Smart firearm safety device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12460885-B2
Application number	US-202318543396-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2023
Priority date	May 29, 2019
Publication date	Nov 4, 2025
Grant date	Nov 4, 2025

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, are described for implementing a smart firearm safety device. The safety device attaches to a firearm having a trigger and a slot for receiving a magazine. The safety device includes a locking mechanism that attaches to the trigger to preclude depressing a trigger of the firearm and a sensor that determines an orientation of the firearm or a relative motion of the firearm to indicate detected movement of the firearm. The safety device also includes a radio device that receives parameter signals from the sensor indicating movement of the firearm. The radio device communicates with a component of a property monitoring system to receive a command to engage the locking mechanism to preclude depressing the trigger of the firearm based on parameter signals indicating a particular type of detected movement of the firearm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for controlling a safety device for attaching to a firearm, the system comprising:
a locking mechanism configured to attach to an area of the firearm that includes a trigger to preclude depressing the trigger of the firearm; a biometric scanning device configured to detect a biometric attribute of an individual and determine that the individual is a registered owner authorized to discharge the firearm based on the biometric attribute; a movement sensor configured to capture movement data of the firearm; one or more computers and one or more storage devices on which are stored instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
i) processing parameter signals generated by the biometric scanning device indicating the individual is a registered owner authorized to discharge the firearm;
ii) computing location data and usage data about the firearm using the movement data captured by the movement sensor, the usage data including a detected number of times the firearm was likely discharged and the location data indicating an approximate location of the discharge;
iii) engaging the locking mechanism to preclude depressing the trigger of the firearm based on the parameter signals, the location data, and the usage data; and
iv) disengaging the locking mechanism to permit discharge of the firearm when the registered owner of the firearm is within a threshold proximity of the firearm.

2 . The system for controlling the safety device of claim 1 , comprising:
a transceiver coupled with the locking mechanism, the biometric scanning device, and one or more second storage devices on which are stored second instructions that are operable, when executed by the transceiver to cause the transceiver to perform operations comprising:
transmitting, to a first computer from the one or more computers, at least one of the parameter signals, and
receiving, from a second computer from the one or more computers, a command for the locking mechanism to engage to preclude depressing the trigger of the firearm based on the parameter signals, wherein the locking mechanism is configured to be disengaged, via a command from the transceiver, by at least one of a key, a fingerprint reader, a combination lock, or a latch.

3 . The system for controlling the safety device of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is configured to be disengaged by at least one of a key, a fingerprint reader, a combination lock, or a latch.

4 . The system for controlling the safety device of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more computers communicate with the system to receive one or more commands and to generate a notification that is transmitted to a client device; the client device communicates with the biometric scanning device by way of the system; and the notification indicates a state of the locking mechanism of the firearm.

5 . The system for controlling the safety device of claim 2 , wherein:
the one or more computers is coupled to a component that transmits parameter signals to the system for analysis at a monitoring server of the system; the monitoring server is configured to generate an alarm notification that is transmitted to a client device; and the alarm notification describes detected movement of the firearm or includes information indicating the firearm has been discharged.

6 . The system for controlling the safety device of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is attached to a trigger guard of the firearm and the one or more computers is operable to:
receive an authorization command generated by the system based on input received from a client device of a registered owner of the firearm; engage the locking mechanism attached to the trigger guard of the firearm based on the authorization command; and disengage the locking mechanism attached to the trigger guard of the firearm based on the authorization command.

7 . The system for controlling the safety device of claim 1 , wherein the biometric scanning device is configured to:
obtain data representing a biometric attribute of a registered owner of the firearm; and generate an authorization command based on the data representing the biometric attribute, wherein the authorization command is operable to engage or disengage the locking mechanism.

8 . The system for controlling the safety device of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is configured to attach to the firearm between a trigger and a trigger guard, and the locking mechanism is configured to:
i) receive a first authorization command to engage the locking mechanism attached to the trigger guard; and ii) receive a second authorization command to disengage the locking mechanism, wherein the second authorization command is different than the first authorization command.

9 . The system for controlling the safety device of claim 8 , wherein the locking mechanism is configured to be manually disengaged independent of the second authorization command for disengaging the locking mechanism.

10 . The system for controlling the safety device of claim 5 , wherein the one or more computers is operable to:
receive a first status signal indicating the locking mechanism has been disengaged; and in response to receiving the first status signal, transmit a second status signal to the system to cause the system to activate an alarm system at a property based on the locking mechanism having been disengaged; and in response to receiving the first status signal, transmit a third status signal to the system to cause the system to alert emergency personnel based on the locking mechanism having been disengaged.

11 . A system for operating a safety device that attaches to a firearm, the system comprising:
a locking mechanism configured to attach to an area of the firearm that includes a trigger to preclude depressing the trigger of the firearm; one or more processors; and a non-transitory machine-readable storage device storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to cause performance of operations comprising:
detecting, using a biometric scanning device, a biometric attribute of an individual within a threshold proximity of the firearm;
determining, using the biometric attribute, that the individual is a registered owner authorized to discharge the firearm;
generating, using a movement sensor, movement data of the firearm;
computing location data and usage data about the firearm using the movement data captured by the movement sensor, the usage data including a detected number of times the firearm was likely discharged and the location data indicating an approximate location of the discharge; and
generating an authorization command based on analysis of data representing the biometric attribute to i) engage the locking mechanism to preclude depressing a trigger of the firearm based on one or more parameter signals, the location data, and the usage data, or ii) disengage the locking mechanism to permit discharge of the firearm when the registered owner of the firearm is within a threshold proximity of the firearm.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the operations comprise:
determining, at the safety device, that the locking mechanism is engaged, wherein the determining is performed at the safety device using a radio device integrated in the safety device.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the operations comprise:
detecting, at a radio device, the one or more parameter signals, wherein the detecting is performed using a transceiver integrated in the radio device; and detecting th

Assignees

• Alarm Com Inc

Inventors

• Clark Colby Kevin
• Picardi Robert Nathan
• Correnti Matthew Daniel
• Kelly Michael
• Trundle Stephen Scott

Classifications

• F41A17/066

  having means for recognizing biometric parameters, e.g. voice control, finger print or palm print control · CPC title

• F41C23/16

  Forestocks; Handgrips; Hand guards (pump-action guns F41C7/02) · CPC title

• F41C23/18

  characterised by the material used (F41C23/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F41A17/54

  Protecting-caps for trigger guards; Trigger locking pieces mounted on, or within, the trigger guard · CPC title

• F41A17/063 Primary

  comprising a transponder · CPC title