Self-monitored home security system using mobile communications

• US 8,368,526 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chalk, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Morales Fernandez, Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US12/433,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20100279664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 340/517, 340/539.22, 340/531, 340/5.61, 340/506, 340/539.11, 455/462, 455/414.1, 379/42
• US Class Current: 340/506
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/16 Security signalling or alarm systems, e.g. redundant systems

Abstract

A system and method for providing home security services may include receiving, at a local alarm controller, a cordless sensor signal indicative of an alarm sensor being triggered. The cordless sensor signal may be communicated over one of multiple cordless telephone channels. In response to receiving the sensor signal, a signal indicative of the cordless telephone channel may be communicated to a mobile telephone of a user to notify the user that a sensor associated with the cordless telephone channel was triggered.

Claims

1. A method for providing home security services, said method comprising:

providing a plurality of individual alarm sensors;

associating each individual alarm sensor with a particular telephone number which particular telephone number is distinct from the particular telephone number associated with any other individual alarm sensor;

receiving, at a local alarm controller, a cordless sensor signal indicative of an alarm sensor being triggered; and

in response to receiving the sensor signal, communicating an alarm signal from the local alarm controller to a mobile telephone of a user, wherein the local alarm controller dials from the particular telephone number associated with the triggered sensor to communicate with the mobile telephone of a user and wherein communicating with the mobile telephone of the user is performed without routing information to a central security monitoring service.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the local alarm controller is integrated into a cordless telephone base unit, the cordless telephone base unit providing a docking station for a cordless telephone for use with the cordless telephone base unit.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein communicating an alarm signal includes:

accessing a telephone number assigned to the mobile telephone number; and

placing a call to the mobile telephone using the telephone number.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising communicating an audible message to the user in response to the user answering the call.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising selecting a telephone line from which to place the call.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein communicating an alarm signal includes communicating a text message.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein communicating an alarm signal includes:

accessing a telephone number assigned to a network node; and

calling, by the network node, a telephone number assigned to the mobile telephone.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising communicating a cordless telephone channel identifier to the network node, and wherein the network node is further configured to select a telephone number from among a plurality of telephone numbers to call the mobile telephone.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the user does not answer the call; and

communicating the signal to a different mobile telephone to notify the same or different another user that a sensor associated with the cordless telephone channel was triggered.

10. A home security system, comprising:

a plurality of individual alarm sensors wherein each individual alarm sensor is associated with a particular telephone number, which particular telephone number is distinct from the particular telephone number associated with any other individual alarm sensor; and

a local alarm controller configured to communicate with the plurality of alarm sensors and further configured to initiate communications with a wireless communications device by dialing from the particular telephone number associated with a triggered alarm sensor in response to receiving an alarm signal from the triggered sensor, wherein the local alarm controller communicates with the wireless communications device via a communications network without routing information to a central security monitoring service.

11. The home security system according to claim 10, wherein said local alarm controller is integrated into a cordless telephone base unit, the cordless telephone base unit providing a docking station for a cordless telephone for use with the cordless telephone base unit.

12. The home security system according to claim 10, wherein the communication is a communication to a network node that is configured to communicate an alarm signal to the wireless communications device.

13. The home security system according to claim 10, wherein the communication with the mobile telephone is a telephone call to the wireless communications device and, wherein said local alarm controller is further configured to communicate an audible signal to indicate which sensor was triggered.

14. The home security system according to claim 10, wherein the communication is a text message.