Central monitoring station with method to process call based on call source identification information

• US 20070201625A1
• Filed: 02/28/2006
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Martin, Christopher, Boodoosingh, Narine, Hinkson, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,085,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6045 Identity confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42034 Calling party identification service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54

Abstract

A system and a method for processing an incoming telephone call to an alarm system central monitoring station using call source identification data such as caller ID. The alarm system central monitoring station can use the caller ID information transmitted by the telephone company to make decisions as to how to process a call prior to the central monitoring station receiver answering the call. The central monitoring station will process the call by checking if the caller ID information matches caller ID information stored in memory and it will check status information associated with the caller ID information to determine if the call should be disconnected, transferred, or connected. In order to accomplish this the central monitoring station comprises receiving circuits for detecting an incoming telephone call on the telephone line and reading caller ID information associated with the call, switching circuits coupled to the receiving circuitry for transferring the call if necessary, memory for storing status information comprising the caller ID information, and processing circuitry for determining if caller ID information has been stored in the memory, and if it has, then accessing the status information and processing the call as a function of the status information. The central monitoring station may process the call by 1) transferring the call to an invalid alarm call station, 2) connecting the call to a central monitoring station receiver, a second central monitoring station receiver, or a second line of a central monitoring station receiver, or 3) disconnecting the call.

Claims

1. A method of processing an incoming telephone call being received by an alarm system central monitoring station, said call comprising call source identification data, comprising the steps of:

a. receiving said call,

b. reading said call source identification data associated with said call,

c. determining if the call source identification data has been previously stored in memory, and

d. when said call source identification data is found in said memory, then processing said call based on status information associated in memory with said call source identification data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of processing said call comprises the step of connecting said call to an invalid alarm call station.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of transmitting the status information to the invalid alarm call station.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said call source identification data is caller identification (caller ID) information.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of processing said call comprises the step of connecting said call to a receiver.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of transmitting the status information to an automation computer.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of processing said call comprises the step of connecting said call to a second receiver.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of processing said call comprises the step of connecting said call to a second line of a receiver.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of processing said call comprises the step of disconnecting said call.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of updating said stored status information.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of updating said stored status information is performed automatically after processing said call.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the status information comprises runaway dialer status.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the status information comprises non-paying customer account status.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the status information comprises non-alarm call status.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the status information comprises unmatched call source identification data with previously stored call source identification data status.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the status information comprises unsuccessful data transmission status.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the status information comprises acceptable account status.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the status information comprises service tier status.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the status information comprises time data.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the status information comprises count data.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the status information comprises processing information.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the status information comprises call source identification data.

23. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of when said call source identification data has not been stored in said memory, then identifying the call as an unknown call source identification data.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of revising said memory to include said unknown call source identification data status information.

25. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of when said call source identification data has not been stored in said memory, then connecting said call to a receiver.

26. A central monitoring station system, said central monitoring station system connected to at least one telephone line, comprising:

a. receiving circuitry adapted to;

i. detect an incoming telephone call on said telephone line, and

ii. read call source identification data associated with said call,

b. memory adapted to store call source identification data and any associated status information,

c. processing circuitry adapted to;

i. determine if said call source identification data has been stored in memory, and

ii. when said call source identification data has been stored in said memory accessing said status information and processing said call as a function of said status information.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein said processing circuitry processes said call by causing said receiving circuitry to disconnect said call from said alarm system central monitoring station.

28. The system of claim 26 further comprising switching circuitry coupled to said receiving circuitry for transferring said call from said receiving circuitry.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein said processing circuitry processes said call by causing said switching circuitry to connect said call to a receiver.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein said processing circuitry processes said call by causing said switching circuitry to transfer said call to an invalid alarm call station.

31. The system of claim 28 wherein said call source identification data is caller identification information.

32. The system of claim 28 wherein said processing circuitry processes said call by causing said switching circuitry to transfer said call to a second receiver.

33. The system of claim 29 wherein said processing circuitry processes said call by causing said switching circuitry to transfer said call to a second line connected to said receiver.

34. The system of claim 26 wherein said processing circuitry is further adapted to transmit said status information when processing said call.

35. The system of claim 26 wherein said processing circuitry is further adapted to update said status information stored in memory.

36. The system of claim 26 wherein said processing circuitry is further adapted to store status information associated with said call source identification data when said processing circuitry determines said status information has not been stored in the memory.

37. A method of processing an incoming telephone call being received by an alarm system central monitoring station, said call comprising call source identification data, comprising the steps of:

a. receiving said call,

b. reading said call source identification data associated with said call,

c. determining if the call source identification data has been previously stored in memory, and

d. when said call source identification data is found in said memory, then disconnecting said call.

38. A central monitoring station system, said central monitoring station system connected to at least one telephone line, comprising:

a. receiving circuitry adapted to;

i. detect an incoming telephone call on said telephone line, and

ii. read call source identification data associated with said call,

b. memory adapted to store call source identification data and any associated status information,

c. processing circuitry adapted to;

i. determine if said call source identification data has been stored in memory, and

iii. when said call source identification data has been stored in said memory, then disconnecting said call.