Methods and system for controlling the use of firearms

Abstract

According to certain aspects, a system for controlling use of firearms can include a circuitry coupled to a firearm and in communication with a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit. The circuitry may be configured to: determine, using the GPS unit, coordinates of a current location of the firearm; transmit the coordinates of the current location of the firearm to a remote server, wherein the remote server comprises a database including a plurality of coordinates associated with a plurality of locations at which the firearm should be enabled or disabled; receive from the remote server information relating to whether the firearm should be disabled at the coordinates of the current location of the firearm; and in response to determining that the firearm should be disabled based on the information from the remote server, initiate disabling of the firearm.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for controlling use of firearms, the system comprising:
 a circuitry coupled to a firearm and in communication with a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit, the circuitry configured to:
 determine, using the GPS unit, coordinates of a current location of the firearm; 
 transmit the coordinates of the current location of the firearm to a remote server, wherein the remote server comprises a database including a plurality of coordinates associated with a plurality of locations at which the firearm should be enabled or disabled; 
 receive from the remote server information relating to whether the firearm should be disabled at the coordinates of the current location of the firearm; and 
 in response to determining that the firearm should be disabled based on the information from the remote server, initiate disabling of the firearm. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the information relating to whether the firearm should be disabled comprises a command from the remote server to disable the firearm. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the command is generated by the remote server based on whether the coordinates of the current location of the firearm are included in the plurality of locations at which the firearm should be disabled. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
 in response to receiving the command to disable the firearm, initiate the disabling of the firearm.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of locations comprises a geographical area in which the firearm should be disabled. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the geographical area is defined as a radius or a perimeter around specific coordinates associated with a location. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the geographical area is defined by two or more sets of coordinates, wherein each set of coordinates corresponds to a location. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the geographical area has an irregular shape. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, subsequent to the disabling of the firearm, the circuitry is further configured to:
 determine, using the GPS unit, coordinates of a location of the firearm at a second time subsequent to the disabling of the firearm;   transmit the coordinates of the location of the firearm at the second time to the remote server;   receive from the remote server second information relating to whether the firearm should be disabled at the coordinates of the location of the firearm at the second time; and   in response to determining that the firearm should not be disabled based on the second information from the remote server, initiate enabling of the firearm.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the coordinates of the current location of the firearm comprise a latitude, a longitude, and an elevation of the current location of the firearm. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the GPS unit is coupled to the circuitry and configured to detect the current location of the firearm. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
 in response to determining that the firearm should be disabled based on the information from the remote server, send a notification that the firearm is at a location at which the firearm should be disabled.   
     
     
         13 . A method of controlling use of firearms, the method comprising:
 determining, using a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit, coordinates of a current location of a firearm, wherein a circuitry coupled to the firearm is in communication with the GPS unit;   transmitting, using the circuitry, the coordinates of the current location of the firearm to a remote server, wherein the remote server comprises a database including a plurality of coordinates associated with a plurality of locations at which the firearm should be enabled or disabled;   receiving from the remote server information relating to whether the firearm should be disabled at the coordinates of the current location of the firearm; and   in response to determining that the firearm should be disabled based on the information from the remote server, initiating disabling of the firearm.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the information relating to whether the firearm should be disabled comprises a command from the remote server to disable the firearm. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the command is generated by the remote server based on whether the coordinates of the current location of the firearm are included in the plurality of locations at which the firearm should be disabled. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of locations comprises a geographical area in which the firearm should be disabled, wherein the geographical area is defined as a radius or a perimeter around specific coordinates associated with a location, or wherein the geographical area is defined by two or more sets of coordinates, each set of coordinates corresponding to a location. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 subsequent to the disabling of the firearm:
 determining, using the GPS unit, coordinates of a location of the firearm at a second time subsequent to disabling of the firearm; 
 transmitting the coordinates of the location of the firearm at the second time to the remote server; 
 receiving from the remote server second information relating to whether the firearm should be disabled at the coordinates of the location of the firearm at the second time; and 
 in response to determining that the firearm should not be disabled based on the second information from the remote server, initiating enabling of the firearm. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the coordinates of the current location of the firearm comprise a latitude, a longitude, and an elevation of the current location of the firearm. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the GPS unit is coupled to the circuitry and configured to detect the current location of the firearm. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising, in response to said determining that the firearm should be disabled based on the information from the remote server, sending a notification that the firearm is at a location at which the firearm should be disabled.