System and method for monitoring security at a premises

• US 20060104312A1
• Filed: 11/08/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Securitas Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sonitrol Corporation Corporation of The State of Delaware
• Inventors: Friar, Gary
• Granted Patent: US 8,248,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/506
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1672 using sonic detecting means, e.g. a microphone operating in the audio frequency range

Abstract

Digital audio sensors receive and digitize audio signals and transmit the digitized signals to a central monitoring station for monitoring by an operator. The system can allow load balancing and other improvements.

Claims

1. A security system for monitoring security at a premises comprising:

at least one audio sensor located at the premises that receives audio signals and converts the audio signals to digitized audio signals; and

a central monitoring station located remote from the premises that receives the digitized audio signals and converts the digitized audio signals into audible audio for an operator that is monitoring the premises.

2. A security system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one audio sensor includes a processor that is operative for determining whether any digitized audio signals are indicative of an alarm condition and should be received at the central monitoring station.

3. A security system according to claim 2, wherein said at least one audio sensor includes a memory for storing digital signatures of different audio sounds indicative of an alarm condition, wherein said processor is operative for comparing a digitized audio signal with digital signatures stored within said memory to determine whether an alarm condition exists.

4. A security system according to claim 2, wherein said processor at said at least one audio sensor is operative for receiving data relating to audio patterns indicative of false alarms allowing said processor to recognize audio sounds indicative of false alarms.

5. A security system according to claim 1, and further comprising a premises controller located at the premises and operatively connected to each audio sensor for receiving the digitized audio signals and transmitting said digitized audio signals to said central monitoring station.

6. A security system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one audio sensor includes a transceiver for receiving a communications signal from said central monitoring station and transmitting a communications signal to said central monitoring station.

7. A security system according to claim 6, wherein said communications signal comprises a signal representing a voice.

8. A security system according to claim 1, wherein said central monitoring station includes a server, and further comprising a client in communication with said server for accessing said server and receiving data regarding security.

9. A security system according to claim 8, and further comprising a communications network interconnecting said client and server.

10. A security system according to claim 9, wherein said communications network comprises an internet.

11. A security system according to claim 9, wherein said communications network comprises a local area network.

12. A security system according to claim 1, wherein said central monitoring station includes a first receiver for receiving digitized audio signals generated by said at least one audio sensor and a second receiver for receiving analog audio signals.

13. A security system for monitoring security at a premises comprising:

a plurality of audio sensors located at the premises that receive audio signals generated at the premises and convert the audio signals to digitized audio signals;

a data bus interconnecting each of the audio sensors and receiving the digitized audio signals thereon, wherein each audio sensor includes an identifying data address on the data bus;

a premises controller located at the premises and interconnected to said data bus for receiving said digitized audio signals from each of the audio sensors; and

a central monitoring station located remote from the premises and interconnected to said premises controller for receiving from the premises controller the digitized audio signals for further processing.

14. A security system according to claim 13, wherein said central monitoring station is operative for converting digitized audio signals into audio for monitoring by an operator.

15. A security system according to claim 13, wherein one or both of said premises controller and central monitoring station are operative for selectively addressing each audio sensor on said data bus for identifying a selected audio sensor and transmitting or receiving data to or from a selected audio sensor.

16. A security system according to claim 13, wherein each audio sensor includes a processor that is operative for determining whether any digitized audio signals are indicative of an alarm condition and should be received at the central monitoring station.

17. A security system according to claim 13, wherein said central monitoring station includes a server, and further comprising a client in communication with said server for accessing said server and obtaining information regarding the security system.

18. A method for monitoring security at a premises, which comprises:

converting an audio signal at the premises into a digitized audio signal within an audio sensor located at the premises;

transmitting the digitized audio signal along a communications network to a central monitoring station; and

converting the digitized audio signal into audio for an operator that is monitoring the premises.

19. A method according to claim 18, which further comprises transmitting the digitized audio signal along a data bus to a premises controller located at the premises, and transmitting the digitized audio signal from the premises controller to the central monitoring station along the communications network.

20. A method according to claim 18, which further comprises transmitting the digitized audio signal from the central monitoring station along a communications network to a client for monitoring.