INTELLIGENT WATER DISPENSING SYSTEM FOR PETS

Abstract

A system and method relates to providing water to and for animals. More specifically, the present invention relates to an automated method and system for providing water and nutritional supplements to and for animals without burdensome attendance or intervention by the system user. A system and method of providing water and/or nutritional supplements to an animal, sub-group, or group of animals under electrical, electronic, or smart-device control.

Claims

1. A system for providing water to an animal in selected amounts at predetermined intervals without human attendance, comprising: a housing including a basin; a conduit including at least one valve, the conduit in fluid communication with the water supply and the basin; a sensor in communication with a controller; and wherein the controller via the sensor actuates the at least one value to maintain a selected level or amount of water in the basin.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is capable of interfacing with a wired or wireless communication network.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the communication network is connected to and interfaces with the internet.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the supply of water is self-contained and provided to the basin via the conduit and at least one valve by gravity.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the supply of water is under pressure at the input of the at least one valve.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the conduit or at least one valve includes a filter.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the water supply includes a nutritional supplement.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller via the at least one value regulates the amount of the nutritional supplement included in the water supply.

9. The system of claim 8, further including a nutritional supplement supply, the nutritional supplement supply in fluid communication with the water supply via a second conduit and second valve; whereby the controller via the second valve regulates the amount of the nutritional supplement added to the water supply.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller via communication with the internet provides water and/or nutritional supplement supply use information and parameters to a system user.

11. The system of claim 3, further including an application program for remotely selecting amount and intervals of water and/or nutritional supplements supplied to the animal.

12. The system of claim 10, further including an application program for recommending to the system user specific water and/or nutritional supplement amounts and intervals for a given animal, or animal breed or species.

13. The system if claim 1, further including a single or a plurality of liners, the liners being ridged, semi-ridged, or flexible; and comprises a plastic, ceramic, synthetic, or other natural material.

14. A method of providing water to an animal in selected amounts at predetermined intervals without human attendance, comprising the steps of: providing a basin; providing a conduit including at least one valve, the conduit in fluid communication with the water supply and the basin; providing a controller; providing a sensor in communication with the controller; and wherein the controller via the sensor actuates the at least one value to maintain a selected level or amount of water in the basin.

15. The system if claim 1, further including a single or a plurality of liners, the liners being ridged, semi-ridged, or flexible; and comprises a plastic, ceramic, synthetic, or other natural material.

16. An apparatus for providing water to an animal in selected amounts at predetermined intervals without human attendance, comprising: a basin; a plurality of liners covering the basin; a conduit including at least one valve, the conduit in fluid communication with a water supply and the basin; and a sensor in communication with a controller; wherein the controller via the sensor actuates the at least one value to maintain a selected level or amount of water in the basin, wherein the plurality of liners are removeable.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said plurality of liners are made of flexible plastic.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said plurality of liners are plastic bags.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said plurality of liners include a set of plastic inserts, such that each of the plastic inserts are stored in a kit that fully encompasses the top surface of the basin.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the inventive system and method; depicting a pressurized supply of water.

[0042] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the inventive system and method; depicting distal or remote supply of water.

[0043] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the inventive system and method; depicting a proximal supply of water.

[0044] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the inventive system and method; depicting another embodiment of a distal or remote supply of water.

[0045] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the inventive system and method; depicting a supply of nutritional supplements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0046] For this application the following terms and definitions shall apply:

[0047] The terms first and second are used to distinguish one element, set, data, object or thing from another, and are not used to designate relative position or arrangement in time.

[0048] The terms coupled, coupled to, and coupled with as used herein each mean a relationship between or among two or more devices, apparatus, files, programs, media, components, networks, systems, subsystems, and/or means, constituting any one or more of (a) a connection, whether direct, wirelessly, or through one or more other devices, apparatus, files, programs, media, components, networks, systems, subsystems, or means, (b) a communications relationship, whether direct, wirelessly, or through one or more other devices, apparatus, files, programs, media, components, networks, systems, subsystems, or means, and/or (c) a functional relationship in which the operation of any one or more devices, apparatus, files, programs, media, components, networks, systems, subsystems, or means depends, in whole or in part, on the operation of any one or more others thereof.

[0049] The terms controller, processor, logic circuit, or computer, as used herein, each mean, for example but not limited to, a unit, component, or device capable of various and differing electrical or electronic output signal functionality based upon differing electrical or electronic inputs signals; may include analog, digital, advanced digital, serial, parallel, multiplexed, encoded, and/or cryptographic signaling, and may or may not utilize configurable data, software, firmware, or a program.

[0050] The terms process and processing as used herein each mean an action or a series of actions including, for example but not limited to, the continuous or non-continuous, synchronous or asynchronous, direction of data, modification, formatting and/or conversion of data, tagging or annotation of data, measurement, comparison and/or review of data, and may or may not comprise a program.

[0051] The term data as used herein means any indicia, signals, marks, symbols, domains, symbol sets, representations, and any other physical form or forms representing information, whether permanent or temporary, whether visible, audible, acoustic, electric, magnetic, electromagnetic or otherwise manifested. The term data as used to represent predetermined information in one physical form shall be deemed to encompass any and all representations of the same predetermined information in a different physical form or forms.

[0052] The term network as used herein includes both networks and internetworks of all kinds, including the Internet, and is not limited to any particular network or inter-network.

[0053] Referencing FIG. 1, in one advantageous and exemplary embodiment of the inventive intelligent water dispensing system 10, a housing 15 is provided including a basin 20 for holding water for consumption. The housing 15 also includes a control valve 40 coupled to a controller 30, the control valve 40 being in fluid communication with a water source 25. Also coupled to the controller 30 is a first basin water sensor 50, and an animal identification sensor 45.

[0054] One static or quiescent theory of operation of the present embodiment may be as follows: To prevent water from being continually dispensed into the basin 20 and causing unintentional flooding, it is contemplated that the control valve 40 remains in a disabled or deactivated (i.e. no water can pass therethrough) when electrical power is absent, and/or if electrical power is present and command and control is lost from the controller 30. Water under pressure 25, either by public utility or by a gravity fed water source, is coupled to control valve 40 which is in a powered and disabled state (i.e. no water can pass therethrough). First water sensor 50 detects if water is in the basin 20. The first water sensor 50 may be for example a sensor of weight or mass corresponding to a given amount of water in the basin 20, but may be of another type such as but not limited to infrared, light diffraction, eddy current, electrical conductivity/resistance, or temperature.

[0055] One dynamic theory of operation of the present embodiment may be as follows: Dependent upon the amount of water present in the basin 20, the first water sensor 50 will indicate or communicate to the controller 30 whether the basin 20 is empty or not-empty. Animal sensor 45 may be a motion, infrared, camera or other type sensor which can detect if any animal has come near the basin 30. The animal sensor 45 upon detecting an animal will indicate or communicate animal present or the like to the controller 30. If the first water sensor 50 indicates not-empty, meaning that a known or desired amount of water is currently in the basin 30, then the controller 30 will not enable or activate the control valve 40 and continue to prevent the flow of water therethrough. However, if the first water sensor 50 indicates empty, meaning that a known or desired amount of water is absent in the basin 30, then the controller 30 will enable or activate the control valve 40 allowing water to flow therethrough and into the basin 20. When and if the control valve 40 is activated, water may continue to fill the basin 20 until the first water sensor 50 indicates or communicates to the controller 30 not-empty, at which time the controller 30 will disable or deactivate the control valve 40 stopping the flow of water to the basin 20.

[0056] In the advantageous embodiment above and just described, any and many animals may be detected and provided with water. An additional advantageous embodiment may include a first animal identifier 80, and/or a plurality of animal identifiers. It is contemplated that a particular animal identifier 80 may be programmed or configured to be differentiated from another or a plurality animal identifiers 80n. By affixing or implanting an animal identifier 80 to, on, or in an animal, the controller 13, can then differentiate one animal having an animal identifier 80 from another animal with a differently configured animal identifier 80n; and thereby halt, regulate, or allow water availability as desired for each different animal. Additionally, it is contemplated that the controller 30 is capable if retaining a record of how much water is being provided overall, provided for and to a particular animal, and other useful statistical water use and consumption data.

[0057] It is also contemplated that the controller 30 may also be coupled to a wireless interface 70 and/or a wired coupling or connection 85 for communicating with a network such as but not limited to the Internet or other local or wide area intra-network, and/or for communication with smart-phones and other devices via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or other smart-device remote connectivity 90. This smart-device remote connectivity 90 enables application command and control of the system 10, as well as providing system 10 status, water use and consumption data, and the like to a system 10 user.

[0058] Additionally, as depicted in FIG. 1, a single or a plurality if nested and replaceable basin liner(s) 60 may be utilized for ease of cleaning and preventing buildup of calcium and other mineral deposits which may be harmful to an animal. It is contemplated that the basin liner(s) 60 may be ridged, semi-ridged, or flexible; and may comprise a plastic, ceramic, synthetic, or other natural materials.

[0059] As depicted in FIG. 2, it is contemplated that the water source 25 may be remote or geographically dislocated from the housing 15, and provide gravity and/or internally induced water pressure to control valve 40.

[0060] As depicted in FIG. 3, it is contemplated that the water source 25 may be removeably attached or affixed to the housing 15; and provide water to the control valve 40 via gravity and/or internally induced pressure.

[0061] As depicted in FIG. 4, it is contemplated that the water source 25 may be removeably, and remotely via a conduit, attached or affixed to the housing 15; and provide water to the control valve 40 via gravity and/or internally induced pressure.

[0062] As depicted in FIG. 5, it is contemplated that the system may include a supply of nutritional supplements 510 may be included and in fluid communication with primary water supply conduit via a nutrient supplement control valve 515 coupled to the controller 13. Depended upon the nutritional requirements of an individual animal, a sub-group, or a group of animals, the system via an application program may dispense the supplement as per system user instructions. It is contemplated that the activation and deactivation of the nutritional supplement control value 515 is very similar to that of the water control valve 40. It is also contemplated that the supply of nutritional supplements 510 may be directly or remotely coupled to the housing as may be the supply of water 25; as detailed above and depicted in FIG. 1 through FIG. 4.

[0063] It is also contemplated that the system 10 may include one or more filters (not shown), for removing contaminates and particulates from the supply of water 25, and/or the supply of nutritional supplements. The filters may be configured at various locations in the water and supplement flow paths, and it is contemplated that the filters are integral to the control valves (40, 515) and/or may be insertable and removable from the water and supplement paths for cleaning and required replacement. It is further contemplated that a single filter is used in both the water and supplement fluid paths.

[0064] In certain embodiments of the invention, liners are provided in the bowl so that a user does not have to wash the bowl. In such embodiments, this advantageous for kennels as a user has to change the water in bowls for the animals every few hours and the liners save the pets from contamination.

[0065] In certain embodiments, the system is connected to a mobile application or computer software program that records how much water a pet is consuming.

[0066] In certain embodiments, the system includes two or more basins for two or more pets.

[0067] In certain embodiments, the basis are of different sizes.

[0068] In certain embodiments, the system includes controlled water flow so as to record how much water a pet is consuming.

[0069] In certain embodiments, the system and mobile application involves providing services to pet owners, such that data is tracked and so that a pet owner is able to record and know data and statistic regarding their pet.

[0070] In certain embodiments, the data collected by the system and mobile application or computer software program may be exploited for medical, scientific, and industrial purposes.

[0071] In certain embodiments, the system includes a processor, server, and/or other computer hardware that allows for the system to be connected to the Internet and/or allows the system and/or website and/or server to track information about one or more pets.

[0072] In certain embodiments, the system includes a collar around the pet and the collar is connected to the system by RFID technology and/or Bluetooth.

[0073] While the invention has been specifically described in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not of limitation and that various changes and modifications in form and details may be made thereto, and the scope of the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.

[0074] The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature, and thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.