Internet canine communication device and method

Abstract

Enhanced methods and systems for human-pet communication are described. Example embodiments provide an Internet Canine Communication System (“ICCS”). The ICCS facilitates remote communication and interaction with between a dog and its owner, caretaker, trainer, family member, or the like. The ICCS may include a base station or similar device that is configured to deliver treats to a dog and to transmit audio/visual communication between the dog and a remote client device operated by a human user. The ICCS may also facilitate training the dog to utilize the ICCS to communicate with the user, such as by answering calls from or initiating calls to the remote client device of the user.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A method for interacting with a pet, comprising:
 providing a system for communicating with a pet from a user of a communication device, the system including a treat dispenser for delivery of treats to a pet, a personal computing device in communication with the treat dispenser and further comprising a processor for sending and receiving communication commands, and a speaker in proximity to the treat dispenser;   training the pet to make a call to the user by:
 playing an audio signal via the speaker; 
 causing one of the treats to be delivered from the treat dispenser to the pet; and 
 stopping the play of the audio signal; and 
   facilitating outgoing calls from the pet to the communication device, by:
 initiating a sound to indicate a preselected outgoing call time period during which the pet may initiate a call to the communication device; 
 during the preselected outgoing call time period, receiving an indication that the pet has selected a control of the treat dispenser; and 
 in response to the received indication, initiating an outgoing call to the communication device, the outgoing call including transmitting live audio or video of the pet. 
   
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treat dispenser includes multiple food trays that are each configured to deliver treats to the pet, and further comprising:
 receiving from the communication device a selection of one of the multiple food trays; and   in response to the received selection, delivering a treat to the selected food tray.   
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treat dispenser has an associated toy that is moveable in response to commands received from the communication device, and further comprising:
 receiving from the communication device a command to move the toy; and   in response to the received command, causing the toy to move.   
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving at the system a communication command;   recognizing the communication command; and   in response to the communication command, causing one of the treats to be delivered from the treat dispenser to the pet.   
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the communication command is a spoken command uttered by a user of the communication device, the spoken command played by the personal computing device via the speaker. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the communication command is a verbal command from the user, and the system further comprising an audio input device configured to receive the communication command. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising during the preselected outgoing call time period, delivering a treat, wherein receiving the indication that the pet has selected the control of the treat dispenser includes receiving an indication that the pet has accessed the treat. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein facilitating outgoing calls from the pet to the communication device includes in response to the received indication, providing the pet with a treat, thereby rewarding the pet for initiating the outgoing call. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising training the pet to respond to spoken commands of a user when played via the speaker by, when the user is in the room with the training dispenser:
 playing audio of a spoken command via the speaker in time proximity to when the user utters the spoken command so that the pet hears and associates the spoken command played by the speaker and the spoken command uttered by user; and   causing one of the treats to be delivered from the treat dispenser to the pet.   
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein training the pet to respond to spoken commands of the user includes:
 recording the spoken commands via an audio input device; and   playing one of the recorded spoken commands via the speaker.   
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the audio signal is played from one of an audio signaling device or the speaker. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the audio signal is played continuously until receipt of input from the pet. 
     
     
       13. A method for interacting with a pet, comprising:
 providing a system for communicating with a pet from a user communication device, the system including a treat dispenser having a pet detection mechanism for detecting input from the pet, video conferencing software, and an audio/video device;   training the pet to answer a call from a user by:
 playing an audio signal via the audio/video device; 
 causing one of the treats to be delivered from the treat dispenser to the pet; and 
 stopping the play of the audio signal; 
   facilitating outgoing calls from the pet to the communication device, by:
 initiating a sound to indicate a preselected outgoing call time period during which the pet may initiate a call to the communication device; 
 during the preselected outgoing call time period, receiving an indication that the pet has selected a control of the treat dispenser via the pet detection mechanism; and 
 in response to the received indication, initiating an outgoing call to the communication device, the outgoing call including transmitting live audio or video of the pet. 
   
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising connecting a computing device to the treat dispenser, the computing device executing the video conferencing software, wherein the computing device is connected to the treat dispenser via at least one of a cable or wireless connection. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising during the preselected outgoing call time period, delivering a treat, wherein receiving the indication that the pet has selected the control of the treat dispenser includes receiving an indication that the pet has accessed the treat. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 13 , wherein facilitating outgoing calls from the pet to the communication device includes in response to the received indication, providing the pet with a treat, thereby rewarding the pet for initiating the outgoing call. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising training the pet to obtain a treat from the treat dispenser by:
 playing an audio signal that notifies the pet of the availability of a treat;   playing audio of a spoken command via the audio/video device in time proximity to when the user utters the spoken command so that the pet hears and associates the spoken command played by the audio/video device with the spoken command uttered by the user; and   causing one of the treats to be delivered from the treat dispenser to the pet.   
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 13 , wherein training the pet to obtain a treat from the treat dispenser by playing the spoken command includes:
 recording the spoken command via an audio input device; and   playing the spoken command via the audio/video device.   
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the treat dispenser includes multiple food trays that are each configured to deliver treats to the pet, and further comprising:
 receiving from the communication device a selection of one of the multiple food trays; and   in response to the received selection, delivering a treat to the selected food tray.   
     
     
       20. A system for interacting with a pet, comprising:
 a base station having:
 a treat bin configured to hold a pet treat; 
 a treat dispenser configured to deliver the pet treat from the treat bin; 
 one or more output devices including an audio device; 
 an input device comprising at least one of a microphone, a motion detector, or a camera; and 
 a microprocessor in communication with the treat dispenser, the input device, and the one or more output devices; 
   a computer application operable on a mobile device or computer, the computer application having instructions which, when executed by the mobile device or computer, are configured to receive at the mobile device or computer an input from a user indicative of a desire to deliver the pet treat to the pet, and to cause the mobile device or computer to transmit a treat delivery command to the base station;   the microprocessor further being configured to:
 after receipt of the treat delivery command at the base station, cause the treat dispenser to deliver the pet treat, and cause the output device to produce a noise associated with the delivery of the pet treat; 
 cause the output device to play at least one of audio data or video data received at the base station from the mobile device or computer; and 
 automatically, after receipt of an input from the input device indicative of a sound or action, begin transmission of at least one of audio data from the microphone or image data from the camera. 
   
     
     
       21. The system of claim 20, wherein the computer application executes on a smart phone operated by the user. 
     
     
       22. The system of claim 20, wherein the one or more output devices include a video display. 
     
     
       23. The system of claim 20, wherein the transmission is to the mobile device or computer for substantially live play of the transmission on the mobile device or computer. 
     
     
       24. A system for communicating with a pet, comprising:
 a base station having:
 a treat bin; 
 a treat dispenser configured to deliver a pet treat from the treat bin; 
 an audio device including at least one of a speaker or a bell; and 
 an input device comprising at least one of a microphone, a motion detector, or a camera; 
   a mobile application that includes instructions that, when executed by a central processing unit of a remote client device, cause the remote client device to transmit to the base station a treat delivery command in response to input from a user,   wherein the base station is configured to:
 in response to the treat delivery command received from the mobile application, cause the treat dispenser to deliver to a pet the treat from the treat bin and cause the audio device to play a sound that notifies the pet of availability of the treat; 
 play at least one of live audio or image data received from the remote client device; and 
 transmit for receipt by the remote client device audio or image data associated with the pet, wherein the base station begins transmission of the audio or image data associated with the pet in response to a signal from the input device indicative of a sound or action. 
   
     
     
       25. The system of claim 24, wherein the base station transmits the data over a communication network. 
     
     
       26. The system of claim 24, wherein the transmission of the audio or image data comprises live audio of the pet. 
     
     
       27. The system of claim 24, wherein the transmission of the audio or image data comprises video of the pet. 
     
     
       28. The system of claim 24, wherein the base station, in response to an incoming call from the remote client device:
 notifies the pet of the incoming call; and   transmits audio or image data of the pet to the remote client device.   
     
     
       29. A system for communicating with a pet, comprising:
 a base station comprising:
 a treat bin; 
 a treat dispenser configured to deliver a pet treat from the treat bin; and 
 an input device comprising at least one of a microphone, a motion detector, or a camera; 
   wherein the base station is configured to:
 play at least one of audio or image data received from a user of a remote client device; 
 notify the pet to indicate beginning of a preselected outgoing call time period during which the pet may initiate a call to the remote client device; 
 during the preselected outgoing call time period, receive a signal from the input device indicative of a sound or action; and 
 in response to the received signal during the preselected outgoing call time period, begin transmission to the remote client device of data associated with the pet. 
   
     
     
       30. The system of claim 29, wherein the base station notifies the pet by playing a sound. 
     
     
       31. The system of claim 29, wherein the base station notifies the pet by activating a light. 
     
     
       32. The system of claim 29, wherein the base station begins transmission of the data associated with the pet by transmitting audio of the pet. 
     
     
       33. The system of claim 29, wherein the base station begins transmission of the data associated with the pet by transmitting image data of the pet. 
     
     
       34. The system of claim 29, wherein the base station:
 in response to a treat delivery command:
 deliver to a pet the pet treat from the treat bin; and 
 notifies the pet of availability of a treat. 
   
     
     
       35. The system of claim 34, wherein the base station notifies the pet of the availability of the treat by playing an audio signal via a speaker. 
     
     
       36. The system of claim 35, wherein the base station notifies the pet of the availability of the treat by activating a light. 
     
     
       37. A system for communicating with a pet, comprising:
 a base station comprising:
 a treat bin; 
 a treat dispenser that delivers treats from the treat bin; 
 an audio device; 
 an input device comprising at least one of a microphone, a motion detector, or a camera; and 
 a microprocessor that is configured to:
 receive a treat delivery command from a remote client device; and 
 in response to the received treat delivery command, cause:
 the treat dispenser to deliver at least one treat from the treat bin; and 
 the audio device to play an audio signal that notifies the pet of availability of a treat; and 
 
 
   wherein the system:
 in response to user input to an application that includes instructions executing on a central processing unit of the remote client device, causes the treat delivery command to be communicated to the microprocessor; 
 plays at least one of audio or image data received from the remote client device; and 
 transmits to the application on the remote client device audio or image data associated with the pet, wherein the system begins transmission of the audio or image data associated with the pet in response a sound or action that is detected via the input device. 
   
     
     
       38. The system of claim 37, wherein the system begins transmission of the audio or image data associated by the pet by beginning transmission of video data of the pet. 
     
     
       39. The system of claim 37, wherein input device is a microphone and wherein the signal from the input device is based a sound that is made by the pet and that is detected by the microphone. 
     
     
       40. The system of claim 38, wherein the input device is a motion sensor and wherein the signal from the input device is based on motion of the pet that is detected by a motion sensor. 
     
     
       41. A system for communicating with a pet, comprising:
 a base station including a speaker and an input device comprising at least one of a microphone, a motion detector, or a camera; and   a mobile application that includes instructions that are configured to execute on a central processing unit of a remote client device to cause, in response to user input, a treat delivery command to be communicated to the base station,   wherein the base station is configured to:
 receive the treat delivery command; 
 in response to the treat delivery command:
 dispense at least one treat; and 
 play via the speaker an audio signal that notifies the pet of availability of a treat; and 
 
 transmit to the mobile application data associated with the pet, wherein the base station begins transmission of the data associated with the pet in response to a sound or action that is detected via the input device. 
   
     
     
       42. The system of claim 41, wherein the data associated with the pet is image data of the pet. 
     
     
       43. The system of claim 42, wherein the image data of the pet is video of the pet. 
     
     
       44. The system of claim 41, wherein the data associated with the pet is sound made by the pet. 
     
     
       45. The system of claim 41, wherein the input device is a microphone and wherein the signal is based on a sound that is made by the pet and detected by the microphone. 
     
     
       46. The system of claim 41, wherein the input device is a motion sensor and wherein signal is based on motion of the pet that is detected by the motion sensor.