Abstract: An animal training apparatus including an electrical conductor embedded within a flexible member, and a housing having a through-opening for receiving the electrical conductor therethrough. The flexible member is molded around the electrical conductor and the antenna, while the electrical conductor is positioned such that it extends into the housing through the through-opening. As a result of the molding process, the flexible member shields the housing through-opening, discouraging substances such as water from accessing the interior of the housing via the through-opening.

Abstract: Described is an animal waste product notification device for detecting the occurrence of an animal excreting animal waste product at a defined location, containing the waste product such that the animal cannot track the waste product from the defined location, and notifying a local or remote individual of the occurrence. The animal waste product notification device includes a grate, a bin, and a notification device. The grate includes a detector that is responsive to fluidic animal waste product such that when the waste product passes through apertures defined by the grate, the detector generates a detection signal. When the detector generates the detection signal, the notification device notifies a user of the animal waste product notification device. The bin defines a receptacle that receives the waste product after it passes through the grate.

Abstract: Described is an animal data communication system for detecting particular conditions and actions of an animal, compiling information indicative of the detected conditions and actions, communicating the information to a remote location, and presenting the information at the remote location. The animal data communication system includes a carried device and an interfacing device. The carried device detects particular conditions and actions of the animal and compiles the corresponding information. The carried device is in communication with the interfacing device and transmits the information to the interfacing device. The interfacing device communicates the information to a network. The user of the animal data communication system accesses the network by way of a display device, which is in communication with the network, and perceives the information. The display device is disposed at a location remote to the animal such that the user can perceive the information at the remote location.

Abstract: Described is a boundary proximity determining system for wirelessly defining a boundary having a programmable shape and for indicating the occurrence of a rover unit traversing the boundary. The boundary proximity determining system includes a base station unit that generates a plurality of magnetic fields. The boundary proximity determining system also includes a rover unit that is responsive to the generated magnetic fields such that the rover unit defines the boundary in terms of the intensities and polarities of the magnetic fields. The rover unit determines whether the rover unit is within or outside the boundary by determining the current location of the rover unit in terms of the intensities and polarities of the magnetic fields and comparing the current location to the boundary.

Abstract: Described is an animal door for providing an animal a passageway through a structure and for reducing thermal transfer through the passageway. The animal door defines the passageway, which is sufficiently large for the animal to pass through, and is adapted to be secured to the structure such that the animal can pass through the structure by passing through the passageway. The animal door includes at least three flaps disposed at the passageway. The flaps are constructed and configured to reduce thermal transfer through the passageway by reducing both thermal convection and thermal conductivity at the passageway.

Abstract: Described is an electronic pet door for automatically granting a selected animal access to a through-way defined by the electronic pet door and denying a non-selected animal access to the through-way. The selected animal carries a transmitter. The electronic pet door includes a corresponding receiver and a frame that defines the through-way, which has a tapered contour. A flap, which has a tapered contour corresponding to the through-way, is disposed within the through-way and is capable of a locked position and an unlocked position. When in the locked position, the flap denies access to the through-way. When unlocked, the flap grants an animal access to the through-way. The flap is locked and unlocked by way of a locking mechanism that shifts the flap longitudinally between the less tapered and most tapered portions of the through-way. The locking mechanism shifts the flap in response to the receiver.

Abstract: Described is an animal training/locating device including an animal training feature, an animal locating feature, and a transmitting device for communicating with the animal training feature and the animal locating feature independently. The training device and the locator device are secured to a carrying strap that is secured to the animal such that the training device and the locator device are carried by the animal. The training device is adapted to receive a training signal and the locator device is adapted to receive a locator signal. The transmitting device transmits the training signal and the locator signal. Whether the transmitting device transmits the training signal or the locator signal is governed by the trainer. Consequently, the trainer, by way of the transmitting device, communicates with the training device and the locator device independently.

Abstract: An animal collar assembly including a wireless receiver and a collar. The wireless receiver having a pair of first attachment features. The collar having a pair of ends, each end having a second attachment feature, each second attachment feature coupled with a corresponding first attachment feature and maintaining the corresponding collar end at a fixed orientation relative to the wireless receiver.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the detection, treatment or collection of a quantity of solid animal excrement from a surface, particularly a grassy surface. The method includes the steps of autonomously or semi-autonomously detecting the presence of the excrement on the surface, moving a collection/treatment device into position over the detected excrement, and, thereupon, subjecting the detected excrement to one or more of deodorization, disinfection, enhancement of deterioration, dispersal and/or collection of the detected excrement. The apparatus of the present invention operates without the immediate or continued intervention of a human. Preferably, the device us robotic in nature, is readily portable, and preferably includes a rechargeable power source.

Abstract: An electronic animal training apparatus with feedback communication, or animal training communicator. The animal training communicator provides feedback to the trainer and the animal using the associated electronics. The animal training communicator includes a base unit accessible to a trainer and a remote unit carried by an animal. The base unit has at least a receiver and the remote unit has at least a transmitter.

Abstract: Described is a pet confinement cleaning device for automatically removing pet waste from a pet's structural confinement. The pet confinement cleaning device includes a confining structure, a conveyor belt device, and a receptacle. The confining structure is coupled to the frame of the conveyor belt device to create a pet confinement, whereby the confining structure serves as the walls and the ceiling of the pet confinement and a conveyor belt of the conveyor belt device serves as the flooring of the pet confinement. The receptacle is disposed proximately below the conveyor belt device such that when a pet deposits waste on the floor of the pet confinement, namely the conveyor belt, the conveyor belt device automatically moves the pet waste, in accordance with the operation of a conventional conveyor belt, to the receptacle.

Abstract: An electronic animal containment system with direction-of-approach determination, or direction-sensitive animal containment system. The direction-sensitive animal containment system generally contains a transmitter unit connected to a wire loop bounding a containment area and a receiver unit carried by the animal. The direction-sensitive animal containment system of the present invention generates a containment field having polarity and retains the polarity information when the containment field is sensed using a sensing coil optimized along the azimuth. The receiver unit also generates a gravity vector to determine the orientation of the receiver unit. The gravity vector is combined with the containment field vector to produce a function that automatically yields a sensing coil output that is independent of the orientation of the receiver unit. The polarity of the sensing coil output allows determination of the direction from which the receiver unit is approaching the wire loop.

Abstract: A pet door gasket assembly adapted to provide a strong thermal, chemical, and mechanical bond between the gasket and a rigid pet door flap adapted to be mounted within an opening in a frame in a manner permitting a pet to have unattended ingress and egress through the opening. The gasket assembly incorporates a flexible, resilient, and permanently lubricated polymeric material chemically and mechanically bonded to the perimetrical portion of a rigid pet door flap. The gasket is formed of a moldable resilient and flexible polymeric material encircles the perimetrical edge of the flap and extends radially inwardly and along the first and second faces of, the annular perimetrical portion of the central portion of the flap, about end portions of pins which project from the opposite faces of the annular portion of the flap, and terminates at flanges defined on the annular portion of the perimetrical portion of the flap.

Abstract: Described is an animal containment system for containing an animal within a boundary, for maximizing the animal's usable area within the boundary, for not discouraging the animal from returning to within the boundary in the event the animal moves beyond the boundary, and for doing so without utilizing an independent polarity indicator. The animal containment system determines whether the animal is within the boundary or beyond the boundary by considering the polarity of an activation signal the animal containment system transmits from the boundary and receives at the location of the animal. The animal containment system determines the polarity of the activation signal by modulating the signal such that the modulation indicates the polarity of the activation signal. The animal containment system achieves the above-discussed features by delivering a stimulus to the animal only when it traverses the boundary from within the boundary.

Abstract: Described is a two-probe bark control device for detecting an animal's bark by way of an electrode that is also used in delivering an electrical stimulus to the animal. The two-probe bark control device includes a housing, a first probe, and a second probe. The first and second probes include first and second electrodes, respectively. The first electrode is secured to the housing by way of a resilient overmolding such that the first electrode extends outwardly from the housing and has the potential to vibrate within the housing. The housing is carried by the animal such that the first probe detects the bark of the animal and the first and second probes deliver an electrical stimulus to the animal in response the first probe detecting the animal's bark such that the first probe both detects the animal's bark and delivers an electrical stimulus to the animal.

Abstract: Described is a collar saddle device for maintaining the position of a device carried by an animal at the top of the animal's neck. The collar saddle device includes a saddle, a carried device, and a collar. The saddle is fixedly secured to the collar and includes a contoured portion that is structured to substantially parallel the contour of the top of the animal's neck. The carried device is fixedly secured to the collar and is situated proximately to the saddle. The contoured portion of the saddle matingly receives the top of the animal's neck to the extent that the saddle does not slide or rotate from the top of the animal's neck. Because the saddle and the carried device are situated proximately along the collar, the position of the carried device is maintained at the top of the animal's neck.

Abstract: Described is a vibration stimulus delivery device for delivering a vibration stimulus to an animal by way of a vibration probe secured in physical contact with the skin of the animal. The vibration stimulus delivery device includes a vibration probe, a stimulus trigger detection device, and a carrying device. The vibration probe and the stimulus trigger detection device are secured to the carrying device, which is secured to the animal such that the animal carries the vibration probe and the stimulus trigger detection device. The vibration probe is disposed on the carrying device such that the vibration probe is secured in physical contact with the skin of the animal. The stimulus trigger detection device is adapted to detect an undesirable behavior and is in electrical communication with the vibration probe such that when the stimulus trigger detection device detects the undesirable behavior, the vibration probe is activated. When activated, the vibration probe generates a vibration.

Abstract: Described is a vibration stimulus delivery device for delivering a vibration stimulus to an animal and for maximizing the robustness and intensity of the vibration stimulus. The vibration stimulus delivery device is carried by the animal and includes a housing and a vibration probe. The vibration probe is positioned in direct contact with the skin of the animal and generates a vibration, which, when delivered to the animal, is the vibration stimulus. The vibration probe is coupled to the housing such that the coupling minimizes the inherent vibration dampening effect caused by the weight and mass of the housing. The result is a vibration stimulus delivery device that delivers a more robust and intense vibration stimulus to the animal.