Firearm Monitoring and Tracking System

• US 20170003101A1
• Filed: 03/01/2016
• Published: 01/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safety Trace, LLC
• Original Assignee: Safety Trace, LLC
• Inventors: Madrid, Jack Fredrick, Nyberg, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,829,275 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/0209 Pouch or pocket like containers for small arms covering all or most of the small arm
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/029 combined with electronic devices, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

A firearm monitoring and tracking system is a system for detecting the absence/removal of a firearm from a firearm holster. A firearm monitoring assembly is utilized to detect if the firearm is removed from the firearm holster. A proximity sensor is able to detect the removal of the firearm from the firearm holster. The firearm monitoring assembly and the proximity sensor are positioned in a manner such that the proximity sensor is able to detect the firearm'"'"'s removal. Upon the firearm'"'"'s removal, location data of the firearm is recorded with a geospatial positioning module along with audio data in the vicinity of the firearm through a microphone. Firearm discharge data is captured through an accelerometer. The location data, the audio data, and the firearm discharge data is then transmitted to at least one receiving device.

Claims

1. A firearm monitoring and tracking system comprises:

a firearm holster including a firearm pocket and a clearance slot;

a firearm monitoring assembly;

wherein the firearm monitoring assembly comprises a housing, a printed circuit board (PCB), a proximity sensor, a geospatial positioning module, an accelerometer, a microphone, and a wireless communications module;

the proximity sensor, the geospatial positioning module, the accelerometer, the microphone, and the wireless communications module being electronically connected to each other through the PCB; and

the firearm monitoring assembly being externally positioned to the firearm holster, adjacent to a firearm barrel-receiving pocket of the firearm holster.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensor is externally mounted or wired to the housing

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the geospatial positioning module, the accelerometer, the microphone, and the wireless communications module are enclosed within the housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensor is removably attached to the housing.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the clearance slot traverses across the device sleeve and the firearm pocket.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensor is slidably engaged into the clearance slot.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the firearm monitoring assembly is externally mounted to the firearm holster adjacent to the firearm pocket of the firearm holster.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensor is a ferrous proximity sensor.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensor is a reflective optical sensor.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensor is a capacitive proximity sensor.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensor is a lever or pressure switch.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a power supply; and

the power supply being electrically connected to the PCB, the proximity sensor, the geospatial positioning module, the accelerometer, the microphone, and the wireless communications module.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

an inductive charging receiver, wherein the inductive charging receiver is enclosed within the housing.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

recording location data of the firearm withdrawn from the firearm holster with the geospatial positioning module.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting audio data received through the microphone to a voice communication system.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

capturing firearm discharge data through the accelerometer located on or about the firearm holster.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting firearm location data, audio data, and firearm discharge data from the firearm monitoring assembly to at least one receiving device.

5. The apparatus of claim further comprising:

a device sleeve;

the device sleeve being externally connected to the firearm holster; and

the firearm monitoring assembly being slidably engaged with the device sleeve.

15. A method for monitoring and tracking a firearm, comprising the steps of:

providing a firearm holster with a firearm pocket for holding a firearm and a firearm monitoring assembly attached on or about the firearm holster, wherein the firearm is securably removable from the firearm pocket;

removing the firearm from the firearm pocket; and

detecting the removal of the firearm from the firearm holster with a proximity sensor attached on or about the firearm holster.