Method and apparatus for using SMS short code messaging to facilitate the transmission of a status update for a security system

• US 8,185,644 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2006
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Simon, Scott, Blum, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ashok
• Assistant Examiner(s): Desrosiers, Evans
• Application Number:
  US11/451,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20070157018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,170 Days
• Field of Search: 709207-209
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

A notification system for receiving a request for a remote status update from a remote device is disclosed. The notification system comprises a server for relaying the request for the remote status update, an access server for receiving the relayed request for the remote status update and for determining whether a remote device is registered to receive the remote status update, a host website for allowing the remote device to be registered to receive the remote status update, and a central monitoring server for generating the remote status update based upon the request. The central monitoring server is coupled to a remote security device. The security device is configured to detect an event and transmit a message to the central monitoring server in response to the detected event. The remote status update includes information regarding the detected event.

Claims

1. A notification system for receiving a request message for a remote status update under a short message service (SMS) format from a remote device comprising:

(a) a central monitoring server that registers a plurality of SMS message destination addresses for respective users of security devices who subscribe to receive security device updates from the central monitoring server;

(b) an access server that receives the request message under the SMS format from said remote device, the access server determines whether said remote device is registered to submit request messages to the central monitoring server from a header of the request message and denies the request message and prevents access to the central monitoring server when the remote device is not registered wherein the request message includes a blank text message portion and wherein the request message is a unique number that identifies one of the plurality of SMS message destinations registered by the central monitoring server;

(c) a host website for allowing said remote device to be registered to receive said remote status update; and

(d) wherein the central monitoring server provides a plurality of predetermined functions wherein at least one of the plurality of functions is associated with each of the plurality of message destinations, where the request message from a registered remote device is delivered to one of the plurality of messages destinations identified by the unique number and the central monitoring server generates a response in accordance with the identified predetermined function of the message destination based upon receipt of the request message, said central monitoring server is coupled to a remote security device of a subscribing user of the remote device wherein said security device is configured to detect an event, said security device transmits a message to said central monitoring server in response to the detected event, and wherein said central monitoring server sends a remote status update to the remote device in response to the request message, where the status update includes information regarding said detected event in accordance with at least one of the plurality of predetermined functions identified by the request message.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said access server denies said remote device access to the central monitoring server if said access server determines that said remote device is not registered, via the host website, to receive said remote status update.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein when said access server denies the remote device access to the central monitoring server, said access server transmits contact information for the host website to the remote device to enable registration.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said short code message requests a specific foimat for the remote status update.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said specific format includes one or more of text, video and voice message.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said host website allows a user to select a format for said status update and to select at least one event from a plurality of events to receive said remote status update.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said plurality of events includes emergency events, status events, and functional events.

17. The notification system of claim 1, wherein said server includes a means for recognizing a short code message from said remote device as being the request.

8. A method of requesting a remote status update comprising the steps of:

(a) a central monitoring server registering a plurality of SMS (SMS) message destination addresses for respective users who subscribe to receive security device updates from the central monitoring server;

(b) an access server receiving a short code message defined by a numeric sequence and a blank text message portion under a short message service (SMS) format from a remote device indicating a request where a content of the short code message is a unique number of a defined predetermined length identifying one of the plurality of SMS message destinations;

(c) determining if said remote device is registered with the central monitoring server for receiving said remote status update from a header of the short code message;

(d) allowing access to the central monitoring server when said remote device is registered and denying and preventing access to the central monitoring server upon determining that said remove device is not registered;

(e) the central monitoring server providing a plurality of predetermined functions where each of the plurality of predetermined functions is associated with at least one of the SMS message destinations and where at least one of the plurality of functions is identified by a content of the short code message;

(f) generating a response in accordance with the function identified by the received short code message; and

(g) transmitting said generated response from said central monitoring server to said remote device in response to said short code message, said generated response is based upon information received from a security device of a subscribing user of the remote device remotely located and configured to detect a plurality of events.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of determining if said remote device is registered further comprises the step of matching a received unique identifier with a plurality of registered identifiers.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a specific format for said status update message; and

(b) selecting at least one event from a list of a plurality of events for receiving the remote status update, wherein said selecting steps are performed using the host website.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said remote status update including only said selected at least one event is transmitted in said selected specific format.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein a format of said remote status update is based upon said short code message.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of matching the received short code message with a predefined list of short code messages to detelinine the format for said remote status update.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of denying said remote device access to the central monitoring server if said determining step determines that said remote device is not registered, via the host website, to receive said remote status update.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of transmitting contact information for the host website to the remote device to enable registration.

16. The method as in claim 8 further comprising registering the remote device to receive the remote status update regarding the remotely located security device, said registering further comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting a unique contact identifier into a host website for said remote device;

(b) selecting a format for said remote status update via said host website; and

(c) selecting at least one event from a list of a plurality of events for receiving said remote status update via said host website.

18. A remote management system for controlling and managing a security device comprising:

(a) a central monitoring server that registers a plurality of SMS message destination addresses for respective users of security devices who subscribe to receive security device updates from the central monitoring server;

(b) a remote device that issues a designated management message including a blank text message portion and a numeric sequence portion under a short messaging service (SMS) format corresponding to a management command, a content of said management message is a unique number of a defined predetermined length that identifies one of the plurality of SMS message destinations;

(c) an access server that receives a content of said designated management message and determines whether said remote device is registered with the central monitoring server to issue said designated management message from a header of said management message and denies the request message and prevent access to the central monitoring server upon determining that said remove device is not registered;

(d) a host website that allows said remote device to be registered to issue said designated management message; and

(e) a central monitoring server, said central monitoring server providing a plurality of predetermined functions, where at least one of the plurality is associated with each of the plurality of SMS destinations and where at least one of the plurality of predetermined functions and SMS destinations is identified by the unique identifier, the central monitoring server generates a control signal in accordance with the function identified by the received designated management message and transmits said control signal to said security device of a subscribing user of said remote device based upon said designated management message, wherein said security device performs a function based on said control signal.

19. The remote management system according to claim 18, wherein said management command includes a command to arm or disarm said security device.

20. The remote management system according to claim 18, wherein said management command includes a command for said security device to generate an alarm.

21. The remote management system according to claim 18, wherein said management command includes a command to receive a remote status update.