System and method for alarm signaling during alarm system destruction

• US 8,395,494 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2009
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Trundle, Stephen Scott, Slavin, Alison, Martin, Jean-Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): CROSLAND, DONNIE L
• Application Number:
  US12/615,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20100052890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506
• US Class Current: 340/506
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/002 Generating a prealarm to the central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/00 Checking or monitoring of signalling or alarm systems; Prevention or correction of operating errors, e.g. preventing unauthorised operation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/02 Monitoring continuously signalling or alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/046 prevention of tampering with detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/16 Security signalling or alarm systems, e.g. redundant systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/185 Signal analysis techniques for reducing or preventing false alarms or for enhancing the reliability of the system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A system and method provide for the immediate transmission of a potential alarm to a remote alarm signal escrow site and from the escrow site to a host station in the event where a control panel or an alarm signaling device is tampered with or destroyed by a disablement tactic, e.g., a “crash and smash intrusion.” A system and method may also send an alarm signal during such an attack by using predictive analysis of real-time events.

Claims

1. A method of handling alarm system data, comprising:

sending, using an alarm system that monitors a building, alarm system data to a remote system located at a location that is remote from the building monitored by the alarm system;

using the remote system to receive the alarm system data from the alarm system;

after receiving the alarm system data from the alarm system, determining, using the remote system located at the location that is remote from the building, whether the remote system receives additional data that is expected to be received after the alarm system data, that is sent by the alarm system, and that is received within a period of time after receiving the alarm system data from the alarm system; and

based on a determination that additional data has not been received from the alarm system within the period of time after receiving the alarm system data from the alarm system, using the remote system located at the location that is remote from the building to determine an alarm event associated with the building and to take action in response to the determination of the alarm event associated with the building.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein using the remote system located at the location that is remote from the building to determine an alarm event associated with the building and to take action in response to the determination of the alarm event associated with the building comprises:

determining that at least one component of the alarm system may have been damaged during an intrusion; and

informing a host station of the determination that at least one component of the alarm system may have been damaged during an intrusion, the host station handling alarm events for the alarm system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein using the remote system located at the location that is remote from the building to determine an alarm event associated with the building and to take action in response to the determination of the alarm event associated with the building comprises sending a signal to a host station indicating the alarm event associated with the building, the signal sent to the host station being different than an alarm signal sent to the host station when additional data indicating detection of an alarm event is received from the alarm system within the period of time after receiving the alarm system data from the alarm system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the signal sent to the host station originates from the remote system and the alarm signal sent to the host station originates from the alarm system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein sending, using the alarm system that monitors the building, alarm system data to the remote system located at the location that is remote from the building monitored by the alarm system comprises sending sensor data to the remote system located at the location that is remote from the building monitored by the alarm system, the sensor data including a state of a sensor and a unique identity of the sensor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein sending, using the alarm system that monitors the building, alarm system data to the remote system located at the location that is remote from the building monitored by the alarm system comprises sending data that indicates detection of a potential alarm event to the remote system located at the location that is remote from the building monitored by the alarm system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein sending, using the alarm system that monitors the building, alarm system data to the remote system located at the location that is remote from the building monitored by the alarm system comprises sending, using a wireless radio included in the alarm system, alarm system data to the remote system over a long-range wireless communication pathway.

8. A method of handling alarm system data, comprising:

using a remote system to receive alarm system data from an alarm system that monitors a building, the alarm system data being sent using the alarm system and the remote system being located at a location that is remote from the building monitored by the alarm system;

after receiving the alarm system data from the alarm system, determining, using the remote system located at the location that is remote from the building, whether the remote system receives additional data that is expected to be received after the alarm system data, that is sent by the alarm system, and that is received within a period of time after receiving the alarm system data from the alarm system; and

based on a determination that additional data has not been received from the alarm system within the period of time after receiving the alarm system data from the alarm system, using the remote system located at the location that is remote from the building to determine an alarm event associated with the building and to take action in response to the determination of the alarm event associated with the building.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein using the remote system located at the location that is remote from the building to determine an alarm event associated with the building and to take action in response to the determination of the alarm event associated with the building comprises:

determining that at least one component of the alarm system may have been damaged during an intrusion; and

informing a host station of the determination that at least one component of the alarm system may have been damaged during an intrusion, the host station handling alarm events for the alarm system.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein using the remote system located at the location that is remote from the building to determine an alarm event associated with the building and to take action in response to the determination of the alarm event associated with the building comprises sending a signal to a host station indicating the alarm event associated with the building, the signal sent to the host station being different than an alarm signal sent to the host station when additional data indicating detection of an alarm event is received from the alarm system within the period of time after receiving the alarm system data from the alarm system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the signal sent to the host station originates from the remote system and the alarm signal sent to the host station originates from the alarm system.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein using the remote system to receive alarm system data from the alarm system comprises using the remote system to receive sensor data that includes a state of a sensor and a unique identity of the sensor.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein using the remote system to receive alarm system data from the alarm system comprises using the remote system to receive data that indicates detection of a potential alarm event.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein using the remote system to receive alarm system data from the alarm system comprises using the remote system to receive alarm system data sent to the remote system over a long-range wireless communication pathway using a wireless radio included in the alarm system.

15. A remote system, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive alarm system data from an alarm system that monitors a building, the alarm system data being sent using the alarm system and the remote system being located at a location that is remote from the building monitored by the alarm system; and

at least one processing device configured to;

after receipt of the alarm system data from the alarm system, determine whether the receiver receives additional data that is expected to be received after the alarm system data, that is sent by the alarm system, and that is received within a period of time after receiving the alarm system data from the alarm system; and

based on a determination that additional data has not been received from the alarm system within the period of time after receiving the alarm system data from the alarm system, determine an alarm event associated with the building and take action in response to the determination of the alarm event associated with the building.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one processing device is configured to determine the alarm event associated with the building and take action in response to the determination of the alarm event associated with the building by:

determining that at least one component of the alarm system may have been damaged during an intrusion; and

informing a host station of the determination that at least one component of the alarm system may have been damaged during an intrusion, the host station handling alarm events for the alarm system.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one processing device is configured to determine the alarm event associated with the building and take action in response to the determination of the alarm event associated with the building by sending a signal to a host station indicating the alarm event associated with the building, the signal sent to the host station being different than an alarm signal sent to the host station when additional data indicating detection of an alarm event is received from the alarm system within the period of time after receiving the alarm system data from the alarm system.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the signal sent to the host station originates from the remote system and the alarm signal sent to the host station originates from the alarm system.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the alarm system data by receiving sensor data that includes a state of a sensor and a unique identity of the sensor.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the alarm system data by receiving data that indicates detection of a potential alarm event.