SECURE SMARTPHONE-OPERATED GUN LOCK WITH APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING FIRING IN PROTECTED DIRECTIONS

• US 20170176123A1
• Filed: 02/14/2017
• Published: 06/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karl F. Milde Jr
• Original Assignee: Karl F. Milde Jr
• Inventors: MILDE, JR., KARL F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,803,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/063 comprising a transponder
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/066 having means for recognizing biometric parameters, e.g. voice control, finger print or palm print control
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/08 for inhibiting firing in a specified direction, e.g. at a friendly person or at a protected area F41A27/02 takes precedence

Abstract

A gun lock device, which may be configured to be disposed adjacent the trigger of a gun to alternatively prevent or enable firing, includes a data receiver, a data memory and a logic device for determining whether security data received by the receiver is the same, or substantially the same, as security data stored in the data memory. One or more separate smartphones are provided to transmit the security data and a gun lock/unlock signal to the gun lock device. The smartphone and the gun lock device operate together to automatically lock the gun when the gun is aimed in the direction of the authorized gun user (e.g. the gun owner) or the direction of any of the gun user'"'"'s friends who have accepted the user'"'"'s friend request from the app “Find Friends.”

Claims

1. Apparatus for locking and unlocking a gun to control its use, the apparatus comprising, in combination:

(a) a gun lock device configured to be disposed on a gun and including a locking device responsive to at least one electric signal to select between two operative states, a locked state which prevents the gun from firing and an unlocked state which enables gun firing, said gun lock device further comprising;

(1) a data receiver for receiving (i) a gun control signal that specifies one of a locked and an unlocked state, and (ii) first gun security data;

(2) a data memory for storing second gun security data; and

(3) a first logic device, coupled to the data receiver and to the data memory, for comparing said first gun security data received by the data receiver with said second gun security data stored in the data memory, and for producing the at least one electric signal to actuate the gun lock device in dependence upon the state specified by the gun control signal and upon whether the stored second gun security data and the received first gun security data are substantially similar;

wherein the first logic device is operative to cause the gun lock device to either enable the gun to be fired or to prevent the gun from being fired, respectfully, in response to the gun control signal when and if the stored second gun security data and the received first gun security data are substantially similar; and

(b) an electronic gun key device having a data transmitter for transmitting a gun control signal and said first gun security data to the data receiver, said gun key device comprising;

(1) a first input device, for inputting information from a putative authorized person who wishes to control the gun; and

(2) a second logic device, coupled to each of the data transmitter and the first input device, for generating said first gun security data defined by the putative authorized person for transmission to the data receiver;

wherein the putative authorized person is recognized as a person authorized to control the gun when and if the transmitted first gun security data is substantially similar to said second gun security data stored in the data memory; and

wherein at least one of said gun lock device and said gun key device includes shooter protection apparatus operative to cause the gun lock device to be set in the locked state when the gun is aimed at a particular protected person or object, notwithstanding that a person authorized to control the gun has previously unlocked the gun and has attempted to pull the trigger to fire the gun.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said protection apparatus includes a photo imaging device for creating an electronic image of a scene at which the gun is aimed and a logic device including a pattern recognition algorithm for recognizing a protected person or object within the scene of said image and a generating a gun lock signal when such protected person or object is recognized.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2, wherein said pattern recognition includes facial recognition.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 2, wherein said pattern recognition includes object recognition.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said protection apparatus includes a direction finder for determining an azimuthal direction in which the gun is aimed and a logic device for determining an azimuthal direction from a position of the gun to a position of a protected person or object at which the gun is to be prevented from shooting.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said protection apparatus includes:

a direction finder located on the gun lock device for determining the azimuthal direction of aim of the gun;

a first GPS locater located on the gun lock device and coupled to said first logic device for determining the location coordinates of the gun; and

a second GPS locater located on the gun key device and coupled to said second logic device for determining the location coordinates of the gun key device;

wherein the second logic device is operative to produce a gun control signal, for transmission to the data receiver on the gun lock device, to set the gun lock device in the locked state and prevent the gun from firing when the gun key device is located along an azimuth from the gun.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said protection apparatus has stored therein the coordinate locations of at least one protected person or object, wherein said gun lock device includes a direction finder for determining the azimuthal direction of aim of the gun, and wherein said protection apparatus further includes a GPS locater for determining the coordinate location of at least one of the gun and the gun lock device and a logic device, responsive to said coordinate locations and said direction of aim of the gun for determining whether said gun is aimed at one of said at least one protected person or object and for producing a gun control signal, for transmission to the data receiver on the gun lock device, to set the gun lock device in the locked state and prevent the gun from firing when said gun is aimed at said at least one protected person or object.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein said gun key device further includes a Find Friends app and wherein the second logic device is further operative to produce a gun control signal, for transmission to the data receiver on the gun lock device, to set the gun lock device in the locked state and prevent the gun from firing when a smartphone responsive to the Find Friends app is located along an azimuth from the gun.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said electronic gun key device comprises a smartphone having said first input device, coupled to said second logic device, for inputting personal information from said putative authorized person who wishes to control the gun, said personal information including biologic data identifying a bodily aspect of said putative authorized person;

wherein said second logic device includes a phone app for generating said first gun security data from said personal information for transmission to said data receiver.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 9, wherein said bodily aspect of said putative authorized person is selected from the group consisting of:

a facial image;

an image of an iris;

a retinal image;

a fingerprint image;

a palm print image; and

an image of veins of a hand;

and wherein said second logic device is operative to process said image and to generate said first gun security data therefrom.

11. The gun lock apparatus of claim 9, wherein said first input device includes a camera for producing a biologic identifying image of said bodily aspect of said putative authorized person.

12. The gun lock apparatus of claim 9, wherein said wherein said first logic device is operative to store data in said data memory only if said data is accompanied by identification information of a putative registration person that substantially matches said stored registration person identifying information.

13. The gun lock apparatus of claim 12, wherein said first logic device is operative to change the data stored in said data memory only if an instruction indicating said change is accompanied by identification information of a putative registration person that substantially matches said stored registration person identifying information.