Rearming electronic animal trap with infrared sensor and multiple-killing-plate configuration

An electronic pest trap comprising:

• a trap body having a power source and a mechanism for placing said trap into an active standby mode;
• a plurality of killing plates positioned within said trap body;
• an infrared sensor positioned within said trap body and including an infrared transmitter and an infrared receiver configured to transmit and receive, respectively, an infrared beam signal across a width of said trap;
• a high-voltage circuit coupled to said killing plates, said circuit, with said trap in said active standby mode, activating in response to said infrared sensor detecting a threshold interruption in said infrared beam signal such that said power source delivers a high-voltage pulse train through said circuit to said killing plates for a time period, said threshold interruption being reached when said infrared receiver does not receive said infrared beam signal for two consecutive transmissions;
• and
• a timing mechanism for terminating current flow to said killing plates upon completion of said time period.

A method for exterminating a pest using an electronic pest trap having a high-voltage circuit electrically coupled to a plurality of killing plates, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) placing the trap into an active standby mode in which an interruptible beam signal is transmitted across a pathway of the trap;
• b) automatically activating said high-voltage circuit in response to a threshold interruption of said beam signal as detected by an interruptible beam sensor, said threshold interruption being reached when said interruptible beam sensor does not receive said beam signal for two consecutive transmissions;
• c) delivering, by said circuit upon said automatic activation, a high-voltage pulse train to said killing plates;
• and
• d) terminating current flow to said killing plates after a specified time period.