Method and a system for transmitting alarms

• US 6,567,501 B1
• Filed: 03/09/2001
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Networks (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Harinen, Veli-Matti, Pernu, Sakari, Hasa, Keijo
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu, Binh
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US09/786,769
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 379/37, 379/33, 379/40, 379/41, 379/45, 379/399.01, 379/401, 379/412, 379/413, 379/29.03, 379/29.04, 379/1.01, 379/2, 379/7, 379/9, 379/14.01, 379/10.01, 379/15.01, 379/22, 379/22.01, 379/24, 379/27.01, 379/27.03, 379/27.04, 379/29.01, 379/44, 379/47, 340/500, 340/501, 340/506, 340/533, 340/541, 340/635, 340/657, 340/3.1, 340/3.43, 340/3.9, 340/825.36
• US Class Current: 379/32.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/045 Selection or connection testing arrangements

Abstract

A method for transferring alarms, in which method a pre-determined area (1) is monitored by a monitoring device (24) connected to a subscriber line (10, 12, 14); the condition of the subscriber line (10, 12, 14) is monitored by line testing; when the ISDN subscriber line (10, 12, 14) lacks functionality an alarm is identified in a switching center (20); and from the switching center (20) the alarm is directed to an alarm monitoring system.

Claims

1. An alarm system comprising:

a control and switching system;

a network terminal at an area to be monitored; and

a first connection between the network terminal and the control and switching system, the control and switching system is arranged to monitor the first connection between the control and switching system and the network terminal,

wherein the first connection comprises;

a power feed line for feeding power from the control and switching system to the network terminal,

wherein the control and switching system is arranged to give an alarm to a pre-determined alarm monitoring system in response to detecting an increase of current over a predetermined threshold value in the power feed line,

wherein the control and switching system is arranged to synchronized with the network terminal and comprises means for detecting a break off of the connection between the network terminal and the control and switching system by detecting loss of synchronization and the control system is arranged to give the alarm in response to detecting the loss of synchronization,

wherein the alarm system further comprises;

a sensor in the area to be monitored, which sensor is, at its one end, connected with the first connection via a closing switch for causing a short-circuit in said connection, which short-circuit is arranged to be detected in the control and switching system from one of an increase of current feeding into the said first connection, and an increase of current feeding into the said first connection and loss of synchronization, and

wherein the control and switching system is a switching center of a telephone network, and said short-circuiting switch is connected between the control and switching system and the ISDN subscriber line network terminal.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first connection between the control and switching system and the network terminal is a telephone subscriber line.

3. An alarm system according to claim 1, wherein the network terminal is an ISDN-type network terminal, which has the first connection with the control and switching system via a subscriber line connection.

4. A system according to claim 3, further comprising:

a second device at the area to be monitored; and

a second connection between the second device and the control and switching system through a mobile network.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the control and switching system is arranged to establish the second connection between the second device and the control and switching system when an error message is received of the first connection.

6. A method for transferring alarms in an alarm system, the system including a connection between a network terminal at an area to be monitored and a control and switching system, said method comprising:

monitoring the connection between the control and switching system and the network terminal;

detecting current feed in a power feed line of the connection;

giving an alarm to a pre-determined alarm monitoring system in response to detecting an increase of the current over predetermined threshold value in the power feed line;

causing the alarm to be given by short-circuiting said connection with a closing switch;

holding at the control and switching system a register which has information about subscriber data and addresses of alarm monitoring systems;

giving said alarm by directing an error message to a predetermined alarm monitoring system based on the information in said register; and

filtering false alarms by waiting at the control and switching system a predetermined period of time from having detected said increase in current before said error message about the alarm is transmitted to alarm monitoring system.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:

detecting the status of synchronization between the network terminal and the control and switching system in the control and switching system; and

giving said alarm in response to detecting a loss of said synchronization.

8. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:

transferring an alarm message to a computer network;

sending the alarm message further to a pre-determined address; and

annexing a message to the alarm message.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein loss of synchronization is detected in response to one of detaching said terminal from a subscriber line, breaking of the subscriber line, and cutting of the subscriber line.

10. An alarm system comprising:

a control and switching system;

a network terminal at an area to be monitored; and

a first connection between the network terminal and the control and switching system, the control and switching system is arranged to monitor the first connection between the control and switching system and the network terminal,

wherein the first connection comprises a power feed line for feeding power from the control and switching system to the network terminal,

wherein the control and switching system is arranged to give an alarm to a pre-determined alarm monitoring system in response to detecting an increase of current over a predetermined threshold value in the power feed line,

wherein the control and switching system is a switching center of a telephone network, and said short-circuiting switch is connected between the control and switching system and the ISDN subscriber line network terminal, and

wherein the network terminal is an ISDN-type network terminal, which has the first connection with the control and switching system via a subscriber line connection.