[54] LOST PET NOTIFICATION SYSTEM
[75] Inventors: Joan M. Skelton, 230 W. Paces Ferry Rd., Atlanta, Ga. 30305; Kenneth E. Myers, Marietta, Ga.
[73] Assignee: Joan M. Skelton, Atlanta, Ga.
[21] Appl. No.: 09/218,004 [22] Filed: Dec. 22, 1998
[51] Int. CI.7 G08B 21/18
[52] U.S. CI 340/573.3; 119/721; 119/859;
119/908
[58] Field of Search 340/573.3; 119/859,
119/721, 908
[56] References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
3,336,530 8/1967 Sloan et al 119/859
4,612,719 9/1986 de Jong 119/859
4,762,088 8/1988 Chapman et al 119/859
4,850,031 7/1989 Allsop et al 340/573.1
5,036,610 8/1991 Fehr 40/300
5,210,532 5/1993 Knoedler et al 340/573.1
5,266,944 11/1993 Carroll et al 340/825.36
5,307,763 5/1994 Arthur et al 119/718
5,337,041 8/1994 Friedman 340/573.3
5,355,839 10/1994 Mistry 119/858
5,381,129 1/1995 Boardman 340/573.3
5,454,350 10/1995 Betheil 119/858
5,515,033 5/1996 Matarazzo 340/573.3
5,521,582 5/1996 Kingston 340/539
5,525,967 6/1996 Azizi et al 340/573.1
5,552,772 9/1996 Janky et al 340/573.1
5,570,081 10/1996 Holstrom 340/573.1
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5,640,147 6/1997 Chek et al 340/573.1
5,652,570 7/1997 Lepkoflcer 340/573.1
5,708,421 1/1998 Boyd 340/573.3
5,808,551 9/1998 Yarnall, Jr. et al 340/573.3
5,868,100 2/1999 Marsh 340/573.3
5,949,350 9/1999 Girard et al 340/573.3
5,955,953 9/1999 Hanson et al 340/573.3
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
0 421 647 A2 4/1991 European Pat. Off. .
0 589 533 Bl 3/1994 European Pat. Off. .
WO 97/27499 7/1997 WIPO .
WO 98/01023 1/1998 WIPO .
Primary Examiner—Glen Swann
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—-Jones & Askew, LLP
[57] ABSTRACT
The lost pet notification system includes three elements: a pet collar that automatically activates an alarm once the pet becomes lost, a portable hand held unit that continually monitors the location of the pet, and a base station that automatically transmits a signal to the owner once the portable unit determines that the pet is lost. The pet collar continually receives a polling signal from the portable unit while the pet is within transmission range of the portable unit. In response to each polling signal, the pet collar transmits a reply signal to the portable unit. Once the polling signal can no longer be detected by the pet collar, the pet collar automatically activates an alarm. In addition, the portable unit activates an alarm and also transmits a notification signal to the base station. Once the notification signal is received, a the base station automatically places a telephone call to the predetermined telephone number and plays the associated message to alert the pet owner that the pet is lost. If the pet comes back within the transmission range of the portable unit, the portable unit transmits a second notification signal to the base unit which will places a second call to the owner to notify him or her that their pet is safe. The invention may also include advanced features such as a paging unit for receiving information, a global positioning device, a RF beacon transmitter, and cellular telephone emulator to transmit information to a monitoring station.
33 Claims, 11 Drawing Sheets
