Security system using existing network and personal computers

• US 6,308,272 B1
• Filed: 12/21/1998
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pearce, Jerry W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Winder, Patrice L.
• Application Number:
  US09/217,870
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 379/47, 340/568.2, 340/539, 340/686.1, 340/506, 340/507, 340/568.1, 348/156, 709/226, 709/229, 709/224, 709/225, 713/200, 713/201, 713/202, 700/21, 700/79, 700/80
• US Class Current: 726/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements

Abstract

A security system using a security detector associated with a personal computer attached to an existing data transmission network, where the personal computer is effective to detect security breaches and transmit an alarm even if the personal computer is not in its operating mode. When a security breach is detected by the security detector, the data transmission network is used to report the incident to a monitoring station for appropriate logging and action. Because the security system is coupled to a data transmission network and computer resources, the security system can be remotely activated and can respond to historical sensing of a security detector to adjust its threshold.

Claims

1. A security system for transmitting an alarm when a security threshold is exceeded, said security system mounted to an existing data transmission network with a personal computer having a main processor attached thereto and comprising:

a security monitoring device coupled through the personal computer to the data transmission network, said security monitoring device providing an output which is related to a detected security parameter;

means within the personal computer for storing a threshold for the detected security parameter of the security device;

a sensor within the personal computer for transmitting an alarm through the data transmission network when the detected parameter of the security device exceeds the stored threshold even if the personal computer is in its non-operational state, said sensing means within the personal computer including a secondary processor which is operational even when the personal computer is in its non-operational state, whereby an alarm is transmitted when the secondary processor detects that the output of the security device exceeds the stored threshold.

2. A security system of the type described in connection with claim 1 wherein the security monitoring device includes means for detecting motion.

3. A security system of the type described in connection with claim 2 wherein the personal computer further includes means for identifying itself to the data transmission network and, upon sensing an alarm, transmits identification information along with the details of the alarm.

4. A security system of the type described in connection with claim 3 wherein the security system further includes a monitoring station and means for setting security parameters.

5. A method of detecting and reporting a security incident in a building including a data transmission network and at least one personal computer having a main processor attached thereto, the method comprising the steps of:

coupling a security detector to the personal computer;

sensing, at the security detector, a security parameter which indicates the relative security of the area around the security detector;

comparing, in the personal computer, the detected parameter with a threshold stored in the personal computer even if the personal computer is in an non-operational state and wherein the personal computer includes a secondary processor that is operational even when the personal computer is in its non-operational state; and

when the detected parameter exceeds the threshold, generating an security alarm and transmitting the security alarm over the data transmission network to a remote monitoring location.

6. A method of detecting and reporting a security incident of the type described in claim 5 further including the step of activating a security feature of the personal computer and the security detector to provide security only during selected periods of time.

7. A method of detecting and reporting a security incident including the steps of claim 6 where the step of activating the security feature of the personal computer and the security detector to provide security during a selected period of time includes the step of transmitting a message from the remote monitoring station to activate the personal computer and its security detector.

8. A method of detecting and reporting a security incident including the steps of claim 6 wherein a plurality of personal computers are coupled to the data transmission network and the step of activating one of the plurality of personal computers includes the step of addressing the one of the plurality of personal computers and providing a threshold for the security parameter for the one personal computer.

9. A method of detecting and reporting a security incident including the steps of claim 6 wherein the step of activating the personal computer includes identifying a personal computer to be activated and setting a threshold for the security feature of the personal computer to be activated, with at least one of the activating and setting steps being performed by transmitting a message over the data transmission network to the personal computer.

10. A method of detecting and reporting a security incident including the steps of claim 9 wherein the steps of activating the security feature of the personal computer and setting the threshold for the security parameter are transmitted to the personal computer over the data transmission network.

11. A method of detecting and reporting a security incident including the steps of claim 10 wherein the steps of activating the security feature of the personal computer and setting the threshold are accomplished by transmitting a signal from the remote monitoring location to the personal computer.

12. A security system for sensing and reporting security incidents over an existing data transmission network in a building, the system comprising:

a first computer and a second computer, each having a main processor and coupled to the data transmission network for communicating security information, said first and second computers each including a secondary processor which is operational when operators are not using the computer so that the computers provide security even when the operators are not using the computers;

a security threshold stored in each of the first and second computers;

a security sensor for generating a security signal based upon security activity and coupled to the processor in each of the first and second computers, the secondary processor including a to comparator to compare the signal based upon the security activity with the stored threshold in the computer and provide an alarm when the security signal exceeds the threshold.

13. A security system of the type described in claim 12 wherein the alarm is transmitted to a remote monitoring location over the data transmission network along with an identification of the personal computer sending the alarm.

14. A security system of the type described in claim 13 wherein the remote monitoring station transmits a signal over the data transmission network to a selected personal computer to activate its security role.

15. A security system of the type described in claim 13 wherein the remote monitoring station transmits a signal over the data transmission network to a selected personal computer where the signal includes the threshold for the selected personal computer.

16. A security system of the type described in claim 15 wherein the threshold for the selected personal computer is based on the previous security signals sensed at the selected personal computer.

17. A network for providing security throughout a security area during selected time periods by sensing a security indicator and provide an alarm when the security value exceeds a stored threshold, the system comprising:

one or more computers each having a main processor and a monitoring station, said one or more computers located within the security area, with both the computers and the monitoring station coupled to a data transmission network, the computers each including a secondary processor which remains active during the selected time periods;

a security sensor coupled to each computer processor and providing a security value based on its sensed security indicator;

a security threshold associated with each personal computer; and

the secondary processor in each personal computer including a comparator comparing the sensed security value with the threshold and providing an alarm when the sensed security value exceeds the threshold.

18. A security system for monitoring motion in an area and providing an alarm on a data transmission network when the motion exceeds a threshold, the system comprising:

a personal computer having a main processor, said personal computer located within the area and coupled to the data transmission network, said personal computer including a secondary processor that is operational even when the personal computer is in its non-operational state;

a motion detector coupled to the personal computer for generating a signal based on the motion in the area sensed by the motion detector;

a threshold stored within the personal computer and a comparator within the personal computer for comparing the signal indicative of motion in the area with the stored threshold and generating an alarm when the signal indicative of motion exceeds the stored threshold; and

a monitoring station coupled to the data transmission network for receiving and storing the alarm indicating that motion at the personal computer exceeds the stored threshold.

19. A security system of the type described in claim 18 wherein the system includes a plurality of personal computers located within the area to be monitored, each of the personal computer having a stored threshold and each coupled to the data transmission network for generating an alarm when the signal generated based on sensed motion exceeds the threshold stored in the respective computer.