Non-invasive automatic monitoring of pet animal's core temperature
Inventors
Zakharov, Michael • DAGAN, Asaf • BUKCHIN, Michael • Menkes, Avi
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10041843-B2
Publication Date
2018-08-07
Expiration Date
Abstract
A system, device and method monitoring whether a core temperature of a warm-blooded pet animal is within a normal range for the pet animal comprises a sensing assembly including (i) a skin temperature sensor positioned such that a sensing surface of the skin temperature sensor faces the animal, the skin temperature sensor configured to produce a skin temperature output, (ii) an ambient temperature sensor spaced away from the animal and configured to produce an ambient temperature output, and (iii) an accelerometer for sensing an acceleration of the pet animal and producing an acceleration output; and a processor for receiving the outputs, calculating an activity level from the acceleration data and determining whether the core temperature of the pet animal is within the normal range based on a pre-defined function relating the skin temperature TS, the ambient temperature TA, and the activity level of the pet animal.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a system and a method for monitoring a health of a warm-blooded pet animal, where the pet animal is a dog or a cat, by non-invasively monitoring and providing early detection of whether a core temperature is within a normal range for the pet animal. The approach uses a non-invasive collar positioned on a neck of the pet animal and provides signals for ambient temperature, skin temperature, acceleration, and at least one of heart rate and respiration and at least one of posture and movement of the pet animal.
The processors receive ambient temperature output TA, skin temperature output TS, and an acceleration level output to determine an activity level A from acceleration. The processors use TA to select a zone from one of three zones, including a thermoneutral zone, a zone below lower critical temperature (Tlc), and a zone above upper critical temperature (Tuc). Based on the selected zone, the processors calculate a baseline model skin temperature using a*TA+b, where a and b are coefficients that are set depending upon an animal size and kind.
The processors further calculate adjustments of the baseline model skin temperature to yield a lower margin and an upper margin of a tolerance range using c1*A+d1 and c2*A+d2, where coefficients c1 and d1, and coefficients c2 and d2, are set depending upon activity units and animal kind or size. The system and method determine whether the core temperature is within the normal range based on whether TS is within the tolerance range, and the system is configured to operate in ambient temperature environments spanning the three zones.
Claims Coverage
The partial document provides three independent claims. Each independent claim centers on non-invasive collar-based monitoring with temperature-zone modeling and activity-dependent tolerance-range determination using TA and TS and an activity level A derived from acceleration, with acoustic heart-rate/respiration sensing recited in two claims.
Non-invasive collar system for early core-temperature normal-range detection using ambient and skin temperature with activity adjustment
A system for monitoring a health of a warm-blooded pet animal including non-invasively monitoring and providing early detection of whether a core temperature of the warm-blooded pet animal is within a normal range, the pet animal being a dog or a cat, the system comprising a non-invasive collar configured to output signals for ambient temperature, skin temperature, at least one of heart rate and respiration, and at least one of posture and movement of the pet animal; and one or more processors configured to determine an activity level A from the acceleration level output, select a zone from one of three zones using TA, calculate a baseline model skin temperature using a*TA+b with coefficients depending on animal size and kind and the selected zone, calculate lower and upper margin adjustments using c1*A+d1 and c2*A+d2 with coefficients depending on activity units and animal kind or size, and determine if the core temperature is within the normal range based on whether TS is within the tolerance range while operating in ambient temperature environments spanning the three zones.
Non-invasive monitoring method using activity-adjusted baseline skin temperature across three ambient zones to determine normal-range core temperature
A method of monitoring a health of a pet animal including non-invasively monitoring and providing early detection of whether a pet animal's core temperature is within a normal range for the pet animal, the pet animal being a dog or a cat, comprising using sensors in a non-invasive collar to obtain ambient temperature TA, skin temperature TS, and acceleration data; using one or more processors to calculate activity level A from the acceleration data, use TA to select a zone from one of three zones including a thermoneutral zone, a zone below lower critical temperature (Tlc), and a zone above upper critical temperature (Tuc); obtain coefficients set depending upon an animal size and kind; use a*TA+b to calculate from TA a baseline model skin temperature; use c1*A+d1 and c2*A+d2 to calculate adjustments yielding a lower margin and an upper margin of a tolerance range; and determine if the core temperature is within the normal range based on whether TS is within the tolerance range, where the non-invasive collar includes an acoustic sensor configured to measure at least one of heart rate and respiration with projections configured to penetrate a fur of the dog or cat.
Non-invasive collar system using three ambient zones and activity-dependent tolerance margins for core-temperature normal-range determination
A system for monitoring a health of a warm-blooded pet animal including non-invasively monitoring and providing early detection of whether a core temperature of the warm-blooded pet animal is within a normal range for the pet animal, the pet animal being a dog or a cat, the system comprising a non-invasive collar configured to output signals for ambient temperature, skin temperature, at least one of heart rate and respiration, and at least one of posture and movement of the pet animal; a sensing assembly including a skin temperature sensor, an ambient temperature sensor, an accelerometer, and an acoustic sensor; and one or more processors configured to determine an activity level A from the acceleration level output, use TA to select a zone from one of three zones including a thermoneutral zone, a zone below lower critical temperature (Tlc), and a zone above upper critical temperature (Tuc), use a*TA+b to calculate a baseline model skin temperature with coefficients depending on animal size and kind and the selected zone, use c1*A+d1 and c2*A+d2 to calculate a lower margin and an upper margin of a tolerance range with coefficients depending on activity units and animal kind or size, and determine if the core temperature is within the normal range based on whether TS is within the tolerance range while operating in ambient temperature environments spanning the three zones.
Across the independent claims, the core coverage is a non-invasive collar (dog/cat) that measures ambient temperature and skin temperature and uses acceleration-derived activity to apply zone-dependent and activity-dependent models that compute a tolerance range, with the determination of whether core temperature is within the normal range based on whether TS is within that tolerance range.
Stated Advantages
Provides early detection of whether a core temperature is within a normal range for the pet animal.
Non-invasively monitors core temperature normal-range status using collar output signals.
Operates in ambient temperature environments spanning thermoneutral and critical-temperature zones.
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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