Pest control system and method of operating same

• Main Authors: Beistle, Edward G, Howard, Phillip J, Brune, Douglas K, Siler, Christopher, Baxter, Jr., Richard V, Black, Marc, Kluk, Uriel
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 05.05.2020
• Subjects: AGRICULTURE; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUSPLANTS; CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS; FISHING; FORESTRY; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HUNTING; TRAPPING

A pest control device comprising a capacitive sensor array including a plurality of sensor pads, the capacitive sensor array being configured to generate an electrical output signal indicating the state of each sensor pad, and an electronic controller electrically connected to the capacitive sensor array, the electronic controller including a processor and a memory including a plurality of instructions, which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: receive the electrical output signals from the capacitive sensor array, determine a measured capacitance value for each sensor pad based on each electrical output signal, calculate a baseline for each sensor pad based on the measured capacitance value of the sensor pad, determine whether a difference between the measured capacitance value of at least one sensor pad and its corresponding baseline exceeds a first predetermined threshold, update a counter when the first predetermined threshold is exceeded, and record an event indicative of a presence of a pest when the counter exceeds a predetermined limit.