HIGHLY PORTABLE SYSTEM FOR ACOUSTIC EVENT DETECTION
A man wearable acoustic sensor for use with a gunshot detection system. In a preferred embodiment the inventive sensor includes: a housing configured to be man wearable, a microphone; a processor housed within the housing and in communication with the microphone to detect an acoustic event and determine a time of arrival for the acoustic event; a GPS receiver for providing position information to said processor; a network; and a display for displaying information concerning acoustic events to a user. Man wearable describes a sensor which is either integrated into a piece of equipment normally carried by a soldier or integrated into an article of clothing or configured to securely attach to such equipment or clothing.
1 .- 18 . (canceled)
19 . A method of processing gunshot location information associated with a portable acoustic sensor, the method comprising:
receiving information regarding an acoustic event detected at a microphone associated with the portable acoustic sensor, wherein the sensor has a housing configured for portable operation in association with a person;
processing a time of arrival of the acoustic event, the time of arrival determined via a processor in communication with the microphone and contained within or attached to the housing, wherein position information regarding the sensor is provided to the processor via a GPS receiver in communication with the processor;
determining a source location of the gunshot as a function of sensor data including time of arrival information as to when a muzzle blast impulse caused by discharge of the gunshot was detected, wherein muzzle blast time of arrival data is used in providing direction information including a direction from the portable acoustic sensor towards the source location of the gunshot; and
performing processing to provide location information for display on a display associated with the portable acoustic sensor.
20 . The method of claim 19 wherein the housing is configured to be man wearable.
21 . The method of claim 19 wherein the housing comprises a two-way radio.
22 . The method of claim 19 wherein the location information comprises location information of the source of the acoustic event.
23 . The method of claim 19 further comprising displaying location information of another portable sensor.
24 . The method of claim of 19 , further comprising communicating the position information and the time of arrival to a gunshot location system via a wireless network interface associated with the sensor.
25 . The method of claim 19 further comprising interfacing the sensor with a wireless network interface housed in or attached to the housing.
26 . A method of processing gunshot location information associated with a portable acoustic sensor, the method comprising:
receiving information regarding an acoustic event detected at a microphone associated with the portable acoustic sensor, wherein the sensor has a housing configured for portable operation in association with a person;
processing a time of arrival of the acoustic event, the time of arrival determined via a processor in communication with the microphone and contained within or attached to the housing, wherein position information regarding the sensor is provided to the processor via a GPS receiver in communication with the processor;
networking the portable acoustic sensor with a plurality of sensors positioned apart from each other in an array such that the gunshot location is calculated as a function of time of arrival information of a muzzle blast detected at each of the plurality of sensors, such that a location of the gunshot may be determined using only muzzle blast time of arrival data; and
processing information to provide the source location for display on a display associated with the portable acoustic sensor.
27 . The method of claim 26 wherein the networking is performed via a network interface comprising a radio frequency transceiver.
28 . The method of claim 26 wherein the networking is performed via a network interface configured to connect to an ethernet network.
29 . The method of claim 26 wherein the housing is configured to be man wearable.
30 . The method of claim 26 wherein the housing comprises a two-way radio.
31 . The method of claim 26 wherein the location information comprises location information of the source of the acoustic event.
32 . The method of claim 26 further comprising processing information for displaying location information of another portable sensor.
33 . A method of processing gunshot location information at a central computer associated with a portable acoustic sensor, the method comprising:
receiving time-of-arrival and position information regarding an acoustic event detected at a microphone associated with the portable acoustic sensor, wherein the sensor has a housing configured for portable operation in association with a person, and wherein the position information regarding each sensor is provided to the sensor via a GPS receiver in communication with the sensor;
processing, at the central computer, times of arrival of the acoustic event received from a plurality of sensors;
determining a source location of the gunshot as a function of sensor data including time of arrival information as to when a muzzle blast impulse caused by discharge of the gunshot was detected, wherein muzzle blast time of arrival data is used in providing direction information including a direction from the portable acoustic sensor towards the source location of the gunshot; and
processing information to provide the source location for display on a display associated with the portable acoustic sensor.
34 . The method of claim 33 wherein the housing is configured to be man wearable.
35 . The method of claim 33 wherein the housing comprises a two-way radio.
36 . The method of claim 33 wherein the location information comprises location information of the source of the acoustic event.
37 . The method of claim 33 further comprising processing information for displaying location information of another portable sensor.
38 . The method of claim of 33 , further comprising communicating the position information and the time of arrival to a gunshot location system via a wireless network interface associated with the sensor.
39 . The method of claim 33 further comprising interfacing the sensor with a wireless network interface housed in or attached to the housing.