Abstract: An apparatus for impeding locomotion by a human or animal target conducts a current through the target. The apparatus includes a trigger, a circuit, and a display. The trigger provides a signal. The circuit, responsive to the signal, provides the current for an interval as a series of pulses, and that tracks a remaining time of the interval. The display provides a presentation in accordance with the remaining time. The presentation may include a decreasing digital count.

Abstract: An apparatus impedes locomotion by a human or animal target by conducting a current through the target. The apparatus includes a battery, a circuit, and a processor. The circuit charges a capacitance to a predetermined voltage and discharges the capacitance to provide a pulse of the current. Charging occupies a first interval having a duration, the duration affected by an operating condition of the battery. The processor controls the circuit to provide a first series of pulses of the current, the first series having a first pulse repetition rate, the first pulse repetition rate being compensated by the processor for variations in the duration of the first interval.

Abstract: An apparatus impedes locomotion by a target. The apparatus is used with a provided electrode for conducting a current through the target. The apparatus includes a trigger, a circuit, a memory, and a signal generator. The circuit is responsive to the trigger. The signal generator, responsive to the circuit, provides the current. The circuit receives information for setting time and date. The circuit tracks time of day and date based on the time and date setting. The memory, in response to the circuit, stores current time of day and date in a respective record of a first type upon each occurrence of setting of time and date.

Abstract: An improved electric weapon immobilizes a target by conducting a current through an electrode and through the target. The weapon includes a circuit that outputs a pulse pattern having a first pulse, a second pulse of opposite polarity compared to the first pulse, and a period of no output between the first pulse and the second pulse. The period is in a range from 50 microseconds to 1000 microseconds. The electric weapon repeats the output of the pattern at a rate of 19 repetitions per second. A method for immobilizing a target is performed by an electric weapon. The method includes delivering a first pulse in a first polarity, operating a switch to reverse the polarity of delivery; and delivery the second pulse in a second polarity. The method may further include awaiting lapse of a period between delivery of the first pulse and delivery of the second pulse wherein the period is in the range of from 50 microseconds to 1000 microseconds.

Abstract: A driver provides a current through a load circuit that includes an ionizable path. The driver includes an energy sourcing circuit, an ionization detector, a controller, and a pulse generator. The controller determines, in response to the detector and by trial and error, a respective quantity of energy for each pulse of a plurality of pulses to be generated. For each pulse of the plurality, the pulse generator receives the respective quantity of energy from the energy sourcing circuit, provides in response to the quantity of energy a respective voltage to ionize the ionization path, and provides the current through the load circuit.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in place of a round of percussion primed ammunition in a weapon includes a power supply and a switch. The switch is responsive to the mechanism in the weapon that fires the ammunition. Operation of the switch may enable the power supply to supply power to a replaceable cartridge. The cartridge may propel probes for delivering an incapacitating electrical charge from the power supply to the target. Another cartridge may include contacts to be applied without propellant to the target to stun the target. The apparatus may be inserted in the barrel of a weapon, for example, into the muzzle of a grenade launcher.

Abstract: An electronic control device includes an audio and/or video recorder, for example, packaged as a user-replaceable battery module. The audio and/or video recorder records audio and/or video information for a period beginning prior to receiving of a signal by the module. The signal may be a trigger signal, provided by the electronic control device. Use of the weapon module is documented by recorded audio and/or video information for the period, for example, extending a while before and after operation of the trigger.

Abstract: An electric discharge weapon includes a high voltage circuit, a control circuit, and a light source. The high voltage circuit includes a spark gap having a breakdown voltage affected by light. A magnitude of an electric discharge of the weapon is related to the breakdown voltage of the spark gap. Under control of the control circuit, the light source emits light to illuminate the spark gap prior to conduction so that the magnitude of the electric discharge is within a desired range.

Abstract: An apparatus for impact with a target includes electrodes deployed after contact is made between the apparatus and the target. Spacing of deployed electrodes may be more accurate and/or more repeatable for more effective delivery of an immobilizing stimulus signal.

Abstract: A system and method provide immediate monitoring of a physiological function, such as ECG, of a subject before, during, or after application of an electric shock intended to temporarily incapacitate the subject. The electric shock may be delivered via at least one electrode ballistically implanted into the subject's skin. Systems and methods may further include performing time domain and/or frequency domain analysis of the results of monitoring, recording results of monitoring and/or analysis, and preventing follow-on shocks, or altering energy characterizing parameters of follow-on electric shocks so as to lessen the risk of injury to the subject, such as cardiac malfunction.

Abstract: Systems and methods for immobilizing a target such as a human or animal with a stimulus signal coupled to the target via electrodes provide the stimulus signal in accordance with a strike stage, a hold stage, and a rest stage. Systems include a launch device and separate projectile, where the projectile includes a battery, a waveform generator, and electrodes. The strike stage and hold stage may include pulses at a pulse repetition rate, for example, from 10 to 20 pulses per second, each pulse delivering a predetermined amount of charge, for example, about 100 microcoulombs at less than about 500 volts peak. The hold stage may continue immobilization at a lesser expenditure of energy compared to the strike stage. Because the strike stage and hold stage may immobilize by interfering with skeletal muscle control by the target's nervous system, a rest stage may allow the target to take a breath.

Abstract: An apparatus for interfering with locomotion by a human or animal target includes a microprocessor programmed to track date and time, to initiate and maintain for a period an electrical current, and to record tracked date and time for each initiation of the current. The current, when conducted through the target, interferes with use by the target of the skeletal muscles of the target during the period.

Abstract: A signal generator provides an output signal having a series of pulses and a pulse repetition rate. The signal generator includes an energy storage circuit and a switch control circuit. The energy storage circuit includes a switch operated by the switch control circuit. After delivery of a pulse of the output signal, the switch control circuit operates the switch in a first mode to provide the pulse repetition rate of the output signal. The switch control circuit also operates the switch in each of the first mode and a second mode at a switching rate, wherein relatively more energy from a battery is stored as a consequence of the second mode than is stored as a consequence of the first mode. Energy from the battery is stored for delivery in a pulse of the output signal. The switching rate is compensated in accordance with a temperature of the battery and a voltage of the battery. Compensation maintains the battery voltage above a minimum value.

Abstract: A subscriber platform for broadband communication, according to various aspects of the present invention, includes an antenna, a plurality of transceivers, and a processor. The antenna supports communication via a plurality of directional beams. The plurality of frequency agile transceivers operate simultaneously, each transceiver being coupled to the antenna for communication via a respective directional beam. The processor is coupled to the plurality of transceivers. And, the transceivers are coupled to the antenna to communicate data among the directional beams as directed by the processor, communication including directional diversity and frequency diversity.

Abstract: An apparatus for interfering with locomotion by one or more targets being animal or human, uses a plurality of delivery circuits that each deliver current through any target of the one or more targets. The apparatus includes a capacitance, a switch, a trigger; and a control circuit that controls the switch. Each delivery circuit includes a respective transformer. The switch, in response to operation of the trigger, conducts energy discharged from the capacitance into the transformer of a first delivery circuit to enable operation of the first delivery circuit; and conducts energy discharged from the capacitance into the transformer of a second delivery circuit to enable operation of the second delivery circuit. The respective transformer provides the current causing contraction of skeletal muscles of the one or more targets, interfering with locomotion by the one or more targets.

Abstract: A weapon, according to various aspects of the present invention, includes a receiver, a trigger, and a cartridge store. The receiver receives a cartridge. The cartridge applies a deterrent force to the target. The trigger activates the cartridge. The cartridge store stores a plurality of provided cartridges. The cartridge store, then the trigger, and then the receiver are arranged in sequence proceeding linearly away from a user of the weapon.