Systems and methods for distributed control

• US 10,409,621 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2015
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taser International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Taser International Incorporated
• Inventors: Wagner, Daniel J., Hanchett, Mark A., Kloc, Aaron J., Conant, Tyler J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abad, Farley
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yu, Henry W
• Application Number:
  US14/918,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20160110208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 710 8, 710 10, 710 15, 710 62, 370389, 369 2701
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/102 where the programme performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver G06F13/105 takes precedence; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Systems involving distributed control functions are described herein. Each member or device within the system has responsibility for controlling part of the system'"'"'s behavior, and includes logic to determine what action, if any, will follow as a response to determining information or receiving information from other members or devices within the system. A change of status of one member of a system may provide a basis for action by another member of the system. Status may be the result of sensing a condition of the environment, sensing the condition of a component, receiving the output of a conventional sensor, and/or sensing the condition of a link between components. In some embodiments, action taken by a member of the system may include collecting data during law enforcement activities.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more peripheral devices, each peripheral device respectively includes a first processor, a first short-range wireless interface, and a sensor, the sensor detects a status of the respective peripheral device, at least one of the peripheral devices is a weapon or a holster; and

a controllable device, the controllable device includes a second processor and a second short-range wireless interface, each peripheral device of the one or more peripheral devices communicates with the controllable device via the respective first short-range wireless interface and the second short-range wireless interface;

each peripheral device of the one or more peripheral devices configured to;

broadcast a respective notification, the notification includes the status of the peripheral device; and

the controllable device configured to;

receive each respective notification from the one or more peripheral devices via the second short-range wireless interface;

analyze the one or more respective notifications to determine whether at least one setting of the controllable device should be changed in accordance with the one or more respective notifications;

in response to analyzing the one or more respective notifications, change the at least one setting of the controllable device in accordance with the one or more respective notifications;

receive a second notification from a given peripheral device of the one or more peripheral devices;

determine whether the second notification is related to the respective notification received from the given peripheral device; and

terminate processing of the second notification if the second notification is determined to be related to the respective notification from the given peripheral device, wherein the respective notification and the related second notification are both broadcast by the given peripheral device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the sensor of at least one peripheral device includes at least one of a heart rate sensor, a motion sensor, a holster removal sensor, a weapon status sensor, a safety sensor, a discharge sensor, a weapon loading sensor, a light bar status sensor, a door sensor, a trunk sensor, and a camera status sensor.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the controllable device further includes a camera; and

changing the at least one setting of the controllable device includes changing a recording state of the camera.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the controllable device is further configured to store the one or more respective notifications for subsequent transmission to an evidence management system.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein:

the controllable device further includes a camera, and

storing the one or more respective notifications for subsequent transmission to the evidence management system includes inserting at least one of the one or more respective notifications and the status from the one or more respective notifications in metadata associated with video data generated by the camera.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the controllable device is further configured to authenticate each peripheral device in response to receiving the respective notification from the peripheral device.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein authenticating the one or more peripheral devices includes determining whether the one or more peripheral devices are on a whitelist.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein authenticating the one or more peripheral devices includes encrypting communication between each peripheral device respectively of the one or more peripheral devices and the controllable device.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more peripheral devices include a command peripheral device configured to:

broadcast a respective notification in accordance with a command generated by a user input received by the command peripheral device.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein broadcasting the respective notification indicates an availability of first information generated by the peripheral device and includes repeatedly transmitting the notification for a predetermined amount of time.

32. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the weapon comprises a conducted electrical weapon (“

CEW”

) and the controllable device is configured to receive the respective notification from the CEW via the second short-range wireless interface; and

the status in the respective notification from the CEW includes information regarding at least one of a firing event, a state of a safety, a discharge state, a loading state, and a state of a battery.

33. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the holster is configured to carry a gun and the controllable device is configured to receive the respective notification from the holster; and

the status in the respective notification received from the holster includes information regarding at least one of removal of the gun from the holster and return of the gun into the holster.

34. The system of claim 1, wherein the second notification is determined to be related to the respective notification received from the given peripheral device if the second notification is received for a same event.

11. A controllable device comprising:

a short-range wireless interface; and

a notification processing engine configured to;

receive one or more first notifications from one or more peripheral devices via the short-range wireless interface, at least one of the one or more first notifications received from a provided weapon or a holster;

analyze the one or more first notifications to determine whether at least one setting of the controllable device should be changed in accordance with the one or more first notifications;

in response to analyzing the one or more first notifications, change the at least one setting of the controllable device in accordance with the one or more first notifications;

receive a second notification from a given peripheral device of the one or more peripheral devices via the short-range wireless interface;

detect whether the second notification duplicates the first notification from the given peripheral device; and

ignore the second notification if the second notification is detected to duplicate the first notification from the given peripheral device.

12. The controllable device of claim 11 wherein changing the at least one setting of the controllable device in accordance with the one or more first notifications includes the notification processing engine further configured to:

transmit a request for a first information associated with one of the first notifications to one of the one or more peripheral devices via the short-range wireless interface;

receive the first information from the one peripheral device via the short-range wireless interface; and

change the at least one setting of the controllable device in accordance with the first information.

13. The controllable device of claim 12 wherein:

the first information is generated by a sensor of the one peripheral device; and

the sensor includes at least one of a heart rate sensor, a motion sensor, a holster removal sensor, a weapon status sensor, a light bar status sensor, a door sensor, a trunk sensor, and a camera status sensor.

14. The controllable device of claim 11 further comprising a camera, wherein changing the at least one setting of the controllable device in accordance with the one or more first notifications includes changing a recording state of the camera.

15. The controllable device of claim 11 further comprising an audit trail data store, wherein the notification processing engine is further configured to store information from the one or more first notifications in the audit trail data store.

16. The controllable device of claim 12 further comprising a camera, wherein the notification processing engine is further configured to store the first information in metadata associated with video data generated by the camera.

17. The controllable device of claim 11 further comprising a notification repeater engine configured to transmit, via the short-range wireless interface, a third notification in accordance with one or more of the one or more first notifications.

30. The controllable device of claim 11 wherein:

the weapon comprises a conducted electrical weapon (“

CEW”

) and the at least one of the one or more first notifications is received from the CEW;

the at least one first notification from the CEW includes information of the CEW regarding at least one of a firing event, a state of a safety, a discharge state, a loading state, and a state of a battery.

31. The controllable device of claim 11 wherein:

the holster is configured to

carry a gun and the at least one of the one or more first notifications is received from the holster;

the at least one first notification from the holster includes information regarding at least one of removal of the gun from the holster and return of the gun into the holster.

35. The controllable device of claim 11 wherein ignoring the second notification comprises ignoring all notifications from the given peripheral device for a predetermined amount of time after processing the first notification from the given peripheral device.

18. A method performed by a controllable device for processing received signals for control of the controllable device, the method comprising:

wirelessly receiving one or more first notifications from one or more peripheral devices, at least one of the one or more first notifications received from a weapon or a holster;

analyzing the one or more first notifications to determine whether at least one setting of the controllable device should be changed in accordance with the one or more first notifications;

in response to analyzing the one or more first notifications, changing the at least one setting of the controllable device in accordance with the one or more first notifications;

wirelessly receiving one or more second notifications from the one or more peripheral devices;

detecting whether the one or more second notifications are duplicate notifications from the one or more peripheral devices; and

ignoring the one or more second notifications if the one or more second notifications are detected to be duplicate notifications from the one or more peripheral devices.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein changing the at least one setting of the controllable device in accordance with the one or more first notifications includes:

transmitting a request for a first information associated with one of the one or more first notifications to one of the one or more peripheral devices;

receiving the first information from the one peripheral device; and

changing the at the least one setting of the controllable device in accordance with the first information.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein:

the first information is generated by a sensor of the one peripheral device; and

the sensor includes at least one of a heart rate sensor, a motion sensor, a holster removal sensor, a weapon status sensor, a light bar status sensor, a door sensor, a trunk sensor, and a camera status sensor.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein changing the at least one setting of the controllable device in accordance with the one or more first notifications includes changing a recording state of a camera.

22. The method of claim 18 further comprising storing the one or more first notifications for subsequent transmission to an evidence management system.

23. The method of claim 18 further comprising storing an indication in accordance with the one or more first notifications in metadata associated with video data.

24. The method of claim 18 further comprising transmitting, a third notification in accordance with the one or more first notifications.

25. The method of claim 18 further comprising authenticating the one or more peripheral devices in response to receiving the one or more first notifications.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein authenticating the one or more peripheral devices includes determining whether the one or more peripheral devices are on a whitelist.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein authenticating the one or more peripheral devices includes establishing an encrypted communication channel between each of one or more the peripheral devices and the controllable device.

28. The method of claim 18 wherein:

the weapon comprises a conducted electrical weapon (“

CEW”

) and the at least one of the one or more first notifications is received from the CEW; and

the at least one first notification from the CEW includes information of the CEW regarding at least one of a firing event, a state of a safety, a discharge state, a loading state, and a state of a battery.

29. The method of claim 18 wherein:

the holster is configured to

carry a gun and the at least one of the one or more first notifications is received from the holster; and

the at least one first notification from the holster includes information regarding at least one of removal of the gun from the holster and return of the gun into the holster.