SYSTEM AND METHOD OF AUTOMATED GUNSHOT EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM

• US 20160232774A1
• Filed: 02/26/2014
• Published: 08/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OnAlert Guardian Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Onalert Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Noland, Bryan Lee, Patterson, Frank Z
• Granted Patent: US 9,886,833 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/20 Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1672 using sonic detecting means, e.g. a microphone operating in the audio frequency range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/00 Identifying, scaring or incapacitating burglars, thieves or intruders, e.g. by explosives
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/005 combined burglary and fire alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0438 Sensor means for detecting
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/14 Toxic gas alarms G08B21/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/06 using power transmission lines
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/001 Signalling to an emergency team, e.g. firemen
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/183 Single detectors using dual technologies G08B13/1672, G08B13/2448, G08B13/2494 take precedence

Abstract

A threat sensing system is provided including, in some aspects, a plurality of threat sensing devices distributed throughout a school or facility, with each of the threat sensing devices comprising one or more acoustic sensors, one or more gas sensors, and a communication circuit or communication device configured to output sensor data to a system gateway. The system gateway is configured to receive and process the sensor data output from the threat sensing devices and determine whether the processed sensor data corresponds to one of a predetermined plurality of known threats (e.g., a gunshot) and, if so, to communicate the existence of the threat, the processed sensor information, and/or predetermined messaging information to one or more recipient devices (e.g., first responders, dispatchers).

Claims

1. A threat sensing system comprising:

at least one threat sensing device, the at least one threat sensing device comprising one or more sensors, the one or more sensors comprising at least one of an acoustic sensor, a gas sensor, a pressure sensor, and an image sensor, the at least one threat sensing device further comprising a first communication device configured to output sensor data along a communication pathway; and

a system gateway, comprising a second communication device configured to receive sensor data from the at least one threat sensing device along communication pathway, the system gateway being configured to automatically communicate at least one of the existence of the threat, the sensor data, or one or more predetermined messages to one or more pre-registered recipient devices if the sensor data is determined to correspond to one of a predetermined plurality of known threats.

2. The threat sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one threat sensing device comprises a plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors comprising two or more sensors selected from a group of sensors comprising an acoustic sensor, a gas sensor, a pressure sensor, and an image sensor.

3. The threat sensing system according to claim 2, wherein the at least one threat sensing device comprises an acoustic sensor and a gas sensor.

4. The threat sensing system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of threat sensing devices, the plurality of threat sensing devices being disposed within, and distributed within, a building.

5. The threat sensing system according to claim 4, wherein the building comprises a school.

6. The threat sensing system according to claim 5, wherein the pre-registered recipient devices comprise at least one of a police dispatcher, first responder'"'"'s mobile device, police car laptop, ambulance laptop, teacher'"'"'s mobile device, school employee'"'"'s mobile device, school staff member'"'"'s mobile device, security guard mobile device, school administrator mobile device.

7. The threat sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the pre-registered recipient devices subscribe to a messaging system to receive the communications from the threat sensing system.

8. The threat sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the communications from the threat sensing system comprise at least two of a map of the building, a location of a shooter within the building, a number of shots first, or an identification of a type of weapon or weapons discharged.

9. The threat sensing system according to claim 8, wherein the communications from the threat sensing system comprise a map of the building, a location of a shooter within the building, a number of shots first, and an identification of a type of weapon or weapons discharged.

10. The threat sensing system according to claim 2, wherein the communication pathway comprises a universal powerline bus.

11. The threat sensing system according to claim 2, wherein the first communication device and the second communication device comprise wireless devices.

12. The threat sensing system according to claim 2, wherein the threat sensing device is configured to be screwed into a light socket.

13. The threat sensing system according to claim 2, wherein the threat sensing device is configured to be attached to an electrical outlet.

14. The threat sensing system according to claim 3, further comprising:

a plurality of threat sensing devices, the plurality of threat sensing devices being disposed within, and distributed within, a building, and

wherein the acoustic sensor is configured to detect a gunshot, and

wherein the gas sensor is configured to detect molecules representative of the gunshot.

15. The threat sensing system according to claim 14, wherein at least some of the plurality of threat sensing devices further comprises an IR image sensor configured to detect a firearm muzzle flash.

16. The threat sensing system according to claim 14, further comprising:

at least one threat countermeasure communicatively coupled to at least one of the threat sensing device or system gateway, the at least one threat countermeasure comprising at least one of a Taser projective, LED strobe, LED incapacitator or Dazzler.

17. The threat sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the determination as to whether the sensor data corresponds to one of a predetermined plurality of known threats is performed by the threat sensing device.

18. The threat sensing system according to claim 1, wherein the determination as to whether the sensor data corresponds to one of a predetermined plurality of known threats is performed by the system gateway.

19. A method of detecting and reporting a threat comprising:

disposing at least one threat sensing device in at least a first location in a building, the at least one threat sensing device comprising one or more sensors, the one or more sensors comprising at least one of an acoustic sensor, a gas sensor, a pressure sensor, and an image sensor, the at least one threat sensing device further comprising a first communication device configured to output sensor data along a communication pathway;

outputting the sensor data to a system gateway, the system gateway comprising a second communication device configured to receive sensor data from the at least one threat sensing device along communication pathway;

determining, using the system gateway or the threat sensing device, whether the sensor data corresponds to a gunshot; and

automatically communicating, in the event that the act of determining confirms that the sensor data corresponds to a gunshot, at least one of the gunshot, the sensor data, or one or more messages relating to the gunshot to one or more predetermined recipient devices.

20. The method of detecting and reporting a threat according to claim 19,

wherein the at least one threat sensing device comprises a plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors comprising at least one acoustic sensor and at least one gas sensor, and

wherein the act of determining whether the sensor data corresponds to a gunshot comprises analyzing the sensor data from both the at least one acoustic sensor and the at least one gas sensor.

21. The method of detecting and reporting a threat according to claim 20,

wherein a plurality of threat sensing devices are disposed in a plurality of locations in the building, and

wherein the act of determining whether the sensor data corresponds to a gunshot comprises analyzing the sensor data from a plurality of threat sensing devices.