An arrangement is provided for controlling animals on a selective basis such as for feeding, watering, and for providing access to controlled areas. A sensor arrangement selectively identifies particular animals, a signal processor processes sensed signals to generate output signals, and an output arrangement provides the control for such animals. In a preferred embodiment, a cat feeding arrangement is provided to permit a pet cat to eat from a controlled food dispenser and to preclude other cats from feeding from such dispenser. In such an arrangement, a cat may wear a collar having a conductor embedded therein for changing an electric field provided by an excitation arrangement. Monitoring of field characteristics with a sensor provides an indication whether the cat is wearing the proper identification collar and should therefore be permitting to feed or whether the cat is not wearing the proper identification collar and should therefore be precluded from feeding. An output device such as an electrical shock device is used to discourage a cat that is not wearing a proper identification collar from feeding. Other sensor arrangements are provided to identify selected animals and other output devices are provided to perform various other output operations. For example, an output actuator may be used to mechanically dispense food, unlatch a door, or provide other desired operations on a selective basis.
A control circuit for unlatching a door, particularly a pet door, includes a transmitter coil (L1), a pulse driver (11) for pulse energizing the coil, and a discriminator (12, 13) for detecting a.c. components in the coil current caused by currents induced in an outside tuned circuit brought adjacent the coil, e.g. around the neck of a pet seeking entry, and for comparing the frequency of the a.c. components with a standard. A latch drive circuit (14) responds to the discriminator for operating the door latch if the frequency comparison is satisfactory.
A magnetically actuated pet door is disclosed which allows only the owner's pet, such as a cat or dog, to enter. The door is hinged at the top to open in both directions for ingress and egress, but is prevented from opening in the ingress direction by a solenoid-actuated, one-way latch comprised of a plunger against the inside of a flap that is in turn hinged on the inside of the pet door, and held flat against the pet door by springs. A notch in the pet door behind the flap permits the door to swing freely open in the egress direction without the solenoid being energized to withdraw the plunger. A permanent magnet attached to the collar of a pet induces a signal in magnetosensitive devices disposed on the outside of the pet door. That signal is processed to energize the latch solenoid and thereby withdrawing the solenoid plunger from the path of the flap on the pet door to allow the pet to ingress.
An animal training apparatus including a nose-supported housing, receiver, control circuit, and electrodes. The receiver cooperates with the carrrier signal from a transmitter, activating a control circuit. The control circuit engages an indicator level module or control level module to activate animal control output in the form of electrical stimulus within and across the nasal septum. When an animal enters an area where the received carrier signal creates a d.c. output less than a threshold reference level, the control circuit is activated. An outfitted animal is trained to develop a behavioral condition in response to an indicator level output followed by a stronger control level output. A particular embodiment is the combination with a solar cell attached to the housing to maintain a charged state in a battery that powers the receiver and control circuit.
The invention in a bird avert system is for installation at a polluted pond, in or around a wet lands area, or the like, to discourage or frighten away birds and includes microwave, radar, or other signal generation and receiving arrangements for forming an electronic net a distance above the pond or ground level, that is triggered by passage therethrough of a bird. On sensing a bird presence in the electronic net, operation of alarm devices for frightening away the bird is commanded. The alarm devices are operated both on a sensing of a bird passage through the electronic net and at timed intervals, and the alarm devices can include high intensity and/or strobe lights, that can be colored or filtered appropriately to present primary colors as a bird is sensitive to, speakers for broadcasting sounds such as human voices, screeching, guns firing, and the like, as would frighten a bird, and floating platforms maintained under usual bird flight paths that may include moving human and predator bird replicas. Preferably, the system is controlled by a programmable logic controller that provides for connection of the invention components to electrical power and for collecting data on system operations and even pond and weather conditions thereat, and the like, and may be linked to a remote computer for receiving commands and passing information for statistical compilation.
Disclosed herein is a device for controlling animal access to a location, comprising a generator for generating a field and a sensor for sensing the presence of the field near the location. One of the generator and the sensor is removably secured on an animal. A buzzer or other output signal unit is responsive to the sensor for generating an output signal in the presence of the field, the output signal being of sufficient magnitude to deter the animal from the location. Also disclosed is a technique for deterring an animal from a location.
