Patent ID: 7886471

Claim:
A method of controlling the use of a weapon having a receiver and a processor secured thereto, the weapon being actuatable between an inactive state which prevents firing and an active state which permits firing, said method including the steps of: providing a weapon having a receiver and a processor secured thereto, the weapon being actuatable between an inactive state which prevents firing and an active state which permits firing; identifying an authorized user by an identification unit that is separate from the weapon; transmitting from said identification unit a coded activation signal, which indicates identification of an authorized user for the weapon, to change said weapon from said inactive state to said active state and a continuous signal after the coded activation signal is transmitted in order to thereafter maintain said weapon in said active state; receiving with the receiver the coded activation signal and then the continuous signal transmitted by the identification unit; with the processor, placing the weapon in the active state from the inactive state when the receiver receives the coded activation signal; after said step of placing the weapon in the active state, monitoring the signal strength of the continuous signal received by the receiver; by said monitoring, maintaining the weapon in the active state exclusively dependent upon the monitored strength of the continuous signal being at or above a minimum signal strength, and regardless of a frequency of the continuous signal or either the presence or absence of the coded activation signal, so as to avoid a deactivation of the weapon solely by monitoring the strength of the continuous signal, and deactivating the weapon with the processor if the strength of the monitored continuous signal falls below the minimum strength.