Remote monitor system with radio dispatch

• US 8,144,009 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2011
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lookout Portable Security
• Original Assignee: Lookout Portable Security
• Inventors: Mehaffey, Joseph Sutton
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US13/086,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20110189941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 349 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.18, 340/539.16, 340/505, 379/37, 455/404.1, 455/521
• US Class Current: 340/539.18
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/012 using recorded signals, e.g. speech G08B25/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/008 with transmission via TV or radio broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

The present invention is directed toward systems and methods for providing a remote monitoring system with radio dispatch. In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a central monitoring unit for receiving a first event signal from a first remote monitoring device, identifying the first remote monitoring device as the originator of the first event signal, accessing a first prerecorded dispatch message associated with the first event signal, and transmitting the first prerecorded dispatch message. The present invention may also include multiple remote monitoring units for detecting events at a plurality of remote monitoring locations. Upon detection, the remote monitoring units transmit an event signal to the central monitoring unit.

Claims

1. A method for broadcasting a dispatch message comprising:

storing a first pre-recorded dispatch message associated with a first event signal in a central monitoring unit;

receiving the first event signal from a first remote monitoring device at the central monitoring unit after storing the first pre-recorded dispatch message;

identifying the first remote monitoring device as the originator of the first event signal;

accessing the first prerecorded dispatch message; and

transmitting the first prerecorded dispatch message over a communication medium using a transmitter in the central monitoring unit.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing a second pre-recorded dispatch message associated with a second event signal in the central monitoring unit;

receiving the second event signal from a second remote monitoring device at the central monitoring unit;

identifying the second remote monitoring device as the originator of the second event signal;

accessing the second prerecorded dispatch message; and

transmitting the second prerecorded dispatch message over a communication medium using the transmitter in the central monitoring unit.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first event signal is associated with a first event condition and the second event signal is associated with a second event condition.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the event conditions are triggered by one or more sensors in communication with the first and second remote monitoring devices.

5. The monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the first and second event signals comprise information regarding which of the one or more sensors has triggered the event condition.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors in communication with the first and second remote monitoring devices is a motion detector.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors in communication with the first and second remote monitoring devices is a smoke detector.

8. A method for broadcasting a dispatch message comprising:

storing, in a central monitoring unit, one or more pre-recorded dispatch messages associated with one or more event signals and one or more remote monitoring devices;

receiving, at the central monitoring unit, a first event signal associated with a first event and a first remote monitoring device;

identifying the first remote monitoring device as the originator of the first event signal;

accessing a first prerecorded dispatch message from the one or more pre-recorded dispatch messages that is associated with the first event signal; and

transmitting the first prerecorded dispatch message over a communication medium using a transmitter in the central monitoring unit;

wherein, after storing the one or more pre-recorded dispatch messages in the central monitoring unit, the central monitoring unit and the first remote monitoring device operate autonomously.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitter transmits the first prerecorded dispatch message via a telephone.

10. The method of claim 8,

wherein the first remote monitoring device comprised a motion sensor;

wherein triggering the motion sensor generates the first event signal;

wherein the first prerecorded dispatch message indicates a break-in at the address where the first remote monitoring device is located.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first pre-recorded message is transmitted directly over a police band radio.

12. The method of claim 8,

wherein the first remote monitoring device comprises one or more of a heat detector and a smoke detector;

wherein triggering one or more of the heat detector and the smoke detector generates the first event signal;

wherein the first prerecorded dispatch message indicates a fire at the address where the first remote monitoring device is located.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first pre-recorded message is transmitted directly over a fire protection band radio.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, at the central monitoring unit, a second event signal associated with a second event and the first remote monitoring device;

identifying the first remote monitoring device as the originator of the second event signal;

accessing a second prerecorded dispatch message from the one or more pre-recorded dispatch messages that is associated with the second event signal; and

transmitting the second prerecorded dispatch message using the transmitter in the central monitoring unit.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, at the central monitoring unit, a third event signal associated with a third event and a second remote monitoring device;

identifying the second remote monitoring device as the originator of the third event signal;

accessing a third prerecorded dispatch message from the one or more pre-recorded dispatch messages that is associated with the third event signal; and

transmitting the third prerecorded dispatch message using the transmitter in the central monitoring unit.

16. A method for securing a location comprising:

installing a first remote monitoring device at the location;

storing, in a central monitoring unit, a first pre-recorded dispatch message associated with a first event signal and the first remote monitoring device;

receiving, at the central monitoring unit, the first event signal associated with a first event;

identifying the first remote monitoring device as the originator of the first event signal;

determining whether the first event signal has been received during a pre-determined time period;

transmitting the first prerecorded dispatch message using a transmitter in the central monitoring unit only if the first event signal is received during the pre-determined time period.

17. The method of claim 16, where the pre-determined time period comprises non-business hours for the location.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

storing, in the central monitoring unit, a plurality of pre-recorded dispatch messages associated with a plurality of event signals and the first remote monitoring device;

accessing a first prerecorded dispatch message from the plurality of pre-recorded dispatch messages that is associated with the first event signal.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving, at the central monitoring unit, a second event signal associated with a second event and the first remote monitoring device;

identifying the first remote monitoring device as the originator of the second event signal;

determining whether the second event signal has been received during a pre-determined time period;

accessing a second prerecorded dispatch message that is associated with the second event signal and the first remote monitoring device from the plurality of pre-recorded dispatch messages;

transmitting the second prerecorded dispatch message using the transmitter in the central monitoring unit only if the second event signal is received during the pre-determined time period.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

placing the first remote monitoring device in a standby mode outside the pre-determined time period.