Alarm system with two-way voice

• US 10,163,331 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2016
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Martin, Jean-Paul, Trundle, Stephen Scott, Goldfarb, David Saul, Hutz, David James
• Primary Examiner(s): WASHINGTON, ERIKA ALISE
• Application Number:
  US15/388,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20170103641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/00 Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

Techniques are described for establishing a two-way voice communication session with an alarm system. The alarm system may establish a two-way voice communication session with an operator associated with a monitoring service that provides monitoring services for alarm events detected by the alarm system. The alarm system also may establish a two-way voice communication session with a notification recipient that is interested in receiving notifications associated with events detected by the alarm system.

Claims

1. A method of providing wireless-enabled two-way voice connectivity between an alarm system and a central monitoring station, the method comprising:

reporting, by a wireless communication module in the alarm system, an alarm via at least one Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) data packet to the central monitoring station (“

CS”

); and

establishing, by the wireless communication module in the alarm system, a two-way voice communication session between the alarm system and an operator at the CS who is handling the alarm,

wherein establishing the two-way voice communication session comprises;

receiving confirmation that the alarm was received by the CS; and

based on receipt of the confirmation, making a wireless voice call to the CS, the wireless voice call being routed to the operator at the CS who is handling the alarm based on a number of the wireless communication module.

2. A method of providing wireless-enabled two-way voice connectivity between an alarm system and a central monitoring station, the method comprising:

reporting, by a wireless communication module in the alarm system, an alarm via at least one Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) data packet to the central monitoring station (“

CS”

); and

establishing, by the wireless communication module in the alarm system, a two-way voice communication session between the alarm system and an operator at the CS who is handling the alarm,

wherein establishing the two-way voice communication session comprises;

receiving confirmation that the alarm was received by the CS; and

based on receipt of the confirmation, making a wireless voice call to the CS, the wireless voice call being routed to the operator and a report of the alarm being presented to the operator after the operator takes the wireless voice call.

3. A method of providing wireless-enabled two-way voice connectivity between an alarm system and a central monitoring station, the method comprising:

reporting, by a wireless communication module in the alarm system, an alarm via at least one Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) data packet to the central monitoring station (“

CS”

); and

establishing, by the wireless communication module in the alarm system, a two-way voice communication session between the alarm system and an operator at the CS who is handling the alarm,

wherein establishing the two-way voice communication session comprises;

receiving, by the wireless communication module in the alarm system, a command to initiate a voice call, the command being sent by the operator; and

based on receipt of the command, making a wireless voice call to the CS, the wireless voice call being routed to the operator at the CS who is handling the alarm.

4. An alarm system comprising:

at least one sensor configured to sense an alarm; and

a wireless communication module configured to;

report the alarm via at least one Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) data packet to the central monitoring station (“

CS”

); and

establish a two-way voice communication session between the alarm system and an operator at the CS who is handling the alarm,

wherein the wireless communication module is configured to establish the two-way voice communication session by;

receiving confirmation that the alarm was received by the CS; and

based on receipt of the confirmation, making a wireless voice call to the CS, the wireless voice call being routed to the operator at the CS who is handling the alarm based on a number of the wireless communication module.

5. An alarm system comprising:

at least one sensor configured to sense an alarm; and

a wireless communication module configured to;

report the alarm via at least one Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) data packet to the central monitoring station (“

CS”

); and

establish a two-way voice communication session between the alarm system and an operator at the CS who is handling the alarm,

wherein the wireless communication module is configured to establish the two-way voice communication session by;

receiving confirmation that the alarm was received by the CS; and

based on receipt of the confirmation, making a wireless voice call to the CS, the wireless voice call being routed to the operator and a report of the alarm being presented to the operator after the operator takes the wireless voice call.

6. An alarm system comprising:

at least one sensor configured to sense an alarm; and

a wireless communication module configured to;

report the alarm via at least one Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) data packet to the central monitoring station (“

CS”

); and

establish a two-way voice communication session between the alarm system and an operator at the CS who is handling the alarm,

wherein the wireless communication module is configured to establish the two-way voice communication session by;

receiving a command to initiate a voice call, the command being sent by the operator; and

based on receipt of the command, making a wireless voice call to the CS, the wireless voice call being routed to the operator at the CS who is handling the alarm.

7. A method of providing wireless-enabled two-way voice connectivity between an alarm system and a notification recipient, the method comprising:

reporting, by a wireless communication module in the alarm system, an alarm via at least one Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) data packet to an intermediary alarm server; and

establishing, by the wireless communication module in the alarm system, a two-way voice communication session between the alarm system and a notification recipient, the notification recipient having been notified of the alarm,

wherein establishing the two-way voice communication session comprises;

receiving, by the wireless communication module in the alarm system, a command to initiate a voice call to the notification recipient, the command being sent from the intermediary alarm server by the notification recipient and including a number for the notification recipient; and

based on receipt of the command, making a wireless voice call to the number for the notification recipient.

8. A method of providing wireless-enabled two-way voice connectivity between an alarm system and a notification recipient, the method comprising:

reporting, by a wireless communication module in the alarm system, an alarm via at least one Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) data packet to an intermediary alarm server; and

establishing, by the wireless communication module in the alarm system, a two-way voice communication session between the alarm system and a notification recipient, the notification recipient having been notified of the alarm,

wherein establishing the two-way voice communication session comprises receiving, by the wireless communication module in the alarm system, a wireless voice call from the notification recipient with a passcode.

9. A method of providing wireless-enabled two-way voice connectivity between an alarm system and a notification recipient, the method comprising:

reporting, by a wireless communication module in the alarm system, an alarm via at least one Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) data packet to an intermediary alarm server; and

establishing, by the wireless communication module in the alarm system, a two-way voice communication session between the alarm system and a notification recipient, the notification recipient having been notified of the alarm,

wherein establishing the two-way voice communication session comprises receiving, by the wireless communication module in the alarm system, a wireless voice call transferred from the intermediary alarm server, the intermediary alarm server transferring an automated voice call with the notification recipient to the wireless communication module.

10. A method of providing wireless-enabled two-way voice connectivity between an alarm system and a notification recipient, the method comprising:

reporting, by a wireless communication module in the alarm system, an alarm via at least one Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) data packet to an intermediary alarm server; and

establishing, by the wireless communication module in the alarm system, a two-way voice communication session between the alarm system and a notification recipient, the notification recipient having been notified of the alarm,

wherein establishing the two-way voice communication session comprises calling, by the wireless communication module in the alarm system, into an automated phone system of the intermediary alarm server and requesting a call transfer to the notification recipient.

11. An alarm system comprising:

at least one sensor configured to sense an alarm; and

a wireless communication module configured to;

report the alarm via at least one Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) data packet to an intermediary alarm server; and

establish a two-way voice communication session between the alarm system and a notification recipient, the notification recipient having been notified of the alarm,

wherein the wireless communication module is configured to establish the two-way voice communication session by;

receiving a command to initiate a voice call to the notification recipient, the command being sent from the intermediary alarm server by the notification recipient and including a number for the notification recipient; and

based on receipt of the command, making a wireless voice call to the number for the notification recipient.

12. An alarm system comprising:

at least one sensor configured to sense an alarm; and

a wireless communication module configured to;

report the alarm via at least one Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) data packet to an intermediary alarm server; and

establish a two-way voice communication session between the alarm system and a notification recipient, the notification recipient having been notified of the alarm,

wherein the wireless communication module is configured to establish the two-way voice communication session by receiving a wireless voice call from the notification recipient with a passcode.

13. An alarm system comprising:

at least one sensor configured to sense an alarm; and

a wireless communication module configured to;

report the alarm via at least one Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) data packet to an intermediary alarm server; and

establish a two-way voice communication session between the alarm system and a notification recipient, the notification recipient having been notified of the alarm,

wherein the wireless communication module is configured to establish the two-way voice communication session by receiving a wireless voice call transferred from the intermediary alarm server, the intermediary alarm server transferring an automated voice call with the notification recipient to the wireless communication module.

14. An alarm system comprising:

at least one sensor configured to sense an alarm; and

a wireless communication module configured to;

report the alarm via at least one Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) data packet to an intermediary alarm server; and

establish a two-way voice communication session between the alarm system and a notification recipient, the notification recipient having been notified of the alarm,

wherein the wireless communication module is configured to establish the two-way voice communication session by calling into an automated phone system of the intermediary alarm server and requesting a call transfer to the notification recipient.