IMPROVED FIREARM TRACKING, COMMUNICATION, AND MONITORING APPARATUS AND SYSTEM

Abstract

Firearms being used by non-authorized individuals have been the cause of the death of many innocent people. Guns and rifles are relatively easy to obtain illegally though black markets or by stealing from relatives and acquaintances of registered firearm owners and there is no adequate methods of restricting their operation after they are not controlled by the owner. The current disclosure describes an apparatus and system for remotely monitoring the location, movement and operational status of a firearm and report the status to the firearm owner. Alternatively, the system will track the firearms location and status and report to a central authority when the firearm is fired. This method of operation can be used to notify a central authority to provide backup for an officer under fire. Shots fired and shots heard are detected using acoustic time of flight and sound signature analysis. The detection apparatus being contained within the firearm. In addition, the system uses multiple communication channels to connect with the central authority or firearm owner, including cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Lora wan. These communication channels may send firearm discharge information through the cellular or land line 911 system

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising: a module inserted into the grip of a handgun wherein; multiple acoustic sensors, at least one sensor coupled to the firing chamber, and at least one sensor ported through the base of the grip, and wherein the detected presence of acoustic events indicates the weapon discharge comprises a determination that the weapon has been discharged.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a processor configured to process sensor data generated by at least one sensor, and process acoustic signals identifying a discharge of the weapon.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a processor configured to process sensor data generated by at least one sensor, and process acoustic signals identifying a shot heard event external to the weapon.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to process geo-location data responsive to the weapon being discharged.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one sensor further comprises a magnetic compass detection sensor which detects the direction the in which the firearm the weapon has fired a shot and transmits a single to the processor.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the geo-location data is acquired as global positioning system (GPS) data from an external mobile device.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a message responsive to the weapon being removed from the weapon securing holster as detected by the magnetic compass detection sensor.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a message responsive to the weapon being fired as detected by the magnetic compass detection sensor which detects when the weapon has fired a shot.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor further comprises an accelerometer, and wherein the processor is further configured to generate a message responsive to abnormal accelerometer data being received.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor receives the acoustic sensor data and generates an alert message to request additional police backup.

11. A method comprising: receiving via an acoustic shot presence detecting sensor contained within the grip of a firearm; determining that the weapon has been discharged; and creating a message to request assistance responsive to at least one of the acoustic sensor data being received and the sensor condition being triggered.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: processing geo-location data responsive to the weapon being discharged or removed from the weapon securing holster.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor affixed to the weapon further comprises a noise detection sensor which detects when the weapon has fired a shot and transmits a signal to the processor.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the geo-location data is acquired as global positioning system (GPS) data from an external mobile device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: generating a message responsive to the weapon being removed from the weapon securing holster as detected by the magnetometer sensor.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: generating a message responsive to the weapon being fired as detected by the noise detection sensor which detects when the weapon has fired a shot.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] These and further features of the present invention will be apparent with reference to the following description and drawings, wherein:

[0026] FIG. I is an perspective view of a Glock 17 hand gun used to describe the current invention;

[0027] FIG. 2 is a perspective top view of shot detection device hardware PCB board;

[0028] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of shot detection device hardware encased, ready for installation not the handgun of FIG. I;

[0029] FIG. 4 is a perspective bottom view of shot detection device hardware PCB board of FIG.

[0030] It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various preferred features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the bilge pump switch as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes of the various components, will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment. Certain features of the illustrated embodiments have been enlarged or distorted relative to others to facilitate visualization and clear understanding. In particular, thin features may be thickened, for example, for clarity or illustration. All references to direction and position, unless otherwise indicated, refer to the orientation of the bilge pump switches illustrated in the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that is, to those who have knowledge or experience in this area of technology, that many uses and design variations are possible for the firearm location and shots fired detection system disclosed herein. The following detailed discussion of various alternative and preferred embodiments will illustrate the general principles of the invention. Other embodiments suitable for other applications will be apparent to those skilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure.

[0032] Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 to 4 illustrate a firearm location and shots fired detection system according to the present invention. The illustrated Glock 17 handgun 100 incorporates a open space in the hand grip 101, into which the firearm location and shots fired detection module 300 is inserted.

[0033] FIG. 2 is the top view of the firearm location and shots fired detection PCA module contained within the firearm location and shots fired detection enclosure 300.

[0034] FIG. 3 is the firearm location and shots fired detector enclosure 300 which slides into the grip of the Glock 17 at 103. The acoustic detector ports 302, 303 in the detector enclosure 300 located near the gun firing chamber 302 and the base of the handgrip 303, when slid into the hand grip cavity 101, align with the acoustic sensors 401 and 402. Acoustic sensor 401 aligns with port location 302 while sensor 403 aligns with port location 303.

[0035] FIG. 4 is the bottom view of the firearm location and shots fired detection PCA module contained within the firearm location and shots fired detection enclosure 300 showing the two acoustic sensors 401, 402.

[0036] in one preferred embodiment, a potential shot fired event, which maybe a gun discharge or another noise source such as a door being slammed or a fire siren, triggers a timer which measure the time between the two acoustic sensors being triggered. In addition, the trigger event causes the output of each acoustic sensor to be sampled and recorded using a high speed A2D converter. The data is logged for a period corresponding to the cadence of a firearm being discharged, of ½ second. The logged data is processed and compared to the cadence of a shot being fired, and if a match is found a shot detected alarm is set. The time between the two acoustic sensors being triggered and the order in which the sensors are triggered are used to evaluate if the shot originated in the firearm being monitored or remotely from another firearm. The acoustic sensor 102 located near the firing chamber and the acoustic sensor located at the base of the grip 101 will see a time differential of −440 uS differential between the two acoustic sensors being triggered during a discharge form the firearm attached to the monitoring device. In addition, the acoustic sensor located at 102 will trigger first. For a remote gunshot the acoustic sensor 402 located at the base of the gun grip 103 will trigger first.

[0037] From the foregoing disclosure and detailed description of certain preferred embodiments, it is also apparent that various modifications, additions and other alternative embodiments are possible without departing from the true scope and spirit of the present invention. The embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the present invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the present invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the benefit to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.