Communications – electrical: acoustic wave systems and devices – Transmitter systems – Animal control
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-27
2003-02-11
Pihulic, Daniel T. (Department: 3662)
Communications, electrical: acoustic wave systems and devices
Transmitter systems
Animal control
Reexamination Certificate
active
06519206
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to an animal collar which includes a device to reduce predation by the subject animal by emitting a signal audible to its intended prey. In particular, the collar is intended to reduce predation by domestic cats.
Domestic cats are known to have a serious impact on bird populations. Worldwide, cats may have been involved in the extinction of more bird species than any other cause except habitat destruction and they are also contributing to the endangerment of populations of other rare small mammals. In Britain alone, domestic cats now number 7.2 million and are thought to kill at least 75 million birds annually. In Australia, the countries 21 million feral and domestic cats are believed to be responsible for killing 3 million animals per year including 67 native bird species and in the US, the 60 million domestic cats are estimated to kill more than 1.4 billion birds each year.
Although cats make affectionate pets, many domestic cats hunt as effectively as wild predators. However, domestic cats are thought to represent a greater problem than wild predators for the following reasons: Firstly, domestic casts are protected from disease, natural predation and competition, factors which control numbers of wild predators. Secondly, domestic cats have a dependable supply of food provided by humans and are, therefore, not influenced by changes in populations of prey. This means that cats can continue to hunt even rare species. Thirdly, unlike many native predators, cat densities are poorly limited or not limited at all by territoriality. Fourthly, unlike some predators, a cat's desire to hunt is not suppressed by having an adequate supply of supplemental food. Therefore, a cat's motivation to hunt remains strong even when fed regularly.
Despite being responsible for killing numerous birds and small animals, cats can also perform a useful function as companion pets. They also hunt pests and vermin which tend to feed at night, for example rats and mice.
It is therefore desired to reduce the number of bird and small animal deaths caused by cats during the day without reducing a cat's effectiveness in hunting and killing vermin and pests, such as rats and mice, which generally feed at night.
The following terms used herein are intended to be interpreted in the manner indicated below:
“subject animal” is an animal e.g. a domestic cat, carrying a device according to the present invention.
“audible” is used to mean capable of being heard by at least one species of prey of the subject animal. Sounds which are audible to certain animals or birds may be outside of the hearing range of human beings.
“Predation” is used to mean the killing of or injury to prey by the subject animal.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a sonic device capable of being carried by a predatory animal, the device including means for emitting a sonic signal for alerting prey to the animal's presence.
The sonic signal may be intermittent or it may be continuous.
In embodiments where the sonic signal is intermittent, the delay between the emission of the intermittent sonic signals i.e. the periods when no signal is emitted, may be variable. Preferably the delay between emissions is between 0.5 and 600 seconds, more preferably between 1 and 60 seconds and most preferably between 5 and 10 seconds.
The duration of the emitted sonic signal i.e. the period when the signal is being emitted, may also be variable. The emitted sonic signal preferably lasts between 0.05 and 10000 milli-seconds, more preferably between 100 and 1000 milli-seconds and most preferably between 200 and 300 milli-seconds. The signal is preferably audible to a wide variety of potential prey of the subject animal. In a preferred embodiment the frequency of the emitted signal is between 300 and 8000 hertz. The device preferably includes means to vary the frequency of the emitted signal. More preferably, the device further includes means for generating a frequency modulated signal in which the frequency is continuously variable in a predetermined manner.
Embodiments of the invention in which the sonic signal is continuous may be useful for subject animals whose prey includes fast moving animals such as bats. In these situations, the sonic signal may be an ultrasonic signal i.e. a sonic signal having a frequency greater than about 20 kHz. For the purposes of this invention, the term “sonic signal” is intended to include signals having a frequency in the ultrasound region (i.e. signals having a frequency greater than about 20 kHz).
The device is preferably carried by the animal via an attachment means, more preferably by a collar.
The device is preferably lightweight and more preferably small enough to be worn by the animal on eg. a collar without interfering with the animal's normal behaviour, other than its predatory behaviour.
Since the device may be worn permanently by the animal, it should preferably have a rugged construction capable of withstanding vibration and small impacts without impairing the performance of the device and more preferably it should be waterproof. By permanently it is meant either the lifetime of the animal or the lifetime of the device.
In a preferred embodiment, the device is housed in a housing. The housing may be constructed such that it is possible to obtain access to the device eg. the housing is a two-part construction wherein the two parts are releasably coupled to each other. Alternatively it may be constructed such that it is not possible to obtain access to the device without breaking the housing. That is to say the housing and device may be constructed as a disposable unit.
The device may be battery powered. The battery lifetime is preferably 1 year or more. In order to achieve this long lifetime the components of the device are preferably low power consumption components. To improve battery lifetime, the device may include one or more solar panels and a battery capable of being recharged by energy converted from solar energy by the or each of the solar panels.
The distance at which the signal is audible to a species of prey of the subject animal is preferably 3 meters or more.
The sonic signal may mimic an alarm or distress call of a particular species of prey. This type of signal is useful for protecting specific endangered or rare animals or birds which are at risk from attack by the subject animal. Alternatively, the sonic signal may be a complex synthesised sound. By this it is meant that the alarm or distress call is electronically generated. Where the signal is an alarm or distress call of a particular animal or bird, or a complex synthesised sound, it may be recorded and stored in the device, for example in a memory chip. The stored alarm or distress call or complex synthesised sound may be capable of being repeatedly emitted as the sonic signal of the device.
The emitted sonic signal preferably does not cause distress to the subject animal wearing the device or interfere with its normal behaviour, except of course its predatory behaviour.
In a preferred embodiment the subject animal is a domestic cat. Domestic cats spend part of their time within a domestic environment e.g. in its owner's home. To prevent the sonic signal of the device becoming a nuisance within the domestic environment, the device may be deactivated when the animal e.g. cat is within a predetermined area. To achieve this, the device preferably includes switching means which is capable of activating the device outside of the predetermined area and deactivating it when the animal is within the predetermined area.
The switching means may be operable as the animal passes through a predetermined opening of the domestic environment e.g. a cat flap. Such switching means may include a Hall Effect sensor within the device which is sensitive to a particular magnetic field generated in the proximity of the cat flap.
As an alternative to the switching means being operable as the animal e.g. a cat passes through a predetermined opening of the domestic environment e.g. a cat
Convey Harold
Lynch Vincent
Martin William John
Martin William John
Martine & Penilla LLP
Pihulic Daniel T.
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