Powered smart dog tether
AssigneeJW Pet Products LLC
InventorsJohn Wilson, Paul R. Metcalfe, Scott E. Urban
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An animal tether system and method wherein the rate of extension and retraction of the tether and/or the length of the tether can be actively controlled at least in part as a function of the angular direction and/or speed and/or length of which the tether extends/retracts. The system can be used to maintain an animal in a non-circular boundary, such as a rectangular space, by controlling how far the tether can extend at certain angular positions. The system also allows a user to block off certain areas within a space from access by the animal.
Claims15
A tether system for an animal comprising:
- a reel;
- a tether supported on the reel for extension and retraction in response to rotation of the reel;
- a motor operatively connected to the reel for rotating the reel to extend and retract the tether;
- at least one sensor configured to sense a condition of at least one of the reel, the tether or the motor;
- and
- a controller for controlling the motor to extend and retract the tether based at least in part on data received from the at least one sensor.
A method for controlling a tether system for an animal comprising:
- sensing at least one of an angular direction of extension of the tether, a radial length of the tether, or a rate of extension of the tether;
- and
- activating, at least in part based on data generated by the sensing, at least one of a brake for braking extension of the tether or a motor for retracting the tether;
- wherein the tether system includes a reel, a tether supported on the reel for extension and retraction in response to rotation of the reel, a motor operatively connected to the reel for rotating the reel to extend and retract the tether, and a controller for controlling the motor to extend and retract the tether based at least in part in data received from at least one sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.