# US 9,516,860 B2 · Animal monitoring system and method

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- Number: US 9,516,860 B2
- Document ID: US9516860B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/455,221
- Filed: 2014-08-08
- Published: 2015-04-09
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2013-10-04
- Assignees: Thrive Solutions Ltd.
- Applicants: Thrive Solutions Ltd.
- Inventors: Joseph Mervin Toth
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9516860B2

## CPC

- A01K 11/008: {incorporating global positioning system [GPS]}
- A01K 15/023: {Anti-evasion devices}
- A61B 5/02438: {with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient}
- G08B 21/0261: {System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden}
- A61B 5/0022: {Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet}
- A61B 5/01: Measuring temperature of body parts {; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue} (clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20)
- A61B 2503/40: Animals
- G08B 21/0211: {Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature}
- G08B 21/023: {Power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up provisions}
- G08B 21/0272: {System arrangements wherein the object is to detect exact location of child or item using triangulation other than GPS}
- A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS

## Abstract

An animal monitoring system has sensor modules carried on respective animals. Each module includes a GPS position locator to determine a current position of the animal, a transmitter, and a controller arranged to store a previously determined position of the animal thereon. A central monitoring system is located remotely from the animal which stores boundary position data representing a boundary thereon and which is arranged to communicate with the sensor module over a network. If the position of the animal changes significantly, a notification signal is transmitted to the central monitoring system which compares the current position to the boundary position data to determine is a user should be notified of an alarm condition. The sensor modules may also monitor various physiological characteristics of the animal to notify the central monitor system and subsequently the user if the animal appears to be in danger.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of monitoring an animal comprising:
i) providing a monitoring system including:
a sensor module including a housing arranged to be carried on the animal, the housing of the sensor module including therein: a position locator arranged to receive position data from a satellite network and determine a current position of the animal, a transmitter, and a controller arranged to store a previously determined position of the animal thereon; and
a central monitoring system located remotely from the animal which stores boundary position data representing a boundary thereon and which is arranged to communicate with the sensor module over a communications network;
ii) sensing at intervals a position of the animal using the position locator of the sensor module;
iii) at each interval comparing the current position to the previously determined position to determine a notification condition if the current position of the animal has substantially changed relative to the previously determined position using the controller of the sensor module;
iv) transmitting a notification signal which includes the current position to the central monitoring system over a network using the transmitter of the sensor module in response to determination of the notification condition;
v) upon receipt of the notification signal, comparing the current position to the boundary position data using the central monitoring system so as to determine an alarm condition if the current position is outside of the boundary represented by the boundary position data, but not determine an alarm condition until at least the next notification condition if the current position is within the boundary represented by the boundary position data; and
vi) sending an alert from the central monitoring system over the communications network if the alarm condition has been determined.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 including providing the current position with the alert.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 including increasing a frequency of the sensing at intervals of the position of the animal if an alarm condition has been determined.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 including increasing a frequency of the sensing at intervals of the position of the animal if a rate of change of the position exceeds a prescribed speed limit.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein the communications network is a mobile phone communication network.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 including sending said alert from the central monitoring system to a plurality of subscribers if an alarm condition has been determined.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6 wherein the boundary is defined alongside a roadway and the animal comprises a wild animal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 including wherein the animal comprises a livestock animal.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 including providing a condition sensor on the sensor module which is arranged to sense a condition of the animal, storing a prescribed condition criterion on the controller of the sensor module, and transmitting a notification signal which includes the sensed condition of the animal to the central monitoring system if the sensed condition of the animal meets the prescribed condition criterion.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9 wherein the condition of the animal is a heart rate of the animal or a body temperature of the animal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9 including comparing the sensed condition to a previously sensed condition and an ambient temperature to determine an alarm condition at the central monitoring system.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11 including increasing a frequency of the sensing at intervals of the position of the animal if an alarm condition is determined.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 including supporting the housing of the sensor module on the animal using adhesive.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 including supporting the housing of the sensor module under a skin of the animal.

### Claim 15

A method of monitoring an animal comprising:
i) providing a monitoring system including:
a sensor module including a housing arranged to be carried on the animal, a transmitter supported in the housing, a controller supported in the housing and arranged to store a prescribed condition criterion of the animal thereon the condition criterion comprising a permissible range, and a condition sensor in communication with the controller and which is arranged to be carried on the animal so as to sense a current condition of the animal; and
a central monitoring system located remotely from the animal which is arranged to communicate with the sensor module over a communications network and to store sensed conditions of the animal thereon;
ii) sensing at intervals a current condition of the animal using the condition sensor of the sensor module;
iii) at each interval comparing the current condition to the prescribed condition criterion to determine a notification condition using the controller of the sensor module if the current condition of the animal is outside of the permissible range of the prescribed condition criterion; and
iv) at each interval transmitting a notification signal which includes the current condition of the animal to the central monitoring system and storing the current condition of the animal on the central monitoring system only if the notification condition has been met; and
v) upon receipt of a notification signal, using the central monitoring system to i) compare the current condition to at least one of the conditions of the animal that was previously sensed by the condition sensor and stored on the central monitoring station and ii) determine an alarm condition based at least in part on an amount of change in the current condition relative to the said at least one of the conditions of the animal that was previously sensed by the condition sensor; and
vi) sending an alert from the central monitoring system over the communications network if an alarm condition has been determined.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method according to claim 15 wherein the condition of the animal is a heart rate of the animal or a body temperature of the animal.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method according to claim 15 including comparing the current condition to an ambient temperature in addition to said at least one of the previously sensed conditions of the animal to determine the alarm condition at the central monitoring system.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method according to claim 17 including increasing a frequency of the sensing at intervals of the current condition of the animal if the alarm condition is determined.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method according to claim 15 including transmitting a current position of the animal with the notification signal.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 wherein the sensor module includes a movement sensor including an accelerometer component, and wherein the method includes determining if a change in position of the animal has occurred using the accelerometer of the movement sensor and sensing the position of the animal using the position locator of the sensor module only subsequent to determination that the change in position of the animal has occurred using the accelerometer of the movement sensor.