Security system using call display

• US 5,511,109 A
• Filed: 10/01/1993
• Issued: 04/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tyco Safety Products Canada Limited (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Sur-Gard Security Systems Ltd.
• Inventors: Bailey, Sean, Hartley, Douglas, Huan, Doan N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US08/130,502
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 379/37-51, 379/142
• US Class Current: 379/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

An improved alarm security system is disclosed which provides caller identification information when an alarm panel completes a telephone communication with a central computer. Such information is automatically provided by the telephone network upon initiation of a telephone communication. The central computer can use this information alone or in combination with other information received from the alarm panel to improve reliability and provide a more effective security system.

Claims

1. A security system comprising a host of alarm panels each of which receives signals from sensors indicating the presence of an alarm condition in a space being monitored, each alarm panel includes means to originate a telephone communication over a telephone network to a receiving arrangement and provide information signals thereto regarding an alarm condition, said receiving arrangement being connected to and providing said information to a central computer which processes the information signals and based thereon adopts an appropriate course of action, said receiving arrangement upon initiation of a telephone communication from any of said alarm panels also includes means for receiving telephone network information from the telephone network which telephone network information is particular to a telephone service used by the alarm panel to originate the telephone communication and subsequently receives the information alarm signal from the alarm panel;

said receiving arrangement, upon receipt of a telephone communication from an alarm panel, includes means to combine the telephone network information with information from the alarm panel and provides this combined information in a data signal to the central computer for processing.

2. A security system comprising a host of alarm panels located at remote locations connected to a telephone service of a public telephone network, each telephone service having telephone information known to the public telephone network, which telephone information uniquely identifies the telephone service, said security system including a security monitoring station connected to the public telephone network for receiving telephone communications from said alarm panels, each of said alarm panels having means for initiating and completing a telephone communication via the telephone network with a receiving arrangement of said security monitoring station, each of said alarm panels, when in telephone communication with said receiving arrangement for reporting detected alarm conditions, providing to said receiving arrangement alarm information specific to the detected alarm conditions and including information particular to each alarm panel uniquely identifying the alarm panel, said receiving arrangement additionally including means for receiving said telephone information from the public telephone network identifying the telephone service used by the alarm panel, said receiving arrangement including a processor which links the received telephone information and received alarm information of an alarm panel and having an output for providing the linked telephone information and alarm information to a central computer of said security system for processing and suitable response.

3. A security system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said telephone information is caller identification information.

4. A security system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the telephone information is a telephone number.

5. A security system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said telephone information includes the time and date of the communication.

6. A receiving arrangement for a security monitoring system where the receiving arrangement receives telephone communications from alarm panels of individual security systems and forwards, in an output signal for a processing computer, information provided by an alarm panel, said receiving arrangement comprising

means for connecting to a public telephone network to receive telephone communications from any of the security alarm panels,

means for receiving and storing caller identification information provided to the receiver by the public telephone network for each telephone communication received,

means for receiving and storing alarm information communicated thereto by an alarm panel in a telephone communication,

means for associating, in a receiver output signal, the caller identification information and the alarm information received each time an alarm panel initiates a telephone communication with said receiving arrangement in an output signal of the receiver, and

means for connecting said receiving arrangement to the processing computer to provide said output signal to the processing computer, whereby said output signal for each communication received from an alarm panel has identification information provided by the alarm panel and caller identification information provided by the public telephone network allowing cross referencing by the processing computer.

7. A receiving arrangement as claimed in claim 6 wherein said output signal is an electronic digital data signal.

8. A receiving arrangement as claimed in claim 6 wherein said means for associating also provides date and time information provided by the telephone network to the receiver in the output signal.

9. A receiving arrangement as claimed in claim 6 wherein said receiving arrangement is in combination with a central computer and provides the output signal to said central computer.