ELECTRICAL WEAPON HAVING CONTROLLER FOR TIMED CURRENT THROUGH TARGET AND DATE/TIME RECORDING

• US 20070097592A1
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Axon Enterprise, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taser International Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 7,234,262 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/232
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0025 for remote electrical discharge via conducting wires, e.g. via wire-tethered electrodes shot at a target
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/36 for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling ; for transmitting information

Abstract

An apparatus for interfering with locomotion by a human or animal target includes a microprocessor programmed to track date and time, to initiate and maintain for a period an electrical current, and to record tracked date and time for each initiation of the current. The current, when conducted through the target, interferes with use by the target of the skeletal muscles of the target during the period.

Claims

1. A dart weapon for interfering with locomotion by a human being or animal target, the weapon for use with each of a plurality of replaceable cartridges, each cartridge having at least one wire-tethered dart and a propellant that propels the dart, the weapon comprising:

a receiver that receives a particular cartridge of the plurality of cartridges;

a power supply coupled to the receiver for conducting a high voltage pulsed current from the power supply through the wire-tethered dart of the particular cartridge; and

a microprocessor programmed

(1) to track date and time,

(2) to activate via the power supply the propellant of the particular cartridge,

(3) to maintain for a period the current from the power supply, and

(4) to record tracked date and time in accordance with activation of the propellant of the particular cartridge and in accordance with respective activation of each other cartridge of the plurality received by the receiver, wherein the current, through the target, interferes with use by the target of the skeletal muscles of the target during the period.

2. The weapon of claim 1 further comprising a trigger, wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to respond to operation of the trigger to active the propellant.

3. The weapon of claim 1 wherein the period of time extends about 7 seconds.

4. The weapon of claim 1 wherein the current comprises from 2 to 40 pulses per second during the period.

5. The weapon of claim 1 wherein:

the receiver further receives a second cartridge while the particular cartridge is received;

the weapon further comprises a trigger;

the microprocessor is further programmed

(1) to respond to a first operation of the trigger to activate the propellant of the particular cartridge,

(2) to respond to a second operation of the trigger to activate the propellant of the second cartridge; and

(3) to record tracked date and time in accordance with activation of the second cartridge.

6. A dart weapon for interfering with use by a human being or animal target of skeletal muscles of the target, the weapon operative with a provided cartridge, the device comprising:

a trigger that provides a first signal responsive to operation of the trigger; and

a circuit, comprising a memory, that

(1) keeps track of current time of day,

(2) keeps track of current date,

(3) receives the first signal to determine a first time, and

(4) responds to the first signal by recording current date and current time of day in the memory, by applying power to a signal generator, by keeping track of a period of time from the first time, and by disabling the signal generator upon lapse of the period, wherein

the signal generator activates the cartridge to propel a wire-tethered dart of the cartridge toward the target; and

a current from the signal generator via the wire-tethered dart and through the target interferes with use by the target of the skeletal muscles of the target during the period.

7. The weapon of claim 6 wherein the period of time extends about 7 seconds.

8. The weapon of claim 6 wherein the current comprises from 2 to 40 pulses per second during the period.

17. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the period extends about 7 seconds.

9. (canceled)

10. A dart weapon for interfering with locomotion by a human being or animal target, the apparatus comprising:

means for providing a high voltage pulsed current through the target via a provided wire-tethered dart launched from the weapon;

means for recording date and time of day for each occasion that the weapon was operated to provide the current; and

means for discontinuing provision of the current in accordance with lapse of a predefined period.

11. The weapon of claim 10 wherein a microprocessor with memory implements the means for recording and the means for discontinuing.

12. The weapon of claim 10 wherein the period of time extends about 7 seconds.

13. The weapon of claim 10 wherein the current comprises from 2 to 40 pulses per second during the period.

14. (canceled)

15. An apparatus for causing involuntary contractions of skeletal muscles of a human or animal target, the apparatus comprising:

a circuit having a microprocessor that is

(1) programmed to track date and time,

(2) programmed to initiate a high voltage pulsed current from the circuit, and

(3) programmed to record tracked date and time in accordance with each initiation of the current, wherein

the current launches a provided wire-tethered dart toward the target conduct the current through the target and, when passing through the target, causes involuntary contractions of skeletal muscles of the target.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to determine a period, and programmed to terminate the current after lapse of the period.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the current comprises from 2 to 40 pulses per second during the period.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a trigger, wherein the microprocessor initiates the current in response to operation of the trigger.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising the wire-tethered dart.