Alarm system armed and disarmed by a deadbolt on a door

• US 6,225,903 B1
• Filed: 12/06/1999
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Napco Security Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Napco Security Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Jerry, Hevia, Jorge, Soloway, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US09/455,888
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 340/542, 340/528, 340/825.32, 340/540, 340/506, 340/541, 340/527, 340/521, 340/522, 307/10.5, 180/287
• US Class Current: 340/542
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 41/00 Locks with visible indication as to whether the lock is locked or unlocked indicator lights E05B17/10
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 45/12 by movement of the bolt E05B45/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system

Abstract

A security alarm system which may be selectively armed or disarmed when monitoring a protected premises is described which utilizes the position of a deadbolt to determine whether the security system should be armed or disarmed. The security system comprises (i) an entry door for permitting ingress to the protected premises from the outside of the entry door and egress from the protected premises from the inside of the entry door; (ii) a lock for selectively locking and unlocking the entry door; and (iii) a switch having a first state indicative of the lock being in a locked position and a second state indicative of the lock being in an unlocked position wherein, when the switch is in its first state, the security system is armed and, when the switch is in its second state, the security system is disarmed. Sensing means are also provided to determine if the lock was engaged from inside or outside the protected premises. In the case where the lock was engaged from outside the premises and no authorized individual remains inside, sensors inside the premises would become activated. Conversely, in the case where the lock was engaged from inside the premises or from outside the premises and an authorized individual remains inside, the inside sensors would remain deactivated. The disabling of an inadvertent (false) alarm is easily, yet securely, achieved by activating a first user-controlled disarming means and returning the lock to its unlocked position.

Claims

1. A multi-zone security system which may be selectively armed or disarmed for monitoring a protected premises comprising:

an entry door for permitting ingress to said protected premises from the outside of said entry door and egress from said protected premises from the inside of said entry door;

at least one zone of said security system which comprises an area of said protected premises away from said entry door;

a lock for selectively locking and unlocking said entry door; and

a switch having a first state indicative of said lock being in a locked position and a second state indicative of said lock being in an unlocked position wherein, when said switch is in said first state, said security system is armed and, when said switch is in said second state, said security system is disarmed.

2. The security system of claim 1 wherein said lock is a deadbolt assembly.

3. The security system of claim 1 wherein said switch is a magnetic Reed switch.

4. The security system of claim 1 wherein said first state further comprises a first sub-state wherein only perimeter protection components of said security system are armed and a second sub-state wherein both said perimeter protection components and interior protection components of said security system are armed.

5. The security system of claim 1 further comprising:

a user-activated panic button in proximity to said door.

6. The security system of claim 1 further comprising:

means for disabling an inadvertent alarm.

7. The security system of claim 6 wherein said means for disabling an inadvertent alarm comprises a kill switch.

8. The security system of claim 6 wherein said means for disabling an inadvertent alarm com-prises a keyfob.

9. The security system of claim 6 wherein said means for disabling an inadvertent alarm comprises a telephone keypad coupled to a DTMF decoder.

10. The security system of claim 6 wherein said means for disabling an inadvertent alarm comprises a keypad.

11. A method of selectively arming or disarming a multi-zone security system having an entry door to a protected premises, at least one zone of said security system which comprises an area of said protected premises away from said entry door, and a lock for selectively locking and unlocking said entry door, said method comprising the steps of:

determining the position of said lock as being in a locked position or an unlocked position;

arming said security system when said lock is in said locked position; and

disarming said security system when said lock is in said unlocked position.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said arming step further comprises the sub-steps of:

arming only perimeter protection components of said security system when an authorized person remains inside the protected premises; and

arming both said perimeter protection components and interior protection components of said security system when no authorized person remains inside the protected premises.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of:

disabling an inadvertent alarm.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said disabling step comprises the sub-steps of:

activating a user-controlled disabling means; and

moving said lock to said unlocked position.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said disabling means comprises a kill switch.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said disabling means comprises a keyfob.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein said disabling means comprises a telephone keypad coupled to a DTMF decoder.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein said disabling means comprises a keypad.

19. A method of selectively arming or disarming the security system having an entry door to a protected premises and a lock for selectively locking and unlocking said entry door, said method comprising the steps of:

determining the position of said lock as being in a locked position or an unlocked position;

disarming said security system when said lock is in said unlocked position;

establishing a time period commenced when said lock is placed in said locked position;

monitoring the interior of said protected premises during said time period to determine the presence of a person; and

arming said security system when said monitoring step detects the presence of said person.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of:

disabling an inadvertent alarm.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said disabling step comprises the sub-sets of:

activating a user-controlled disabling means; and

moving said lock to said unlocked position.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said disabling means comprises a kill switch.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein said disabling means comprises a keyfob.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein said disabling means comprises a telephone keypad coupled to a DTMF decoder.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein said disabling means comprises a keypad.

26. A multi-zone security system that may be selectively armed or disarmed for monitoring a protected premises comprising:

an entry door for permitting ingress to said protected premises from the outside of said entry door and egress from said protected premises from the inside of said entry door;

at least one zone of said security system which comprises an area of said protected premises away from said entry door;

a lock for selectively locking and unlocking said entry door; and

a processing means capable of issuing a first signal indicative of said lock being in a locked position and a second signal indicative of said lock being in an unlocked position wherein said first signal arms said security system and said second signal disarms said security system.

27. The security system of claim 26 wherein said lock is a deadbolt assembly.

28. The security system of claim 26 wherein said first signal can be utilized to arm either only perimeter protection components of said security system or both said perimeter protection components and interior protection components of said security system.

29. The security system of claim 26 further comprising:

a user-activated panic button in proximity to said door.

30. The security system of claim 26 further comprising:

means for disabling an inadvertent alarm.

31. The security system of claim 30 wherein said means for disabling an inadvertent alarm comprises a kill switch.

32. The security system of claim 30 wherein said means for disabling an inadvertent alarm comprises a keyfob.

33. The security system of claim 30 wherein said means for disabling an inadvertent alarm comprises a telephone keypad coupled to a DTMF decoder.

34. The security system of claim 30 wherein said means for disabling an inadvertent alarm comprises a keypad.

35. A method of disabling an inadvertent alarm of a multi-zone security system having an entry door to a protected premises, at least one zone of said security system which comprises an area of said protected premises away from said entry door, and a lock on said entry door selectively moveable to a locked position or an unlocked position, said method comprising the steps of:

activating a user-controlled disarming means; and

moving said lock to said unlocked position.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein said disarming means comprises a kill switch.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein said disarming means comprises a keyfob.

38. The method of claim 35 wherein said disarming means comprises a telephone keypad coupled to a DTMF decoder.

39. The method of claim 35 wherein said disarming means comprises a keypad.

40. A security system which may be selectively armed or disarmed for monitoring a protected premises comprising:

an entry door for permitting ingress to said protected premises from the outside of said entry door and egress from said protected premises from the inside of said entry door;

at least one zone of said security system which comprises an area of said protected premises away from said entry door;

an alarm panel remotely located from said entry door and capable of issuing an alarm signal when said security system is armed;

a lock for selectively locking and unlocking said entry door; and

a switch having a first state indicative of said lock being in a locked position and a second state indicative of said lock being in an unlocked position wherein, when said switch is in said first state, said security system is armed and, when said switch is in said second state, said security system is disarmed.

41. The security system of claim 40 wherein said lock is a deadbolt assembly.

42. The security system of claim 40 wherein said switch is a magnetic Reed switch.

43. The security system of claim 40 wherein said first state further comprises a first sub-state wherein only perimeter protection components of said security system are armed and a second sub-state wherein both said perimeter protection components and interior protection components of said security system are armed.

44. The security system of claim 40 further comprising:

a user-activated panic button in proximity to said door.

45. The security system of claim 40 further comprising:

means for disabling an inadvertent alarm.

46. The security system of claim 45 wherein said means for disabling an inadvertent alarm comprises a kill switch.

47. The security system of claim 45 wherein said means for disabling an inadvertent alarm comprises a key fob.

48. The security system of claim 45 wherein said means for disabling an inadvertent alarm comprises a telephone keypad coupled to a DTMF decoder.

49. The security system of claim 45 wherein said means for disabling an inadvertent alarm comprises a keypad.

50. A method of selectively arming or disarming a security system having an entry door to a protected premises, at least one zone of said security system which comprises an area of said protected premises away from said entry door, a lock for selectively locking and unlocking said entry door, and an alarm panel remotely located from said entry door and capable of issuing an alarm signal when said security system is armed, said method comprising the steps of:

determining the position of said lock as being in a locked position or an unlocked position;

arming said security system when said lock is in said locked position; and

disarming said security system when said lock is in said unlocked position.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein said arming step further comprises the sub-steps of:

arming only perimeter protection components of said security system when an authorized person remains inside the protected premises; and

arming both said perimeter protection components and interior protection components of said security system when no authorized person remains inside the protected premises.

52. The method of claim 50 further comprising the step of:

disabling an inadvertent alarm.

53. The method of claim 52 wherein said disabling step comprises the sub-steps of:

activating a user-controlled disabling means; and

moving said lock to said unlocked position.

54. The method of claim 53 wherein said disabling means comprises a kill switch.

55. The method of claim 53 wherein said disabling means comprises a key fob.

56. The method of claim 53 wherein said disabling means comprises a telephone keypad coupled to a DTMF decoder.

57. The method of claim 53 wherein said disabling means comprises a keypad.

58. A security system that may be selectively armed or disarmed for monitoring a protected premises comprising:

an entry door for permitting ingress to said protected premises from the outside of said entry door and egress from said protected premises from the inside of said entry door;

at least one zone of said security system which comprises an area of said protected premises away from said entry door;

an alarm panel remotely located from said entry door and capable of issuing an alarm signal when said security system is armed;

a lock for selectively locking and unlocking said entry door; and

a processing means capable of issuing a first signal indicative of said lock being in a locked position and a second signal indicative of said lock being in an unlocked position wherein said first signal arms said security system and said second signal disarms said security system.

59. The security system of claim 58 wherein said lock is a deadbolt assembly.

60. The security system of claim 58 wherein said first signal can be utilized to arm either only perimeter protection components of said security system or both said perimeter protection components and interior protection components of said security system.

61. The security system of claim 58 further comprising:

a user-activated panic button in proximity to said door.

62. The security system of claim 58 further comprising:

means for disabling an inadvertent alarm.

63. The security system of claim 62 wherein said means for disabling an inadvertent alarm comprises a kill switch.

64. The security system of claim 62 wherein said means for disabling an inadvertent alarm comprises a key fob.

65. The security system of claim 62 wherein said means for disabling an inadvertent alarm comprises a telephone keypad coupled to a DTMF decoder.

66. The security system of claim 62 wherein said means for disabling an inadvertent alarm comprises a keypad.

67. A method of disabling an inadvertent alarm of a security system having an entry door to a protected premises, at least one zone of said security system which comprises an area of said protected premises away from said entry door, a lock for selectively locking and unlocking said entry door, and an alarm panel remotely located from said entry door and capable of issuing an alarm signal when said security system is armed, said method comprising the steps of:

activating a user-controlled disarming means; and

moving said lock to said unlocked position.

68. The method of claim 67 wherein said disarming means comprises a kill switch.

69. The method of claim 67 wherein said disarming means comprises a key fob.

70. The method of claim 67 wherein said disarming means comprises a telephone keypad coupled to a DTMF decoder.

71. The method of claim 67 wherein said disarming means comprises a keypad.