Automatic feeding system, device and method
OwnerSteve Whelaninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention addresses the problem of how to separately regulate the food intake of multiple animals using the same feeder with the goal of maintaining healthy weight for all. The invention provides a means to prevent access to the feeder by animals that have exceeded their allowance (as dictated by programmable profiles) as well as preventing unauthorized animals (such as excluded pets, wild animals or animals on a special diet). The methods can be applied to a broad range of feeders: for domestic pets, livestock, zoo animals and other managed animals. The invention is particularly well suited to dry food gravity feeders. The invention details electronic and electro-mechanical embodiments of devices intended for the described purpose.
Claims7
An improved automatic feeding system, comprising:
- an electronic identification (ID) reader circuit capable of communicating with ID transponders without a wired connection;
- a plurality of ID transponders to be worn by animals using the feeder;
- a computing device and circuit using an algorithm to determine the amount fed, by comparing the feeding time of an animal during an arbitrary interval relative to its feeding time during a calibration interval, and an algorithm using this information to calculate individual feeding parameters by comparing with defined or calculated limits in order to intelligently control access to a food source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.