Gun
First Claim
1. A gun programmable to provide for its firing only by an authorized person, including,a handle,a trigger,a body supporting the handle and the trigger,an actuatable pin disposed on the body and movable between first and second stable positions and operable in the first stable position to provide for the depression of the trigger to obtain the firing of a bullet from the body and operable in the second stable position to restrain the trigger from becoming depressed,memory means for storing prints identifying a particular portion of the hand of the authorized person,first means disposed on the handle for receiving the particular portion of the hand of the user and for producing a print of such particular portion,second means supported by the gun for comparing the prints from the memory means and the first means and for producing signals in accordance with the results of such comparison, andthird means for actuating the pin to an individual one of the first and second stable positions in accordance with the signals produced by the second means, the third means being operable to maintain the actuatable pin in each of the first and second stable positions until the actuation of the actuatable pin by the third means to the other one of the first and second stable positions.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A programmable gun has a body supporting a handle, a trigger and a pin actuatable between a first position providing for a trigger depression to fire a bullet and a second position restraining the trigger depression. A memory stores a print identifying an authorized person'"'"'s hand when such person inserts a key in the handle and then grips the handle. Hand prints of one (1) or more authorized persons, or several hand prints of one (1) person, may be stored in the memory when such persons move the key, after insertion, to individual positions and then grip the handle. When an authorized person thereafter grips the handle, that person'"'"'s hand generates a print for comparison with the prints in the memory. A comparison coincidence produces a pin actuation to the first position. A subsequent gun firing is recorded in the memory as to time and as to the authorized person. When a comparison coincidence is established, the ability to fire the gun continues until such authorized person relinquishes the gun. If the authorized person relinquishes the gun before firing, the pin becomes actuated to the second position after a particular time period. If the authorized person again grips the handle during such particular time period, the time period is re-initiated. When an unauthorized person grips the handle, no comparison coincidence occurs and the pin is not actuated to the first position. A print of such unauthorized person'"'"'s hand and the recording time are recorded in the memory.
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Citations
63 Claims
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1. A gun programmable to provide for its firing only by an authorized person, including,
a handle, a trigger, a body supporting the handle and the trigger, an actuatable pin disposed on the body and movable between first and second stable positions and operable in the first stable position to provide for the depression of the trigger to obtain the firing of a bullet from the body and operable in the second stable position to restrain the trigger from becoming depressed, memory means for storing prints identifying a particular portion of the hand of the authorized person, first means disposed on the handle for receiving the particular portion of the hand of the user and for producing a print of such particular portion, second means supported by the gun for comparing the prints from the memory means and the first means and for producing signals in accordance with the results of such comparison, and third means for actuating the pin to an individual one of the first and second stable positions in accordance with the signals produced by the second means, the third means being operable to maintain the actuatable pin in each of the first and second stable positions until the actuation of the actuatable pin by the third means to the other one of the first and second stable positions.
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3. A gun programmable to provide for its operation only by an authorized person, including,
a handle, a trigger, a body supporting the handle and the trigger, an actuatable pin disposed on the body and movable between first and second positions and operable in the first position to provide for the depression of the trigger to obtain the firing of a bullet from the body and operable in the second position to restrain the trigger from becoming depressed, memory means for storing prints identifying a particular portion of the hand of the authorized person, first means disposed on the handle for receiving the particular portion of the hand of the user and for producing a print of such particular portion, second means supported by the gun for comparing the prints from the memory means and the first means and for producing signals in accordance with the results of such comparison, and third means for actuating the pin to an individual one of the first and second positions in accordance with the signals produced by the second means, the second means including means for producing signals with particular characteristics when the prints from the memory means and the first means coincide, the third means including means for actuating the pin to the first position when the second means produces the signal with the particular characteristics, fourth means for updating the comparison by the second means of the print by the first means with the print from the memory means, and fifth means responsive to the failure within a particular period of time of the second means to provide signals with the particular characteristics during the updated comparison for actuating the pin to the second position.
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4. A gun programmable to provide for its operation only by an authorized person, including,
a handle, a trigger, a body supporting the handle and the trigger, an actuatable pin disposed on the body and movable between first and second positions and operable in the first position to provide for the depression of the trigger to obtain the firing of a bullet from the body and operable in the second position to restrain the trigger from becoming depressed, memory means for storing prints identifying a particular portion of the hand of the authorized person, first means disposed on the handle for receiving the particular portion of the hand of the user and for producing print of such particular portion, second means supported by the gun for comparing the prints from the memory means and the first means and for producing signals in accordance with the results of such comparison, third means for actuating the pin to an individual one of the first and second positions in accordance with the signals produced by the second means, and means for recording the print of a portion of the hand of a person who attempts to fire the gun but whose print is not recorded in the memory means.
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5. A gun programmable to provide for its firing only by an authorized person, including,
a body portion, a handle extending from the body portion, a trigger extending from the body portion and actuatable from a first position to a second position to obtain a firing of the gun, a pin extending from the body portion and actuatable between first and second positions and operable in the first position to provide for the actuation of the trigger between the first and second positions and operable in the second position to prevent the actuation of the trigger from the first position to the second position, memory means for storing a print of at least a particular portion of the hand of the authorized person, first means disposed on the body for receiving a print of the particular portion of the hand of the person gripping the gun and attempting to fire the gun, second means for comparing the prints in the memory means and the first means and for producing a signal when the prints coincide, third means responsive to the signal from the second means for actuating the pin from the second position to the first position and for latching the pin in the first position, and fourth means responsive to the failure of the first means to receive, in a particular period of time after the actuation of the pin from the second position, a print coinciding with a print in the memory means to the first position for actuating the pin from the first position to the second position and for latching the pin in the second position to prevent the trigger from being actuated from the first position to the second position.
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10. A gun programmable to provide for its firing only by an authorized person, including,
a body portion, a handle extending from the body portion, a trigger extending from the body portion and actuatable from a first position to a second position to obtain a firing of the gun, a pin extending from the body portion and actuatable between first and second positions and operable in the first position to provide for the actuation of the trigger between the first and second positions and operable in the second position to prevent the actuation of the trigger from the first position to the second position, memory means for storing a print of a particular portion of the hand of the authorized person, first means disposed on the handle for transferring a print of the particular portion of the hand of the authorized person to the memory means when the authorized person grips the handle to fire the gun, second means having first and second states of operation and operative in the first state for providing for a transfer by the first means of the print of the particular portion of the hand of the authorized person to the memory means and operative in the second state to prevent a transfer by the first means of the print of the particular portion of the hand of the authorized user to the memory means, and third means associated with the second means for providing for an operation of the second means in the first state at first particular periods of time and for providing for an operation of the second means in the second state at second particular periods of time different from the first particular period of time.
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13. A gun programmable to provide for its firing only by an authorized person, including,
a body portion, a handle extending from the body portion, a trigger extending from the body portion and actuatable from a first position to a second position to obtain a firing of the gun, a pin extending from the body portion and actuatable between first and second positions and operable in the first position to provide for the actuation of the trigger between the first and second positions and operable in the second position to prevent the actuation of the trigger from the first position to the second position, memory means for storing a print of a particular portion of the hand of the authorized person, first means disposed on the handle for transferring a print of the particular portion of the hand of the authorized person to the memory means when the authorized person grips the handle to fire the gun, second means having first and second states of operation and operative in the first state for providing for a transfer by the first means of the print of the particular portion of the hand of the authorized person to the memory means and operative in the second state to prevent a transfer by the first means of the print of the particular portion of the hand of the authorized user to the memory means, the second means being disposed on the handle and including a cavity for receiving a key, the cavity and the key defining a switch which is closed upon the insertion of the key into the cavity and which provides, upon such switch closure, for the transfer of the print of the particular portion of the hand of the authorized person from the first means to the memory means.
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14. A gun programmable to provide for its firing only by an authorized person, including
a body portion, a handle extending from the body portion, a trigger extending from the body portion and actuatable from a first position to a second position to obtain a firing of the gun, a pin extending from the body portion and actuatable between first and second positions and operable in the first position to provide for the actuation of the trrigger between the first and second positions and operable in the second position to prevent the actuation of the trigger from the first position to the second position, memory means for storing a print of a particular portion of the hand of the authorized person, first means disposed on the handle for transferring a print of the particular portion of the hand of the authorized person to the memory means when the authorized person grips the handle to fire the gun, and second means for providing for a transfer by the first means of the print of the particular portion of the hand of the authorized person from the first means to the memory means, third means operative upon the transfer by the first means of the print of the particular portion of the hand of the authorized person by the second means into the memory means and upon a subsequent gripping of the handle by the hand of the authorized person for comparing the print resulting from such gripping and the print recorded in the memory means to actuate the pin to the first position upon a coincidence in such comparison, fourth means for preventing an actuation of the pin by the third means to the first position if there is no coincidence in the comparison by the third means of the prints recorded by the first means in the memory means and the prints produced by a gripping of the handle by a user other than the authorized user, fifth means for retaining the print of the attempted user of the gun when there is no coincidence between the print in the memory means and the print produced on the handle by the user other than the authorized user.
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15. A gun programmable to provide for its firing only by an authorized person, including,
a handle, a trigger, a body supporting the handle and the trigger, an actuatable pin disposed on the body and movable between first and second positions and operable in the first position to provide for the depression of the trigger to obtain the firing of a bullet from the body and operable in the second position to restrain the trigger from becoming depressed, memory means for storing the print of a particular portion of the hand of the authorized person, first means for comparing the print in the memory means and the print on the handle of the particular portion of the hand of a person gripping the gun and for actuating the pin from the second position to the first position when there is a coincidence in such comparison, and second means for storing the print of the particular portion of the person gripping the gun when there is no coincidence in the comparison provided by the user.
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19. A gun programmable to provide for its firing only by an authorized person, including,
a handle, a trigger, a body supporting the handle and the trigger, an actuatable pin disposed on the body and movable between first and second positions and operable in the first position to provide for the depression of the trigger to obtain the firing of a bullet from the body and operable in the second position to restrain the trigger from becoming depressed, memory means for storing prints identifying a particular portion of the hand of the authorized person, first means disposed on the handle for receiving the particular portion of the hand of the user and for producing a print of such particular portion, second means supported by the gun for comparing the prints from the memory means and the first means and for producing a signal representing a substantial coincidence in such comparison, third means responsive to the signal representing the substantial coincidence in the comparison for actuating the pin to the first position, fourth means for providing a comparison by the second means of the prints from the memory means and the first means, after the handle has been released by the authorized person, to determine if such coincidence in the comparison is being maintained, fifth means operatively coupled to the fourth means for determining the time that there is no coincidence in the comparison provided by the fourth means, and sixth means operatively coupled to the fifth means for actuating the pin to the second position when the fifth means provides a determination that no such coincidence has occur red for a particular time period after there is no coincidence in the comparison provided by the fourth means.
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22. A gun programmable to provide for its firing only by an authorized person, including,
a handle, a trigger, a body supporting the handle and the trigger, an actuatable pin disposed on the body and movable between first and second positions and operable in the first position to provide for the depression of the trigger to obtain the firing of a bullet from the body and operable in the second position to restrain the trigger from becoming depressed, memory means for storing prints identifying a particular portion of the hand of the authorized person, first means disposed on the handle for receiving the particular portion of the hand of the user and for producing a print of such particular portion, second means supported by the gun for comparing the prints from the memory means and the first means and for producing a signal representing a substantial coincidence in such comparison, third means for providing a comparison by the second means of the prints from the memory means and the first mean, after the handle has been released by the authorized person, to determine if such coincidence in the comparison is being maintained, fourth means for actuating the pin to the second position if no such coincidence occurs for a particular time period after the handle has been released by the authorized user, and fifth means responsive to the comparison from the third means for recording in the memory means the print of the particular portion of the hand of the person handling the gun if the comparison does not indicate the coincidence between the prints from the memory means and the first means.
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23. A gun programmable to provide for its operation only by an authorized person, including,
a handle, a trigger, a body supporting the handle and the triqger, an actuatable pin disposed on the body and movable between first and second positions and operable in the first position to provide for the depression of the trigger to obtain the firing of a bullet from the body and operable in the second position to restrain the trigger from becoming depressed, memory means for storing prints identifying a particular portion of the hand of the authorized person, first means disposed on the handle for receiving the particular portion of the hand of the user and for producing a print of such particular portion, second means supported by the gun for comparing the prints from the memory means and the first means and for producing a signal representing a substantial coincidence in such comparison, third means for providing a comparison by the second means of the prints from the memory means and the first means, after the handle has been released by the authorized person, to determine if such coincidence in the comparison is being maintained, fourth means for actuating the pin to the second position if no such coincidence occurs for a particular time period after the handle has been released by the authorized user, and fifth means for recording in the memory means the time of any firing of the gun and the time of any handling of the gun by a non-authorized person.
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24. A gun programmable to provide for its firing only by an authorized user, including,
a handle, a trigger, a body supporting the handle and the trigger, memory means for storing the print of a particular portion of the hand of the authorized user, switching means actuatable by the hand of the user when the user grasps the gun, sensing means for sensing the print of the particular portion of the hand of the person using the gun, first means having first and second stable states for preventing the firing of the gun in the first stable state and for providing for the firing of the gun in the second stable state, and second means operative upon the actuation of the switching means by the hand of the user for comparing the print in the memory means and the print in the sensing means and for providing for the operation of the first means in the second stable state when the prints in the memory means and the sensing means coincide and for providing for the operation of the first means in the first stable state when the prints in the memory means and the sensing means do not coincide, the first means being operative in an individual one of the first and second stable states until an operation of the first means by the second means to the other one of the first and second stable states.
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26. A gun programmable to provide for its firing only by an authorized user, including,
a handle, a trigger, a body supporting the handle and the trigger, memory means for storing the print of a particular portion of the hand of the authorized user, switching means actuatable by the hand by the user, sensing means for sensing the print of the particular portion of the hand of the person using the gun, first means operative upon the actuation of the switching means by the user for comparing the print in the memory means and the print in the sensing means and for providing for the actuation of the trigger when the prints in the memory means and the sensing means coincide, and second means for recording the print of the particular portion of the hand of the user in the memory means, when the user actuates the trigger to fire the gun, to indicate such actuation of the trigger by the user.
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28. A gun programmable to provide for its firing only by an authorized user, including,
a handle, a trigger, a body supporting the handle and the trigger, memory means for storing the print of a particular portion of the hand of the authorized user, switching means actuatable by the hand by the user, sensing means for sensing the print of the particular portion of the hand of the person using the gun, first means operative upon the actuation of the switching means by the user for comparing the print in the memory means and the print in the sensing means and for providing for the actuation of the trigger when the prints in the memory means and the sensing means coincide, the first means being operative to prevent the trigger from being actuated when the prints in the sensing means and the memory means do not coincide, means for recording the print of the particular portion of the hand of the user when the prints in the sensing means and the memory means do not coincide, and means for recording the date and the time that such user unsuccessfully attempts to fire the gun.
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29. A gun programmable to provide for its firing only by an authorized user, including,
a handle, a trigger, a body supporting the handle and the trigger, memory means for storing the print of a particular portion of the hand of the authorized user, sensing means for sensing the print of the particular portion of the hand of the person using the gun, switching means actuatable at the handle by the user, first means operative upon the actuation of the switching means by the user for comparing the print in the memory means and the print in the sensing means and for providing for the actuation of the trigger when the prints in the memory means and the sensing means coincide, second means for counting a particular time, third means responsive to the operation of the first means in providing for the actuation of the trigger for thereafter energizing the second means to obtain a count by the second means of the time after the actuation of the switching means is discontinued, and fourth means responsive to the count of the particular time by the second means for operating upon the first means to prevent the trigger from being actuated.
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36. A programmable gun to provide for its firing only by an authorized user, including,
a handle in the gun, memory means in the gun for storing the print on the handle of the gun of the hand of an authorized user, first means for sensing the print of the hand of the authorized user when the authorized user grasps the handle of the gun, second means provided in the gun and having a first operative relationship for transferring the print of the hand of the authorized user into the memory means upon the grasping of the handle by the hand of the authorized user and having a second relationship for preventing such a transfer, and third means operative in the first relationship of the second means for transferring the print of the hand of the authorized user into the memory means upon the grasping of the handle by the hand of the authorized user, and fourth means operatively coupled to the second means for providing an operation of the second means in the first relationship at first particular times and for providing an operation of the second means in the second relationship at second particular times different from the first particular times.
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42. A gun programmable to provide for its firing only by an authorized user, including,
memory means for storing the print of the hand of the authorized user, first means for sensing the print of the hand of the authorized user when the hand of the authorized user grasps the gun, a trigger, second means having a first stable state of operation and a second stable state of operation and operative in the first state to provide for the actuation of the trigger by the authorized user and operative in the second state to prevent the actuation of the trigger by a user other than the authorized user, third means for comparing the hand print in the memory means and the hand print sensed by the first means, fourth means responsive to the comparison by the third means for operating the second means to a selective one of the first and second stable states, and fifth means included in the fourth means for maintaining the operation of the second means in each of the first and second stable states of operation without the introduction of any energy to the second means and the fourth means until the operation of the second means by the fourth means to the other one of the first and second states of operation.
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43. A gun programmable to provide for its firing only by an authorized user, including,
memory means for storing the print of the hand of the authorized user, first means for sensing the print of the hand of the authorized user when the hand of the authorized user grasps the gun, a trigger, second means having a first stable state of operation and a second stable state of operation and operative in the first state to provide for the actuation of the trigger by the authorized user and operative in the second state to prevent the actuation of the trigger by a user other than the authorized user, third means for comparing the hand print in the memory means and the hand print sensed by the first means, fourth means responsive to the comparison by the third means for operating the second means to a selective one of the first and second stable states, and fifth means for recording in the memory means the print of the hand of a proposed user when the proposed user grasps the gun to fire the gun.
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44. A gun programmable to provide for its firing only by an authorized user, including,
memory means for storing the print of the hand of the authorized user, first means for sensing the print of the hand of the authorized user when the hand of the authorized user grasps the gun, a trigger, second means having a first stable state of operation and a second stable state of operation and operative in the first state to provide for the actuation of the trigger by the authorized user and operative in the second state to prevent the actuation of the trigger by a user other than the authorized user, third means for comparing the hand print in the memory means and the hand print sensed by the first means, and fourth means responsive to the comparison by the third means for operating the second means to a selective one of the first and second stable states, fifth means operative in a first relationship to provide for the storage in the memory means of the print of the hand of the authorized user and operative in a second relationship to prevent the storage in the memory means of the print of the hand of a proposed user, sixth means responsive to the operation of the fifth means in the first relationship for transferring into the memory means the print of the hand of the authorized user when the authorized user grasps the gun, and seventh means operatively coupled to the fifth means for providing for an operation of the fifth means in the first relationship at first particular times and for an operation of the fifth means in the second relationship at second particular times different from the first particular times.
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45. A gun programmable to provide for its firing only by an authorized user, including,
memory means for storing the print of the hand of the authorized user, first means for sensing the print of the hand of the authorized user when the hand of the authorized user grasps the gun, a trigger, second means having a first stable state of operation and a second stable state of operation and operative in the first state to provide for the actuation of the trigger by the authorized user and operative in the second state to prevent the actuation of the trigger by a user other than the authorized user, third means for comparing the hand print in the memory means and the hand print sensed by the first means, and fourth means responsive to the comparison by the third means for operating the second means to a selective one of the first and second stable states, and a source of electrical energy, the fourth means being operatively coupled to the source of electrical energy to operate the second means to the selective one of the first and second states, the second means being operative in the selective one of the first and second states without any additional energy from the source while the second means remains in such selective one of the first and second states.
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47. A gun programmable to provide for its firing only by an authorized user, including,
memory means for storing the print of the hand of the authorized user, first means for sensing the print of the hand of the authorized user when the hand of the authorized user grasps the gun to fire the gun, a trigger, second means for comparing the hand print in the memory means and the hand print sensed by the first means, third means responsive to the results of the comparison by the third means for activating the gun to obtain a firing of the gun by the authorized user when the second means indicates a coincidence between the hand print in the comparing means and the hand print sensed by the first means, and fourth means responsive to the activation of the gun by the third means for maintaining the activation of the gun by the third means during the grasping of the gun by the authorized user and for a particular period of time after the authorized user ceases to grasp the gun.
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52. A method of controlling the firing of a gun by an authorized user, including the steps of:
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sensing in the gun the hand print of a person gripping a handle on the gun, comparing in the gun the sensed hand print with the hand print recorded in a memory of the authorized user, actuating a bistable member in the gun from a first position to a second position upon a coincidence between the sensed hand print and the hand print in the memory, and providing for the firing of the gun by the authorized user while the bistable member is in the second position, and maintaining the bistable member in each of the first and second positions without introducing any energy to the bistable member to maintain the bistable member in such position until the bistable member is actuated to the other one of the first and second positions. - View Dependent Claims (53)
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54. A method of controlling the firing of a gun by an authorized user, including the steps of:
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sensing in the gun the hand print of a person gripping a handle on the gun, comparing in the gun the sensed hand print with the hand print recorded in a memory of the authorized user, actuating a bistable member in the gun from a first position to a second position upon a coincidence between the sensed hand print and the hand print in the memory, and providing for the firing of the gun by the authorized user while the bistable member is in the second position, wherein the bistable member is responsive to energy from an electrical source in the gun to become actuated from the first position to the second position upon the coincidence between the sensed hand print and the hand print in the memory and wherein no energy is provided from the electrical source to retain the bistable member in the second position after the actuation of the bistable member to the second position and until the actuation of the bistable member to the first position. - View Dependent Claims (55)
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56. A method of controlling the firing of a gun by an authorized user, including the steps of:
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providing a memory in the gun for storing the hand print of the authorized user, providing in the gun for the recording of the hand print of the authorized user in the memory, sensing the hand print of the authorized user when the authorized user grips the gun after the provision in the gun for the recording of the hand print of the authorized user in the memory, recording the sensed hand print in the memory after the provision in the gun for the recording of the hand print of the authorized user in the memory, and recording in the memory the hand print of each individual who attempts, either successfully or unsuccessfully, to fire the gun.
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57. A method of controlling the firing of a gun by an authorized user, including the steps of:
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providing a memory in the gun for storing the hand print of the authorized user, providing in the gun for the recording of the hand print of the authorized user in the memory, sensing the hand print of the authorized user when the authorized user grips the gun after the provision in the gun for the recording of the hand print of the authorized user in the memory, and recording the sensed hand print in the memory after the provision in the gun for the recording of the hand print of the authorized user in the memory, sensing the hand print of a person grasping the gun after the recording of the hand print of the authorized user in the memory, comparing the hand print of the authorized user in the memory and the hand print of the person grasping the gun after the recording of the hand print of the authorized user in the memory to determine if there is any coincidence between such hand prints, providing for the firing of the gun by the proposed user when the comparison indicates that the proposed user is the authorized user, providing for the firing of the gun by the proposed user including the step of actuating a bistable member from a first position preventing the firing of the gun by the proposed user to a second position providing for the firing of the gun by the proposed user, recording in the memory the hand print of each individual who attempts, either successfully or unsuccessfully, to fire the gun, and eliminating the provision in the gun for the recording of the hand print of the authorized user in the memory after such recording.
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58. A method of controlling the firing of a gun by an authorized user, including the steps of:
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providing in a memory in the gun the hand print of an authorized user, sensing the hand print of a proposed user who grasps the gun, comparing the hand print of the authorized user in the memory and the hand print of the proposed user to determine if there is any coincidence, enabling the gun to be fired when there is a coincidence in the comparison, determining the time after the authorized user releases his grasp of the gun, and disabling the gun from being fired after a determination that the authorized user has released his grasp of the gun for a particular period of time. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A gun programmable to provide for its firing only by an authorized person, including,
a handle, a trigger, a body supporting the handle and the trigger, an actuatable pin disposed on the body and movable between first and second positions and operable in the first position to provide for the depression of the trigger to obtain the firing of a bullet from the body and operable in the second position to restrain the trigger from becoming depressed, memory means for storing prints identifying a particular portion of the hand of the authorized person, first means disposed on the handle for receiving the particular portion of the hand of the user and for producing a print of such particular portion, second means supported by the gun for comparing the prints from the memory means and the first means and for producing a signal representing a substantial coincidence in such comparison, third means responsive to the signal representing the substantial coincidence in the comparison for actuating the pin to the first position, fourth means for providing a comparison by the second means of the prints from the memory means and the first means, after the handle has been released by the authorized person, to determine if such coincidence in the comparison is being maintained, fifth means for actuating the pin to the second position if no such coincidence occurs for a particular time period after the handle has been released by the authorized user, and sixth means for indicating in the memory means the print of the particular portion of the hand of a person firing or attempting to fire the gun and the time of such firing or attempted firing.
Specification