Enhanced 911 notification for internet enabled alarm system

• US 8,369,487 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2008
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sierra Wireless America Incorporated (Sierra Wireless Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Numerex Corporation (Sierra Wireless Incorporated)
• Inventors: Alexander Elliot, Harvey, Field-Elliot, Bryan, Elliot, Daniel J
• Primary Examiner(s): Jamal, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US12/018,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20080118039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,840 Days
• Field of Search: 379/40, 379/45
• US Class Current: 379/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

The present invention allows an alarm monitoring service to ally with a PSAP provider to allow our customers to direct connect to the 911 center responsible for their home, but no matter where the customer calls from. When an alarm monitoring company or middleware provider'"'"'s automatic notification function calls the customer to report an alarm, the customer can connect directly to the local 911 even when traveling, if needed. The alarm monitoring company contacts the customer if an alarm event occurs and offers the customer the opportunity to connect with the 911 call center for their home. If the customer indicates they want to call 911, the call is routed to the correct PSAP center, with the customers home Caller ID number emulated for the call. In this manner, the PSAP center can determine, from the emulated Caller ID data, the correct response agency that is local to the customer'"'"'s home.

Claims

1. A method for allowing a consumer to notify emergency services in the event of an alarm condition, comprising the steps of:

detecting a security event at an alarm location using an alarm system at the alarm location;

the alarm system notifying an alarm monitoring service center to notify the alarm monitoring service center of the alarm event;

the alarm monitoring service center generating an automated message to a consumer that an alarm event has occurred at the alarm location;

the alarm monitoring service center offering to the consumer, in the automated message, a choice to notify emergency services in response to the alarm event;

receiving at the alarm monitoring service center input from the consumer whether to contact the emergency services; and

if the consumer indicates a desire to contact emergency service, the alarm monitoring service center automatically connecting the consumer to emergency services through the alarm monitoring service center,

wherein the step of sending an automated message from the alarm monitoring service center to a consumer'"'"'s cellular telephone device that an alarm event has occurred at the alarm location comprises the steps of;

looking up the consumer'"'"'s cellular phone contact information at the alarm monitoring service center from a database correlating alarm system location to consumer cellular phone contact information; and

generating at the alarm monitoring service center at least one of an automated audio message, text message, and video message to the consumer that an alarm even has occurred at the alarm location,

wherein the step of connecting the consumer directly to emergency services comprises the steps of;

looking up, at the alarm monitoring service center on a database correlating emergency services contact information to alarm location data emergency services contact information corresponding to the alarm location; and

connecting at the alarm monitoring service center, the consumer to emergency services by completing at least one of a cellular phone call, text message, and video message to emergency services from the consumer'"'"'s cellular telephone device through the alarm monitoring service center, and

wherein the step of connecting at the alarm monitoring service center the consumer directly to emergency services further comprises the steps of;

looking up, on a database at the alarm monitoring service center correlating alarm location to a caller ID number for the alarm location; and

appending the caller ID number to the at least one of a cellular phone call, text message, and video message made by the alarm monitoring service center to the emergency services.

2. A system for allowing a consumer to notify emergency services in the event of an alarm condition, comprising:

an alarm system located at an alarm location for detecting a security event at the alarm location and notifying an alarm monitoring service center to notify the alarm service of the alarm event;

the alarm monitoring service center receiving notification of an alarm event from the alarm system and generating an automated message to a consumer that an alarm event has occurred at the alarm location, offering to the consumer, in the automated message, a choice to notify emergency services in response to the alarm event, receiving input from the consumer whether to contact the emergency services, and if the consumer indicates a desire to contact emergency service, the alarm monitoring service center connecting the consumer to emergency services though the alarm monitoring service center,

wherein alarm monitoring service center further comprises a database correlating alarm system location to consumer cellular phone contact information for looking up the consumer'"'"'s cellular phone contact information; and

wherein the alarm monitoring service center generates at least one of an automated audio, text message, and video message to the consumer that an alarm even has occurred at the alarm location,

wherein the alarm monitoring service center further comprises a database correlating emergency services contact information to alarm location data for looking up emergency services contact information corresponding to the alarm location; and

wherein the alarm monitoring service center connects the consumer to emergency services by completing at least one of a cellular phone call, text message, and video message to emergency services from the consumer'"'"'s cellular telephone device through the alarm monitoring service center, and

wherein the alarm monitoring service center further comprises a database correlating alarm location to a caller ID number for the alarm location for looking up caller ID number of a consumer; and

wherein the alarm monitoring service center appends the caller ID number to the at least one of a cellular phone call, text message, and video message made from the alarm monitoring service center to the emergency services.