System and method of automated gunshot emergency response system

Abstract

A threat sensing system is provided including, in some aspects, a plurality of threat sensing devices distributed throughout a school or facility, with each of the threat sensing devices comprising one or more acoustic sensors, one or more gas sensors, and a communication circuit or communication device configured to output sensor data to a system gateway. The system gateway is configured to receive and process the sensor data output from the threat sensing devices and determine whether the processed sensor data corresponds to one of a predetermined plurality of known threats (e.g., a gunshot) and, if so, to communicate the existence of the threat, the processed sensor information, and/or predetermined messaging information to one or more recipient devices (e.g., first responders, dispatchers).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A threat sensing system comprising:
 a consecutively reading threat sensing device comprising
 a vibration sensor configured to receive a first signal, 
 a gas sensor configured to receive a second signal after the first signal, 
 a pressure sensor configured to receive a third signal after the second signal, 
 an image sensor configured to receive an image, whereby each signal and image processed by each sensor consecutively increases a probability of said threat, and 
 a first communication device utilizing multiple data pathways configured to relay output sensor data in a predetermined order along the multiple data pathways; and 
   a system processing gateway, comprising a second communication device utilizing the multiple data pathway and configured to receive sensor data consecutively in a predetermined order from the consecutively reading threat sensing device along the multiple data pathway, the system processing gateway being configured to automatically communicate across a network existence of the threat, sensor data in the predetermined order, or predetermined messages to a plurality of pre-registered recipient devices after the sensor data in the predetermined order is determined to correspond to a highly weighted probability of a known threat.   
     
     
         2 . The threat sensing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pre-registered recipient devices are connected to each other to allow a constant flow of threat event information in real time, thereby increasing safety and efficiency of each person in said network. 
     
     
         3 . The threat sensing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the consecutively reading threat sensing device is configured to be attached to an electrical conductor in a building. 
     
     
         4 . The threat sensing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the consecutively reading threat sensing device further comprises:
 an infrared (IR) image sensor configured to detect a probability of an explosive flash.   
     
     
         5 . The threat sensing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pre-registered recipient devices are configured to subscribe to a messaging system to receive communications from the threat sensing system. 
     
     
         6 . The threat sensing system according to  claim 1 , wherein communications from the threat sensing system comprise a map of a building, a location of a shooter within the building, a number of shots fired, and identification of a type of weapon or weapons discharged. 
     
     
         7 . The threat sensing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first communication device and the second communication device comprise wireless devices. 
     
     
         8 . The threat sensing system according to  claim 1 , wherein an acoustic sensor is configured to detect a gunshot and the gas sensor is configured to detect molecules representative of the gunshot. 
     
     
         9 . The threat sensing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the consecutively reading threat sensing device is configured to determine whether the sensor data correspond to one of a predetermined plurality of known threats. 
     
     
         10 . A method of detecting and reporting a threat comprising:
 disposing a consecutively reading threat sensing device in at least a first location in a building, the consecutively reading threat sensing device comprising a vibration sensor, a gas sensor, a pressure sensor, and an image sensor, and a first communication device configured to output corresponding sensor data threat event associated with a threat event along multiple data pathways;   outputting the sensor data consecutively to a system processing gateway, the system processing gateway comprising a second communication device configured to receive corresponding threat event associated sensor data from the consecutively reading threat sensing device along the multiple data pathways;   determining, using the system processing gateway, whether the sensor data corresponds to a probability of a explosion; and   automatically communicating, after the sensor data corresponds to the probability of the explosion, at least one of the probability of the explosion, the sensor data, or one or more messages relating to the probability of the explosion to predetermined preregistered recipient devices.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 using collected and reported data for forensics of the threat event.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the collected data contain date, time and probability of threat information in a sequence of threat events which consecutively activated each sensor in the consecutively reading threat sensing device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the collected data contain a report of a gas containing higher than normal concentrations of nitrogen. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 sending text alerts or automated calls to cell phones based upon the probability of the explosion.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the multiple data pathways include simultaneous transmission over Ethernet, broadband, cellular networks, and emergency broadcasting systems. 
     
     
         16 . A method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 confirming, with the system gateway, validity of an alert message; and   broadcasting, with the system gateway, the alert message over all available network connections   
     
     
         17 . A method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 continue broadcasting, with the system gateway, the alert message, until reception of acknowledgement of the alert message.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 archiving the sensor data for possible future forensic or legal proceedings.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 detecting, with the gas sensor, vapor particles in and around an explosion projectile device.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 changing countermeasures based upon an identified threat, an identified shooter, or an identified weapon.