System and method for protecting the location of an acoustic event detector

• US 7,139,222 B1
• Filed: 01/20/2005
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shotspotter Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Shotspotter Incorporated
• Inventors: Holmes, Fred, Fisher, Ken, Baxter, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lobo, Ian J.
• Application Number:
  US10/905,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20060280033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 367/124, 367/127, 367/129, 367/906, 367/907
• US Class Current: 367/127
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/18 Military applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/18 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/22 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/30 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 367/906 Airborne shock-wave detection

Abstract

A system and method for protecting sensor positions in an array of acoustic sensors which make up a gunfire locator system. The inventive system includes a purity of sensors and a host computer. Each sensor includes: a microphone for receiving acoustic information; a processor for processing acoustic information to detect an acoustic event and determine a time of arrival; a GPS receiver; an encryption module for encrypting transmitted sensor positions; and a network interface for transmitting sensor positions and times of arrival. The host computer includes: a network interface for receiving sensor transmissions; an encryption module for deciphering sensor positions; and a CPU.

Claims

1. A gunshot detection system comprising:

a plurality of acoustic sensors, each sensor including;

a microphone for receiving acoustic information;

a processor in communication with said microphone for processing said acoustic information to detect an acoustic event and determine a time of arrival of said acoustic event;

a GPS receiver for providing a first position of said each sensor;

a first encryption module for encrypting said first position to create a secure position; and

a network interface for transmitting said secure position and said time of arrival; and

a host processor including;

a network interface for receiving said secure position and said time of arrival;

a second encryption module for deciphering said secure position to restore said first position;

a processor for determining a source location of said acoustic event from information collected from said plurality of sensors.

2. The gunshot detection system of claim 1 wherein said time of arrival is encrypted by said first encryption module and deciphered by said second encryption module.

3. The gunshot detection system of claim 2 wherein said secure position is encrypted by said first encryption module and deciphered by said second encryption module.