Method and system for communicating with and controlling an alarm system from a remote server

• US 20080204190A1
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Icon Acquisitions LLC
• Original Assignee: uControl, Inc. (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Shumate, Scott William, Battles, Ronald E., Cohn, Alan Wade, Proft, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,633,385 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/3.1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/027 Alarm generation, e.g. communication protocol; Forms of alarm

Abstract

A communication system is provided that can be added to a legacy alarm system to provide a plurality of communication modes to a remote server system from the legacy alarm system and provide remote control and monitoring to a user of the system via two-way communication links. The communication system can be configured to communicate with an alarm processor of the legacy alarm system through use of a keypad bus typically used by the legacy alarm system for communication between the alarm processor and one or more keypads. Communication modes that can be provided by embodiments of the present invention can include, for example, communication over a public switched telephone network, cellular transmission, broadband transmission, and the like. The communication system can monitor all configured communication modes and determine which communication mode is the best for providing communication between the alarm system and the remote server. Through these communication modes and by virtue of being coupled to the alarm processor via the keypad bus, the communication system can provide both transmission to the remote server of the status and alarm condition of the legacy alarm system as well as provide control signals from the remote server to the legacy alarm system. The remote server provides pre-determined responses to information received from the alarm system, including providing alarm system condition information to a user or a monitoring station for response.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a communications unit, coupled to a keypad bus of an alarm system controller unit and an external network via plurality of communication modes, and configured to

receive a first signal on the keypad bus from the alarm systems controller unit,

select a communication mode of the plurality of communication modes to communicate to the external network, and

transmit a first set of data comprising information from the first signal to the external network over the selected communication mode; and

a network server coupled to the external network and configured to receive the first set of data transmitted by the communications unit, and perform a pre-determined response to the information in the first set of data.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

the communications unit further coupled to an alarm processor of the alarm system controller unit via a telecommunications interface; and

the communications unit further configured to

receive a second signal over the telecommunications interface, and

transmit a second set of data comprising information from the second signal to the external network over the selected communication mode.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

the network server further configured to

receive the second set of data transmitted by the communications unit, and

perform a pre-determined response to information in the second set of data.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

the network server further configured to

determine whether the information in the first or second set of data comprises reportable information to provide to a monitoring station, and

if the information in the first or second set of data comprises reportable information, provide a description corresponding to the reportable information to the monitoring station.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

the network server further configured to

store a set of responses to information received from the communications unit, wherein

the information comprises one of a plurality of events and conditions reported by the alarm system controller unit or a device coupled to the keypad bus, and

each response of the set of responses corresponds to an event or condition of the plurality of events and conditions, and

select the pre-determined response to the information in the first set of data from the set of responses.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the pre-determined response comprises providing a description corresponding to the information in the first set of data to a selected user.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

the network server further configured to

perform said providing the description by transmitting an electronic mail message to the selected user.

8. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

the network server further configured to

perform said providing the description by transmitting an SMS text message to the selected user.

9. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

the network server further configured to

perform said providing the description by providing information viewable by a web browser.

10. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

the network server further configured to

perform said providing the description by initiating a telephone call to the selected user and transmitting an audible message.

11. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

the network server further configured to

perform said providing the description by causing an instant message (IM) to be transmitted to an IM receiver.

12. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

the network server further configured to

perform said providing the description by causing a really simple syndication (RSS) feed to be transmitted to an RSS receiver.

13. The system of claim 5 further comprising:

the network server further configured to

enable a user to enter response data, and

store the response data as a response of the set of responses.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein enabling the user to enter response data comprises:

authorizing the user to access the set of responses corresponding to the communications unit.

15. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

the network server further configured to

transmit control information to the communication unit over the selected communication mode; and

the communications unit further configured to

receive the control information, and

transmit control data corresponding to the received control information to the alarm system controller unit over the keypad bus.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

the network server further configured to

receive control input from a user, and

in response to the control input, generate the control information.

17. A method comprising:

receiving a first set of data over a network, wherein

the first set of data comprises keypad bus information, and

the keypad bus information corresponds to a signal on an alarm system controller keypad bus; and

performing a first pre-determined response to the keypad bus information in the first set of data.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

receiving a second set of data over the network, wherein

the second set of data comprises alarm condition information, and

the alarm condition information corresponds to a signal from an alarm system controller telecommunications interface; and

performing a second pre-determined response to the alarm condition information in the second set of data.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

determining whether the first or second set of data contain reportable information to provide to a monitoring station; and

providing a description corresponding to the reportable information to the monitoring station, if the first or second set of data contains reportable information.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

storing a set of responses to keypad bus information, wherein

the keypad bus information comprises one of a plurality of events and conditions reported on the alarm system controller keypad bus, and

each response of the set of responses corresponds to an event or condition of the plurality of events and conditions; and

selecting the pre-determined response to the keypad bus information in the first set of data from the set of responses.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the pre-determined response comprises:

providing a description corresponding to the information in the first set of data to a selected user.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

providing a user interface configured to enable a user to enter response data; and

storing the response data as a response of the set of responses.

23. A method comprising:

transmitting control information to a communications unit coupled to an alarm system controller, wherein

said transmitting is performed over a selected communication mode,

the control information comprises data usable to control the alarm system controller, and

the communications unit is coupled to the alarm system controller via a keypad bus.

24. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a first set of data over a network, wherein

the first set of data comprises keypad bus information, and

the keypad bus information corresponds to a signal on an alarm system controller keypad bus; and

means for performing a first pre-determined response to the keypad bus information in the first set of data.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising:

means for receiving a second set of data over the network, wherein

the second set of data comprises alarm condition information, and

the alarm condition information corresponds to a signal from an alarm system controller telecommunications interface; and

means for performing a second pre-determined response to the alarm condition information in the second set of data.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising:

means for storing a set of responses to keypad bus information, wherein

the keypad bus information comprises one of a plurality of events and conditions reported on the alarm system controller keypad bus, and

each response of the set of responses corresponds to an event or condition of the plurality of events and conditions; and

means for selecting the pre-determined response to the keypad bus information in the first set of data from the set of responses.