Systems and methods for calibrating a conducted electrical weapon

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11248880-B2
Application number	US-201615299365-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 20, 2016
Priority date	Aug 24, 2016
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

Systems and methods for calibrating a conducted electrical weapon (“CEW”) to provide a predetermined amount of current for each pulse of the stimulus signal. Providing the predetermined amount of current, close thereto, increases the effectiveness of the stimulus signal in impeding locomotion of a human or animal target. The calibration process enables a CEW to calibrate the amount of charge in a pulse of the stimulus signal in the environmental conditions where the tester operates and also in the field where the environmental conditions may be different from the environmental conditions during calibration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A handle of a conducted electrical weapon (“CEW”) for calibrating a stimulus signal of the handle, the handle comprising:
a processing circuit;
a memory;
a timer; and
a signal generator that provides the stimulus signal; wherein:
while the handle is positioned in a calibration environment:
the processing circuit in cooperation with a provided tester determines a duration of time that relates a first amount of charge provided by a first pulse of a first stimulus signal to a predetermined amount of charge, the timer measures the duration of time, and the signal generator provides the first pulse of the first stimulus signal; and
the processing circuit records the duration of time in the memory; and

while the handle is positioned in an operating environment:
the processing circuit recalls the duration of time from the memory;
the processing circuit uses the duration of time to determine whether a second amount of charge provided by a second pulse of a second stimulus signal is about the same as the predetermined amount of charge, and the operating environment is different from the calibration environment; and
in response to the second amount of charge provided by the second pulse of the second stimulus signal not being about the same as the predetermined amount of charge, the processing circuit calibrates the second stimulus signal by increasing or decreasing the second amount of charge to be delivered by a next pulse of the second stimulus signal.

2. The handle of claim 1 further comprising a capacitance and a current source, wherein:
in the calibration environment:
the first pulse of the first stimulus signal charges the capacitance to a first voltage;
a message from the tester relates the first voltage to the predetermined amount of charge; and
the current source provides a current to charge the capacitance to the first voltage to determine the duration of time; and

in the operating environment:
the current source provides the current for the duration of time to charge the capacitance to a second voltage; and
the second voltage is used to determine whether the second amount of charge provided by the second pulse of the second stimulus signal is about the same as the predetermined amount of charge.

3. The handle of claim 2 wherein a rate of current provided by the current source is about the same in the calibration environment and the operating environment.

4. The handle of claim 2 wherein the current provided by the current source is substantially constant in the calibration environment and the operating environment.

5. The handle of claim 2 wherein the current provided by the current source varies plus or minus three percent between the calibration environment and the operating environment.

6. The handle of claim 1 wherein while in the calibration environment the handle comprises a first physical characteristic and while in the operating environment the handle comprises a second physical characteristic, and the first physical characteristic is different than the second physical characteristic.

7. The handle of claim 6 wherein the first physical characteristic and the second physical characteristic include a physical property of the handle, and the physical property of the handle comprises at least one of an operating temperature, an age of a component, and a presence of moisture.

8. The handle of claim 1 wherein:
the calibration environment has a first ambient temperature;
the operating environment has a second ambient temperature; and
the first ambient temperature is different from the second ambient temperature.

9. The handle of claim 1 wherein while the handle is positioned in an operating environment:
the processing circuit delivers the next pulse of the second stimulus signal;
the processing circuit recalls the duration of time from the memory;
the processing circuit uses the duration of time to determine whether a next amount of charge provided by the next pulse of the second stimulus signal is about the same as the predetermined amount of charge.

10. The handle of claim 9 wherein while the handle is positioned in an operating environment:
in response to the next amount of charge provided by the next pulse of the second stimulus signal not being about the same as the predetermined amount of charge, the processing circuit calibrates the second stimulus signal by increasing or decreasing the next amount of charge to be delivered by a second next pulse of the second stimulus signal.

11. A method performed by a handle of a conducted electrical weapon (“CEW”) comprising:
while the handle is positioned in a calibration environment:
determining in cooperation with a tester a duration of time that relates a first amount of charge provided by a first pulse of a first stimulus signal to a predetermined amount of charge; and
recording the duration of time; and

while the handle is positioned in an operating environment:
recalling the duration of time;
using the duration of time to determine whether a second amount of charge provided by a second pulse of a second stimulus signal is about the same as the predetermined amount of charge; and
calibrating, in response to the second amount of charge provided by the second pulse of the second stimulus signal not being about the same as the predetermined amount of charge, the second stimulus signal by increasing or decreasing the second amount of charge to be delivered by a next pulse of the second stimulus signal.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein:
in the calibration environment, determining comprises:
measuring a first voltage across a capacitance, the capacitance charged to the first voltage by the first pulse of the first stimulus signal;
receiving a message from the tester that relates the first voltage to the predetermined amount of charge; and
while measuring an elapse of time, providing a current to charge the capacitance to determine the duration of time needed to charge the capacitance to the first voltage; and

in the operating environment, using comprises:
providing the current for the duration of time to charge the capacitance to a second voltage; and
measuring a third voltage across the capacitance, the capacitance charged to the third voltage by the second pulse of the second stimulus signal; and
comparing the third voltage to the second voltage to determine whether the second amount of charge provided by the second pulse of the second stimulus signal is about the same as the predetermined amount of charge, the operating environment is different from the calibration environment.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the first amount of charge provided per a unit of time by the current in the calibration environment is about the same as the second amount of charge provided per the unit of time by the current in the operating environment.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the current is substantially constant in the calibration environment and the operating environment.

15. A handle of a conducted electrical weapon (“CEW”) comprising:
a processing circuit;
a capacitance;
a current source;
a timer; and
a signal generator that provides a stimulus signal; wherein:
while the handle is positioned in a calibration environment:
the signal generator provides a first pulse of a first stimulus signal;
the first pulse charges the capacitance to a first voltage;
the processing circuit receives a message reporting an amount of charge provided by the first pulse, the amount of charge measured by a tester;
the processing circuit determines that the amount of charge provi

Assignees

• Taser Int Inc
• Axon Entpr Inc

Inventors

• Nerheim Magne H
• Barber-Axthelm Valerie Renee Barry
• Goodchild Eric Heindel
• Heroor Siddharth

Classifications

• H05C1/04

  providing pulse voltages (mechanical self-interrupters H01H; electronic pulse-generators H03K) · CPC title

• A01K15/02

  Training or exercising equipment, e.g. mazes or labyrinths for animals (A01K15/04 takes precedence) {; Electric shock devices; Toys specially adapted for animals} · CPC title

• F41H13/0012 Primary

  Electrical discharge weapons, e.g. for stunning · CPC title

• F41H13/0025

  for remote electrical discharge via conducting wires, e.g. via wire-tethered electrodes shot at a target · CPC title

• F41H13/0018

  for nearby electrical discharge, i.e. the electrodes being positioned on the device and the device brought manually or otherwise into contact with a nearby target (batons with electric discharge capability F41B15/04; electric shock devices for animals A01K15/02) · CPC title