Patent ID: 8893420

Claim:
Gun lock apparatus for preventing use of a gun by any unauthorized person, said apparatus comprising: (1) a gun lock configured to be installed on a gun, said gun lock including: (a) an electric gun lock device configured to be disposed on a gun. and responsive to at least one electric signal to select between two operative states, a locked state which prevents firing the gun and an unlocked state which enables firing; (b) a data receiver for receiving a gun unlock signal representing first gun unlock data; (c) a data memory for storing second gun unlock data; and (d) a first logic device, coupled to the data receiver and to the data memory, for comparing said first gun unlock data received by said receiver with said second gun unlock data stored in said memory upon receipt of said gun unlock signal, and for producing said at least one electric signal to select said unlocked state in dependence upon whether said first gun unlock data and said second gun unlock data are substantially the same; (2) a gun key device for unlocking the gun, said gun key device including a smartphone comprising: (a) a data transmitter for transmitting a signal representing said first gun unlock data to said data receiver; (b) an input device comprising a camera for inputting personal information from a putative authorized person who wishes to unlock the gun, said personal information including at least one biologic identifying image of a bodily aspect of said putative authorized person; and (c) a second logic device, coupled to each of said data transmitter and said input device, for generating said first gun unlock data from said personal information for transmission to said data receiver; wherein said first logic device is operative to cause said gun lock device to enable the gun to be fired when the first gun unlock data received by said data receiver are substantially the same as the second gun unlock data stored in said data memory, and prevent the gun from being fired at all other times; whereby said putative authorized person is recognized as an authorized person only in the event that said first gun unlock data transmitted by said gun key device substantially matches said second gun unlock data stored in said data memory; thereby to prevent unauthorized operation of the gun.