IP Library Granted Patent US 12,624,914
Granted Patent B2
US 12,624,914 · App. 18/143,404 · Granted May 12, 2026

Weapon usage monitoring system having predictive maintenance and performance metrics

Inventors: John Asbach (Grand Island, NY); Michael Canty (Bethesda, MD)
Assignee: Armaments Research Company, Inc.
F41A17/063F41A17/06F41A19/01F41A19/10F41A21/48F41A31/00F41C23/16F41C27/04F41G3/04F41G3/142F41G3/165G01S19/54H04N5/28H04N23/66G01S19/13
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,624,914
App. No.
18/143,404
Granted
May 12, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for initiating a responsive action based on an operational status event of a firearm is provided. The method can include receiving, by an event detection module, acceleration and rotation input signals from an inertial measurement unit configured on the firearm. An occurrence of an operational status event based on the acceleration and rotation input signals are identified by the event detection module. A tipping signal is generated by the event detection module based on the identified operational status event. The tipping signal is received at a responsive infrastructure. The responsive infrastructure performs a responsive action based on the tipping signal.

Claims (37)

1 . A method for initiating a responsive action based on an operational status event of a firearm, the method comprising:

receiving, by an event detection module, acceleration and rotation input signals from an inertial measurement unit configured on the firearm indicative of a barrel of the firearm tipping in a direction one of downward and upward;

identifying, by the event detection module, an occurrence of an operational status event, including a firearm discharge, based on the acceleration and rotation input signals;

measuring, by the event detection module, movement and orientation of the barrel before, during and after the firearm discharge;

determining, at a usage monitoring system, how a user is anticipating the firearm discharge based on the measured movement and orientation of the barrel before the firearm discharge;

determining, at a usage monitoring system, how a user is reacting to the firearm discharge based on the measured movement and orientation of the barrel after the firearm discharge; and

communicating the responsive action to a user of the firearm including real-time feedback at an integrated visual display indicative of one of the anticipating and reacting.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the responsive action comprises communicating a recommendation at the integrated visual display consistent with leveling the barrel based on a determination that an orientation of the barrel before the firearm discharge is downward deployment of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the responsive action comprises communicating a recommendation at the integrated visual display consistent with holding the firearm steadier based on a determination that an orientation of the barrel after the firearm discharge is upward.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the movement and orientation measurement of the barrel before, during and after the firearm discharge are pushed to a cloud for aggregation in real time.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the movement and orientation measurement of the barrel before, during and after the firearm discharge are received initially by one of a satellite and a Local Area Network (LAN) provided by a mobile networking hub.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein receiving, by the event detection module, acceleration and rotation input further comprises:

receiving first acceleration input signals at a first time including a first acceleration input signal along a first axis, a second acceleration input signal along a second axis and a third acceleration input signal along a third axis; and

calculating a first acceleration vector magnitude from the first, second and third acceleration signals.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

receiving second acceleration input signals at a second time including a first acceleration input signal along a first axis, a second acceleration input signal along a second axis and a third acceleration input signal along a third axis;

calculating a second acceleration vector magnitude from the first, second and third acceleration signals;

accessing a machine learning module that creates and runs identification algorithms using the first and second acceleration vector magnitudes.

8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

accessing a digital signal processing module that compares the first acceleration vector magnitude with a discharge acceleration template that represents a confirmed weapon discharge event; and

determining whether the first acceleration vector magnitude is a discharge event based on satisfying the discharge acceleration template.

9 . A system for initiating a responsive action based on an operational status event of a firearm, the system comprising:

an inertial measurement unit disposed on the firearm and configured to generate acceleration and rotation signals based on sensed acceleration and rotation movements of the firearm; and

an event detection module that receives the acceleration and rotation input signals from the inertial measurement unit and that is configured to (i) identify an occurrence of an operational status event, including a firearm discharge, based on the acceleration and rotation input signals; measure, by the event detection module, movement and orientation of the barrel before, during and after the firearm discharge; (iii determine, at a usage monitoring system, how a user is anticipating the firearm discharge based on the measured movement and orientation of the barrel before the firearm discharge; (iv) determining, at a usage monitoring system, how a user is reacting to the firearm discharge based on the measured movement and orientation of the barrel after the firearm discharge; and (v) communicate the responsive action to a user of the firearm including real-time feedback at an integrated visual display indicative of one of the anticipating and reacting.

10 . The system of claim 9 wherein communicating the recommendation comprises:

communicating at the integrated visual display consistent with leveling the barrel based on a determination that an orientation of the barrel before the firearm discharge is downward.

11 . The system of claim 9 wherein communicating the recommendation comprises:

communicating a recommendation at the integrated visual display consistent with holding the firearm steadier based on a determination that an orientation of the barrel after the firearm discharge is upward.

12 . The system of claim 9 wherein the event detection module is further configured to:

receive first acceleration input signals at a first time including a first acceleration input signal along a first axis, a second acceleration input signal along a second axis and a third acceleration input signal along a third axis;

calculate a first acceleration vector magnitude from the first, second and third acceleration signals; and

access a machine learning module that creates and runs identification algorithms using the first and second acceleration vector magnitudes.

13 . The system of claim 9 wherein the event detection module is further configured to:

receive first acceleration input signals at a first time including a first acceleration input signal along a first axis, a second acceleration input signal along a second axis and a third acceleration input signal along a third axis;

calculate a first acceleration vector magnitude from the first, second and third acceleration signals;

access a digital signal processing module that compares the first acceleration vector magnitude with a discharge acceleration template that represents a confirmed weapon discharge event; and

determine whether the first acceleration vector magnitude is a discharge event based on satisfying the discharge acceleration template.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 26, 2023
From: ASBACH, JOHN; CANTY, MICHAEL
To: ARMAMENTS RESEARCH COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 064384/0790 →
Continuity (12)
Continuation PCTUS2022023027 · Apr 1, 2022
Continuation 17524302 · Nov 11, 2021
Continuation 16995990 · Aug 18, 2020
Continuation PCTUS2019055925 · Oct 11, 2019
Continuation 16460348 · Jul 2, 2019
Continuation PCTUS2018015614 · Jan 27, 2018
Provisional Application 63455852 · Mar 30, 2023
Provisional Application 63216037 · Jun 29, 2021
Provisional Application 63169283 · Apr 1, 2021
Provisional Application 62745028 · Oct 12, 2018
Provisional Application 62451620 · Jan 27, 2017
Related Publication 20240068761A1 · Feb 29, 2024
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