Smart-gun locking and unlocking systems and methods

1. A smart-gun system comprising:

a smart-gun server; and

a plurality of device-smart-gun pairs, that each include:

a first user device that communicates with the smart-gun server; and

a first smart-gun that communicates with the first user device via a wireless network, the first smart-gun configured to be:

configured from an unlocked configuration where the first smart-gun is operable to fire, to a locked configuration where the first smart-gun is inoperable to fire, the configuring to the locked configuration in response to a locking signal;

maintained in the locked configuration where the first smart-gun is inoperable to fire in response to a lock-maintained signal;

configured from the locked configuration where the first smart-gun is inoperable to fire, to the unlocked configuration where the first smart-gun is operable to fire, the configuring to the unlocked configuration in response to an unlocking signal; and

maintained in the unlocked configuration where the first smart-gun is operable to fire in response to an unlock-maintained signal;

wherein a first locking signal is generated based at least in part on a determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are more than a maximum defined distance apart;

wherein a first unlock-maintained signal is generated based at least in part on a second determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are less than the maximum defined distance apart; and

wherein the determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are more than the maximum defined distance apart and the first and second determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are less than the maximum defined distance apart are based at least in part on:

determining, by the first smart-gun, a signal strength of a wireless connection between the first smart-gun and first user device over the wireless network; and

determining, by the first smart-gun, whether the signal strength of the wireless connection between the first smart-gun and first user is greater than or less than a defined signal strength that corresponds to the maximum defined distance apart.

2. The smart-gun system of claim 1 ,

wherein a first unlock-maintained signal is generated based at least in part on a second determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are less than the maximum defined distance apart;

wherein a second locking signal is generated based at least in part on a determination that the first smart-gun is outside a defined physical boundary; and

wherein a second unlocking signal is generated based at least in part on a determination that the first smart-gun is inside the defined physical boundary.

3. The smart-gun system of claim 2 , wherein the determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are more than the maximum defined distance apart and the first and second determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are less than the maximum defined distance apart are based at least in part on:

determining a respective location of the first smart-gun and first user device;

determining a first distance corresponding to the respective locations of the first smart-gun and first user device; and

determining whether the first distance is greater than or less than the maximum defined distance apart.

4. The smart-gun system of claim 2 , the physical boundary is defined by one of:

a room of a building,

an interior of a building,

a city block,

a metropolitan area, and

a country.

5. The smart-gun system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of device-smart-gun pairs each include:

the first user device including a first global positioning system; and

the first smart-gun including a second global positioning system.

6. A smart-gun system comprising:

a first user device; and

a first smart-gun that communicates with the first user device via a communication network, the first smart-gun configured to be:

configured from an unlocked configuration where the first smart-gun is operable to fire, to a locked configuration where the first smart-gun is inoperable to fire, the configuring to the locked configuration in response to a locking signal; and

configured from the locked configuration where the first smart-gun is inoperable to fire, to the unlocked configuration where the first smart-gun is operable to fire, the configuring to the unlocked configuration in response to an unlocking signal,

wherein the unlocking signal is generated based at least in part on a determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are less than the maximum defined distance apart, which is based at least in part on determining that a signal strength of a wireless connection between the first smart-gun and first user device over the communication network is less than a defined signal strength that corresponds to less than or equal to the maximum defined distance apart, or

the locking signal is generated based at least in part on a determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are greater than the maximum defined distance apart, which is based at least in part on determining that a signal strength of a wireless connection between the first smart-gun and first user device over the communication network is greater than a defined signal strength that corresponds to greater than or equal to the maximum defined distance apart.

7. The smart-gun system of claim 6 , wherein the locking signal is generated based at least in part on a determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are more than a maximum defined distance apart; and

wherein the unlocking signal is generated based at least in part on a first determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are less than the maximum defined distance apart.

8. The smart-gun system of claim 7 , wherein the determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are more than the maximum defined distance apart and the first determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are less than the maximum defined distance apart are based at least in part on:

determining, by the first smart-gun, a signal strength of a wireless connection between the first smart-gun and first user device over the communication network; and

determining, by the first smart-gun, whether the signal strength of the wireless connection between the first smart-gun and first user is greater than or less than a defined signal strength that corresponds to the maximum defined distance apart.

9. The smart-gun system of claim 7 , wherein the determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are more than the maximum defined distance apart and the first determination that the first smart-gun and first user device are less than the maximum defined distance apart are based at least in part on:

determining a respective location of the first smart-gun and first user device;

determining a first distance corresponding to the respective locations of the first smart-gun and first user device; and

determining whether the first distance is greater than or less than the maximum defined distance apart.

10. The smart-gun system of claim 6 , wherein the locking signal is generated based at least in part on a determination that the first smart-gun is outside a defined physical boundary; and

wherein the unlocking signal is generated based at least in part on a determination that the first smart-gun is inside the defined physical boundary.

11. The smart-gun system of claim 10 , wherein the defined physical boundary is defined by one of a room of a building, an interior of a building or a city block.

12. The smart-gun system of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first user device and first smart-gun includes a global positioning system.

13. A smart-gun configured to communicate with user device via a communication network, the smart-gun configured to be:

configured from an unlocked configuration where the smart-gun is operable to fire, to a locked configuration where the smart-gun is inoperable to fire, the configuring to the locked configuration in response to a locking signal; and

configured from the locked configuration where the smart-gun is inoperable to fire, to the unlocked configuration where the smart-gun is operable to fire, the configuring to the unlocked configuration in response to an unlocking signal;

wherein the locking signal is generated based at least in part on a determination that the smart-gun and user device are more than a maximum defined distance apart; and

wherein the determination that the smart-gun and user device are more than the maximum defined distance apart is based at least in part on:

determining, by the smart-gun, a signal strength of a wireless connection between the smart-gun and user device over the communication network; and

determining, by the smart-gun, that the signal strength of the wireless connection between the smart-gun and user device is less than a defined signal strength that corresponds to the maximum defined distance apart.

14. The smart-gun of claim 13 , wherein the smart-gun includes a global positioning system.

15. The smart-gun of claim 13 , wherein the determination that the smart-gun and user device are more than the maximum defined distance apart is based at least in part on: determining a respective location of the smart-gun and user device; determining a first distance corresponding to the respective locations of the smart- gun and user device; and determining whether the first distance is greater than or less than the maximum defined distance apart.

16. The smart-gun of claim 13 , wherein the locking signal is generated based at least in part on a determination that the smart-gun is outside a defined physical boundary.

17. The smart-gun of claim 16 , wherein the physical boundary is defined by one of:

a room of a building,

an interior of a building,

a city block,

a metropolitan area, and

a country.