IP Library Granted Patent US 12,490,717
Granted Patent B2
US 12,490,717 · App. 18/817,037 · Granted Dec 9, 2025

System and method for detecting and reducing animal vocalizations

Inventors: Paul Mundell (San Francisco, CA); John Honchariw (San Francisco, CA); Libby Rockaway (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Companion Labs, Inc.
A01K15/022
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,490,717
App. No.
18/817,037
Granted
Dec 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

One variation of a method includes: accessing an audio feed captured by an audio sensor integrated within a training apparatus deployed in an environment and configured to dispense units of a treat into a working field in the environment; detecting a bark event at a first time based on audible signals extracted from the audio feed; in response to detecting the bark event, based on environmental signals extracted from the audio feed, interpreting a set of environmental data representing conditions of the environment at the first time; selecting an intervention action, in a set of intervention actions, configured to mitigate the bark event; triggering the training apparatus to dispense units of the treat according to the intervention action; predicting an environmental trigger for the dog based on the bark event and the set of environmental data; and storing the environmental trigger in a dog profile generated for the dog.

Claims (15)

1 . A method for training a dog to reduce barking, comprising:

during a first time period:

accessing an audio feed captured by an audio sensor integrated within a training apparatus deployed in an environment and configured to dispense units of a treat into a working field, within the environment, proximal the training apparatus;

at a first time, detecting a first bark event based on audible signals extracted from the audio feed, the first bark event corresponding to barking of the dog; and

in response to detecting the first bark event:

interpreting a first set of environmental data based on environmental signals extracted from the audio feed, the first set of environmental data representing conditions of the environment at the first time;

selecting an intervention action, in a set of intervention actions, configured to mitigate the first bark event;

triggering the training apparatus to dispense units of the treat according to the intervention action;

predicting a first environmental trigger, for the dog based on the first bark event and the first set of environmental data; and

storing the first environmental trigger, in a set of environmental triggers, in a dog profile generated for the dog; and

during a second time period succeeding the first time period:

accessing the audio feed captured by the audio sensor integrated within the training apparatus;

at a second time, interpreting a second set of environmental data based on environmental signals extracted from the audio feed, the second set of environmental data representing conditions of the environment during the second time period;

in response to the second set of environmental data corresponding to presence of the first environmental trigger in the environment, predicting a second bark event at a third time succeeding the second time; and

in response to predicting the second bark event at the third time, triggering the training apparatus to dispense units of the treat according to the intervention action at a fourth time preceding the third time.

Assignments (3)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 17, 2026
From: SYNERGY IP HOLDINGS, LLC
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 076059/0617 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 24, 2026
From: VETVISION, LLC
To: SYNERGY IP HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 075753/0155 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 20, 2024
From: MUNDELL, PAUL; HONCHARIW, JOHN; ROCKAWAY, LIBBY
To: COMPANION LABS, INC.
Reel/Frame 069343/0499 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63538225 · Sep 13, 2023
Related Publication 20250081937A1 · Mar 13, 2025
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