Home security administration platform

• US 6,693,530 B1
• Filed: 10/16/2001
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dowens, Jac P., Spudic, Cynthia L.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/978,153
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 340/541, 340/521, 340/506, 340/531, 340/539.16, 340/539.26, 340/523, 713/200, 345/173, 379/49, 379/106
• US Class Current: 340/506
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/22 Electrical actuation
• 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 network may receiving tracking information of various emergency services personnel, so that when a security breach has occurred at a particular location, the network may receive a surveillance profile from a computer that is disposed at the location where the detector is located, and dispatch the most geographically appropriate emergency services personnel as determined based on the tracking information. A verification protocol may be initiated by calling a predetermined sequence of telephone numbers set by the subscriber to the security system. If the subscriber provides the predetermined authorization code, the detected security breach is disregarded as being a false alarm. However, if the call recipient is unable to provide the predetermined authorization code, or if there is no answer at any of the numbers in the predetermined call sequence, the emergency services personnel are dispatched.

Claims

1. A method of administering a security system, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a surveillance profile from security equipment that has detected a security breach;

dispatching emergency services corresponding to the surveillance profile of the security equipment, wherein

said step of receiving the surveillance profile from the security equipment includes receiving information identifying the detecting security equipment as at least one of a video camera, motion detector and heat detector, and further includes receiving at least one of registration information corresponding to the detecting security equipment, a location of the detecting security equipment and a physical description of the contents of a room in which the detecting security equipment is located; and

upon detection of a security breach, requesting verification from a predetermined sequence of terminals corresponding to the detecting security equipment, and if a predetermined authorization code is received in response, terminating further processing associated with the received surveillance profile, including dispatching emergency services, otherwise the method further comprises, after said dispatching step, the step of informing a subscriber of the security breach by calling a sequence of designated telephone numbers until the first of (1) receiving a response by an answering party or (2) exhausting the sequence of designated telephone numbers without receiving an answer,

wherein the step of requesting verification from a predetermined sequence of terminals correspondingly to the detecting security equipment includes at least one of (1) calling a designated telephone number to request the predetermined authorization code from an answer party and (2) transmitting the request for the predetermined authorization code to a designated internet protocol (IP) address for a processor corresponding to the detecting security equipment.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of receiving a surveillance profile includes receiving the surveillance profile from a processor corresponding to the detecting security equipment.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the processor is located in a same building structure as the detecting security equipment, and wherein the processor stores the surveillance profile for all security equipment located within the same building structure.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of receiving a surveillance profile includes receiving the surveillance profile from the processor corresponding to the detecting security equipment over a broadband connection via a network interface device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the broadband connection is either of a digital subscriber line (DSL) or a cable modem line.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of receiving a a predetermined authorization code includes receiving a personal identification number (PIN) verbally using a voice recognition methodology.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of receiving a predetermined authorization code includes receiving a personal identification number (PIN) verbally using at least one of a voice recognition methodology and receiving the PIN electronically using an IP methodology.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of dispatching emergency services corresponding to the surveillance profile of the detecting security equipment includes dispatching at least one of a local fire department and a local police department in accordance with information identifying the security equipment as at least one of a video camera, motion detector and heat detector.

9. A method of administrating a security system, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving tracking information of emergency services personnel;

receiving a surveillance profile from security equipment that has detected a security breach;

requesting verification from a predetermined sequence of terminals corresponding to the detecting security equipment, said requesting including at least one of dispatching a designated telephone number to request the predetermined authorization code from an answering party and transmitting the request for the predetermined authorization code to a designated internet protocol (IP) address for the computer corresponding to the detecting security equipment; and

if receiving a predetermined authorization code, terminating further processing associated with the received surveillance profile, otherwise;

dispatching the emergency services personnel in accordance with the surveillance profile of the detecting security equipment and the received tracking information of emergency services personnel; and

informing a subscriber of the security breach by dispatching a sequence of designated telephone numbers until the first of receiving a response by an answering party or exhausting the sequence of designated telephone numbers without receiving an answer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of receiving tracking information of the emergency services personnel includes receiving login registration information from individual emergency services personnel including those from police departments, fire departments and emergency medical technicians.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of receiving tracking information of the emergency services personnel further includes receiving global positioning services (GPS) information for individual emergency services personnel including those from police departs, fire departments and emergency medical technicians.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of receiving the surveillance profile from the detecting security equipment includes receiving information identifying the detecting security equipment as at least one of a video camera, motion detector and heat detector.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of receiving the surveillance profile includes receiving at least one of registration information corresponding to the detecting security equipment, a location of the detecting security equipment and a physical description of the contents of a room in which the detecting security equipment is located.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of receiving a surveillance profile includes receiving the surveillance profile a from a database corresponding to the detecting security equipment.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the database includes a computer located in a same building structure as the detecting security equipment, and wherein the computer stores the surveillance profile for all security equipment located within the same building structure.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of receiving a surveillance profile includes receiving the surveillance profile from the computer corresponding to the detecting security equipment over a broadband connection via a network interface device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the broadband connection is either of a digital subscriber line (DSL) or a cable modem line.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of dispatching emergency services corresponding to the surveillance profile of the detecting security equipment includes dispatching at least one of a local fire department and a local police department in accordance with information identifying the security sensor as one of a video camera, motion detector and heat detector and the received tracking information of emergency services personnel.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of receiving a predetermined authorization code includes receiving a personal identification number (PIN) verbally using a voice recognition methodology.

20. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of receiving a predetermined authorization code includes receiving a personal identification number (PIN) verbally using at least one of a voice recognition methodology and an IP methodology.