Systems and methods for integrating telephone and security devices
First Claim
1. A lockout circuit for allowing a security system to access a telephone line connected to at least one telephone device, comprising:
- first and second circuit nodes connected in series with each telephone device such that a terminal voltage is present across the first and second circuit nodes; and
voltage offset means for creating an offset voltage between the first and second nodes, where the offset voltage has a first predetermined voltage level; and
latch means in series with the voltage offset means for allowing current to flow between the first and second circuit nodes only if current begins flowing through the latch means when the terminal voltage is above a second predetermined voltage level.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system or method for interconnecting a security system with a telephone system. The system comprises one or more lockout modules that are connected between non-priority telephone devices and a telephone line. A security panel is directly connected to the telephone line. The lockout modules comprise a switch means for disconnecting the telephone device attached thereto from the telephone line when the security panel connects to the telephone line. The lockout modules further comprise a latch device that gives the first non-priority telephone device to connect to the line exclusive use of the line against other non-priority telephone devices. The lockout module further comprises a circuit that inhibits the reconnection of the telephone devices to the line to allow the security panel to recover a high and dry telephone line. The lockout module may be modified to include a switch that allows other non-priority telephone devices to share the line.
50 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A lockout circuit for allowing a security system to access a telephone line connected to at least one telephone device, comprising:
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first and second circuit nodes connected in series with each telephone device such that a terminal voltage is present across the first and second circuit nodes; and voltage offset means for creating an offset voltage between the first and second nodes, where the offset voltage has a first predetermined voltage level; and latch means in series with the voltage offset means for allowing current to flow between the first and second circuit nodes only if current begins flowing through the latch means when the terminal voltage is above a second predetermined voltage level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A lockout circuit for allowing a security system to access a telephone line connected to at least one telephone device, comprising:
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first and second circuit nodes connected in series with each telephone device such that a terminal voltage is present across the first and second circuit nodes; and voltage offset means for creating an offset voltage between the first and second nodes, where the offset voltage has a first predetermined voltage level; and switch means connected in series with the offset means, where the switch means opens a first predetermined time period after the terminal voltage goes below a second predetermined voltage level and closes a second predetermined time period after the terminal voltage exceeds the second predetermined voltage level. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of connecting a security system to a telephone line comprising first and second conductors, the method comprising the steps of:
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connecting a dialer portion of the security system to the telephone line; providing a lockout circuit for each telephone device connected to the telephone line, where each lockout circuit comprises voltage offset means for creating an offset voltage having a first predetermined voltage level, and switch means connected in series with the offset means, where the switch means opens after the terminal voltage goes below a second predetermined voltage level and closes a predetermined time period after the terminal voltage exceeds the second predetermined voltage level; and connecting one of the lockout circuits in series with each of the telephone devices. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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15. An integrated telephone/security system, comprising:
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a telephone network for transmitting telephony signals; a first telephone line at a local premises, the first telephone line being connected to the telephone network; a second telephone line at a remote premises, the second telephone line being connected to the telephone network; a remote telephone device at the remote premises, the remote telephone device being connected to the second telephone line; a security system for detecting security conditions at the local premises, the security system comprising dialer means connected to the first telephone line for transmitting security data indicative of detected security conditions to the remote telephone device; at least one local telephone device at the local location; a lockout circuit associated with each local telephone device, each lockout circuit being connected in series with its associated local telephone device;
whereineach lockout circuit comprises offset means for creating an offset voltage having a first predetermined voltage level, where the offset means is connected in series with the local telephone device; the first predetermined level is selected such that, when the dialer means connects to the local telephone line, a voltage across the local telephone devices is insufficient to allow the local telephone devices to connect to the local telephone line, thereby providing the dialer means with exclusive access to the local telephone line; and latch means in series with the voltage offset means for allowing current to flow to the associated local telephone device only if current begins flowing through the latch means when the terminal voltage is above a second predetermined voltage.
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24. A method of connecting a security system to a telephone line comprising first and second conductors, the method comprising the steps of:
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connecting a dialer portion of the security system to the telephone line; providing a lockout circuit for each telephone device connected to the telephone line, where each lockout circuit comprises voltage offset means for creating an offset voltage having a first predetermined voltage level, and latch means in series with the voltage offset means for allowing current to flow between the first and second circuit nodes only if current begins flowing through the latch means when the terminal voltage is above a second predetermined voltage level; and connecting one of the lockout circuits in series with each of the telephone devices.
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25. A lockout device for allowing a security system to access a telephone line having first and second line conductors connected to first and second telephone conductors of at least one telephone device, comprising:
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first, second, and third circuit conductors; a first connector assembly for connecting the first and second circuit conductors to the first and second line conductors; a second conductor assembly for connecting the first and third circuit conductors to the first and second telephone conductors; a diode bridge having first, second, third, and fourth bridge nodes, where the first and third bridge nodes are connected to the second and third circuit conductors; first and second circuit nodes connected to the second and fourth bridge nodes; and a first Zener diode connected between the first and second circuit nodes, where the Zener diode allows current to flow between the first and second circuit nodes when a voltage across the circuit nodes is above a first predetermined voltage level and prevents current from flowing between the first and second circuit nodes when the voltage across the circuit nodes is below the first predetermined voltage level. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A lockout module for providing access to a telephone line to one of a plurality of telephone devices, where the telephone line comprises first and second telephone line conductors and the telephone devices are each assigned to one of a plurality of priority levels including a first, relatively higher, priority level and a second, relatively lower, priority level, the lockout module comprising:
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connecting means for connecting the module in line with an attached telephone device assigned to the second priority level such that current flowing through the first and second conductors to the attached telephone device flows through the lockout module; first and second circuit nodes connected to the first telephone line conductor; offset means for establishing an offset voltage between the first and second circuit nodes, where the offset means effectively disconnects the attached telephone device from the telephone line when the voltage across the first and second circuit nodes falls below a predetermined offset voltage level; and switch means arranged in series with the offset means for selectively allowing current flow between the first and second circuit nodes in response to a control signal; and
control means for generating the control signal. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification