Self-survey stake for a virtual fencing system

摘要

Survey stakes that include a GPS receiver as well as other electronics are used to define a boundary for a wireless fencing system. A survey stake is placed at each vertex of a containment boundary that will be used for animal confinement. The stakes survey their location by taking repetitive GPS readings and averaging them over time. The location information is transferred to an electronic collar that is to be worn by a monitored animal. That information forms the basis for the boundary definition used by the collar during monitoring operations.

主权项

1. A system comprising a plurality of survey stakes, wherein each survey stake comprises:
an electronics module including a GPS receiver, wherein the electronics module surveys its own location by taking repetitive GPS readings and averages the readings over a period of time; and a support assembly, wherein the support assembly receives the electronics module and is physically adapted to elevate the electronics module to a height suitable for avoiding obstructing features that would otherwise attenuate signals that the electronics module uses to perform at least one of the following tasks: (a) determine location; or (b) communicate with other electronics modules.