Animal interaction device, system, and method

Abstract

An animal interaction device is provided that includes a food access component which allows and disallows access to at least a portion of the food. In various embodiments, the allowing and disallowing of access to at least a portion of the food is dependent upon the animal's condition. A method is also provided such that the device above is provided to an animal, one or more indicators are optionally activated, the animal's first condition is sensed via one or more sensors, and based upon the animal's condition, the previously protected food is made accessible, and subsequently the protected food is made available again based upon the animal's second condition. A system is also provided for automatically interacting with an animal including at least one animal interaction device each of which comprises an initial interaction algorithm to automatically interact with the animal. Other aspects of the invention are provided.

1 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . An animal interaction device comprising:
 a food access component which allows and disallows access to at least a portion of the food dependent upon the animal's condition sensed when in proximity to the device.   
     
     
         38 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the food access is allowed for a predefined time. 
     
     
         39 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the food access is allowed for a dynamically determined time. 
     
     
         40 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the allowing access occurs at a different time than the disallowing access. 
     
     
         41 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein:
 the food access component is connected to a food container; and   a food conveyor is connected to the food container; and   a presentation platform is connected to the food conveyor, wherein the food conveyor is configured to dynamically convey a portion of the food from the container to the presentation platform in relation to the animal's condition; and   a controller in electronic communication with the food access component, the food conveyor, the presentation platform, and at least one detector, wherein the controller is configured to control the function of each of the food access component, the food conveyor, the presentation platform, and at least one detector, and further wherein the at least one detector detects the food conveyed from the conveyor onto the presentation platform; and   a housing enclosing the food container, food conveyor, and at least a portion of the presentation platform.   
     
     
         42 . The device of  claim 41 , wherein the platform is rotatable. 
     
     
         43 . The device of  claim 41 , wherein the food container contains food. 
     
     
         44 . The device of  claim 41 , wherein the food is dynamically conveyed according to a predefined algorithm. 
     
     
         45 . The device of  claim 44 , wherein the predefined algorithm is updatable via the Internet. 
     
     
         46 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the device further comprises a transmitter, and wherein data related to the function of the device is transmitted electronically to at least one remote computer. 
     
     
         47 . The device of  claim 41 , wherein the food conveyor is a screw conveyor. 
     
     
         48 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein in the instance the food is in the form of animal kibble, a detector detects the dispensing of an individual piece of kibble or predetermined number of pieces of kibble. 
     
     
         49 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the device further comprises at least one sensor. 
     
     
         50 . The device of  claim 49 , wherein the sensor is at least one camera. 
     
     
         51 . The device of  claim 49 , wherein data from the at least one sensor is transmitted to the controller. 
     
     
         52 . The device of  claim 49 , wherein data provided by the at least one sensor is transmitted to at least one remote computer. 
     
     
         53 . The device of  claim 49 , wherein the at least one sensor is used to provide information to the controller about the animal's condition. 
     
     
         54 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the device further comprises at least one indicator. 
     
     
         55 . The device of  claim 54 , wherein the indicator is at least one speaker. 
     
     
         56 . The device of  claim 54 , wherein the indicator is at least one light. 
     
     
         57 . The device of  claim 41 , wherein the controller dynamically controls at least one indicator. 
     
     
         58 . The device of  claim 41 , wherein the controller is preprogrammed with a predefined algorithm for selectively providing access to the portion of the food and for selectively removing access to the portion of the food. 
     
     
         59 . The device of  claim 37  further including at least one sensor to detect information about the animal's condition when in proximity to the device; and a controller, in communication with the at least one sensor and the food access component, the controller configured to control the food access component to allow and disallow access to at least a portion of the food to provide feedback to the animal dependent upon the information about the animal's condition detected by the at least one sensor. 
     
     
         60 . A system for automatically interacting with an animal, the system comprising: at least one animal interaction device each of which comprises an initial interaction algorithm to automatically interact with the animal, the initial interaction algorithm further comprising device instructions selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) presenting stimuli; and   (b) continuously or intermittently recording variables selected from the group consisting of the animal condition, the device state, and the time of such recording; and   (c) controlling the timing and duration of the presentation of reinforcement selected from the group consisting of positive and negative reinforcement;   wherein the intermittent recordings are transmitted to at least one remote computer; and   further wherein the at least one remote computer is programmed to modify the initial interaction algorithm informed by the intermittent recordings, and transmit the modified interaction algorithm to the at least one device to replace the initial interaction algorithm.   
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the animal interaction device is the device comprises a food access component which allows and disallows access to at least a portion of the food dependent upon the animal's condition sensed when in proximity to the device. 
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the interaction is selected from the group consisting of training, modifying the behavior, and modifying the condition of the animal. 
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the positive or negative reinforcement is removed. 
     
     
         64 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein data from continuous or intermittent recordings are segregated and inform the modification of the initial or modified interaction algorithm of the at least one animal interaction device. 
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the initial interaction algorithm is downloaded upon starting the device. 
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the interaction algorithm is housed on the at least one remote computer, and instructs the at least one animal interaction device to perform the instructions. 
     
     
         67 . A method of animal interaction, the method comprising:
 providing a device of  claim 37  to an animal; and   optionally activating one or more indicators; and   sensing the animal's condition via one or more sensors; and   based upon the animal's condition, making previously protected food accessible;   subsequently making the food protected again based upon the animal's later condition.   
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein the later condition is the same as the prior condition. 
     
     
         69 . A conveyor for controllably conveying particles from a hopper to a staging area a single particle at a time, wherein the particles are non-uniform in size and shape and restricted in diameter to between a range in size X to size 20X. 
     
     
         70 . The conveyor of  claim 69 , wherein particles are clumps of food. 
     
     
         71 . The conveyor of  claim 69 , wherein the food particles range in size from 0.2 cm to 4.0 cm. 
     
     
         72 . A kit comprising the device of  claim 37 , instructions for operating the device, both packaged in a box suitable for storage. 
     
     
         73 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the device base diameter is at least twice the height of the device. 
     
     
         74 . The conveyor of  claim 69 , further including a conveyor channel having a first end proximate the hopper and a second end proximate the staging area, the conveyor channel supporting the particles as they are moved from the first end of the conveyor channel to the second end of the conveyor channel; wherein the conveyor channel is angled upwards from the first end to the second end. 
     
     
         75 . The conveyor of  claim 74 , wherein the upward angle of the conveyor channel is adjustable. 
     
     
         76 . The conveyor of  claim 74 , further including a screw disposed with the conveyor channel, the screw being in communication with the hopper and driven by a motor to move the particles from the hopper to the staging area. 
     
     
         77 . The conveyor of  claim 76 , wherein the screw is helical and centerless. 
     
     
         78 . The conveyor of  claim 76 , further including a conveyor controller in communication with the motor to control rotation of the motor and in turn rotation of the screw. 
     
     
         79 . The conveyor of  claim 78 , wherein the conveyor controller can rotate the screw a fixed or variable amount. 
     
     
         80 . The conveyor of  claim 79 , wherein the staging area includes a sensor for detecting the delivery of a particle from the conveyor channel to the staging area; and wherein the sensor is in communication with the conveyor controller to stop rotation of the screw when delivery of the particle is detected.