Wiretapping Firearms Through a Wireless Network

• US 20140378088A1
• Filed: 06/25/2013
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Goel, Amit, Veeraraghavan, Srivatsan
• Application Number:
  US13/926,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20140378088A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/063 comprising a transponder
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 19/01 Counting means indicating the number of shots fired
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/302 gathering intelligence information for situation awareness or reconnaissance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for tracking firearms in a wireless communication system may include a firearm configured to send sensor data to a non-recording telephone device via a telephone call to enable a CALEA server to intercept the data via a wiretap. The firearm may include various sensors that collect data about the firearm'"'"'s location, use, remaining ammo, and any other information regarding its surroundings, which may be sent via the telephone call. A CALEA server may store the firearm data obtained via the wiretap.

Claims

1. A firearm, comprising:

a cellular telephone transceiver;

a location sensor;

a use sensor; and

a processor coupled to the cellular telephone transceiver, the location sensor, and the use sensor, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising;

acquiring a location of the firearm from the location sensor;

acquiring firearm use data from the use sensor;

using the cellular telephone transceiver to conduct a cellular telephone call with a non-recording telephone device; and

sending at least one of the location of the firearm and the firearm use data to the non-recording telephone device via the cellular telephone call.

2. The firearm of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of additional sensors coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is further configured to send additional data from the plurality of additional sensors to the non-recording telephone device via the cellular telephone call.

3. The firearm of claim 2, wherein the plurality of additional sensors includes a video camera, wherein the processor is further configured to send a video stream to the non-recording telephone device via the cellular telephone call.

4. The firearm of claim 1, further comprising a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether determining whether a cellular telephone call can be established; and

storing the acquired use data in the memory in response to determining that a cellular telephone call cannot be established,

wherein using the cellular telephone transceiver to conduct the cellular telephone call with the non-recording telephone device comprises using the cellular telephone transceiver to place a cellular telephone call to the non-recording telephone device in response to determining that a cellular telephone call can be established, and

wherein sending at least one of the location of the firearm and the firearm use data to the non-recording telephone device via the cellular telephone call comprises sending use data stored in the memory via the cellular telephone call to the non-recording telephone device.

5. The firearm of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that using the cellular telephone transceiver to conduct the cellular telephone call with the non-recording telephone device comprises using the cellular telephone transceiver to receive the cellular telephone call from the non-recording telephone device.

6. The firearm of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising encrypting data before it is sent via the cellular telephone call to the non-recording telephone device.

7. A method implemented on a firearm having a cellular telephone transceiver, a memory, and a processor to enable wiretapping of the firearm, the method comprising:

acquiring data related to the firearm including a location and use of the firearm;

determining whether a cellular telephone call can be established;

storing the acquired data in the memory in response to determining that a cellular telephone call cannot be established; and

placing a cellular telephone call to a non-recording telephone device and transmitting the acquired data and data stored in the memory via the cellular telephone call in response to determining that a cellular telephone call can be established.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising encrypting the acquired data prior to transmitting the acquired data to the non-recording telephone device via the cellular telephone call.

9. A method of wiretapping a firearm in a system including a firearm configured with sensors and a cellular telephone transceiver, a non-recording telephone device, a cellular telephone network and a CALEA server, the method comprising:

initiating, in the cellular telephone network, a wiretap on the firearm using a telephone number of the firearm cellular telephone transceiver;

acquiring, in the firearm, sensor data related to the firearm including a location and use of the firearm;

determining, in the firearm, whether a cellular telephone call can be established;

storing the acquired sensor data in memory of the firearm in response to determining that a cellular telephone call cannot be established;

placing a cellular telephone call from the firearm cellular telephone transceiver to the non-recording telephone device and transmitting the acquired sensor data and sensor data stored in the memory via the cellular telephone call in response to determining that a cellular telephone call can be established; and

receiving through the wiretap the sensor data sent from the firearm to the non-recording telephone device via the cellular telephone call.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

adding an opaque marker to the cellular telephone call originating from the firearm;

determining whether the cellular telephone call from the firearm is marked for CALEA forwarding; and

transmitting a copy of the sensor data sent from the firearm to the non-recording telephone device via the cellular telephone call to the CALEA server in response to determining that a cellular telephone call is marked for CALEA forwarding; and

ending the cellular telephone call and data transmission to the non-recording telephone device in response to determining that a cellular telephone call is not marked for CALEA forwarding.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting the cellular telephone call and the acquired sensor data to a network destination in response to determining that a cellular telephone call is not marked for CALEA forwarding.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

encrypting, in the firearm, the acquired sensor data and the sensor data stored in the memory prior to transmission via the cellular telephone call;

decrypting, in the CALEA server, the sensor data obtained from the firearm via the wiretap; and

storing the sensor data from the firearm.

13. A firearm, comprising:

means for acquiring data related to the firearm including a location and use of the firearm;

means for determining whether a cellular telephone call can be established;

means for storing the acquired data in memory in response to determining that a cellular telephone call cannot be established; and

means for placing a cellular telephone call to a non-recording telephone device and transmitting the acquired data and data stored in the memory via the cellular telephone call in response to determining that a cellular telephone call can be established.

14. The firearm of claim 13, further comprising means for encrypting the acquired data prior to transmitting the acquired data to the non-recording telephone device via the cellular telephone call.

15. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor of a firearm to perform operations comprising:

acquiring data related to the firearm including a location and use of the firearm;

determining whether a cellular telephone call can be established;

storing the acquired data in memory in response to determining that a cellular telephone call cannot be established; and

placing a cellular telephone call to a non-recording telephone device and transmitting the acquired data and data stored in the memory via the cellular telephone call in response to determining that a cellular telephone call can be established.

16. The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the processor of the firearm to perform operations further comprising encrypting the acquired data prior to transmitting the acquired data to the non-recording telephone device via the cellular telephone call.

17. A cellular communication system, comprising:

a firearm comprising;

a cellular telephone transceiver;

a location sensor;

a use sensor;

and a firearm processor coupled to the cellular telephone transceiver, the location sensor, and the use sensor, wherein the firearm processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising;

acquiring sensor data from the location sensor and the use sensor;

determining whether a cellular telephone call can be established;

storing the acquired sensor data in memory of the firearm in response to determining that a cellular telephone call cannot be established; and

placing a cellular telephone call from the firearm cellular telephone transceiver to a non-recording telephone device and transmitting the acquired sensor data and sensor data stored in the memory via the cellular telephone call in response to determining that a cellular telephone call can be established; and

a CALEA server configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising;

initiating a wiretap on the firearm using a telephone number of the firearm'"'"'s cellular telephone transceiver; and

receiving through the wiretap the sensor data sent from the firearm to the non-recording telephone device via the cellular telephone call.

18. The cellular communication system of claim 17, further comprising:

a network server configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising;

adding an opaque marker to the cellular telephone call originating from the firearm;

determining whether the cellular telephone call from the firearm is marked for CALEA forwarding;

transmitting a copy of the sensor data sent from the firearm to the non-recording telephone device via the cellular telephone call to the CALEA server in response to determining that a cellular telephone call is marked for CALEA forwarding; and

ending the cellular telephone call and data transmission to the non-recording telephone device in response to determining that a cellular telephone call is not marked for CALEA forwarding.

19. The cellular communication system of claim 18, wherein the network server is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising transmitting the cellular telephone call and the acquired sensor data to a network destination in response to determining that a cellular telephone call is not marked for CALEA forwarding.

20. The cellular communication system of claim 17, wherein the firearm processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising encrypting the acquired sensor data and the sensor data stored in the memory prior to transmission via the cellular telephone call, and

wherein the CALEA server is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

decrypting the sensor data obtained from the firearm via the wiretap; and

storing the sensor data from the firearm.

21. A cellular communication system, comprising:

a firearm comprising;

means for acquiring sensor data from a location sensor and a use sensor;

means for determining whether a cellular telephone call can be established;

means for storing the acquired sensor data in memory of the firearm in response to determining that a cellular telephone call cannot be established; and

means for placing a cellular telephone call from the firearm cellular telephone transceiver to a non-recording telephone device and transmitting the acquired sensor data and sensor data stored in the memory via the cellular telephone call in response to determining that a cellular telephone call can be established; and

a CALEA server comprising;

means for initiating a wiretap on the firearm using a telephone number of the firearm'"'"'s cellular telephone transceiver; and

means for receiving through the wiretap the sensor data sent from the firearm to the non-recording telephone device via the cellular telephone call.

22. The cellular communication system of claim 21, further comprising:

a network server comprising;

means for adding an opaque marker to the cellular telephone call originating from the firearm;

means for determining whether the cellular telephone call from the firearm is marked for CALEA forwarding;

means for transmitting a copy of the sensor data sent from the firearm to the non-recording telephone device via the cellular telephone call to the CALEA server in response to determining that a cellular telephone call is marked for CALEA forwarding; and

means for ending the cellular telephone call and data transmission to the non-recording telephone device in response to determining that a cellular telephone call is not marked for CALEA forwarding.

23. The cellular communication system of claim 22, the network server further comprising means for transmitting the cellular telephone call and the acquired sensor data to a network destination in response to determining that a cellular telephone call is not marked for CALEA forwarding.

24. The cellular communication system of claim 21, wherein:

the firearm further comprises means for encrypting the acquired sensor data and the sensor data stored in the memory prior to transmission via the cellular telephone call; and

the CALEA server further comprises;

means for decrypting the sensor data obtained from the firearm via the wiretap; and

means for storing the sensor data from the firearm.