Switch-based line continuity verification method and system
First Claim
1. In a security monitoring environment, a method for verifying the continuity of a connection between a monitored premises and a security network, comprising the steps of:
- causing a subscriber terminal unit in said monitored premises to transmit a signal over said connection to said security network, said signal representing that said monitored premises is secure;
causing a line unit in a remote terminal of said security network to monitor for the receipt of said signal from said subscriber terminal unit over said connection;
if said signal is not received by said line unit, then causing said line unit to encode a signaling bit to represent that said monitored premises is not secure;
causing said line unit to transmit said signaling bit to a switch of said security network;
in response to receipt of said signaling bit, causing said switch to send an identification of said monitored premises to a scanner of said security network; and
connecting said scanner to said monitored premises.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a security and alarm service environment, a method and system for verifying the continuity of a telephone line 317 connected to a subscriber terminal unit (STU) 310 at a customer'"'"'s premises. The STU 310 is connected by telephone line 317 to a network interface 315 which is connected to a line unit 320 by a twisted pair 325. Line unit 320 is located in remote terminal 330 which is connected to switch 335 by digital loop 340. Switch 335 is connected to scanner 345 by trunk group 350 and SMDI link 355. A low tone generator in STU 310 generates a low frequency tone that is transmitted to line unit 320. If telephone line 317 is cut, if STU 310 malfunctions, or if an alarm condition at the customer'"'"'s premises is detected by STU 310, then the low tone is not received by line unit 320. Remote terminal 330 encodes a signaling bit that is transmitted over digital loop 340 to switch 335. The encoded signaling bit indicates whether or not the low tone was received by line unit 320. Switch 335 reads the encoded signaling bit and, if the encoded signaling bit indicates that the low tone was not received, sends a directory number to the scanner 345. The switch 335 connects the scanner 345 to the telephone line 317 so that the alarm service provider can query the STU 310 to determine the problem.
24 Citations
17 Claims
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1. In a security monitoring environment, a method for verifying the continuity of a connection between a monitored premises and a security network, comprising the steps of:
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causing a subscriber terminal unit in said monitored premises to transmit a signal over said connection to said security network, said signal representing that said monitored premises is secure; causing a line unit in a remote terminal of said security network to monitor for the receipt of said signal from said subscriber terminal unit over said connection; if said signal is not received by said line unit, then causing said line unit to encode a signaling bit to represent that said monitored premises is not secure; causing said line unit to transmit said signaling bit to a switch of said security network; in response to receipt of said signaling bit, causing said switch to send an identification of said monitored premises to a scanner of said security network; and connecting said scanner to said monitored premises. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for verifying the continuity of a telephone line connected to a subscriber terminal unit, comprising the steps of:
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causing a low tone generator of said subscriber terminal unit to transmit a low frequency tone; causing a line unit to monitor for the receipt of said low frequency tone from said subscriber terminal unit; causing said line unit to encode at least one of a plurality of signaling bits to indicate whether or not said low frequency tone was received; causing a switch to receive said at least one of said plurality of signaling bits over a digital loop carrier from said line unit; causing said switch to determine whether said at least one of said plurality of signaling bits indicates that said low frequency tone was not received; if so, causing said switch to transmit a directory number corresponding to said telephone line to a scanner; and causing said scanner to use said directory number to query said subscriber terminal unit. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for verifying the continuity of a telephone line, comprising:
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a subscriber terminal unit; a low tone generator associated with said subscriber terminal unit, said low tone generator operative to generate a low frequency tone that is transmitted over said telephone line; a line unit connected to said subscriber terminal unit by said telephone line, said line unit operative to determine whether said low frequency tone is received from said low tone generator; a remote terminal, associated with said line unit, said remote terminal operative to encode at least one of a plurality of signaling bits as an encoded bit, said encoded bit indicative of whether said low frequency tone is received by said line unit; a digital loop carrier connecting said line unit to a switch, said digital loop carrier operative to transmit said encoded bit to said switch; and a scanner connected to said switch, said scanner operative to receive from said switch a directory number associated with said subscriber terminal unit and further operative to connect to the subscriber terminal unit via the switch and perform a query of the status of the subscriber terminal unit. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification