Hybrid Shot Timer Verification for Simultaneous Firearm Discharges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shot timers struggle with identifying individual shooters in simultaneous firearm discharges, handling false positives from echoes or loud noises, and synchronization issues, leading to erroneous data.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid shot timer utilizing multilayer verification technologies, including audio processing, pre-discharge visual processing for skeletal tracking, and post-discharge visual processing to discriminate between firearm discharges and individual movements, enhancing accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional shot timers use audio processing to detect firearm discharges, then shot detection capability is provided, but false positives occur due to echoes or loud noises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines audio processing with visual processing (camera-based detection) to create a hybrid system. The audio processor detects sound signals from firearm discharges, while the visual processor captures images to verify the discharge event. This merging of sensing modalities allows the system to cross-validate detections, reducing false positives caused by echoes or loud noises that would be detected by audio alone but not confirmed by visual evidence.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a verification layer that acts as an intermediary between the audio detection and the final shot recording. The visual processing system serves as this intermediary, reviewing and validating audio-based detections. This intermediary verification mechanism filters out false positives by requiring corroboration from multiple sensing sources before confirming a shot event.
2Productivity
If conventional shot timers detect simultaneous firearm discharges, then shot timing is recorded, but the system cannot identify which shooter fired which shot
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the detection and identification process into distinct functional components: audio processing for shot detection, visual processing for shooter identification, and correlation processing for matching. By segmenting these functions, the system can independently optimize each component and then integrate their results to achieve both accurate timing and shooter identification, even during simultaneous discharges.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a visual dimension to the traditional audio-based detection. While audio processing handles the timing dimension, the visual processing system provides spatial and identitary information. This dimensional expansion from purely temporal/audio-based detection to spatio-temporal/multi-modal detection enables the system to distinguish between simultaneous shooters by analyzing visual characteristics and positions in addition to timing data.
3Quantity of substance
If wearable shot timers are used, then shooting data can be collected, but synchronization issues result in erroneous data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/wearable approach with a stationary or networked system architecture. Instead of relying on synchronized wearable devices that are prone to timing drift and synchronization errors, the system uses a centralized or networked processing architecture where multiple sensors (audio, visual) are coordinated through a common time reference and processing platform. This substitution eliminates synchronization issues while maintaining comprehensive data collection capabilities.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The hybrid approach significantly reduces false positives and accurately identifies the individual responsible for each firearm discharge, providing reliable timing data in competitive and training environments.
Implementation Method 1
Some conventional shot timers use one or more microphones to detect the sound of a shot being fired and record the elapsed time from the start signal to the detection of the sound.
Implementation Method 2
In a second level of verification, the hybrid shot timer uses pre-discharge visual processing technologies to discriminate between individuals having body movements indicative of a person ready or currently discharging their firearm and other individuals either at rest or not discharging their firearms.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for timing the discharge of a firearm using a shot timer are described herein. The shot timer uses multiple levels of verification. A first level includes analyzing the audio signal to determine if a sound received is associated with the discharging of a firearm. A second level includes analyzing the posture of individuals to eliminate individuals that likely are not the individuals that discharged the firearm. A third level includes analyzing the movement of one or more firearms to determine which firearm was the source of the audio signal.