System and method for monitoring security at a plurality of premises

• US 20060107298A1
• 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 7,391,315 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/108
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1672 using sonic detecting means, e.g. a microphone operating in the audio frequency range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence

Abstract

A security system includes at least one audio sensor located at a premises that receives audio signals and converts the audio signals to digitized audio signals. A server is located remote from the plurality of premises and receives the digitized audio signals from each of the premises. A plurality of clients are in communication with the server, which is operative for selecting the client for receiving digitized audio signals for a selected premises. The client is operative for converting the digitized audio signals from the selected premises into audio for an operator that is monitoring the premises.

Claims

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

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

a server located remote from the plurality of premises that receives the digitized audio signals from each of the premises; and

a plurality of clients in communication with said server, wherein said server is operative for selecting a client for receiving digitized audio signals for a selected premises, and said client is operative for converting said digitized audio signals from the selected premises into audio for an operator that is monitoring the premises.

2. A security system according to claim 1, wherein said server is operative for load balancing to select a client for receiving digitized audio signals.

3. A security system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one audio sensor at each premises 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.

4. A security system according to claim 3, wherein said at least one audio sensor at each premises 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.

5. A security system according to claim 3, 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.

6. A security system according to claim 1, and further comprising a premises controller located at each premises for receiving the digitized audio signals and transmitting said digitized audio signals to said server.

7. A security system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one audio sensor at each premises includes a transceiver for receiving a communications signal from said server and transmitting a communications signal to said server.

8. A security system according to claim 1, wherein said communications signal comprises a signal representing a voice.

9. A security system according to claim 1, and further comprising a communications network interconnecting said clients 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, and further comprising a first receiver located at said server for receiving digitized audio signals generated by said audio sensors and a second receiver for receiving analog audio signals.

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

a plurality of audio sensors located at each of the premises that receives audio signals at the respective premises and converts the audio signals to digitized audio signals;

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

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

a server located remote from each of the premises and interconnected to each respective premises controller for receiving the digitized audio signals; and

a plurality of clients in communication with said server, wherein said server is operative for selecting a client for receiving digitized audio signals for a selected premises for further processing.

14. A security system according to claim 13, wherein said server is operative for load balancing to select a client for receiving digitized audio signals.

15. A security system according to claim 13, wherein each premises controller is operative for selectively addressing each audio sensor on said data bus at said respective premises for 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 server.

17. A security system according to claim 13, and further comprising a communications network interconnecting each client and server.

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

converting audios signals within audio sensors located at each of the plurality of premises into a digitized audio signal;

transmitting the digitized audio signals along a communications network to a server;

selecting a client in communication with the server for receiving digitized audio signals for a selected premises; and

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

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

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