U.S. patent application number 15/935147 was filed with the patent office on 2019-09-26 for stun gun detect.
The applicant listed for this patent is MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC. Invention is credited to JOHN B. PRESTON, FRANCESCA SCHULER, DANIEL A. TEALDI.
Application Number | 20190295404 15/935147 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 67770183 |
Filed Date | 2019-09-26 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190295404 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SCHULER; FRANCESCA ; et
al. |
September 26, 2019 |
STUN GUN DETECT
Abstract
A method and apparatus for detecting that a stun gun has been
deployed is provided herein. During operation a periodic nature of
a stun-gun voltage will be utilized to determine if the stun-gun
has been fired. More specifically, an electric/magnetic field (EMF)
and/or a sound will be analyzed to determine if the periodic nature
of the EMF and/or sound matches that of a stun gun. If so, a
command center will be notified of the event. In order to increase
the accuracy of any stun-gun detect, a gun-draw sensor may be used
in combination with the above technique.
Inventors: |
SCHULER; FRANCESCA;
(PALATINE, IL) ; PRESTON; JOHN B.; (PLANTATION,
FL) ; TEALDI; DANIEL A.; (PLANTATION, FL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC |
Chicago |
IL |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
67770183 |
Appl. No.: |
15/935147 |
Filed: |
March 26, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G08B 21/18 20130101;
G08B 25/10 20130101; G01R 33/02 20130101; G08B 5/36 20130101; F41H
13/0025 20130101; F41C 33/029 20130101; G10L 25/51 20130101; G08B
3/10 20130101; G01R 29/08 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G08B 25/10 20060101
G08B025/10; F41H 13/00 20060101 F41H013/00; G01R 33/02 20060101
G01R033/02; G01R 29/08 20060101 G01R029/08; F41C 33/02 20060101
F41C033/02; G10L 25/51 20060101 G10L025/51; G08B 21/18 20060101
G08B021/18 |
Claims
1. An apparatus comprising: a receiver configured to receive sensor
states from a gun-drawn sensor and at least one additional sensor,
the sensor states from the at least one additional sensor
indicating whether an electric field or a magnetic field has been
detected that matches a fingerprint of a stun gun being fired; and
logic circuitry configured to map the sensor states to a stun-gun
fired state when: (1) the gun-drawn sensor indicates that the stun
gun has been removed from a holster, and (2) the at least one
additional sensor indicates that the electric field or the magnetic
field matches the fingerprint of the stun gun being fired.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the receiver is configured to
receive the sensor states via an over-the-air signal transmitted
from the gun-drawn sensor and the at least one additional sensor,
wherein the at least one additional sensor is remote from the
receiver.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the receiver is configured to
receive the sensor states from a hub within a personal-area network
(PAN).
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one additional
sensor including an electric-field sensor or a magnetic-field
sensor.
5. (canceled)
6. An apparatus comprising: a personal-area network (PAN)
transceiver configured to receive sensor states from a gun-drawn
sensor and at least one additional sensor, the sensor states from
the at least one additional sensor indicating whether an electric
field or a magnetic field has been detected that matches a
fingerprint of a stun gun being fired; logic circuitry configured
to map the sensor states to a stun-gun fired state when: (1) the
gun-drawn sensor indicates that the stun gun has been removed from
a holster, and (2) the at least one additional sensor indicates
that the electric field or the magnetic field matches the
fingerprint of the stun gun being fired; and a wide-area network
(WAN) transceiver configured to transmit the stun-gun fired state
to a dispatch/command center.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the PAN transceiver is
configured to receive the sensor states via an over-the-air signal
transmitted from the gun-drawn sensor and the at least one
additional sensor, wherein the at least one additional sensor is
remote from the PAN transceiver.
8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the at least one additional
sensor including an electric-field sensor or a magnetic-field
sensor.
9. (canceled)
10. A method comprising: receiving sensor states from a gun-drawn
sensor and at least one additional sensor, the sensor states from
the at least one additional sensor indicating whether an electric
field or a magnetic field has been detected that matches a
fingerprint of a stun gun being fired; mapping the sensor states to
a stun-gun fired state when: (1) the gun-drawn sensor indicates
that the stun gun has been removed from a holster, and (2) the at
least one additional sensor indicates that the electric field or
the magnetic field matches the fingerprint of the stun gun being
fired; and transmitting the stun-gun fired state to a
dispatch/command center.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein receiving the sensor states
comprises receiving the sensor states via an over-the-air signal
transmitted from the gun-drawn sensor and the at least one
additional sensor.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein the at least one additional
sensor including an electric-field sensor or a magnetic-field
sensor.
13. (canceled)
14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fingerprint of the stun
gun being fired including a predetermined pulse interval and a
predetermined pulse duration.
15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a radio including
the receiver and the logic circuitry.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the at least one additional
sensor including at least one body-worn sensor.
17. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the fingerprint of the stun
gun being fired including a predetermined pulse interval and a
predetermined pulse duration.
18. The method of claim 10 wherein the fingerprint of the stun gun
being fired including a predetermined pulse interval and a
predetermined pulse duration.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Police departments are interested in getting real-time
warnings that a stun gun has been fired. Therefore, a need exists
for a method and apparatus for detecting that a stun gun has been
fired, and providing this information to a command center.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0002] The accompanying figures where like reference numerals refer
to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the
separate views, and which together with the detailed description
below are incorporated in and form part of the specification, serve
to further illustrate various embodiments and to explain various
principles and advantages all in accordance with the present
invention.
[0003] FIG. 1 illustrates an operational environment for the
present invention.
[0004] FIG. 2 depicts an example communication system that
incorporates a personal-area network and a digital assistant.
[0005] FIG. 3 is a more-detailed view of a personal-area network of
FIG. 2.
[0006] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a hub.
[0007] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a dispatch center.
[0008] FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing operation of the dispatch
center of FIG. 4.
[0009] FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing operation of the hub of FIG.
5.
[0010] Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the
figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not
necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or
relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be
exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve
understanding of various embodiments of the present invention.
Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or
necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not
depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these
various embodiments of the present invention. It will further be
appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or
depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in
the art will understand that such specificity with respect to
sequence is not actually required.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] In order to address the above-mentioned need, a method and
apparatus for detecting that a stun gun has been deployed is
provided herein. During operation a periodic nature of a stun-gun
voltage will be leveraged to determine if the stun-gun has been
fired. More specifically, an electric/magnetic field (EMF) and/or a
sound will be analyzed to determine if a periodic nature of the EMF
and/or sound matches that of a stun gun. If so, a command center
will be notified of the event. In order to increase the accuracy of
any stun-gun detect, a gun-draw sensor may be used in combination
with the above technique.
[0012] Expanding on the above, a stun gun comprises an electroshock
weapon used by police departments worldwide. During operation, a
blast of compressed nitrogen launches two barbed darts at around 50
meters per second. Each projectile, which weighs around 1.5 grams,
has a tip (e.g., 10 mm long) to penetrate clothing and the
insulating outer layer of skin. Two thin wires trail behind the
darts for up to 9 meters, forming an electrical connection to the
gun.
[0013] The gun is designed to generate a brief arcing pulse, which
ionizes the intervening air to establish a conductive path for
electricity. The arcing phase has an open circuit peak voltage of
50 000 volts; that is, the voltage is 50 kilovolts only until the
arc appears or until the barbs make contact with conductive flesh,
which in the worst conditions offers around 400 ohms of
resistance.
[0014] The target's body is never exposed to the 50 kV, but more
commonly exposed to a peak voltage of 1200. Once the barbs
establish a circuit, the gun generates a series of microsecond
pulses at a rate of, for example, 19 per second. Each pulse carries
around 100 micro coulombs of charge, so the average current is 1.9
mill amperes. This forces the target's muscles to contract without
risking electrocution of the targeted individual. Table 1
illustrates some operating parameters for various stun guns on the
market.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Operating Parameters for Various Stun Guns
Pulse Interval Duration Duration Brand of Stun in between of
Electric Field Gun microseconds fires fires V/cm A 19 500 ms 1-5 s
60 B 24 2 s 1-5 s 47 C 24 2 s 1-5 s 47 C 30 5 s 1-7 s 75
[0015] Because stun-gun voltages are pulsed at known frequencies,
and for known amounts of time, this information can be leveraged to
detect when a stun gun has been fired. In particular, because of
the pulsating nature of stun-gun voltage (e.g., 19, 24, 30 ms
between periodic voltage being applied), a microphone can listen
for a sound having a pulse interval and maximum duration that is
similar to that of the electro-static discharge of the stun gun. In
a similar manner, an electric or magnetic field detector can
monitor for a pulsing field having a pulse interval and maximum
duration that is similar to that of the electro-static discharge of
the stun gun. Therefore, if for example, an electric field,
magnetic field, or sound is detected that pulses for 5 seconds or
less, and has a 19 ms pulses, it can be assumed that a stun gun was
fired. (It should be noted that the term "pulse" is meant to
encompass an electric, magnetic, and/or sound pattern representing
the energy released by the stun gun in a particular range of
frequencies, with a particular shape (waveform).
[0016] The above technique can be used in conjunction with a
holster detector to improve the accuracy of any stun-gun fire
detection.
[0017] Turning now to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate
like components, FIG. 1 illustrates an operational environment for
the present invention. As shown, a public safety officer 101 will
be equipped with devices that determine various physical and
environmental conditions surrounding the public-safety officer.
These conditions are generally reported back to a dispatch center
(command center) so an appropriate action may be taken. For
example, police officers may have a sensor that determines when a
gun is drawn. Upon detecting that an officer has drawn their gun, a
notification may be sent back to the dispatch operator so that, for
example, the dispatch operator may be made aware of the situation
and other officers in the area may be notified.
[0018] It is envisioned that the public-safety officer will have an
array of shelved devices available to the officer at the beginning
of a shift. The officer will select the devices off the shelf, and
form a personal area network (PAN) with the devices that will
accompany the officer on his shift. For example, the officer may
acquire a gun-draw sensor, a body-worn camera, a wireless
microphone, a smart watch, a police radio, smart handcuffs, an
electric-field detector, a man-down sensor, . . . , etc. All
devices pulled by the officer will be configured to form a PAN by
associating (pairing) with each other and communicating wirelessly
among the devices. In a preferred embodiment, the PAN comprises
more than two devices, so that many devices are connected via the
PAN simultaneously.
[0019] A method called bonding is typically used for recognizing
specific devices and thus enabling control over which devices are
allowed to connect to each other when forming the PAN. Once bonded,
devices/sensors then can establish a connection without user
intervention. A bond is created through a process called "pairing".
The pairing process is typically triggered by a specific request by
the user to create a bond from a user via a user interface on the
device.
[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, public-safety officer 101 has an array
of devices to use during the officer's shift (some devices may be
brought to the job by the officer). For example, the officer may
acquire one radio 102 and one camera 104 for use during their
shift. Other devices may be pulled as well. As shown in FIG. 1,
officer 101 will preferably wear the devices during a shift by
attaching the devices to clothing or their body. These devices will
form a PAN throughout the officer's shift.
[0021] FIG. 2 depicts an example communication system 200 that
incorporates PANs created as described above. System 200 includes
one or more radio access networks (RANs) 202, a public-safety core
network 204, high-speed data network 206, hub (PAN master device)
102, local devices (slave devices that serve as smart
accessories/sensors) 212, computer 214, and communication links
218, 224, 232, and 234. In a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, hub 102 and devices 212 form PAN 240, with communication
links 232 between devices 212 and hub 102 taking place utilizing a
short-range wireless communication system protocol such as a
Bluetooth communication system protocol. Each officer will have an
associated PAN 240. Thus, FIG. 2 illustrates multiple PANs 240
associated with multiple officers.
[0022] RAN 202 includes typical RAN elements such as base stations,
base station controllers (BSCs), routers, switches, and the like,
arranged, connected, and programmed to provide wireless service to
user equipment (e.g., hub 102, and the like) in a manner known to
those of skill in the relevant art. RAN 202 may implement a
direct-mode, conventional, or trunked land mobile radio (LMR)
standard or protocol such as European Telecommunications Standards
Institute (ETSI) Digital Mobile Radio (DMR), a Project 25 (P25)
standard defined by the Association of Public Safety Communications
Officials International (APCO), Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA),
or other LMR radio protocols or standards.
[0023] High-speed data network 206 is provided. Network 206 may
comprise a Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advance, or 5G protocol
including multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS) or single
site point-to-multipoint (SC-PTM) over which an open mobile
alliance (OMA) push to talk (PTT) over cellular (OMA-PoC), a voice
over IP (VoIP), an LTE Direct or LTE Device to Device, or a PTT
over IP (PoIP) application may be implemented. In still further
embodiments, network 206 may implement a Wi-Fi protocol perhaps in
accordance with an IEEE 802.11 standard (e.g., 802.11a, 802.11b,
802.11g) or a WiMAX protocol perhaps operating in accordance with
an IEEE 802.16 standard.
[0024] Video and sensor 212 data shared among officers (and
reported to dispatch center 214) is typically (but not necessarily)
accomplished by utilizing network 206, capable of achieving large
data rates, while voice communications take place through network
204. Thus, voice communications among public-safety officers
typically take place through one network, while video shared among
typically take place through another network.
[0025] Public-safety core network 204 may include one or more
packet-switched networks and/or one or more circuit-switched
networks, and in general provides one or more public-safety
agencies with any necessary computing and communication needs,
transmitting any necessary public-safety-related data and
communications.
[0026] For narrowband LMR wireless systems, core network 204
operates in either a conventional or trunked configuration. In
either configuration, a plurality of communication devices is
partitioned into separate groups (talkgroups) of communication
devices. In a conventional narrowband system, each communication
device in a group is selected to a particular radio channel
(frequency or frequency & time slot) for communications
associated with that communication device's group. Thus, each group
is served by one channel, and multiple groups may share the same
single frequency (in which case, in some embodiments, group IDs may
be present in the group data to distinguish between groups using
the same shared frequency).
[0027] In contrast, a trunked radio system and its communication
devices use a pool of traffic channels for virtually an unlimited
number of groups of communication devices (e.g., talkgroups). Thus,
all groups are served by all channels. The trunked radio system
works to take advantage of the probability that not all groups need
a traffic channel for communication at the same time.
[0028] Group calls may be made between wireless and/or wireline
participants in accordance with either a narrowband or a broadband
protocol or standard. Group members for group calls may be
statically or dynamically defined. That is, in a first example, a
user or administrator may indicate to the switching and/or radio
network (perhaps at a call controller, PTT server, zone controller,
or mobile management entity (MME), base station controller (BSC),
mobile switching center (MSC), site controller, Push-to-Talk
controller, or other network device) a list of participants of a
group at the time of the call or in advance of the call. The group
members (e.g., communication devices) could be provisioned in the
network by the user or an agent, and then provided some form of
group identity or identifier, for example. Then, at a future time,
an originating user in a group may cause some signaling to be
transmitted indicating that he or she wishes to establish a
communication session (e.g., join a group call having a particular
talkgroup ID) with each of the pre-designated participants in the
defined group. In another example, communication devices may
dynamically affiliate with a group (and also disassociate with the
group) perhaps based on user input, and the switching and/or radio
network may track group membership and route new group calls
according to the current group membership.
[0029] Hub 102 serves as a PAN master device, and may be any
suitable computing and communication device configured to engage in
wireless communication with the RAN 202 and/or network 206 over the
air interface as is known to those in the relevant art. Moreover,
one or more hubs 102 are further configured to engage in wired
and/or wireless communication with one or more local device 212 via
the communication link 232. Hub 102 will be configured to determine
when to forward information received from PAN devices 212 to, for
example, dispatch center 214. The information can be forwarded to
the dispatch center via RANs 202 and/or network 206 based on a
combination of device 212 inputs. In one embodiment, all
information received from sensors 212 will be forwarded to center
214 via RAN 202 or network 206. In another embodiment, hub 102 will
filter the information sent, and only send high-priority
information back to dispatch center 214.
[0030] It should also be noted that any one or more of the
communication links 218, 224, 232, 234 could include one or more
wireless-communication links and/or one or more wired-communication
links.
[0031] In a preferred embodiment, devices 212 and hub 102 comprise
any device capable of forming a PAN, although the present invention
may be implemented for devices not forming a PAN. Devices 212 may
comprise a gun-draw sensor, a body temperature sensor, an
accelerometer, a heart-rate sensor, a breathing-rate sensor, a
camera, a man-down sensor, a GPS receiver capable of determining a
location, speed, and direction of the user device, smart handcuffs,
an electric-field detector, a clock, calendar, sound detector,
environmental sensors (e.g. a thermometer capable of determining an
ambient temperature, humidity, presence of dispersed chemicals,
radiation detector, electric field detector, magnetic field
detector, etc.), an accelerometer, a biometric sensor (e.g.,
wristband), a barometer, speech recognition circuitry, a gunshot
detector, an ambient sound detector . . . , etc. Some examples
follow:
[0032] A sensor-enabled holster 212 may be provided that maintains
and/or provides state information regarding a weapon or other item
normally disposed within the user's sensor-enabled holster 212. The
sensor-enabled holster 212 may detect a change in state (presence
to absence) and/or an action (removal) relative to the weapon
normally disposed within the sensor-enabled holster 212. The
detected change in state and/or action may be reported to a
portable radio acting as hub 102 via its short-range transceiver.
In some embodiments, the sensor-enabled holster may also detect
whether the first responder's hand is resting on the weapon even if
it has not yet been removed from the holster and provide such
information to portable radio 102. Other possibilities exist as
well. Such sensor-enabled holsters typically comprise a switch that
is "pressed" when a gun is inserted into a holster. Removal of the
gun causes the switch to activate.
[0033] A biometric sensor 212 (e.g., a biometric wristband) may be
provided for tracking an activity of the user or a health status of
the user 101, and may include one or more movement sensors (such as
an accelerometer, magnetometer, and/or gyroscope) that may
periodically or intermittently provide to the portable radio
(acting as hub 102) indications of orientation, direction, steps,
acceleration, and/or speed, and indications of health such as one
or more of a captured heart rate, a captured breathing rate, and a
captured body temperature of the user 101, perhaps accompanying
other information.
[0034] An accelerometer 212 may be provided to measures
acceleration and provide this information to hub 102. Single and
multi-axis models are available to detect magnitude and direction
of the acceleration as a vector quantity, and may be used to sense
orientation, acceleration, vibration shock, and falling. A
gyroscope is a device for measuring or maintaining orientation,
based on the principles of conservation of angular momentum. One
type of gyroscope, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) based
gyroscope, uses lithographically constructed versions of one or
more of a tuning fork, a vibrating wheel, or resonant solid to
measure orientation. Other types of gyroscopes could be used as
well. A magnetometer is a device used to measure the strength
and/or direction of the magnetic field in the vicinity of the
device, and may be used to determine a direction in which a person
or device is facing.
[0035] A heart rate sensor 212 may be provided and use electrical
contacts with the skin to monitor an electrocardiography (EKG)
signal of its wearer, or may use infrared light and imaging device
to optically detect a pulse rate of its wearer, among other
possibilities, and report this information to hub 102.
[0036] A breathing rate sensor 212 may be provided to monitor
breathing rate and provide this information to hub 102. The
breathing rate sensor may include use of a differential capacitive
circuits or capacitive transducers to measure chest displacement
and thus breathing rates. In other embodiments, a breathing sensor
may monitor a periodicity of mouth and/or nose-exhaled air (e.g.,
using a humidity sensor, temperature sensor, capnometer or
spirometer) to detect a respiration rate. Other possibilities exist
as well.
[0037] A body temperature sensor 212 may be provided, and report
temperature to hub 102. Such a sensor includes an electronic
digital or analog sensor that measures a skin temperature using,
for example, a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor or
a resistive temperature detector (RTD), may include an infrared
thermal scanner module, and/or may include an ingestible
temperature sensor that transmits an internally measured body
temperature via a short range wireless connection, among other
possibilities. Temperature sensor 212 may be used on equipment to
determine if the equipment is being worn or not. For example,
temperature sensor 212 may exist interior to a bullet-proof vest. I
the temperature sensor 212 senses a temperature above a
predetermined threshold (e.g., 80 degrees), it may be assumed that
the vest is being worn by an officer.
[0038] A microphone 212 may be provided to sense an ambient audio
environment surrounding an officer. The microphone 212 will detect
a pulsing stun-gun audio signal having a pulse interval and maximum
duration that is similar to that of the electro-static discharge of
the stun gun (similar to that of the electro-static discharge with
similar audio-characteristics such as a bursty noise up to 5 s with
characteristic sub-noise at 19 ms intervals). If such a pulse is
detected, this information can be reported to hub 102.
[0039] An electric or magnetic field detector 212 may be provided
to sense an ambient electric or magnetic field surrounding the
officer. The electric or magnetic field detector 212 will detect a
pulsing electric or magnetic field having a pulse interval and
maximum duration that is similar to that of the electro-static
discharge of the stun gun (e.g., such as a bursty noise up to 5 s
with characteristic sub-noise at 19 ms intervals). If such a pulse
is detected, this information can be reported to hub 102.
[0040] Computer 214 comprises, or is part of a
computer-aided-dispatch center or command center, manned by an
operator providing necessary dispatch operations. For example,
computer 214 typically comprises a graphical user interface that
provides the dispatch operator necessary information about
public-safety officers. As discussed above, much of this
information originates from devices 212 providing information to
hub 102, which forwards the information to RAN 202/network 206 and
ultimately to computer 214. Computer 214 is thus configured to
receive sensor data from sensors 212 and keep track of relevant
information. For example, each user of the system may possess a hub
with many associated devices forming a PAN. For each user of the
system, computer 214 may track the user's current associated PAN
devices (sensors 212) along with sensor data for that user. This
information may be used to compile a summary for each user (e.g.,
equipment on hand for each user, along with state information for
the equipment (gun drawn, battery low, heart rate high, . . . ,
etc.)). The information is preferably stored in database 264.
[0041] FIG. 3 depicts another view of a personal-area network 240
of FIG. 2. Personal-area network comprises a very local-area
network that has a range of, for example 10 feet. As shown in FIG.
3, various devices 212 are that attach to clothing utilized by a
public-safety officer. In this particular example, a bio-sensor is
located within a police vest, a sound detector is located within a
police microphone, smart handcuffs 212 are usually located within a
handcuff pouch (not shown), a gun-draw sensor is located within a
holster, an electric/magnetic-field detector 212 is located in
smart watch 212, and a camera 212 is provided.
[0042] Devices 212 and hub 102 form a PAN 240. PAN 240 preferably
comprises a Bluetooth PAN. Devices 212 and hub 102 are considered
Bluetooth devices in that they operate using a Bluetooth, a short
range wireless communications technology at the 2.4 GHz band,
commercially available from the "Bluetooth special interest group".
Devices 212 and hub 102 are connected via Bluetooth technology in
an ad hoc fashion forming a PAN. Hub 102 serves as a master device
while devices 212 serve as slave devices.
[0043] Hub 102 provides information to the officer, and/or forwards
local status alert messages describing each sensor
state/trigger/status over a wide-area network (e.g., network 204 or
network 206) to computer 214. In alternate embodiments of the
present invention, hub 102 may forward the local status
alerts/updates for each sensor to mobile and non-mobile peers
(shift supervisor, peers in the field, etc.), or to the public via
social media. Thus, hub 102 receives sensor information from
sensors 212 via a first network (e.g., Bluetooth PAN network), and
forwards the information to computer 214 via a second network
(e.g., wide area network (WAN) such as network 204 or network
206).
[0044] As described above, it is desirable to report when a stun
gun has been fired. In order to address this desire, during
operation dispatch center 214 and/or hub 102 will have knowledge of
a state of devices 212 used to form an officer's personal-area
network (PAN) 240. A gun-draw detector 212 may notify hub
102/dispatch center 214 when a stun gun has been drawn. An electric
field detector 212 may notify the hub 102/dispatch center 214 when
an electric field having stun-gun fire characteristics (stun-gun
fingerprint) has been detected. A magnetic field detector may
notify hub 102/dispatch center 214 when a magnetic field having
stun-gun fingerprint has been detected. Finally, a microphone 212
(in this embodiment, located in hub 102) may notify the hub
102/dispatch center 214 when sound is detected having stun-gun
fingerprint.
[0045] Hub 102 and/or dispatch center 214 may map the state of any
sensor to a state of a stun (gun fired or not). For example, a
single sensor 212 may be utilized to determine if a stun gun has
been fired, ora combination of sensors 212 may be utilized to
determine if a stun gun has been fired. Some examples follow:
[0046] Any one of an electric field sensor, an audio sensor, or a
magnetic field sensor may be used to indicate the stun gun has been
fired if the sensors detect a field or sound that pulses similar to
a fired stun gun's voltage. Thus, a single sensor may be used to
determine a stun-gun state.
[0047] A gun-draw sensor and an electric field sensor may be mapped
to a stun-gun fired state. In this example, the gun-draw sensor 212
indicating that a gun has been drawn, and the electric-field
detector 212 indicating that a pulsing electric field has been
detected (matching the pulse rate and duration of a stun gun) will
be used to indicate that a stun gun has been fired. Thus, multiple
sensor states will need to be used to indicate a stun-gun state
(e.g., gun drawn AND electric field detected matching stun
gun=stun-gun state of fired).
[0048] A gun-draw sensor and a magnetic-field sensor may be mapped
to a stun-gun fired state. In this example, the gun-draw sensor 212
indicating that a gun has been drawn, and the magnetic-field
detector 212 indicating that a pulsing magnetic field has been
detected (matching the pulse rate and duration of a stun gun) will
be used to indicate that a stun gun has been fired. Thus, multiple
sensor states will need to be used to indicate a stun-gun state
(e.g., gun drawn AND magnetic field detected matching stun
gun=stun-gun state of fired)
[0049] A gun-draw sensor and an ambient-sound sensor may be mapped
to a stun-gun fired state. In this example, the gun-draw sensor 212
indicating that a gun has been drawn, and the ambient-sound
detector 212 indicating that a pulsing electric field has been
detected (matching the pulse rate and duration of a stun gun) will
be used to indicate that a stun gun has been fired. Thus, multiple
sensor states will need to be used to indicate a stun-gun state
(e.g., gun drawn AND sound detected matching stun gun=stun-gun
state of fired)
[0050] The mapping process preferably comprises an operation that
associates each element of a given set (the domain) with one or
more elements of a second set (the range). The PAN sensor state for
officer devices 212 comprises the domain, while the state for a
stun gun (fired/not-fired) comprises the range. The mapping may be
explicit based on predefined rules, or the mapping may be trained
via neural network modeling. This is illustrated in Table 2
below.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Some Example Mappings of Sensor State to
Stun-Gun State Sensor State for officer Mapped state of Stun Gun
Gun draw sensor indicates stun gun has Stun-Gun State = Stun-Gun
been drawn AND electric field detector Fired detects pulsing
electric field matching stun gun being fired. Gun draw sensor
indicates stun gun has Stun-Gun State = Stun-Gun Not been drawn AND
electric field detector Fired detects no pulsing electric field Gun
draw sensor indicates stun gun has Stun-Gun State = Stun-Gun been
drawn AND sound detector detects Fired pulsing sound matching stun
gun being fired Gun draw sensor indicates stun gun has Stun-Gun
State = Stun-Gun Not been drawn AND sound detector Fired detects no
pulsing sound . . . etc. . . . etc.
[0051] It should be noted that the mapping of sensor data with
stun-gun state (fired, not fired) can be done at command center 214
and/or hub 102, however in alternate embodiments mapping may be
done within the public-safety core network 204, or more computing
devices in a cloud compute cluster (not shown), or some other
sensor 212 or communication device (for example a radio operated by
an officer in the field), and/or may be a distributed communication
device across two or more entities.
[0052] FIG. 4 shows those components (not all necessary) for
dispatch center 214 to determine sensor states and map at least one
sensor state to a stun-gun state. As shown, dispatch center 214 may
include a wide-area-network (WAN) transceiver 401 (e.g., a
transceiver that utilizes a public-safety communication-system
protocol and/or a high-speed data network protocol), display 402,
logic circuitry 403, graphical user interface (GUI) 410, database
264 (in this embodiment shown internal to computer 214), and
speaker 408. In other implementations, dispatch center 214 may
include more, fewer, or different components. Regardless, all
components are connected via common data busses as known in the
art.
[0053] WAN transceiver 401 may comprise well known long-range
transceivers that utilize any number of network system protocols.
(As one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize, a transceiver
comprises both a transmitter and a receiver for transmitting and
receiving data). For example, WAN transceiver 401 may be configured
to utilize a next-generation cellular communications protocol
operated by a cellular service provider, and/or any public-safety
protocol such as an APCO 25 network or the FirstNet broadband
network. WAN transceiver 401 receives sensor data from all PANs
240. It should be noted that WAN transceiver 401 is shown as part
of dispatch center 214, however, WAN transceiver 401 may be located
in RAN 202 (e.g., a base station of RAN 202), with a direct link to
dispatch center 214.
[0054] Display 402 comprises any combination of a touch screen, a
computer screen, or any interface capable of displaying sensor
status streamed from hub 102. It should be noted that for ease of
illustration, only a single display is shown in FIG. 4, however in
alternate embodiments of the present invention, multiple displays
may be present, each streaming a different information from
different officers.
[0055] Speaker 408 is shown coupled to display 402, and is used to
provide an audible output for video on display 402. Speaker 408 may
output an audible warning when it has been determined that a
stun-gun has been fired. Only one speaker 408 is shown in FIG. 4,
however it should be noted that many speakers may be present.
[0056] GUI 410 comprises provides a man/machine interface for
receiving an input from a user and controlling display 402 and
speaker 408. For example, GUI 410 may provide a way of manually
muting or un-muting speaker 408, displaying sensor status,
controlling a video source shown on display 402, . . . , etc. In
order to provide the above features (and additional features), GUI
410 may comprise any combination of a touch screen, a computer
screen, a keyboard, or any other interface needed to receive a user
input and control display/speaker accordingly.
[0057] Logic circuitry 403 comprises a digital signal processor
(DSP), general purpose microprocessor, a programmable logic device,
or application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and is configured
map sensor data to a stun-gun state as described above in an
automated (e.g., without further user input) or semi-automated
(e.g., with some further user input) fashion. More particularly,
logic circuitry 403 receives sensor state information from each
officer's PAN sensors 212. This information is stored in database
264. Logic circuitry will map the sensor state for an officer to a
stun-gun state for the officer. Speaker 408 will be controlled
accordingly to provide an audible warning when a stun gun has been
fired. It should be noted that any adjustment to speaker 408 may be
overridden by an input from GUI 410 so that a user can mute or
unmute speaker 410 as they desire, or otherwise cancel the
alarm.
[0058] Database 264 is provided. Database 264 comprises standard
memory (such as RAM, ROM, . . . , etc.) and serves to store user
identifications along with associated hubs 102, their PAN devices
212, and device status/sensor states (the state of each PAN
device). As an example, PAN state information may comprise a
battery level, ammunition level, RF signal strength, inventory of
emergency aid such as adrenaline shots, gauze, a gun-draw state,
electric-field pulse detect state, magnetic field pulse detect
state, audible pulse detect state, . . . , etc. Additionally,
database 264 may also comprise mappings from sensor state to
stun-gun state as shown in Table 1.
[0059] During operation of dispatch center 214, sensor data is
received by WAN transceiver 401. This sensor data is stored in
database 264. Among sensor data received and stored may be a
holster sensor state indicating whether or not a stun gun is
holstered, an electric field sensor state indicating whether or not
a pulsating, electric field has been detected matching that of a
stun gun firing, a magnetic field sensor state indicating whether
or not a pulsating magnetic field has been detected matching that
of a stun gun firing, and/or an ambient noise detector state
indicating whether or not a pulsating sound has been detected
matching that of a stun gun firing.
[0060] Logic circuitry 403 will map the sensor states to a stun-gun
state (fired/not fired) as described above. For example, if a
holster-sensor state indicates a stun gun has been drawn, and an
electric-field sensor state has indicated a pulsating electric
field has been detected matching that of a stun gun, then logic
circuitry 403 will map the stun-gun state to "stun gun fired", and
send a warning to GUI 410 and/or speaker 408.
[0061] It should be noted that in an alternate embodiment of the
present invention hub 102 may determine a stun-gun state as
described above, and simply provide the stun-gun state to dispatch
center 214. In this scenario, dispatch center 214 would not need to
map the sensor states to the stun-gun state. Dispatch center 214
would simply receive a stun-gun state (fired/not fired) and sound
and appropriately notify an operator.
[0062] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of hub 102 that can determine a
stun-gun state. As shown, hub 102 includes those elements found in
FIG. 4, with the addition of PAN transceiver 502. PAN transceiver
502 may be well known short-range (e.g., 30 feet of range)
transceivers that utilize any number of network system protocols.
For example, PAN transceiver 502 may be configured to utilize
Bluetooth communication system protocol for a body-area network, or
a private 802.11 network. PAN transceiver 502 receives sensor state
information and provides the state information to logic circuitry
403, which stores and forwards the information via WAN transceiver
401 to dispatch center 214. Other information may be forwarded as
well, such as, but not limited to a calculated stun-gun state.
Sensor information is stored in database 264. Logic circuitry 403
may determine a stun-gun state as described above. The stun-gun
state may be forwarded to dispatch center 214 via WAN transceiver
401. Alternatively, the stun-gun state may not be determined by hub
102, leaving dispatch center 214 to calculate the stun-gun
state.
[0063] With the above in mind, the apparatuses shown in FIG. 4 and
FIG. 5 comprise at least a receiver configured to receive sensor
state(s) of at least one sensor, the sensor state(s) indicating
whether an electric field, magnetic field, and/or a sound has been
detected that matches a periodic voltage pulsing of a stun gun
being fired. The apparatuses also include logic circuitry
configured to map the sensor state to a stun-gun state, wherein the
stun-gun state indicates whether or not the stun gun has been
fired.
[0064] As discussed, when the above apparatus is embodied within a
hub, the receiver receives the sensor state(s) via an over-the-air
signal transmitted from the at least one sensor, wherein the at
least one sensor is remote from the receiver, and forms a PAN with
the receiver.
[0065] The at least one sensor is taken from the group consisting
of an electric-field sensor, a magnetic-field sensor, a microphone,
and a gun-draw sensor, and the logic circuitry maps the stun-gun
state to a stun-gun fired state when the gun-draw sensor indicates
a stun-gun has been removed from a holster, and at least one of the
following occur: [0066] (1) the electric-field sensor indicates an
electric field has been detected that matches a fingerprint of a
stun-gun being fired; [0067] (2) the magnetic-field sensor
indicates an electric field has been detected that matches a
fingerprint of a stun-gun being fired; or [0068] (3) the microphone
indicates a sound has been detected that matches a fingerprint of a
stun-gun being fired.
[0069] With the above in mind, hub 102 comprises an apparatus
comprising a personal-area network (PAN) transceiver configured to
receive sensor state(s) from at least one sensor, the sensor
state(s) indicating whether an electric field, magnetic field,
and/or a sound has been detected that matches a periodic voltage
pulsing of a stun gun being fired. Logic circuitry is provided that
is configured to map the sensor state(s) to a stun-gun state,
wherein the stun-gun state indicates whether or not the stun gun
has been fired. Finally, a wide-area network (WAN) transceiver is
provided and configured to transmit the stun-gun state to a
dispatch/command center.
[0070] As discussed above, the PAN transceiver receives the sensor
state(s) via an over-the-air signal transmitted from the at least
one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor is remote from the PAN
transceiver, and the at least one sensor is taken from the group
consisting of an electric-field sensor, a magnetic-field sensor, a
microphone, and a gun-draw sensor.
[0071] The logic circuitry is configured to map the stun-gun state
to a stun-gun fired state when the gun-draw sensor indicates a
stun-gun has been removed from a holster, and at least one of the
following occur: [0072] (1) the electric-field sensor indicates an
electric field has been detected that matches a fingerprint of a
stun-gun being fired; [0073] (2) the magnetic-field sensor
indicates an electric field has been detected that matches a
fingerprint of a stun-gun being fired; or [0074] (3) the microphone
indicates a sound has been detected that matches a fingerprint of a
stun-gun being fired.
[0075] FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing operation of dispatch center
of FIG. 4. In particular, the steps shown in FIG. 6 (not all
necessary) show those steps taken by dispatch center 214 when
analyzing sensor data and determining if a stun gun has been fired.
The logic flow begins at step 601 where sensor data is received
from hub 102. As discussed above, the sensor data is received via a
WAN transceiver. At step 603 logic circuitry 403 maps the sensor
data to a stun-gun state. The logic flow continues to step 605
where it is determined if the stun-gun state equals a stun-gun
fired state, and if so, the logic flow continues to step 607 where
an alarm is provided. The alarm may be audio, visual, or both.
[0076] FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing operation of the hub. The
logic flow begins at step 701 where PAN transceiver 502 receives
sensor state(s) from at least one sensor, the sensor state(s)
indicating whether an electric field, magnetic field, and/or a
sound has been detected that matches a periodic voltage pulsing of
a stun gun being fired. At step 703 logic circuitry 403 maps the
sensor state(s) to a stun-gun state, wherein the stun-gun state
indicates whether or not the stun gun has been fired. Finally, at
step 705 WAN transceiver 401 transmits the stun-gun state to a
dispatch/command center.
[0077] As discussed above, the step of receiving sensor state(s)
comprises the step of receiving the sensor state(s) via an
over-the-air signal transmitted from the at least one sensor.
Additionally, the at least one sensor is taken from the group
consisting of an electric-field sensor, a magnetic-field sensor, a
microphone, and a gun-draw sensor.
[0078] Finally, the step of mapping the sensor state(s) to a
stun-gun state comprises the step of mapping the stun-gun state to
a stun-gun fired state when the gun-draw sensor indicates a
stun-gun has been removed from a holster, and at least one of the
following occur: [0079] (1) the electric-field sensor indicates an
electric field has been detected that matches a fingerprint of a
stun-gun being fired; [0080] (2) the magnetic-field sensor
indicates an electric field has been detected that matches a
fingerprint of a stun-gun being fired; or [0081] (3) the microphone
indicates a sound has been detected that matches a fingerprint of a
stun-gun being fired.
[0082] In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments have
been described. However, one of ordinary skill in the art
appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made
without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in
the claims below. For example, deployment and firing of a contact
stun gun (where a cartridge is removed and the stun gun itself
makes contact with the suspect) is intended to be covered by the
above claims. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be
regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and
all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope
of present teachings.
[0083] Those skilled in the art will further recognize that
references to specific implementation embodiments such as
"circuitry" may equally be accomplished via either on general
purpose computing apparatus (e.g., CPU) or specialized processing
apparatus (e.g., DSP) executing software instructions stored in
non-transitory computer-readable memory. It will also be understood
that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary
technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by
persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except
where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth
herein.
[0084] The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any
element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to
occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a
critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all
the claims. The invention is defined solely by the appended claims
including any amendments made during the pendency of this
application and all equivalents of those claims as issued.
[0085] Moreover, in this document, relational terms such as first
and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to
distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action
without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such
relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms
"comprises," "comprising," "has", "having," "includes",
"including," "contains", "containing" or any other variation
thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that
a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has,
includes, contains a list of elements does not include only those
elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or
inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element
proceeded by "comprises . . . a", "has . . . a", "includes . . .
a", "contains . . . a" does not, without more constraints, preclude
the existence of additional identical elements in the process,
method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes,
contains the element. The terms "a" and "an" are defined as one or
more unless explicitly stated otherwise herein. The terms
"substantially", "essentially", "approximately", "about" or any
other version thereof, are defined as being close to as understood
by one of ordinary skill in the art, and in one non-limiting
embodiment the term is defined to be within 10%, in another
embodiment within 5%, in another embodiment within 1% and in
another embodiment within 0.5%. The term "coupled" as used herein
is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly and not
necessarily mechanically. A device or structure that is
"configured" in a certain way is configured in at least that way,
but may also be configured in ways that are not listed.
[0086] It will be appreciated that some embodiments may be
comprised of one or more generic or specialized processors (or
"processing devices") such as microprocessors, digital signal
processors, customized processors and field programmable gate
arrays (FPGAs) and unique stored program instructions (including
both software and firmware) that control the one or more processors
to implement, in conjunction with certain non-processor circuits,
some, most, or all of the functions of the method and/or apparatus
described herein. Alternatively, some or all functions could be
implemented by a state machine that has no stored program
instructions, or in one or more application specific integrated
circuits (ASICs), in which each function or some combinations of
certain of the functions are implemented as custom logic. Of
course, a combination of the two approaches could be used.
[0087] Moreover, an embodiment can be implemented as a
computer-readable storage medium having computer readable code
stored thereon for programming a computer (e.g., comprising a
processor) to perform a method as described and claimed herein.
Examples of such computer-readable storage mediums include, but are
not limited to, a hard disk, a CD-ROM, an optical storage device, a
magnetic storage device, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a PROM
(Programmable Read Only Memory), an EPROM (Erasable Programmable
Read Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable
Read Only Memory) and a Flash memory. Further, it is expected that
one of ordinary skill, notwithstanding possibly significant effort
and many design choices motivated by, for example, available time,
current technology, and economic considerations, when guided by the
concepts and principles disclosed herein will be readily capable of
generating such software instructions and programs and ICs with
minimal experimentation.
[0088] The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the
reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure.
It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to
interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition,
in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various
features are grouped together in various embodiments for the
purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure
is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the
claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly
recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect,
inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single
disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby
incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim
standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.
* * * * *