Alarm system response time reduction

• US 10,062,270 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2017
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kontra Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kontra Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Skolnik, Jay, Skolnik, Daniel, Harness, Connor, Lee, Jun-Min
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Quan-Zhen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Burgdorf, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US15/432,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20170236404A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 34053913
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/006 Alarm destination chosen according to type of event, e.g. in case of fire phone the fire service, in case of medical emergency phone the ambulance
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/003 Signalling to neighbouring houses

Abstract

An alarm system is monitored by an alert system that supplements the capabilities of the alarm system. The sensors, such as door, window, fire, and CO sensor can be monitored by the alarm system which can raise an alarm when a sensor is triggered. The alert system detects that the alarm system has raised an alarm. The alert system can then communicate the alarm locally to other alert system installations. People at those other alert system installations are thereby alerted to the alarm and can respond to it.

Claims

1. An alert system that enhances a substantially separate alarm system, wherein the alarm system comprises a control unit and at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor detects a triggering event, wherein the at least one sensor informs the control unit of the triggering event, and wherein the alarm system responds to the triggering event by changing the state of a control signal, the alert system comprising:

an alarm monitor, wherein the alarm monitor detects that the control signal has changed state, wherein the alarm monitor produces an alarm sensed output in response to detecting that the control signal has changed state, and wherein the control signal does not comprise the alarm sensed output;

a wireless transmitter wherein the alarm sensed output causes the wireless transmitter to transmit an alert signal;

a remote console wherein the remote console receives the alert signal directly from the wireless transmitter and generates an alert, wherein the alert is perceptible by a person, and wherein the alert informs the person of the triggering event;

wherein the alarm system further comprises a reporting unit wherein the reporting unit receives the control signal, wherein the reporting unit informs a remote monitoring center of the triggering event, wherein the alert system does not comprise the reporting unit, and wherein the remote console is not located at the remote monitoring center;

wherein the alert system sends another message to another recipient based on the at least one alert sensed output, wherein the other recipient is a smartphone or tablet computer, wherein the other recipient produces an alert that is perceptible by a person, and wherein the other message traverses a wireless mesh network before reaching the other recipient;

wherein the alert system sends a third message to a third recipient based on the at least one alert sensed output, wherein the third recipient is a smartphone or tablet computer, wherein the third recipient produces an alert that is perceptible by a person, and wherein the third message traverses a cellular network;

wherein the alarm monitor is connected to the alarm system by a wired connection between the control unit and the alarm unit and wherein the alarm monitor senses the control signal on the wired connection;

wherein the alarm system further comprises an audible alarm unit, wherein the audible alarm unit responds to the control signal by providing an alarm signal to a sonic transducer that converts electrical energy to sonic energy to produce an audible alarm, wherein the alarm monitor directly detects the alarm signal, and wherein the alarm monitor detects the audible alarm; and

wherein the alarm monitor further produces an alarm sensed output in response to detection of a personal alert generated by an independent alerting device operated by a person.

2. The alert system of claim 1 wherein the alarm monitor directly monitors the control signal.

3. The alert system of claim 1 wherein the alarm system further comprises an audible alarm unit, wherein the audible alarm unit responds to the control signal by producing an audible alarm, and wherein the alarm monitor senses the control signal on a wired connection between the control unit and the audible alarm unit.

4. The alert system of claim 1 wherein the alarm system further comprises an audible alarm unit, wherein the audible alarm unit responds to the control signal by providing an alarm signal to a sonic transducer that converts electrical energy to sonic energy, and wherein the alarm monitor detects that the control signal has changed state by directly detecting the alarm signal.

5. The alert system of claim 1 wherein the alert signal traverses a cellular network before reaching the remote console.

6. An alert system that enhances a substantially separate alarm system, wherein the alarm system comprises a control unit and at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor detects a triggering event, wherein the at least one sensor informs the control unit of the triggering event, and wherein the alarm system responds to the triggering event by changing the state of a control signal, the alert system comprising:

an alarm monitor, wherein the alarm monitor detects that the control signal has changed state, wherein the alarm monitor produces an alarm sensed output in response to detecting that the control signal has changed state, and wherein the control signal does not comprise the alarm sensed output;

a rules engine storing a plurality of alert rules, wherein the rules engine accepts at least one rules engine input, wherein the rules engine produces at least one alert response by testing the at least one rule engine input against at least one condition, and wherein the at least one rule engine input comprises the alarm sensed output;

wherein the alert system sends a message to a recipient based on the at least one alert response;

a wireless transmitter that transmits the message directly to a remote console, wherein the remote console receives the message and generates an alert, wherein the alert is perceptible by a person, and wherein the alert informs the person of the triggering event;

wherein the alarm system further comprises a reporting unit wherein the reporting unit receives the control signal, wherein the reporting unit informs a remote monitoring center of the triggering event, wherein the alert system does not comprise the reporting unit, and wherein the remote console is not located at the remote monitoring center;

wherein the alert system sends another message to another recipient based on the at least one alert response, wherein the another recipient is a smartphone or tablet computer and wherein the another recipient produces an alert that is perceptible by a person, wherein the another message traverses a wireless mesh network before reaching the another recipient;

wherein the alert system sends a third message to a third recipient based on the at least one alert response, wherein the third recipient is a smartphone or tablet computer, wherein the third recipient produces an alert that is perceptible by a person, and wherein the third message traverses a cellular network;

wherein the alarm monitor is connected to the alarm system by a wired connection between the control unit and the alarm unit and wherein the alarm monitor senses the control signal on the wired connection;

wherein the alarm system further comprises an audible alarm unit, wherein the audible alarm unit responds to the control signal by providing an alarm signal to a sonic transducer that converts electrical energy to sonic energy to produce an audible alarm, wherein the alarm monitor directly detects the alarm signal, and wherein the alarm monitor detects the audible alarm;

wherein a person manipulates an alerting device to thereby produce a personal alert, and wherein the at least one rule engine input comprises the personal alert.

7. The alert system of claim 6 wherein a recipient is a smartphone or tablet computer and wherein the recipient produces an alert that is perceptible by a person.

8. A method for monitoring an alarm system by an independent alert system, wherein the alarm system comprises a control unit, an audible alarm unit and at least one sensor, the method comprising:

connecting the alarm system to an alarm monitor of the alert system by a wired connection between the control unit and the alarm unit and wherein the alarm monitor senses the control signal on the wired connection;

causing a control signal of the alarm system to change state, wherein a triggered sensor detects a triggering event, wherein the triggered sensor is one of the at least one sensor, wherein the triggered sensor informs the control unit of the triggering event, wherein the alarm system responds to the triggering event by changing the control signal;

storing a plurality of alert rules that each test at least one rule engine input against at least one condition;

detecting, by an alarm monitor of the alert system, that the control signal has changed state;

detecting, by the alarm monitor of the alert system, a personal alert signal, the personal alert signal transmitted from the personal alerting device in response to manipulation of the personal alerting device by a person;

interpreting a first alert rule wherein the at least one rule engine input comprises the control signal;

interpreting a second alert rule wherein the at least one rule engine input comprises the personal alert signal;

producing an alarm sensed output, by the alert system, in response to interpreting a second alert rule detecting a personal alert signal, or interpreting a first alert rule that the control signal has changed state, and wherein the control signal does not comprise the alarm sensed output;

transmitting, by the alert system, an alert signal via wireless transmitter directly to a remote console wherein the remote console receives the alert signal and generates an alert, wherein the alert is perceptible by a person, and wherein the alert informs the person of the triggering event;

receiving the control signal in a reporting unit of the alarm system, wherein the reporting unit informs a remote monitoring center of the triggering event, wherein the alert system does not comprise the reporting unit, and wherein the remote console is not located at the remote monitoring center;

sending another message via the alert system to another recipient based on the alarm sensed output, wherein the another recipient is a smartphone or tablet computer wherein the another recipient produces another alert that is perceptible by a person, and wherein the another message traverses a wireless mesh network before reaching the another recipient;

sending a third message via the alert system to a third recipient based on the alarm sensed output, wherein the third recipient is a smartphone or tablet computer, wherein the third recipient produces a third alert that is perceptible by a person, and wherein the third message traverses a cellular network; and

responding to the control signal via the audible alarm unit, wherein the audible alarm unit responds to the control signal by providing an alarm signal to a sonic transducer that converts electrical energy to sonic energy to produce an audible alarm, wherein the alarm monitor of the alert system directly detects the alarm signal, and wherein the alarm monitor detects the audible alarm.