SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A SECURITY SYSTEM

• US 20100094636A1
• Filed: 10/09/2008
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Americas Corporation, Inc. (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Americas Corporation, Inc. (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Becker, Donald Edward, Chen, Wei, Tucker, Richard Philip, Shu, Baohua, Qin, Laigui, Edwards, William
• Granted Patent: US 8,484,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/273
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/012 using recorded signals, e.g. speech G08B25/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements

Abstract

A system and method for operating a security system include a device control module configured for electronic communication with a plurality of devices and a user interface coupled in electronic communication with the device control module. The user interface includes a voice memory and a first speaker. The user interface is configured to receive a first system event from the device control module identifying a first condition detected by the security system. The user interface is further configured to retrieve a voice message from the voice memory corresponding to the first system event and transmit the voice message via the first speaker.

Claims

1. A security system comprising:

a device control module configured for electronic communication with a plurality of devices; and

a user interface configured for electronic communication with said device control module, said user interface comprising a voice memory and a first speaker, said user interface configured to;

receive a first system event from said device control module identifying a first condition detected by said security system;

retrieve a voice message from said voice memory corresponding to the first system event; and

transmit the voice message via said first speaker.

2. A security system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said user interface is further configured to:

receive a second system event from said device control module identifying a second condition detected by said security system; and

retrieve a single voice message from said voice memory corresponding to the first system event and the second system event.

3. A security system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said voice memory is readily detachable and attachable to said user interface.

4. A security system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said user interface further comprises a general memory, and said voice memory is physically separate from said general memory.

5. A security system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the voice message comprises a statement repeated in a plurality of languages.

6. A security system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a second speaker, wherein said user interface is further configured to transmit an audible tone pattern corresponding to the first system event via said second speaker.

7. A security system in accordance with claim 6, wherein said second speaker is a piezoelectric speaker.

8. A method for operating a user interface of a security system, the security system comprising a device control module in electronic communication with a plurality of devices, said method comprising:

receiving a first system event from the device control module identifying a first condition detected by the security system;

retrieving from a voice memory of the user interface a voice message corresponding to the first system event; and

transmitting the voice message via a first speaker of the user interface.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8, said method further comprising:

receiving a second system event from the device control module identifying a second condition detected by the security system; and

retrieving a single voice message from the voice memory corresponding to the first system event and the second system event.

10. A method in accordance with claim 8, said method further comprising readily detaching the voice memory from the user interface and readily attaching a replacement voice memory to the user interface.

11. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein said retrieving a voice message further comprises retrieving the voice message from a voice memory that is physically separate from a general memory of the user interface.

12. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein said retrieving and transmitting a voice message comprise retrieving and transmitting a voice message comprising a statement repeated in a plurality of languages.

13. A method in accordance with claim 8, said method further comprising transmitting an audible tone pattern corresponding to the first system event via a second speaker on the user interface.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein said transmitting an audible tone pattern corresponding to the first system event via a second speaker on the user interface further comprises transmitting the audible tone pattern via a piezoelectric speaker on the user interface.

15. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium, said computer program comprising at least one code segment that configures a processor to:

receive a first system event from a device control module of a security system, the system event identifying a first condition detected by the security system;

retrieve from a voice memory a voice message corresponding to the first system event; and

transmit the voice message via a first speaker.

16. A computer program in accordance with claim 15, wherein the at least one code segment further configures the processor to:

receive a second system event from the device control module identifying a second condition detected by the security system; and

retrieve a single voice message from the voice memory corresponding to the first system event and the second system event.

17. A computer program in accordance with claim 15, wherein the at least one code segment further configures the processor to retrieve a voice message from a voice memory that is physically separate from a general memory.

18. A computer program in accordance with claim 15, wherein the at least one code segment further configures the processor to retrieve and transmit a voice message comprising a statement repeated in a plurality of languages.

19. A computer program in accordance with claim 15, wherein the at least one code segment further configures the processor to transmit an audible tone pattern corresponding to the first system event via a second speaker.

20. A computer program in accordance with claim 19, wherein the at least one code segment further configures the processor to transmit an audible tone pattern corresponding to the first system event via a piezoelectric speaker.