Dynamic linking of security systems

• US 10,217,335 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2017
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dunn, Alex J., Harris, Christopher Lee, Ehlers, Bruce, Santiago, Todd M., Nye, James E., Warren, Jeremy B., Thomas, Jeffrey G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Small, Naomi J
• Application Number:
  US15/449,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20170243454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 723 Days
• Field of Search: 340541, 340517
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/00 Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 26/00 Alarm systems in which substations are interrogated in succession by a central station

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods, systems, and apparatuses for dynamically linking a first security system and a second security system. A method may include selectively linking a first security system and a second security system based on one or more link conditions. The method may further include receiving one or more first sensor event messages from the first security system and sending at least a portion of the one or more first sensor event messages to the second security system. The method may also include receiving one or more second sensor event messages from the second security system, and sending at least a portion of the one or more second sensor event messages to the first security system. In one aspect, the method may include selectively de-linking the first security system and the second security system based on one or more de-link conditions.

Claims

1. A security system comprising:

a first security system comprising a first control unit and a first sensor communicatively connected to the first control unit; and

a second security system comprising a second control unit and a second sensor;

wherein the first control unit and the second control unit are configured to link based on an occurrence of a link condition that is associated with an armed status of the first security system or the second security system.

2. The security system of claim 1, wherein the second control unit is configured to link to the first control unit upon the occurrence of the link condition such that one or more second system alarm condition messages for alarm conditions detected by the second sensor are available through the first control unit.

3. The security system of claim 2, wherein the first control unit is configured to direct the second security system to execute at least one command based on the one or more second system alarm condition messages.

4. The security system of claim 1, wherein the second control unit is configured to direct the first security system to execute at least one command based on a first system alarm condition message.

5. The security system of claim 1, wherein the first control unit is configured to wirelessly transmit first system alarm condition messages to the second control unit.

6. The security system of claim 5, wherein the first control unit is configured to send the first system alarm condition messages to a remote monitoring system, and wherein the second security system retrieves the first system alarm condition messages from the remote monitoring system.

7. The security system of claim 5, wherein the first control unit is configured to filter the first system alarm condition messages based on a category associated with each of the first system alarm condition messages.

8. The security system of claim 7, wherein the first control unit is configured to transmit the filtered first alarm condition messages to the second control unit.

9. The security system of claim 1, wherein the second control unit further comprises:

a conference component configured to establish a communication session with an electronic device; and

a communication interface for receiving and transmitting audio data, or video data, or both over a wireless network based on the established communication session.

10. The security system of claim 9, wherein the electronic device comprises the first control unit, and wherein the established communication session enables a first user of the first control unit to communicate with a second user of the second control unit.

11. The security system of claim 1, wherein the link condition further comprises a predefined date, a determination that a user has exited a property monitored by the first security system or the second security system, or a combination thereof.

12. The security system of claim 1, wherein the second sensor is communicatively connected to the first control unit.

13. The security system of claim 1, wherein the first control unit is configured to de-link with the second control unit upon the occurrence of a de-link condition.

14. The security system of claim 1, wherein a first system alarm condition message based on a condition detected by the first sensor is available through the second control unit.

15. A link module that links a first security system and a second security system, the link module configured to:

selectively link the first security system and the second security system based on a link condition associated with an armed status of the first security system, or the second security system, or both;

receive one or more first sensor event messages generated by the first security system from the first security system; and

transmit one or more second sensor event messages generated by the second security system to the first security system.

16. The link module of claim 15, further configured to:

receive a first system command generated by the first security system based at least in part on linking the first security system and the second security system; and

transmit a second system command generated by the second security system for the first security system.

17. The link module of claim 15, further configured to selectively de-link the first security system and the second security system based on one or more de-link conditions.

18. The link module of claim 15, wherein the link module is implemented in at least one of a first control unit for the first security system, a second control unit for the second security system, or a monitoring system associated with the first security system and the second security system.

19. The link module of claim 15, further configured to:

filter the one or more first sensor event messages received from the first security system; and

transmit a subset of the one or more first sensor event messages to the second security system based at least in part on the filtering.

20. A method comprising:

selectively linking a first security system and a second security system based on a link condition associated with an armed status of the first security system, or the second security system, or both;

receiving one or more first sensor event messages generated by the first security system from the first security system; and

transmitting one or more second sensor event messages generated by the second security system to the first security system.