IP Library Granted Patent US 9,739,556
Granted Patent B2
US 9,739,556 · App. 15/355,012 · Granted Aug 22, 2017

Method of preventing accidental shootings with a firearm safety beacon

Inventor: Kenneth Carl Steffen Winiecki (Cupertino, CA)
F41A17/063F41A17/46
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,739,556
App. No.
15/355,012
Granted
Aug 22, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of preventing accidental shooting requires a safety beacon and a firearm that has a computing device and a wireless receiver. The method begins by continuously transmitting a warning signal with the safety beacon and by continuously monitoring for the warning signal with the wireless receiver. The method then processes the warning signal into an endangerment assessment with the computing unit, if the warning signal is captured by the wireless receiver. The endangerment assessment is used to determine whether or not it is safe to shoot the firearm based on the location of the safety beacon. Finally, the method executing a physical response with the firearm, if the endangerment assessment identifies a potentially unsafe situation between the safety beacon and the firearm. The physical response can be a tactile, auditory, or visual notification to the user of the potentially unsafe situation.

Claims (56)

1. A method of preventing accidental shootings with a firearm safety beacon, the method comprises the steps of:

(A) providing at least one safety beacon;

(B) providing a firearm, wherein the firearm includes a computing unit and a wireless receiver;

(C) continuously transmitting a warning signal with the safety beacon;

(D) continuously monitoring for the warning signal with the wireless receiver;

(E) processing the warning signal into an endangerment assessment with the computing unit, if the warning signal is captured by the wireless receiver;

(F) executing a physical response with the firearm, if the endangerment assessment identifies a potentially unsafe situation between the safety beacon and the firearm;

providing a minimum safe angle stored on the computing device;

radially distributing the warning signal from the safety beacon during step (C);

sensing an emission direction of the warning signal with the wireless receiver;

comparing the emission direction of the warning signal to an aiming direction of the firearm during the endangerment assessment in order to calculate an offset angle between the emission direction and the aiming direction;

identifying the potentially unsafe situation between the safety beacon and the firearm during the endangerment assessment, if the emission direction and the aiming direction intersect each other, and if the offset angle between the emission direction and the aiming direction is less than the minimum safe angle.

2. The method of preventing accidental shootings with a firearm safety beacon, the method as claimed in claim 1 comprises the steps of:

providing a minimum safe distance stored by the computing unit;

integrating a current location of the safety beacon into the warning signal before step (C);

comparing the current distance of the safety beacon to a current location of the firearm during the endangerment assessment in order to calculate an offset distance between the safety beacon and the firearm;

identifying the potentially unsafe situation between the safety beacon and the firearm during the endangerment assessment, if the offset distance between the safety beacon and the firearm is less than the minimum safe distance.

3. The method of preventing accidental shootings with a firearm safety beacon, the method as claimed in claim 2 comprises the steps of:

prompting to select the minimum safe distance for the safety beacon;

designating a selected distance as the minimum safe distance with the computing unit.

4. The method of preventing accidental shootings with a firearm safety beacon, the method as claimed in claim 1 comprises the steps of:

providing a trigger for the firearm;

mechanically locking the trigger as the physical response during step (F).

5. The method of preventing accidental shootings with a firearm safety beacon, the method as claimed in claim 1 comprises the steps of:

providing a vibrator for the firearm;

activating the vibrator as the physical response during step (F).

6. The method of preventing accidental shootings with a firearm safety beacon, the method as claimed in claim 1 comprises the steps of:

providing a lighting device for the firearm;

activating the lighting device as the physical response during step (F).

7. The method of preventing accidental shootings with a firearm safety beacon, the method as claimed in claim 1 comprises the steps of:

providing an auditory device for the firearm;

activating the auditory device as the physical response during step (F).

8. The method of preventing accidental shootings with a firearm safety beacon, the method as claimed in claim 1 comprises the steps of:

prompting to initiate an unsafe mode for the firearm with the computing unit;

disabling the physical response during step (F), if the unsafe mode is initiated for the firearm.

9. The method of preventing accidental shootings with a firearm safety beacon, the method as claimed in claim 1 comprises the steps of:

providing a plurality of safety beacons as the at least one safety beacon;

distributing the plurality of safety beacons throughout a designated safe zone.

10. The method of preventing accidental shootings with a firearm safety beacon, the method as claimed in claim 1 comprises the steps of:

providing a portable power source for the safety beacon;

powering the safety beacon with the portable power source.

11. The method of preventing accidental shootings with a firearm safety beacon, the method as claimed in claim 10 comprises the steps of:

providing a photovoltaic module for the safety beacon, wherein the photovoltaic module is electrically connected to the portable power source;

recharging the portable power source by capturing light with the photovoltaic module.

12. The method of preventing accidental shootings with a firearm safety beacon, the method as claimed in claim 10 comprises the steps of:

providing an inductive charging pad;

recharging the portable power source by placing the safety beacon onto the inductive charging pad.

13. The method of preventing accidental shootings with a firearm safety beacon, the method as claimed in claim 1 comprises the steps of:

providing a portable power source for the firearm;

powering the computing unit and the physical response with the portable power source.

14. The method of preventing accidental shootings with a firearm safety beacon, the method as claimed in claim 13 comprises the steps of:

providing a photovoltaic module for the firearm, wherein the photovoltaic module is electrically connected to the portable power source;

recharging the portable power source by capturing light with the photovoltaic module.

15. The method of preventing accidental shootings with a firearm safety beacon, the method as claimed in claim 13 comprises the steps of:

providing an inductive charging pad;

recharging the portable power source by placing the firearm onto the inductive charging pad.

Continuity (5)
Continuation In Part PCTUS2015038644 · Jun 30, 2015
Continuation In Part PCTIB2016052611 · May 6, 2016
Provisional Application 62256543 · Nov 17, 2015
Provisional Application 62262716 · Dec 3, 2015
Related Publication 20170074610A1 · Mar 16, 2017