Systems and methods for indicating properties of a unit for deployment for electronic weaponry

• US 8,166,690 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2008
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Axon Enterprise, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taser International Incorporated
• Inventors: Brundula, Steven N. D., Nerheim, Magne H., Cerovic, Milan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin P
• Application Number:
  US12/113,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20120039013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: 42/10.8, 42/84, 42/10.1, 421/06, 102/502, 361/262, 361/232, 119/908, 175/4.6, 175/4.55, 166/299
• US Class Current: 42/1.08
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0012 Electrical discharge weapons, e.g. for stunning

Abstract

An electronic weapon may be used with a unit for deployment to cause skeletal muscle contractions in a human or animal target. The unit for deployment when electrically coupled to the electronic weapon, may include at least two electrodes, an indicator, and a propellant for deploying the electrodes to enable delivery, through the target, of a stimulus current to incapacitate the target by causing contractions of the skeletal muscles of the target. The indicator indicates, to the electronic weapon, indicia of a first property of the unit for deployment prior to operating the propellant, and indicia of a second property of the unit for deployment after operating the propellant. Another unit for deployment includes at least two electrodes, an indicator, and a stimulus signal generator, coupled to the electrodes to enable delivery, through the target, of a stimulus current to incapacitate the target by causing contractions of the skeletal muscles of the target. The indicator indicates, to the electronic weapon, indicia of a first property of the unit for deployment prior to operating the stimulus signal generator, and indicia of a second property of the unit for deployment after operating the stimulus signal generator.

Claims

1. A unit for deployment for use with an electronic weapon when electrically coupled to the electronic weapon, the electronic weapon for causing skeletal muscle contractions in a human or animal target, the unit for deployment comprising:

at least two electrodes;

an indicator;

a propellant;

a first path comprising the electrodes, the first path for completing a first circuit in combination with the electronic weapon and the target;

a second path comprising the propellant, the second path for completing a second circuit in combination with the electronic weapon, the second circuit for operating the propellant to deploy the electrodes to enable the first circuit to deliver through the target a stimulus current to incapacitate the target by causing contractions of the skeletal muscles of the target; and

a third path comprising at least a portion of the indicator, the third path for completing a third circuit in combination with the electronic weapon, the portion of the indicator indicates, to the electronic weapon and via the third circuit, indicia of a first property of the unit for deployment prior to operating the propellant, and indicia of a second property of the unit for deployment after operating the propellant.

2. The unit for deployment of claim 1 wherein the first property describes a type of the unit for deployment.

3. The unit for deployment of claim 2 wherein the indicator further indicates, to the electronic weapon, indicia of the type of the unit for deployment after operating the propellant.

4. The unit for deployment of claim 1 wherein the second property describes a use of the unit for deployment.

5. The unit for deployment of claim 1 wherein the electrodes are wire-tethered to the unit for deployment.

6. The unit for deployment of claim 1 wherein:

the unit for deployment further comprises a projectile comprising the electrodes; and

operating the propellant propels the projectile.

7. The unit for deployment of claim 6 wherein the projectile further comprises a stimulus signal generator.

8. The unit for deployment of claim 1 wherein the portion of the indicator comprises a resistance in accordance with the first property that is altered, by operating the propellant, to provide the second property.

9. The unit for deployment of claim 8 wherein the resistance is increased toward an open circuit condition by operation of the propellant.

10. The unit for deployment of claim 1 wherein the third path further comprises the propellant.

11. The unit for deployment of claim 1 further comprising a fourth path comprising at least another portion of the indicator, wherein the fourth path is in parallel with the third path.

12. The unit for deployment of claim 1 wherein a current in the second path indicates that the propellant is inoperable.

13. The unit for deployment of claim 1 wherein the second path and the third path further comprise a common circuit component.

14. The unit for deployment of claim 1 wherein the indicator comprises at least two resistances coupled in parallel.

15. A unit for deployment for an electronic weapon, wherein the electronic weapon provides a first current and a second current to the unit for deployment, the electronic weapon for delivering via the unit for deployment a third current through a target to incapacitate the target by causing skeletal muscle contractions, the unit for deployment comprising:

a first path having a property that describes the unit for deployment, wherein the first path provides indicia of the property responsive to the first current; and

a second path that receives the second current to perform a launch function of the unit for deployment, wherein after the launch function is performed, the property of the first path is altered and the unit for deployment delivers the third current through the target.

16. The unit for deployment of claim 15 wherein the property before being altered describes a type of the unit for deployment.

17. The unit for deployment of claim 15 wherein the property after being altered describes a use of the unit for deployment.

18. The unit for deployment of claim 15 wherein the first path is in parallel with the second path.

19. The unit for deployment of claim 18 wherein the first current provides indicia that the propellant is inoperable.

20. The unit for deployment of claim 15 wherein the first path and the second path have a node in common.

21. The unit for deployment of claim 15 further comprising a wire-tethered electrode for conducting the third current.

22. The unit for deployment of claim 15 wherein:

the unit for deployment further comprises an electrode; and

the electrode is propelled, in response to the second current, toward the target for delivering the third current.

23. The unit for deployment of claim 15 wherein the second path further comprises a second property that describes the unit for deployment.

24. The unit for deployment of claim 15 wherein the first path and the second path have a component in common.

25. A unit for deployment for use with an electronic weapon when electrically coupled to the electronic weapon, the electronic weapon for causing skeletal muscle contractions in a human or animal target, the unit for deployment comprising:

at least two electrodes;

an indicator comprising at least two resistances coupled in parallel; and

a stimulus signal generator, coupled to the electrodes to enable delivery, through the target, of a stimulus current to incapacitate the target by causing contractions of the skeletal muscles of the target;

wherein

the indicator indicates, to the electronic weapon, indicia of a first property of the unit for deployment prior to operating the stimulus signal generator, and indicia of a second property of the unit for deployment after operating the stimulus signal generator.

26. The unit for deployment of claim 25 wherein the first property describes an identity of the unit for deployment.

27. The unit for deployment of claim 25 wherein the indicator further indicates, to the electronic weapon, indicia of the first property of the unit for deployment after operating the stimulus signal generator.

28. The unit for deployment of claim 25 wherein the second property describes a use of the unit for deployment.

29. The unit for deployment of claim 25 wherein the indicator is altered, by operating the stimulus signal generator, to provide the second property.