# US 2014/0190051 A1 · Shooter Aim Detection and Warning System

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- Number: US 2014/0190051 A1
- Document ID: US20140190051A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/831,926
- Filed: 2013-03-15
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-10
- Inventors: Brian Donald Wichner
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190051A1

## CPC

- G08B 21/182: {Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold}
- F41A 17/12: Firing mechanisms with anti-canting safety
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- F41A: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE

## Abstract

Subject matter disclosed herein relates to an apparatus, device, or method for detecting aim or pointing direction of a firearm, the method comprising detecting a sound signature of a gunshot from the firearm; sensing an aim direction of the firearm substantially at the time of detecting the sound signature of the gunshot; setting a reference direction based, at least in part, on the aim direction; sensing a current aim direction of the firearm; comparing the current aim direction to the reference direction; and initiating an alarm if the current aim direction is beyond a threshold angle of displacement from the reference direction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for detecting a shooter's aim or pointing direction of a firearm, the method comprising:
detecting a sound signature of a gunshot from said firearm;
sensing said shooter's aim direction of said firearm substantially at the time of detecting said sound signature of said gunshot;
setting a reference direction based, at least in part, on said aim direction;
sensing said shooter's current aim direction of said firearm;
comparing said current aim direction to said reference direction; and
initiating an alarm if said current aim direction is beyond a threshold angle of displacement from said reference direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein an intensity of said alarm is based, at least in part, on an angle of displacement from said reference direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a sound signature of a round being loaded into a chamber of said firearm.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein an intensity of said alarm is based, at least in part, on said detecting said sound signature of said round being loaded into said chamber of said firearm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting if a finger of a user is on or near a trigger of said firearm.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein an intensity of said alarm is based, at least in part, on said detecting if said finger is on or near said trigger of said firearm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving instructions from a user to set or reset said threshold angle of displacement.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising recording history of aim violations.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising updating said reference direction based, at least in part, on a subsequent gunshot.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising defeating shooting capability of said firearm based, at least in part, on said angle of displacement from said reference direction.

### Claim 11

A device for detecting a shooter's aim or pointing direction of a firearm, the device comprising:
a sound detector to detect a sound of a gunshot from said firearm;
a 3D sensor to sense said shooter's aim direction of said firearm; and
a processor or electronics to:
set a reference direction based, at least in part, on aim direction at a time when said sound of said gunshot is detected;
compare said shooter's current aim direction to said reference direction; and
initiate an alarm if current aim direction is beyond a threshold angle of displacement from said reference direction.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein said processor or electronics changes an intensity of said alarm based, at least in part, on an angle of displacement from said reference direction.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein said sound detector is further configured to detect a sound signature of a round being loaded into a chamber of said firearm.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, wherein said processor or electronics are capable of learning said sound signature of said round being loaded into said chamber of said firearm.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, further comprising a finger placement detector to detect if a finger of a user is on or near a trigger of said firearm.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, further comprising a rest pad for a finger of a user, wherein said processor or electronics is configured to detect if said finger is contacting a rest pad.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein said processor or electronics are capable of updating said reference direction based, at least in part, on a subsequent gunshot.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein said processor or electronics are capable of uploading histories stored in a memory to an electronic device, wherein said histories comprise a history of gunshots and/or a history of aim violations.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein said processor or electronics are capable of defeating shooting capability of said firearm based, at least in part, on said angle of displacement from said reference direction.

### Claim 20

A non-transitory storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon that are executable by a special purpose computing device to:
identify a sound signature of a gunshot from said firearm;
determine a shooter's aim direction of said firearm substantially at the time of identifying said sound signature of said gunshot;
set a reference direction based, at least in part, on said aim direction;
determine said shooter's current aim direction of said firearm;
compare said current aim direction to said reference direction; and
initiate an alarm if said current aim direction is beyond a threshold angle of displacement from said reference direction.