Highly portable system for acoustic event detection

• US 7,750,814 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2005
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Shotspotter Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Shotspotter Incorporated
• Inventors: Manderville, Scott, Fisher, Ken S, Baxter, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Phung
• Application Number:
  US10/905,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20050237186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,993 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/426.19, 340/506, 340/539.13, 340/995.28, 340/521, 340/691.6, 340/825.36, 367/127
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/00 Defence installations; Defence devices constructional aspects see Section E, e.g. air-raid shelters E04H9/04; protective arrangements for buildings E04B1/92; extinguishing or preventing the spread of fire from, incendiary bombs A62C3/06; dynamic armour F41H5/007; ballistically deployed systems for restraining persons or animals F41H13/0006; electronic countermeasures G01S
• 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 19/18 Military applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• 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: G01S 5/30 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/539 using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/001 Acoustic presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/40 Synchronising a generator for connection to a network or to another generator

Abstract

A man wearable acoustic sensor for use with a gunshot detection system. In a preferred embodiment the inventive sensor includes: a housing configured to be man wearable, a microphone; a processor housed within the housing and in communication with the microphone to detect an acoustic event and determine a time of arrival for the acoustic event; a GPS receiver for providing position information to said processor; a network; and a display for displaying information concerning acoustic events to a user. Man wearable describes a sensor which is either integrated into a piece of equipment normally carried by a soldier or integrated into an article of clothing or configured to securely attach to such equipment or clothing.

Claims

1. A method of processing gunshot location information associated with a portable acoustic sensor, the method comprising:

detecting an acoustic event at a microphone associated with the portable acoustic sensor, wherein the sensor has a housing configured for portable operation in association with a person;

determining, via a processor in communication with the microphone and contained within or attached to the housing, a time of arrival for the acoustic event;

providing position information regarding the sensor to the processor via a GPS receiver in communication with the processor;

determining a source location of the gunshot as a function of sensor data including time of arrival information as to when a muzzle blast impulse caused by discharge of the gunshot was detected, wherein muzzle blast time of arrival data is used in providing direction information including a direction from the portable acoustic sensor towards the source location of the gunshot; and

displaying the source location on a display associated with the portable acoustic sensor.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a wristwatch housing.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a helmet.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a vest.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the sensor includes a display that is not housed in said housing and the display is associated with a particular sensor to display information relevant to said particular sensor.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the display comprises a wristwatch.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising interfacing the sensor with a wireless network interface housed in or attached to the housing.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said housing is configured for attachment to a weapon.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a rifle scope.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a two-way radio.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises body armor.

12. A method of processing gunshot location information associated with a portable acoustic sensor, the method comprising:

detecting an acoustic event via a microphone associated with the portable acoustic sensor, wherein the sensor has a housing configured for portable operation in association with a person;

determining, via a processor in communication with the microphone and contained within or attached to the housing, a time of arrival for the acoustic event;

providing position information to the processor via a GPS receiver in communication with the processor;

networking the portable acoustic sensor with a plurality of sensors positioned apart from each other in an array such that the gunshot location is calculated as a function of time of arrival information of a muzzle blast detected at each of the plurality of sensors, such that a location of the gunshot may be determined using only muzzle blast time of arrival data; and

receiving information related to the source of the gunshot for display on a display associated with the portable acoustic sensor.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the GPS receiver communicates a position of the sensor to the processor.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the networking is performed via a network interface configured to connect to an ethernet network.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the sensor comprises an integrated power supply for supplying electrical power to the sensor.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the power supply comprises a battery.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the networking is performed via a network interface comprising a radio frequency transceiver.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the housing is configured to be man wearable.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising displaying location information of the acoustic event to a user.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the location information comprises location information of the source of the acoustic event.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising displaying location information of another portable sensor.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying location information of the gunshot to a user.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the location information comprises location information of the source of the acoustic event.

24. The method of claim 12 further comprising displaying location information of another portable sensor.

25. The method of claim 12 wherein the housing is configured to be man wearable.

26. The method of claim of 12, further comprising communicating the position information and the time of arrival to a gunshot location system via a wireless network interface associated with the sensor.

27. A method of processing gunshot location information associated with a portable acoustic sensor, the method comprising:

detecting an acoustic event via microphones associated with the portable acoustic sensor, wherein the sensor has a housing configured for portable operation in association with a person;

determining, via a processor in communication with the microphones and contained within or attached to the housing, a time of arrival for the acoustic event;

providing position information to the processor via a GPS receiver in communication with the processor;

networking the portable acoustic sensor with a plurality of sensors positioned apart from each other in an array such that the gunshot location is calculated as a function of time of arrival information of a muzzle blast detected at each of the plurality of sensors, such that a location of the gunshot may be determined using only muzzle blast time of arrival data; and

processing information related to the source of the gunshot for display on a display associated with the portable acoustic sensor;

wherein the information for display on the display comprises location information of the source of the acoustic event.

28. A portable acoustic sensor including computer readable storage media containing instructions executable to perform a method of processing gunshot location information associated with a portable acoustic sensor, the method comprising:

detecting an acoustic event via an array of microphones associated with the portable acoustic sensor, wherein the sensor has a housing configured for portable operation in association with a person;

determining, via a processor in communication with the microphone and contained within or attached to the housing, a time of arrival for the acoustic event;

providing position information regarding the sensor to the processor via a GPS receiver in communication with the processor;

determining a source location of the gunshot as a function of sensor data including time of arrival information as to when a muzzle blast impulse caused by discharge of the gunshot was detected, wherein muzzle blast time of arrival data is used in providing direction information including a direction from the portable acoustic sensor towards the source location of the gunshot; and

displaying the source location on a display associated with the portable acoustic sensor;

wherein the housing is configured to be man wearable.