US 8,797,166 B2 · Systems, methods and computer program products for monitoring the behavior, health, and/or characteristics of an animal

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer code products for monitoring the behavior, health, and/or characteristics of an animal are disclosed herein. In one implementation, the animal is positioned inside a waste container placed on a system that is adapted to determine, record and communicate over a network various animal health parameters. These parameters can be processed to determine trends, statistics and changes of animal physiological functions. The results can be used to access animal health conditions and issue warnings, alarms, messages, and other notifications to designated caretakers. These notifications may be displayed using various means such as computers and/or mobile devices. Data retrieval and review capability can provide improved understanding of an animal's health conditions and facilitate early illness detection.

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Drawings

Claims18

Dependent claims

A system for monitoring the behavior of an animal, the system comprising:

a sensor configured to detect the presence of the animal;
a measuring device configured to measure a characteristic of the animal whenever presence of the animal is detected;
a network adapter configured to couple to a network;
a storage device configured to store the measured characteristics of the animal and threshold alert data;
and
a processor configured to:
calculate derived data from the measured characteristics, the derived data including at least one of the average daily weight of the animal, the maximum daily weight of the animal, and the minimum daily weight of the animal,
compare either the measured characteristic or the derived data to the stored threshold alert data, and
send, via the network adapter, an alert associated with the animal to be displayed on a remote display device when the measured characteristic or derived data crosses the threshold alert data.

6 more elements

A method for monitoring the behavior of an animal, the method comprising:

detecting the presence of the animal;
measuring a characteristic of the animal whenever presence of the animal is detected;
storing the measured characteristics of the animal;
calculating derived data from the measured characteristics, the derived data including at least one of the average, maximum and minimum rates of food and water consumption, expressed in weight of food and water consumed per unit of time;
comparing either the measured characteristic or the derived data to stored threshold alert data;
and
sending, via a network, an alert associated with the animal to be displayed on a remote display device when the measured characteristic or derived data crosses the threshold alert data.

4 more elements

A computer program product, embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the computer program product comprising:

computer code for detecting the presence of an animal;
computer code for measuring a characteristic of the animal whenever presence of the animal is detected;
computer code for storing the measured characteristics of the animal;
computer code for calculating derived data from the measured characteristics, the derived data including at least one of the cumulative daily duration of time between each detection of the presence of the animal and the departure of the animal, and the average daily time interval between instances where presence of the animal is detected;
computer code for comparing either the measured characteristic or the derived data to stored threshold alert data;
and
computer code for sending, via a network, an alert associated with the animal to be displayed on a remote display device when the measured characteristic or derived data crosses the threshold alert data.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description18,221 words

Summary846 words

#This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/490,635, titled “SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING ANIMAL HEALTH”, filed May 27, 2011, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes.

#The present invention relates to the field of animal health and behavior monitoring, and more particularly, systems, methods, and computer program products for determining, monitoring, processing, recording, and transferring over a network various physiological and behavioral parameters of animals.

#It is animals' natural instinct to hide any signs of weakness, illness and disease, and animals do this very well. In nature, weak animals are an easy prey for predators, or an easy target for their peers, competing over food resources, leadership or mates. Household pets and companion animals are not different from wild animals in this respect: they also hide signs of weakness, illness and disease. For this reason, signs of disease in animals frequently go unnoticed for some time, until the disease progresses to more advanced stages and signs of disease become more severe and observable. Early detection of diseases always leads to the best chance of recovery, as stated by veterinarian doctors.

Brief description of the drawings10 figures

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary animal behavior, health and/or characteristic monitoring system, according to one embodiment of the invention.

#FIG. 2 is a graphical illustration of an exemplary animal behavior, health, and/or characteristics monitoring system comprising a weighing scale and a litter box, according to one embodiment of the invention.

#FIG. 3 is a logical flow-chart illustrating one exemplary method of monitoring an animal's behavior, health, and/or characteristics according to one embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description17,114 words

#Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings, which are provided as illustrative examples so as to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Notably, the figures and examples below are not meant to limit the scope of the present invention to a single embodiment, but other embodiments are possible by way of interchange of or combination with some or all of the described or illustrated elements. Wherever convenient, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to same or like parts.

#Where certain elements of these embodiments can be partially or fully implemented using known components, only those portions of such known components that are necessary for an understanding of the present invention will be described, and detailed descriptions of other portions of such known components will be omitted so as not to obscure the invention.

#In the present specification, an embodiment showing a singular component should not be considered limiting; rather, the invention is intended to encompass other embodiments including a plurality of the same component, and vice-versa, unless explicitly stated otherwise herein.

Facts

Application

13/481,605Filed 25 May 2012 · us provisional application

Priority

27 May 2011

Published

US 2012/0299731 A129 Nov 2012

Granted

5 Aug 2014

Term ends

3 Aug 2032

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 70 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification15 codes

A01K 29/005
Other apparatus for animal husbandry: monitoring or measuring activity
A01K 1/0107
Removal of dung or urine ; Removal of manure from stables: cat trays; Dog urinals; Toilets for pets
A01K 5/0114
Feed troughs; Feed pails: pet food dispensers; Pet food trays
A01K 7/00
Watering equipment for stock or game

Timeline

27 May 2011Priority claimedParent application 61/490,635
25 May 2012Application filedUS 13/481,605
25 May 2012Assigned to Pet Wireless LLCassignment of assignor's interest
29 Nov 2012PublishedUS 2012/0299731 A1
5 Aug 2014GrantedUS 8,797,166 B2
25 Oct 2018Assigned to Nestec Ltdassignment of assignor's interest
6 Jun 2019Assigned to SociéTé Des Produits Nestlé S.A.merger
13 Jun 2019Assigned to SociéTé Des Produits Nestlé S.A.corrective assignment to correct the english translation to show the full and correct new name in section 51. previously recorded at reel: 049391 frame: 0756. assignor(s) hereby confirms the merger.
3 Jul 2020Assigned to SociéTé Des Produits Nestlé S.A.corrective assignment to correct the patent number 16062921 previously recorded on reel 049391 frame 0756. assignor(s) hereby confirms the patent number should have been 16062912.
3 Jul 2020Assigned to SociéTé Des Produits Nestlé S.A.corrective assignment to correct the patent number 16062921 previously recorded on reel 049391 frame 0756. assignor(s) hereby confirms the patent number should have been 16062912.
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
3 Aug 2032Term endsEstimated, includes 70 days of adjustment

Systems, methods and computer program products for monitoring the behavior, health, and/or characteristics of an animal

Life of this patent

Systems, methods and computer program products for monitoring the behavior, health, and/or characteristics of an animal

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims18

Description18,221 words

Drawings

Classification15 codes

Life of this patent

Description18,221 words