METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR COMMUNICATING WITH AND CONTROLLING AN ALARM SYSTEM FROM A REMOTE SERVER

• US 20100066530A1
• Filed: 11/17/2009
• Published: 03/18/2010
• 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 7,956,736 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/500
• 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 method performed by a network node coupled to an alarm system communications unit via a network, the method comprising:

receiving, by the network node, a first set of data over the network from the alarm system communications unit, wherein

the first set of data comprises keypad bus information,

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

the keypad bus of the alarm system controller provides communication between an alarm processor of the alarm system controller, a keypad processor, and the alarm system communications unit; and

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

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the network node, 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, by the network node, a second pre-determined response to the alarm condition information in the second set of data.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

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

transmitting, by the network node, a description corresponding to the reportable information to the monitoring station, if the first or second set of data contains reportable information.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing, by the network node, 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 keypad bus of the alarm system controller, and

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

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

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the pre-determined response comprises:

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

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

providing, by the network node, a user interface configured to enable a user to enter response data; and

storing, by the network node, the response data as a response of the set of responses.

7. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a first set of data over a network from an alarm system communication unit, wherein

the first set of data comprises keypad bus information,

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

the keypad bus of the alarm system controller provides communication between an alarm processor of the alarm system controller, a keypad processor, and the alarm system communication unit; and

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

8. The apparatus of claim 7 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.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

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

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

10. The apparatus of claim 7 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.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

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

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

12. A method performed by a network node coupled to an alarm system communications unit via a network, the method comprising:

transmitting, by the network node, control information to the alarm system communications unit coupled to an alarm system controller, wherein

said transmitting is performed over a selected communication mode by the network node,

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

the alarm system communications unit is coupled to an alarm processor of the alarm system controller via a keypad bus, and

the keypad bus provides communication between the alarm processor of the alarm system controller, a keypad processor, and the alarm system communications unit.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

transmitting, by the alarm systems communications unit, the received control information to the alarm system controller, wherein

said transmitting the received control information is performed using the keypad bus,

said transmitting the received control information is performed using a protocol that is the same as that used between the keypad processor and the alarm system controller.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

interpreting the received control information, by the alarm systems communication unit, prior to said transmitting the received control information, wherein

said interpreting the received control information converts the received control information into the protocol.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said transmitting the received control information is performed to emulate communication between the keypad processor and the alarm system controller.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the control information comprises one of a command to arm the alarm system controller and a command to disarm the alarm system controller.