A situational awareness information system and method

Abstract

A system 10 comprises a data processor 12 operable to receive data 14 from a gunshot detection sensor 16 and process the received data to provide a situational awareness information signal to a user,

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a situational awareness information system and method and particularly a situational awareness information system and method for providing information to an operative relating to gunshots fired in an area of interest, such as, for example, a mounted or dismounted land-based soldier in a theatre of war, or armed police attending a shooting incident. BACKGROUND

[0002] Situational awareness is a critical element of successful assessment and performance in a combat environment.

[0003] It is known to improve a soldier’s situational awareness of by using a suite of situation awareness systems which may include a smartphone-type processing device, a network such as Long-Term Evolution, LTE, network and with a centralised power management component.

[0004] Such systems provide commanders with accurate and real-time locations of soldiers, allowing commanders to visualise geospatial, picture and message data on a digital battle space. Commanders can determine their location, the location of their soldiers, the location of the enemy, and determine the orders and communicate orders to soldiers relatively quickly and easily. Similarly, soldiers are able to view the information from their positions.

[0005] Known systems which can be used within situational awareness systems include gunshot localisation systems. Gunshot localisation systems provide soldiers and police with situational awareness to respond quickly and accurately to hostile attacks and protect themselves from sniper attacks and other gunfire threats.

[0006] Patent document US5586086A describes a system and method for locating a firearm on the basis of acoustic detection. Location of a firearm firing projectiles is determined by using an acoustic detection antenna that includes at least three microphones spaced apart from one another. The three spaced apart microphones detect and record signals and time offsets of the signals which are representative of the muzzle noise of the firearm and / or the soundwave emitted by the mach cone generated by a projectile that has supersonic muzzle velocity. The signals and their time offsets are processed in such a manner as to determine at least the direction in which the firearm is located.

[0007] The location of the firearm, determined by a gunshot localisation system, is displayed on a situational awareness system digital display screen, along with all the other information determined by the situational awareness system information.

[0008] The large quantity of different situational awareness information being simultaneously displayed on the digital display screen can often lead to a problem of cognitive load, especially for front-line soldiers, especially when engaged in a battle. The increasing quantity of information being displayed on user screens can result in users losing concentration and focus on the combative orders. Moreover, a user can only quickly view a screen and, when doing so, at least momentarily, loses sight of the battlefield and possible visible threats on the battlefield. Active service feedback from frontline personnel indicates that it is becoming increasingly difficult to focus and concentrate on fighting the battle while using all the data and information feeds transmitted to the digital display screens of the frontline personnel.

[0009] It is therefore desirable for there to be a system and method which provides accurate and immediately discernible gunshot localisation situational awareness while reducing cognitive load on the receiving user of the situational awareness.

[0010] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a situational awareness information system and method which provides accurate and immediately discernible gunshot localisation situational awareness information while also reducing cognitive load on the receiving user. SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0011] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a situational awareness information system comprising a data processor operable to receive data from a gunshot detection sensor and process the received data to provide a situational awareness information signal, wherein the situational awareness information signal is an audio signal, and wherein the data processor transmits the audio signal to an audio speaker through which a user can audibly receive situational awareness information.

[0012] The received data may comprise data direct from a measurement of a said gunshot detection sensor.

[0013] Alternatively, or additionally, the received data may comprise data derived from a measurement of a said gunshot detection sensor.

[0014] The received data may be received from a said gunshot detection sensor disposed on at least one of a fixed, mobile, or wearable asset.

[0015] The audio signal may be bi-directional.

[0016] The data processor may transmit the audio signal to the audio speaker automatically.

[0017] Alternatively, or additionally, the data processor may transmit the audio signal to the audio speaker upon receiving a request to transmit the audio signal.

[0018] The data processor may receive data from said gunshot detection sensor through a wireless communication connection.

[0019] Alternatively, or additionally, the data processor receives data from said gunshot detection sensor through a wired communication connection.

[0020] The audio signal may be a digital signal.

[0021] Alternatively, or additionally, the audio signal is an analogue signal.

[0022] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided, a method of providing situational awareness information to a user, the method comprising: providing a data processor; receiving data from a gunshot detection sensor; processing the received data to provide a situational awareness information signal; wherein the situational awareness information signal is an audio signal; and, wherein the data processor transmits the audio signal to an audio speaker through which a user can audibly receive situational awareness information.

[0023] The received data may comprise data direct from a measurement of a said gunshot detection sensor.

[0024] Alternatively, or additionally, the received data may comprise data derived from a measurement of a said gunshot detection sensor.

[0025] The received data may be received from a said gunshot detection sensor disposed on at least one of a fixed, mobile, or wearable asset.

[0026] The audio signal may be bi-directional.

[0027] The data processor may transmit the audio signal to the audio speaker automatically.

[0028] Alternatively, or additionally, the data processor may transmit the audio signal to the audio speaker upon receiving a request to transmit the audio signal.

[0029] The data processor may receive data from said gunshot detection sensor through a wireless communication connection.

[0030] Alternatively, or additionally, the data processor receives data from said gunshot detection sensor through a wired communication connection.

[0031] The audio signal may be a digital signal.

[0032] Alternatively, or additionally, the audio signal is an analogue signal.

[0033] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer program product comprising a non-transitory readable medium holding computer program instructions, the computer program instructions executed by a hardware processor to carry out the method of the second aspect of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0034] The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing.

[0035] Figure 1 is a schematic drawing showing a situational awareness information system and method, according to the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0036] Referring to Figure 1, a situational awareness information system and method 10 comprises a data processor 12 operable to receive data 14 from a gunshot detection sensor 16 of a type known in the prior art. The processor 12 may be a portable communication device such as, for example, a smartphone, or an accessory for communicating with a portable communication device such as, for example, a smartphone. The gunshot detection sensor 16 is disposed on either a fixed or mobile asset or wearable.

[0037] The received data 14 may be one or more direct measurements of the gunshot detection sensor 16, such as, for example, shot azimuth, elevation, caliber and distance. Additionally, or alternatively, the received data 14 may be pre-processed data derived from one or more of the direct measurements of the gunshot detection sensor 16. Pre-processing of the received data 14 may include, for example, mathematical, computer coding or data logging processing. The received data 14 may also include pre-processed data, derived from datasets using machine learning or artificial intelligence.

[0038] The data 14 is transmitted to the processor 12 over a communication network 18, which may be a wired or a wireless network, or a combination of both wired and wireless networks.

[0039] The processor 12 processes the received data 14 into an audio situational awareness information signal 20. The audio situational awareness information signal 20 includes a digital signal or analogue signal and is preferably discernible by a user as a bi-directional signal. The audio situational awareness information signal 20 is transmitted to one or more speakers 22, through which a user, such as a soldier or police operative, receives situational awareness information as an audible signal. The one or more speakers 22 are preferably housed in one or a pair of earpieces or headphones.

[0040] The processor 12 transmits the audio situational awareness information signal 20 automatically, which may occur upon receipt of new situational information. Alternatively, or additionally, the processor 12 transmits the audio situational awareness information signal upon request by a system user. The request is preferably an audio request through a microphone. 5

[0041] In use, because the audio situational awareness information signal 20 is an audio signal which is audibly received by the soldier, the situational awareness information system and method 10, as described above, provides accurate and immediately discernible gunshot localisation situational awareness information, while reducing cognitive load on the receiving user, thereby enabling frontline personnel to focus and concentrate and continually engage 10 in a heads-up manner with visual awareness maintained in the theatre of war and, for example, in a gun battle.

Claims

1. A situational awareness information system comprising a data processor operable to receive data from a gunshot detection sensor and process the received data to provide a situational awareness information signal, wherein the situational awareness information signal is an audio signal, and wherein the data processor transmits the audio signal to an audio speaker through which a user can audibly receive situational awareness information.

2. A situational awareness information system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the received data comprises data direct from a measurement of a said gunshot detection sensor.

3. A situational awareness information system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the received data comprises data derived from a measurement of a said gunshot detection sensor.

4. A situational awareness information system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the received data is received from a said gunshot detection sensor disposed on at least one of a fixed, mobile or wearable asset.

5. A situational awareness information system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the audio signal is bi-directional.

6. A situational awareness information system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the data processor transmits the audio signal to the audio speaker automatically.

7. A situational awareness information system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the data processor transmits the audio signal to the audio speaker upon receiving a request to transmit the audio signal.

8. A situational awareness information system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the data processor receives data from said gunshot detection sensor through a wireless communication connection.

9. A situational awareness information system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the data processor receives data from said gunshot detection sensor through a wired communication connection.

10. A situational awareness information system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the audio signal is a digital signal.

11. A situational awareness information system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the audio signal is an analogue signal.

12. A method of providing situational awareness information to a user, the method comprising:providing a data processor;receiving data from a gunshot detection sensor;processing the received data to provide a situational awareness information signal;wherein the situational awareness information signal is an audio signal; and, wherein the data processor transmits the audio signal to an audio speaker through which a user can audibly receive situational awareness information.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, whereby the received data comprises data direct from a measurement of a said gunshot detection sensor.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12 or 13, whereby the received data comprises data derived from a measurement of a said gunshot detection sensor.

15. A method as claimed in claims 12 to 14, whereby the received data is received from a said gunshot detection sensor disposed on at least one of a fixed, mobile, or wearable asset.

16. A method as claimed in claims 12 to 15, whereby the audio signal is bi-directional.

17. A method as claimed in claims 12 to 16, whereby the data processor transmits the audio signal to the audio speaker automatically.

18. A method as claimed in claims 12 to 17, whereby the data processor transmits the audio signal to the audio speaker upon receiving a request to transmit the audio signal.

19. A method as claimed in claims 12 to 18, whereby the data processor receives data from said gunshot detection sensor through a wireless communication connection.

20. A method as claimed in claims 12 to 19, whereby the data processor receives data from said gunshot detection sensor through a wired communication connection.

21. A method as claimed in claims 12 to 20, whereby the audio signal is a digital signal.

22. A method as claimed in claims 12 to 21, whereby the audio signal is an analogue signal.

23. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory readable medium holding computer program instructions, the computer program instructions executed by a hardware processor to carry out the method of claims 12 to 22.11

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