New Hampshire Patent of the Month – November 2020
If you have ever had a pet dog, you know they love to wander and explore – even in places they shouldn’t be. GPS collars have existed for some time now to keep pets fenced in the yard or tracked if they’ve run away, but aren’t without limitations. Being battery powered means their lifespan is short and if the pet is in any area that might block GPS signals, such as a forest, the collar is pretty much useless. The creator of Wagz has been working on a collar that beats these limitations and expands the efficiency of a GPS pet collar.
This smart collar is not limited to a specific form of communication, but encompasses multiple location tracking technologies like GPS, RFID and wifi adaptors. Being able to access multiple forms of communication and tracking allows the collar to choose the most effective and efficient method in that instance and store the data. It also extends battery life, as the collar won’t need to use excessive power to try and connect to GPS if it’s not readily available.
This revolutionary collar also allows you to set up a virtual boundary, making fences adjustable and portable. That is to say, you’re not just setting an invisible fence around your yard. You can also access a “walking” setting, so that your dog won’t stray too far from you on a walk. These settings are fully controllable by you, the owner, and can be changed anytime.
But how does this invisible fence work? Audible signals are used as positive and negative reinforcements, for a completely humane training method. When the pet exits the fenced zone, the negative stimulus is triggered, and when reentering the fenced zone, the positive stimulus is triggered. These audible signals are, again, customizable and can be audible to humans or in ultrasonic frequencies so only the pet hears. Then, using association tactics, these signals are taught to the pet and training begins.
Incorporating more tracking technologies into a single collar will hopefully keep your pet safe and close to home, no matter where you choose to explore.
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