Systems and methods for cooperation among weapons, holsters, and recorders

• US 9,879,944 B1
• Filed: 04/08/2014
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taser International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Taser International Incorporated
• Inventors: Gish, Michael E., Hanchett, Mark A., Markle, Ryan C., Wilson, John W., Wagner, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hossain, Farzana
• Application Number:
  US14/247,902
• Time in Patent Office: 1,393 Days
• Field of Search: 348143, 42 7001, 42 99, 224183, 224192, 224198, 224238, 224243, 224911-912
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/008 for handguns, i.e. pistols or revolvers
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/029 combined with electronic devices, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A holster broadcasts a message indicating that a weapon has been removed from the holster. A recorder, in response to authenticating the message, controls recording of audio and video. The message may include an identifier of the holster. The recorder may maintain a white list of identifications and ignore messages with identifications that are not on the white list. The message, instead of being broadcast, may be transmitted with an address of an intended recorder.

Claims

1. A system for recording in response to removal of a provided weapon, the system comprising:

a holster to be worn by a person, the holster for holding the weapon, the holster including;

a detector that detects that the weapon is removed from the holster, the detector includes a magnet moveable between a first position and a second position, and an attractor; and

a transmitter for transmitting a formatted message, the message includes indicia identifying the holster; and

a recorder to be worn by the person, the recorder including;

a camera that provides a video signal;

a receiver that receives the message; and

a controller, the controller includes a white list identifying one or more holsters;

wherein;

while the weapon is positioned in the holster, a first magnetic force of attraction between the magnet and the weapon moves the magnet to the second position;

while the weapon is not positioned in the holster, a second magnetic force of attraction between the magnet and the attractor moves the magnet to the first position thereby indicating that the weapon is removed from the holster;

a magnitude of the first magnetic force of attraction is greater than a magnitude of the second magnetic force of attraction;

in response to the magnet moving into the first position, the transmitter broadcasts the message;

the controller enables recording of the video in accordance with a comparison of the indicia identifying the holster and the white list.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the holster further comprises a power supply;

while the magnet is in the first position, the transmitter receives power from the power supply to broadcast the message.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the recorder comprises a second receiver that receives the white list.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the formatting is in accordance with the Bluetooth Low Energy communication standard.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the message further includes an address of the holster.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein

the message further includes a signature;

and

the signature includes a nonce and a cyclic redundancy check code.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller enables recording because the indicia identifying the holster is in the white list.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller does not enable recording because the indicia identifying the holster is not in the white list.

9. A system for recording in response to removal of a weapon, the system comprising:

a holster to be worn by a person, the holster for holding the weapon, the holster includes;

a detector that detects that the weapon is removed from the holster, the detector includes a magnet moveable between a first position and a second position, and an attractor;

a transmitter for transmitting a message, the message includes indicia identifying at least one of a manufacturer, a model, a brand, and a user of the holster; and

a recorder, the recorder within wireless range of the holster, the recorder includes;

a camera that provides a video signal;

a receiver that receives the message; and

a controller that includes a list that identifies at least one of the manufacturer, the model, the brand, and the user of one or more holsters, wherein;

while the weapon is positioned in the holster, a first magnetic force of attraction between the magnet and the weapon moves the magnet to the second position;

while the weapon is not positioned in the holster, a second magnetic force of attraction between the magnet and the attractor moves the magnet to the first position thereby indicating that the weapon is removed from the holster;

a magnitude of the first magnetic force of attraction is greater than a magnitude of the second magnetic force of attraction;

in response to the magnet moving into the first position, the transmitter transmits the message;

the controller enables recording of the video in accordance with a comparison of the indicia and the list.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the recorder comprises a second receiver that receives the list.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the indicia further comprise an address, the address used by the holster for transmitting the message.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the indicia further comprise a signature.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the message is transmitted as an advertisement in accordance with the Bluetooth Low Energy communications protocol.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the controller enables recording because the indicia from the holster is in the list.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the controller does not enable recording because the indicia from the holster is not in the list.

16. A holster to be worn by a person, the holster for holding a weapon, the holster comprising:

a detector, the detector detects at least one of removal of the weapon from the holster and return of the weapon to the holster, the detector includes a magnet moveable between a first position and a second position, and an attractor; and

a transmitter that in response to the detector detecting at the least one of removal and return of the weapon transmits a message, the message includes indicia identifying the holster;

wherein;

while the weapon is positioned in the holster, a first magnetic force of attraction between the magnet and the weapon moves the magnet to the second position;

while the weapon is not positioned in the holster, a second magnetic force of attraction between the magnet and the attractor moves the magnet to the first position;

a magnitude of the first magnetic force of attraction is greater than a magnitude of the second magnetic force of attraction;

while the magnet is positioned in the first position, the detector determines that the weapon has been removed from the holster; and

while the magnet is not positioned in the first position, the detector determines that the weapon is positioned in the holster.

17. The holster of claim 16 wherein:

the detector further comprises a first contact and a second contact;

while the magnet is positioned in the first position, the magnet abuts the first contact and the second contact to establish an electrical connection.

18. The holster of claim 17 wherein the transmitter transmits the message responsive to establishing the electrical connection.

19. The holster of claim 16 wherein:

the holster further comprises a power supply, a first contact, and a second contact;

the magnet, the first contact, and the second contact cooperate to perform the function of a switch;

while the magnet is positioned in the first position, the magnet abuts the first contact and the second contact to close the switch; and

responsive to closing the switch, the transmitter receives power from the power supply to transmit the message.

20. The holster of claim 16 wherein the attractor comprises a magnet.