Electronic device for a firearm

• US 8,720,092 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2009
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fabbrica D'Armi Pietro Beretta SPA (Upifra SA)
• Original Assignee: Fabbrica D'Armi Pietro Beretta SPA (Upifra SA)
• Inventors: Gussalli Beretta, Franco, Bassoli, Marco, Bonomi, Sergio
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdosh, Samir
• Application Number:
  US12/936,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20110119979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,849 Days
• Field of Search: 42 101- 105, 42/710.2
• US Class Current: 42/1.02
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/063 comprising a transponder
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 19/01 Counting means indicating the number of shots fired

Abstract

The invention relates to a an electronic device for the location of a firearm, comprising a processing module, a storage module operatively associated with the processing module, a detection module of a shot fired from a firearm operatively associated with the processing module, a transmit/receive module, operatively associated to the processing module, to allow the processing module to transmit/receive information representative of the electronic device position. The processing module results configured to transmit information representative of a shot fired from the firearm by means of the transmit/receive module.

Claims

1. An electronic device for locating a firearm at a moment of firing, said device comprising:

a processing module;

a storage module operatively associated with the processing module;

a detection module for detecting a shot fired from a firearm operatively associated with the processing module,

a transmit/receive module, operatively associated with the processing module, through which the processing module can transmit/receive information representative of said location of the electronic device,

wherein the processing module is configured to transmit by means of the transmit/receive module information representative of a shot fired from the firearm,

the detection module comprises an acceleration sensor which generates an electric signal when a mechanical stress is experienced by the electronic device,

the transmit/receive module comprises a locating device to acquire information relating to the geographic coordinates of the electronic device position, and

the processing module is configured to process the information representative of the received geographic coordinates to determine the electronic device position, to store in the storage module a data value corresponding to the position calculated and to supply a central office with the data value.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the transmit/receive module comprises a cellular device arranged to establish communication in a cellular system through at least one radio base station of the cellular system.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the electronic device is arranged to calculate its position by means of mathematical triangulation based on information representative of the position of several radio base stations with which the electronic device is associated and based on the distance of the electronic device from each of the radio base stations.

4. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the cellular system is of the type belonging to the group consisting Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) and High Speed Data Packet Access (HSDPA).

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the transmit/receive module comprises a Bluetooth antenna to establish a wireless communication with at least one Bluetooth terminal operatively connected to a landline wide area network.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the electronic device is arranged to calculate its position by means of mathematical triangulation based on information representative of the position of several Bluetooth terminals with which the electronic device establishes a communication in wireless mode and based on the distance of the electronic device from each of the Bluetooth terminals.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the transmit/receive module comprises a Wi-Fi antenna to establish a wireless communication with at least one access terminal to a landline wide area network.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the electronic device is arranged to calculate the position thereof by means of mathematical triangulation based on information representative of the position of several access terminals to the landline WAN network with which the electronic device establishes a communication in wireless mode and based on the distance of the electronic device from each of the access terminals.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the transmit/receive module comprises a first communication module dedicated to handling information representative of the position of the electronic device and a second communication module for handling the information representative of a shot fired from the firearm by associating the latter to the position of the electronic device as supplied from the first communication module.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the transmit/receive module comprises a satellite device to acquire information relating to the geographic coordinates of the electronic device position.

11. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the locating device is GPS.

12. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the processing module associates the information representative of the fired shot, date, time and position of the firearm at the moment in which the shot has been fired.

13. The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein the processing module transmits, by means of the transmit/receive module, an identification code of the electronic device and a further identification code of the firearm with which the electronic device is associated.

14. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the processing module is arranged to carry out a progressive count of the number of shots fired from the firearm and to transmit the shot count by means of the transmit/receive module.

15. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the processing module is arranged to store in the storage module information representative of the fired shot including date, firing time, and the information indicative of the number of fired shots.

16. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the processing module is suitable to receive from a central office, by means of the transmit/receive module, information indicative of a call for maintenance of the firearm after a preset number of shots has been fired.

17. The electronic device according to claim 16, further comprising a first pilot light operable from the processing module to warn the firearm user about the call for maintenance of the arm.

18. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the processing module is arranged to compare the electric signal supplied from the acceleration sensor with preset values stored in the storage module to ascertain whether the electric signal is indicative of a shot fired from the firearm.

19. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the acceleration sensor is calibrated to supply the processing module with an electric signal representative of a shot fired from the firearm.

20. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising an orientation sensor operatively associated with the processing module to supply information indicative of the triaxial orientation of the firearm at the moment of firing.

21. The electronic device according to claim 20, wherein the processing module stores the information indicative of the orientation of the firearm at the moment of firing in the storage module and transmits this information in association with the information representative of the fired shot.

22. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is accommodated within a container provided with a groove such as to allow a sliding coupling with a Picatinny rail of a firearm is provided.

23. The electronic device according to claim 22, further comprising means for enabling removal of the electronic device from the firearm to allow releasing stop elements after one of the following events has occurred:

a user'"'"'s identification code has been entered, a key has been used, a code has been entered by means of wireless communication with a portable device, a fingerprint has been recognized.

28. The electronic device according to claim 17, further comprising a second pilot light operatively associated with the processing module to signal the following operative conditions of the electronic device:

turned-off, turned-on, no communication available, requires battery charge.

29. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is arranged to communicate in wireless mode with a portable device to allow programming the electronic device.

30. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a count module for counting the shots provided within a firearm magazine.

31. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a further detection module operatively associated with the processing module for generating a further electric signal representative of the firearm being pulled out of the holster.

32. The electronic device according to claim 22, wherein the container is provided with a further Picatinny rail for coupling the electronic device to a further accessory device.

33. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the processing module is arranged to store information indicative of the passage of the firearm at an entrance of a place where the firearm is stored in the storage module and to transmit such information by means of the transmit/receive module.

34. A firearm comprising a electronic locating device according to claim 1.

35. The electronic device according to claim 34, wherein the electronic device is manufactured as one piece with the firearm.

36. The firearm according to claim 34, wherein the firearm selected from the group consisting of a gun, a carbine, a rifle, a grenade launcher.

24. An electronic device for locating a firearm at a moment of firing, said device comprising:

a processing module;

a storage module operatively associated with the processing module;

a detection module for detecting a shot fired from a firearm operatively associated with the processing module, and

a transmit/receive module, operatively associated with the processing module, through which the processing module can transmit/receive information representative of the position of the electronic device,

wherein the processing module is configured to transmit by means of the transmit/receive module information representative of a shot fired from the firearm, and

wherein the detection module comprises an acceleration sensor which generates an electric signal when a mechanical stress is experienced by the electronic device, and further comprising

a signal module for indicating when the electronic device is uncoupled from the firearm, the signal module being operatively associated with the processing module to store uncoupling information in the storage module and transmit this information by means of the transmit/receive module.

25. The electronic device according to claim 24, further comprising a first switch operatively associated with the processing module to turn the electronic device from on-condition to off-condition, and vice versa.

26. The electronic device according to claim 25, wherein the first switch is located within a groove with which a container is provided, the electronic device being accommodated therein.

27. The electronic device according to claim 25, further comprising a second switch operatively associated with the processing module to allow the firearm user to transmit an alarm signal by means of the transmit/receive module.