Abstract:
Methods and apparatuses for reducing the criminal usefulness of a dischargeable hand weapon used for defense by limiting its dichargeability to the area where it is kept for defense, by disclosing its location, and by disclosing that its imminent use is contemplated.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    Not applicable  
         STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    Not applicable  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0004]    This invention relates to dischargeable hand weapons and in particular to methods and apparatuses for reducing the criminal usefulness of such weapons.  
           [0005]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0006]    U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/845,123 discloses methods and apparatuses for reducing the criminal usefulness of a dischargeable hand weapon by using means for determining the location of the weapon, means for storing information of at least one area where discharging of the weapon is allowed, and means for preventing its discharging if it is not in that area.  
           [0007]    Colts has reportedly produced a prototype of a handgun that can be fired only by persons authorized to fire it.  
           [0008]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,423,142, 5,192,818, and 5,068,989 disclose several methods and apparatuses for reducing the criminal usefulness of dischargeable hand weapons with the claims of U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,142 being similar to the claims herein.  
           [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,435 discloses a safety system for selectively disabling a firearm.  
           [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,763 discloses a device for preventing the unauthorized firing of a weapon.  
           [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,827 discloses a safety system for disabling a firearm.  
           [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,370 discloses a weapon system and method for controlling the operation of a weapon to prevent it from being accidentally operated or operated by an unauthorized person.  
           [0013]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,154,014 discloses an apparatus for preventing unauthorized activation of a touch-operable device.  
           [0014]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,003,152 discloses a safety system for firearms.  
           [0015]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,400,393 discloses a safety mechanism that prevents a weapon form being discharged while aimed toward a source of electromagnetic waves.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0016]    Many dischargeable hand weapons are popular for the defense of homes and businesses. Reducing the criminal usefulness of those weapons would save many lives and reduce injuries. There are several ways of accomplishing this. One way is by limiting a weapon&#39;s area of usefulness. Accordingly, the main object of this invention is to provide methods and means for preventing the discharging of a hand weapon in locations that are relatively distant from where the weapon is kept.  
           [0017]    Normally a hand weapon that is kept for defense of a home or business is left undisturbed or kept in a relatively small area for a long period of time. The area where a part of the disclosed embodiment of this invention is normally kept is determined by keeping the part in that area for a minimum of 24 hours. Therefore, another object of this invention is to provide means for ensuring that only after a time-area requirement is fulfilled and only if the entire weapon continues to remain nearby can it be discharged.  
           [0018]    The location of any object can be determined from information of its distance from at least three known locations (triangulation). Because all radio waves travel at the speed of light, one can also use at least three radio signals and travel time information to calculate an object&#39;s location. This method will work either by sending radio signals from three different locations to one radio receiver or by sending the radio signals from the location in question to receivers at three different locations. Both GPS (global positioning system) and cellular telephone technologies that can determine the locations of 911 calls use radio signals to determine locations. Because of altitude and other considerations, more precise locations can be obtained by using more than three radio signals or averaging several location determinations.  
           [0019]    One device that can be used to determine that a hand weapon has remained in an area is a GPS receiver. It can either be carried with the weapon or be a part of a separate base part of the weapon that must be kept relatively close to the weapon in order for the weapon to be discharged. Other devices can also be used, for example, a tilt switch; however, it must be part of a separate base part of the weapon.  
           [0020]    Providing means that require for discharging that the base part be in contact with a permanently located source of alternating current for the first 24 hours of its timing period is another object of this invention. That helps insure that the weapon has not been kept in a vehicle during that time.  
           [0021]    Providing means that require for discharging that the weapon be allowed to discharge only after receiving allowing information via a telephone is another object of this invention.  
           [0022]    Knowledge that at a certain residence there is a hand weapon capable of discharging is valuable information for police to have in case they have to go to that residence in the future. Therefore, another object of this invention is to provide means for disclosing the location of a hand weapon that is capable of discharging.  
           [0023]    Knowledge of the location where use of a hand weapon is contemplated is valuable information for police and security services to have. Therefore, another object of this invention is to provide to provide means for disclosing the location where use of a hand weapon is contemplated. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0024]    The drawings are not to scale and some obviously necessary parts are omitted (e.g., wires), or some parts are modified in shape in order to allow for clearer illustration of other parts. The arrows indicate control is exerted by one part over another part in the direction of the arrow, or there is an electric power or information flow from one part to another part in the direction of the arrow.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a part of a handgun having electronic parts.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 2 is a side view of the part of FIG. 1.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a part of a handgun having electronic and electromechanical parts.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 4 is a side view of the part of FIG. 2 with a portion of it broken away to illustrate internal parts. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0029]    In this application “dischargeable hand weapon”, “hand weapon”, and “weapon” all mean a weapon or hunting device having a triggered discharge and designed to be partly or totally hand held while being discharged. Examples include handguns, rifles, shotguns, hand held rocket launchers such as the Gyro-Jet, crossbows, tear gas sprayers, and electric shocking devices. Criminal usefulness of a hand weapon includes the usefulness of the weapon for illegally threatening a person or injuring or killing a person or an animal.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIGS. 1 through 4 illustrate a handgun  10  having a base part  11  and a revolver part  12 . It is designed for defensive use in homes or businesses. It is not suitable for hunting because of two firing requirements. Those two firing requirements also make it unsuitable for crimes where the weapon has to be transported to the location of the planned crime shortly before the crime is to be committed. In addition, when using the radio and telephone transmitting capabilities of the handgun  10 , its location and serial number can be determined by police departments.  
         [0031]    The handgun  10  has a time-area requirement that requires the base part  11  to have always been present during the immediately preceding  24  hours in a circular “base” area having a radius of 50 feet. There is also a distance requirement that requires the revolver part  12  be within 150 feet of the base part  11  for firing to occur. Meeting the time-area requirement can be accomplished in one of two ways by this handgun  10 : by remaining stationary or by actually being allowed to change locations in the base area.  
         [0032]    During normal operation, a rechargeable base battery  13  or battery eliminator  14  having a flip-out 115 volt ac plug, supply necessary power to a base ASIC (application specific integrated circuit)  15 , a tilt switch  16 , a GPS receiver  17  having a GPS receiver antenna  18 , a transceiver  19  having a transceiver antenna  20 , and a cellular telephone  21  having a cellular telephone antenna  22 . Power can also be made to be received only from the battery eliminator  14  by the base ASIC  15 . Information from the tilt switch  16 , and the GPS receiver  17  goes to the base ASIC  15 . Information goes to and from the base ASIC  15  and the following parts: the transceiver  19 , the cellular telephone  21 , a numeric keypad  23 , and a keypad jack  24 . Information can go from the base ASIC  15  to the base plug  25 . The internal electronic parts of the base part  11  are potted in epoxy  26  that provides resistance to tampering.  
         [0033]    The base ASIC  15 , like other ASICs, is a semiconductor chip, and it is programmable by use of the keypad  23 . The base ASIC  15  can be made by a custom ASIC manufacturer having the capability of making ASICs based on functional descriptions. Many of such manufactures have web sites on the internet.  
         [0034]    One of the operations of the base ASIC  15  is to receive information from the tilt switch  16  or the GPS receiver  17 . The selection of which information source to use is made at the keypad  23 . The keypad  23  is accessible using a combination number and it has a display for displaying programming menus and keying. Selections and programming by use of the keypad  23  provides for flexibility of use and possibly for fulfilling one or more legal requirements of the jurisdiction where the handgun  10  is used. The keypad jack allows an external keypad at the end of a cable to be used in place of the keypad  23 .  
         [0035]    The GPS receiver  17  operates essentially like other GPS receivers. Through its GPS receiver antenna  18 , it receives radio signals from four GPS satellites. It functions as a means for determining the location of the base part  11  from the transmitting and arrival times of the signals, and thus their travel times. The location information provided as latitude and longitude information is then sent to the base ASIC  15 .  
         [0036]    The tilt switch  16  might be used because of owner preference or in locations where the GPS receiver  17  cannot receive radio signals. The tilt switch  16  serves as a means for detecting an event relating to changing the location of the base part  11 . That event is a tilting of greater than 0.5 degrees that will surely occur when a person handles the base part  11  to change its location. The normally open tilt switch  16  closes (turns on) at angles of more than 0.5 degrees from normal, and when it does, it sends that information to the base ASIC  15 . Like most tilt switches, it is also affected by acceleration, with 0.0087 g (about 4 inches per second per second) being capable of closing it.  
         [0037]    There is always uncertainty present in measurement devices. For example, most GPS receivers, including the GPS receiver  17  of this embodiment, average several determinations to improve accuracy. That means that one correct or incorrect determination falling outside of the 50 foot radius will not be taken to mean that the base part  11  has strayed outside of its base area.  
         [0038]    Likewise, it is possible to move the base part  11  out of the base area without detection by the tilt switch  16 , for example, if the part is moved very gently on a cart over a smooth floor. However, because of the low probability of that occurring, especially in committing a crime at a distant location, the base ASIC  15  disregards that possibility in making its determinations. Therefore, if no tilt is detected by the tilt switch  16  in a 24 hour period, the combination of the tilt switch  16  and the base ASIC  15  serves as a means for determining that the base part  11  was always present during that time in a circular area having a radius of 50 feet.  
         [0039]    The combination of the GPS receiver  17  and the base ASIC  15  also serves as a means for determining if in the immediately preceding 24 hours, the base part  11  was always present in a circular area having a radius of 50 feet. To make that determination, the base ASIC  15  determines that during the immediately preceding 24 hours, all of the averaged locations determined by the GPS receiver  17  were within 100 feet of each other. Selection of the GPS receiver  17  instead of the tilt switch  16  to provide information  15  allows the base part  11  to be handled or even moved about if one uses an extension cord or power from the base battery  13 .  
         [0040]    Selection of the tilt switch  16  instead of the GPS receiver  17  to provide information to the base ASIC  15  prevents the base part  11  from being handled or moved about. In that case, the base part  11  would normally be plugged into an accurately plumbed wall outlet using the battery eliminator&#39;s flip-out plug.  
         [0041]    The base ASIC  15  can also be made to determine if a requirement is met that the base part  11  has been in electrical contact with a normally permanently located alternating current source (here a 110 to 120 volts power source) for at least the first 24 hours of the time-area requirement. By using the keypad  23  to select that option, the base ASIC  15  will obtain power for making its initial 24 hour determination directly from the revolver eliminator  14  without the base battery  13  being in the circuit. Thereafter, the base battery  13  would become available in case of a power failure. If the battery eliminator is not plugged in or if there is a power failure during the first 24 hours of the timing operation, the time-area requirement would not be fulfilled.  
         [0042]    Depending on how the base ASIC  15  is programmed, one of the following four scenarios will occur beginning immediately after the base ASIC  15  first determines that the time-area requirement has been met:  
         [0043]    1. Depending on programming by the keypad  23 , the transceiver  19  or the base plug  25  become capable of or actually begin transmitting an informational signal with coding unique to the handgun  10 . Receiving of that signal by the revolver part  12  is necessary for firing to occur. The signal has 5 watts of power so that relatively distant receivers that are not part of the handgun (e.g., police or security service owned) can also receive the signal and determine the location of the transceiver. Transmitting from the transceiver  19  goes to the revolver part  12  by means of radio waves and transmitting from the base plug  25  goes to the revolver jack  29  by electrical contact. If the transceiver  19  and base plug  25  are not transmitting, they can be switched on when firing is contemplated by keying a combination number on the keypad  23  or by use of a small transmitter “key” (not illustrated) that is equivalent to the fob transmitters that are used with vehicle alarms. That key can transmit a signal that is received by the transceiver  19 , thereby causing the transceiver  19  to begin transmitting. After firing is no longer contemplated, transmitting by the transceiver  19  and base plug  25  can be turned off by using the keypad  23 .  
         [0044]    2. The base ASIC  15  can also be programmed to cause the transceiver  19  to transmit the same signal of the first scenario for one minute immediately after the time-area requirement has been met and then turn off. That one minute signal serves to indicate to receivers that are not part of the handgun  10  that the handgun&#39;s time-area requirement has been met and that the handgun  10  is capable of firing if it is within 150 feet of the base part  11 . If there are three receivers capable of receiving the signal, the location of the handgun  10  can be determined using the three receivers.  
         [0045]    3. The first scenario occurs while the base ASIC  15  instructs the cellular telephone  21  to dial a specified number. When there is an answer by an automatic answering device, the base ASIC  15  instructs the cellular telephone  21  to send an informational signal indicating that the handgun  10  (with serial number specified) has met its time-area requirement for firing. If that requirement was determined using the GPS receiver  17 , information of the handgun&#39;s location is also included in the signal. That message is recorded by the answering device while at least three receivers owned by the cellular telephone company can determine and record the location of the base part  11 . The recorded information is then made available to local police departments.  
         [0046]    4. The third scenario occurs except the first scenario is delayed as the information of the third scenario is quickly compared to information of locations where handguns are not permitted to be fired, a list of stolen weapons, and possibly a list of licensed weapons. If there are no illegalities, the answering device sends a signal back to the base ASIC  15  that enables the base ASIC  15  to proceed with the first scenario.  
         [0047]    5. The fourth scenario occurs, and in addition, the base ASIC  15  periodically instructs the cellular telephone  21  to dial a specified number. When there is an answer by an automatic answering device, the base ASIC  15  instructs the cellular telephone  21  to send a uniquely coded message that the handgun  10  has continued to meet its time-area requirement for firing. If there continue to be no illegalities, the answering device sends a coded signal back to the base ASIC  15  that enables the base ASIC  15  continue with the first scenario.  
         [0048]    6. The fourth scenario occurs and later it is decided that the handgun  10  should no longer be allowed to be fired. The cellular telephone  21  is called and a coded signal is sent to the base ASIC  15  that prevents firing.  
         [0049]    7. Scenario 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 occurs and later the time-area requirement is no longer met. The base ASIC  15  then doe one of two things: it instructs the transceiver  19  to transmit a one minute signal with coding to indicate that the handgun  10  is no longer capable of being fired or it instructs the cellular telephone  21  to dial a specified number and transmit a similar signal.  
         [0050]    The transceiver  19 , revolver receiver  27 , base plug  25 , and revolver jack  29  serve as a means for linking the base part  11  with the revolver part  12  so that the information from the base ASIC  15  can be received by the revolver ASIC  33 . In addition, the keypad  23  serves as means for allowing and preventing the functioning of the linking means.  
         [0051]    In case it is desired that the base plug  25  and revolver jack  29  serve to rigidly link the base part  11  with the revolver part  12 , the receiver antenna  28  fits into a matching cylindrical space in the base part  11  and the base plug  25  fits into the revolver jack  29 .  
         [0052]    When the transceiver  19  and base plug  25  are transmitting the signal, the revolver part  12  must be able to receive that signal in order for firing to occur. Receiving by the revolver part  12  and revolver ASIC  33  occurs at the revolver receiver  27  through its antenna  28  or through the revolver jack  29 . Since the range of the transceiver  19  and revolver receiver  27  combination is 100 feet, the revolver part  12  must be within 100 feet for firing to occur. If the signal is being transmitted only by way of the base plug  25  and the revolver jack  29 , the base part  11  and the revolver part  12  must be connected together for firing to occur.  
         [0053]    Except for its electronic and electromechanical parts, the revolver part  12  is essentially a revolver of conventional design. The revolver part  12  has a revolver battery  30  that sends power to a normally open switch  31 . Slightly pulling the trigger  32  for firing closes the switch  31  thereby sending power to a revolver ASIC  33  and the revolver receiver  27 .  
         [0054]    The trigger  32  and trigger blocking apparatus  34  of this application are essentially the same as parts 60 through 70 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,370, and the switch  31  is the same as part 17 of that same patent. The trigger blocking apparatus  34  prevents firing when it is not receiving power from the revolver ASIC  33  by blocking complete trigger movement, and it allows firing when it is receiving power by not blocking any trigger movement. After the trigger blocking apparatus  34  begins receiving power, firing can be accomplished by a continuation of trigger pull. Because the revolver&#39;s electronic processing is extremely fast, firing of the revolver part  12  feels no different than firing a conventional revolver.  
         [0055]    When information of the time-area requirement being fulfilled is received by the revolver ASIC  33 , it sends power to the trigger blocking apparatus  34  and that allows the revolver part  12  to fire. Thus, the trigger blocking apparatus  34  functions as a means for preventing the firing of the revolver part  12  based on the revolver ASIC  33  not receiving information from the base ASIC  15  that the time-area requirement has been met.  
         [0056]    It is important that the revolver part  12  has good resistance to tampering and circumvention. Such resistance is provided by epoxy potting  35  of the wiring, electronic parts, and as much of the electromechanical parts as possible. In addition, those parts and the part of the trigger  32  in contact with the trigger blocking apparatus  34  are enclosed in a part of the weapon that has been welded shut. Additional tamper and circumvention resistance is accomplished by the use of a trigger blocking apparatus  34  that prevents firing when it is not receiving power instead of one that prevents firing when it is receiving power (which could be easily circumvented by removing the revolver battery  30 ).  
         [0057]    Many variations of this invention are possible. The following are some examples. Other types of dischargeable hand weapons may be used. Instead of using a cellular telephone, a conventional telephone or transceiver may be used (a cellular telephone is a specialized transceiver). The transceiver  19  may use an antenna system that would produce a noncircular area for reception of its signal. Instead of using contact with a 110-120 volts ac source for a time requirement, signal contact with a TV cable, internet cable, or other alternating current source may be used. Instead of a telephone, an internet connection can be used transmit and receive signals by the base ASIC  15 . The transceiver&#39;s power or the receiver&#39;s sensitivity may be changed to increase or decrease the area that the revolver part  12  can be fired in. A cable between the base plug  25  and the revolver jack  29  may be used to link the two base part  11  with the revolver part  12  so that the revolver part  12  can be carried around separately from the base part  11  without any radio signals being transmitted.  
         [0058]    While the above description contains many specificities, they should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as exemplifications of the preferred embodiments thereof. Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims and their legal equivalents.