Security system with wireless communication features

• US 20060125626A1
• Filed: 11/29/2004
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Govindaraj, Nithyanandhan
• Granted Patent: US 7,336,172 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/531
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/004 Alarm propagated along alternative communication path or using alternative communication medium according to a hierarchy of available ways to communicate, e.g. if Wi-Fi not available use GSM
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/012 using recorded signals, e.g. speech G08B25/08 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and systems are presented to provide wireless features with a property security system. A detected alarm, which is incapable of being communicated externally by the property security system, is passed to a wireless communication device for processing. In response to the alarm, the wireless communication device communicates an emergency message to an emergency call center service via a wireless transmission.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting that a property security system has raised an alarm;

determining that the property security system is incapable of communicating the alarm through a landline communication service;

processing the alarm via a wireless communication device; and

sending a message to an emergency call center service via the wireless communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting further includes identifying an interruption in service on a landline for the landline communication service indicating that the landline has been cut or disconnected.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining further includes attempting to communicate the message via the landline communication service and receiving no response indicating that the security system is incapable of communicating the message through the landline communication service.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein processing further includes passing control of processing the alarm to the wireless communication device, which is associated with the security system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein sending further includes acquiring a prerecorded audio message as the message from within storage of the security system or the wireless communication device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein sending further includes dialing an emergency number and once connected to the emergency call center service playing the prerecorded audio message.

7. A method, comprising:

receiving an emergency message;

acquiring an emergency number; and

configuring a security system to connect to an emergency call center service accessed through the emergency number to play the message via a wireless communication if an alarm is detect and the security system is incapable of communicating the emergency message via a landline communication service.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving further includes capturing the message from a recording device interfaced to the security system which is accessed by a user, wherein the message is audibly communicated by the user to the recording device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving further includes receiving a selection from a user interfaced to a control panel of the security system, wherein the selection identifies the message from a selection of available messages.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving further includes receiving the message as a text inputted string supplied by a user interfaced to a control panel of the security system.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the receiving further includes receiving a portion of the message as a location identifier that identifies a property location associated with the security system.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein configuring further includes accessing the wireless communication service via at least one of a code division multiple access (CDMA) transmission and a global system for mobile communication (GSM) service.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein acquiring further includes selecting the emergency call center number from a list of available emergency call center numbers based on a geographical location associated with the security system.

14. A system, comprising:

a property security system; and

a wireless communication device interfaced to the security system, wherein the security system is adapted to pass processing control to the wireless communication system when a landline communication device is unavailable for use by the security system, and wherein the wireless communication device is adapted to connect wirelessly to an emergency call center service when control is passed and play an emergency message.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising, a recording device interfaced to the security system for receiving the emergency message.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the wireless communication device is also adapted to acquire processing control when the security system fails and is further adapted to connect wirelessly to the emergency call center service and play the emergency message.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the wireless communication device connects to the emergency call center service using at least one of a code division multiple access (CDMA) transmission and a global system for mobile communication (GSM) service.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the wireless communication device accesses a preconfigured emergency number to connect to the emergency call center service.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the emergency message is configurable by a user.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the emergency message is stored in at least one the security system and the wireless communication device.

21. A system, comprising:

an emergency message; and

a wireless communication device, wherein the emergency message is acquired by the wireless communication device when an alarm is detected with a property security system, and wherein the wireless communication device is adapted to communicate the emergency message to an emergency call center service if the property security system of incapable of externally communicating the emergency message to the emergency call center service.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the emergency message is predefined based on an initial configuration of the property security system.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the emergency message is configured by a user of the property security system.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the emergency message is stored within the wireless communication device.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the emergency message is stored within the property security system.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the alarm is raised automatically by the property security system when a landline communication service interfaced to the property security system fails.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the alarm is detected when the wireless communication device detects that communication between the property security system and the wireless communication device fails.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the wireless communication device is adapted to regularly reattempt to communicate the emergency message to the emergency call center service if some type of interruption or failure occurred with prior attempts.