Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-17
2001-10-30
Wu, Daniel J. (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S573100, C340S539230, C119S718000, C119S721000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06310553
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to positioning means. In particular, a preferred aspect of the invention relates to a dog activated GPS (global positioning system).
In the context of search and rescue operations it is known to use a dog to locate a lost or injured person, or to locate a lost animal, substance, or article. A problem with such operations is that at times a dog may locate the person, animal, substance, or article concerned, but fail to communicate this to a dog handler. In some cases the dog is unwilling to communicate the position of the person, animal, substance, or article, and has no interest in returning to the position at which the person, animal, article, or substance was found. It is accordingly an object of at least one form of the present invention to go at least some way towards addressing this problem.
The terms comprise, comprises, and comprising as used herein should be interpreted in a non-exclusive way —ie the terms convey “consisting of or including”.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one form of the invention there is provided positioning means, comprising switch means which can be activated by a dog to cause the positioning means to record and/or transmit information to identify the position of the positioning means, the switch means comprising:
i) a pull mechanism which can be pulled by the dog to activate the positioning means to record and/or transmit the information, and/or
ii) a sound sensitive mechanism which can be activated by the dog barking to activate the positioning means to record and/or transmit the information.
Preferably the positioning means comprises a GPS.
Preferably the switch means can be activated only in response to the dog barking in a certain way in terms of the frequency or volume of the barking.
Preferably the pull mechanism comprises a tag portion which can be pulled by the dog's mouth to activate the switch means.
Preferably the pull mechanism comprises a pull cord which can be pulled by the dog's mouth to activate the switch means.
Preferably the positioning means is arranged to automatically periodically record and/or transmit the information to identify the position of the positioning means once the switch means has been activated.
Preferably the positioning means incorporates a jacket or harness which can be: worn by the dog to carry the rest of the positioning means.
Preferably the positioning means comprises audible signal means arranged to give an audible signal to the dog when the switch means has been activated by the dog.
Preferably the positioning means comprises transmitter means arranged to fall to ground level and send a position identifying signal when the switch means is activated.
Preferably the positioning means is such that it can be activated automatically by receiving a signal transmitted from a location remote from the positioning means.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided positioning means, comprising switch means which can be activated by a dog to cause the positioning means to record and/or transmit information to identify the position of the positioning means, the switch means comprising:
i) a pull mechanism which can be pulled by the dog to activate the positioning means to record and/or transmit the information,. and/or
ii) a sound sensitive mechanism which can be activated by the dog barking to activate the positioning means to record and/or transmit the information,
the positioning means comprising a jacket or harness which can be worn by the dog to carry the rest of the positioning means.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of locating a person, animal, article, or substance, comprising the steps of:
a) fitting a positioning means to a dog, the positioning means comprising switch means which can be activated by the dog to cause the positioning means to record and/or transmit information to identify the position of the positioning means, and
b) instructing the dog to search out the person, animal, article or substance so that the dog activates the switch means on finding the person, animal, article, or substance, such that the positioning means records and/or transmits information to identify the position of the person, animal, article, or substance.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3336530 (1967-08-01), Sloan
patent: 4399432 (1983-08-01), Lunn
patent: 4737774 (1988-04-01), Chapman
patent: 5815077 (1998-09-01), Christiansen
patent: 5857433 (1999-01-01), Files
patent: 5900818 (1999-05-01), Lemenll
patent: 5911199 (1999-06-01), Farkas
patent: 6067018 (2000-05-01), Skelton
Klauber & Jackson
La Anh
Wu Daniel J.
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