Animal husbandry – Animal controlling or handling
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-03
2001-11-06
Price, Thomas (Department: 3643)
Animal husbandry
Animal controlling or handling
C119S905000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311645
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an animal training method and an apparatus for carrying out the method.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are many animal training methods in use today. Conventional training methods apply some form of unpleasant or negative stimulation, such as a loud or uncomfortable sound, to train the animal. Negative stimulation is not very effective when used alone and so it is usually coupled with painful stimulation as a training reinforcement. Typical forms of painful simulation include vibrations, electric shock or even choking the animal. These stimuli rely on pain and fear to teach the animal desired behavior. Such painful stimulation can confuse the animal, break the animal's spirit and is unsuitable for many training regimes. In inexperienced hands such training can even approach animal cruelty.
Thus there is a need to replace conventional animal training methods with an improved, more humane training method. The improved method should not apply negative or painful stimuli, nor rely on pain and fear to teach desired animal behavior. The method should be usable in a wide variety of animal training regimes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a humane, pain-free animal training method. The method does not apply negative or painful stimuli to the animal and does not rely on pain or fear to teach desired behavior. The method may be used to train dogs, horses and other trainable animals, and is usable in a wide variety of animal training regimes.
It has been found that a temporary interruption of an animal's vision can be used as a training stimulus. During training, the animal's vision or field of view is temporarily obstructed or interrupted. The animal may at first be initially confused, but quickly becomes accustomed to having its vision interrupted. The interruption is not painful and does not scare the animal.
The steps of an animal training method having features of the present invention include attaching a light valve to the animal within the animal's field of vision. A light valve is a device that has an open, transparent state which allows light transmission through the valve and a closed, opaque state which substantially reduces or eliminates light transmission through the valve. The valve is kept open and does not obstruct or interrupt the animal's vision while the animal exhibits desirable behavior. The light valve is closed and obstructs or interrupts the animal's vision to deliver a training stimulus. The light valve is re-opened to remove the stimulus and restore the animal's vision for continued training.
In preferred embodiments of the method the step of opening or closing the light valve includes applying a voltage differential across an electro-optic material. Such materials change between opened and closed states in response to an applied voltage differential across them. Conventional electro-optic materials include liquid crystals and light polarizing filters.
An animal training apparatus for practicing the method of the present invention includes spectacles having a lens and an attachment member for holding the lens in the field of view of the animal. The lens preferably includes an electro-optic shutter, that is, a shutter formed from an electro-optic material. A voltage source generates a voltage differential and circuitry connected between the voltage source and the shutter applies the voltage differential to open or close the shutter. The circuitry includes a switch that selectively opens or closes the circuit to enable the trainer to apply the training stimulus when needed. The switch can be actuated by a remote control device held by the trainer.
Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating animal training apparatus of the present invention, of which there are three sheets of two embodiments.
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Price Thomas
Thomas Hooker, P.C.
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