On-site configuration of a hardware device module of a security system

• US 8,412,922 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2007
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SerComm Corporation
• Original Assignee: SerComm Corporation
• Inventors: Nesse, Ted, Stevens, Jim
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Kim
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choudhury, Zahid
• Application Number:
  US11/923,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20090113193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,987 Days
• Field of Search: 713/100, 709/220
• US Class Current: 713/100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A security system is provided. The security system comprises a plurality of hardware device modules and a plurality of sensor detection devices. At least one of the hardware device modules has a microcontroller coupled to a memory element that stores a configuration map for on-site configuration comprising configuration option information available for the at least one hardware device module. The plurality of sensor detection devices are capable of sending at least a signal to one or more of the hardware device modules.

Claims

1. A security system, the system comprising:

a plurality of hardware device modules, at least one of which having a microcontroller coupled to a memory element that stores a configuration map for on-site configuration encoded with configuration option information available for the at least one hardware device module;

a plurality of security sensor detection devices, wherein each of the plurality of security sensor detection devices is configured to monitor a premises and is capable of sending a status signal to one or more of the hardware device modules; and

an on-site configuration tool that includes a configuration engine, wherein the on-site configuration tool is coupled to the at least one hardware device module and is configured to receive the configuration map from the at least one hardware device module, and generate a dynamic user interface to configure the at least one hardware device module based on the received configuration map using the configuration engine;

wherein the plurality of hardware device modules includes a main controller module configured to receive the status signal from one of the plurality of security sensor detection devices and send an instruction signal to one of the plurality of hardware device modules based on the status signal.

2. The security system of claim 1, wherein the on-site configuration tool is a user interface module.

3. The security system of claim 2, wherein the user interface module includes a display that displays the dynamic user interface and a user input device that is used to configure options provided in the dynamic user interface.

4. The security system of claim 1, wherein the configuration map is encoded using an ASCII format.

5. The security system of claim 1, wherein the configuration option information includes a plurality of configurable options, each configurable option including a plurality of fields represented by a field identifier and either a value of the field or a string.

6. The security system of claim 5, wherein the configuration option information in the configuration map includes:

a menu identification field, a menu index identification field, an input data type field, a multiple entry index field, a grouping index field, a minimum user input value field, a maximum user input value field, an input validator selector field, a value used to disable a feature field, a user access index field and a text prompt field.

7. The security system of claim 1, wherein the configuration map is encoded in a binary, hexadecimal, or decimal format.

8. The security system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of security sensor detection devices includes one of:

a door/window sensor;

a motion detector sensor;

a smoke detector sensor;

a heat detector sensor;

a low temperature detector sensor;

a glass break detector sensor;

or a key fob.

9. The security system of claim 1, wherein each configurable option of the configuration map includes an input data size field.

10. The security system of claim 1, further comprising a housing enclosing one of the plurality of hardware device modules and the on-site configuration tool;

wherein one of the plurality of security sensor detection devices and one of the plurality of hardware device modules are located outside of the housing; and

wherein one of the plurality of hardware device modules interacts with the on-site configuration tool via wireless communication.

11. A configurable hardware device module usable in a security system, the configurable hardware device module comprising:

a microcontroller; and

a memory element coupled to the microcontroller;

a configuration map stored in the memory element for on-site configuration;

wherein the configurable hardware device module is configured to send the configuration map encoded with configuration option information to an on-site configuration tool for programming the configurable hardware device module; and

wherein the configuration option information includes a plurality of configurable options, each configurable option including a plurality of fields represented by a field identifier and either a value of the field or a string.

12. The configurable hardware device module of claim 11, wherein the configuration map is encoded using an ASCII format.

13. The configurable hardware device module of claim 11, wherein each configurable option of the configuration map includes:

a menu identification field, a menu index identification field, an input data type field, a multiple entry index field, a grouping index field, a minimum user input value field, a maximum user input value field, an input validator selector field, a value used to disable a feature field, a user access index field and a text prompt field.

14. An on-site configuration tool usable in a security system, the on-site configuration tool comprising:

a microcontroller; and

a memory element coupled to the microcontroller;

a configuration engine stored in the memory element that is configured to generate a dynamic user interface based on a configuration map received from a configurable hardware device module; and

wherein the configuration engine is configured to decode the received configuration map encoded with configuration option information that includes a plurality of configurable options, each configurable option including a plurality of fields represented by a field identifier and either a value of the field or a string.

15. The on-site configuration tool of claim 14, wherein a user interface module is the on-site configuration tool.

16. The on-site configuration tool of claim 15, wherein a configuration map stored in the memory element comprising configuration option information for programming the user interface module.

17. The on-site configuration tool of claim 14, further comprising a display coupled to the microcontroller that is configured to display the dynamic user interface and a user input device coupled to the microcontroller that is configured to configure options provided in the dynamic user interface.

18. The on-site configuration tool of claim 14, wherein the memory element includes a random access memory Portion for storing a configuration map for the on-site configuration tool and a flash memory portion for storing the configuration engine, the received configuration map and the dynamic user interface.

19. A method of on-site configuration of a configurable hardware device module of a security system, the method comprising:

providing a configurable hardware device module having a configuration map encoded with configuration option information that includes a plurality of configurable options, each configurable option including a plurality of fields represented by a field identifier and either a value of the field or a string;

directly coupling an on-site configuration tool having a configuration engine, a display and a user input device to the security system;

transferring the configuration map from the configurable hardware device module to the on-site configuration tool;

generating a dynamic user interface specifically tailored to the configurable hardware device module using the configuration engine in the on-site configuration tool and the configuration map transferred into the on-site configuration tool from the configurable hardware device module.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the on-site configuration tool is a user interface module.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

including for each configurable option in the configuration map;

a menu identification field, a menu index identification field, an input data type field, a multiple entry index field, a grouping index field, a minimum user input value field, a maximum user input value field, an input validator selector field, a value used to disable a feature field, a user access index field and a text prompt field.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the configuration map is encoded in an ASCII format.