Security system with intermittent alarm location detection
DCFirst Claim
1. A method for operating a security system, wherein a plurality of sensors are mounted onto corresponding objects to be secured and connected to a control unit, the plurality of sensors generating alarm event, when at least one of the plurality of sensors is one of tampered and removed from the corresponding objects, the method comprising the steps of:
- activating at least a main alarm when a portion of the plurality of sensors which are unmarked generate a set of alarm events, the portion of the plurality of sensors that activated the main alarm becoming marked sensors;
deactivating at least the main alarm, the main alarm being deactivated while the marked sensors continue to generate alarm events; and
reactivating at least the main alarm when another portion of the plurality of sensors which are unmarked generate another set of alarm events, the another portion of the plurality of sensors reactivating at least the main alarm becoming marked sensors.
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Abstract
This invention provides a security system which remembers an alarm event until either the alarm event is intentionally reset or the condition causing the alarm event is corrected. The security system includes at least one sensor coupled to a hub and at least one hub. A serial chain of hubs is connected to a control unit having a controller. The controller sounding a main alarm when an alarm event is generated by the at least one sensor. After the main alarm is silenced and the security system is disarmed, the controller activates a hub annunciator of a hub connected to one of the sensors having generated an alarm event. When a predetermined period of time from disarming the security system expires, the controller sounds the main alarm if there are any alarm events that occurred during the predetermined period of time that are either not reset or the condition causing the alarm event is not corrected.
36 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method for operating a security system, wherein a plurality of sensors are mounted onto corresponding objects to be secured and connected to a control unit, the plurality of sensors generating alarm event, when at least one of the plurality of sensors is one of tampered and removed from the corresponding objects, the method comprising the steps of:
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activating at least a main alarm when a portion of the plurality of sensors which are unmarked generate a set of alarm events, the portion of the plurality of sensors that activated the main alarm becoming marked sensors; deactivating at least the main alarm, the main alarm being deactivated while the marked sensors continue to generate alarm events; and reactivating at least the main alarm when another portion of the plurality of sensors which are unmarked generate another set of alarm events, the another portion of the plurality of sensors reactivating at least the main alarm becoming marked sensors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for operating a merchandise security system wherein a plurality of sensors are attached to a plurality of objects to be secured, a set of sensors within the plurality of sensors being connected to a corresponding hub, each hub being connected to a security system controller, each sensor or hub generating an alarm event when separated from the controller or object to be secured, the method comprising the steps of:
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activating the controller to sense alarm events; generating an alarm event when at least one sensor or hub is separated from the controller or object to be secured; storing a location of an initial sensor or hub generating the alarm event; and immediately thereafter maintaining the controller in a condition to continue to sense subsequent alarm events while continuing to store the location of the initial sensor or hub generating the alarm event. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for operating a merchandise security system wherein a plurality of sensors are attached to a plurality of objects to be secured, a set of sensors within the plurality of sensors being connected to a corresponding hub, each hub being connected to a security system controller, each sensor or hub generating an alarm event when separated from the controller or object to be secured, the method comprising the steps of:
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activating the controller to sense alarm events; arming a main alarm to trigger an alarm signal when an alarm event is detected; generating an alarm event when at least one sensor or hub is separated from the controller or object to be secured; storing a location of the sensor or hub generating the alarm event; disarming the main alarm while continuing to store the location of the sensor or hub generating the alarm event; and retriggering the main alarm if a condition causing the alarm event is not corrected and a predetermined period of time has elapsed.
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10. A method for operating a merchandise security system wherein a plurality of sensors are attached to a plurality of objects to be secured, a set of sensors within the plurality of sensors being connected to a corresponding hub, each hub being connected to a security system controller, each sensor or hub generating an alarm event when separated from the controller or object to be secured, the method comprising the steps of:
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configuring the security system to determine a current system configuration by storing a current number of sensors within the set of sensors attached to each corresponding hub and a location of each sensor on the corresponding hub, and storing a current number of hubs and a location of each hub; activating the controller to sense alarm events and changes within the current system configuration; automatically reconfiguring the current system configuration to an updated system configuration whenever additional sensors are added to a hub or an additional hub is added to the number of hubs; and continuing to sense alarm events and changes within the updated system configuration. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A method for operating a merchandise security system wherein a plurality of sensors are attached to a plurality of objects to be secured, a set of sensors within the plurality of sensors being connected to a corresponding hub, each hub being connected to a security system controller, each sensor or hub generating an alarm event when separated from the controller or object to be secured, the method comprising the steps of:
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configuring the security system to determine a current system configuration by storing a current number of sensors within the set of sensors attached to each corresponding hub and a location of each sensor on the corresponding hub, and storing a current number of hubs and a location of each hub; activating the controller to sense alarm events and changes within the current system configuration; arming a main alarm to trigger an alarm signal when an alarm event is detected; storing a location of a sensor or hub generating an alarm event; determining whether there are any stored alarm events; disarming the main alarm when there are no stored alarm events; changing the location of sensors attached to a hub or reducing the number of sensors or hubs; reconfiguring the system to determine an updated system configuration by storing the changed number of sensors and the location of each sensor on the corresponding hub, and storing the changed number of hubs and a location of each hub; and rearming the main alarm to trigger the alarm signal when alarm events are detected within the updated system configuration. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A method for operating a merchandise security system wherein a plurality of sensors are attached to a plurality of objects to be secured, a set of sensors within the plurality of sensors being connected to a corresponding hub, each hub being connected to a security system controller, each sensor or hub generating an alarm event when separated from the controller or object to be secured, the method comprising the steps of:
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activating the controller to sense alarm events; arming a main alarm to trigger an alarm signal when an alarm event is detected; generating an alarm event when at least one sensor or hub is separated from the controller or object to be protected, thereby activating the main alarm; storing a location of the sensor or hub generating the alarm event; and activating an alarm signal within an indicated hub from which the alarm event was generated. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for operating a merchandise security system wherein a plurality of sensors are attached to a plurality of objects to be secured, a set of sensors within the plurality of sensors being connected to a corresponding hub, each hub being connected to a security system controller, each sensor or hub generating an alarm event when separated from the controller or object to be secured, the method comprising the steps of:
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activating the controller to sense alarm events; and indicating that a sensor is capable of generating an alarm event by activating an indication signal on the sensor, the indication signal being a sequence of signals, the number of signals within the sequence indicating a location of the sensor on the corresponding hub. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A merchandise security system comprising:
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a controller for sensing alarm events; one or more hubs connected to the controller; a plurality of sensors capable of attachment to a plurality of objects to be secured, a set of sensors within the plurality of sensors being attached to a corresponding hub, each sensor or hub generating an alarm event when separated from the controller or object to be secured; wherein the controller stores a location of a an initial sensor or hub generating an alarm event and continues to sense subsequent alarm events while continuing to store the location of the initial sensor or hub.
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27. A merchandise security system comprising:
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a controller for sensing alarm events; one or more hubs connected to the controller; a plurality of sensors capable of attachment to a plurality of objects to be secured, a set of sensors within the plurality of sensors being attached to a corresponding hub, each sensor or hub generating an alarm event when separated from the controller or object to be secured; wherein the controller triggers a main alarm upon detecting an alarm event, stores the location of the sensor or hub generating the alarm event, and re-triggers the main alarm if a condition causing the alarm event is not corrected and a predetermined period of time has elapsed.
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28. A merchandise security system comprising:
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a controller for sensing alarm events; one or more hubs connected to the controller; a plurality of sensors capable of attachment to a plurality of objects to be secured, a set of sensors within the plurality of sensors being attached to a corresponding hub, each sensor or hub generating an alarm event when separated from the controller or object to be secured; wherein the controller configures the security system to determine a current system configuration by storing a current number of sensors within the set of sensors attached to each corresponding hub and a location of each sensor on the corresponding hub, and by storing a current number of hubs and a location of each hub;
the controller sensing alarm events and changes within the current system configuration; and
the controller automatically reconfiguring the current system configuration to an updated system configuration whenever additional sensors are added to a hub or an additional hub is added to the number of hubs, the controller continuing to sense alarm events and changes within the updated system configuration.
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29. A merchandise security system comprising:
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a controller for sensing alarm events; one or more hubs connected to the controller; a plurality of sensors capable of attachment to a plurality of objects to be secured, a set of sensors within the plurality of sensors being attached to a corresponding hub, each sensor or hub generating an alarm event when separated from the controller or object to be secured; wherein the controller configures the security system to determine a current system configuration by storing a current number of sensors within the set of sensors attached to each corresponding hub and a location of each sensor on the corresponding hub, and by storing a current number of hubs and a location of each hub;
arms a main alarm to trigger an alarm signal when an alarm event is deactivated;
stores a location of a sensor or hub generating an alarm event; and
allows disarming of the main alarm and reconfiguring of the current system configuration to an updated system configuration when there are no stored alarm events and when the location of sensors attached to a hub is changed or the number of sensors or hubs have been reduced from the current system configuration.
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30. A merchandise security system comprising:
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a controller for sensing alarm events; one or more hubs connected to the controller; a plurality of sensors capable of attachment to a plurality of objects to be secured, a set of sensors within the plurality of sensors being attached to a corresponding hub, each sensor or hub generating an alarm event when separated from the controller or object to be secured; wherein a plurality of hubs are connected in series;
each hub has a plurality of sensor inputs for electrically connecting each sensor to the hub, and an input hub jack and an output hub jack for electrically connecting the hub to the controller or other hubs within the series of hubs, the input hub jack of a first hub in the series of hubs being connected to the controller and the output hub jack of the last hub in the series of hubs being unconnected;
the controller stores a location of the sensor or hub generating an alarm event; and
each hub includes a hub alarm signal activated by the controller within an indicated hub from which an alarm event was generated. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification