Remote control weapon lock

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9739555-B2
Application number	US-201615211273-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2016
Priority date	Feb 6, 2013
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

A battery-powered trigger-locking device, which is configured to be disposed on a gun with a trigger for firing, includes a data receiver, a data memory and a logic device for determining whether data received by the receiver is the same, or substantially the same, as data stored in the memory. If a data match is indicated, the logic device causes an electromagnetic device to move a trigger-locking member to an unlocked position, permitting the gun to be fired. A separate electronic gun key is provided to transmit gun unlock data to the data receiver of the trigger-locking device. This gun unlock data may be a password, a long pseudo-random number or biologic data identifying the gun owner or some other person who is licensed or otherwise authorized to fire the gun.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Locking apparatus for preventing use of a gun or other weapon by any unauthorized person, said apparatus comprising:
(1) a gun lock device configured to be installed on a gun, said gun lock device including:
(a) a gun lock configured to be disposed on a gun and responsive to an electronic gun command signal to select a state from among at least two operative states, including a locked state which prevents firing the gun and an unlocked state which enables firing;
(b) a first data memory for storing first gun security data representing (i) gun key information pertaining to at least one gun key device that may be used to control the gun, and (ii) biologic personal information pertaining to at least one authorized person who is permitted to control the gun and thereby to select one of said locked and said unlocked operative states;
(c) a first data receiver for receiving a gun control signal including second gun security data; and
(d) a first logic device, coupled to the first data receiver and to the first data memory, for
(i) generating said second gun security data from said received gun control signal;
(ii) comparing said second gun security data with said first gun security data stored in said first data memory, and
(iii) producing said electronic gun command signal to select one of said locked and said unlocked operative states when said first gun security data and said second gun security data are substantially the same; and

(2) a gun key device for controlling the gun lock device, said gun key device comprising:
(a) a first data transmitter for transmitting said gun control signal to said first data receiver;
(b) a second data memory for storing said second gun security data representing (i) first gun key information pertaining to said gun key device, and (ii) said biologic personal information pertaining to at least one authorized person who is permitted to control the gun and thereby to select one of said locked and said unlocked operative states; and
(c) a second logic device, coupled to each of said first data transmitter and said second data memory, for generating said gun control signal, including said second gun security data stored in said second data memory, for transmission to said first data receiver;
whereby the operative state of said gun may be changed only in an event that each of the gun key information and the biologic personal information transmitted by said first gun key device substantially matches the respective information stored in said first data memory, thereby to prevent control of the gun except by a properly identified gun key device and a properly authorized person.

2. The locking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said gun lock device further comprises a second data transmitter coupled to said first logic device and said gun key device further comprises a second data receiver coupled to said second logic device, and wherein:
(i) said second logic device is further operative to generate a gun key interrogation signal;
(ii) said first data transmitter is operative to transmit said gun key interrogation signal to said first data receiver;
(iii) in response to receipt of said gun key interrogation signal, said first logic device is further operative to generate a reply signal;
(iv) said second data transmitter is operative to transmit said reply signal to said second data receiver; and
(v) said second logic device is operative to generate a gun control signal for transmission to said first data receiver in said gun lock device only if said reply signal is received in response to said interrogation signal.

3. The locking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said gun lock device further comprises a second data transmitter coupled to said first logic device and said gun key device further comprises a second data receiver coupled to said second logic device, and wherein:
(i) said first logic device is further operative to generate a gun lock interrogation signal;
(ii) said second data transmitter is operative to transmit said gun lock interrogation signal to said second data receiver;
(iii) in response to receipt of said gun lock interrogation signal, said second logic device is further operative to generate a reply signal;
(iv) said first data transmitter is operative to transmit said reply signal to said first data receiver; and
(v) said first logic device is operative to produce an electronic gun command signal configured to unlock the gun and to provide said command signal to said gun lock only if said reply signal is received in response to said gun lock interrogation signal.

4. The locking apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
(i) said gun key interrogation signal includes first gun lock identification information pertaining to said gun lock device;
(ii) said first data memory is further operative to store second gun lock identification information, representing identification information of said gun lock; and
(iii) said first logic device is further operative to compare said received first gun lock identification information with said stored second gun lock identification information and to provide said reply signal only if said received first gun lock identification information matches said stored second gun lock identification information.

5. The locking apparatus of claim 3 , wherein:
(i) said gun lock interrogation signal includes first gun key identification information pertaining to said gun key device;
(ii) said second data memory is further operative to store second gun key identification information, representing identification information of said gun key device; and
(iii) said second logic device is further operative to compare said received first gun key identification information with said stored second gun key identification information and to provide said reply signal only if said first gun key identification information matches said second gun key identification information.

6. The locking apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
(i) said first data memory is further operative to store first gun lock identification information, pertaining to said gun lock device;
(ii) said reply signal includes said first gun lock identification information;
(iii) said second data memory is further operative to store second gun lock identification information, representing each and every gun lock device that is allowed to communicate with said gun key device; and
(iv) said second logic device is further operative to compare said received first gun lock identification information with said stored second gun lock identification information and to provide said gun control signal only if said received first gun lock identification information matches one of said stored second gun lock identification information.

7. The locking apparatus of claim 3 , wherein:
(i) said second data memory is further operative to store first gun key identification information, pertaining to said gun key device;
(ii) said reply signal includes information representing said first gun key identification information;
(iii) said first data memory is further operative to store second gun key identification information, representing each and every gun key device that is allowed to communicate with said gun lock device; and
(iv) said first logic device is further operative to compare said first gun key identification information included in said reply signal with said stored second gun key identification information and to provide said gun command signal only if said received first gun key identification information matches said stored second gun key identification information.

8. The locking apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
(i) said first logic device is further operative to cause said reply signal to include

Assignees

• Milde Karl F Jr
• Matos Jeffrey A

Inventors

• Milde Jr Karl F
• Matos Jeffrey A

Classifications

• F41A17/44

  Safety plugs, e.g. for plugging-up cartridge chambers {, barrels, magazine spaces} · CPC title

• F41A17/066

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

• F41A17/063 Primary

  comprising a transponder · CPC title

• F41A17/46

  Trigger safeties, i.e. means for preventing trigger movement (F41A17/02 - F41A17/40 take precedence) · CPC title