# US 11,441,861 B2 · Smart-gun locking and unlocking systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,441,861 B2 - Document ID: US11441861B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/894,565 - Filed: 2020-06-05 - Published: 2020-09-24 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2016-02-11 - Applicants: John Hafen - Inventors: John Hafen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441861B2 ## CPC - F41A 17/063: {comprising a transponder} - F41A 17/64: Firing-pin safeties, i.e. means for preventing movement of slidably- mounted strikers (F41A17/02 - F41A17/40 take precedence) - F41A: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE ## Abstract One aspect includes a smart-gun configured to communicate with user device via a communication network. The smart-gun can be configured from an unlocked configuration where the smart-gun is operable to fire, to a locked configuration where the smart-gun is inoperable to fire, the configuring to the locked configuration in response to a locking signal; and configured from the locked configuration where the smart-gun is inoperable to fire, to the unlocked configuration where the smart-gun is operable to fire, the configuring to the unlocked configuration in response to an unlocking signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A smart-gun system comprising: a smart-gun server; and a plurality of device-smart-gun pairs, that each include: a first user device that communicates with the smart-gun server; and a first smart-gun that communicates with the first user device via a wireless network, the first smart-gun configured to be: configured from an unlocked configuration where the first smart-gun is operable to fire, to a locked configuration where the first smart-gun is inoperable to fire, the configuring to the locked configuration in response to a locking signal; maintained in the locked configuration where the first smart-gun is inoperable to fire in response to a lock-maintained signal; configured from the locked configuration where the first smart-gun is inoperable to fire, to the unlocked configuration where the first smart-gun is operable to fire, the configuring to the unlocked configuration in response to an unlocking signal; and maintained in the unlocked configuration where the first smart-gun is operable to fire in response to an unlock-maintained signal; wherein a first locking signal is generated based at least in part on a determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are more than a maximum defined distance apart; wherein a first unlock-maintained signal is generated based at least in part on a second determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are less than the maximum defined distance apart; and wherein the determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are more than the maximum defined distance apart and the first and second determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are less than the maximum defined distance apart are based at least in part on: determining, by the first smart-gun, a signal strength of a wireless connection between the first smart-gun and first user device over the wireless network; and determining, by the first smart-gun, whether the signal strength of the wireless connection between the first smart-gun and first user is greater than or less than a defined signal strength that corresponds to the maximum defined distance apart. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The smart-gun system of claim 1, wherein a first unlock-maintained signal is generated based at least in part on a second determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are less than the maximum defined distance apart; wherein a second locking signal is generated based at least in part on a determination that the first smart-gun is outside a defined physical boundary; and wherein a second unlocking signal is generated based at least in part on a determination that the first smart-gun is inside the defined physical boundary. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The smart-gun system of claim 2, wherein the determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are more than the maximum defined distance apart and the first and second determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are less than the maximum defined distance apart are based at least in part on: determining a respective location of the first smart-gun and first user device; determining a first distance corresponding to the respective locations of the first smart-gun and first user device; and determining whether the first distance is greater than or less than the maximum defined distance apart. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The smart-gun system of claim 2, the physical boundary is defined by one of: a room of a building, an interior of a building, a city block, a metropolitan area, and a country. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The smart-gun system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of device-smart-gun pairs each include: the first user device including a first global positioning system; and the first smart-gun including a second global positioning system. ### Claim 6 A smart-gun system comprising: a first user device; and a first smart-gun that communicates with the first user device via a communication network, the first smart-gun configured to be: configured from an unlocked configuration where the first smart-gun is operable to fire, to a locked configuration where the first smart-gun is inoperable to fire, the configuring to the locked configuration in response to a locking signal; and configured from the locked configuration where the first smart-gun is inoperable to fire, to the unlocked configuration where the first smart-gun is operable to fire, the configuring to the unlocked configuration in response to an unlocking signal, wherein the unlocking signal is generated based at least in part on a determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are less than the maximum defined distance apart, which is based at least in part on determining that a signal strength of a wireless connection between the first smart-gun and first user device over the communication network is less than a defined signal strength that corresponds to less than or equal to the maximum defined distance apart, or the locking signal is generated based at least in part on a determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are greater than the maximum defined distance apart, which is based at least in part on determining that a signal strength of a wireless connection between the first smart-gun and first user device over the communication network is greater than a defined signal strength that corresponds to greater than or equal to the maximum defined distance apart. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The smart-gun system of claim 6, wherein the locking signal is generated based at least in part on a determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are more than a maximum defined distance apart; and wherein the unlocking signal is generated based at least in part on a first determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are less than the maximum defined distance apart. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The smart-gun system of claim 7, wherein the determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are more than the maximum defined distance apart and the first determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are less than the maximum defined distance apart are based at least in part on: determining, by the first smart-gun, a signal strength of a wireless connection between the first smart-gun and first user device over the communication network; and determining, by the first smart-gun, whether the signal strength of the wireless connection between the first smart-gun and first user is greater than or less than a defined signal strength that corresponds to the maximum defined distance apart. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The smart-gun system of claim 7, wherein the determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are more than the maximum defined distance apart and the first determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are less than the maximum defined distance apart are based at least in part on: determining a respective location of the first smart-gun and first user device; determining a first distance corresponding to the respective locations of the first smart-gun and first user device; and determining whether the first distance is greater than or less than the maximum defined distance apart. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The smart-gun system of claim 6, wherein the locking signal is generated based at least in part on a determination that the first smart-gun is outside a defined physical boundary; and wherein the unlocking signal is generated based at least in part on a determination that the first smart-gun is inside the defined physical boundary. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The smart-gun system of claim 10, wherein the defined physical boundary is defined by one of a room of a building, an interior of a building or a city block. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The smart-gun system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the first user device and first smart-gun includes a global positioning system. ### Claim 13 A smart-gun configured to communicate with user device via a communication network, the smart-gun configured to be: configured from an unlocked configuration where the smart-gun is operable to fire, to a locked configuration where the smart-gun is inoperable to fire, the configuring to the locked configuration in response to a locking signal; and configured from the locked configuration where the smart-gun is inoperable to fire, to the unlocked configuration where the smart-gun is operable to fire, the configuring to the unlocked configuration in response to an unlocking signal; wherein the locking signal is generated based at least in part on a determination that the smart-gun and user device are more than a maximum defined distance apart; and wherein the determination that the smart-gun and user device are more than the maximum defined distance apart is based at least in part on: determining, by the smart-gun, a signal strength of a wireless connection between the smart-gun and user device over the communication network; and determining, by the smart-gun, that the signal strength of the wireless connection between the smart-gun and user device is less than a defined signal strength that corresponds to the maximum defined distance apart. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The smart-gun of claim 13, wherein the smart-gun includes a global positioning system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The smart-gun of claim 13, wherein the determination that the smart-gun and user device are more than the maximum defined distance apart is based at least in part on: determining a respective location of the smart-gun and user device; determining a first distance corresponding to the respective locations of the smart- gun and user device; and determining whether the first distance is greater than or less than the maximum defined distance apart. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The smart-gun of claim 13, wherein the locking signal is generated based at least in part on a determination that the smart-gun is outside a defined physical boundary. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The smart-gun of claim 16, wherein the physical boundary is defined by one of: a room of a building, an interior of a building, a city block, a metropolitan area, and a country.