Communicating within a wireless security system

• US 8,456,278 B1
• Filed: 03/24/2010
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Resolution Products, LLC
• Original Assignee: Resolution Products, Inc. (Alula Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Bergman, John, Saldin, Paul G., Seemann, Brian K., Mondor, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, An T
• Application Number:
  US12/730,987
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 340/500, 340/531, 340/539.1, 340/539.22, 340/506, 340/5.8, 340/7.39
• US Class Current: 340/5.8
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/003 Address allocation methods and details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/007 Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

Techniques are provided that enable a wireless security system that is designed to detect and receive wireless transmissions in one protocol, to use sensor-transmitters that operate in a different protocol. The techniques involve, generally, the use of an integration device, and in some implementations, first enrolling sensor-transmitters of a first protocol into the integration device, along with device type information for the sensor-transmitters. Thereafter, during system operation, transmissions with message packets in the first message packet protocol are received by the integration device, recognized as having been previously enrolled, and a message packet in a second message packet protocol that includes device type information is then formulated and transmitted by the integration device, for receipt by a system control device for the wireless security system. In some scenarios, an enrollment process need not be done in the integration device, and the integration device is utilized in the communication process.

Claims

1. A method of communicating within a wireless security system, the method comprising:

receiving, at an integration device, information that identifies a user selection of one of a plurality of different selectable device types for a particular sensor-transmitter that is configured to transmit information in message packets that are each formatted according to a first packet protocol that comprises a) a first identity code field in a first identity code field format, and b) a first condition information field in a first condition information field format, the receiving of the information that identifies the user selection occurring during an enrollment process for the particular sensor-transmitter;

receiving, at the integration device and from the particular sensor-transmitter, a wireless transmission that includes a first message packet comprising a) a first identity code in the first identity code field, the first identity code identifying the particular sensor-transmitter from among other sensor-transmitters, and b) first sensed condition information in the first condition information field, the sensed condition information indicative of condition information sensed by the particular sensor-transmitter, and wherein a message packet formatted according to the first packet protocol does not convey device type information that identifies a type of device that a sensor-transmitter is that sent the message packet;

building, by the integration device, a second message packet formatted according to a second packet protocol comprising a second identity code field in a second protocol format, a device type encoding mechanism, and a second condition information field in a second condition information field format, the second message packet comprising a) a second identity code in the second identity code field, the second identity code identifying the particular sensor-transmitter from among other sensor-transmitters, b) information in the device type encoding mechanism that identifies the device type identified for the particular sensor-transmitter, and c) translated sensed condition information in the second condition information field, the translated sensed condition information being derived from the first sensed condition information; and

transmitting, by the integration device, the second packet for receipt by a system control device for the wireless security system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising enrolling the particular sensor-transmitter into the integration device during an enrollment process that includes storing the first identity code for the particular sensor-transmitter in memory of the integration device, so that information associated with the stored first identity code is retrievable for building the second message packet.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the enrollment process further comprises storing information that identifies the device type identified for the particular sensor-transmitter in the memory of the integration device in association with the stored first identity code for the particular sensor-transmitter, the stored device type information being stored in the integration device for use in building the second message packet.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the stored device type information for the particular sensor-transmitter is stored in a format that corresponds to the device type encoding mechanism of the second message packet protocol.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the enrollment process further comprises generating the second identity code in the second identity code field format, and storing the second identity code in the memory of the integration device in association with the stored first identity code and the stored device type information, the second identity code being stored in the integration device for use in building the second message packet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first identity code field of the first packet protocol is a 24-bit field for a 24-bit code that uniquely identifies a sensor-transmitter in the wireless security system from among other sensor-transmitters.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the second identity code field of the second packet protocol is a 20-bit field for a 20-bit code that uniquely identifies a sensor-transmitter in the wireless security system from among other sensor-transmitters.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the device type encoding mechanism of the second packet protocol is a field within the message packet.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the device type encoding mechanism of the second packet protocol is embedded in a selected second identity code in the second identity code field, wherein each one of a plurality of different ranges or groups of possible identity codes correspond to different one of a plurality of different device types.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second packet protocol is the same as the first packet protocol, except that the second packet protocol includes the device type encoding mechanism that is not included in the first packet protocol.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second condition information field of the second packet protocol is designed to convey information about a recent change in state of one or more conditions sensed by the sensor-transmitter, as well as a current state of the one or more conditions sensed by the sensor-transmitter.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the information about the recent change in state is conveyed in one or more latch bits that are each set for a period of time following a change of state of a sensed condition that is associated with an alarm state.

13. A method of configuring and communicating within a wireless security system that comprises a system control device that communicates using message packets that differ in packet protocol than is used by a sensor-transmitter, the method comprising:

receiving, at an integration device, information that identifies a user selection of one of a plurality of different selectable device types for a particular sensor-transmitter that is configured to transmit information in message packets wherein each message packet is formatted according to a first packet protocol that comprises a first identity code field in a first identity code field format, and wherein a first identity code in the first identity code field identifies the particular sensor-transmitter from among other sensor-transmitters, and further wherein a message packet formatted according to the first Packet protocol does not convey device type information that identifies a type of device that a sensor-transmitter is that sent the message packet;

enrolling the particular sensor-transmitter into the integration device, wherein the enrolling includes storing in memory information indicative of the received device type for the particular sensor-transmitter; and

subsequently receiving, at the integration device, a wireless transmission comprising a first message packet that includes the first identity code in the first identity code field, the first identity code indicating to the integration device that the transmission was sent by the particular sensor-transmitter previously enrolled in the integration device; and

formulating and sending, by the integration device, a wireless transmission comprising a second message packet formatted according to a second packet protocol that comprises a second identity code field in a second identity code field format, the second message packet including information indicative of the received device type for the particular sensor-transmitter obtained from the information stored in memory during enrollment.

14. An integration device for use in a wireless security system, comprising:

a wireless transceiver configured to;

a) receive wireless transmissions of message packets formatted according to a first packet protocol that comprises i) a first identity code field in a first identity code field format, and ii) a first condition information field in a first condition information field format; and

b) formulate and transmit transmissions of message packets formatted according to a second packet protocol that comprises i) a second identity code field in a second identity code field format, ii) a device type encoding mechanism, and iii) a second condition information field in a second condition information field format;

enrollment memory configured to store information pertaining to sensor-transmitters enrolled into the integration device;

a device type input component configured to receive information that identifies a selected one of a plurality of predefined device types for a particular sensor-transmitter being enrolled into the integration device; and

a processing component programmed to;

a) receive, from the transceiver, a first message packet that is formatted according to the first packet protocol from a transmission received from a particular enrolled sensor-transmitter, the first message packet comprising i) a first identity code in the first identity code field, the first identity code identifying the particular sensor-transmitter from among other sensor-transmitters, and ii) first sensed condition information in the first condition information field format, the sensed condition information indicative of condition information sensed by the particular sensor-transmitter; and

b) build, in response to receiving the first message packet, a second message packet formatted according to the second packet protocol, the second message packet comprising i) a second identity code in the second identity code field, the second identity code identifying the particular sensor-transmitter from among other sensor-transmitters, ii) information in the device type encoding mechanism that identifies the device type identified for the particular sensor-transmitter, and iii) translated sensed condition information in the second condition information field format, the translated sensed condition information being derived from the first sensed condition information.