Granted Patent B1

US 12,653,154 · App. 18/801,742 · Granted Jun 16, 2026

Inventors: Rodney P. Landers (Stillwater, MN); Kevin L. Nieuwsma (Lakeville, MN)

A01K15/023

Abstract

Claims (55)

1 . In combination, an animal location training apparatus and a mobile training aid,

said animal location training apparatus having:

at least one animal stimulation apparatus coupled with an animal and configured to selectively provide stimulation to said animal;

a wireless location determination apparatus coupled with said animal and configured to operatively generate current position identifying information representative of a current position of said animal;

an electrical processor coupled to said wireless location determination apparatus and operative to receive said current position identifying information therefrom, and responsive thereto to selectively actuate said animal stimulation apparatus to selectively provide said stimulation to said animal; and

a communications link enabling wireless communications with said mobile training aid, said communications link configured to communicate said selectively provided stimulation to said mobile training aid;

said mobile training aid having:

a communications link enabling wireless communications with said animal location training apparatus;

a human interactive communications apparatus configured to communicate with a human and emulate said selectively provided stimulation; and

a trigger configured to be selectively actuated by a human through said human interactive communications apparatus, and responsive thereto to send an animal stimulation apparatus actuation signal through said mobile training aid communications link to said animal location training apparatus communications link, and responsive thereto selectively actuate said animal stimulation apparatus to provide stimulation to said animal;

wherein said trigger comprises a button; and

wherein said button is only displayed through said human interactive communications apparatus when said current position of said animal is within a safe zone and said at least one animal stimulation apparatus is thereby not generating any alert or warning stimuli.

2 . The combination animal location training apparatus and mobile training aid of claim 1 , wherein said trigger is configured to trigger an increasing stimulation generated within said location training apparatus responsive to an increase in time subsequent to sending said animal stimulation apparatus actuation signal.

3 . The combination animal location training apparatus and mobile training aid of claim 2 , wherein either one or both of a type and an intensity of said stimulation provided to said animal can be changed at successive ramp steps.

4 . The combination animal location training apparatus and mobile training aid of claim 1 , wherein said trigger is configured to send a trigger selective deactivation signal through said mobile training aid communications link to said animal location training apparatus communications link, and responsive thereto selectively deactivate said animal stimulation apparatus stimulation provision.

5 . The combination animal location training apparatus and mobile training aid of claim 1 , wherein said at least one animal stimulation apparatus is configured to selectively deactivate said animal stimulation apparatus stimulation provision responsive to an elapse of a predetermined trigger deactivation time limit subsequent to sending said animal stimulation apparatus actuation signal.

6 . The combination animal location training apparatus and mobile training aid of claim 1 , wherein said animal stimulation apparatus actuation signal comprises a single one of two possible binary signals.

7 . The combination animal location training apparatus and mobile training aid of claim 1 , wherein said animal stimulation apparatus actuation signal comprises a short burst transmission.

8 . The combination animal location training apparatus and mobile training aid of claim 1 , wherein said at least one animal stimulation apparatus ramps up said stimulation provided to said animal while said button is actuated, and when said button is no longer actuated, said mobile training apparatus sends a stop signal to said location training apparatus, which responsive thereto discontinues said stimulation.

9 . The combination animal location training apparatus and mobile training aid of claim 1 , wherein said at least one animal stimulation apparatus ramps up said stimulation provided to said animal while said button is actuated, and when said button is no longer actuated and subsequently reactuated, said mobile training apparatus sends a stop signal to said location training apparatus, which responsive thereto discontinues said stimulation.

10 . The combination animal location training apparatus and mobile training aid of claim 1 , wherein a caption for said button is dynamically updated to correspond to particular circumstances.

11 . The combination animal location training apparatus and mobile training aid of claim 1 ,

wherein said wireless location determination apparatus is configured to determine an instantaneous latitude-longitude-location of said animal; and

wherein said animal location training apparatus further comprises electrically accessible memory containing a two-dimensional array corresponding to longitude and latitude;

a data table that is stored in said memory; and

a plurality of guidance zone values stored in said data table, with each guidance zone value stored in said data table identifying a one of a safe zone associated with a first behavioral guidance stimulation, an alert zone circumscribing said safe zone associated with a second behavioral guidance stimulation different from said first behavioral guidance stimulation, and an out-of-bounds zone circumscribing said alert zone associated with a third behavioral guidance stimulation different from said first and second behavioral guidance stimulations;

said electrical processor configured to operatively compare said received current position identifying information to said data table to generate a first represented current position within said data table and to generate a second represented current position that is subsequent to said first represented current position and further configured to vary an output of said at least one animal stimulation apparatus responsive to said second represented current position relative to said first represented current position, and further configured to determine when said animal is outside of said safe zone, and to control an output of said at least one animal stimulation apparatus to provide positive stimulus when said animal is determined to be outside of said safe zone and said second represented current position relative to said first represented current position is indicative of movement toward said safe zone.

12 . In combination, an animate being location training apparatus and a mobile training aid,

said animate being location training apparatus having:

at least one animate being stimulation apparatus coupled with an animate being and configured to selectively provide stimulation to said animate being;

a wireless location determination apparatus coupled with said animate being and configured to operatively generate current position identifying information representative of a current position of said animate being;

an electrical processor coupled to said wireless location determination apparatus and operative to receive said current position identifying information therefrom, and responsive thereto to selectively actuate said animate being stimulation apparatus to selectively provide said stimulation to said animate being; and

a communications link enabling wireless communications with said mobile training aid, said communications link configured to communicate said selectively provided stimulation to said mobile training aid;

said mobile training aid having:

a communications link enabling wireless communications with said animate being location training apparatus;

a human interactive communications apparatus configured to communicate with a human and emulate said selectively provided stimulation; and

a trigger configured to be selectively actuated by a human through said human interactive communications apparatus, and responsive thereto to send an animate being stimulation apparatus actuation signal through said mobile training aid communications link to said animate being location training apparatus communications link, and responsive thereto selectively actuate said animate being stimulation apparatus to provide stimulation to said animate being;

wherein said trigger comprises a button; and

wherein said button is only displayed through said human interactive communications apparatus when said current position of said animal is within a safe zone and said at least one animal stimulation apparatus is thereby not generating any alert or warning stimuli.

13 . An animal location training system, comprising an animal location training apparatus and a mobile training aid,

said animal location training apparatus having:

at least one animal stimulation apparatus coupled with an animal and configured to selectively provide stimulation to said animal;

a wireless location determination apparatus coupled with said animal and configured to operatively generate current position identifying information representative of a current position of said animal;

an electrical processor coupled to said wireless location determination apparatus and operative to receive said current position identifying information therefrom, and

responsive thereto to selective actuate said animal stimulation apparatus to selectively provide said stimulation to said animal; and

a communications link enabling wireless communications with said mobile training aid, said communications link configured to communicate said selectively provided stimulation to said mobile training aid;

said mobile training aid having:

a communications link enabling wireless communications with said animal location training apparatus;

a human interactive communications apparatus configured to communicate with a human and emulate said selectively provided stimulation; and

a trigger configured to be selectively actuated by a human through said human interactive communications apparatus, and responsive thereto to send an animal stimulation apparatus actuation signal through said mobile training aid communications link to said animal location training apparatus communications link, and responsive thereto5 selectively actuate said animal stimulation apparatus to provide stimulation to said animal;

wherein said trigger comprises a voice activation apparatus configured to translate preselected commands from voice to said animal stimulation apparatus actuation signal independent of a tone or volume of said voice; and

wherein said trigger comprises a button; and

wherein said button is only displayed through said human interactive communications apparatus when said current position of said animal is within a safe zone and said at least one animal stimulation apparatus is thereby not generating any alert or warning stimuli.

14 . The animal location training system of claim 13 , wherein said voice activation apparatus further comprises target animal selective commands, wherein a target animal is designated by a name spoken by said voice.

15 . The animal location training system of claim 13 , wherein said animal location training apparatus electrical processor is configured to detect whether the animal has started to respond to said stimulation, and, if so, to alter said stimulation to said animal responsive thereto.

Continuity (1)

References Cited (400)