Security system and a method of operating

• US 20050222820A1
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intexact Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: Intexact Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Chung, Hau Leung Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 7,187,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19645 Multiple cameras, each having view on one of a plurality of scenes, e.g. multiple cameras for multi-room surveillance or for tracking an object by view hand-over
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19691 Signalling events for better perception by user, e.g. indicating alarms by making display brighter, adding text, creating a sound
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/002 Generating a prealarm to the central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements

Abstract

A method of operating a security system is disclosed as including sensors for detecting occurrence of at least one security related event, e.g. motion, and alarm devices, in which the sensors and alarm devices are operatively associated with each other, e g. by being connected with each other via a digital communication backbone (124), including the steps of assigning a threat level to each security-related event; determining the current threat level of the system; comparing the current threat level of the system with a predetermined threshold threat level; causing the alarm devices to produce alarm signals when the current threat level reaches or exceeds the threshold threat level.

Claims

1. A method of operating a security system including means for detecting occurrence of at least one security-related event, and means for producing an output, wherein said detecting means and said output means are operatively associated with each other, including the steps of assigning at least one threat level to each security-related event;

determining the current threat level of said system at least in part on the basis of the threat level of the security-related events detected by said detected means;

comparing the current threat level of said system with a predetermined threshold threat level;

causing said output means to produce an output when the current threat level reaches or exceeds said threshold threat level;

characterized in that the current threat level of said system is determined at least in part by the order of occurrence of at least two previously occurring security-related events.

2. A method according to claim 1 further characterized in that the current threat level varies in accordance with the passage of time.

3. A method according to claim 2 further characterized in that the current threat level decreases, in the absence of detection by said detecting means of new security-related event, with the passage of time.

4. A method according to claim 2 further characterized in that the current threat level decreases, in the absence of detection by said detecting means of new security-related event, by a predetermined percentage with the passage of a predetermined period of time.

5. A method according to claim 1 further characterized in including the steps of pre-defining at least a first and a second scenarios, in which a security-related event is assigned a first threat level in said first scenario and is assigned a second threat level in said second scenario and said first and second threat levels are different.

6. A security system including means for detecting occurrence of at least one security-related event, and means for producing an output, wherein said detecting means and said output means are operatively associated with each other, including means for assigning at least one threat level to each security-related event, means for determining the current threat level of said system at least in part on the basis of the threat level of the security-related events detected by said detected means, means for comparing the current threat level with a predetermined threshold threat level, wherein said output means is adapted to produce said output only when the current threat level reaches or exceeds said threshold threat level;

characterized in that the current threat level of said system is determined at least in part by the order of occurrence of at least two previously occurring security-related events.