Portable alarm and methods of transmitting alarm data

• US 20050030174A1
• Filed: 06/14/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tattletale LLC
• Original Assignee: Tattletale Portable Alarm Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Hess, Brian K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,327,220 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/531
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence

Abstract

A portable alarm having an intelligent communications interface is provided. The portable alarm may transmit digital wireless data wirelessly to a location external to the portable alarm. Methods of transmitting alarm data from a portable alarm are provided. The alarm data may be converted to wireless digital data and transmitted wirelessly.

Claims

1. An alarm, comprising:

a portable alarm having an alarm enclosure;

a processor for receiving alarm data, wherein said processor is in said alarm enclosure; and

an intelligent communications interface in said alarm enclosure, wherein;

said intelligent communications interface is connected to said processor for receiving alarm data;

said intelligent communications interface is capable of receiving alarm data from said processor for receiving alarm data;

said intelligent communications interface converts at least a portion of said alarm data to wireless digital data; and

said intelligent communications interface may cause said wireless digital data to be wirelessly transmitted to a location external to said portable alarm.

2. The alarm as claimed in claim 1 wherein said location comprises a device.

3. The alarm as claimed in claim 2 wherein said wireless digital data is transmitted to said device via a service center.

4. The alarm as claimed in claim 1 wherein said location comprises a plurality of locations.

5. The alarm as claimed in claim 1 wherein said location comprises a service center.

6. The alarm as claimed in claim 1 wherein said wireless digital data comprises digital textual data.

7. The alarm as claimed in claim 6 wherein said digital textual data comprises SMS type data.

8. The alarm as claimed in claim 1 wherein said digital wireless data comprises MMS type data.

9. The alarm as claimed in claim 1 wherein said digital wireless data comprises GPRS type data.

10. The alarm as claimed in claim 1 wherein said intelligent communications interface further comprises a radio that transmits said digital wireless data to said location.

11. The alarm as claimed in claim 1 wherein said location comprises an interactive alarm processor.

12. The alarm as claimed in claim 11 wherein said interactive alarm processor may process said digital wireless data and transmit said processed digital wireless data to any fixed or portable device.

13. The alarm as claimed in claim 12 wherein said fixed or portable device may send control data to said interactive alarm processor, and wherein said interactive alarm processor may process said control data and send said control data to said intelligent communications interface.

14. The alarm as claimed in claim 13 wherein said control data may control said portable alarm.

15. The alarm as claimed in claim 11 wherein said interactive alarm processor may process said data and send said processed wireless digital data to a central monitoring station.

16. The alarm as claimed in claim 15 wherein said central monitoring station may send control data to said interactive alarm processor, and wherein said interactive alarm processor may process said control data and send said control data to said intelligent communications interface.

17. The alarm as claimed in claim 16 wherein said control data from said central monitoring station may control said portable alarm.

18. A method for transmitting alarm data from a portable alarm having a processor for receiving alarm data and an intelligent communications interface connected to said processor for receiving alarm data, comprising:

transmitting alarm data from said processor for receiving alarm data to said intelligent communications interface;

converting said alarm data to wireless digital data using said intelligent communications interface; and

causing said wireless digital data to be wirelessly transmitted from said portable alarm to a service center external from said portable alarm.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein said step of converting said alarm data to wireless digital data comprises converting said alarm data to textual digital data.

20. The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein said step of converting said alarm data to wireless digital data comprises converting said alarm data to a data type selected from SMS type, MMS type, and GPRS type.

21. The method as claimed in claim 18 further comprising the step of transmitting said wireless digital data from said wireless service center to a digital device.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21 wherein said digital device is portable.

23. The method as claimed in claim 21 further comprising the steps of transmitting control data from said portable digital device to said service center and transmitting said control data from said service center to said intelligent communications interface.

24. The method as claimed in claim 18 further comprising the step of transmitting said wireless digital data from said service center to an interactive alarm processor.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24 further comprising the step of processing said wireless digital data in said interactive alarm processor and further transmitting said processed wireless digital data to another device.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25 wherein said device is selected from a portable device and a static device.

27. The method as claimed in claim 25 wherein said processed digital data is transmitted to said device via a network selected from a wireless network, an internet network, a voice network, and a paging network.

28. The method as claimed in claim 25 further comprising the steps of sending control data from said device to said interactive alarm processor, processing the control data to a wireless digital data format in said interactive alarm processor, and transmitting said control data to said intelligent communications interface.

29. The method as claimed in claim 24 further comprising the step of processing said wireless digital data in said interactive alarm processor and further transmitting said processed wireless digital data to a central monitoring station.

30. The method as claimed in claim 29 further comprising the steps of sending control data from said central monitoring station to said interactive alarm processor, processing the control data to a wireless digital data format in said interactive alarm processor, and transmitting said control data to said intelligent communications interface.

31. The method as claimed in claim 24 further comprising configuring said interactive alarm processor such that a user may access and configure said interactive alarm processor.