Patent Application
20180116170
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 37 CFR 1.71(d).
The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention(s). It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art, or material, to the presently described or claimed inventions, or that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
The present invention relates generally to the field of communication devices and more specifically relates to a pet servicing device to meet the needs of cats, dogs, and possibly birds, for up to three or four weeks, while the owners are away structured and arranged to provide food, water, various activities, and human contact via the Internet.
In the United States, 63% of the households include pets, and the proportion of households with pets is larger than those with children. A pet or companion animal is an animal kept primarily for a person's company, protection, or entertainment rather than as a working animal, livestock, or laboratory animal. Popular pets are often noted for their attractive appearances, and their loyal or playful personalities.
Pets provide their owners physical and emotional benefits. Walking a dog can supply both the human and pet with exercise, fresh air, and social interaction. Pets can give companionship to elderly adults who do not have adequate social interaction with other people, as well as to other people who are living alone. There is a medically approved class of therapy animals, mostly dogs or cats, that are brought to visit confined humans, such as children in hospitals or elders in nursing homes. Pet therapy utilizes trained animals and handlers to achieve specific physical, social, cognitive, and emotional goals with patients.
As responsible pet owners, we provide our pets with shelter and care. In return, they give us unrestricted love and attention. While away, pet owners need a way to provide for their pet's needs when they are away on vacation. Pet owners do not always trust pet sitters and hates the idea of their pet being enclosed in a tiny cage at a pet hotel while they are away. Therefore, a need exists for a specially designed way to provide food, water, and human contact while also monitoring their activity and keeping them busy while their owners are gone.
Various attempts have been made to solve problems found in communication device art. Among these are found in: U.S. Pat. No. 9,226,477 to Andrew Peter Davis; U.S. Publication No. 9737049 to Trotier et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 20040194714 to Ji-hong Lee; U.S. Pat. No. 20110139076 to Pu et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,529 to Peter Ramirez This prior art is representative of communication and/or automatic feeding devices for pets while they are alone.
Ideally, a pet servicing should be user-friendly and safe in-use and, yet should operate reliably and be manufactured at a modest expense. Thus, a need exists for a pet servicing device to meet the needs of cats, dogs, and possibly birds, for up to three or four weeks, while the owners are away structured and arranged to provide food, water, various activities, and human contact via the Internet and to avoid the above-mentioned problems.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known communication device art, the present invention provides a Pet Servicing Device (entitled Robo Pet-Sitter). The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail is to provide a pet servicing device to meet the needs of cats, dogs, and possibly birds, for up to three or four weeks, while the owners are away structured and arranged to provide food, water, various activities, and human contact via the Internet.
A pet servicing device comprising: a base station; a plurality of modules; and a control panel. The base station includes a base portion and an elongated spindle member. The base portion includes an outer wall and an interior volume defined by the outer wall, and a power source. The base portion is adapted to be securely placed on a supporting surface. The power source is located within the interior volume and is adapted to provide power thereto. The power member is located within and along the elongated interior volume, is connected to the power source of the base station and is adapted to provide power along and through the outer wall and into modules placed thereon. The elongated spindle member including an outer wall and an elongated interior volume defined by the outer wall, and a power member. The spindle member is connected at a proximal end to the base portion and extends upwardly therefrom.
The plurality of modules, each comprising: a body portion, a power member, and at least one mechanical device. The body portion includes an outer wall and an interior volume defined by the outer wall, an aperture, and at least one opening. The aperture is formed on the outer wall and is adapted to allow the spindle member to pass therethrough, such that the module is adapted to be placed removably and securely upon the base station.
The at least one opening is formed on an outer edge of the outer wall. The power member is located within the interior volume and is adapted to receive power from the power member of the spindle member. The at least one mechanical device is located within the interior volume of the body portion and adjacent to one of the at least one opening, is electrically connected to the power member, the receiver member, and the transmitter member, and is adapted to provide a chosen mechanical function.
The control panel includes an interior volume, a power member, a receiver member, a transmitter member, a computer member, a front surface, and a plurality of control members. The power member is located within the interior volume and is adapted to receive power from the power member of the base station. The receiver member is located within the interior volume, is connected to the power member, and is adapted to receive electronic signals from an external source. The transmitter member is located within the interior volume, is connected to the power member, and is adapted to send electronic signals to the external source. The computer member is located within the interior volume, is electrically connected to the receiver member and the transmitter member, is adapted to receive power from the power member, and is adapted to send electronic signals to each said mechanical device of each of the plurality of modules. The plurality of control members are located upon the front surface and are electrically connected to the power member and the computer member. The control panel is adapted to be electronically and releasably attached to said base station and control the functions of the base station, and each of the plurality of modules.
The present invention holds significant improvements and serves as a Pet Servicing Device. For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description.
The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and method(s) of use for the present invention, a Pet Servicing Device (entitled Robo Pet-Sitter), constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention.
The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements.
As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to a communication device and more specifically relates to a Pet Servicing Device (entitled Robo Pet-Sitter) to meet the needs of cats, dogs, and possibly birds, for up to three or four weeks, while the owners are away structured and arranged to provide food, water, various activities, and human contact via the Internet
Generally speaking, the Robo-PetSitter is designed to meet the physical and emotional needs of pets when owners are away for long periods of time. It is operated by a base station, which is the same size as a medium-sized paper shredder. It has built-in Wi-Fi and two to four USB ports and a power cord. The base station has cameras on all four sides, a mike and speakers, which emit high-frequency sounds that can be heard by dogs and cats. Using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth's functionality, owners will be able to observe the activities of their pet and to communicate with their pets while they are away. Use the existing micro chip technology or microchip collar for pets that can help identify the pets when they are near the base station or locate them in the home. This is needed in case of multiple pets in a home and keep a track of their whereabouts. There is a drone with a camera sitting on top of one of base stations that can fly when triggered by owners or regular intervals or when a particular pet has not checked-in to ensure their safety and contact owners as necessary. This drone flies autonomously using existing drone technology available and self-flying drone technology available in market such as drone hardware and software. If there is a need then few changes can be done to existing software to accommodate the needs of the Robo-PetSitter
Pets will be able to see their owners on the display screen, when owners use the camera on their smart phones when talking with their pets. There are many extra devices that can be added to the base station, depending on what is needed for individual pets. These are controlled through the owner's smart phone and are aligned on a spindle attached to the base station. There are separate, self-cleaning and self-filling food and water bowls, with extra storage capacity for up to three weeks of food and clean water. The toilet needs for pets are met by self-cleaning and self-packing modules, which can be sealed to prevent leakage and have cleanliness and hygiene in home while owners are away. The technology used here is same as one used in Space by astronauts. I am not sure how that works but it is possible to use it.
There are also modules that can throw a Frisbee or a ball for dogs, and activate toys for cats to chase, which can avoid obstacles as well as cats. A drone and a laser pointer can be used to tease and to play with a cat as well. These extra devices are controlled via the owner's smart phone. The detachable components revolve around the spindle. Each consists of two sections. The inner section is black, and the outer one can be any other color. The inner ones sit on top of each other in a particular way, and there is no other way possible using the dowels. The outer one revolves around the inner one, so the owner can control the direction the ball or Frisbee as it is thrown and also control the positions of the other modules. The section with the screen, camera and speaker also revolves around the spindle. Since one base station can hold and operate up to four extra modules or devices, owners may wish to purchase more than one base station, which can be linked to the others via Wi-Fi. One base station can be set apart and used as a restroom, so pets can relieve themselves without being too close to their food and water.
The unique features of this product will provide the following benefits for consumers everywhere:
Referring now to
Pet servicing device 100 comprising: base station 110; plurality of modules 150; and control panel 400. Base station 110 includes base portion 120 and elongated spindle member 140. Base portion 120 includes outer wall 122 and interior volume 126 defined by outer wall 122, and power source 130. Base portion 120 is adapted to be securely placed on a supporting surface. Power source 130 is located within interior volume 126 and is adapted to provide power thereto. Power source 130 is formed as power cord 132 adapted to be plugged into an external power source as shown in
Plurality of modules 150, each comprising: body portion 160, power member 176, and at least one mechanical device 180. Body portion 160 includes outer wall 162 and interior volume 166 defined by outer wall 168, aperture 172, and at least one opening 174. Aperture 172 is formed on outer wall 168 and is adapted to allow spindle member 140 to pass therethrough, such that module 150 is adapted to be placed removably and securely upon base station 110 as shown in
At least one mechanical device 180 is located within interior volume 126 of body portion 160 and adjacent to one of the at least one opening 174, is electrically connected to power member 170, receiver member 430, and transmitter member 440, and is adapted to provide a chosen mechanical function.
Wherein at least one mechanical device 180 is treat dispenser 182 as shown in
Control panel 400 is adapted to be electronically and releasably attached to base station 110 and control the functions of base station 110, and each of plurality of modules 150. Wherein each of plurality of modules 150 includes motor member 310 therein electrically connected to a respective power member 420 and are adapted to allow computer member 450 of control panel 400 to rotate each of plurality of modules 150 to a chosen position. Control panel 400 is formed having an arcuate cross-section adapted to partially wrap around adjacent outer edges of plurality of modules 150 when located upon said elongated spindle member 140.
Wherein at least one mechanical device 180 includes laser pointer 300; and wherein one of plurality of modules 150 includes motor member 310 therein electrically connected to power member 176 and adapted to allow computer member 450 of control panel 400 to rotate one of plurality of modules 150 to a chosen position to point laser pointer 300. Wherein at least one mechanical device 180 robotic arm 320 also shown in
Pet servicing device 100 further comprising disc member 187 adapted to be bit and chewed by animal 102; wherein mechanical device 180 of one of plurality of modules 150 is formed as disc thrower 186 as shown in first in-use condition 104 of
Control panel 400 includes interior volume 410, power member 420, receiver member 430, transmitter member 440, computer member 450, front surface 460, and plurality of control members 490. Power member 420 is located within interior volume 410 and is adapted to receive power from power member 146 of base station 110. Receiver member 430 is located within interior volume 410, is connected to power member 420, and is adapted to receive electronic signals from an external source. Receiver member 420 and transmitter member 430 of control panel 400 incorporates BLUETOOTH technology 424. Transmitter member 440 is located within interior volume 410, is connected to power member 420, and is adapted to send electronic signals to the external source. Pet servicing device 100 further comprising external device 190 adapted to communicate with receiver member 430 and transmitter member 440 of control panel 400, and adapted to control pet servicing device 100. External device 190 is formed as a smart phone.
Computer member 450 is located within interior volume 410, is electrically connected to receiver member 430 and transmitter member 440, is adapted to receive power from power member 420, and is adapted to send electronic signals to each mechanical device 180 of each of plurality of modules 150. Plurality of control members 490 are located upon front surface 460 and are electrically connected to power member 420 and computer member 450.
Front surface 460 of control panel 400 further includes video screen 464 connected thereto electrically connected to power member 420 and computer member 450 as shown in
Front surface 460 of control panel 400 further includes at least one microphone member 472 connected thereto electrically connected to power member 420 and computer member 450. Front surface 460 of control panel 400 further includes at least one camera member 476 connected thereto electrically connected to power member 420 and computer member 450. Front surface 460 of control panel 400 further includes at least one USB connector port 480 connected thereto electrically connected to power member 420 and computer member 450.
The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.
The present application is related to and claims priority from prior provisional application Ser. No. 62/415,364, filed Oct. 31, 2016 which application is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62415364 | Oct 2016 | US |
