Telecommunity alarm system with a plurality of security surveillance modems

• US 5,939,980 A
• Filed: 03/20/1997
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
• Inventors: Wendt, Matthias, Albrecht, Andreas, Schulz, Ralf, Schumacher, Wolfgang, Heitmann, Gunter
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C.
• Application Number:
  US08/820,862
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 379/44, 379/534, 379/531, 379/33, 379/37, 379/39, 379/40, 379/41, 340/538, 340/532, 340/533, 340/825.06, 340/825.69
• US Class Current: 340/506
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/003 Signalling to neighbouring houses
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/006 with transmission via telephone network

Abstract

A telecommunity alarm system having a plurality of security surveillance modems that can be connected to a telecommunication network via an analog or digital subscriber terminal port, the security surveillance modems forming a group of a predetermined size. The security surveillance modems each have a first memory for storing telephone numbers of the other modems in the group, a second memory for identifying the particular modem and a programmable control unit. The modems are designed to dial automatically, in the event of an alarm, the other security surveillance modems belonging to the group and signal the alarm status.

Claims

1. A telecommunity alarm system including a plurality of security surveillance modems which can be connected to a telecommunications network to form a group of predetermined size, each security surveillance modem comprising:

at least one input to which a detector for sensing an alarm status can be connected;

a first memory capable of being programmed with telephone numbers of other security surveillance modems of the group;

a second memory containing an identification message identifying the security surveillance modem; and

a programmable control unit connected to the first memory and second memory and to a telephone system, the programmable control unit for automatically dialing at least one of the telephone numbers entered in the first memory in response to an alarm signal supplied by the detector and for sending the identification message stored in the second memory to another security surveillance modem of the group,

the programmable control unit connected to an alarm signal device and to a display for displaying a received identification message.

2. The telecommunity alarm system as recited in claim 1 wherein the first memory stores the telephone numbers, and after receiving the alarm signal, the programmable control device dials all the telephone numbers in the predetermined sequence.

3. The telecommunity alarm system as recited in claim 1 wherein each security surveillance modem further comprises an acknowledgment device so that when the security surveillance modem receives the received identification message and an operator activates the acknowledgment device, the programmable control unit initiates automatically a dial-up connection with the security surveillance modem that sent the received identification message and sends an acknowledgment signal.

4. The telecommunity alarm system as recited in claim 3 wherein the programmable control unit of the security surveillance modem that sent the received identification message, in response to the receipt of the acknowledgment signal, dials telephone numbers of the other security surveillance modems of the group and signals that the alarm has been acknowledged.

5. The telecommunity alarm system as recited in claim 1 wherein the identification message of each security surveillance modem includes the respective telephone number, address and/or name of a group subscriber.

6. A security surveillance modem for use in an alarm system for a telecommunity comprising:

an interface for connecting the security surveillance modem to a telecommunications network;

at least one input to which a detector for sensing an alarm status can be connected;

a first memory for storing telephone numbers of the telecommunity;

a second memory for storing an identification message for identification of the security surveillance modem; and

a programmable control unit connected to the first memory and second memory which, in response to a signal supplied by the detector, automatically dials at least one of the telephone numbers entered in the first memory and sends the identification message contained in the second memory, the programmable control unit also connected to a device for output of an alarm signal and to a display device for displaying another identification message in response to a received identification message.

7. The security surveillance modem as recited in claim 6 wherein the telephone numbers stored in the first memory are stored in a predetermined sequence.

8. The security surveillance modem as recited in claim 6 further comprising an acknowledgment device.

9. The security surveillance modem as recited in claim 6 further comprising optical and/or acoustic alarm and/or status display devices.

10. The security surveillance modem as recited in claim 6 further comprising at least one output to which an alarm signal device can be connected.

11. The security surveillance modem as recited in claim 6 wherein there are four inputs, each of which may have a detector connected to it, and further comprising another input for monitoring a sabotage line.

12. The security surveillance modem as recited in claim 6 further comprising a third memory for storing an individual alarm message in text form, the individual alarm message corresponding to each of the at least one input.

13. The security surveillance modem as recited in claim 6 further comprising an attachment for a keyboard, wherein data can be entered and the security surveillance modem can be programmed through the keyboard.

14. The security surveillance modem as recited in claim 13 wherein the data is password protected.

15. The security surveillance modem as recited in claim 6 further comprising a fourth memory for recording all incoming and outgoing messages within a predetermined period of time.