Method and system for responding to security system breaches via a wireless network

• US 6,263,050 B1
• Filed: 12/18/1998
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Rees, Ronald Joseph, Schorr, Ian Andrew, Akhteruzzaman, Akhtar
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US09/215,827
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 379/33, 379/40, 379/41, 379/45, 379/51
• US Class Current: 379/45
• 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 3/10 Providing fault- or trouble-signals
• 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

Abstract

A method and system for responding to security system inoperability due to damage of a telecommunications line interconnecting the security system to its central monitoring service system requires origination of a wireless telephone call. A wireless unit is interconnected to the security system and originates an emergency call upon detection of telecommunications line abnormalities. Upon establishing a call connection between the wireless unit and the central monitoring service system, the wireless unit relays dual tone multifrequency (DTMF) signals which identify the security system affected by the breach so that appropriate authorities may be dispatched. In alternative embodiments, the wireless unit is programmed to place calls to other designated telephone numbers.

Claims

1. A method for responding to security system breaches comprising:

detecting a sever in a wireline telecommunications line interconnecting the security system to a central monitoring system, the sever dividing the wireline telecommunications line into a first portion and a second portion;

generating a high frequency modulated signal on the first portion;

receiving the high frequency modulated signal on the second portion, wherein the high frequency modulated signal is transmitted between the first portion and the second portion through the air; and

transmitting the high frequency modulated signal from the second portion to the central monitoring system.

2. The method for responding to security system breaches of claim 1 further comprising receiving the high frequency modulated signal at the central monitoring system.

3. The method for responding to security system breaches of claim 2 further comprising demodulating the high frequency modulated signal and determining the identification of the wireline telecommunications line.

4. The method for responding to security system breaches of claim 3 further comprising accessing subscriber data associated with the identified wireline telecommunications line.