Method and system for remote monitoring, care and maintenance of animals
A system for remote care of an animal includes a smart bowl that includes an open-faced container for holding a substance, a microprocessor, and a proximity sensor configured to detect the presence of a proximity tag attached to an animal.
1. A system for remote care of an animal comprising:
a smart bowl including:
an open-faced container for holding a substance;
a microprocessor; and
a proximity sensor configured to detect the presence of a proximity tag attached to an animal, and the microprocessor being configured to record a timestamp of the animal being in proximity to the smart bowl.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a robotic animal caregiver including:
a housing;
a wireless data communication system disposed within the housing and wirelessly communicatively coupled with an external data communications system; and
a microprocessor in communication with the wireless data communication system disposed within the housing; and
wherein the robotic animal caregiver and the smart bowl take care of the animal in a coordinated manner.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the smart bowl further comprises a wireless communication interface coupled to the microprocessor and configured for communicating with the wireless data communication system of the robotic animal caregiver.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the microprocessor is configured to issue an alert to the robotic animal caregiver to perform a welfare check on the animal in response to the analysis determining that the behavior pattern of the animal is deviating from a stored normal behavior pattern for the animal.
5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the smart bowl further comprises a sensor in communication with the microprocessor and configured to sense a quantity of the substance held in the open-faced container and send the data to the robotic animal caregiver to take action.
6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the microprocessor of the smart bowl is configured to send a refill alert to the robotic animal caregiver in response to one of: a pre-determined schedule, on command, and the sensor sensing that the open-faced container of the smart bowl requires refill.
7. The system of claim 3 , wherein the smart bowl comprises a storage compartment having multiple partitions designed to store at least one of food, water, and medication, and a sensor in communication with the microprocessor and configured to sense a quantity of substances held in the multiple partitions, and the microprocessor of the smart bowl is configured to send a refill alert to the robotic animal caregiver in response to one of: a pre-determined schedule, on command, and the sensor sensing that at least one of the multiple partitions of the storage compartment requires refill.
8. The system of claim 3 , wherein the smart bowl further comprises a camera configured to capture images of the animal feeding or drinking from the open-faced container, the microprocessor of the smart bowl being configured to transmit the captured images to the robotic animal caregiver.
9. The system of claim 3 , wherein the microprocessor is configured to determine how long at least one of a food, water, and medicine has been dispensed in the smart bowl, and to issue a clean-out command to the robotic animal caregiver.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the smart bowl further comprises a wireless communication interface coupled to the microprocessor and configured for communicating with an external data communications system.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the microprocessor is configured to issue an unlock command to enable the animal to exit a door in in response to the analysis determining that the behavior pattern of the animal is indicative of an urge for bowel movement.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the wireless communication interface of the smart bowl is configured to communicate with an aerial drone, and the smart bowl is configured to send a refill alert to the aerial drone in response to one of: a pre-determined schedule, on command, and the sensor sensing that the open-faced container of the smart bowl requires refill.
13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the smart bowl further comprises a camera configured to capture images of the animal feeding or drinking from the open-faced container, the processor being configured to transmit the captured images to at least one of the robotic animal caregiver, a computing device, and a web server.
14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the microprocessor is configured to determine how long at least one of a food, water, and medicine has been dispensed in the smart bowl, and to issue an alert to at least one of a computing device and a web application.
15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor of the smart bowl is configured to analyze the timestamp of the animal being in proximity to the smart bowl and determine a behavior pattern for the animal.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the proximity sensor of the smart bowl is configured to detect the presence and individually identify the proximity tags on a plurality of animals, and the smart bowl dispenses at least one of food, water and medication in response to the individually identified animal.
17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the smart bowl further comprises a sensor in communication with the microprocessor and configured to sense a quantity of the substance held in the open-faced container of the smart bowl.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the smart bowl further comprises a mobility unit configured to move the smart bowl to a central supply station in response to one of: a pre-determined schedule, on command, and the sensor sensing that the open-faced container of the smart bowl requires refill to receive refills of at least one of food, water, and medication.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the smart bowl comprises a storage compartment having multiple partitions designed to store food, water, and medication, and a sensor in communication with the microprocessor and configured to sense a quantity of substances held in the multiple partitions, and the microprocessor of the smart bowl is configured to move the smart bowl to a central supply station in response to one of: a pre-determined schedule, on command, and the sensor sensing that at least one of the multiple partitions requires refill.
20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the smart bowl further comprises a storage compartment, and the microprocessor of the smart bowl is configured to send a refill alert to the storage compartment in response to one of: a pre-determined schedule, on command, and the sensor sensing that the open-faced container of the smart bowl requires refill.
21. The system of claim 1 , wherein the smart bowl is coupled to a storage compartment, and the microprocessor of the smart bowl is configured to send a refill alert to the storage compartment so that the bowl can be refilled with at least one of food, water, and medication stored in the storage compartment.
22. The system of claim 1 , wherein the smart bowl further comprises a motion sensor configured to detect a moving presence and transmit an alert to the microprocessor of the smart bowl.
23. The system of claim 1 , wherein the smart bowl further comprises at least one of a cooling and heating unit configured to at least one of cool and heat contents of the open-face container of the smart bowl.
24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the smart bowl comprises a storage compartment having multiple partitions designed to store at least one of food, water, and medication, and the at least one of the cooling and heating unit being configured to at least one of cooling and heating the contents of at least one of the partitions.
25. The system of claim 1 , wherein the smart bowl further comprises a lighting element configured to activate in response to a sensor detecting at least one of motion and proximity of the animal nearby.
26. The system of claim 1 , wherein the smart bowl further comprises a cleansing/filtering element to clean/filter water filling the open-faced container.
27. The system of claim 1 , wherein the smart bowl further includes a motion sensor and a deterrent device that may be instructed by the microprocessor to issue at least one of loud noise, chemical spray, and water spray in response to detecting an unauthorized animal feeding from the smart bowl.
28. The system of claim 1 , wherein the smart bowl further includes a lid that may be instructed by the microprocessor to securely cover the open-face container in response to detecting an unauthorized animal feeding from the smart bowl.
29. The system of claim 1 , wherein the smart bowl further comprises a mobility unit configured to move the smart bowl.