Systems and methods of identifying/locating weapon fire including return fire, targeting, laser sighting, and/or guided weapon features

• US 7,586,812 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Shotspotter Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Shotspotter Incorporated
• Inventors: Fisher, Ken, Holmes, Fred, Baxter, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): PIHULIC, DANIEL T
• Application Number:
  US11/981,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20080165621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 367/124, 367/127, 367/906
• US Class Current: 367/127
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/00 Means of attack or defence not otherwise provided for details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/18 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/22 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 367/906 Airborne shock-wave detection

Abstract

A system and method for detecting, identifying, and fixing the location of the source of an acoustic event. The inventive system includes: a plurality of sensors dispersed at somewhat regular intervals throughout a monitored area; a communication network adapted to deliver information from the sensors to a host processor; and a process within the host processor for determining, from the absolute times of arrival of an event at two or more sensors, a position of the source of the event. Acoustic events are detected and analyzed at each sensor so that the sensor transmits over the network: an identifier for the sensor; an identifier for the type of event; and a precise absolute time of arrival of the event at the sensor. In a preferred embodiment, the system also identifies the type of weapon firing a gunshot.

Claims

1. A method of processing instructions associated with directing artillery or mortar fire towards the location of a weapon fire event, the method comprising:

networking at least three sensors across an area to be monitored, wherein each of the at least three sensors comprises a microphone for detecting the weapon fire event, and wherein the location of each of the at least three sensors is known;

performing time of arrival processing of the weapon fire event;

providing a location of a source of the weapon fire event for purposes of directing first return fire from artillery or a mortar, wherein the location is determined as a function of arrival time and sensor location data, and wherein the location is an intended target location for the return fire; and

processing corrective artillery or mortar fire instructions, including comparison of a point of impact of the first return fire and the intended target location, to provide adjusted targeting data for aiming second return fire;

wherein the adjusted targeting data enables zeroing in of the second return fire such that the second return fire impacts closer to the intended target location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the adjusted targeting data includes one or both of adjusted azimuth and/or elevation data to zero in on the intended target location.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein weapon fire event information is measured at a peak of a beginning portion of the weapon fire event wave'"'"'s envelope as received at the sensors.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the location of the source of the weapon fire event is determined in connection with a process that includes transmitting arrival time data from the sensors to a host computer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the location of the source of the weapon fire event is determined by a process that includes performing triangulation of the location as a function of sensor location information and time of arrival information as to when the weapon fire event was detected at the sensors.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the time of arrival data is communicated over a single channel without latency in connection with synchronizing sensors that detected the weapon fire event.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the location of the source of the weapon fire event is determined by a process that includes performing triangulation via detection equipment located on the sensor that detects distances to known landmarks.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the location of the source of the weapon fire event is determined via a process that includes solving six equations and six unknown variables.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the location of the source of the weapon fire event is determined by a process that includes processing relative times of arrival of waves from the particular gunshot event at the sensors.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the location of the source of the weapon fire event is determined by a process that includes processing sensor location information from GPS receivers located on sensors that detected the weapon fire event.

11. An article of manufacture including computer readable media containing computer readable programs of instruction associated with directing artillery or mortar fire towards the location of a weapon fire event, the programs of instructions being executable by one or more processors and including instructions for:

networking at least three sensors across an area to be monitored, wherein each of the at least three sensors comprises a microphone for detecting the weapon fire event, and wherein the location of each of the at least three sensors is known;

performing time of arrival processing of the weapon fire event;

providing a location of a source of the weapon fire event for purposes of directing first return fire from artillery or a mortar, wherein the location is determined as a function of arrival time and sensor location data, and wherein the location is an intended target location for the return fire; and

processing corrective artillery or mortar fire instructions, including comparison of a point of impact of the first return fire and the intended target location, to provide adjusted targeting data for aiming second return fire;

wherein the adjusted targeting data enables zeroing in of the second return fire such that the second return fire impacts closer to the intended target location.

12. The article of claim 11 wherein the adjusted targeting data includes one or both of adjusted azimuth and/or elevation data to zero in on the intended target location.

13. The article of claim 11 wherein the programs of instructions further include instructions for measuring the weapon fire event information at a peak of a beginning portion of the weapon fire event wave'"'"'s envelope as received at the sensors.

14. The article of claim 11 wherein the programs of instructions further include instructions for determining the location of the source of the weapon fire event in connection with a process that includes transmitting arrival time data from the sensors to a host computer.

15. The article of claim 11 wherein the programs of instructions further include instructions for determining the location of the source of the weapon fire event by a process that includes performing triangulation of the location as a function of sensor location information and time of arrival information as to when the weapon fire event was detected at the sensors.

16. The article of claim 15 wherein the time of arrival data is communicated over a single channel without latency in connection with synchronizing sensors that detected the weapon fire event.

17. The article of claim 11 wherein the programs of instructions further include instructions for determining the location of the source of the weapon fire event by a process that includes performing triangulation via detection equipment located on the sensor that detects distances to known landmarks.

18. The article of claim 11 wherein the programs of instructions further include instructions for determining the location of the source of the weapon fire event via a process that includes solving six equations and six unknown variables.

19. The article of claim 11 wherein the programs of instructions further include instructions for determining the location of the source of the weapon fire event by a process that includes processing relative times of arrival of waves from the particular gunshot event at the sensors.

20. The article of claim 11 wherein the programs of instructions further include instructions for determining the location of the source of the weapon fire event by a process that includes processing sensor location information from GPS receivers located on sensors that detected the weapon fire event.