Security system for a building complex having multiple units

• US 6,204,760 B1
• Filed: 01/28/1999
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carrier Fire & Security Americas Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Interactive Technologies, Inc. (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brunius, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/238,750
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 340/529, 340/527, 340/528, 340/506, 340/531, 340/539
• US Class Current: 340/529
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/001 Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence

Abstract

A security system and method for building complexes having multiple units provides enhanced resistance to intruder disablement, particularly for systems having a unit controller and user input device that are mounted within a common control panel. The system and method are useful with residential building complexes having residential units such as apartments and condominiums, and commercial building complexes having commercial units such as offices, businesses, or storage facilities. A unit controller communicates a unit alarm condition to a main controller located remotely from a respective unit. The unit alarm condition can be communicated via wireless communication. Also, the unit alarm condition is communicated without significant delay following the sensing of a security condition in the unit. For example, the unit controller can communicate the unit alarm condition to the main controller substantially immediately following sensing of the security condition. In this manner, the unit alarm signal is communicated to the main controller before an intruder is able to gain physical access to the control panel containing the unit controller. A user input device allows a user to enter information to invalidate the unit alarm condition communicated by the unit controller. If the unit alarm condition is not invalidated within a delay period, however, the main controller generates a main alarm condition and, sending notification to a security agency and activating a main alarm. The unit controller can be configured to activate an alarm within the unit in the event user input is not received within a second delay period. The system and method provide enhanced reliability and facilitate installation.

Claims

1. A security system for a building complex having multiple units, the system comprising:

a main controller located remotely from the units;

a sensor for sensing a security condition in one of the units and generating a sensor signal indicative of the security condition;

a unit controller for communicating a unit alarm signal to the main controller without significant delay following generation of the sensor signal; and

a user input device for receiving user input to invalidate the unit alarm signal, the unit controller communicating an alarm invalidation signal to the main controller in response to the user input,

wherein the main controller generates a main alarm signal in the event the unit controller does not communicate the alarm invalidation signal within a delay period following communication of the unit alarm signal.

2. The security system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the user input device is located with the unit controller in a common housing.

3. The security system of claim 1, wherein the user input device and the unit controller are located in the unit in which the security condition is sensed by the sensor, and the main controller is positioned remotely from the unit in which the user input device and the unit controller are located.

4. The security system of claim 1, further comprising an alarm, wherein the main controller activates the alarm upon generation of the main alarm signal.

5. The security system of claim 1, wherein the main controller transmits a notification to a security agency upon generation of the main alarm signal.

6. The security system of claim 1, wherein the significant delay represents a period of time during which a typical intruder generally is capable of obtaining physical access to the unit controller following entry into the unit, the unit alarm signal being generated prior to expiration of the period of time.

7. The security system of claim 1, wherein the unit controller communicates the unit alarm signal to the main controller substantially immediately following generation of the sensor signal.

8. The security system of claim 1, further comprising an alarm associated with the unit in which the security condition is sensed by the sensor, wherein the unit controller activates the alarm in the event the user input is not received by the user input device within a second delay period following generation of the sensor signal.

9. The security system of claim 1, wherein the building complex is a residential building complex having residential units.

10. The security system of claim 1, wherein the building complex is a commercial building complex having commercial units.

11. The security system of claim 1, wherein the main controller is located within the building complex remotely from the units.

12. The security system of claim 1, wherein the main controller is located outside of the building complex.

13. A method for monitoring security in a building complex having multiple units, the method comprising:

sensing a security condition in one of the units;

communicating a unit alarm condition to a main controller located remotely from the unit in which the security condition is sensed, the unit alarm condition being communicated without significant delay following sensing of the security condition;

monitoring user input to invalidate the unit alarm condition;

invalidating the unit alarm condition in response to the user input; and

generating at the main controller a main alarm condition in the event the unit alarm condition is not invalidated within a delay period following communication of the unit alarm condition.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising activating an alarm upon indication of the main alarm condition.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting a notification to a security agency upon indication of the main alarm condition.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of indicating the unit alarm condition indicating the unit alarm condition via an electronic device located in the unit, and the significant delay represents a period of time during which an intruder is capable of obtaining physical access to the electronic device following entry into the unit, the unit alarm condition being indicated prior to expiration of the period of time.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of communicating the unit alarm condition includes communicating the unit alarm condition to the main controller substantially immediately following sensing of the security condition.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of activating an alarm in the unit in the event the user input is not detected within a second delay period following generation of the sensor signal.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the building complex is a residential building complex having residential units.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the building complex is a commercial building complex having commercial units.

21. A security system for a building complex having multiple units, the system comprising:

a sensor, located in one of the units, for indicating a security condition in the unit;

a main controller located remotely from the unit in which the sensor is located;

a unit controller, located in the unit in which the sensor is located, for communicating a unit alarm condition to the main controller substantially immediately following indication of the security condition;

a unit alarm associated with the unit in which the sensor is located;

a user input device for receiving user input indicating invalidation of the unit alarm condition, wherein the unit controller and at least a portion of the user input device are mounted in a common housing, the unit controller invalidating the unit alarm condition in response to the user input and activating the unit alarm in the event the user input is not received by the user input device within a unit delay period following indication of the unit alarm condition,

wherein the main controller indicates a main alarm condition in the event the unit alarm condition is not invalidated by the unit controller within a main delay period following communication of the unit alarm condition to the main controller, the main controller activating a main alarm upon indication of the main alarm condition.

22. The security system of claim 21, wherein the building complex is a residential building complex having residential units.

23. The security system of claim 21, wherein the building complex is a commercial building complex having commercial units.

24. A security system for a building complex having multiple units, the system comprising:

a plurality of unit controllers, each of the unit controllers being associated with one of the units and monitoring security conditions within the respective unit, the unit controllers generating unit alarm signals in response to sensed security conditions;

a main controller, positioned within the building complex remotely from the unit controllers, for receiving the unit alarm signals from the unit controllers; and

a plurality of user input devices, each of the user input devices being associated with one of the unit controllers and receiving user input to invalidate one of the unit alarm signals generated by the respective unit controller, the respective unit controller communicating an alarm invalidation signal to the main controller in response to the user input.

25. The security system of claim 24, wherein the main controller receives the unit alarm signals from the unit controllers via wireless transmission.

26. The security system of claim 24, wherein the main controller generates a main alarm signal in the event the respective unit controller does not communicate the alarm invalidation signal within a delay period following communication of the unit alarm signal.

27. The security system of claim 24, wherein at least a portion of the user input device is located with the unit controller in a common housing.

28. The security system of claim 24, wherein each of the unit controllers communicates the unit alarm signal to the main controller without significant delay following the sensing of the security condition.

29. The security system of claim 28, wherein the unit controller communicates the unit alarm signal to the main controller substantially immediately following the sensing of the security condition.

30. The security system of claim 24, wherein the building complex is a residential building complex having residential units.

31. The security system of claim 24, wherein the building complex is a commercial building complex having commercial units.

32. The security system of claim 24, further comprising a telephone link, connected to the main controller, that connects the security system to a telephone system.

33. The security system of claim 32, wherein the telephone link connected to the main controller provides the sole connection between the security system and the telephone system.