Dynamic and geo-fenced manipulation of insects with device screens

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11029653-B2
Application number	US-201816161271-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2018
Priority date	Oct 16, 2018
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

A mobile device, computer program product for a mobile device and a computer-implemented method of operating a mobile device is disclosed. The mobile device includes a sensor, an animal database and a processor. The sensor receives data regarding an animal proximate the mobile device. The processor compares the data to the animal database to determine a type of animal at the mobile device, and performs an action on the mobile device based on the type of animal in order to manipulate a behavior of the animal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer program product for operating a mobile device, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
obtaining a data regarding an insect proximate to a touch screen of the mobile device;
determining, from the data, a type of insect; and
performing an action at the mobile device based on the type of insect in order to manipulate a behavior of the insect,
wherein the action comprises displaying light of a selected color on the touch screen to attract the insect and moving a region at which the selected color is displayed to a different location of the touch screen to encourage the insect to move to the different location of the touch screen.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the data further comprises obtaining at least one of (i) a touch signature of the insect at the touch screen; and (ii) an image of the insect at a camera of the mobile device.

3. The computer program product of claim 2 , further comprising comparing the obtained data to an insect database of the mobile device in order to identify the type of insect.

4. The computer program product of claim 1 , further comprising obtaining the data, determining the type of insect and performing the action as part of one of: (i) a program initiated by a user of the mobile device; (ii) a program that activates at a selected time during a timeout period of the mobile device.

5. A mobile device, comprising:
a sensor receivable of data regarding an insect proximate the mobile device;
an animal database; and
a processor configured to:
compare the data to the insect database to determine type of animal at the mobile device; and
perform an action on the mobile device based on the type of insect in order to manipulate a behavior of the insect,
wherein the action comprises displaying light of a selected color on the touch screen to attract the insect and moving a region at which the selected color is displayed to a different location of the touch screen to encourage the insect to move to the different location of the touch screen.

6. The mobile device of claim 5 , wherein the sensor includes at least one of (i) a touch-sensitive screen responsive to a touch of the insect; and (ii) a camera for capturing an image of the insect.

7. The mobile device of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to identify the insect by at least one of: (i) comparing a touch signature of the insect at the touch-sensitive screen to a touch signature stored in the insect database; and (ii) comparing a captured image of the insect to an image stored in the insect database.

8. The mobile device of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to manipulate the behavior of the insect by controlling an electrical field produced by the mobile device.

9. The mobile device of claim 5 , wherein the processor determines the type of insect and performs the action as one of: (i) a program initiated by a user of the mobile device; (ii) a program that activates at a selected time during a timeout period of the mobile device.

10. A computer-implemented method of operating a mobile device, comprising:
obtaining a data regarding an insect proximate to a touch screen of the mobile device;
determining, from the data, a type of insect; and
performing an action at the mobile device based on the type of insect in order to manipulate a behavior of the insect,
wherein the action comprises displaying light of a selected color on the touch screen to attract the insect and moving a region at which the selected color is displayed to a different location of the touch screen to encourage the insect to move to the different location of the touch screen.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein obtaining the data further comprises obtaining at least one of (i) a touch signature of the insect at the touch screen; and (ii) an image of the insect at a camera of the mobile device.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising comparing the obtained data to an insect database of the mobile device in order to identify the type of insect.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein manipulating the behavior of the insect further comprises controlling an electrical field produced by the mobile device.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , further comprising obtaining the data, determining the type of insect and performing the action as part of one of: (i) a program initiated by a user of the mobile device; (ii) a program that activates at a selected time during a timeout period of the mobile device.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Chakra Al
• Anders Kelley
• Harpur Liam S
• Grant Robert H

Classifications

• G06V40/28

  Recognition of hand or arm movements, e.g. recognition of deaf sign language (static hand signs G06V40/113) · CPC title

• G06V40/10

  Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands · CPC title

• G05B15/02 Primary

  electric · CPC title

• A01M1/026 Primary

  combined with devices for monitoring insect presence, e.g. termites (bait stations A01M1/2005; detecting other animals in a given area A01M31/002) · CPC title

• A01M1/10

  Catching insects by using} Traps {(using suction effect A01M1/06) · CPC title