System and method for tracking ammunition

Abstract

A system and method for tracking ammunition, including a magazine that stores ammunition rounds, a top plate that slides along a longitudinal axis of the magazine, and a processing unit that determines the number of ammunition rounds in the magazine based on the position of the top plate. The system may output the number of ammunition rounds in the magazine to a display and/or store a time stamp indicative of each time a round was chambered and/or fired.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a magazine configured to store a plurality of ammunition rounds, the magazine comprising a top plate configured to slide along a longitudinal axis of the magazine;   a processing unit configured determine a number of ammunition rounds in the magazine based on a relative position of the top plate.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a close circuit system, wherein:
 the close circuit system comprises:
 a power rail located along the longitudinal axis of the magazine; and 
 a plurality of electrodes located along the longitudinal axis, each of the plurality of electrodes electrically connected to the processing unit; 
   the top plate includes a conductive portion electrically connecting the power rail to one of the plurality of electrodes based on the relative position of the top plate; and   the processing unit is configured to determine the relative position of the top plate based on the electrode electrically connected to the power rail.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a close circuit system, wherein:
 the close circuit system comprises:
 a power rail located along the longitudinal axis of the magazine; and 
 a resistive element located along the longitudinal axis; 
   the top plate includes a conductive portion electrically connecting the power rail to the resistive element to form a closed circuit; and   the processing unit is configured to determine the relative position of the top plate based on an electrical resistance of the closed circuit.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to output a round indicator indicative of the number of ammunition rounds in the magazine; and
 a display configured to output the round indicator.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the processing unit wirelessly transmits the round indicator the display. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the display is further configured to output a magazine indicator indicative of a number of magazines within wireless range that include at least one ammunition round. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the system is configured to wirelessly transmit the magazine indicator. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the display is mounted on a firearm. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the magazine further comprises a magazine database and the processing unit is configured to store time stamps indicative of the chambering of each of the ammunition rounds in the magazine database. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the display further comprises a display database and the display is further configured to store time stamps indicative of the firing of each of the ammunition rounds in the display database based on the output of a firing sensor. 
     
     
         11 . A method for tracking ammunition, the method comprising:
 determining, by a processing unit, a number of ammunition rounds in a magazine configured to store the ammunition rounds based on a relative position of a top plate configured to slide along a longitudinal axis of the magazine.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 outputting power by a power rail located along the longitudinal axis;   providing a plurality of electrodes located along the longitudinal axis, each of the plurality of electrodes electrically connected to the processing unit;   electrically connecting, by a conductive portion of the top plate, the power rail to one of the plurality of electrodes based on the relative position of the top plate; and   determining, by the processing unit, the relative position of the top plate based on the electrode electrically connected to the power rail.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 outputting power by a power rail located along the longitudinal axis;   providing a resistive element located along the longitudinal axis;   electrically connecting, by a conductive portion of the top plate, the power rail to the resistive element to form a closed circuit; and   determining, by the processing unit, the relative position of the top plate based on a resistance of the closed circuit.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  11 , further comprising:
 outputting, by the processing unit, a round indicator indicative of the number of ammunition rounds in the magazine; and   outputting, by the display, the round indicator.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 wirelessly transmitting, by the processing unit, the round indicator to the display.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 outputting, by the display, a magazine indicator indicative of a number of magazines within wireless range that at least one ammunition round.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 wirelessly transmitting, by the display, the magazine indicator.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 mounting the display on a firearm.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining a time indicative of a chambering one of the plurality of ammunition rounds based on a change in the relative position of the top plate:   storing a time stamp indicative of the tune in a database.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining a time indicative of a firing of one of the plurality of ammunition rounds based on an output of a firing sensor;   storing a time stamp indicative of the time in a database.