U.S. patent application number 12/799134 was filed with the patent office on 2010-09-09 for self calibrating weapon shot counter.
Invention is credited to Kenneth Lee Brinkley, Robert Ufer.
Application Number | 20100223829 12/799134 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42676991 |
Filed Date | 2010-09-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100223829 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ufer; Robert ; et
al. |
September 9, 2010 |
Self calibrating weapon shot counter
Abstract
A microcontroller operated module is affixed to a fire arm. The
module includes an accelerometer for measuring the G force of each
round fired by the firearm, a flash memory (non-volatile memory)
for storing the shot profile data that includes shot count and
recoil data and transmitting it to a remote location such as a
remote computer via a serial communication device pursuant to RS232
standard, Bluetooth, awave or other low power RF transmitter. The
module including a wake up circuit adapted to switch upon detection
of a fired shot to signal said microcontroller to initialize a low
power mode to activate said MEMS accelerometer faster than said
accelerometer would activate by itself.
Inventors: |
Ufer; Robert; (Punta Gorda,
FL) ; Brinkley; Kenneth Lee; (Owenton, KY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RICHARD B. KLAR
145 WILLIS AVENUE, SUITE NO. 6
MINEOLA
NY
11501
US
|
Family ID: |
42676991 |
Appl. No.: |
12/799134 |
Filed: |
April 19, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12380375 |
Feb 26, 2009 |
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12799134 |
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61067294 |
Feb 27, 2008 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
42/1.03 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41A 19/01 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
42/1.03 |
International
Class: |
F41A 9/62 20060101
F41A009/62 |
Claims
1. A shot device for recording and transmitting shot profile data
of shots fired from a fire arm, comprising: a microcontroller
operated module affixed to a fire arm, said module comprising a
MEMS accelerometer for measuring the G force of each round fired by
the firearm, a non volatile memory for storing the shot profile
data that includes shot count and recoil data a serial
communication device for transmitting said stored shot profile data
to a remote location via an RF signal.
2. A shot device for recording and transmitting shot profile data
of shots fired from a fire arm, comprising: a microcontroller
operated module affixed to a fire arm; said module comprising a
MEMS accelerometer for measuring the G force of each round fired by
the firearm, a non volatile memory for storing the shot profile
data that includes shot count and recoil data a serial
communication device for transmitting said stored shot profile data
to a remote location via an RF signal; and a wake up circuit
adapted to switch upon detection of a fired shot to signal said
microcontroller to initialize a low power mode to activate said
MEMS accelerometer faster than said accelerometer would activate by
itself.
3. The device according to claim 1 wherein said wake up circuit is
a normally closed G switch.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a continuation in part application of U.S. Ser. No.
12/380,375 filed on Feb. 26, 2009 and claims priority under 35 USC
120. U.S. application Ser. No. 12/380,375 is a non-provisional
application of a provisional application Ser. No. 61/067,294 filed
Feb. 27, 2008.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field
[0003] The present disclosure relates to a self calibrating weapon
shot counter with a wake up circuit. In particular, the present
disclosure relates to a self calibrating weapon shot counter that
has a module operated by a microcontroller for collecting, storing
and transmitting data to a computer, PDA or other electronic
device, preferably remotely located from the firearm. The data
collected and transmitted by the self calibrating weapons shot
counter of the present disclosure includes shot profile data,
including recoil in both directions, rotational axis sensor data
and duration of shot, identifying type of weapon, round fired, i.e
caliber and weight and barrel length. The time, date and profile of
the shot fired is also recorded and transmitted to the remote
computer. The present disclosure provides for an active RFID tag
communication port that listens for, records the data and sends it
to a remote location. The weapon shot counter of the present
disclosure is capable of being interchanged from one weapon to
another. The weapon shot counter can also be used as an ancillary
munitions recognition system .i.e. hand grenades, high explosive,
fragmentary, incendiary, chemical and smoke as well as claymore
mines utilized by same user as weapon counting device. In this type
of use the weapon shot counter of the present disclosure acts as a
repeater gathering the data from the thrown hand grenades, upon
spoon release the chip in the hand grenade is charged by an onboard
generator that sends out the serial number to the Weapon shot
counter that in turn sends it on to the PDA, identifying the
grenade or other munitions that had been used. In this way, the
present disclosure provides for real time information as to
munitions usage, which can be transmitted to support personnel
allowing for timely resupply of munitions. This was previously
unheard of as it is understood that no previous weapon shot counter
discussed this feature or capability and is unique to the
self-calibrating weapons shot counter of the present
disclosure.
[0004] The present disclosure provides for a wake up circuit to
resolve the problem of when an accelerometer does not wake up fast
enough to capture the entire energy pulse, a common problem
associated with off the shelf accelerometers. The wake up circuit
can be a normally closed G switch (gravity switch) with a quicker
response than that of the accelerometer 8 employed in the present
disclosure. The G switch 80 also provides for power conservation
due as it is a mechanically triggered switch.
[0005] 2. The Prior Art
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,486 to Brinkley discloses a firearm
monitor device for counting a number of rounds discharged.
SUMMARY
[0007] The present disclosure relates to a microcontroller operated
module affixed to a fire arm. The module includes a MEMS
accelerometer for measuring the G force of each round fired by the
firearm. The G force is measured simultaneously in two axes, in
line with the recoil and in cross-rotational axis in both
directions. The weapons shot counter of the present disclosure
includes a flash memory (non-volatile memory) for storing the shot
profile data that includes shot count and recoil data. The flash
memory transmits the shot profile data to a remote location such as
a remote computer via a serial communication device such as but not
limited to an RFID device pursuant to RS232 standard, Bluetooth,
awave or other low power RF transmitter.
[0008] The present disclosure provides for a wake up circuit
adapted to switch upon detection of a fired shot to signal said
microcontroller to initialize a low power mode to activate said
MEMS accelerometer faster than said accelerometer would activate by
itself. The wake up circuit can be configured as but is not limited
to a normally closed G switch.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
[0009] FIG. 1. is a block diagram of the circuitry of the module of
the present disclosure;
[0010] FIGS. 2A and 2B are operational software diagram of the
microcontroller operation of the module of the present disclosure
in which:
[0011] FIG. 2A the operational flow chart for the detection of a
shot being fired and
[0012] FIG. 2 B shows the operational flow chart of data being
transmitted about the fired shot that was detected;
[0013] FIG. 3A is a illustration of the MEMS Sensor deflection
under given G Load vs. time of the shot;
[0014] FIG. 3B is a graph illustrating G force due to a shot fired
versus time;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a partially exploded view of one embodiment of a
handgun grip attachment of the module of the present disclosure;
and
[0016] FIG. 5 is a partially exploded view of another embodiment of
an attachment of the module of the present disclosure to a barrel
of a fire arm;
[0017] FIG. 6 illustrates a rotational measuring direction in which
a firearm will twist in the direction of the rifling as the bullet
expands and engages the groves in the rifling as the bullet is
fired; and
[0018] FIGS. 7-9 illustrate another embodiment of the present
disclosure in which a wake up circuit is utilized in with the
microcontroller and the accelerometer in which:
[0019] FIG. 7 is a block diagram similar to FIG. 1 showing the wake
up circuit as a part of the circuitry of the present
disclosure;
[0020] FIGS. 8A and 8B are operational software diagram of the
microcontroller operation of the module of the present disclosure
showing the wake up circuit in which:
[0021] FIG. 8A shows the operational flow chart for the detection
of a shot being fired and
[0022] FIG. 8 B shows the operational flow chart of data being
transmitted about the fired shot that was detected; and
[0023] FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the operational direction
for the present disclosure with the wake up circuit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] Referring now to the drawings of FIGS. 1-9, FIG. 1 is a
block diagram of the circuit of the module 5 of the present
disclosure.
[0025] The module 5 can be battery powered by way on non-limiting
exemplary illustration, a lithium battery 3-such as a 3.6 V lithium
battery. The circuitry of module 5 can be mounted on a printed
circuit (PC) board 6. The circuitry of the module 5 includes a
microcontroller 7 programmed to operate the module 5, a MEMS
accelerometer 8, an RF 2 module or any other preferred serial
communications link that can transmit by RS 232 standard,
Bluetooth, or awave and a flash memory or other suitable
non-volatile memory such as an EE Prom 10.
[0026] The microcontroller 7 controls the operation of the module
5. The accelerometer 8 is in the plane of firing of the firearm and
provides and measures the actual G force of each round fired by the
firearm. The microcontroller 7 converts the analog output of the
accelerometer 8 to a digital recorder. The microcontroller 7
interrogates or periodically samples the accelerometer 8 at its
output, preferably every 10 milliseconds. If the samples taken by
the microcontroller 7 exceed a predetermined threshold a shot is
counted by the microcontroller 7. The microcontroller then
continues sampling until the accelerometer output falls below the
threshold level at which point the time and profile of the shot is
recorded.
[0027] The data for the shot profile is stored in the EEPROM 10 or
other flash memory. It is then transmitted remotely to a remote
location such as a remote computer terminal via a serial
communications device such as the RFID device 2, which converts the
flash memory data into a serial format conforming to RS 232
standard, Bluetooth or awave for transmission to the remote
computer station. The flash memory 10 includes instructions at
every command back to start to prevent the firearm unit to which
the module 5 is attached from being lost
[0028] The accelerometer 8 is a two axis MEMS accelerometer and is
in the plane of firing and it provides and measures the active G
force of the shot fired by the firearm. The shot profile
information collected will include the recoil and. rotation of the
barrel due to the shot. The data will continue be collected until
the acceleration level falls below the threshold programmed. At
this point, the number of shots fired is tallied up and recorded
for this round. In addition to recoil sensor data, duration and
shots counted, the type of round fired is identified, and the time
and profile of the shot fired is recorded and transmitted.
[0029] One type of MEMS accelerometer that can be used is ANALOG
DEVICES AD22283-B-R2. The microcontroller can be a
MSP430F12321DW(SOWB) or an MSP430F12321PW(TSSOP). The Flash memory
can be ATMEL ATT25F2048N-10FU-2.7. It is understood that the
present disclosure is not limited to any particular cards and the
above are listed as non-limiting illustrative examples.
[0030] The present disclosure further includes a charge pump (not
shown) for raising the battery voltage to the necessary power to
operate the MEMS accelerometer 8. The remote computer terminal will
have computer software package that resembles the data from the
module 5 and logs it into a file to be input to an EXCEL spread
sheet where it can be displayed as a bar graph or raw data. By way
of non-limiting illustrative example, commercially available RF
transmitter chip sets can be used with firmware to permit the RF
chips to communicate with a remote location such as but not limited
to a wireless PDA.
[0031] FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrates the firmware of operation of the
microcontroller 7 for the module 5 of the present disclosure. FIG.
2 is a first flow chart illustrating the detection of a shot with
the present disclosure. In step 102 upon a shot being fired the
microcontroller initializes the processor low power mode (step
102). A timer is set as noted in step 103 for the accelerometer.
This step takes place for the accelerometer in step 104. Sleep mode
for the accelerometer is entered into in step 105. Has the set up
time expired as asked in step 106, if not return to sleep mode
(step 105), if yes got to step 107 and charge pump on the
accelerometer voltage that is converted in step 108 and if it is at
the correct voltage level as checked in step 109 then the
accelerometer output is converted in step 111. If it is not the
right level it is checked again in step 109. If the accelerometer
meets the minimum level in step 112, then the data is incremented
(step 113) and stored in an eeprom (step 114).
[0032] After 1/2 milliseconds (step 115) the output of the
accelerometer is converted (step 116) and checked against the
minimum (step 117) then the data is incremented (step 118) and
stored in an eeprom (step 119) and after a wait for 1/2
milliseconds (step 120) the counter is incremented (step 121) and
returns to sleep mode step (105).
[0033] In FIG. 2B data is sent by first initializing the
communication port (corn port) step in 122 and then getting the
stored eeprom data step 123 and then outputting the data to the
port in step 124. Step 125 is output delimiter for delimiting the
data output in step 124. The data counter is decremented in step
126 and if the counter is at zero the communication port (corn
port) is disabled in step 128. If the counter is not zero then the
data is secured from the eeprom in step 123.
[0034] FIG. 3A shows the MEMS Sensor deflection under given G Load
vs. time of the shot.
[0035] FIG. 3B illustrates the shot profile date that can be
graphed from the information obtained by the module 5 of the
present disclosure.
[0036] FIG. 4 shows a partially exploded view of the module 5 as
part of an attachment to the pistol grip of a handgun in one
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0037] FIG. 5 shows a partially exploded view of the module 5 as
part of an attachment to the barrel of a firearm in another
embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 shows a shot counter
housing 51 for the self calibrating shot counter weapon of the
present disclosure having a rail mount 52 that is used for mounting
accessories. The module 5 is shown and as can be seen in FIG. 5, a
lithium battery 3, a microcontroller 7 and an MEMS accelerometer 8
are mounted thereon. A rail mount 56 for the self calibrating
weapon shot counter of the present disclosure is shown as by way of
non-limiting illustrative example a Picatinny Rail mount 56 having
a recess 2a for placing the rail mount on a barrel of a
firearm.
[0038] FIG. 6 shows the rotational measuring direction, the firearm
will twist in the direction of the rifling as the bullet expands
and engages the groves in the rifling as the bullet is fired. It is
necessary to take this measurement in account to determine the
different caliber and weight of bullets fired. FIG. 6 shows the
direction of travel when firearm is discharged (shown as 61); the
grooves 62 in rifling twist to right as they pass down the barrel;
the bullet-projectile, the front sight at 12 o'clock position zero
degrees before cartridge ignition 42; the negative or return
direction after firing 65; and the rotational direction when
rifling is twisted to the right 66.
[0039] FIGS. 7-9 describe another embodiment of the present
disclosure in which a wake up circuit is added. As seen in FIG. 7,
the wake up circuit 80 (FIG. 9) serves to resolve the problem when
an accelerometer does not wake up fast enough to capture the entire
energy pulse, a common problem associated with off the shelf
accelerometers. The wake up circuit can be a normally closed G
switch (gravity switch) with a quicker response than that of the
accelerometer 8 employed in the present disclosure. The G switch 80
also provides for power conservation due as it is a mechanically
triggered switch. Upon detecting a shot fired the G switch or wake
up circuit switches from its normally closed state to an open state
and transmits a signal to the micro controller (see FIG. 9). The
microcontroller sends a signal to the accelerometer to initialize
the process low power mode thus turning the accelerometer on. The
accelerometer sends data to the Microcontroller and which sends the
information via RF transceiver to a smart phone, hand held reader
or a personal computer (PC) (FIG. 9). The microcontroller
determines the mode of data transfer: There are three modes of
transfer: In MODE 1, the microcontroller gathers the data on board
and goes back to sleep waiting for a prompt from a reader or PC to
down load data. In MODE 2, the microcontroller sends data after
every shot to a smart phone, PC to attach GPS location from the
cell phone and text weapon use, position location to a preset
number for the purpose of providing automatic shot notification.
MODE 3 is the engineering mode where the microcontroller sends data
which is of the entire accelerometer signature to a smart phone or
PC. FIG. 8 shows the wake up circuit step which when switched to an
open state from its normally closed state proceeds to intialize the
processor low power mode.
[0040] FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrates the firmware of operation of the
microcontroller 7 for the module 5 of the present disclosure. FIG.
9A is a first flow chart illustrating the detection of a shot with
the present disclosure. In step 101, the wake up circuit which is
normally closed, is set to open upon detection for a shot being
fired (step 101). The wake up circuit causes the microcontroller to
initialize the processor low power mode (step 102). A timer is set
as noted in step 103 the accelerometer. This takes place for the
accelerometer in step 104. Sleep mode for the accelerometer is
entered into in step 105. Has the step up time expired as asked in
step 106-if not return to sleep mode (step 105), if yes go to step
107 and charge pump on the accelerometer voltage is converted in
step 108 and if it is at the correct voltage level as checked in
step 109 then the accelerometer output is converted in step 111. If
it is not at the right level, it is checked again in step 109. If
the accelerometer meets the minimum level in step 112 then the data
is incremented (step 113) and stored in an eeprom (step 114).
[0041] After 1/2 millisecond (step 115) the output of the
accelerometer is converted (step 116) and checked against the
minimum (step 117) then the data is incremented (step 118) and
stored in an eeprom (step 119) and after a wait for 1/2
milliseconds (step 120) the counter is incremented (step 121) and
returns to sleep mode step (105).
[0042] In FIG. 9B data is sent by first initializing the
communication port (com port) step in 122 and then getting the
stored eeprom data step 123 and then outputting the data to the
port in step 124. Step 125 is output delimiter for delimiting the
data output in step 124. The data counter is decremented in step
126 and if the counter is at zero the communication port (com port)
is disabled in step 128. If the counter is not zero then the data
is secured from the eeprom in step 123.
[0043] While presently preferred embodiments have been described
for purposes of the disclosure, numerous changes in the arrangement
of method steps and apparatus parts can be made by those skilled in
the art. Such changes are encompassed within the spirit of the
invention as defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *