Antenna switching for amplitude degradation during supervision and installation of wireless security systems
First Claim
1. In an alarm system comprising a receiver/control unit having a receiver associated therewith and a plurality of remote transmitting devices relocatable with respect to the receiver/control unit, the receiver comprising at least one antenna device, a method for testing a signal margin of the alarm system during the installation of the alarm system comprising the steps of:
- a) initiating an install mode in the receiver/control unit,b) impairing an operational parameter of the receiver by changing a characteristic of the antenna device,c) transmitting a message from a remote transmitting device,d) receiving the message at the receiver, ande) indicating when the message is successfully received.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for testing the signal margin of an alarm system during installation of the alarm system and during the alarm system supervision time. The alarm system comprises a plurality of remote transmitting devices and a receiver/control unit. The receiver/control unit comprises a receiver with at least one antenna apparatus and processing apparatus for processing messages received from each of the remote devices. Both the install mode and the supervision mode cause the receiver/control unit to receive signals at a lower level than normal by selecting an associated antenna configuration. When entering the installation mode, the processor switches the antenna apparatus to a "no antenna" state, and when entering the supervision mode, the processor switches two or more antenna apparatus to an "on" state.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. In an alarm system comprising a receiver/control unit having a receiver associated therewith and a plurality of remote transmitting devices relocatable with respect to the receiver/control unit, the receiver comprising at least one antenna device, a method for testing a signal margin of the alarm system during the installation of the alarm system comprising the steps of:
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a) initiating an install mode in the receiver/control unit, b) impairing an operational parameter of the receiver by changing a characteristic of the antenna device, c) transmitting a message from a remote transmitting device, d) receiving the message at the receiver, and e) indicating when the message is successfully received. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An alarm system comprising:
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a) a receiver/control unit adapted to operate in an install mode, the receiver/control unit comprising at least one antenna device for receiving, during the install mode, a message at a reduced power level with respect to a normal operating power level, b) means for processing operatively associated with the receiver/control unit wherein the install mode causes the impairing of the ability of the receiver/control unit to receive a message by changing a characteristic of the antenna device, c) a plurality of remote devices, each of the remote devices comprising a remote transmitter device for transmitting a message, the remote transmitter device being relocatable with respect to the receiver/control unit, and d) means for indicating when the reduced power message is successfully received. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. In an alarm system comprising a plurality of remote transmitting devices and a receiver/control unit having a receiver associated therewith, the receiver comprising at least one antenna device, each of the remote transmitting devices capable of transmitting a supervision signal having a plurality of correlated supervision messages, a method for testing a signal margin of an alarm system comprising the steps of:
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a) receiving at the receiver/control unit a first message from a transmitting device, b) determining if the first message is a supervision message or a non-supervision message, and, c) impairing the ability of the receiver/control unit to receive a subsequent message by changing a characteristic of the antenna device when the first message is determined to be a supervision message. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An alarm system comprising:
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(a) a plurality of remote devices, each of the remote devices having a transmitter for transmitting a supervision signal comprising a plurality of correlated supervision messages and an alarm signal comprising a plurality of correlated alarm messages indicative of an alarm status; (b) a receiver/control unit comprising; (i) a receiver for communications with each of the remote devices, the receiver comprising at least one antenna device, and, (ii) processing means operatively associated with the receiver for processing messages received from each of the remote devices, the processing means being configured to decode a first message received from a remote device and execute a supervision routine if the first message is determined to be a supervision message;
wherein the supervision routine causes the impairing of the ability of the receiver/control unit to receive a subsequent message by changing a characteristic of the antenna device. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification