Wearable system for accelerometer-based detection and classification of firearm use

• US 10,401,380 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2015
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania (University of Pennsylvania)
• Original Assignee: Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania (University of Pennsylvania)
• Inventors: Loeffler, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Schechter, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cordero, Lina M
• Application Number:
  US14/712,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20150338436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/023 for acceleration measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/127 for acceleration values
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0891 with indication of predetermined acceleration values G01P15/135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions

Abstract

A system for detecting and classifying firearm use comprising is provided. The system includes a wearable gunshot detection device and a remote monitoring system. The wearable gunshot detection device is configured to detect an acceleration of an extremity of an individual to which the gunshot detection device is attached, determine acceleration data based on the detected acceleration, and determine whether the acceleration data corresponds to a gunshot fired by the individual to which the gunshot detection device is attached. If the acceleration data corresponds to a gunshot fired by the individual to which the gunshot detection device is attached, then the wearable gunshot detection device transmits the acceleration data to the remote monitoring system.

Claims

1. A system for detecting and monitoring firearm use by an individual, the system comprising:

a wearable gunshot detection device comprising an accelerometer, a buffer, and a memory; and

a remote monitoring system,

wherein the wearable gunshot detection device is configured to be fastened to a wrist of the individual and is further configured to;

detect and measure, using the accelerometer, an acceleration corresponding to a movement of the wrist of the individual to which the gunshot detection device is fastened;

produce and store, in the buffer, acceleration data corresponding to the movement;

determine if the acceleration data includes a ballistic spike that tentatively corresponds to a gunshot fired by the individual;

if it is determined that the acceleration data includes the ballistic spike tentatively corresponding to the gunshot fired by the individual, transfer and store an amount of the acceleration data from the buffer to the memory;

determine if the amount of the acceleration data definitively corresponds to the gunshot fired by the individual, wherein the wearable gunshot detection device is further configured to;

determine and assign a first weight to a difference between a first acceleration detected during a time period preceding the ballistic spike and a second acceleration detected during a time period coinciding with the ballistic spike; and

during a time period following the ballistic spike, determine and assign a second weight to a peak value of a muzzle lift, and determine and assign a third weight to a recoil acceleration; and

if the amount of the acceleration data definitively corresponds to the gunshot fired by the individual, then transmit the amount of the acceleration data to the remote monitoring system.

2. The system of claim 1,

wherein the wearable gunshot detection device comprises:

a strap that is attachable to the wrist of the individual; and

a housing mounted on the strap, wherein the housing includes the accelerometer and the memory, wherein the accelerometer is configured to measure the acceleration corresponding to the movement of the wrist of the individual to which the gunshot detection device is fastened, to determine if the acceleration data includes the ballistic spike tentatively corresponding to the gunshot fired by the individual, and to transfer and store the amount of the acceleration data from the buffer to the memory.

3. The system of claim 2,

wherein the housing includes a processor,

wherein the processor is configured to:

read the amount of the acceleration data stored in the memory;

perform one or more computations on the amount of the acceleration data; and

determine if the amount of the acceleration data definitively corresponds to the gunshot fired by the individual to which the gunshot detection device is attached based on results of the one or more computations.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more computations include determining timing and magnitude of the ballistic spike, determining timing and magnitude of the recoil acceleration, and determining timing and magnitude of the muzzle lift.

5. The system of claim 3,

wherein the housing includes a communication device, and the processor is further configured to transmit, via the communication device, the amount of the acceleration data stored in the memory to the remote monitoring system when it is determined that the amount of the acceleration data definitively corresponds to the gunshot fired by the individual to which the gunshot detection device is attached.

6. The system of claim 5,

wherein the remote monitoring system includes a classification database and the remote monitoring system is configured to:

receive the amount of the acceleration data;

read one or more weapon signatures from the classification database; and

compare the amount of the acceleration data with the one or more weapon signatures.

7. The system of claim 6,

wherein each weapon signature corresponds to one or more of a weapon type, a weapon caliber, and a weapon manufacturer.

8. The system of claim 5,

wherein the strap is electrically connected to the housing and is formed of a signal conducting material, and wherein, if the signal conducting material is cut, a tamper detection circuit included in the housing is activated.

9. The system of claim 5,

wherein the housing includes therein a global positioning system (GPS) chipset.

10. The system of claim 5,

wherein the housing includes therein an audio monitor.

11. The system of claim 5,

wherein the housing includes therein a video monitor.

12. The system of claim 5,

wherein the housing is waterproofed.

13. The system of claim 5,

wherein the housing further includes therein at least one of a battery and a wireless charging circuit.

14. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to determine if the amount of the acceleration data definitively corresponds to the gunshot fired by the individual by dividing the amount of the acceleration data into three segments comprising:

a pre-spike time period;

a time period corresponding to the detected ballistic spike; and

a post-spike time period.

15. The system of claim 1,

wherein the acceleration data comprises one or more of an acceleration detected in a direction corresponding to a horizontal plane running from the wrist to an elbow of the individual, an acceleration detected in a direction corresponding to a vertical plane running from a base of a hand through a tip of a thumb of the individual, and an acceleration detected in a direction corresponding to a plane running through, and perpendicular to, a palm of the hand of the individual.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the amount of the acceleration data transferred from the buffer to the memory includes data preceding the ballistic spike and data following the ballistic spike.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the data preceding the ballistic spike comprises 25 milliseconds and the data proceeding the ballistic spike comprises 25 milliseconds.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the accelerometer determines that the ballistic spike tentatively corresponds to the gunshot fired by the individual if the acceleration data stored in the buffer indicates a first acceleration in a direction of one axis preceded by a second acceleration lower than the first acceleration in the direction of the one axis.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the buffer is disposed in the accelerometer.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the buffer is disposed in the housing.