Abstract: An irrigation device including an actuator configured to control water flow to at least one water delivery device, a first stored energy source configured to power the actuator to effect irrigation via the at least one water delivery device, and a second stored energy source which is separate from the first stored energy source, wherein the second stored energy source is configured to power the actuator to terminate the irrigation via the at least one water delivery device. The irrigation devices further includes a controller configured to cause the first stored energy source to power the actuator to effect the irrigation, responsive to an instruction to provide irrigation, and to cause the second stored energy source to power the actuator to terminate the irrigation responsive to a termination condition.

Abstract: An integrated irrigation valve control device has a coil adapted to develop an electromagnetic flux sufficient to cause actuation of irrigation equipment. Control circuitry is electrically coupled to the coil to control the flux at the coil. A housing covers at least a portion of the coil and at least a portion of the control circuitry.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus (1) supported against a dog's skin to control vocalizing by the dog electronically converts the vocalizing into a sequence of signals representing frequencies of the vocalizing, and operates a controller to determine if each measured frequency lies within any of a plurality of predetermined frequency sub-ranges and if so, increments cumulative totals of the frequencies which lie in the sub-ranges, respectively, to provide a plurality of cumulative totals that represent a frequency spectrum of the vocalizing. The controller is operated to determine whether the barking sounds constitute a valid bark by comparing the frequency spectrum to a predetermined valid bark frequency spectrum. Appropriate aversive stimulus signals are produced between first and second stimulus electrodes if the vocalizing sounds constitute a valid bark.

Abstract: A remotely controlled device (3) for controlling a remotely controlled launcher for dog training includes receiving circuitry (26,27) for receiving control information signals from a remote transmitter (2), controller (40) coupled to receive demodulated information from the receiving circuitry (26,27) and adapted to generate a control signal in response to the demodulated information, a coupling device (21A) for coupling the control signal to a control input of the animal training device (14-1), and a test circuit (33) responsive to a test switch (16) for testing continuity of the coupling by the coupling device (21A).

Abstract: An electronic apparatus (1) for training an animal is supported against the animal's skin, and includes stimulus electrodes (5) for electrically contacting the skin. A controller including output terminals producing aversive stimulus control signals, a first switch (Q4) coupled to a winding to produce therein a burst of first current pulses in response to a first signal produced by the controller (33) and a second switch (Q2) coupled to the first switch (Q4) operative to synchronously shunt predetermined trailing portions of the first current pulses away from the winding in response to a second signal produced by the controller to reduce the amount of energy delivered to the winding by the switching transistor (Q4) without substantially changing a peak value of a flyback voltage across the winding. The controller sets various values of time intervals during which portions of the first current pulses are shunted away from the winding in order to set various corresponding intensities of aversive stimulus.

Abstract: A dog bark limiter includes a housing (2) supported against the dog's skin by a strap, stimulus electrodes (5), and a sensor (6) for producing signals in response to vocalizing by the dog. The sensor includes a membrane (6) supported by the surface (9) for efficiently transmitting sound energy through the housing and a rigid nipple (11) engaging the membrane. Control circuitry in the housing has an input coupled to an output of the transducer and output terminals coupled to produce aversive stimulus signals between the first and second electrodes in response to the signals produced in response valid barking by the dog. A motion detector (40) produces a motion detection signal in response to a characteristic movement of the portion of dog that accompanies barking by the dog and aids in detecting a valid bark.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus (1) for control or training of an animal includes a housing (2) supported by a strap against the animal's skin, first and second stimulus probes (5) connected to a surface (9) of the housing, and control circuitry in the housing including output terminals selectively producing aversive stimulus. A stabilizing member (7) is connected to a location of the surface (9) of the housing that is offset from a straight line between the first and second stimulus electrodes (5) so that conductive tips of the first and second stimulus electrodes and a tip of the stabilizing post define a triangle, whereby the conductive tips of the first and second stimulus electrodes and the tip of the stabilizing member are pressed against the skin of the animal and prevent rocking of the conductive tips of the first and second stimulus electrodes against the skin of the animal to reduce the occurrence and/or severity of skin sores.

Abstract: A collar-mounted animal training device includes a piezoelectric transducer device (6) attached to a mylar cone acoustic element mounted in a transducer housing (5) configured as a resonant sound port. The piezoelectric transducer is driven by circuitry including a microcontroller (31), a voltage booster circuit (34), and driver circuitry coupled to the booster circuit and producing a boosted drive signal to the piezoelectric device (6). The microcontroller stores data representing a plurality of sequential segments each having a start and stop time and a start and stop frequency. The microcontroller sequentially produces a plurality of output signals having a start and stop times and frequencies.

Abstract: A collar-mounted animal training device includes a piezoelectric transducer device (6) attached to a mylar cone acoustic element mounted in a transducer housing (5) configured as a resonant sound port. The piezoelectric transducer is driven by circuitry including a microcontroller (31), a voltage booster circuit (34), and driver circuitry coupled to the booster circuit and producing a boosted drive signal to the piezoelectric device (6). The microcontroller stores data representing a plurality of sequential segments each having a start and stop time and a start and stop frequency. The microcontroller sequentially produces a plurality of output signals having a start and stop times and frequencies.

Abstract: A portable dog-training transmitter unit for controlling remote collar-mounted receiver/stimulus units includes first, second, and third switches for causing corresponding transmitted stimulus control signals to be recognized by corresponding first, second, or third receiver/stimulus units. A multiple-position switch sets the use of transmitted codes that control the amplitudes of stimulus signals produced by the recognizing receiver/stimulus unit. The transmitter unit is supported in a holster that is pivotally supported by a belt clip through the use of a pivot pin that is pivotally retained in a receiving slot of the belt clip. The transmitter unit includes a controller which polls the states of the various switches to produce a digital signal that is shaped by a buffer circuit, FM modulated, preamplified, and coupled by a simplified matching network to the input of a power amplifier. A single pi matching network is coupled to match an output of the power amplifier to an antenna of the transmitter unit.

Abstract: A portable dog-training transmitter unit for controlling remote collar-mounted receiver/stimulus units includes first, second, and third switches for causing corresponding transmitted stimulus control signals to be recognized by corresponding first, second, or third receiver/stimulus units. A multiple-position switch sets the use of transmitted codes that control the amplitudes of stimulus signals produced by the recognizing receiver/stimulus unit. The transmitter unit is supported in a holster that is pivotally supported by a belt clip by means of a pivot pin that is pivotally retained in a receiving slot of the belt clip. The transmitter unit includes a controller which polls the states of the various switches to produce a digital signal that is shaped by a buffer circuit, FM modulated, preamplified, and coupled by a simplified matching network to the input of a power amplifier. A single pi matching network is coupled to match an output of the power amplifier to an antenna of the transmitter unit.