| CPC A01K 63/065 (2013.01) [A01K 63/003 (2013.01); A01K 63/047 (2013.01)] | 22 Claims |
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1. A modular habitat structure (MHS) for accommodating one or more live inhabitants, comprising:
a rigid pillar which extends along a major axis from a base end to an upper end opposed from the base end;
a plurality of major system components, each disposed at a different one of a plurality of locations along a length of the rigid pillar;
each of the major system components extending radially outward from the rigid pillar and each comprised of one or more segments which individually extend circumferentially around at least a portion of the rigid pillar;
each of the segments having a predefined modular configuration, whereby the MHS is user adjustable to a plurality of different configurations by selectively adding or removing one or more segments of the major system components to circumferentially vary an extent of each of the major system components around a periphery of the rigid pillar;
a control unit integrated into the MHS comprising a computer processor configured to control a plurality of electronic devices integrated into the MHS; and
one or more accessory sockets integrated with the MHS and communicatively coupled to the control unit, each configured to removably receive a plug associated with one or more of the plurality of the electronic devices when being installed in the MHS, and each comprising one or more of a power source and a data interface;
wherein the plurality of electronic devices include one or more video cameras responsive to the control unit to generate one or more video streams of a wildlife habitat within the MHS, and the control unit is configured to selectively cause at least one video stream to be communicated from the MHS to a remote computing device;
wherein the plurality of major system components comprises
(i) a canopy structure that is coupled to the rigid pillar at an upper end so as to extend outward into an open air space surrounding the MHS, and
(ii) a retention cabinet system coupled to the rigid pillar adjacent to a base end so as to be spaced apart from the canopy structure and extend outward into the open air space surrounding the MHS, the canopy structure defining a lower surface which faces the retention cabinet system, and the retention cabinet system defining at least one retention well in the form of an open bowl for retaining soil and/or water media therein, a sidewall of the at least one retention well comprising a port configured to be aligned with a corresponding port of an adjacent sidewall of an adjacent retention well to facilitate fluid flow, the sidewall extending between a front wall and an opposing rear wall of the at least one retention well, the rear wall being adjacent to the rigid pillar, a food access drawer fit within an access shell integrated in the retention cabinet of a soil media containing well, wherein the food access drawer is inserted and removed through the front wall of the retention cabinet, a valve control knob on the front wall of the retention cabinet and connected to an integrated drain pipe within the retention cabinet of a water media well, wherein the valve control knob regulates periodic drainage of the water media well;
wherein the canopy structure and the retention cabinet are positioned on the rigid pillar spaced between a utility cabinet above the canopy structure and a moat assembly below the retention cabinet; and
wherein at least one wall stud has an elongate length arranged to extend parallel to and spaced apart from the rigid pillar, and arranged to extend vertically from the lower surface of the canopy structure and into the at least one retention well of the retention cabinet system; and
wherein a plurality of different customization modules are configured to each (i) facilitate a respective one of a plurality of different habitat functions, (ii) be removably coupled to the at least one wall stud, and (iii) be selectively interchanged with other ones of the plurality of customization modules to allow customization of habit functionality.
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