Granted Patent B2

US 12,664,898 · App. 18/650,781 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Inventors: Terry Anderton (Hampton Falls, NH); Samuel Stoddard (Somersworth, NH)

Assignee: Protect Animals with Satellites, LLC

G08G5/30G08G5/55G08G5/57G08G5/59G08G5/74H04W4/40H04W4/80

Abstract

Claims (51)

1 . A collar comprising:

a strap configured to be worn by an animal;

one or more processors; and

a memory storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, being configured to cause the collar to:

receive a first signal from a first wireless transmitter;

receive a second signal from a second wireless transmitter;

based at least in part on the first signal and the second signal, determine whether the collar is located in a prohibited zone, wherein the prohibited zone is defined by distance metrics recorded to the memory while the collar is moved along a border of the prohibited zone; and

in response to determining that the collar is located in the prohibited zone, output one or more corrective actions.

2 . The collar of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the collar is located in the prohibited zone comprises:

estimating a first distance metric measured between the collar and the first wireless transmitter;

estimating a second distance metric measured between the collar and the second wireless transmitter.

3 . The collar of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, are further configured to cause the collar to:

determine whether the collar has exited the prohibited zone; and

in response to determining that the collar has exited the prohibited zone, output one or more positive feedback actions.

4 . The collar of claim 1 , wherein the prohibited zone comprises a non-circular shape.

5 . The collar of claim 4 , wherein the prohibited zone comprises a rectangular shape.

6 . The collar of claim 1 , wherein the first signal and the second signal comprise two different types of wireless signals.

7 . The collar of claim 6 , wherein the first signal comprises a Bluetooth signal and the second signal comprises a Wi-Fi signal.

8 . The collar of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the collar to output a message to one or more connected devices.

9 . A collar comprising:

a strap configured to be worn by an animal;

one or more processors; and

a memory storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, being configured to cause the collar to:

receive a first wireless signal from a first wireless transmitter;

receive a second wireless signal from a second wireless transmitter; and

while the collar is moved along a border of a prohibited zone:

determine a plurality of first distance metrics between the collar and the first wireless transmitter, the plurality of first distance metrics corresponding to a plurality of locations;

determine a plurality of second distance metrics between the collar and the wireless transmitter, the plurality of second distance metrics corresponding to the plurality of locations; and

record the plurality of first distance metrics and the plurality of second distance metrics to the memory, the plurality of first distance metrics and the plurality of second distance metrics defining the prohibited zone.

10 . The collar of claim 9 , wherein the prohibited zone comprises a non-circular shape.

11 . The collar of claim 10 , wherein the prohibited zone comprises a rectangular shape.

12 . The collar of claim 10 , wherein the prohibited zone comprises a three-dimensional shape.

13 . The collar of claim 9 , wherein the first signal and the second signal comprise two different types of signals.

14 . The collar of claim 13 , wherein the first signal comprises a Bluetooth signal and the second signal comprises a Wi-Fi signal.

15 . The collar of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, are further configured to cause the collar to:

determine whether the collar is located in the prohibited zone; and

in response to determining that the collar is located in the prohibited zone, output one or more corrective actions.

16 . The collar of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, are further configured to cause the collar to:

determine whether the collar has exited the prohibited zone; and

in response to determining that the collar has exited the prohibited zone, output one or more positive feedback actions.

17 . The collar of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further causes the collar to output a message to one or more connected devices.

18 . A collar comprising:

receiving, at a wireless device, a first wireless signal from a first wireless transmitter;

receiving, at the wireless device, a second wireless signal from a second wireless transmitter;

moving the wireless device along a border of a prohibited zone, the prohibited zone comprising an area where an animal is discouraged from entering;

while moving the wireless device along the border of the prohibited zone:

determining a plurality of first distance metrics between the wireless device and the first wireless transmitter corresponding to a plurality of locations;

determining a plurality of second distance metrics between the wireless device and the wireless transmitter corresponding to the plurality of locations; and

recording the plurality of first distance metrics and the plurality of second distance metrics to a memory, the plurality of first distance metrics and the plurality of second distance metrics defining the prohibited zone.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the wireless device comprises a mobile phone.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the wireless device comprises a smart collar.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (228)