Security system and method

• US 9,286,772 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2014
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The ADT Security Corporation (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADT US Holdings, Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shapiro, Steven, North, Raymond, Rader, Timothy Albert, Perdomo, Jorge, Rouse, Anne-Marie, Black, James Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US14/180,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20140159896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/506, 340/517, 340/540, 340/541, 340/567
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3234 Power saving characterised by the action undertaken
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19684 Portable terminal, e.g. mobile phone, used for viewing video remotely
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/004 Alarm propagated along alternative communication path or using alternative communication medium according to a hierarchy of available ways to communicate, e.g. if Wi-Fi not available use GSM
• 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: G08B 29/181 due to failing power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/002 in which a reserve is maintained in an energy source by disconnecting non-critical loads, e.g. maintaining a reserve of charge in a vehicle battery for starting an engine
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24

Abstract

A security control apparatus, system and method are provided. The security control apparatus includes a wireless communication element that supports a plurality of wireless communication protocols. The wireless communication element is configured to provide wireless communications with a user interface device and at least one premise-based device. A remote communication element is configured to provide remote communications with a monitoring center. A processor is in communication with the local wireless communication element and the remote communication element. The processor is configured to use the wireless communication element to communicate with the user interface device to receive local control and configuration data. The processor is also configured to use the remote communication element to communicate data associated with at least one of a life safety feature and life style feature with the monitoring center.

Claims

1. A security control apparatus, comprising:

a wireless communication element supporting a plurality of local wireless communication protocols, the wireless communication element configured to provide local wireless communications with a user interface device and at least one premises-based device;

a remote communication element configured to provide remote communications with a monitoring center; and

a processor in communication with the local wireless communication element and the remote communication element, the processor configured to;

use the wireless communication element to communicate with the user interface device to receive local control and configuration data; and

use the remote communication element to communicate data associated with at least one each of a life safety feature and life style feature with the monitoring center, the life safety feature relating to at least one harmful premises condition, the life style feature relating to at least one non-harmful premises condition.

2. The security control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a premises power supply, the premises power supply configured to supply power to the security control apparatus;

a back-up power supply, the back-up power supply configured to provide power to the security control apparatus during failure of the premises power supply; and

the processor further configured to;

execute at least one life safety feature and at least one life style feature;

monitor the premises power supply; and

disable the at least one life style feature based at least in part on the monitoring.

3. The security control apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one life style feature is disabled when the monitoring indicates power failure of the premises power supply.

4. The security control apparatus of claim 3, wherein the at least one life safety feature remains enabled while the at least one life style feature is disabled.

5. The security control apparatus of claim 2, wherein the executed at least one life style feature includes executing a plurality of life style features;

and

the disablement of the at least one life style feature occurs selectively from among the plurality of life style features based at least in part on the duration of power failure.

6. The security control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory configured to:

store a life safety operating system, the life safety operating system configured to provide functionality associated with the life safety feature;

store a life style operating system, the life style operating system configured to provide functionality associated with the life style feature; and

the processor is further configured to process the life safety operating system and life style operating system in a virtual machine configuration.

7. The security control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of local wireless communication protocols includes at least one of a ZigBee protocol, Z-Wave protocol and Wi-Fi protocol.

8. The security control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the remote communications are provided at least by 1) at least one of an Ethernet communication link and Wi-Fi communication link and 2) a cellular communication link.

9. The security control apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cellular communication link is used for remote communications when at least one of the Ethernet communication link and Wi-Fi communication link is unavailable.

10. The security control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface device is at least one of a keypad, mobile phone, tablet computer, personal computer and laptop computer.

11. The security control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the premises-based device is at least one of a sensor, video camera, thermostat and appliance.

12. A method for a security control device, the security control device having a wireless communication element and a remote communication element, the method comprising:

using the wireless communication element to;

provide local wireless communications with a user interface device and at least one premises-based device, the local wireless communications using at least one local wireless communication protocol; and

communicate with the user interface device to receive local control and configuration data; and

using the remote communication element to;

provide remote communications with a monitoring center; and

communicate data associated with at least one each of a life safety feature and life style feature with the monitoring center, the life safety feature relating to at least one harmful premises condition, the life style feature relating to at least one non-harmful premises condition.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

executing at least one life safety feature and at least one life style feature;

monitor a premises power supply; and

disable at least one life style feature based at least in part on the monitoring.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one life style feature is disabled when the monitoring indicates power failure of the premises power supply.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one life safety feature remains enabled while the at least one life style feature is disabled.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the executed at least one life style feature includes executing a plurality of life style features;

and

the disablement of the at least one life style feature occurs selectively from among a plurality of life style features based at least in part on the duration of power failure.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

storing a life safety operating system, the life safety operating system configured to provide functionality associated with the life safety feature;

storing a life style operating system, the life style operating system configured to provide functionality associated with the life style feature; and

processing the life safety operating system and life style operating system in a virtual machine configuration.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of local wireless communication protocols includes at least one of a ZigBee protocol, Z-Wave protocol and Wi-Fi protocol.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the remote communications are provided at least by 1) at least one of an Ethernet communication link and Wi-Fi communication link and 2) a cellular communication link.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising using the cellular communication link for remote communications when at least one of the Ethernet communication link and Wi-Fi communication link is unavailable.