IP Library Granted Patent US 12,279,077
Granted Patent B2
US 12,279,077 · App. 18/659,293 · Granted Apr 15, 2025

Automated camera activation

Inventors: Thomas Guzik (Edina, MN); Muhammad Adeel (Edina, MN)
Assignees: Getac Technology Corporation; WHP Workflow Solutions, Inc.
H04N7/188F41C33/029H04N5/907H04N23/661H04W4/38
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,279,077
App. No.
18/659,293
Granted
Apr 15, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for automated camera activation are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, from a sensor, sensor data. The actions further include, based on the sensor data, determining that a firearm has been removed from a holster. The actions further include, based on determining that the firearm has been removed from the holster, generating a software-recognized event that indicates the firearm has been removed from the holster. The actions further include, in response to the software-recognized event that indicates the firearm has been removed from the holster, generating an instruction for a camera to record. The actions further include providing, for output, the instruction for the camera to record.

Claims (61)

1. A computer-implemented system, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a sampling frequency identifier and a sensor device sampler;

one or more memory devices storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

in response to detecting a presence of a firearm, causing the at least one sensor to generate an electronic signal that is based on a distance between the firearm and the sensor, wherein the electronic signal varies between two boundary levels;

determining, by the sampling frequency identifier and based on the electronic signal, a sampling frequency at which to sample the electronic signal;

generating, by the sensor device sampler, a sampled electronic signal by sampling the electronic signal at the sampling frequency; and

determining whether to activate a transmitter based on the sampled electronic signal.

2. The computer-implemented system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

in response to determining to activate the transmitter, transmitting the sampled electronic signal to a camera comprising a sensor data analyzer configured to analyze the sampled electronic signal;

analyzing the sampled electronic signal using the sensor data analyzer; and

determining whether the firearm has been removed from a holster based on the analyzed sampled electronic signal.

3. The computer-implemented system of claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise:

in response to determining the firearm has been removed from the holster:

activating one or more of a recording feature of the camera or a microphone of the camera; and

generating one or more instructions to store at least one of video data associated with the recording feature or audio data from the microphone.

4. The computer-implemented system of claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise:

outputting, by a model, a confidence score associated with a likelihood the firearm has been removed from the holster;

comparing the confidence score to a confidence score threshold; and

determining the firearm has been removed from the holster based on the comparison; and

generating an event indicating the firearm has been removed from the holster.

5. The computer-implemented system of claim 4 , wherein the model is a machine learning model.

6. The computer-implemented system of claim 4 , wherein in response to determining the event occurred within a threshold geographic distance of an event subscriber, activating a recording feature of the camera.

7. The computer-implemented system of claim 4 , wherein:

the camera comprises a location detector; and

the operations further comprise generating an event indicating a location of the firearm based on the location detector.

8. The computer-implemented system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining to activate the transmitter based on a transmitter activation threshold associated with one or more of the sampled sensor data or the sampling frequency; and

determining to deactivate the transmitter based on a transmitter deactivation threshold associated with the one or more of the sampled sensor data or the sampling frequency.

9. The computer-implemented system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor device sampler is configured to sample the electronic signal at varying frequencies based on the sampled electronic signal.

10. The computer-implemented system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

comparing a value of the sampled electronic signal to a range, wherein the range is associated with the two boundary levels; and

in response to determining a value of the sampled electronic signal is outside the range, deactivating the transmitter.

11. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

in response to detecting the presence of a firearm, causing at least one sensor to generate an electronic signal that is based on a distance between the firearm and the sensor, wherein the electronic signal varies between two boundary levels;

determining, by a sampling frequency identifier and based on the electronic signal, a sampling frequency at which to sample the electronic signal;

generating, by the sensor device sampler, a sampled electronic signal by sampling the electronic signal at the sampling frequency; and

determining whether to activate a transmitter based on the sampled electronic signal.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising:

in response to determining to activate the transmitter, transmitting the sampled electronic signal to a camera comprising a sensor data analyzer configured to analyze the sampled electronic signal;

analyzing the sampled electronic signal using the sensor data analyzer; and

determining whether the firearm has been removed from a holster based on the analyzed sampled electronic signal.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising:

in response to determining the firearm has been removed from the holster:

activating one or more of a recording feature of the camera or a microphone of the camera; and

generating one or more instructions to store at least one of video data associated with the recording feature or audio data from the microphone.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising:

outputting, by a model, a confidence score associated with a likelihood the firearm has been removed from the holster;

comparing the confidence score to a confidence score threshold;

determining the firearm has been removed from the holster based on the comparison; and

generating an event indicating the firearm has been removed from the holster.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the model is a machine learning model.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , wherein in response to determining the event occurred within a threshold geographic distance of an event subscriber, activating a recording feature of the camera.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , further comprising generating an event indicating a location of the firearm based on a location detector associated with the camera.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising:

determining to activate the transmitter based on a transmitter activation threshold associated with one or more of the sampled sensor data or the sampling frequency; and

determining to deactivate the transmitter based on a transmitter deactivation threshold associated with the one or more of the sampled sensor data or the sampling frequency.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the sensor device sampler is configured to sample the electronic signal at varying frequencies based on the sampled electronic signal.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising:

comparing a value of the sampled electronic signal to a range, wherein the range is associated with the two boundary levels; and

in response to determining a value of the sampled electronic signal is outside the range, deactivating the transmitter.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 12, 2024
From: GUZIK, THOMAS; ADEEL, MUHAMMAD
To: GETAC CORPORATION; WHP WORKFLOW SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 069564/0781 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 12, 2024
From: GETAC CORPORATION
To: GETAC TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 069608/0016 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 17490787 · Sep 30, 2021
Related Publication 20240291947A1 · Aug 29, 2024
References Cited (22)
US 20060098088A1 · Raghunath · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20080061991A1 · Urban · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20110018998A1 · Guzik · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20150176937A1 · Sullivan et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150301581A1 · Ding · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20160173832A1 · Stewart · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160190859A1 · Blum et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160283860A1 · Pycock · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170003101A1 · Madrid · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20180075562A1 · Hanchett, Jr. et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180100713A1 · Patches · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190034157A1 · Steinberg · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190197354A1 · Law · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200355464A1 · Estes, III et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210272131A1 · Enabosi · 2021 [cited by examiner]
KR 102067905 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
Axon Signal Vehicle. Manual [online]. Axon Enterprise, Inc., 2019 [retrieved on Mar. 30, 2023]. Retrieved from the nternet: URL: <https://my.axon.com/sfc/servlel.shepherd/documenl/download/069f3000006LicYAAS>. [cited by applicant]
Back-End Client (Back-End Application). Operating Instructions [online]. Panasonic System Networks Co., Lid., 2017 retrieved on Mar. 30, 2023]. Retrieved from the Internet: URL: <https://manualsbrain.com/en/manuals/7807… [cited by applicant]
Body Worn Camera. Important Information [online]. Panasonic Corporation, 2009 [retrieved on Mar. 30, 2023]. Retrieved rom the Internet: URL: <hllps://www.manualslib.com/manual/1302317/Panasonic-Wv-Tw370.html>. [cited by applicant]
International Patent Application No. PCT/US2022/045060, International Search Report and Written Opinion mailed Jan. 26, 2023, 9 pages. [cited by applicant]
Memory Card Video Recorder. Operating Instructions [online]. Panasonic Corporation, 2009 [retrieved on Mar. 30, 2023]. Retrieved from the Internet: URL: <hllps://www.manualslib.com/manual/885169/Panasonic-Ag-Cpd20p.html… [cited by applicant]
Remote activation from CAD settings. Respond Web [online]. Axon Enterprise, Inc., 2021 [retrieved on Mar. 30, 2023]. Retrieved from the Internet: URL: <hllps://my.axon.com/s/article/Respond-Remote-Activation-from-CAD-Se… [cited by applicant]