Combination telephone set and security panel monitor

• US 5,457,730 A
• Filed: 05/31/1994
• Issued: 10/10/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Digital Security Controls Limited (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Telestate International, L.P.
• Inventors: Rounds, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woo, Stella L.
• Application Number:
  US08/250,818
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 379/40, 379/39, 379/42, 379/43, 379/44, 379/45, 379/49, 379/50, 379/38, 379/96, 379/90, 379/110, 340/506, 340/525
• US Class Current: 379/40
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

A concept is presented whereby a normal telephone set can be interconnected to a security system to function in an alternate mode of either a telephone set or a security panel whereby the security system can be accessed for both display purposes and for altering security system settings. This is accomplished by changing the data from the telephone to an ISBM format so that there is adequate bandwidth to transmit not only voice but any of various keyed data information to the control panel whereby the various required or requested actions are detected in the control panel and acted upon appropriately.

Claims

1. A method of utilizing display type telephone sets connected to a common control panel to function in the alternative as a security panel of a security system and as a telephone set where said control panel is interconnected to both a public telephone network and a security system comprising, in combination:

incorporating a "hot-key" in each telephone set for altering the function of said telephone set;

monitoring the key condition of all keys in each of the telephone sets at the common control panel;

altering the interpretation of key depressions from a given telephone set upon detection of activation of the "hot-key" in said given telephone set; and

locking out other telephone sets and security panels from alarm mode access to security system information until the given telephone set returns to a telephone mode.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising the additional step of:

displaying data, on a given telephone set, where that data is being accessed by another unit acting as the security panel with alarm mode access when the given telephone set is attempting to function as a security panel but is locked out by the control panel.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising the additional step of:

activating an indicator on said telephone set when the control panel has successfully locked out all other units from acting as a security panel in the alarm mode.