Patent Publication Number: US-2015077255-A1

Title: Invisible concealed weapon identification system

Description:
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     N/A 
     SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM 
     No 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field of Invention 705.26.9 
     This invention relates to a locating of an item and more particularly to such a locating of an item with identification, location, and tracking. 
     2. Background of the Invention 
     The United States of America is a country founded through a revolution conducted by a series of militia against an oppressive foreign power. One of the founding principles of the United States Constitution is the right to “bear arms”. This founding principle has been interrupted many different ways by many different people over the last 200+ years. During the passing of these 200+ years arms or weapons have changed significantly. However one interrupts the founding and/or present laws it is obvious that too many people are killed annually by arms or weapons. Different groups argue the purpose of owning guns and what they could or should be used for. Everyone agrees that powerful weapons in the hands of the wrong person results in terrible consequents to possibly many persons. An example of the present tracking laws available are contained in 18 U.S.C. ¶923 (i) etc. A brief overview follows. 
     Firearms Verification Overview 
     
         
         
           
             Marking Requirements 
             Licensed Importer—18 U.S.C. §923(i) and 27 CFR §478.92, 26 U.S.C. §5842 and 27 CFR §479.102 
             1. Serial Number
           Must be conspicuously engraved, cast or stamped (impressed) on the firearm frame or receiver   The serial number cannot duplicate the serial number appearing on any other firearm the importer previously imported   For firearms imported after Jan. 30, 2002, the engraving, casting or stamping (impressing) of the serial number must be to a minimum depth of 0.003 inch and in a print size no smaller than 1/16 inch   
         
             2. Name of Manufacturer
           Must be conspicuously engraved, cast or stamped (impressed) on the firearm frame, receiver, barrel or slide   For firearms imported after Jan. 30, 2002, the engraving, casting or stamping (impressing) of the serial number must be to a minimum depth of 0.003 inch   
         
             3. Country of Origin
           Must be conspicuously engraved, cast or stamped (impressed) on the firearm frame, receiver, barrel or slide   For firearms imported after Jan. 30, 2002, the engraving, casting or stamping (impressing) of the country of origin must be to a minimum depth of 0.003 inch   
         
             4. Model Designation (if Assigned)
           Must be conspicuously engraved, cast or stamped (impressed) on the firearm frame, receiver, barrel or slide   For firearms imported after Jan. 30, 2002, the engraving, casting or stamping (impressing) of the model designation must be to a minimum depth of 0.003 inch   
         
             5. Caliber or Gauge
           Must be conspicuously engraved, cast or stamped (impressed) on the firearm frame, receiver, barrel or slide   For firearms imported after Jan. 30, 2002, the engraving, casting or stamping (impressing) of the caliber or gauge must be to a minimum depth of 0.003 inch   
         
             6. Name of Importer
           Must be conspicuously engraved, cast or stamped (impressed) on the firearm frame, receiver, barrel or slide   For firearms imported after Jan. 30, 2002, the engraving, casting or stamping (impressing) of the importer&#39;s name must be to a minimum depth of 0.003 inch   
         
             7. City &amp; State of the Importer
           Must be conspicuously engraved, cast or stamped (impressed) on the firearm frame, receiver, barrel or slide   For firearms imported after Jan. 30, 2002, the engraving, casting or stamping (impressing) of the importer&#39;s city and state must be to a minimum depth of 0.003 inch   
         
           
         
       
    
     While the preceding requirement(s) offers some traceability of properly marked weapons this afford no identification of the weapon without direct contact to the weapon. Many schools and gathering places have implemented gun screening but these are limited, by-passable, and sometimes too late to be effective. 
     Gun associations (National Rifle Association) spend millions each year to assure no gun legislation by Congress is enacted that contains any gun control system or methods. Many weapon owners appreciate and even cherish the mechanical beauty of the device and additional markings to their weapons would be additional reasons to avoid further visible markings.
 
Schools and public gathering places are often used for mentally damaged individuals to take lives with automatic weapons.
 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     As long as arms or weapons are available there will be accidents and reckless killings. However, the present technology offers an opportunity to register, track, and identify weapons before they are brought into such as schools without any visible markings. The purpose of the invisible concealed weapon identification system is to implement a non-visible marking and tracking system and method that offers schools and other gathering places a warning alert that a weapon is approaching. In one embodiment a radio frequency identification tag is secured under the handle or stock pad of a weapon. A radio frequency identification tag reader can be installed or hand operated any entrance to a school, work facility, or gathering place or even at a front/rear gate to identify any so tagged weapon. In another embodiment the radio frequency identification reader is tied into a local area network and centralized monitoring can easily be accomplished. In another embodiment the radio frequency identification reader and/or the local area network are tied into a centralized database such as through “cloud” implementation data base and information sharing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of the modules that comprise a typical invisible concealed weapon identification system. 
         FIG. 2  shows a typical physical embodiment of typical Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Tag. 
         FIG. 3  displays the system operational flow of a typical invisible concealed weapon identification system. 
         FIG. 3.1  discloses the setup of a weapon with a typical identification Tag. 
         FIG. 3.2  discloses the typical setup of a tag reader. 
         FIG. 3.3  discloses the typical operation of a tag when being read by a tag reader. 
         FIG. 4  shows a typical invisible concealed weapon identification system data base. 
         FIG. 5  shows a typical operating scenario for an invisible concealed weapon identification system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of the modules that comprise a typical invisible concealed weapon identification system. A weapon  101  is represented by a handgun. The weapon  101  has transponder tag  103  permanently mounted under the grip. The grip is typically a shock absorbing material that is neutral to radio waves. Once the tag  103  is mounted under the grip non-removable screws are installed to prohibit removal of the tag  103 . If the weapon  101  is such as a rifle the tag  103  is mounted under the stock pad that is comprised of similar material to the weapon  101  grip. Typically the tag  103  is passive and as such has no battery and therefore requires no maintenance or owner attention. A reader  105  is shown with an antenna  107  to interrogate a transponder such as tag  103 . The reader  105  when commanded to interrogate a transponder will radiate radio frequency energy in the appropriate frequency band to achieve sympathetic power induction in the transponder tag  103  causing a query for identification information. The tag  103  when receiving energy in the appropriate band with a recognizable query will store energy, power up receiver, transmitter, memory, and controller in the tag  103  and radiate the stored identification information. The reader will receive the identification information from the tag  103  and pass on the information that a weapon has been detected to such as a machine  109 . The machine  109  is typically a computer or processor with an interface port for the reader  105  and a display that a weapon has been detected for operators to monitor. The machine  109  can be as simple as a smart phone with a plug in reader  105  or such as a laptop with many functions. The machine  109  will also have an antenna  111  or cable or fiber optics to facilitate connection to local area networks (LAN)  113 . The LAN  113  has an antenna  115  to receive local signals from such as machine  109 . Connecting the machine  109  through the antenna  111  to the LAN  113  facilitates connection to local database  119 . The LAN  113  also has an antenna  117  or cable to connect the LAN  113  to wide area networks and such as what is referred to as the “Cloud” for data access and storage. While the antenna  117  is shown as the external wide area network connection any suitable hard line, fiber optics, or similar connection is appropriate to connect the invisible concealed weapon identification system to external data exchanges. 
       FIG. 2  shows a typical physical embodiment of typical Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Tag. A transponder  201  is shown to depict the typical physical layout of an RFID tag. A transponder contents  203  column lists the contents of the typical transponder  201  these contents include; antenna/receiver, capacitor, controller, transmitter, and non-volatile memory. A weapon identification information  205  typically contained in the transponder  201  column lists the information typically stored in a transponder  203  memory this information includes; weapon serial number, caliber or gauge of the weapon, registered owner of the weapon, state the weapon is registered in, phone number of the owner, and any special information about the weapon or weapon&#39;s history. 
       FIG. 3  displays the system operational flow of a typical invisible concealed weapon identification system. 
       FIG. 3.1  discloses the setup sequence of a weapon with a typical identification Tag. 
     When a typical invisible concealed weapon identification system is being set up an appropriate transponder  301  is selected. The transponder is placed on a transponder tag writer and the typical weapon identification information is store weapon ID information  303  is permanently stored in the transponder. The transponder is removed from the tag writer and mounted in the handle or base of the weapon under the grip or stock pad in mount transponder in weapon  305 . A transponder tag reader is used to verify the write operation in verify weapon information  307  where the reader will display the information read from the tag and verified to be the same as written. With the transponder tag selected, mounted, information stored and verified the weapon is ready for sale or distribution  309 . If the weapon was already owned and this is part of registration the weapon is returned to the owner. 
       FIG. 3.2  discloses the typical setup of a transponder tag reader. A typical transponder tag reader location will be dependent on the specific area to be protected by the invisible concealed weapon identification system. For example a building or meeting place as shown in  FIG. 5  will scan at a perimeter penetration and where multiple penetrations are available each will have a scanner. Returning to  FIG. 3.2  a reader set up will first establish a scan location  311  this selection should be based on physical requirements and type of crowd flow for the location. Next locate the reader  313  is accomplished where the actual reader can be hidden or visible depending on the protection scenario. Next connect the reader  315  to the machine, computer, or interface to the local area network. 
     Next test reader performance  317  it is vital that the system operation is verified end to end to avoid unseen gaps or other problems. Site weapon scanning initiated  319  will bring the scanning of transponder tagged weapons on line for detecting weapons nearby. 
       FIG. 3.3  discloses the typical operation of a tag when being read by a tag reader. With the transponder tag setup in  FIG. 3.1  and the scanner scenario configured in  FIG. 3.2  the invisible concealed weapon identification system will operate as follows. A receive query  321  starts a transponder tag into responsive action. The energy from the reader charges up the transponder capacitor, this charge acts like a battery and powers up the transponder receiver, memory, and controller  323 , the controller verifies the reader query  325  and when verified causes the power up transmitter  327  with memory id information to be radiated  329  out the antenna for the querying reader to collect the transponder tag weapon information. 
     There are various standards and frequencies to choose from when implementing an invisible concealed weapon identification system a typical sample list of standards and frequencies follows.
         ISO 14223—Radiofrequency identification of animals.   ISO/IEC 14443—HF (13.56 MHZ) typically used in passports.   ISO/IEC 15693—HF (13.56 MHZ) typically used in smart payment and credit cards.   ISO/IEC 18000—Radio frequency identification for item management
           Part 1: Reference architecture and definition of parameters to be standardized   Part 2: Parameters for air interface communications below 135 kHz   Part 3: Parameters for air interface communications at 13.56 MHz   Part 4: Parameters for air interface communications at 2.45 GHz   Part 6: Parameters for air interface communications at 860-960 MHz   Part 7: Parameters for active air interface communications at 433 MHz   
           ISO/IEC—18092 Information technology—Telecommunication and information exchange between systems—near field communication, Protocol 1.   ISO 18158—Industry standard for electronic seals (433 MHZ and 2.4 GHZ).   ISO/IEC—21481—Information technology—telecommunications and information exchange, Protocol  2 .       

       FIG. 4  shows a typical invisible concealed weapon identification system data base. Many variations may be implemented and the  FIG. 4  is merely a typical starting point. A weapon data base  401  is shown with columns for serial # of a weapon, caliber or gauge of a weapon, owner of a weapon, state of residency of a weapon, phone number of an owner of a weapon, and any specific notes on the weapon or the owner. A column of weapon registration numbers  403  is shown with typical registration numbers  405  coinciding with weapon serial numbers. A data base of weapon sample information  407  is shown for a typical data base representation (not real data). 
       FIG. 5  shows a typical operating scenario for an invisible concealed weapon identification system. In the depicted scenario an individual  501  with a rifle  503  containing a transponder tag  505  mounted under the stock pad is shown attempting to enter a compound with a perimeter fence  509  an entrance gate  525  and a transponder reader  507 . The reader and interface computer  507  will query the approaching individual  501  and receive weapon information from the tag  505  in the rifle  503  the reader and interface computer  507  will communicate this information over local area network to base station  511  through antenna  513  the information is typically made available to the security monitor station  515  or SWAT  517  or other rapid reaction team, appropriate authorities  519 . These data can also be made available to the entire national data base  521  when one is available through various interconnection ways including “cloud” technology. 
     Operation 
     When operating an invisible concealed weapon identification system the first step is to follow the flow instructions depicted in  FIG. 3 . Specifically, the appropriate transponder is installed on all weapons and the appropriate identification information is stored in a State or National Weapon Data Base. Transponder readers and network interfaces are installed on all critical meeting, gathering places, and school or similar public places where a shooter is a hazard. The invisible concealed weapon identification system is powered up and provides an early warning of approaching danger. When a transponder tag is installed one way screws are discussed in  FIG. 1  it is envisioned that these screws would be limited distribution and identifiable if tampered with for reasons such as removal of the transponder tag. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) 
     In the preferred embodiment of the invisible concealed weapon identification system the transponder tag of  FIG. 2  is mounted in the handle or stock of a weapon with grip or pad as shown in  FIG. 1  comprised of a non-radio communication interfering material as used in most weapons already. A reader interface to a machine or computer or similar processor ties the reader into a local area network and authorities can monitor gates as shown in  FIG. 5  and penetration from anywhere in the area or remotely for approaching weapons.