Security system with call management functionality

• US 8,107,594 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, Raymond Walden III, Beardsley, John Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US11/605,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20070274461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,889 Days
• Field of Search: 279/90.01, 279 37- 45, 340/541, 340/531
• US Class Current: 379/37
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

A security system with call management functionality is disclosed and includes a security controller having at least one first interface to at least one user identification device and a second interface to a call management controller. The security controller also includes logic to determine a security status of a user based on identification information received from the at least one user identification device and to communicate the security status of the user to the call management controller, where the call management controller enables, disables, or modifies a communication service based on the security status of the user.

Claims

1. A security controller, comprising:

at least one first interface to at least one user identification device;

a second interface to a call management controller; and

logic to;

determine a security status of a user based on identification information received from the at least one user identification device, wherein the security status of the user includes location information that identifies one of a plurality of areas of a customer premises where the user is located; and

communicate the security status of the user to the call management controller, wherein the call management controller enables, disables, or modifies a communication service based on the security status of the user.

2. The security controller of claim 1, wherein the communication service is a telephone service.

3. The security controller of claim 1, wherein the at least one user identification device includes a keypad to receive manual entry of a user passcode, a card reading device to read a magnetic user identification card, or any combination thereof.

4. The security controller of claim 1, wherein the logic determines a second security status of a security system based on a system command and communicates the second security status of the security system to the call management controller.

5. The security controller of claim 4, wherein the call management controller enables, disables, or modifies a telephone service based on the second security status of the security system.

6. The security controller of claim 1, further comprising a third interface to at least one security sensor to provide at least one home security function.

7. The security controller of claim 6, wherein the at least one security sensor includes a door position sensor, a window position sensor, a motion detector, or any combination thereof.

8. The security controller of claim 1, further comprising a fourth interface to a communication path to contact a public safety answering point of an emergency-calling system (911), a private emergency monitoring center, or any combination thereof.

9. The security controller of claim 1, wherein the at least one user identification device includes at least one of a radio frequency receiver to receive a signal from a user transponder and a voice processing system to identify user speech.

10. A call management controller, comprising;

a first interface to a network;

a second interface to a security controller associated with a security system, wherein the security system is associated with a user; and

logic to;

receive information from the first interface and the second interface, wherein the information includes a first security status of the user received from the security controller via the second interface and a second security status of the user received from the network via the first interface;

determine a security status based on the first security status of the user and the second security status of the user; and

enable, disable, or modify a telephone service based on the security status.

11. The call management controller of claim 10, wherein the security controller determines the first security status of the user based on identification information received from at least one user identification device accessible to the security controller.

12. The call management controller of claim 11, wherein the logic informs the user of at least one message when the user interacts with the at least one user identification device.

13. The call management controller of claim 10, wherein the logic receives a third security status of a security system from the security controller, and wherein the security status is further determined based on the third security status of the security system.

14. The call management controller of claim 13, wherein the logic provides a night mode privacy service when the third security status of the security system is night mode, the night mode privacy service including advising a caller to leave a message when the caller does not indicate an emergency and ringing a telephone when the caller indicates an emergency.

15. The call management controller of claim 14, wherein the logic rings the telephone using a ring indicating an emergency call.

16. The call management controller of claim 10, wherein the logic rings a telephone when the security status indicates that the user is at a home location and prompts a caller to record a message without ringing the telephone when the security status indicates that the user is not present at the home location.

17. The call management controller of claim 16, wherein the logic selects the user from a plurality of users based on a telephone number at which a call is received.

18. The call management controller of claim 16, wherein the logic sends a call-waiting signal to the telephone when the security status indicates that the user is present at the home location and that the user is interacting with another call at the telephone.

19. The call management controller of claim 10, wherein the logic forwards a call to a second location when the security status indicates that the user is not present at a home location and when the security status indicates that the user is present at a second location, wherein the second location includes at least one of a work location, a neighbor location, a car location, and a business location.

20. The call management controller of claim 10, wherein the logic limits duration, cost, destination, or any combination thereof, with respect to calls placed from a telephone when the security status indicates that the user is present at a home location.