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US-12624914-B2 - Weapon usage monitoring system having predictive maintenance and performance metrics

US12624914B2US 12624914 B2US12624914 B2US 12624914B2US-12624914-B2

Abstract

A method for initiating a responsive action based on an operational status event of a firearm is provided. The method can include receiving, by an event detection module, acceleration and rotation input signals from an inertial measurement unit configured on the firearm. An occurrence of an operational status event based on the acceleration and rotation input signals are identified by the event detection module. A tipping signal is generated by the event detection module based on the identified operational status event. The tipping signal is received at a responsive infrastructure. The responsive infrastructure performs a responsive action based on the tipping signal.

Inventors

  • John Asbach
  • Michael Canty

Assignees

  • ARMAMENTS RESEARCH COMPANY, INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20230504

Claims (13)

  1. 1 . A method for initiating a responsive action based on an operational status event of a firearm, the method comprising: receiving, by an event detection module, acceleration and rotation input signals from an inertial measurement unit configured on the firearm indicative of a barrel of the firearm tipping in a direction one of downward and upward; identifying, by the event detection module, an occurrence of an operational status event, including a firearm discharge, based on the acceleration and rotation input signals; measuring, by the event detection module, movement and orientation of the barrel before, during and after the firearm discharge; determining, at a usage monitoring system, how a user is anticipating the firearm discharge based on the measured movement and orientation of the barrel before the firearm discharge; determining, at a usage monitoring system, how a user is reacting to the firearm discharge based on the measured movement and orientation of the barrel after the firearm discharge; and communicating the responsive action to a user of the firearm including real-time feedback at an integrated visual display indicative of one of the anticipating and reacting.
  2. 2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the responsive action comprises communicating a recommendation at the integrated visual display consistent with leveling the barrel based on a determination that an orientation of the barrel before the firearm discharge is downward deployment of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
  3. 3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the responsive action comprises communicating a recommendation at the integrated visual display consistent with holding the firearm steadier based on a determination that an orientation of the barrel after the firearm discharge is upward.
  4. 4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the movement and orientation measurement of the barrel before, during and after the firearm discharge are pushed to a cloud for aggregation in real time.
  5. 5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the movement and orientation measurement of the barrel before, during and after the firearm discharge are received initially by one of a satellite and a Local Area Network (LAN) provided by a mobile networking hub.
  6. 6 . The method of claim 1 wherein receiving, by the event detection module, acceleration and rotation input further comprises: receiving first acceleration input signals at a first time including a first acceleration input signal along a first axis, a second acceleration input signal along a second axis and a third acceleration input signal along a third axis; and calculating a first acceleration vector magnitude from the first, second and third acceleration signals.
  7. 7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising: receiving second acceleration input signals at a second time including a first acceleration input signal along a first axis, a second acceleration input signal along a second axis and a third acceleration input signal along a third axis; calculating a second acceleration vector magnitude from the first, second and third acceleration signals; accessing a machine learning module that creates and runs identification algorithms using the first and second acceleration vector magnitudes.
  8. 8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising: accessing a digital signal processing module that compares the first acceleration vector magnitude with a discharge acceleration template that represents a confirmed weapon discharge event; and determining whether the first acceleration vector magnitude is a discharge event based on satisfying the discharge acceleration template.
  9. 9 . A system for initiating a responsive action based on an operational status event of a firearm, the system comprising: an inertial measurement unit disposed on the firearm and configured to generate acceleration and rotation signals based on sensed acceleration and rotation movements of the firearm; and an event detection module that receives the acceleration and rotation input signals from the inertial measurement unit and that is configured to (i) identify an occurrence of an operational status event, including a firearm discharge, based on the acceleration and rotation input signals; measure, by the event detection module, movement and orientation of the barrel before, during and after the firearm discharge; (iii determine, at a usage monitoring system, how a user is anticipating the firearm discharge based on the measured movement and orientation of the barrel before the firearm discharge; (iv) determining, at a usage monitoring system, how a user is reacting to the firearm discharge based on the measured movement and orientation of the barrel after the firearm discharge; and (v) communicate the responsive action to a user of the firearm including real-time feedback at an integrated visual display indicative of one of the anticipating and reacting.
  10. 10 . The system of claim 9 wherein communicating the recommendation comprises: communicating at the integrated visual display consistent with leveling the barrel based on a determination that an orientation of the barrel before the firearm discharge is downward.
  11. 11 . The system of claim 9 wherein communicating the recommendation comprises: communicating a recommendation at the integrated visual display consistent with holding the firearm steadier based on a determination that an orientation of the barrel after the firearm discharge is upward.
  12. 12 . The system of claim 9 wherein the event detection module is further configured to: receive first acceleration input signals at a first time including a first acceleration input signal along a first axis, a second acceleration input signal along a second axis and a third acceleration input signal along a third axis; calculate a first acceleration vector magnitude from the first, second and third acceleration signals; and access a machine learning module that creates and runs identification algorithms using the first and second acceleration vector magnitudes.
  13. 13 . The system of claim 9 wherein the event detection module is further configured to: receive first acceleration input signals at a first time including a first acceleration input signal along a first axis, a second acceleration input signal along a second axis and a third acceleration input signal along a third axis; calculate a first acceleration vector magnitude from the first, second and third acceleration signals; access a digital signal processing module that compares the first acceleration vector magnitude with a discharge acceleration template that represents a confirmed weapon discharge event; and determine whether the first acceleration vector magnitude is a discharge event based on satisfying the discharge acceleration template.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/455,852 filed on Mar. 30, 2023. This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/US2022/023027 filed on Apr. 1, 2022, which claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application Nos. 63/169,283 filed on Apr. 1, 2021 and 63/216,037 filed on Jun. 29, 2021. This application is a continuation of U.S. patent Ser. No. 17/524,302 filed on Nov. 11, 2021, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/995,990, filed Aug. 18, 2020, and published on Dec. 3, 2020 as U.S. Patent Publication 2020/0378708 which is a bypass continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/US2019/055925, filed Oct. 11, 2019, and published on Apr. 16, 2020, as Publication No. WO/2020/077254, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/745,028, filed Oct. 12, 2018. U.S. patent Ser. No. 17/524,302 is also a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/599,976 filed Oct. 11, 2019, and published on Apr. 16, 2020 as U.S. Patent Publication 2020/0117900. U.S. patent Ser. No. 17/524,302 is also a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/460,348 filed Jul. 2, 2019, and published on Jan. 2, 2020 as U.S. Patent Publication 2020/0003512, which is a bypass continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/US2018/015614, filed Jan. 27, 2018, and published on Aug. 2, 2018, as Publication No. WO/2018/140835, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/451,620, filed Jan. 27, 2017. Each of the above-identified applications are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth in its entirety. BACKGROUND Typically, firearm tracking systems have been very limited, often requiring complex manufacturing steps in order to enable a determination of whether a weapon has been used. These systems typically have issues with reliability, have poor performance (e.g., short battery life), lack the ability to add new features, and suffer other limitations. Separately, systems for providing remote support to firearm users are also typically very limited. For example, a remote support user monitoring a deployment of firearm users within a deployment location, such as a combat zone, relies on the information reported to him or her in order to make appropriate decisions regarding providing support for those users. However, these conventional systems require a remote support user to manually analyze information about the firearm users and to manually determine how to support those firearm users, which may, in at least some cases, take more time than is available. For example, during an active fire fight between firearm users and hostile combatants, the amount of time it takes to determine to deploy reinforcements, deliver additional ammunition, or otherwise support the firearm users can dictate the success of the engagement. Accordingly, a need exists for improved systems that involve recording and tracking activities of individuals, including more advanced methods and systems for tracking discharges from firearms and more advanced methods for monitoring conditions of firearms, other assets, and users within a deployment location and automating actions to perform for remotely supporting those firearm users, such as in preparation for, during, and/or after an engagement with a hostile threat. SUMMARY A method for initiating a responsive action based on an operational status event of a firearm is provided. The method can include receiving, by an event detection module, acceleration and rotation input signals from an inertial measurement unit configured on the firearm. An occurrence of an operational status event based on the acceleration and rotation input signals are identified by the event detection module. A tipping signal is generated by the event detection module based on the identified operational status event. The tipping signal is received at a responsive infrastructure. The responsive infrastructure performs a responsive action based on the tipping signal. In embodiments, the operational status event comprises a discharge event. In other embodiments, the operational status can comprise a weapon heading. In other embodiments, the responsive action comprises deployment of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). In other embodiments, the responsive action comprises replenishing ammunition for the firearm. In embodiments, the tipping signal is pushed to a cloud for aggregation in real time. The tipping signal can be received initially by one of a satellite and a Local Area Network (LAN) provided by a mobile networking hub. In examples, receiving acceleration and rotation input by the event detection module can include receiving first acceleration input signals at a first time including a first acceleration input signal along a first axis, a second acceleration input signal along a second axis and a third acceleration input signal along a