Security system reporting events through e-mail messages

• US 7,518,506 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2005
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Albert, Barahona, Jaime E., Li, Tony T., Ramroop, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland; Donnie L
• Application Number:
  US11/252,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20070085676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.18, 340/539.19
• US Class Current: 340/539.18
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection

Abstract

Security system communication with a user device via electronic means, including via e-mail transmitted over the internet are provided. A security system interface receives a signal indicating an occurrence of an event, such as a fault or alarm condition, in a zone of the security system; a memory stores a user e-mail address associated with the security system and the address of a server for providing internet service, such as an ISP server; and an e-mail generator transmits to the server an e-mail message based on the event. The communication node in such a system may be integrated with the control panel of the security system. The e-mail generator can transmit the e-mail using SMTP or other TCP/IP. An attachment of the e-mail, such as a picture or an audio or video file relevant to the event or the zone may be transmitted.

Claims

1. A communication node of a security system, said communication node comprising:

a security system interface configured to receive a signal indicating an occurrence of an event in a zone of the security system;

a memory configured to store a user e-mail address associated with the security system; and

an e-mail generator configured to generate an e-mail based on the event and transmit said e-mail using the user e-mail address to a server for providing internet service, wherein said e-mail is transmitted to said server using an internet protocol, and said e-mail includes information comprising at least one of an image file, an audio file, and a video file, said information transmitted as one of within the e-mail, and attached to the e-mail, said information stored as one of MPEG, JPEG, and MP3, and said information encrypted before transmission.

2. The communication node of claim 1, wherein the communication node comprises a control panel of the security system.

3. The communication node of claim 1, wherein the server for providing internet service is an ISP server, such that the ISP is selected by a user associated with the security system and the address of the server is stored by said memory.

4. The communication node of claim 1, wherein said internet protocol is at least one of SMTP and TCP/IP.

5. The communication node of claim 1, wherein said image includes a picture.

6. The communication node of claim 5, wherein the picture is taken from the zone of the security system.

7. The communication node of claim 5, wherein the picture is included in the e-mail as an attachment.

8. The communication node of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the image file, the audio file and the video file is associated with the zone of the security system.

9. A method of security system communication with a user device, said method comprising:

receiving a signal indicating an occurrence of an event in a zone of the security system;

storing a user e-mail address associated with the security system and an address of a server for providing internet service;

generating an e-mail based on the event; and

transmitting to the server said e-mail for the user e-mail address, wherein said e-mail is transmitted to said server using an internet protocol and said e-mail includes information comprising at least one of an image file, an audio file, and a video file, said information transmitted as one of within the e-mail, and attached to the e-mail, said information stored as one of MPEG, JPEG, and MP3, and said information encrypted before transmission.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the event is a fault in at least a zone of the security system.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said transmitting is performed by a control panel of the security system.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the server for providing internet service is an ISP server, such that the ISP is selected by a user associated with the security system.

13. A control panel of a security system, said control panel comprising:

security system interfacing means for receiving a signal indicating an occurrence of an event in a zone of the security system;

memory means for storing a user e-mail address associated with the security system and an address of a server for providing internet service; and

e-mail generating means for generating an e-mail based on the event and for transmitting to the server said e-mail for the user e-mail address, wherein said e-mail is transmitted to said server using an internet protocol and said e-mail includes information comprising at least one of an image file, an audio file, and a video file, said information transmitted as one of within the e-mail, and attached to the e-mail, said information stored as one of MPEG, JPEG, and MP3, and said information encrypted before transmission.

14. The control panel of claim 13, wherein the server for providing internet service is an ISP server, such that the ISP is selected by a user associated with the security system.

15. The control panel of claim 13, wherein said internet protocol is at least one of SMTP and TCP/IP.

16. The control panel of claim 13, wherein said image file includes a picture.