JP2002345358A - System for monitoring pet and rearing container for pet - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system for monitoring a pet capable of monitoring and rearing the pet from a remote place even during the long-term absence. SOLUTION: This system for monitoring the pet is provided with a server device 20 for monitoring the pet located in the remote place such as a pet shop or a pet hotel 2. The system is composed so as to rear the pet in a pet rearing container 14, install at least a camera 11 for monitoring the pet connected to a network 4 such as the Internet in the place and store (temporarily accumulate) an image or an animated image from the camera 11 for monitoring the pet with the server device 20. The pet rearing container 14 is equipped with a feeder 12. The conditions of the pet are monitored from a PDA 30a connected through the network 4 to the server device 20 and the feeder 12 is further controlled.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pet monitoring system, a pet breeding container, a program for functioning as the system, and a computer-readable recording medium storing the program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Pets such as rabbits (pets) are bred in commercially available pet cages such as bird cages. The excrement of the pet itself kept in this breeding basket usually falls and accumulates in a plastic container on a tray below the wire mesh, and the waste collected in this tray is periodically collected. Need to be cleaned. Frequent cleaning may be required, depending on the type of pet. In some cases, a commercially available pet sheet (moisture absorber) is used by being uniformly set in a plastic container. In this case, the replacement of the sheet and a slight cleaning are sufficient, but the cost of the pet sheet and the waste treatment of the dirty pet sheet remain.

[0003] In addition, regarding the breeding of pets, the owner may leave the pet and go on a long-term trip.
In this case, the owner deposits the pet at a pet hotel, relatives, friends, nearby homes, etc., and requests care. Alternatively, there are various proposals for leaving pets in the garden at home, but for pets, for example, using a timer to periodically supply the pets with pets. And it is difficult to request. In addition to the current situation, apartments often have pet regulations, so some people who want to keep pets will not be able to keep them.

In the conventional pet basket, it takes a long time to clean the excrement, and even if a pet sheet is used, the cost and the waste disposal of the dirty pet sheet remain. If the pet is left in the house as it is, the excrement is large, and the smell of the excrement is trapped in the room.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has a pet monitoring system capable of monitoring and breeding a pet from a remote place even in a long absence, and a program for causing a computer to function as the system. , And a computer-readable recording medium on which the program is recorded.

The present invention provides a pet monitoring system capable of functioning as a pet simulated breeding system capable of simulating a distant pet, a program for causing a computer to function as the system, and a program for causing the computer to function as the system. It is an object of the present invention to provide a recorded computer-readable recording medium.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pet breeding container (pet manure collection container) capable of treating excrement in a short period of time and at low running cost.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pet monitoring system having a server device for storing an image or a moving image from a pet monitoring camera connected to a network. Is characterized by having means for allowing a client device connected to the server device over a network to view the status of the pet using an image or a moving image from the pet monitoring camera.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the pet monitoring system according to the first aspect, a feeding device network-connected to the server device together with the pet monitoring camera is provided at a pet feeding place, and the server device is provided The feeding device is operated at a set time to supply a constant amount of food to the pet.

A third aspect of the present invention is the pet monitoring system according to the second aspect, wherein the setting can be changed from the client device.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the pet monitoring system according to the first aspect, a feeding device connected to the server device via the network together with the pet monitoring camera is provided at a pet feeding place. At the time of the browsing, the client device can operate the feeding device and supply the pet with food while monitoring the state of the pet.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the pet monitoring system according to the fourth aspect, an audio output device network-connected to the server device together with the feeding device is provided at a pet feeding place, and the server device is configured to output the audio signal. In the output device, at the time of the browsing in the client device, while monitoring the state of the pet, whether to output a sound selected from sounds previously recorded in the pet and stored in the server device or the client device, Alternatively, the audio output from the client device is output.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pet monitoring camera provided at a pet's location, a server device for storing an image or a moving image from the pet monitoring camera via a network, and the server device. And a client device network-connected to the pet device, wherein the client device browses the status of the pet by an image or moving image from the pet monitoring camera stored in or stored in the server device. It is characterized by having means for performing.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided the pet monitoring system according to the sixth aspect, further comprising a feeding device connected to the server device via a network for installing the pet in a pet feeding place in the pet holding place. The server device operates the feeding device at a preset time to supply a constant amount of food to the pet.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the pet monitoring system according to the seventh aspect, the setting can be changed from the client device.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the pet monitoring system according to the sixth aspect, there is provided a feeding device connected to the server device via a network for installing the pet at a pet feeding place in the pet holding place. Means for operating the feeding device and supplying the pet with food while monitoring the status of the pet at the time of browsing on the client device via the server device. It is.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the pet monitoring system according to the ninth aspect, there is provided an audio output device connected to the server device via a network for installing the pet in a pet feeding place in the pet holding place. The audio output device is pre-recorded on the pet and stored in the server device or the client device while monitoring the status of the pet during the browsing on the client device via the server device. It is characterized by outputting a voice selected from the voices or outputting a voice input from the client device.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pet monitoring system having a pet monitoring camera for browsing an image or a moving image from the pet monitoring camera, wherein the pet monitoring system is connected to the pet monitoring camera and a network. A browsing means for browsing the state of the pet by an image or a moving image from the pet monitoring camera, and a feeding device network-connected to the browsing means for installing the pet at a pet feeding place, The means is capable of operating the feeding device and feeding the pet while monitoring the condition of the pet.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pet breeding container having an upper surface and side surfaces surrounded by a net-like bottom portion through which pet manure can pass, wherein pet excrement is collected below the bottom portion. A collecting container having a discharge port for concentrating and discharging the excrement passing through the net-like bottom at one place, and a support base for supporting the receiving device,
An excrement container arranged so as to be able to be taken out from a side surface of the support base, wherein the excrement container has a container for mainly storing moisture such as urine in the excrement, and a mesh finer than the net-like bottom portion. And a net-like solid material receiving portion that is detachably installed from the container without allowing solid materials such as pet droppings to pass therethrough.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the pet monitoring system according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects, the pet monitoring camera, the feeding device, and the audio output device, or the feeding device, the audio output device, or the pet monitoring device. A feeding device is provided in the pet breeding container according to claim 12.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program for realizing the pet monitoring system according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable recording medium storing the program according to the fourteenth aspect.

[0023]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a pet monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention. A pet monitoring system according to the present embodiment (hereinafter, referred to as the present system) is installed in, for example, a pet shop, a pet hotel 2, and the like, and has a server device 20 for monitoring a pet at a remote place as a basic component. . The server device 2
0 is a server for connecting to a network (if an Internet connection described later is required,
Server), an authentication server to authenticate each user,
A computer having a server function with a hierarchical structure, such as a database management server for managing various databases storing user information, etc., may be used. It should just be done. This program is
A graphical user interface may be provided to facilitate the user when using the system. In addition, the network to be described later is not limited to a wired or wireless network, but may be a dedicated line (including an optical fiber line),
Even when using the Internet connected via a telephone line, an intranet or extranet using Internet technology, or even using a dedicated line, a WAN (Wi-Fi) is required.
de Area Network) and MAN (Metr
Depending on the installation location of the server device as well as the LAN (Local Area Network),
Area Network).

At the pet place, at least a pet monitoring camera 11 connected to a network 4 such as the Internet via a communication device 13 is provided, and images or moving images from the pet monitoring camera 11 via the network 4 are provided. Is stored (temporarily stored) in the server device 20. It is not necessary to prepare a camera dedicated to the present system as the pet monitoring camera 11. Network 4
Any camera can be used as long as the camera can be connected in some way, such as a digital camera for still images and a digital video camera for moving images. Pets should be kept in a pet breeding container 14 such as a basket in consideration of the ease of monitoring.
It is not necessary to prepare such.

The clerk of the pet shop 2 has the server 20
Monitoring the pet while watching the image captured in the server, or analyzing the image captured in the server device 20,
When the state of the pet is strange, an alarm may be sounded, or notification may be given to a veterinary contact registered in advance in the server device.

Although only a person who has installed the server device 20 such as a clerk of the pet shop 2 may monitor, the user 3 who deposited the pet using the present system, that is, in most cases, Owners always want to know the status of their pets. In order for the owner to be able to see the state of the pet, the server device 20
Client devices 30a, 30 connected to the network
0b (hereinafter, represented by 30) is used. The client device 30 is a mobile phone represented by i-mode, PH
It refers to mobile communication terminal devices such as S and PDA, and PC terminal devices. The client device 30 enables a WWW browser or the like to view the state of a pet stored in the server device 20 or stored and displayed on the pet monitoring camera 11 from outside. Also, as described above, if it is determined that the pet's health is not good,
A system for notifying the user 3 to that effect may also be used.

In addition, some owners feel that it is unsatisfactory if the owner can only observe the pet. Therefore, a feeding device 12 that is connected to the server device 20 and the client device 30 via a network is provided at a pet feeding place in the pet's keeping place. The server device 20 operates the feeding device 12 at a preset time to supply a constant amount of food to the pet. The feeding device 12 includes, for example, a food container 12a and a water container 12b, and a certain amount of food and / or water is supplied to the food plate 15a and the water plate 15b by a request from the server device 20 or by a timer. The configuration may be such that it is supplied to Here, the setting is performed on the client device 3
In response to a request from 0, the change may be made directly or via the server device 20.

Also, when browsing (observing) the client device 30 via the server device 20, the pet feeding device 12 is operated to supply the pet with food and water while monitoring the condition of the pet. Is also good.

Further, an audio output device connected to the server device 20 or the client device 30 via a network may be installed at the pet feeding place. This audio output device is pre-recorded on the pet while monitoring the status of the pet via the server device 20 or directly from the client device 30 at the time of browsing on the client device 30, and is recorded on the server device 20 or the client device 30. In this case, the selected voice may be output from the voices stored in the client device, or the voice input from the client device 30 may be output. Note that the above-described pet monitoring system is realized even if there is no server device 20 and if there is a client device as a browsing means, the network is connected to a feeding device, a pet monitoring camera, and an audio output device, and these are operated to operate. Needless to say, this is possible.

In the above, the pet monitoring system according to the present invention has been described as performing its function by a server device installed in a pet shop, a pet hotel, or the like. The pet may be monitored by a client device such as a mobile terminal. At this time, if the health of the pet is determined to be unsatisfactory by monitoring at the client device, a system may be provided that notifies a veterinary contact registered in advance in the server device.

While the pet monitoring system according to one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, a pet breeding container that can be applied to this system and that can be used alone as a pet basket will be described.

2 and 3 are views showing a pet breeding container according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the receiving device and the support stand of FIG. 2, and FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of 2 excrement containers. 3A and 3B are a perspective view and a front view, respectively, of the components of the pet breeding container.

The pet breeding container 14 of the present embodiment is a container in which a manure receiving tray is improved in a conventional pet cage such as a birdcage. The pet breeding container 14 according to the present embodiment is a pet breeding container whose upper surface and side surfaces are surrounded by a net-shaped frame 41 and whose lower surface is provided with a net-shaped bottom portion 42 through which pet manure can pass. Further, as a characteristic configuration, a collecting container for collecting pet excrement is provided below the bottom (scaffold) 42. This collection container is configured such that the excrement that has passed through the net-shaped bottom portion 42 is concentrated at one location (discharge port), and an inverted weight-shaped receiving member 44 that allows the excrement to pass therethrough; a support base 43 that supports the receiving object; Excrement container 4 which is disposed so as to be able to be taken out from the side of the container and stores the excrement from the receiving device 44
5 is assumed. As an example of the combination of the receiving member 44 and the support 43, it is preferable that the combination can be easily removed as shown in the sectional view of FIG. Excrement container 45
As shown in FIG. 5, a container 45a for mainly storing water such as urine in excrement, and a container 45a for receiving faeces without passing the faeces of pets having a finer mesh than the net-like bottom portion 42. And a net-like solid material receiving portion (net) 45b that can be removed from the device.

The receiving device 44 has a hole at the center so that the excrement falling from the bottom 42 is obliquely lowered from all sides toward the center. The excrement does not need to be collected at the center, and for example, a receiving device that collects excrement at one end may be used. It is preferable that the receiving device 44 be designed and made of a material that is easy to roll and that easily flows urine and water, and a tilt angle of the material, in which the feces are easy to roll, together with the discharge port. The length of the excretion opening needs to be such that the excrement can be reliably dropped into the container 45.

Below the outlet, there is a container 45 for storing excrement such as manure and the like. A net 45b for catching anything other than water such as feces is installed in the container 45, Is stored in the container 45a. Net 45b
Is required to have a certain height and is required to be detachable from the container 45a, and may have a framed rack shape. In the cleaning method of manure, first, the wire mesh basket 41 is removed, and if there is any excrement attached to the inclined receiving device 44, it is dropped into the discharge port. In addition, the receiver 44 is flushed with water as needed. Finally,
Either the water in the container 45 in which the excrement is stored and the others are separated and returned to the soil or disposed of as garbage. In particular, the water may be flushed to the toilet.

As the pet breeding container, a form in which a sheet using a polymer absorbent such as acrylic acid / polymer or the like is replaceably disposed instead of the excrement container 45 described above may be employed. . This sheet uses a non-chlorine resin material that can be used for ordinary garbage disposal, or a material that uses a biodegradable material that is biodegradable because the resin has a low molecular weight in soil. Is preferred. Instead of using the excrement container 45 itself as a component, a pet breeding container may be used, which employs a container in which the sheet is replaceably disposed on a receiving member 44 having a discharge port closed. In any case, since excrement can be treated only by replacing the sheet as a consumable without cleaning the above-described container 45 and the receiving device 44, the elderly can be easily used. Further, a system for detecting the excrement on the sheet may be introduced. In the case of solid excrement, the loading amount may be detected by a sensor, and in the case of liquid excrement, the amount of absorption may be notified to a user by color display or the like.

The pet monitoring camera and the feeding device and the audio output device, or the feeding device and the audio output device or the feeding device in the above-described pet monitoring system are installed in the pet breeding container, and excrement such as manure can be collected. As an alternative, a pet monitoring system that facilitates the processing may be provided.

As described above, as one embodiment of the present invention, a pet monitoring system useful when a user (owner) 3 who keeps a pet deposits the pet to the pet shop 2 for a long-term trip or the like has been described. Next, as another embodiment of the present invention, a system will be described in which a user can experience a pet that is actually kept in a pet shop 2 or the like.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a pet monitoring system according to another embodiment of the present invention. The pet monitoring system according to the present embodiment functions as a pet simulated breeding system. The basic configuration is the same as the pet monitoring system according to the above-described embodiment, and details thereof are omitted. In the arrangement. That is, the server device 2
0 and a pet breeding container 14 connected to the server device 20 via a LAN or the like and having the feeding device 12 and the pet monitoring camera 11 installed therein, in a pet shop, a pet hotel 2 or the like, and the client device 30 owned by the user.
This is a pet monitoring system that enables monitoring, feeding, etc. of pets from a, 30b, 30c.

By installing a pet monitoring camera 11 in a pet facility such as a pet shop 2 or the like, it is possible to provide a pet simulated lending service in which a user can enjoy the feeling of keeping a pet without keeping the pet at home. . this is,
This application is similar to an application that fosters a virtual pet on a computer. However, in this embodiment, the user wants to keep a pet because he / she lives in an apartment with pet regulations instead of the virtual pet by the application. A system can be provided in which no user can keep a real pet. In addition, as a breeding container 14 of the pet simulated breeding system of the present embodiment, a feeding device and a voice output device, or a feeding device and a voice output device, or a feeding device are installed in the pet breeding container 14 described with reference to FIGS. The container may be used to collect excrement such as manure to facilitate the treatment.

The pet monitoring system and the simulated pet breeding system of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to a program for causing a computer to execute the pet monitoring system or the simulated pet breeding system, and furthermore, the program is executed by the computer. A form as a recorded computer-readable recording medium is also possible.

An embodiment of a recording medium for storing a program and data for realizing a pet monitoring or simulated breeding function according to the present invention will be described. As a recording medium, specifically, a CD-ROM, a magneto-optical disk, a DVD-RO
M, FD, flash memory, and various other ROMs and RAMs can be assumed. The computer executes the functions of the system of each embodiment of the present invention described above on these recording media to realize a pet monitoring or simulated breeding function. By recording and distributing a program for this purpose, the function can be easily realized. Then, the program is read by the information processing apparatus by attaching the recording medium as described above to an information processing apparatus such as a computer, or the program is stored in a storage medium provided in the information processing apparatus, and if necessary, By reading out, the pet monitoring or simulated breeding function according to the present invention can be executed.

[0043]

According to the pet breeding container of the present invention, consumables such as pet sheets and other garbage are not required, the running cost for cleaning is not required, and the excrement can be treated in a short time. Become. Further, since feces and urine are separated, it is possible to suppress an unpleasant odor of excrement.

According to the pet monitoring system of the present invention, even when going out for a long time, the pet can be safely left in a pet shop, a pet hotel, and the like. It is possible to feed.

According to the simulated pet breeding system of the present invention, it is possible for a user who cannot keep a pet in an apartment or the like where pets are restricted to enjoy the mood of having a pet, albeit a simulated one. Become.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a pet monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a pet breeding container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a pet breeding container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the support and the support of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of the excrement container of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a pet monitoring system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 pet facilities, 3 users, 4 networks, 11
... Pet monitoring camera, 12 ... Feeding device, 12a ... Feed container, 12b ... Water container, 13 ... Communication device, 14 ... Pet breeding container, 15a ... Feeding dish, 15b ... Water dish, 20 ...
Server device, 30, 30a, 30b, 30c: client device, 41: frame (wire cage), 42: bottom (scaffold), 43: support base, 44: receiving device, 45: excrement container,
45a: container, 45b: net-like solid material receiving portion (net).

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 7/18 H04N 7/18 D H04Q 9/00 301 H04Q 9/00 301B 311 311J 321 321D F term (reference) 2B101 AA20 CB01 FC01 2B102 AA15 AB23 AD05 AD12 CA01 5C022 AA01 AA12 AB65 AC18 5C054 AA01 CA04 CE16 CG02 CH01 DA06 EA01 EA03 ED07 FC11 GB11 HA12 HA19 HA24 5K048 BA01 DA07 DC01 DC07 EB02 EB15 HA21

Claims (15)

[Claims] 1. A pet monitoring system having a server device for storing images or moving images from a pet monitoring camera connected to a network, wherein the server device is a client connected to the server device via a network. A pet monitoring system, characterized in that the device has means for allowing the device to view the status of the pet using an image or a moving image from the pet monitoring camera. 2. A pet feeding device connected to the server device with a network together with the pet monitoring camera at a feeding location of the pet, wherein the server device operates the feeding device at a preset time, and feeds a fixed amount of food. The pet monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the pet is supplied to the pet. 3. The pet monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein the setting can be changed from the client device. 4. A pet feeding device, which is connected to the server device via a network together with the pet monitoring camera, is provided at a pet feeding place, and the server device informs the client device of the state of the pet at the time of browsing. The pet monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the pet feeding device can be operated to feed the pet while monitoring. 5. An audio output device network-connected to the server device together with the feeding device is provided at a pet feeding location, and the server device transmits the audio output device to the pet device at the time of the browsing by the client device. While monitoring the status of the pet, the pet may output a selected voice among voices recorded in advance and stored in the server device or the client device, or may output a voice input from the client device. The pet monitoring system according to claim 4, wherein 6. A pet surveillance camera provided at a pet yard, a server device for storing an image or a moving image from the pet surveillance camera via a network,
A pet monitoring system having a client device connected to the server device and a network, wherein the client device is configured to store a pet by an image or a moving image from the pet monitoring camera stored in or stored in the server device. A pet monitoring system comprising means for browsing a state. 7. A feeding device connected to the server device for network installation at a pet feeding place in the pet holding place, wherein the server device connects the feeding device at a preset time. 7. The pet monitoring system according to claim 6, wherein the pet monitoring system is activated to supply a predetermined amount of food to the pet. 8. The pet monitoring system according to claim 7, wherein the setting can be changed from the client device. 9. A feeding device connected to the server device via a network, the feeding device being installed at a pet feeding place in the pet holding place, and
At the time of the browsing in the client device, while monitoring the state of the pet, operating the feeding device,
The pet monitoring system according to claim 6, further comprising means for supplying the pet with food. 10. An audio output device connected to the server device via a network for installation at a pet feeding place in the pet's breeding place, wherein the audio output device is
Through the server device, at the time of the browsing in the client device, while monitoring the state of the pet,
10. The pet monitor according to claim 9, wherein a sound selected from sounds previously recorded in the pet and stored in the server device or the client device is output, or a sound input from the client device is output. system. 11. A pet surveillance system having a pet surveillance camera for browsing images or moving images from the pet surveillance camera, the pet surveillance system being connected to the pet surveillance camera and a network, A browsing unit for browsing the state of the pet by an image or a moving image from a camera, and a feeding device connected to the browsing unit for installation at a feeding place of the pet, the browsing unit including the pet, A pet monitoring system capable of operating the feeder and feeding the pet while monitoring the state of the pet. 12. A pet breeding container having an upper surface and side surfaces surrounded by a net-like bottom portion through which pet manure can pass, and a collecting container for collecting pet excrement below the bottom portion. The collecting container is provided with a receiving device having an outlet for concentrating and discharging the excrement passing through the net-like bottom at one place, a support table for supporting the receiving device, and taking out from a side surface of the support table. An excrement container arranged so as to be capable of storing water, such as urine, in the excrement, and a solid material such as pet droppings having a finer mesh than the bottom of the net. And a net-like solid material receiving portion detachably installed from the container without passing through the container. 13. The pet monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the pet monitoring camera and the feeding device and the audio output device, or the feeding device and the audio output device, or the feeding device. Item 13. A pet monitoring system installed in the pet breeding container according to Item 12. 14. A program for realizing the pet monitoring system according to claim 1. Description: 15. A computer-readable recording medium on which the program according to claim 14 is recorded.