Automatic gunshot detection and suppression response system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10726708-B2
Application number	US-201916421951-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2019
Priority date	May 31, 2018
Publication date	Jul 28, 2020
Grant date	Jul 28, 2020

Abstract

The invention automatically detects a gunshot at a plurality of detection and response nodes distributed in an area, determines the location of the active shooter, and deploys a suppression response to the location of the active shooter from each of the plurality of detection and response nodes to prevent the active shooter from firing further gunshots.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for automatic gunshot detection and suppression response comprising:
a computer system including a method for automatic gunshot detection and suppression response;
a plurality of detection and response nodes, wherein each of the plurality of detection and response nodes further comprises:
an acoustic sensor for detecting a gunshot sound impulse generated by a gunshot from an active shooter;
an analog to digital converter (ADC) coupled to the acoustic sensor;
a signal processor coupled to the ADC;
a positioning module coupled to the signal processor, the positioning module configured to receive targeting information communicated from the signal processor and to automatically aim an associated response mechanism to target the location of the active shooter in accordance with the targeting information; and
a response mechanism coupled to and positionable by the positioning module, the response mechanism for deploying a suppression response to the location of the active shooter; and

a network communicatively connecting each of the plurality of detection and response nodes with the computer system including the method for automatic gunshot detection and suppression response,
wherein the system automatically detects the gunshot fired from the gun by the active shooter, determines the location of the active shooter, and deploys a suppression response from each of the plurality of detection and response nodes to the location of the active shooter to stop the active shooter from firing the gun.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ADC has a sampling speed.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the signal processor is a network enabled signal processor for sending and receiving signals on the network.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of detection and response nodes are separately positioned in corners of a room near a ceiling.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the response mechanism is a Taser, and the suppression response includes active elements deployed from the Taser.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the location of the active shooter is determined as geodetic coordinates.

7. A detection and response apparatus comprising:
an acoustic sensor for detecting a gunshot sound impulse;
an analog to digital converter (ADC) coupled to the acoustic sensor;
a network-enabled signal processor coupled to the ADC;
a positioning module coupled to the network-enabled signal processor, the positioning module configured to receive targeting information communicated from the signal processor and to automatically aim an associated response mechanism to target the location of active shooter in accordance with the targeting information; and
a response mechanism connected to and positionable by the positioning module, the response mechanism for automatically deploying a suppression response to a location.

8. The detection and response apparatus of claim 7 wherein the ADC has a sampling speed.

9. The detection and response apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the network-enabled signal processor is configured to generate a timestamp indicating a time of arrival (TOA) of a detection of a gunshot sound impulse by the acoustic sensor.

10. A method for automatic gunshot detection and suppression response comprising:
activating a plurality of detection and response nodes located in an area, wherein each of the plurality of detection and response nodes further comprises:
an acoustic sensor for detecting a gunshot sound impulse generated by a gunshot from an active shooter;
an analog to digital converter (ADC) coupled to the acoustic sensor;
a signal processor coupled to the ADC;
a positioning module coupled to the signal processor, the positioning module configured to receive targeting information communicated from the signal processor and to automatically aim an associated response mechanism to target the location of active shooter in accordance with the targeting information; and
a response mechanism coupled to and positionable by the positioning module, the response mechanism for automatically deploying a suppression response to the location of the active shooter;
detecting the gunshot sound impulse at the one or more detection and response nodes located in the area, the gunshot sound impulse originating from the gun fired by the active shooter in the area, each of the one or more detection and response nodes located in the area at respective locations;
automatically generating a timestamp indicating a time of arrival (TOA) of the gunshot sound impulse detection at each of the one or more detection and response nodes;
automatically determining the location of the active shooter based on the TOA associated with each of the one or more detection and response nodes;
automatically generating targeting information for each of the one or more detection and response nodes based on the location of the active shooter;
automatically positioning an associated response mechanism of each of the one or more detection and response nodes to target the location of the active shooter based on the targeting information; and
automatically deploying a suppression response from each associated response mechanism to the targeted location of the active shooter,
wherein the suppression response stops the active shooter from firing the gun.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the location of the active shooter is determined as geodetic coordinates.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the targeting information includes geodetic coordinates of the location of the active shooter for positioning an associated response mechanism of an associated detection and response node to target the location of the active shooter.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the targeting information includes a set of axis rotation commands for positioning an associated response mechanism of an associated detection and response node to target the location of the active shooter.

Assignees

• Us Navy

Inventors

• Pace Phillip E

Classifications

• G06F2218/22

  Source localisation; Inverse modelling · CPC title

• G06V20/52

  Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects (recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69) · CPC title

• G08B13/19645

  Multiple cameras, each having view on one of a plurality of scenes, e.g. multiple cameras for multi-room surveillance or for tracking an object by view hand-over · CPC title

• G08B13/19608

  Tracking movement of a target, e.g. by detecting an object predefined as a target, using target direction and or velocity to predict its new position · CPC title

• G08B25/10 Primary

  using wireless transmission systems {(G08B25/009 takes precedence)} · CPC title