Alarm system with two-way voice

• US 8,897,740 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2013
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Martin, Jean-Paul, Trundle, Stephen Scott, Goldfarb, David Saul, Hutz, David James
• Primary Examiner(s): WASHINGTON, ERIKA ALISE
• Application Number:
  US13/914,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20130273875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/00 Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

Techniques are described for establishing a two-way voice communication session with an alarm system. The alarm system may establish a two-way voice communication session with an operator associated with a monitoring service that provides monitoring services for alarm events detected by the alarm system. The alarm system also may establish a two-way voice communication session with a notification recipient that is interested in receiving notifications associated with events detected by the alarm system.

Claims

1. A method of coordinating establishment of a voice communication session between an alarm system and an operator handling an alarm event for the alarm system, the method comprising:

receiving alarm data, the alarm data being transmitted by a communication module included in an alarm system in response to the alarm system detecting an alarm event and the alarm data indicating the alarm event;

based on receiving the alarm data, enabling an operator located at a central monitoring station to handle the alarm event detected by the alarm system;

accessing, by a processing device, voice communication information used in establishing a voice communication session with a communication device used by the operator handling the alarm event; and

facilitating establishment of a voice communication session between the communication device used by the operator handling the alarm event and the communication module included in the alarm system by transmitting, to the communication module included in the alarm system, the accessed voice communication information, thereby enabling the communication module included in the alarm system to use the accessed voice communication information to initiate the voice communication session with the communication device used by the operator handling the alarm event,

wherein accessing voice communication information used in establishing the voice communication session with the communication device used by the operator handling the alarm event comprises accessing a number available for the operator handling the alarm event to receive a voice call using the communication device, and

wherein transmitting, to the communication module included in the alarm system, the accessed voice communication information comprises transmitting, to the communication module included in the alarm system, a confirmation message that indicates receipt of the alarm data and that includes the accessed number, the communication module included in the alarm system being configured to place a voice call to the accessed number included with the confirmation message in response to receiving the confirmation message.

2. The method of claim 1:

wherein the alarm system is a security system installed in a building, the security system being configured to receive a signal from at least one sensor and detect the alarm event based on the received signal, and

wherein facilitating establishment of the voice communication session between the communication device used by the operator handling the alarm event and the communication module included in the alarm system comprises facilitating establishment of a voice communication session with the security system to enable the operator to listen in on an area in the building and communicate with a person who is in the area in the building.

3. The method of claim 1:

wherein enabling the operator located at the central monitoring station to handle the alarm event detected by the alarm system comprises transmitting an indication of the alarm event to the central monitoring station; and

wherein facilitating establishment of the voice communication session between the communication device used by the operator handling the alarm event and the communication module included in the alarm system comprises transmitting, to the central monitoring station, an electronic communication that includes data that enables the central monitoring station to associate a voice communication session initiated using the accessed voice communication information with the alarm event.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein transmitting, to the central monitoring station, the electronic communication that includes data that enables the central monitoring station to associate the voice communication session initiated using the accessed voice communication information with the alarm event comprises transmitting, to the central monitoring station, an electronic communication that includes data that enables identification of an incoming call identifier temporarily assigned to the alarm system.

5. The method of claim 1:

wherein enabling the operator located at the central monitoring station to handle the alarm event detected by the alarm system comprises transmitting an indication of the alarm event to the central monitoring station; and

wherein facilitating establishment of the voice communication session between the communication device used by the operator handling the alarm event and the communication module included in the alarm system further comprises transmitting, to the central monitoring station, an electronic communication that includes data that enables the central monitoring station to associate an incoming call placed to the accessed number with the alarm event.

6. A method of coordinating establishment of a voice communication session between an alarm system and an operator handling an alarm event for the alarm system, the method comprising:

receiving alarm data over a data communication channel, the alarm data being transmitted by a communication module included in an alarm system in response to the alarm system detecting an alarm event and the alarm data indicating the alarm event;

based on receiving the alarm data over the data communication channel, enabling an operator located at a central monitoring station to handle the alarm event detected by the alarm system;

accessing, by a processing device, voice communication information used in establishing, over a voice communication channel that is decoupled from the data communication channel, a voice communication session with a communication device used by the operator handling the alarm event; and

facilitating establishment of a voice communication session, over the voice communication channel, between the communication device used by the operator handling the alarm event and the communication module included in the alarm system by transmitting, over the data communication channel to the communication module included in the alarm system, the accessed voice communication information, thereby enabling the communication module included in the alarm system to use the accessed voice communication information to initiate the voice communication session with the communication device used by the operator handling the alarm event,

wherein the data communication channel is a wireless data channel; and

wherein the voice communication channel is a wireless voice channel.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein:

the wireless data channel is a GSM/GPRS data channel; and

the wireless voice channel is a GSM voice channel.

8. An alarm server comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one computer-readable storage medium coupled to the at least one processor having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving alarm data, the alarm data being transmitted by a communication module included in an alarm system in response to the alarm system detecting an alarm event and the alarm data indicating the alarm event;

based on receiving the alarm data, enabling an operator located at a central monitoring station to handle the alarm event detected by the alarm system;

accessing, by a processing device, voice communication information used in establishing a voice communication session with a communication device used by the operator handling the alarm event; and

facilitating establishment of a voice communication session between the communication device used by the operator handling the alarm event and the communication module included in the alarm system by transmitting, to the communication module included in the alarm system, the accessed voice communication information, thereby enabling the communication module included in the alarm system to use the accessed voice communication information to initiate the voice communication session with the communication device used by the operator handling the alarm event,

wherein accessing voice communication information used in establishing the voice communication session with the communication device used by the operator handling the alarm event comprises accessing a number available for the operator handling the alarm event to receive a voice call using the communication device, and

wherein transmitting, to the communication module included in the alarm system, the accessed voice communication information comprises transmitting, to the communication module included in the alarm system, a confirmation message that indicates receipt of the alarm data and that includes the accessed number, the communication module included in the alarm system being configured to place a voice call to the accessed number included with the confirmation message in response to receiving the confirmation message.

9. The alarm server of claim 8:

wherein the alarm system is a security system installed in a building, the security system being configured to receive a signal from at least one sensor and detect the alarm event based on the received signal, and

wherein facilitating establishment of the voice communication session between the communication device used by the operator handling the alarm event and the communication module included in the alarm system comprises facilitating establishment of a voice communication session with the security system to enable the operator to listen in on an area in the building and communicate with a person who is in the area in the building.

10. The alarm server of claim 8:

wherein enabling the operator located at the central monitoring station to handle the alarm event detected by the alarm system comprises transmitting an indication of the alarm event to the central monitoring station; and

wherein facilitating establishment of the voice communication session between the communication device used by the operator handling the alarm event and the communication module included in the alarm system comprises transmitting, to the central monitoring station, an electronic communication that includes data that enables the central monitoring station to associate a voice communication session initiated using the accessed voice communication information with the alarm event.

11. The alarm server of claim 10, wherein transmitting, to the central monitoring station, the electronic communication that includes data that enables the central monitoring station to associate the voice communication session initiated using the accessed voice communication information with the alarm event comprises transmitting, to the central monitoring station, an electronic communication that includes data that enables identification of an incoming call identifier temporarily assigned to the alarm system.

12. The alarm server of claim 8:

wherein enabling the operator located at the central monitoring station to handle the alarm event detected by the alarm system comprises transmitting an indication of the alarm event to the central monitoring station; and

wherein facilitating establishment of the voice communication session between the communication device used by the operator handling the alarm event and the communication module included in the alarm system further comprises transmitting, to the central monitoring station, an electronic communication that includes data that enables the central monitoring station to associate an incoming call placed to the accessed number with the alarm event.

13. An alarm server comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one computer-readable storage medium coupled to the at least one processor having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving alarm data over a data communication channel, the alarm data being transmitted by a communication module included in an alarm system in response to the alarm system detecting an alarm event and the alarm data indicating the alarm event;

based on receiving the alarm data over the data communication channel, enabling an operator located at a central monitoring station to handle the alarm event detected by the alarm system;

accessing, by a processing device, voice communication information used in establishing, over a voice communication channel that is decoupled from the data communication channel, a voice communication session with a communication device used by the operator handling the alarm event; and

facilitating establishment of a voice communication session, over the voice communication channel, between the communication device used by the operator handling the alarm event and the communication module included in the alarm system by transmitting, over the data communication channel to the communication module included in the alarm system, the accessed voice communication information, thereby enabling the communication module included in the alarm system to use the accessed voice communication information to initiate the voice communication session with the communication device used by the operator handling the alarm event,

wherein the data communication channel is a wireless data channel; and

wherein the voice communication channel is a wireless voice channel.

14. The alarm server of claim 13 wherein:

the wireless data channel is a GSM/GPRS data channel; and

the wireless voice channel is a GSM voice channel.