Security System and Method Using Mobile-Telephone Technology

• US 20080272910A1
• Filed: 08/06/2007
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: J & C Investments, LLC, J & CP Investments, LLC
• Original Assignee: J & CP Investments, LLC
• Inventors: Anderson, Micah Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,842,006 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1004 Alarm systems characterised by the type of sensor, e.g. current sensing means using door lock sensors B60R25/1001
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/305 using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/001 Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation

Abstract

Disclosed is a security and alarm system. When sensors detect something of note, they alert a master unit which in turn captures pertinent information (e.g., an image or sound) and places a mobile-telephone call to deliver the alert and the captured information. The recipient of the call (for example, an owner of the system or a security service) evaluates the information and takes appropriate action such as alerting a local police department. Some embodiments offer two-way service: In addition to delivering alerts, the system responds to calls from an authorized user requesting current information. Two-way communications allow some embodiments to deliver “Breach of Peace” alerts to users. In one scenario, a public security service sends out a warning within a geographical area that the peace has been breached. The system receives the warning and alerts its user to the situation. The user then takes appropriate action.

Claims

1. An integrated alarm detection and reporting system, the system comprising:

an alarm detection module, the alarm detection module comprising at least one status sensor, the alarm detection module configured for sending an alert of a first type to a communications module;

an information-capture module; and

the communications module communicatively coupled to the alarm detection module, the communications module configured for receiving the alert of a first type from the alarm detection module, for receiving information captured by the information-capture module, and for transmitting an alert of a second type and the captured information.

2. The integrated alarm detection and reporting system of claim 1 wherein the at least one status sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

a motion detector, a breakage detector, a vibration detector, a smoke detector, a fire detector, a gas detector, an entry detector, a power-interrupt detector, a vehicle-speed detector, a seatbelt-status detector, a physical-location sensor, a radar detector, a decibel sensor, a medical-information sensor, and a maintenance-status sensor.

3. The integrated alarm detection and reporting system of claim 1 wherein the information-capture module comprises an element selected from the group consisting of:

a still camera, a video camera, a microphone, and a physical-location sensor.

4. The integrated alarm detection and reporting system of claim 1 wherein the transmitting of the alert of a second type and the captured information comprises communicating over a mobile-telephone network.

5. The integrated alarm detection and reporting system of claim 4 wherein communicating over a mobile-telephone network comprises communicating to a telephone number of a registered owner of the alarm detection and reporting system.

6. The integrated alarm detection and reporting system of claim 5 wherein communicating over a mobile-telephone network further comprises communicating to an alarm support service;

and

wherein the alarm support service is configured for receiving from the communications module the alarm of the second type and the captured information, for recording the alarm of the second type and the captured information, and for notifying someone of the alert of the second type.

7. The integrated alarm detection and reporting system of claim 6 further comprising:

waiting for a response from the registered owner;

attempting to authenticate the response; and

only communicating to the alarm support service if no successfully authenticated response is received in a set period of time.

8. The integrated alarm detection and reporting system of claim 7 wherein attempting to authenticate the response comprises reviewing authentication information selected from the set consisting of:

an access code, voice-recognition data, an RFID code, and human-parametric data.

9. The integrated alarm detection and reporting system of claim 6 wherein the alarm support service is further configured for notifying someone selected from the group consisting of:

the registered owner of the integrated alarm detection and reporting system, a private security service, and a public security service.

10. The integrated alarm detection and reporting system of claim 1 wherein the communications module is further configured for:

receiving a request to capture information;

directing the information-capture module to capture the requested information; and

transmitting the requested information.

11. The integrated alarm detection and reporting system of claim 10 wherein the communications module is further configured for:

receiving authentication information;

attempting to verify the received authentication information; and

responding to the request only if the authentication information is successfully verified.

12. The integrated alarm detection and reporting system of claim 1 wherein the communications module is further configured for:

receiving a “

Breach of Peace”

alert; and

communicating the “

Breach of Peace”

alert to a local user.

13. A master alarm unit configured for use with an alarm system, the master alarm unit comprising:

a first communications port for receiving an alert of a first type;

a second communications port for communicating with an information-capture module; and

a transmitter/receiver configured for transmitting over a mobile-telephone network an alert of a second type and information received over the second communications port.

14. The master alarm unit of claim 13 wherein the first and the second communications ports are selected from the group consisting of:

a wired serial port, a radio port, a Bluetooth port, a USB port, and an infrared port.

15. The master alarm unit of claim 13 wherein the transmitter/receiver is selected from the group consisting of:

a radio transmitter/receiver, a cellular transmitter/receiver, a satellite transmitter/receiver, and a GSM transmitter/receiver.

16. The master alarm unit of claim 13 further configured for removable placement in a docking station, wherein the first and the second communications ports connect to the docking station when the master alarm unit is docked.

17. The master alarm unit of claim 13 further configured for permanent installation, wherein the master alarm unit further comprises a connection for an emergency battery.

18. The master alarm unit of claim 13 further configured for:

receiving a request to capture information;

issuing a command over the second communications port to capture the requested information;

receiving the captured information over the second communications port; and

transmitting the captured information.

19. The master alarm unit of claim 18 further configured for:

receiving authentication information;

attempting to verify the received authentication information; and

responding to the request only if the authentication information is successfully verified.

20. The master alarm unit of claim 13 wherein transmitting over a mobile-telephone network comprises:

transmitting to a telephone number of a registered owner of the master alarm unit;

waiting for a response from the registered owner;

attempting to authenticate the response; and

communicating to an alarm support service if no successfully authenticated response is received in a set period of time.

21. The master alarm unit of claim 20 wherein attempting to authenticate the response comprises reviewing authentication information selected from the set consisting of:

an access code, voice-recognition data, an RFID code, and human-parametric data.

22. The master alarm unit of claim 13 further configured for receiving a “

Breach of Peace”

alert and for communicating the “

Breach of Peace”

alert to a local user.

23. A method of operation of a master alarm unit configured for use with an alarm system, the method comprising:

receiving an alert of a first type;

in response to receiving the alert of a first type, capturing information; and

via a mobile-telephone network, transmitting an alarm of a second type and the captured information.

24. The method of operation of a master alarm unit of claim 23 wherein transmitting an alarm of a second type comprises:

transmitting to a telephone number of a registered owner of the master alarm unit;

waiting for a response from the registered owner;

attempting to authenticate the response; and

communicating to an alarm support service if no successfully authenticated response is received in a set period of time.

25. The method of operation of a master alarm unit of claim 23 further comprising:

receiving a request to capture information;

capturing the requested information; and

transmitting the captured information.

26. The method of operation of a master alarm unit of claim 25 further comprising:

receiving authentication information;

attempting to verify the received authentication information; and

responding to the request only if the authentication information is successfully verified.

27. The method of operation of a master alarm unit of claim 23 further comprising:

receiving a request to configure an information-capture module; and

issuing a configuration command to an information-capture module.

28. The method of operation of a master alarm unit of claim 23 further comprising:

repeatedly capturing an image and transmitting the captured images.

29. The method of operation of a master alarm unit of claim 23 further comprising:

continually capturing video images and transmitting the captured video images.

30. The method of operation of a master alarm unit of claim 23 further comprising:

receiving a “

Breach of Peace”

alert; and

communicating the “

Breach of Peace”

alert to a local user.

31. A computer-readable medium containing computer-readable instructions for performing a method of operation of a master alarm unit configured for use with an alarm system, the method comprising:

receiving an alert of a first type;

in response to receiving the alert of a first type, capturing an image; and

via a mobile-telephone network, transmitting an alarm of a second type and the captured information.