US 12,317,879 B1
Using artificial intelligence (AI) to detect pest activity
Jace W. Files, Round Rock, TX (US); Roger S. Hollander, Austin, TX (US); John Trevor Morrison, Round Rock, TX (US); and Shivshanker S. Naimpally, Leander, TX (US)
Assigned to Katcher LLC, Round Rock, TX (US)
Filed by Katcher LLC, Round Rock, TX (US)
Filed on Feb. 3, 2025, as Appl. No. 19/044,551.
Application 19/044,551 is a continuation of application No. 19/005,253, filed on Dec. 30, 2024, granted, now 12,268,202.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/549,872, filed on Feb. 5, 2024.
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A01M 1/02 (2006.01); G01D 21/02 (2006.01)
CPC A01M 1/026 (2013.01) [G01D 21/02 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
measuring an ambient temperature using a thermometer of a sensor node that is mounted to a wood item;
measuring, by a hygrometer of the sensor node, an ambient humidity;
measuring, by an ohmmeter of the sensor node, a current resistance of the wood item between two metal fasteners used to mount the sensor node to the wood item;
determining, by one or more processors of the sensor node and based on the resistance, a moisture content of the wood item;
based at least in part on determining, by the one or more processors that:
the ambient temperature is greater than a temperature threshold, the ambient humidity is greater than a humidity threshold, and
the moisture content is greater than a moisture threshold, capturing audio data by a microphone of the sensor node, the microphone coupled to the wood item; and
based at least in part on determining, by the one or more processors, that the audio data indicates pest activity, sending, by a communications interface of the sensor node, a notification of pest activity, the notification including the audio data.