Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F41—WEAPONS
  • F41A—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE
  • F41A19/00—Firing or trigger mechanisms; Cocking mechanisms
  • F41A19/01—Counting means indicating the number of shots fired

Definitions

• This invention relates to a shot detection and counter device, and a method of detecting and counting shots fired from a weapon.
• the invention also relates to a shot detection and counting system and a shot counting weapon.
• the invention is expected to be advantageously applicable to weapons such as handguns, semi-automatic and automatic rifles, sub-machine guns, grenade launchers, shotguns, revolvers, pistols, and the like. Accordingly, such applications should particularly, but not exclusively, be borne in mind when considering this specification.
• triggering should be interpreted to include “initialising” and the term “motion” to include “gesture”.
• Devices that count the number of rounds fired from a firearm are well-known. However, such devices generally employ a single accelerometer sensor and a basic wake-from-sleep circuit.
• the present invention aims to provide such a shot counting device and method.
• a shot detection and counter device which includes: a microprocessor; an analogue accelerometer; a digital accelerometer whose sampling initialisation is operatively triggered by a trigger signal received from the analogue accelerometer to input a shot waveform to the microprocessor, the microprocessor being operable to: receive the trigger signal as a reference signal to the start of a weapon firing cycle, sample the shot waveform, compare the shot waveform with a predetermined configuration of pre-sets to distinguish a real shot-event from a false shot-event, and produce a shot counter signal; and a wireless communications module for operatively transmitting the shot counter signal to a remote device being in operative communication with the shot counter device.
• the shot counter device may be configured, prior to triggering the sampling of the digital accelerometer, to respond to an impact-wake event that awakens the shot counter device from a sleep state to an awake state by detecting a high g-force wake signal at the analogue accelerometer, and in response to the impact-wake event, trigger the sampling of the digital accelerometer by transmitting an interrupt to the microprocessor.
• the digital accelerometer may include a three-axis digital accelerometer.
• the shot counter device may include a memory module for operative storage and later retrieval and transmittal of the shot counter signal from the wireless communications module to the remote device.
• the method may include transmitting the shot counter signal to a wireless communications module of the shot counter device for operative transmission of the shot counter signal to a remote device being in operative wireless communication with the shot counter device.
• the method may include providing training of the shooter of the device by evaluating the analysed shot counter signal for shooter skill based on the evaluation.
• the training of the shooter may include any one or more of: providing training progress to the shooter to achieve improved weapon control; providing training tips to the shooter; and providing feedback to the shooter by audio or visual means.
• the method may include, subsequent to the sampling of the shot waveform, calculating specific weighting coefficients from the shot waveform.
• a shot detection and counting system which includes: a shot counter device as hereinbefore described; and a remote device having installed thereon a client-side software application for the configuring and real-time monitoring of the shot counter device.
• the remote device may include a mobile device having installed thereon a client-side mobile device software application.
• FIG. 4a shows an example of the sensor response graph in accordance with another aspect of the invention.
• the shot counter device (10) is configured to process and analyse the shot counter signal at the end of each weapon firing cycle and to transmit the shot counter signal from the Bluetooth® standard low energy module (28) to the mobile device (30) in substantially real-time.
• the shot counter device (10) includes a memory module (32) for operative storage and later retrieval and transmittal of the shot counter signal from the Bluetooth® standard low energy module (28) to the mobile device (30).
• the analogue accelerometer i.e. the piezoelectric shock sensor (14) transmits the trigger signal (18), thereby triggering the sampling of the digital three-axis accelerometer (16) to produce the shot waveform (26).
• the sampled shot waveform (26) is compared with the pre- determined configuration of pre-sets (24) to distinguish a real shot-event from a false shot-event and as a result, produce a shot counter signal at step (106). It should be appreciated that all device components are implemented in a small housing (not shown) and requires merely a coin-cell type battery that provides a long cycle time and is easily upgradeable.
• step (107) the shot counter signal is processed and analysed at the end of the weapon firing cycle and accordingly, at the end of each subsequent firing cycle, by recognizing spatial movement during trigger pull while performing dry fire or live fire.
• the method includes providing training of the shooter of the device (not shown here) by evaluating the analysed shot counter signal for shooter skill based on the evaluation.
• the training of the shooter involves providing training progress to the shooter to achieve improved weapon control, providing training tips to the shooter, and providing feedback to the shooter by audio or visual means.
• the shot counter signal is stored in the memory module (32) for later retrieval and transmittal of the shot counter signal from the Bluetooth® standard low energy module (28) to the remote mobile device (30).
• the transmitting and storing of the shot counter signal may include storing and transmitting of a plurality of successive firing cycle shot counter signals in the form of shot counter data for real-time or later monitoring of the shot counter data at the remote device at step (110).
• reference numeral (60) denotes, generally, the waking of the shot detection and counter device (10) of the method (100) described in figure 2.
• the method (100) includes, prior to triggering the sampling of the digital accelerometer, impact-waking the shot counter device from a sleep state to an awake state by detecting a high g-force wake signal at the piezoelectric shock sensor (14), and in response thereto, triggering the sampling of the digital three-axis accelerometer (16) by transmitting an interrupt to the microprocessor (12) of figure 2.
• the method (100) includes, prior to triggering the sampling of the digital three-axis accelerometer, motion-waking the shot counter device (10) from a sleep state to an awake state by detecting a low g-force wake signal at the digital three-axis accelerometer (16).
• the waking of the shot counter may be achieved by either:
• (a) low g force (digital accelerometer) motion-wake If the users wants to wake up the device with motion detect then Low G wakeup of the 3-axis digital accelerometer is employed.
• the level of g’s may be parameterized, and it is also possible to wake up the device with a specific motion gesture.
• the waking features of the device enable it to work from sleep (if the Bluetooth Low Energy connection is not needed) or in live mode where it sends data to the monitoring device in real time.
• the piezo electric shock sensor (14) By rotating and placing the piezo electric shock sensor (14) on the PCB at an angle of which the sensor sensing axis is inconsistent with the impact axis, the sensitivity of the sensor is reduced, thereby ensuring a more accurate reading of the firearm’s (90) firing and eliminated false detections of possible vibrations detected by the shock sensor (14). Owing to the firearm’s firing being an explosion initiated mechanical movement, it contains more than sufficient energy to trigger the piezoelectric shock sensor (14). As a result, the sensor may be rotated to passively attenuate its response to reject common events like dropping on the floor, slide release, hitting pistol on hard surface etc. while preserving enough sensor dynamic range to capture real shot-events. Such placement of the piezo electric shock sensor (14) deliberately differs from and goes against the sensor manufacturer’s suggested placement.
• numeral (70) of figure 4a shows an example of the sensor response graph in accordance with one embodiment of the invention wherein the piezoelectric shock sensor (14) is installed on the device (10) at an angle substantially nonperpendicular to an impact axis of a shot. Positioning of the sensor (14) in such manner improves device response and makes for accurate detection, thereby reducing the need for additional circuitry.
• reference numeral 72 of figure 4b shows an example of a sensor response graph wherein the sensor is mounted substantially perpendicular to the impact axis of a shot.
• reference numeral (92) shows a shot counting weapon according to other embodiments of the invention wherein the device (10) may be installed at various places on the weapon as indicated by numerals 10.1 through 10.5.
• the device, system and method as hereinbefore described provides for flexibility and a low energy requirement by means of the combination analogue and digital accelerometer, which reduces a need for additional computational devices and thereby achieving a minimal physical device size using off- the-shelf integrated circuit components for an increased operational lifetime.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Aiming, Guidance, Guns With A Light Source, Armor, Camouflage, And Targets (AREA)

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Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (3)

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Family Applications (1)

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• 2021
  • 2021-11-17 PL PL21815184.3T patent/PL4392730T3/pl unknown
  • 2021-11-17 HR HRP20251551TT patent/HRP20251551T1/hr unknown
  • 2021-11-17 EP EP21815184.3A patent/EP4392730B1/de active Active
  • 2021-11-17 WO PCT/EP2021/082022 patent/WO2023088554A1/en not_active Ceased

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