed by a central processing unit of a remote client device, cause the remote client device to transmit to the base station a treat delivery command in response to input from a user,
wherein the base station is configured to:
in response to the treat delivery command received from the mobile application, cause the treat dispenser to deliver to a pet the treat from the treat bin and cause the audio device to play a sound that notifies the pet of availability of the treat;
play at least one of live audio or image data received from the remote client device; and
transmit for receipt by the remote client device audio or image data associated with the pet, wherein the base station begins transmission of the audio or image data associated with the pet in response to a signal from the input device indicative of a sound or action.
0. 20. A system for interacting with a pet, comprising:
a base station having:
a treat bin configured to hold a pet treat;
a treat dispenser configured to deliver the pet treat from the treat bin;
one or more output devices including an audio device;
an input device comprising at least one of a microphone, a motion detector, or a camera; and
a microprocessor in communication with the treat dispenser, the input device, and the one or more output devices;
a computer application operable on a mobile device or computer, the computer application having instructions which, when executed by the mobile device or computer, are configured to receive at the mobile device or computer an input from a user indicative of a desire to deliver the pet treat to the pet, and to cause the mobile device or computer to transmit a treat delivery command to the base station;
the microprocessor further being configured to:
after receipt of the treat delivery command at the base station, cause the treat dispenser to deliver the pet treat, and cause the output device to produce a noise associated with the delivery of the pet treat;
cause the output device to play at least one of audio data or video data received at the base station from the mobile device or computer; and
automatically, after receipt of an input from the input device indicative of a sound or action, begin transmission of at least one of audio data from the microphone or image data from the camera.
0. 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.
0. 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.
0. 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.
0. 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.
0. 5. The method of
0. 6. The method of
0. 7. The method of
0. 8. The method of
0. 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.
0. 10. The method of
recording the spoken commands via an audio input device; and
playing one of the recorded spoken commands via the speaker.
0. 11. The method of
0. 12. The method of
0. 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.
0. 14. The method of
0. 15. The method of
0. 16. The method of
0. 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.
0. 18. The method of
recording the spoken command via an audio input device; and
playing the spoken command via the audio/video device.
0. 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.
0. 21. The system of claim 20, wherein the computer application executes on a smart phone operated by the user.
0. 22. The system of claim 20, wherein the one or more output devices include a video display.
0. 23. The system of claim 20, wherein the transmission is to the mobile device or computer for substantially live play of the transmission on the mobile device or computer.
0. 25. The system of claim 24, wherein the base station transmits the data over a communication network.
0. 26. The system of claim 24, wherein the transmission of the audio or image data comprises live audio of the pet.
0. 27. The system of claim 24, wherein the transmission of the audio or image data comprises video of the pet.
0. 28. The system of claim 24, wherein the base station, in response to an incoming call from the remote client device:
notifies the pet of the incoming call; and
transmits audio or image data of the pet to the remote client device.
0. 30. The system of claim 29, wherein the base station notifies the pet by playing a sound.
0. 31. The system of claim 29, wherein the base station notifies the pet by activating a light.
0. 32. The system of claim 29, wherein the base station begins transmission of the data associated with the pet by transmitting audio of the pet.
0. 33. The system of claim 29, wherein the base station begins transmission of the data associated with the pet by transmitting image data of the pet.
0. 34. The system of claim 29, wherein the base station:
in response to a treat delivery command:
deliver to a pet the pet treat from the treat bin; and
notifies the pet of availability of a treat.
0. 35. The system of claim 34, wherein the base station notifies the pet of the availability of the treat by playing an audio signal via a speaker.
0. 36. The system of claim 35, wherein the base station notifies the pet of the availability of the treat by activating a light.
0. 38. The system of claim 37, wherein the system begins transmission of the audio or image data associated by the pet by beginning transmission of video data of the pet.
0. 39. The system of claim 37, wherein input device is a microphone and wherein the signal from the input device is based a sound that is made by the pet and that is detected by the microphone.
0. 40. The system of claim 38, wherein the input device is a motion sensor and wherein the signal from the input device is based on motion of the pet that is detected by a motion sensor.
0. 42. The system of claim 41, wherein the data associated with the pet is image data of the pet.
0. 43. The system of claim 42, wherein the image data of the pet is video of the pet.
0. 44. The system of claim 41, wherein the data associated with the pet is sound made by the pet.
0. 45. The system of claim 41, wherein the input device is a microphone and wherein the signal is based on a sound that is made by the pet and detected by the microphone.
0. 46. The system of claim 41, wherein the input device is a motion sensor and wherein signal is based on motion of the pet that is detected by the motion sensor.
|
|||||||||||||||||||
This application is a FIG. 12 is a flow diagram of a process performed by a mobile device or computer according to some embodiments.FIG. 12 is a flow diagram of a process 1200 performed by a mobile device or computer according to some embodiments. The process 1200 begins at block 1202, where it receives at a mobile device or computer an input from a user indicative of a desire to deliver the pet treat to the pet. At block 1204, the process causes the mobile device or computer to transmit a treat delivery command to a base station.
FIG. 13 is a flow diagram of a process 1300 for communicating with a pet according to one embodiment. The process 1300 begins at block 1302, where, after receipt of a treat delivery command at the base station, the process causes a treat dispenser to deliver a pet treat and causes an output device to produce a noise associated with the delivery of the pet treat. At block 1304, the process causes the output device to play at least one of audio data or video data received at the base station from the mobile device or computer. At block 1306, the process automatically, after receipt of an input from the input device indicative of a sound or action, begins transmission of at least one of audio data from the microphone or image data from the camera.
FIG. 14 is a flow diagram of a process 1600 for communicating with a pet according to another embodiment. The process 1400 begins at block 1402, where it receives a treat delivery command from a remote client device. At block 1404, in response to the treat delivery command, the process causes a food dispenser to deliver at least one treat from a treat bin and causes a speaker to play an audio signal that notifies a pet of availability of a treat. At block 1406, the process plays at least one of audio or image data received from the remote client device. At block 1408, the process transmits to the remote client device audio or image data associated with the pet, wherein transmission begins in response to a sound or action that is detected via an input device.
FIG. 15 is a flow diagram of a process 1500 for communicating with a pet according to a further embodiment. The process 1500 begins at block 1502, where it plays at least one of audio or image data received from a user of a remote client device. At block 1504, the process notifies the pet to indicate beginning of a preselected outgoing call time period during which the pet may initiate a call to the remote client device. At block 1506, the process, during the preselected outgoing call time period, receives a signal from the input device indicative of a sound or action. At block 1508, the process, in response to the received signal during the preselected outgoing call time period, begins transmission to the remote client device of data associated with the pet.
The process of
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.
| Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
| Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
| 5239943, | Jun 05 1992 | Tae Lim Electronics Co., Ltd. | Automatic animal feeder |
| 5299529, | Mar 23 1993 | Automatic feeder for dogs and other animals | |
| 6273027, | Nov 24 1999 | Automatic training device and method | |
| 6904868, | Jul 12 2002 | Interactive mobile food dispenser | |
| 7002466, | Jul 08 2002 | Great Plains Assistance Dogs Foundation, Inc. | Emergency alert systems |
| 7263953, | Mar 30 2005 | Automatic pet trainer | |
| 7424867, | Jul 15 2004 | GOOGLE LLC | Camera system for canines, felines, or other animals |
| 7650855, | May 24 2007 | Automatic pet feeder | |
| 7654230, | Jun 07 2004 | ORGANIC PET, LLC | Domestic animal telephone |
| 7878152, | Jun 07 2004 | ORGANIC PET, LLC | Domestic animal telephone |
| 8201522, | Jun 07 2004 | ORGANIC PET, LLC | Domestic animal telephone |
| 8347817, | Apr 29 2008 | Pet feeder | |
| 8588967, | Jul 06 2011 | Internet-accessible pet treat dispensing apparatus | |
| 20040194714, | |||
| 20050224003, | |||
| 20050252457, | |||
| 20050284412, | |||
| 20060011145, | |||
| 20060208910, | |||
| 20070012253, | |||
| 20070103542, | |||
| 20070144446, | |||
| 20080282988, | |||
| 20090056640, | |||
| 20090223463, | |||
| 20100089327, | |||
| 20100095896, | |||
| 20100275851, | |||
| 20110018994, | |||
| 20110080459, | |||
| 20110139076, | |||
| 20120006282, | |||
| 20120024237, | |||
| 20120160176, | |||
| 20130300863, | |||
| CN201563474, | |||
| CN201797838, | |||
| D699758, | Dec 12 2012 | ORGANIC PET, LLC | Pet communication device |
| FI122052, | |||
| GB2454658, | |||
| JP1219924, | |||
| JP3003550, | |||
| JP7250585, | |||
| KR100415155, | |||
| WO2009087451, | |||
| WO2008140992, |
| Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
| Date | Maintenance Fee Events |
| Jan 26 2022 | BIG: Entity status set to Undiscounted (note the period is included in the code). |
| Feb 02 2022 | SMAL: Entity status set to Small. |
| Date | Maintenance Schedule |
| Oct 17 2026 | 4 years fee payment window open |
| Apr 17 2027 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
| Oct 17 2027 | patent expiry (for year 4) |
| Oct 17 2029 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 4) |
| Oct 17 2030 | 8 years fee payment window open |
| Apr 17 2031 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
| Oct 17 2031 | patent expiry (for year 8) |
| Oct 17 2033 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 8) |
| Oct 17 2034 | 12 years fee payment window open |
| Apr 17 2035 | 6 months grace period start (w surcharge) |
| Oct 17 2035 | patent expiry (for year 12) |
| Oct 17 2037 | 2 years to revive unintentionally abandoned end. (for year 12) |