Enrichment device for mammals

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12342794-B2
Application number	US-202318349119-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2023
Priority date	Feb 10, 2023
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

In some implementations, a controller may obtain global positioning system (GPS) data from a GPS unit of an enrichment device. The controller may determine habitat information identifying a habitat for animals, of a plurality of habitats of animals, using the GPS data. The controller may determine a geofence of the habitat for animals based on the habitat information. The controller may determine a movement profile associated with the habitat for animals using the habitat information. The movement profile identifies one or more motions of the enrichment device. The controller may cause the enrichment device to move, within a boundary of the geofence, in accordance with the one or more motions of the movement profile. The enrichment device may move in accordance with the one or more motions to stimulate movement of one or more animals of the habitat for animals. The controller may monitor the movement and/or animal interaction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method performed by a controller included in an enrichment device, the method comprising:
obtaining global positioning system (GPS) data from a GPS unit of the enrichment device;
determining habitat information identifying a habitat for animals, of a plurality of habitats of animals, using the GPS data;
determining a geofence of the habitat for animals based on the habitat information;
determining a movement profile associated with the habitat for animals using the habitat information,
wherein the movement profile identifies one or more motions of the enrichment device; and

causing the enrichment device to move, within a boundary of the geofence, in accordance with the one or more motions of the movement profile,
wherein the enrichment device moves in accordance with the one or more motions to stimulate movement of one or more animals of the habitat for animals.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more motions are one or more first motions, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that the enrichment device is located outside the boundary of the geofence; and
causing the enrichment device to move in accordance with one or more second motions based on determining that the enrichment device is located outside the boundary of the geofence.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting an animal interaction indicating that the one or more animals are interacting with the enrichment device;
determining a location of the enrichment device when the animal interaction is detected; and
updating the habitat information to include information identifying the location as a desired location.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein detecting the animal interaction comprises:
obtaining motor data from a motor of the enrichment device,
wherein the motor data indicates a rotational speed of the motor;

obtaining acceleration data from a sensor device of the enrichment device,
wherein the acceleration data indicates at least one of an acceleration or a velocity of the enrichment device;

determining that the rotational speed does not correlate with the at least one of the acceleration or the velocity;
determining a movement of the enrichment device is an unexpected movement based on determining that the rotational speed does not correlate with the at least one of the acceleration or the velocity; and
detecting the animal interaction based on determining that the movement of the enrichment device is the unexpected movement.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein detecting the animal interaction comprises:
providing the motor data and the acceleration data to a machine learning model,
wherein the machine learning model generates, as an output, information indicating whether the one or more animals are interacting with the enrichment device; and

determining the animal interaction based on the output generated by the machine learning model.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more motions are one or more first motions, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining that the enrichment device is located outside the boundary of the geofence;
receiving a request to cause the enrichment device to move in accordance with one or more second motions;
determining that the request includes information indicating that the request overrides movements, of the enrichment device, associated with the habitat for animals; and
causing the enrichment device to move in accordance with the one or more second motions based on determining that the request includes information indicating that the request overrides the movements of the enrichment device.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that the one or more animals have not interacted with the enrichment device for a time threshold;
determining a location of the enrichment device when the one or more animals have not interacted with the enrichment device for the time threshold;
updating the geofence to remove the location from the geofence of the habitat for animals; and
updating the habitat information based on updating the geofence.

8. An enrichment device, comprising:
a global positioning system (GPS) unit; and
a controller configured to:
determine habitat information identifying a habitat for animals, of a plurality of habitats of animals, using first GPS data generated by the GPS unit;
detect an animal interaction indicating that an animal, of the habitat, is interacting with the enrichment device;
determine a location of the animal interaction using second GPS data generated by the GPS unit;
update the habitat information to include desired location information identifying the location as a desired location,
wherein the desired location information includes the second GPS data; and

cause the enrichment device to move from a current location of the enrichment device to the desired location to stimulate one or more additional animal interactions.

9. The enrichment device of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine a time of the animal interaction; and
update the habitat information to include time information identifying the time of the animal interaction.

10. The enrichment device of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
provide the habitat information to a user device,
wherein the habitat information includes the desired location information and the time information.

11. The enrichment device of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
detect that the enrichment device is approaching a distance threshold from a boundary of the habitat; and
adjust a velocity of the enrichment device based on detecting that the enrichment device is within the distance threshold.

12. The enrichment device of claim 8 , further comprising a motor,
wherein the desired location is a first location,
wherein the current location is a third location, and
wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine a speed of the motor,
determine that the speed satisfies a speed threshold indicating movement of the enrichment device;
determine that the enrichment device is immobile while the speed is less than the speed threshold;
detect the third location of the enrichment device using third GPS data generated by the GPS unit; and
update the habitat information to include undesired location information identifying the third location as an undesired location.

13. The enrichment device of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine, multiple times, that the enrichment device is immobile at the undesired location;
update a geofence of the habitat to remove the undesired location based on determining, multiple times, that the enrichment device is immobile at the undesired location; and
provide the habitat information to a user device.

14. The enrichment device of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive identification data from an identification device associated with the animal;
determine an identity of the animal based on the identification data; and
update the habitat information to further include animal information identifying the animal.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions comprising:
one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of an enrichment device, cause the enrichment device to:
determine habitat information identifying a geographical area for animals of a plurality of geographical areas for animals,
wherein the geogr

Assignees

• Disney Entpr Inc

Inventors

• Milluzzi Andrew J
• Miller Angela
• Kwo Sylvester
• Skobrak Kathryn
• Potts Patrick M
• Dominguez Jose
• Dahlinger Cecelia
• Lee Emma
• Breen Michael
• Alba Andrew

Classifications

• H04W4/021

  Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences · CPC title

• A01K15/025

  Toys specially adapted for animals · CPC title

• A01K15/023

  Anti-evasion devices · CPC title

• A01K11/008

  incorporating global positioning system [GPS] · CPC title

• A01K29/005 Primary

  Monitoring or measuring activity · CPC title