METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A SECURITY SYSTEM AND A MONITORING CENTER

• US 20090323904A1
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The ADT Security Corporation (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADT Security Services Incorporated (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: WORST, BERNARD I., WILBER, MICHAEL E., SHAPIRO, STEVEN
• Granted Patent: US 8,976,937 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/39
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

A method for providing communications between a system control panel at a premises and a central monitoring center comprises transmitting an event code from the control panel to the monitoring center utilizing a first communications format and a network protocol, and causing the control panel to enter a call-back mode. The control panel is enabled to receive in-bound calls utilizing a second communications format. A two-way voice session is established utilizing the second communications format between the monitoring center and the control panel. The two-way voice session is initiated by the monitoring center.

Claims

1. A method for providing communications between a system control panel at a premises and a central monitoring center, the method comprising:

transmitting an event code from the control panel to the monitoring center utilizing a first communications format and a network protocol;

causing the control panel to enter a call-back mode;

enabling the control panel to receive in-bound calls utilizing a second communications format; and

establishing a two-way voice session utilizing the second communications format between the monitoring center and the control panel, wherein the two-way voice session is initiated by the monitoring center.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the two-way voice session utilizes one of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Voice over IP (VoIP), WiMAX, Wi-Fi, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (iDEN), and Long Term Evolution (LTE).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communications format is a format associated with one of General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced Data Rates for GSM evolution (EDGE), 1xRTT, evolution-data optimized (EVDO), iDEN, and VoIP.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communications format constitutes a packet mode format.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring center automatically calls the control panel utilizing the second communications format upon receipt of the event code.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting an alarm code from the control panel to the monitoring center utilizing the first communications format the alarm code comprising as least a system identifier (ID) associated with the control panel.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing operation further comprises making an outbound call to the control panel based on a pre-assigned phone number associated with the control panel.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a two-way communications link between the control panel and a service provider, the service provider establishing a connection between the control panel and the monitoring center.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the event code indicates that the control panel is entering a two-way voice call-back mode.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the control panel enters the call-back mode upon receiving an acknowledge message from the monitoring center acknowledging that the monitoring center has received the event code.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing the control panel in a listen-only state for a predetermined period of time once the two-way voice session is established.

12. The method, of claim 1, wherein the control panel enters an in-bound call enabled state at the enabling operation and maintains the in-bound call enabled state until establishing the two-way voice session or a time period expires, whichever comes first.

13. A security system, comprising:

a system control panel located at a premises, the system control panel comprising;

a first transceiver configured to utilize a first communications format to transmit an event code, the first transceiver further configured to utilize a second communications format; and

an audio input configured to receive signals representative of sound within the premises; and

a central monitoring center located remote from the premises, the central monitoring center comprising a second transceiver configured to receive the event code from the system control panel utilizing the first communications format, the central monitoring center initiating a voice session with the system control panel utilizing the second communications format after receiving the event code.

14. The security system of claim 13, wherein the first communications format constitutes a wireless data format and the second communications format constitutes a wireless voice format.

15. The security system of claim 13, wherein the central monitoring center is configured to transmit an acknowledge message to the system control panel upon receipt of the event code, and wherein the system control panel enters a call-back mode upon receipt of the acknowledge message.

16. The security system of claim 13, where in the system control panel enters into a call-back mode after transmitting the event code, the call-back mode enabling the system control panel to answer a call from the central monitoring center utilizing the second communications format to establish the voice session, the voice session further comprising a one-way voice session or a two-way voice session.

17. The security system of claim 13, wherein the system control panel enters into a call-back mode for a time period after transmitting the event code, the system control panel retransmitting the event code if a call from the central monitoring center is not received during the time period.

18. The security system of claim 13, wherein the central monitoring center transmits commands utilizing the second communications format to remotely control the system control panel.

19. The security system of claim 13, wherein the first communications format is a format associated with one of General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced Data Rates for GSM evolution EDGE, 1xRTT, Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (iDEN), Voice over IP (VoIP), and evolution-data optimized (EVDO).

20. The security system of claim 13, wherein the second communications format is a format associated with one of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), VoIP, WiMAX, Wi-Fi, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), iDEN, Long Term Evolution (LTE), and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA).

21. A system control panel for monitoring a plurality of security devices installed at a premises and for communicating with a central monitoring center located remote from the premises, the system control panel comprising:

a control module configured to detect event data associated with a security device;

an audio input configured to receive signals representative of sound within the premises;

a communicator module configured to utilize first and second communications formats to enable communications, the communicator module comprising a system identifier (ID) identifying the system control panel; and

a transceiver configured to transmit data utilizing the first communications format and at least one of voice and data utilizing the second communications format, the transceiver further configured to transmit an event code to the central monitoring center utilizing the first communications format, the system control panel entering a call-back mode after the event code is transmitted to enable a voice session with the central monitoring center utilizing the second communications format.

22. The system control panel of claim 21, wherein the system control panel enters the call-back mode after receiving an acknowledgment message utilizing the first communications format from the central monitoring center.

23. The system control panel of claim 21, wherein the transceiver transmits an alarm code based on the event data detected by the control module, the alarm code further comprising at least the system ID, the alarm code and the event code being transmitted as a constant stream.

24. The system control panel of claim 21, wherein the call-back mode is a two-way call-back mode to enable a two-way voice session between the system control panel and the central monitoring center, the transceiver transmitting sound detected by the input during the two-way voice session.

25. The system control panel of claim 21, wherein the transceiver is configured to wait in the call-back mode for a time period, the transceiver retransmitting the event code if an incoming call from the central monitoring station is not detected during the time period.

26. The system control panel of claim 21, further comprising an Ethernet module configured to transmit at least one of the data and the voice and data over the Internet.