Method and system for automatically providing alternate network access for telecommunications

• US 9,510,065 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iControl Networks, Inc. (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: iControl Networks, Inc. (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Battles, Ronald E., Proft, David, Shumate, Scott William, Cohn, Alan Wade
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Simon
• Application Number:
  US13/725,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20130308769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 379/221.01, 379/221.03, 379/37, 379/45
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A communications unit is provided that can be coupled to a building'"'"'s telecommunication wiring to provide an automated mechanism for isolating the building'"'"'s wiring from a PSTN, while also providing a telecommunications connection to an alternative communications network via, for example, broadband or cellular networks. The communications unit can further be configured to be coupled to an alarm controller unit of a security system, thereby permitting the security system to communicate with a remote server system without loss of alarm data. The communications unit can also be configured to permit the legacy security system to provide normal disconnect functionality of building telephones from an outgoing telecommunications line while an alarm condition is present.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor coupled to a security system installed at a premises and a premises communication system;

a first interface to a first communication system that uses a first communication protocol, wherein the first interface is coupled to the processor; and

a second interface to a second communication system that uses a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol, wherein the second interface is coupled to the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to receive security data from the security system and communication signals of the premises communication system;

wherein the processor is configured to control routing of at least one of the security data and the communication signals via at least one of the first communication system, the second communication system, and the premises communication system, wherein the routing is controlled in response to a control signal received from a remote device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication system includes a cellular network.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the second communication system includes a broadband network.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the premises communication system includes a public switched telephone network (PTSN).

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first interface and the second interface are bidirectional interfaces.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first interface and the second interface includes a communication modem.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor controls routing of the security data according to a state of the premises communication system.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor controls routing of the communication signals according to a state of the security system.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor controls simultaneous routing of the security data and the communication signals.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to interpret the security data.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to control routing of the security data based on results of the interpretation.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to convert the communication signals for transmission via the first communication system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor converts the communication signals for transmission via Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to convert the communication signals for transmission via the second communication system.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to convert signals received via the first communication system for transmission over the premises communication system.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to convert signals received via the second communication system for transmission over the premises communication system.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to control routing of the communication signals via at least one of the first communication system and the second communication system, and control routing of the security data via the premises communication system.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to control routing of the communication signals via the premises communication system, and control routing of the security data via at least one of the first communication system and the second communication system.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote device includes a remote server coupled to the processor.

20. The system of claim 19, comprising a central monitoring station, wherein the processor is configured to control routing of the security data to the central monitoring station via at least one of the first communication system, the second communication system, and the premises communication system.

21. The system of claim 19, comprising a central monitoring station, wherein the processor is configured to control routing of the security data to the remote server and the central monitoring station via at least one of the first communication system, the second communication system, and the premises communication system.

22. A method comprising:

establishing couplings between a processor, a security system installed at a premises, and a premises communication system;

receiving at the processor security data from the security system and communication signals of the premises communication system;

the processor controlling routing of at least one of the security data and the communication signals via at least one of a first communication system, a second communication system, and a premises communication system, wherein the routing is controlled in response to a control signal received from a remote device; and

wherein the first communication system uses a first communication protocol and the second interface uses a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first communication system includes a cellular network.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the second communication system includes a broadband network.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the premises communication system includes a public switched telephone network (PTSN).

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the first interface and the second interface are bidirectional interfaces.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein at least one of the first interface and the second interface includes a communication modem.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the processor controlling the routing of the security data comprises controlling the routing according to a state of the premises communication system.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the processor controlling the routing of the communication signals comprises controlling the routing according to a state of the security system.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein the processor controlling the routing comprises simultaneous routing of the security data and the communication signals.

31. The method of claim 22, comprising interpreting the security data.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the processor controlling the routing comprises control routing of the security data based on results of the interpretation.

33. The method of claim 22, comprising the processor converting the communication signals for transmission via the first communication system.

34. The method of claim 33, comprising the processor converting the communication signals for transmission via Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

35. The method of claim 22, comprising the processor converting the communication signals for transmission via the second communication system.

36. The method of claim 22, comprising the processor converting signals received via the first communication system for transmission over the premises communication system.

37. The method of claim 22, comprising the processor converting signals received via the second communication system for transmission over the premises communication system.

38. The method of claim 22, comprising the processor controlling routing of the communication signals via at least one of the first communication system and the second communication system, and controlling routing of the security data via the premises communication system.

39. The method of claim 22, comprising the processor controlling routing of the communication signals via the premises communication system, and controlling routing of the security data via at least one of the first communication system and the second communication system.

40. The method of claim 22, comprising controlling the routing of the communication signals in response to the control signal from the remote device, wherein the remote device includes a remote server.

41. The method of claim 40, comprising controlling routing of the security data to a central monitoring station via at least one of the first communication system, the second communication system, and the premises communication system.

42. The method of claim 40, comprising controlling routing of the security data to the remote server and a central monitoring station via at least one of the first communication system, the second communication system, and the premises communication system.