Redundant video alarm monitoring system

• US 6,038,289 A
• Filed: 08/12/1998
• Issued: 03/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Simplex Time Recorder Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Sands, Mack
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US09/132,972
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 379/33, 379/37, 379/40, 379/42-44, 379/47, 379/45, 379/93.17, 379/39, 379/49, 379/220, 379/221, 348/208-210, 348/211, 348/143, 348/153, 348/154, 348/155, 348/169-171, 348/416, 348/404-405, 348/699-700, 348/6, 348/15, 348/152
• US Class Current: 379/9.05
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/16 Security signalling or alarm systems, e.g. redundant systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0823 Errors, e.g. transmission errors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/24 Arrangements for testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/08 Indicating faults in circuits or apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/12 Marking faulty circuits "busy"; Enabling equipment to disengage itself from faulty circuits ; Using redundant circuits; Response of a circuit, apparatus or system to an error
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/22 Arrangements for supervision, monitoring or testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2209 for lines also used for data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2254 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/24 with provision for checking the normal operation

Abstract

An alarm system includes plural customer sites and first and second alarm monitoring stations. Each customer site has an alarm communicator for calling a monitoring station and transmitting an alarm message. The first and second monitoring stations are provided for receiving the alarm message through a telecommunications network. Each monitoring station includes an alarm processor system for processing the alarm message. Alternate routing in the network allows an alarm call to be rerouted from the first monitoring station to the second central monitoring station if the alarm call to the first station cannot be completed. The alarm message can include a video alarm image.

Claims

1. An alarm system comprising:

a customer site having an alarm communicator for originating an alarm call to an alarm monitoring station and a video transmitter for transmitting a video alarm image;

a first monitoring station for receiving the video alarm image through a telecommunications network, the first monitoring station having a first alarm processor system for processing the video alarm image, the first alarm processor system including a customer database for responding to the video alarm image;

a second monitoring station for receiving the video alarm image through the telecommunications network and having a second alarm processor system for processing the video alarm image, the second alarm processor system including a customer database for responding to the video alarm image;

alternate routing in the network for initially routing the alarm call to the first alarm monitoring station and for subsequently rerouting the alarm call to the second monitoring station; and

a data link between the first and second alarm processor systems for linking the customer databases wherein the linking includes updating the customer database of one of the first and second alarm processor systems when the call has been routed to the other of the first and second alarm processor systems such that the customer databases are redundant.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the communicator is coupled to a telephone line and the customer site further comprises a line fault detector for detecting a fault in the telephone line and a backup communicator for calling the monitoring station if a fault is detected.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the backup communicator comprises a cellular transceiver.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the customer site further includes at least one camera for providing the video alarm image.

5. A video alarm monitoring system comprising:

an alarm detector for detecting an alarm event;

an alarm communicator coupled to a telephone line for originating an alarm call in response to the alarm event;

a video transmitter for transmitting a video alarm image;

a first monitoring station for receiving the video alarm image through a telephone network, the first monitoring station having a first alarm processor system for processing the video alarm image, the first alarm processor system including a customer database for responding to the video alarm image;

a second monitoring station for receiving the video alarm image through the telephone network and having a second alarm processor system for processing the video alarm image, the second alarm processor system including a customer database for responding to the video alarm image;

alternate routing in the network for initially routing the alarm call to the first alarm monitoring station and for subsequently rerouting the alarm call to the second monitoring station if the alarm call to the first monitoring station cannot be completed; and

a data link between the first and second alarm processor systems for linking the customer databases wherein the linking includes updating the customer database of one of the first and second alarm processor systems when the call has been routed to the other of the first and second alarm processor systems such that the customer databases are redundant.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising a line fault detector for detecting a fault in the telephone line and a backup communicator for calling the monitoring station if a fault is detected.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the backup communicator comprises a cellular transceiver.

8. In a telecommunications network, a method of alarm monitoring comprising the steps of:

providing a video alarm image at a customer site;

providing a first monitoring station for receiving the video alarm image through the telecommunications network at a first network destination, the first monitoring station having a first alarm processor system for processing the video alarm image, the first alarm processor system including a customer database for responding to the video alarm image;

providing a second monitoring station for receiving the video alarm image through the telecommunications network at a second network destination, the second monitoring station having a second alarm processor system for processing the video alarm image, the second alarm processor system including a customer database for responding to the video alarm image;

providing a data link for linking the customer databases;

calling a monitoring station telephone number from the customer site;

routing the call to the first monitoring station if the first network destination is available;

otherwise, rerouting the call to the second monitoring station;

transmitting the video alarm image from the customer site; and

updating the customer database of one of the first and second alarm processor systems when the call has been routed to the other of the first and second alarm processor systems.