Firearm including electronic components to enhance user experience

Abstract

A firearm includes a barrel portion, a slide, and a frame. The frame includes a grip, and the grip includes a magazine chamber and a rear surface adjacent the slide. At least one sensor is carried by the grip, and the at least one sensor adapted to sense a state of the magazine detachably received in the magazine chamber corresponding to a number of cartridges of ammunition remaining in the magazine. A display is carried on the rear surface of the grip, and the display includes a plurality of illuminating devices. The display is operatively coupled to the at least one sensor and is operable to visually present the number of cartridges of ammunition remaining in the magazine by illuminating at least one of the plurality of illuminating devices.

What is claims is: 
     
         1 . A firearm system, comprising:
 a firearm including a barrel portion adapted to discharge ammunition;   a magazine detachably receivable by the firearm and adapted to carry a plurality of cartridges of ammunition;   at least one sensor carried by the firearm and adapted to sense a state of the magazine corresponding to a number of cartridges of ammunition remaining in the magazine;   a controller operatively coupled to the at least one sensor and configured to receive signals from the at least one sensor; and   a display operatively coupled to the controller and configured to visually present information based on the signals received by the controller.   
     
     
         2 . The firearm system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is adapted to sense a position of a follower in the magazine, the position of the follower corresponding to the number of cartridges of ammunition remaining in the magazine. 
     
     
         3 . The firearm system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a Hall effect sensor adapted to sense a magnetic field produced by a magnet carried by the follower of the magazine. 
     
     
         4 . The firearm system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a total number of cartridges in the firearm by adding one to the number of cartridges of ammunition remaining in the magazine. 
     
     
         5 . The firearm system of  claim 1 , further comprising an activation sensor carried by the firearm and operatively coupled to the controller, wherein the activation sensor is configured to send an activation signal to the controller to activate at least one of the at least one sensor and the display. 
     
     
         6 . The firearm system of  claim 5 , wherein the activation sensor comprises a capacitive touch sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The firearm system of  claim 1 , further comprising a motion sensor operatively coupled to the controller, wherein the motion sensor is configured to monitor steadiness of the firearm prior to discharge of ammunition. 
     
     
         8 . A display for a firearm, the display comprising:
 at least one of a plurality of illuminating devices arranged in a pattern and a liquid crystal display (LCD); and   a controller operatively coupled to the plurality of illuminating devices, the controller configured to:
 receive signals from at least one sensor of the firearm, the signals corresponding to a number of cartridges of ammunition remaining in a magazine of the firearm; and 
 selectively activate one or more of the plurality of illuminating devices based on the received signals to visually indicate the number of cartridges of ammunition remaining in the magazine. 
   
     
     
         9 . The display of  claim 8 , wherein the LCD is configured to display an indicia indicative of the number of cartridges of ammunition remaining in the magazine. 
     
     
         10 . The display of  claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine a total number of cartridges in the firearm by adding one to the number of cartridges of ammunition remaining in the magazine; and   selectively activate at least one of the plurality of illuminating devices and the LCD to visually indicate the total number of cartridges in the firearm.   
     
     
         11 . The display of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 receive signals from an accelerometer of the firearm; and   activate the at least one of the plurality of illuminating devices and the LCD based on the signals from the accelerometer indicating the firearm has been moved to a firing position.   
     
     
         12 . The display of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 count a number of shots fired based on, at least in part, signals received from the accelerometer; and   selectively activate the plurality of illuminating devices to visually indicate the number of shots fired.   
     
     
         13 . The display of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 receive signals from a capacitive touch sensor of the firearm; and   activate the plurality of illuminating devices based on the signals from the capacitive touch sensor indicating the firearm is being held.   
     
     
         14 . The display of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 receive signals from a motion sensor of the firearm; and   selectively activate the plurality of illuminating devices to provide visual feedback on steadiness of the firearm based on the signals from the motion sensor.   
     
     
         15 . A controller for a firearm, the controller comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to:
 receive signals from at least one sensor of the firearm, the signals corresponding to a state of a magazine of the firearm; 
 determine a number of cartridges of ammunition remaining in the magazine based on the received signals; and 
 output control signals to a display of the firearm to visually present the determined number of cartridges of ammunition remaining in the magazine. 
   
     
     
         16 . The controller of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the controller to:
 determine a total number of cartridges in the firearm by adding one to the number of cartridges of ammunition remaining in the magazine; and   output control signals to the display to visually present the determined total number of cartridges in the firearm.   
     
     
         17 . The controller of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions further cause the controller to:
 receive signals from an accelerometer of the firearm;   count a number of shots fired based on the signals from the accelerometer; and   output control signals to the display to visually present the counted number of shots fired.   
     
     
         18 . The controller of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions further cause the controller to:
 receive signals from a capacitive touch sensor of the firearm; and   activate the at least one sensor based on the signals from the capacitive touch sensor indicating the firearm is being held.   
     
     
         19 . The controller of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions further cause the controller to:
 receive signals from a motion sensor of the firearm; and   output control signals to the display to provide visual feedback on steadiness of the firearm based on the signals from the motion sensor.   
     
     
         20 . The controller of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a Hall effect sensor, a Reed switch, a proximity sensor, and an optical sensor.