Weapon usage monitoring system having discharge event monitoring based on movement speed

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11953276-B2
Application number	US-202318195010-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2023
Priority date	Jan 27, 2017
Publication date	Apr 9, 2024
Grant date	Apr 9, 2024

Abstract

A method for determining an operational status of a firearm based on a discharge event is provided. A signal indicative of a plurality of accelerations sensed by an inertial measurement unit is received by an event detection module. A sample shot profile is determined based on the signal. The shot profile can comprise a first peak at a first time representing initial discharge of the firearm wherein a bolt of the firearm moves from an initial forward position, a second peak at a second time, representing the bolt engaging a rear buffer of the firearm, and a third peak at a third time, representing the bolt returning to the forward position. A measured bolt speed of the weapon is determined based on a difference between the second and third times. The measured bold speed is compared to a baseline weapon bolt speed. An operational status of the weapon is determined.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for determining an operational status of a firearm based on a discharge event, the method comprising:
receiving, by an event detection module, a signal indicative of a plurality of accelerations sensed by at least one inertial measurement unit (IMU);
determining a sample shot profile based on the signal, the sample shot profile comprising:
a first peak at a first time representing initial discharge of the firearm wherein a bolt of the firearm moves from an initial forward position;
a second peak at a second time, subsequent to the first time, representing the bolt engaging a rear buffer of the firearm;
a third peak at a third time, subsequent to the second time, representing the bolt returning to the forward position;

determining a measured bolt speed of the weapon based on a difference between the second and third times;
comparing the measured bolt speed to a baseline weapon bolt speed; and
determining an operational status of the weapon based on the comparing.

2. The method of claim 1 the operational status comprises a maintenance status.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the maintenance status comprises a determination that the firearm has insufficient cycle speed.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
sending a notification to a user of the firearm indicative of the maintenance status.

5. A method for determining an operational status of a firearm based on a discharge event, the method comprising:
receiving, by an event detection module, a signal indicative of a plurality of accelerations sensed by at least one inertial measurement unit (IMU);
determining a sample shot profile based on the signal;
comparing the sample shot profile to a baseline shot profile representative of a properly functioning firearm, the baseline shot profile comprising:
a first peak at a first time representing initial discharge of the firearm wherein a bolt of the firearm moves from an initial forward position;
a second peak at a second time, subsequent to the first time, representing the bolt engaging a rear buffer of the firearm;
a third peak at a third time, subsequent to the second time, representing the bolt returning to the forward position;

determining whether the sample shot profile includes all of the first peak, the second peak and the third peak; and
determining a failed operational status of the weapon based on a determination that at least one of the first, second and third peaks are missing.

6. The method of claim 5 the operational status comprises a maintenance status.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
determining that the sample shot profile has an insufficient second peak;
determining that the firearm is undergassed based on the insufficient second peak; and
sending a notification to a user of the firearm indicative that the firearm is undergassed.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
determining that the sample shot profile has an insufficient third peak;
determining that the firearm is jammed based on the insufficient third peak; and
sending a notification to a user of the firearm indicative that the firearm is jammed.

9. A method for determining an operational status of a firearm based on a discharge event, the method comprising:
measuring a first acceleration on the firearm at a first time representing initial discharge of a first discharge event of the firearm;
measuring a second acceleration on the firearm at a second time representing initial discharge of a second discharge event of the firearm;
calculating a measured shot separation of first and second accelerations between the first and second times;
comparing the measured shot separation to at least one shot separation threshold;
assigning a speed of a movement member in the firearm based on the comparing; and
determining the operational status of the firearm based on the assigned speed.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the movement member comprises a bolt of a bolt carrier group in the firearm.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the movement member comprises a slide of the firearm.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
receiving, by an event detection module, (i) first acceleration input signals at a first time including a first acceleration input signal along a first axis, a second acceleration input signal along a second axis and a third acceleration input signal along a third axis;
calculating a first acceleration vector magnitude from the first acceleration signals at the first time;
receiving, by an event detection module, (ii) second acceleration input signals at a second time including a first acceleration input signal along a first axis, a second acceleration input signal along a second axis and a third acceleration input signal along a third axis; and
calculating a second acceleration vector magnitude from the second acceleration signals at the second time.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein calculating the measured shot separation further comprises calculating a measured shot separation of the first and second acceleration vector magnitudes between the first and second times.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
accessing a machine learning module that creates and runs identification algorithms using the first and second accelerations.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
accessing a digital signal processing module that compares the first acceleration with a discharge acceleration template that represents a confirmed weapon discharge event; and
determining whether the first acceleration is a discharge event based on satisfying the discharge acceleration template.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the at least one shot separation threshold further comprises:
a second shot separation threshold having a representative shot separation of an old firearm.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein the at least one shot separation threshold comprises:
a first shot separation threshold having a representative shot separation of a new firearm.

18. The method of claim 9 wherein the operational status comprises a maintenance status.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the maintenance status comprises a determination that the firearm has reached a target lifespan.

Assignees

• Armaments Res Company Inc

Inventors

• Asbach John
• Canty Michael
• Broadway Kyle William

Classifications

• F41A17/063 Primary

  comprising a transponder · CPC title

• F41G3/04

  for dispersing fire from a battery {; for controlling spread of shots; for coordinating fire from spaced weapons} · CPC title

• F41A31/00 Primary

  Testing arrangements (testing mounts F41A23/16) · CPC title

• F41A17/06

  Electric or electromechanical safeties (F41A17/04, F41A17/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• F41A19/10

  Triggers; Trigger mountings · CPC title