Systems and methods of tracking and/or avoiding harm to certain devices or humans

• US 7,602,329 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Shotspotter Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Shotspotter Incorporated
• Inventors: Fisher, Ken, Holmes, Fred, Baxter, Kevin, Manderville, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor; John B
• Application Number:
  US11/982,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20080165047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 342/13, 342/45, 342 52- 59, 342/67, 342/90, 342/126, 342/139, 342/140, 342/146, 342/147, 342/357.06, 342/357.08, 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 342/357.17, 367/107, 367/127, 367/128
• US Class Current: 342/45
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/06 Electric or electromechanical safeties F41A17/04, F41A17/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/147 based on detection of a firing weapon
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/03 Cooperating elements; Interaction or communication between different cooperating elements or between cooperating elements and receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/18 Military applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• 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 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods of tracking and/or avoiding harm to certain devices or humans. According to one exemplary embodiment, a method of tracking individual assets may include obtaining position data of an asset via a GPS receiver in communication with a position sensor associated with the asset, processing position data and sensor data via a processing component associated with the position sensor that receives the position data from the GPS receiver, and communicating sensor data to a host device via a communication interface associated with the position sensor and configured to enable wireless communication between the position sensor and the host device.

Claims

1. A method of detecting friendly fire comprising:

obtaining position data of a military asset via a GPS receiver contained within a position sensor associated with the military asset;

processing position data and sensor data via a processing component contained in the sensor that receives the position data from the GPS receiver;

communicating sensor data to a host device via a communication interface in the sensor configured to enable wireless communication between the sensor and the host device;

obtaining direction data from an electronic compass in communication with the processing component;

determining a source location for weapon fire based on acoustic energy emitted by the weapon upon firing;

processing information within the host device, including the source location, to enable the host device to determine when users of individual sensors are firing weapons at each other; and

receiving a friendly fire incident warning when the sensor is associated with the friendly fire incident.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining an incident when users of individual sensors are firing weapons at each other; and

transmitting a friendly fire incident warning to sensors associated with the incident.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a mounting component associated with the electronic compass, such that the electronic compass provides direction data enabling a processor to determine a direction the user'"'"'s weapon is pointed.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising configuring the communication interface to communicate via a layered network.

5. A system that detects friendly fire comprising:

a plurality of position sensors for attachment to military assets, each sensor comprising;

a GPS receiver for determining the position of a military asset;

a processing component that receives position data from the GPS receiver, the processing component including a subcomponent configured for communicating sensor data; and

an electronic compass in communication with the processing component; and

a communication interface configured to enable wireless communication between the sensor and a host;

wherein the communication interface is further configured to;

allow exchange of information with a host device to enable the host device to determine when users of individual sensors are firing weapons at each other; and

receive a friendly fire incident warning when the sensor is associated with the friendly fire incident; and

an acoustic information processing component that determines a location of a source of a weapon fire incident, upon firing of the weapon, for processing by the host device.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising a host device including a subcomponent that determines when users of individual sensors are firing weapons at each other and transmits a friendly fire incident warning to sensors associated with the friendly fire incident.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the electronic compass includes a mounting element that mates with the user, a piece of the user'"'"'s equipment, or a weapon, and provides direction data enabling a processor to determine a direction the user'"'"'s weapon is pointed.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the communication interface is configured to communicate via a layered network.

9. A method of determining whether to employ lethal measure within a certain boundary to avoid harm to assets, wherein the assets include certain devices and/or humans, the method comprising:

associating a sensor with each asset, wherein said sensor includes a GPS receiver;

determining by the GPS receiver a location of the asset;

transmitting wirelessly the location of the asset so determined to a host device;

determining a source location for weapon fire based on acoustic energy emitted by the weapon upon firing; and

determining whether to employ the lethal measure in response to the location of the asset transmitted to the host device and the source location.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

determining an incident when users of individual sensors are firing weapons at each other; and

transmitting a friendly fire incident warning to sensors associated with the incident.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising obtaining, via an electronic compass included with the sensor, directional information associated with the asset or a user of the asset.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing a mounting component associated with the electronic compass, such that the electronic compass provides direction data enabling a processor to determine a direction the user'"'"'s weapon is pointed.

13. The method of claim 9 further providing, in association with each asset, a communication interface configured to communicate via a layered network.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising configuring each communication interface to transmit and receive communications among the plurality of position sensors.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising associating a gunshot location sensor with each sensor of a subset of the plurality of position sensors.

16. The method of claim 9 further comprising associating an electronic compass with each position sensor.

17. The method of claim 9 including associating a position sensor with a UAV.

18. The method of claim 10 further providing, in association with each asset, a communication interface configured to communicate via a layered network.

19. The method of claim 18 each communication interface is configured to transmit and receive communications among the plurality of position sensors.

20. The method of claim 10 further comprising associating an electronic compass with each position sensor.

21. The method of claim 10 further comprising obtaining, via an electronic compass included with the sensor, directional information associated with the asset or a user of the asset.

22. The method of claim 11 further providing, in association with each asset, a communication interface configured to communicate via a layered network.

23. The method of claim 22 each communication interface is configured to transmit and receive communications among the plurality of position sensors.

24. The method of claim 11 further comprising associating an electronic compass with each position sensor.

25. The method of claim 11 further comprising associating a gunshot location sensor with each sensor of a subset of the plurality of position sensors.