Firearm location tracking and location-based alerts

• US 8,726,556 B1
• Filed: 06/11/2013
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Level 2 Security LLC (Metalert, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomas O. Willingham
• Inventors: Willingham, Thomas O.
• Primary Examiner(s): DAVID, MICHAEL D
• Application Number:
  US13/914,962
• Time in Patent Office: 343 Days
• Field of Search: 42/10.1, 42/701.1, 340/568.1
• US Class Current: 42/70.11
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/063 comprising a transponder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0261 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS

Abstract

Various embodiments describe techniques for tracking a firearm and generating an alert when the firearm is outside a designated authorized location. In various embodiments, a location device, such as a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver coupled to a transmitter, is affixed to and/or associated with a firearm. A location of the firearm is transmitted via the location device to a location service module. The location service module compares the location of the firearm to at least one designated authorized location and, responsive to determining that the location of the firearm is not within the designated authorized location, generates an alert. A firearm that includes a location device is also described.

Claims

1. A location device associated with a firearm and configured to perform operations comprising:

determining a current location of the firearm via the location device, the location device being at least one of attached to or positioned within the firearm;

transmitting information regarding the current location of the firearm from the location device directly to a mobile device;

displaying one or more notifications on the mobile device indicating the current location of the firearm; and

displaying a breadcrumb trail on the mobile device that includes the current location of the firearm and one or more other locations of the firearm.

2. The firearm of claim 1, wherein the location device is a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver coupled to a transmitter.

3. The firearm of claim 1, wherein the location device is configured to be positioned within a dummy round of ammunition.

4. The firearm of claim 1, wherein the location device is configured to be embedded in a grip of the firearm.

5. One or more computer-readable storage media storing instructions that are executable by a remote device to cause the remote device to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at the remote device, information regarding at least one location designated as an authorized location for a firearm, the remote device being remote from the firearm;

receiving, at the remote device, information regarding a current location of the firearm, the information regarding the current location of the firearm being transmitted to the remote device directly from a location device that is at least one of attached to or positioned within the firearm;

comparing, at the remote device, the current location of the firearm to the at least one location designated as an authorized location;

responsive to determining that the current location of the firearm is outside of the authorized location, generating an alert; and

causing a bread crumb trail that includes the current location and one or more other locations of the firearm to be displayed on a map.

6. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 5, wherein the alert comprises a visual alert, the operations further comprising:

causing the visual alert to be output by causing the visual alert to be displayed on a display of the remote device.

7. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 5, wherein the alert comprises a vibratory alert, the operations further comprising:

causing the vibratory alert to be output by causing the remote device to vibrate.

8. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 5, wherein the alert comprises an auditory alert, the operations further comprising:

causing the auditory alert to be output by causing the remote device to output a sound.

9. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 5, the operations further comprising:

transmitting, to a client device, the alert as a text message.

10. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 5, the operations further comprising:

receiving information regarding one or more subsequent locations of the firearm.

11. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

outputting the received information regarding the one or more subsequent locations of the firearm as part of the bread crumb trail.

12. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a selection of a control to disable a tracking functionality for tracking the firearm;

responsive to receiving selection of the control, presenting an authentication procedure; and

responsive to a successful authentication via the authentication procedure, disabling the tracking functionality.

13. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a selection of a control to set at least one of approved locations or disapproved locations for the firearm; and

responsive to receiving selection of the control, presenting a user interface that enables at least one of approved locations or disapproved locations to be set for the firearm.

14. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a selection of a control to configure a user account for a tracking functionality for tracking the firearm; and

responsive to receiving selection of the control, presenting a user interface that enables the user account to be configured.

15. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise presenting historical notifications regarding the firearm.

16. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a selection of a control for initiating one or more system test procedures for a firearm tracking system that includes the remote device; and

generating, in response to said receiving, an out of zone test event that simulates a signal corresponding to the firearm being detected outside of an authorized zone defined for the firearm.

17. A location device associated with a firearm and configured to perform operations comprising:

determining a current location of the firearm via the location device, the location device being at least one of attached to or positioned within the firearm;

transmitting information regarding the current location of the firearm from the location device directly to a mobile device, the information being transmitted from the location device via at least one of a text message, a short message service (SMS) message, a mixed media signal (MMS) message, or an email; and

causing the current location of the firearm to be displayed on the mobile device as part of a breadcrumb trail that includes the current location of the firearm and one or more other locations of the firearm.

18. The location device of claim 17, wherein the location device is a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver coupled to a transmitter.

19. The location device of claim 17, wherein the location device is configured to be positioned within a dummy round of ammunition.

20. The location device of claim 17, wherein the location device is configured to be embedded in a grip of the firearm.