| United States Patent |
5,850,196
|
|
Mowers
|
December 15, 1998
|
Tracking device for pets
Abstract
A new tracking device for pets for locating objects. The inventive device
includes a microchip transmitter encapsulated within a biologically inert
material and coupled with respect to a pet and communicating with a
satellite system.
| Inventors:
|
Mowers; Marty G. T. (180 Eastwood Rd., Toronto, Ontario, CA)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
933171 |
| Filed:
|
September 18, 1997 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
342/357.07 |
| Intern'l Class: |
H04B 007/185; G01S 005/02 |
| Field of Search: |
342/357
128/899
424/423
427/2.14
D24/155
119/720,721,908
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
| 4706689 | Nov., 1987 | Man.
| |
| 5558618 | Sep., 1996 | Maniglia | 600/25.
|
| 5589834 | Dec., 1996 | Weinberg | 342/354.
|
| 5629678 | May., 1997 | Gargano et al. | 340/573.
|
Primary Examiner: Blum; Theodore M.
Claims
I claim:
1. A tracking device for implantation within a pet for tracking and
locating the pet if the pet is lost comprising, in combination:
a microchip transmitter encapsulated within a biologically inert material,
the transmitter having a pair of tabs extending outwardly from opposing
edges thereof, the tabs each having a series of perforations for receiving
threads therethrough, the transmitter being implanted into a soft tissue
of the pet, said microchip being for communicating with a satellite system
such that the pet can be located by communicating with the satellite
system.
2. A tracking device for a pet for tracking and locating the pet when the
pet is lost comprising, in combination:
a microchip transmitter encapsulated within a biologically inert material,
the transmitter being implanted within the pet, the transmitter further
being for communication with a satellite system such that the pet can be
located by communication with the satellite system, the biologically inert
material being formed into a substantially planar housing and the housing
being substantially rectangular shaped with rounded corners; and
a pair of substantially planar tabs oppositionally disposed from said
housing, said pair of tabs being formed from biologically inert material,
each of said pair of tabs having rounded corners, each of said pair of
tabs including a plurality of perforations, each of said perforations
being for receiving a thread such that each of said pair of tabs is
couplable to soft tissue of the pet by suturing each of said pair of tabs
to the soft tissue of the pet.
3. The tracking device for a pet as in claim 2, wherein the perforations
are positioned along an outermost edge of each respective tab.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to homing devices and more particularly
pertains to a new tracking device for pets for locating objects.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of homing devices is known in the prior art. More specifically,
homing devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist
basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations,
notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art
which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and
requirements.
Known prior art homing devices include U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,689 to Man; U.S.
Pat. No. 4,854,328 to Pollack; U.S. Pat. No. 5,418,537 to Bird; U.S. Pat.
No. 5,443,066 to Dumoulin et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,285 to Dahlen et
al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,410 to Verster.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and
requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new tracking
device for pets. The inventive device includes a microchip transmitter
encapsulated within a biologically inert material and coupled with respect
to a pet and communicating with a satellite system.
In these respects, the tracking device for pets according to the present
invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs
of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily
developed for the purpose of locating objects.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of
homing devices now present in the prior art, the present invention
provides a new tracking device for pets construction wherein the same can
be utilized for locating objects.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described
subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new tracking device for
pets apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the homing
devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new
tracking device for pets which is not anticipated, rendered obvious,
suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art homing devices, either
alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a microchip
transmitter encapsulated within a biologically inert material. The
transmitter has a pair of tabs extending outwardly from opposing edges
thereof. The tabs each have a series of perforations for receiving threads
therethrough. The transmitter is implanted into a soft tissue of pet and
communicates with a satellite system.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional
features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which
will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention
in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its
application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the
components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the
drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being
practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood
that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose
of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon
which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore,
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present
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
scientists, 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 abstract is neither intended to define the invention
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new
tracking device for pets apparatus and method which has many of the
advantages of the homing devices mentioned heretofore and many novel
features that result in a new tracking device for pets which is not
anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the
prior art homing devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new tracking
device for pets which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and
marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new tracking
device for pets which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new
tracking device for pets which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture
with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then
susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making
such tracking device for pets economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new
tracking device for pets which provides in the apparatuses and methods of
the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously
overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new tracking
device for pets for locating objects.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new tracking
device for pets which includes a microchip transmitter encapsulated within
a biologically inert material and coupled with respect to a pet and
communicating with a satellite system.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new
tracking device for pets that locates missing pets using satellites and
radio direction finding techniques.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new
tracking device for pets that provides a microchip transmitter that could
be encapsulated in a biologically inert material.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should
be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there
are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set
forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the
following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference
to the annexed drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a new tracking device for pets according to
the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an isolated perspective view of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a side view of the second embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4
thereof, a new tracking device for pets embodying the principles and
concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the
reference numeral 10 will be described.
As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, the tracking device for pets 10
comprises a microchip transmitter 12 encapsulated within a biologically
inert material. The transmitter 12 has a pair of tabs 14 extending
outwardly from opposing edges thereof. The tabs 14 each have a series of
perforations 16 for receiving threads therethrough. The transmitter 12 is
implanted into a soft tissue of pet and communicates with a satellite
system. The perforations 16 allow for the transmitter to be properly sewed
within the soft tissue of the pet without risk of the transmitter becoming
moved or disengaged.
A second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and
4 and includes essentially all of the components of the preferred
embodiment, but instead of implanting the microchip transmitter 12 within
the soft tissue of the pet, it is secured to a collar 18 that is engaged
around the neck of the pet.
In use, the present invention is an emergency location device that could be
used to locate missing pets using satellites and radio direction finding
techniques. One part of this-proposed system would be a low power
microchip homing transmitter 12 that could operate in an assigned
frequency range for commercial satellite communications. This microchip
transmitter 12 could be encapsulated in a biologically inert material and
surgically implanted into soft tissue of the pet, thereby providing a
means of tracking the animal any time it was lost or stolen. Part of the
satellite receiving and direction finding system could be low-earth
orbiting or geostationary satellites with highly sensitive receiver
circuitry. These orbiting receiving and relay systems are suggested to be
used to triangulate the approximate location of a pet implanted with the
transmitter 12. Such a proposed satellite-based system could be somewhat
like the NAVSTAR or Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) systems with
respect to the ability to provide precise latitude and longitude
information for determining the approximate location of the pet. Each
implanted microchip transmitter 12 would also utilize an encoding scheme
to specifically identify the pet. After having obtained approximate
location information via the satellite network, small and portable radio
direction finding equipment could be used by animal control personnel to
pinpoint the pet's location.
As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the
present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description.
Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and
operation will be provided.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are
intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
* * * * *