Firearm locking system

Abstract

A locking system for a firearm is disclosed. A lock has a set state and an unset state, and substantial movement of any one or more fire control group components is inhibited with in the set state. A biometric sensor attachable to a grip of the firearm is receptive to an input biometric feature data set corresponding to a physiological feature of a user. A biometric input controller stores biometric feature data sets corresponding to enrolled user identities in a memory, and compares it against the input biometric feature data set to generate a biometric input validation status indicator signal. A proximity sensor attachable to the grip detects possession of the firearm by the user and generates a corresponding grip detection indicator signal. A system controller selectively actuates the lock to the set state and the unset state based upon a received combination and sequence of the biometric input validation status indicator signal and the grip detection indicator signal.

1 . A locking system for a firearm, comprising:
 a biometric sensor attachable to a grip of the firearm, the biometric sensor being receptive to a biometric input corresponding to a physiological feature of a user to generate an input biometric feature data set therefrom;   a memory for storing biometric feature data sets corresponding to enrolled user identities;   a biometric input controller in communication with the biometric sensor and the memory, the biometric feature data sets of the enrolled user identifies being compared against the input biometric feature data set by the biometric input controller to generate a biometric input validation status indicator signal;   a proximity sensor attachable to the firearm for detecting possession thereof by the user to generate a corresponding grip detection indicator signal in response;   a lock having a set state and an unset state, substantial movement of any one or more fire control group components of the firearm being inhibited with the lock being in the set state; and   a system controller having an output connected to the lock, and inputs connected to the biometric input controller and the proximity sensor, the lock being selectively actuated to the set state and the unset state by the system controller based upon a received combination and sequence of the biometric input validation status indicator signal and the grip detection indicator signal.   
     
     
         2 . The locking system of  claim 1 , wherein the input biometric feature data set is generated in response to the physiological feature of the user coming into contact with the biometric sensor as sensed thereby. 
     
     
         3 . The locking system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the biometric sensor is an imaging array sensor; and   the input biometric feature data set and the stored biometric feature data sets are images of the corresponding physiological features.   
     
     
         4 . The locking system of  claim 1 , wherein the fire control group components are selected from a group consisting of: a trigger, a sear, a hammer, a disconnector, a thumb safety, a firing pin, a striker, a magazine disconnect, a connector, a safety plate, and a grip safety. 
     
     
         5 . The locking system of  claim 1 , wherein predefined sequences of the biometric input transitions the system controller into one of a plurality of operating states. 
     
     
         6 . The locking system of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 visual indicators connected to the output of the system controller, activation patterns of the visual indicators being representative of the operating states of the system controller.   
     
     
         7 . The locking system of  claim 5 , wherein one of the plurality of operating states is a standard security mode in which the lock is in the unset state following a single confirmed match of the input biometric feature data set to a stored biometric feature data set of a one of the enrolled user identifies as represented by the biometric input validation status indicator signal. 
     
     
         8 . The locking system of  claim 5 , wherein one of the plurality of operating states is an administration mode including a first submode for enrolling new user identities and a second submode for removing existing enrolled user identities. 
     
     
         9 . The locking system of  claim 8 , wherein the system controller is connectible to an external setup device from which the system controller is transitioned to the administration mode to enroll and remove user identities. 
     
     
         10 . The locking system of  claim 5 , wherein:
 one of the plurality of operating states is a high security mode; and   the system controller transitions to the high security mode upon multiple failed validations of the user against an enrolled user identity.   
     
     
         11 . The locking system of  claim 1 , wherein the lock is in the set state following a dispossession of the firearm by a validated user per the biometric input validation status indicator signal, the dispossession being represented by the grip detection indicator signal. 
     
     
         12 . The locking system of  claim 11 , wherein the lock is actuated to the set state upon expiration of a predefined time period following an initial receipt of the grip detection indicator signal representative of the dispossession of the firearm by the user. 
     
     
         13 . The locking system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an accelerometer for sensing the orientation of the firearm, an orientation indicator being generated by the accelerometer.   
     
     
         14 . The locking system of  claim 13 , wherein the lock is selectively actuated to the set state and the unset state based upon the combination and received sequence that further includes the specific force indicator signal. 
     
     
         15 . The locking system of  claim 14 , wherein the lock is actuated to the set state following a dispossession of the firearm by a validated user per the biometric input validation status indicator signal, the dispossession being represented by the specific force indicator signal. 
     
     
         16 . The locking system of  claim 1 , wherein the biometric input is a fingerprint derived from a one of the fingers of the user. 
     
     
         17 . The locking system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a power source integratable with the firearm; and   a charging system for the power source connectible to an external power supply.   
     
     
         18 . The locking system of  claim 17 , wherein the charging system includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector and the external power supply is a USB host. 
     
     
         19 . A firearm, comprising:
 a frame;   a fire control group;   a biometric sensor attached to the frame, the biometric sensor being receptive to a biometric input corresponding to a physiological feature of a user to generate an input biometric feature data set therefrom;   a biometric input controller in communication with the biometric sensor and including a memory for storing biometric feature data sets corresponding to enrolled user identities, the biometric feature data set of the enrolled user identifies being compared against the input biometric feature data set by the biometric input controller to generate a biometric input validation status indicator signal;   a proximity sensor attached to the frame for detecting possession of the firearm by the user to generate a corresponding grip detection indicator signal in response;   a lock having a set state and an unset state, substantial movement of the fire control group being inhibited with the lock being in the set state; and   a system controller having an output connected to the lock, and inputs connected to the biometric input controller and the proximity sensor, the lock being selectively actuated to the set state and the unset state by the system controller based upon a received combination and sequence of the biometric input validation status indicator signal and the grip detection indicator signal.   
     
     
         20 . The firearm of  claim 19 , wherein the lock is in the set state following a dispossession of the firearm by a validated user per the biometric input validation status indicator signal, the dispossession being represented by the grip detection indicator signal. 
     
     
         21 . The firearm of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 visual indicators connected to the output of the system controller, activation patterns of the visual indicators being representative of a status of the lock.   
     
     
         22 . The firearm of  claim 21 , wherein the visual indicator is an array of light emitters having a plurality of illumination colors. 
     
     
         23 . The firearm of  claim 19 , wherein the system controller is connectible to an external setup device from which new user identities are enrolled and existing user identities are removed. 
     
     
         24 . The firearm of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the fire control group includes a trigger, a sear, a disconnector, a hammer, a manual safety lever that selectively inhibits the sear, and a grip safety that selectively inhibits the trigger, the combined actuation of the trigger and disengagement of the thumb safety and the grip safety allowing the release of the hammer from the sear in a cocked position; and   the lock including an extendible member that interferes with the grip safety to prevent disengagement with the trigger.   
     
     
         25 . The firearm of  claim 24 , wherein the lock further includes a key-based override latch selectively obstructing the extension of the member. 
     
     
         26 . A method for managing user identities for a biometric locking system of a firearm, the method comprising:
 validating an administrative user based upon multiple comparisons of a plurality of input biometric feature data sets of a physiological feature received on a biometric sensor to a stored biometric feature data set corresponding to an identity of the administrative user;   entering an administration mode upon validating the administrative user;   generating a first output on an indicator representative of entering the administration mode;   receiving on the biometric sensor multiple input biometric feature data sets of the physiological feature associated with a new user identity;   storing in a memory, in connection with the new user identity, the multiple input biometric feature data sets; and   generating a second output on the indicator representative of storing the multiple input biometric feature data sets for the new user identity.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 receiving on the imaging array sensor, in the administration mode after validating the administrative user, multiple input biometric feature data sets of the physiological feature associated with the administrative user; and   generating a third output on the indicator representative of deletion of the stored user identities.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 establishing a data communications link with an external setup device;   wherein the indicator for generating the first output and the second output are disposed on the external setup device.