# US 11,026,399 B2 · Automated animal feeding system and method of use > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,026,399 B2 - Document ID: US11026399B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/035,396 - Filed: 2018-07-13 - Published: 2019-01-17 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-07-14 - Assignees: Game Country Inc. - Applicants: Game Country Inc. - Inventors: Terry Leggett; George William Estep, II; Robert Allen Hatcherson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11026399B2 ## CPC - A01K 5/0291: {with timing mechanisms, e.g. pet feeders} - A01K 5/0275: {with mechanisms for delivery of measured doses} - G01S 19/14: specially adapted for specific applications - A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract Disclosed herein are various aspects of animal feeders and animal feeding systems. In one aspect, the animal feeding system includes: (1) a container for receiving feed therein, (2) a sensor, (3) a controller, (4) a communications module coupled with the controller and configured for both short-range and long-range communication with at least one user interface and the at least one sensor, (5) a dispenser for dispensing feed, and (6) a gate connected with a motor, the gate for controlling the flow of food from the container to the dispenser, the gate controlled by a motor, wherein the controller is configured to automatically regulate feeding times according to the location of the animal feeding system and the corresponding sunrise and sunset times of the location. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An animal feeding system comprising: a container for receiving feed therein; a sensor; a controller; a communications module coupled with the controller and configured for both short-range and long-range communication with at least one user interface and the at least one sensor; a dispenser for dispensing feed; and a gate connected with a motor, the gate for controlling the flow of food from the container to the dispenser, the gate controlled by a motor; wherein the controller is configured to automatically regulate feeding times according to the location of the animal feeding system and the corresponding sunrise and sunset times of the location. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The animal feeding system as recited in claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to receive inputs from the at least one sensor and the at least one user interface and further employ the inputs to regulate the feeding times. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The animal feeding system as recited in claim 1 wherein the controller is programmed with a global positioning locator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The animal feeding system as recited in claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to receive weather updates based on the global positioning locator and update the feeding times based on the received weather updates. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The animal feeding system as recited in claim 1 wherein the dispenser is a mechanical spreader. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The animal feeding system as recited in claim 1 wherein the sensor is a motion sensor for detecting motion near the animal feeding system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The animal feeding system as recited in claim 1 wherein the sensor is for detecting a level of feed in the container. ### Claim 8 A resource management system for controlling multiple animal feeding systems, comprising: a communications interface configured to communicate with controllers of multiple animal feeding systems, wherein each of the multiple animal feeding systems has a unique location; and a processor configured to direct the controllers to automatically regulate feeding times according to each unique location and the corresponding sunrise and sunset times of the unique location. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The resource management system as recited in claim 8 wherein the communications interface receives settings for the feeding times from a user via the communications interface and the processor is further configured to control the feeding times according to the settings. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The resource management system as recited in claim 9 wherein the settings are different for at least one unique location. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The resource management system as recited in claim 8 wherein each unique location is determined by a global positioning system data. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The resource management system as recited in claim 8 wherein the processor is further configured to control the operation of devices associated with the animal feeding systems. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The resource management system as recited in claim 9 wherein the devices include cameras, sensors, and drones. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The resource management system as recited in claim 8 wherein the processor is configured to automatically determine a time of sunrise and sunset for each unique location based on GPS data. ### Claim 15 A computer program product having a set of operating instructions stored on a computer readable medium that direct operation of at least one animal feeding system, the instructions comprising: receiving a location of an animal feeding system; receiving feeding settings for the animal feeding system that include a feeding speed and a feeding rate; determining sunrise and sunset for the location employing global positioning data; and automatically providing feed at the animal feeding system based on the sunrise and sunset and the feeding settings. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The computer program product as recited in claim 15, wherein the receiving the feeding settings, the determining, and the automatically providing the feeding instructions are performed for multiple animal feeding systems.