U.S. patent application number 11/930072 was filed with the patent office on 2008-09-11 for systems and methods of tracking and/or avoiding harm to certain devices or humans.
This patent application is currently assigned to ShotSpotteer, Inc.. Invention is credited to Kevin Baxter, Ken S. Fisher.
Application Number | 20080221793 11/930072 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46329618 |
Filed Date | 2008-09-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080221793 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fisher; Ken S. ; et
al. |
September 11, 2008 |
SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF TRACKING AND/OR AVOIDING HARM TO CERTAIN
DEVICES OR HUMANS
Abstract
The present invention relates to systems and methods of tracking
and/or avoiding harm to certain devices or humans. According to one
exemplary embodiment, a method of tracking individual assets may
include obtaining position data of an asset via a GPS receiver in
communication with a position sensor associated with the asset,
processing position data and sensor data via a processing component
associated with the position sensor that receives the position data
from the GPS receiver, and communicating sensor data to a host
device via a communication interface associated with the position
sensor and configured to enable wireless communication between the
position sensor and the host device.
Inventors: |
Fisher; Ken S.; (US)
; Baxter; Kevin; (US) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DLA PIPER US LLP
2000 UNIVERSITY AVENUE
E. PALO ALTO
CA
94303-2248
US
|
Assignee: |
ShotSpotteer, Inc.
Mountain View
CA
|
Family ID: |
46329618 |
Appl. No.: |
11/930072 |
Filed: |
October 30, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11849253 |
Aug 31, 2007 |
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11930072 |
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11042414 |
Jan 24, 2005 |
7266045 |
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11849253 |
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10905788 |
Jan 20, 2005 |
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11042414 |
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10248511 |
Jan 24, 2003 |
6847587 |
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10905788 |
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60481934 |
Jan 22, 2004 |
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60481922 |
Jan 20, 2004 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
701/469 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41G 3/147 20130101;
G01S 7/003 20130101; G01S 19/03 20130101; G01S 5/22 20130101; G01S
5/0027 20130101; F41A 17/06 20130101; G01S 19/18 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
701/213 |
International
Class: |
G01C 21/00 20060101
G01C021/00 |
Claims
1. A method of tracking individual military assets comprising:
obtaining position data of a military asset via a GPS receiver
contained within a position sensor associated with the military
asset; processing position data and sensor data via a processing
component associated with the position sensor that receives the
position data from the GPS receiver; communicating sensor data to a
host device via a communication interface in the position sensor
configured to enable wireless communication between the position
sensor and the host device.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating a gunshot
location sensor with each position sensor of a subset of the
plurality of position sensors.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising configuring the
communication interface to communicate via a layered network.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating an
electronic compass with each position sensor.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising configuring the
communication interface for wireless communication with higher
levels of command via the host device.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising configuring the
communication interface to receive communications from the higher
levels of command.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising configuring each
communication interface to transmit and receive communications
among the plurality of position sensors.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the position sensor is associated
with a UAV.
9. The method of claim 2 further comprising configuring the
communication interface to communicate via a layered network.
10. The method of claim 2 further comprising associating an
electronic compass with each position sensor.
11. The method of claim 2 further comprising configuring the
communication interface for wireless communication with higher
levels of command via the host device.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising configuring the
communication interface to receive communications from the higher
levels of command.
13. The method of claim 2 each communication interface is
configured to transmit and receive communications among the
plurality of position sensors.
14. A method of tracking individual military assets comprising:
obtaining position data of a military asset via a GPS receiver
contained within a position sensor associated with the military
asset; processing the position data and sensor data via a
processing component associated with the sensor that receives the
position data from the GPS receiver; communicating sensor data to a
host device via a communication interface in the sensor configured
to enable wireless communication between the sensor and the host
device; communicating information based on the sensor data from the
host device to higher levels of command.
15. The method of claim 14 further comprising associating a gunshot
location sensor with each position sensor of a subset of the
plurality of position sensors.
16. The method of claim 14 further comprising configuring the
communication interface to communicate via a layered network.
17. The method of claim 14 further comprising configuring the
communication interface for wireless communication with higher
levels of command via the host device.
18. The method of claim 14 further comprising associating an
electronic compass with each position sensor.
19. A method of tracking individual military assets comprising:
obtaining position data of a military asset via a GPS receiver
contained within a position sensor associated with the military
asset; processing position data and sensor data via a processing
component contained in the sensor that receives the position data
from the GPS receiver; communicating sensor data to a host device
via a communication interface in the sensor configured to enable
wireless communication between the sensor and the host device;
obtaining gunshot location data from a gunshot location sensor
associated with a position sensor; obtaining direction data from an
electronic compass in communication with the processing component;
and receiving, at the communication interface, communications from
the higher levels of command.
20. A system that tracks individual military assets comprising: a
plurality of position sensors each attached to a military asset,
wherein each sensor comprises: a GPS receiver for determining a
position of the military asset; a processing component that
receives position data from the GPS receiver, the processing
component including a subcomponent configured for communicating
sensor data; and a communication interface configured to enable
wireless communication between the position sensor and a host
device.
21. The system of claim 20 wherein each member of a subset of the
plurality of position sensors includes a gunshot location
sensor.
22. The system of claim 20 wherein the communication interface is
configured to communicate via a layered network.
23. The system of claim 20 wherein each member of a subset of the
plurality of position sensors includes an electronic compass.
24. The system of claim 20 further comprising a host device
including a communication component configured to communicate
information based on the sensor data with higher levels of
command.
25. The system of claim 20 further comprising: an electronic
compass in communication with the processing component; wherein a
subset of the plurality of position sensors include gunshot
location sensors; and wherein the communication interface is
configured to receive communications from higher levels of command.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a continuation-in-part: (1) of application Ser. No.
______, filed Jun. 4, 2005, which claims benefit/priority of
provisional application No. 60/576,587, filed Jun. 4, 2004, (2) of
application Ser. No. 11/849,253, filed Aug. 31, 2007, which is a
division of application Ser. No. 11/042,414, filed Jan. 24, 2005,
now U.S. Pat. No. 7,266,045, which claims benefit/priority from
provisional application No. 60/481,934; and (3) of application Ser.
No. 10/905,788, filed Jan. 20, 2005, published as US2005/0237186,
which claims benefit/priority of provisional application No.
60/481,922, filed Jan. 20, 2004, and is a continuation-in-part of
application Ser. No. 10/248,511, filed Jan. 24, 2003, now U.S. Pat.
No. 6,847,587, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in
entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field
[0003] The present invention relates to a system and method of
tracking and/or avoiding harm to certain devices or humans. More
particularly, but not by way of limitation, the present invention
provides a highly accurate system for tracking the movement of
troops, vehicles and other military assets (which may be
collectively referred to as "military assets" or "blue forces"),
and/or avoiding harm thereto.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Information
[0005] While most weapons systems have embraced the latest
technology to give our soldiers every possible edge, the light
infantry soldier still relies primarily on his rifle and body armor
to practice his trade. It is well established that better
utilization of technology can help a soldier perform at a higher
level as well as help keep the soldier alive.
[0006] One such system for improving information available to a
soldier is a gunshot location system such as the one described in
U.S. Pat. No. 7,139,222 issued to Baxter et al. One exemplary
aspect of this system provides a plurality of man-wearable acoustic
sensors which may detect gunshots and send pertinent information to
a host computer via a wireless network. The host may use the
differences in times-of-arrival from three or more sensors to
provide a source location of gunfire.
[0007] As is well recognized in the art, the load carried by a
light infantry soldier must be kept below a level where it impacts
his ability to perform. Further, it would be useful, at all levels
of command, to have precise troop positions available, whether for
troops under that particular command or not. Such monitoring is
sometimes referred to as "blue force tracking." Having detailed
troop positions available could significantly reduce the response
time when soldiers find themselves in trouble and reduce the risk
of having soldiers in the wrong place, i.e. caught in crossfire,
caught under friendly fire, etc.
[0008] Finally, it could prove useful for any level of command to
be able to communicate directly with any individual soldier. While
many soldiers now carry cell phones or pagers, there is no system
in place to selectively deliver a message to any particular
soldier, except through time consuming processes.
[0009] A technological problem facing deployment of a soldier worn
system, such as a gunshot detection system, is network management
when there may be tens of thousands of nodes on the network, and
the vast majority of such nodes are regularly in motion. As one can
readily appreciate, in a battlefield situation, every sensor
reporting every gunshot could produce a crippling amount of
data.
[0010] Thus an advantage consistent with aspects related to the
present innovations is the provision of systems and methods of blue
force tracking.
[0011] Another advantage consistent with aspects related to the
present innovations is the provision of blue force tracking through
a multi-purpose sensor, such as employed in a gunshot location
system, so that there is no duplication of on-soldier
infrastructure such as GPS receivers, communication interfaces, and
the like.
[0012] A further advantage consistent with aspects related to the
present innovations is the provision of systems and methods of
alerting a soldier that he is firing on friendly troops.
[0013] Still a further advantage consistent with aspects related to
the present innovations is the provision of a layered network
approach for communication among devices on a network such that
communications at a squad level do not adversely effect the network
bandwidth of a nearby squad and such that a any network device can
communicate with any host and any level of command.
SUMMARY
[0014] The present invention relates to systems and methods of
tracking and/or avoiding harm to certain devices or humans.
According to one exemplary embodiment, a method of tracking
individual military assets may include obtaining position data of a
military asset via a GPS receiver associated with a position sensor
on a military asset, processing position data and sensor data via a
processing component associated with the position sensor that
receives the position data from the GPS receiver, and communicating
sensor data to a host device via a communication interface
associated with the position sensor and configured to enable
wireless communication between the position sensor and the host
device.
[0015] Further features and advantages of the present innovations
will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon examining the
accompanying drawings and upon reading the following description of
some exemplary embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates one exemplary configuration of the
inventive blue force tracking system within a gunshot detection
system, consistent with aspects related to the innovations
herein.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a wireless sensor for use in an
exemplary blue force tracking system consistent with aspects
related to the innovations herein.
[0018] FIG. 3 illustrates several groups of assets, each member of
each group equipped with an exemplary implementation of a sensor
consistent with aspects related to the innovations herein.
[0019] FIG. 4 illustrates a squad with each squad member equipped
with an exemplary implementation of a sensor and a host located
with the squad leader consistent with aspects related to the
innovations herein.
[0020] FIG. 5 illustrates communication from an out-of-squad asset
upward to a common host and then downward to a squad under fire
consistent with aspects related to the innovations herein.
[0021] FIG. 6 illustrates a network having an arbitrary number of
layers and the communication paths between layers consistent with
aspects related to the innovations herein.
[0022] FIG. 7 illustrates groups of soldiers in situations related
to potential friendly fire incidents consistent with aspects
related to the innovations herein.
[0023] FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a display
associated with a man wearable sensor consistent with aspects
related to the innovations herein.
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0024] Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is
important to understand that the invention is not limited in its
application to the details of the construction illustrated and the
steps described herein. The invention is capable of other
embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in a variety of
ways. It is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology
employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of
limitation.
[0025] For purposes of this disclosure, the term "man wearable"
refers to a sensor which is integrated into a piece of equipment
normally carried by a soldier, integrated into an article of
clothing, or attached to a piece of equipment or article of
clothing via a secure mount such as a latch, hook-and-loop strap,
etc. According to one or more exemplary aspects, each man wearable
sensor may include a GPS receiver for receiving positional
information and for receiving synchronized time; a processor; and a
communications interface for communicating wirelessly with the host
processor.
[0026] In some exemplary aspects, systems that require similar
information, i.e. positional information regarding gunshot
detection, navigation, etc., may share components and/or
information, rather than having redundant hardware that would only
weigh the soldier down.
[0027] According to other exemplary aspects, additional sensors may
be attached to vehicles such that the position of such vehicles may
be tracked.
[0028] According to still other exemplary aspects, the networked
elements may communicate in a layered approach wherein the sensors
at a squad level communicate to a local host within the squad. Each
squad host then communicates upward to a host at the next higher
level. Gunshot information from neighboring squads may be provided
upward to a common host and then downward to the squad host to
utilize additional sensors in locating a gunshot.
[0029] According to other illustrative aspects, an exemplary system
may include a command center and a host processor at, or in
communication with, the command center to track the positions of
all military assets under the command of the command center.
[0030] Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference
numerals indicate the same parts throughout the several views, a
representative gunshot detection system 100 is shown in its general
environment in FIG. 1. In one exemplary embodiment, a plurality of
sensors 102-106 are dispersed over a monitored area. Sensors
102-106 may be any combination of fixed sensors and/or portable
sensors. According to some aspects, fixed sensors are placed to
have a relatively unobstructed acoustic view around the immediate
area. By way of example and not limitation, suitable sites for
fixed sensors include: placed atop a building; placed atop utility
or light poles; on towers, etc. Typically sensors 102-106
communicate through a communication network 108 with a centralized
processor 110 wherein information concerning acoustic events is
processed to provide details of the event, such as the source
location of a gunshot, time of the gunshot, the number of detected
gunshots, the type of event, and the like. It should be noted that
sensors 102-106 may be any combination of wired or wireless
sensors, that communications paths 112-116 may carry either analog
or digital signals, and that network 108 may comprise any
combination of sub-networks, such as, by way of example and not
limitation: a telephone network; the internet; a private computer
network; a wireless network, or even a collection of dedicated
wires routed to the sensor array.
[0031] It one or more exemplary implementations, at least some
sensors of sensors 102-106 are man-wearable. In such a system, the
host computer 110 and a display devices 120 would likely be carried
by a squad leader. Other ancillary display devices may be provided
with each man-wearable sensors to allow the soldier to return fire,
or at least take cover. In such as a system, other ancillary
systems may use data collected by the system and reported in real
time, or near real time, to higher levels or command centers.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 2, one exemplary implementation of sensor
102 includes: a microphone for receiving acoustic events; an
amplifier 212 and possibly other signal conditioning circuitry; a
processor 224, typically a digital signal processor, having,
integral or associated therewith, an analog to digital converter
218. Processor 224 may include or be associated with other
components or subcomponents related to the performance of data
processing within the sensor 224. Such components and subcomponents
may include, but are not limited to, hardware, software and/or
firmware elements, or any combination of these elements. Further,
these processing components and subcomponents may execute their
functionality in any discrete and/or distributed manner that
enables performance of the processing steps set forth herein.
Sensor 102 may also include a GPS receiver 226 and its associated
antenna 216; an electronic compass 228; and an interface 214 for
communicating via a communication network.
[0033] In practice, gunshots are received at microphone 210, the
audio signal is conditioned by circuitry 212, digitized by A/D
converter 218 and processed to detect gunshots in DSP 224. Upon
detecting a gunshot, a time of arrival and sensor position are
obtained from GPS receiver 226 and transmitted to a host system via
interface 214.
[0034] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, in a law
enforcement environment information about a detected acoustic event
is typically output to a person of interest such as a police
dispatcher or directly to individual officers, as through network
118 to display devices 120 or a computer console. When weapon 122
is fired, the muzzle blast reaches sensors 102-106 at different
times based on the speed of sound and the distance between a sensor
and the shooter. Whether the acoustic information is processed at
the sensor, or at computer 110, a time of arrival is determined for
each sensor and the differences of the various times of arrival are
processed to determine a location of the source of the gunshot. In
response to the gunshot, information is provided at device 120. As
will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the systems
described hereinbelow and methods employed for blue force tracking
are equally applicable to law enforcement applications.
[0035] As such, systems and methods of tracking assets, such as
military assets, consistent with aspects related to the innovations
herein may be implemented. For example, a method of tracking
individual military assets may include obtaining position data of a
military asset via a GPS receiver associated with (e.g., contained
within, in communication with, etc.) a position sensor associated
with the military asset, processing the position data and sensor
data via a processing component associated with the sensor that
receives the position data from the GPS receiver, communicating
sensor data to a host device via a communication interface in the
sensor configured to enable wireless communication between the
sensor and the host device, and communicating information based on
the sensor data from the host device to any of the various,
appropriate entities disclosed throughout, including to higher
levels of command.
[0036] Another exemplary method of tracking individual military
assets may include obtaining position data of a military asset via
a GPS receiver associated with a position sensor associated with
the military asset, processing position data and sensor data via a
processing component associated with the sensor that receives the
position data from the GPS receiver, communicating sensor data to a
host device via a communication interface in the sensor configured
to enable wireless communication between the sensor and the host
device, obtaining gunshot location data from a gunshot location
sensor associated with a position sensor, obtaining direction data
from an electronic compass in communication with the processing
component, and receiving, at the communication interface,
communications beneficial at the sensor and/or to the user. For
example, communications from higher levels of command providing
information about weapon fire incidents may be received.
[0037] Turning next to FIG. 3 squad 310 is configured such that
each squad member 312 is equipped with a sensor 102. In addition,
other military assets are also equipped with a portable gunshot
detection sensor 102 such as: tank 320; armored personnel transport
322; fighter aircraft 324; UAV 326; and vehicle 328. When any
sensor 102 receives a gunshot, or identifiable acoustic event, a
location and a time-of-arrival are sent to the asset's designated
host. It should be noted that the network is generally configured
such that assets with large amounts of electricity, i.e. a vehicle
or aircraft, can bridge network traffic for other assets which may
be strictly battery powered, i.e. a soldier, to achieve
communication over any distance required while using battery power
at the lowest level possible.
[0038] With reference to FIG. 4, squad 310 includes a plurality of
soldiers 402-412, a squad leader 414 carrying a host device 416,
and a military vehicle 418, each equipped with a sensor 102. When
an acoustic event is received at the squad, each sensor 102
communicates with host 416 which calculates a source location for
the event. In addition, the network interface of host 416 relays a
message through the network interface located in vehicle 418 to
notify the next level of command as to the event and its source
location. In addition, each sensor 102 periodically sends its
location to host 416 which, in turn, forwards the information
upward to the next layer in the network. Each network layer
collects all locations from its child sub-networks and forwards
both event information and asset positional information to the next
higher level. In this manner, a command center can receive tracking
information for every asset under its command.
[0039] As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the precise
protocol employed in the network is unimportant. However, the
network may employ TCP/IP and/or UDP, or some variations thereof.
Each squad or independent group of assets would be assigned a
subnet within a hierarchical address scheme such that higher level
hosts could maintain direct access to individual assets simply by
manipulation of their subnet mask. Such schemes are well known in
the art and it is not necessary to address such schemes here. Thus,
the router function of sensor 102 of vehicle 418 will not forward
messages within squad 310 unless the address of the receiving party
indicates that forwarding is necessary. Thus local communications
do not effect other squads or the system as a whole.
[0040] Generally speaking, difference-time-of-arrival triangulation
is most accurate when the distance between some of the sensors is
greater than the distance from the event to the nearest sensor.
Accordingly, there may be times when an out-of-squad sensor may
receive an acoustic event and it is advantageous to include the
out-of-squad sensor in the solution. Turning to FIG. 5, if an
overhead UAV 510 receives an acoustic event, the event is forwarded
to its ground-based host 512. If host 512 has been notified that a
squad 520 is operating in the vicinity of UAV 510, received events
may be forwarded upward through hosts 522 and 524 to common host
526, and then back down to squad leader 528. In this way, UAV 510
may be an "outrigger" sensor to improve the quality of the computed
source locations. In addition it should be noted that UAV 510
provides a handy bridge from the network interface of a squad
leader back to a wide-area network since UAV 510 likely needs
digital communication with a base.
[0041] As can be seen from the preceding discussion, the inventive
network may be modeled as a series of layers. Those familiar with
network topology may be accustomed to thinking of networks in terms
of layers, i.e. physical layer, data link layer, transport layer,
etc, and the immediate approach is neither inconsistent with such a
network philosophy nor is it limited to networks defined as such.
In a network having a physical layer, the layers of the inventive
network are simply sub-layers residing within the physical layer.
In a broader sense however, the layers of the present invention are
operational from a military perspective in that the layers are
divided through conventional military wisdom, along chains of
command and, at the highest layers, along branches of service. As
will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the approach provides
enough freedom that the bulk of communications are limited to a
small group at a particular layer. However, the system is robust
enough that any node may become a bridge for network traffic,
regardless of whether the bridge device is involved in the
particular communication, or not.
[0042] Turning next to FIG. 6, a network 602 having an arbitrary
number of layers, both in the longest path 604, or in total path
604-610. It should be noted that if routing devices which
facilitate communication between layers are configured to provide
network address translation ("NAT"), IP addresses may be
simultaneously reused along different paths 604-610. NAT is well
known in the art of computer networks and allows a router to
substitute its address for the source address and substitute a
unique port number to a particular communication. Return messages
are then sorted and properly distributed by the router using the
port address affixed to an incoming message.
[0043] Referring next to FIG. 7, one advantage of the inventive
system is the ability to asses an ever larger picture of the
battlefield as one moves up the chain of command. Thus, at each
level of command, the host processor may be programmed to look for
anomalous events. As depicted in FIG. 7, if a command center
detects gunfire 704 originating from group 712 and directed at
group 710, a warning can be immediately sent to the individual
sensors worn by group 712 to cease fire, stopping a friendly fire
situation in the first few rounds fired. Indeed, a variety of
distinctive embodiments relate to exemplary features and
functionality related to friendly fire incidents and/or aspects of
avoiding harm to assets, such as military assets or blue forces. As
shown in FIG. 7, for example, if enemy fire originates from
building 714 and group 710 has to shoot in a direction 702 through
group 712 to return fire, group 710 can be ordered to hold its fire
while group 712 can be instructed to return fire on the enemy, thus
avoiding crossfire through group 712. Further, the determination of
incidents when users of individual sensors are firing weapons at
each other may be made by a remote processor, such as a host
component, it may be made by processors within one or more sensors,
or it may be made by any group of such elements. Once the
determination is made, a friendly fire incident warning is
transmitted to sensors associated with the incident.
[0044] With regarding to some exemplary friendly fire embodiments,
various advantageous processes of detecting friendly fire may be
used. For example, a method of detecting friendly fire may include
obtaining position data of a military asset via a GPS receiver in
communication with or contained within a position sensor associated
with the military asset, and processing position data and sensor
data via a processing component that receives the position data
from the GPS receiver. This processing component may be contained
within the sensor, or it may be distributed across various other
elements and/or components associated with the process. Next,
sensor data may be communicated to a host device via a
communication interface in or associated with the sensor and
configured to enable wireless communication between the sensor and
the host device. At any point throughout this process, direction
data may also be obtained from an electronic compass in
communication with the processing component. Information may then
be exchanged with the host device to enable the host device to
determine when users of individual sensors are firing weapons at
each other, and a friendly fire incident warning may be received
when the sensor is associated with an identified friendly fire
incident. It should be noted that steps within this process are not
limited to any stated order, but instead may occur in any order
consistent with their logical substance.
[0045] Systems and methods of determining whether to employ lethal
measure within a certain boundary to avoid harm to assets, wherein
the assets include certain devices and/or humans, also form part of
these distinctive embodiments. An exemplary method here, for
example, may include associating a sensor with each asset, wherein
said sensor having a GPS receiver, and determining by the GPS
receiver a location of the asset. Further, such exemplary methods
may include transmitting wirelessly the location of the asset so
determined to a host device, and determining whether to employ the
lethal measure in response to the location of the asset transmitted
to the host device.
[0046] FIG. 8 depicts a watch-like display 810 which could be used
by an individual soldier both for display of targeting information
and to warn of potential friendly fire situations. In one exemplary
embodiment, watch 810 includes an aggressive vibrator to get the
soldier's attention if conditions warrant.
[0047] It should be noted that when a sensor, or host, is used with
an external or associated display 810, that a communication means
is required between the sensor and the display. By way of example
and not limitation suitable communication means include: a digital
radio link; infrared; wireless Ethernet; Bluetooth; and the
like.
[0048] It should also be noted that while exemplary embodiments of
the present invention have been described in connection with
gunshot location systems, the techniques for blue force tracking
and the layered network are suitable for any system that places a
GPS and a network interface on individual military assets.
[0049] As disclosed herein, embodiments and features of the
invention may be implemented through computer-hardware, software
and/or firmware. For example, the systems and methods disclosed
herein may be embodied in various forms including, for example, a
data processor, such as a computer that also includes a database,
digital electronic circuitry, firmware, software, related
subcomponents, and/or in combinations of them. Further, while some
of the disclosed implementations describe processing components
such as hardware elements or software, systems and methods
consistent with the present invention may be implemented with any
combination of hardware, software and/or firmware. Moreover, the
above-noted features and other aspects and principles of the
present invention may be implemented in various environments. Such
environments and related applications may be specially constructed
for performing the various processes and operations according to
the invention or they may include a general-purpose computer or
computing platform selectively activated or reconfigured by code to
provide the necessary functionality. The processes disclosed herein
are not inherently related to any particular computer, network,
architecture, environment, or other apparatus, and may be
implemented by a suitable combination of hardware, software, and/or
firmware. For example, various general-purpose machines may be used
with programs written in accordance with teachings of the
invention, or it may be more convenient to construct a specialized
apparatus or system to perform the required methods and
techniques.
[0050] The systems and methods disclosed herein may also be
implemented as a computer program product, i.e., a computer program
tangibly embodied in an information carrier, e.g., in a machine
readable storage medium or element or in a propagated signal, for
execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing
apparatus, e.g., a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple
computers. A computer program can be written in any form of
programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages,
and it can be deployed in any form, including as a stand alone
program or as a module, component, subcomponent, subroutine, or
other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer
program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on
multiple computers at one site or distributed across multiple sites
and interconnected by a communication network.
[0051] It is to be understood that the foregoing description is
intended to illustrate and not to limit the scope of the invention,
which is defined by the scope of the appended claims. Other
embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
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