System and method for accessing residential monitoring devices

• US 20010024163A1
• Filed: 03/16/2001
• Published: 09/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hunt Techonologies Incorporated (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Statsignal IPC LLC (Statsignal)
• Inventors: Petite, Thomas D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,914,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/628
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/364 Seismic filtering G01V1/37 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/37 specially adapted for seismic systems using continuous agitation of the ground , e.g. using pulse compression of frequency swept signals for enhancement of received signals
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/113 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and method for accessing home monitoring devices remotely via a distributed wide-area network (WAN). More specifically, the present invention is directed towards smoke detector system, which monitors for the presence of smoke and communicates the smoke condition to a remote location. The smoke detection system comprises a smoke detection device connected to a communication device. The smoke detection device outputs a signal or a change in a signal upon detection of smoke. This signal or change in signal is monitored by the communication device. The smoke condition is then communicated to the remote central location via a message system.

Claims

1. A smoke detector comprising:

a smoke sensor sensing a smoke condition and outputting an alarm signal upon detecting a smoke condition;

an alarm, connected to the smoke sensor, indicating a smoke condition upon detection of the alarm signal; and

a communication device, connected to the smoke sensor, receiving the alarm signal and wirelessly transmitting an indicator of the smoke condition in a predetermined message format to a remote monitoring device upon detection of the alarm signal, each communication device having an unique address.

2. The smoke detector of

claim 1

, wherein the smoke sensor is a photodetection smoke sensor.

3. The smoke detector of

claim 2

, wherein the alarm is an audible alarm.

4. The smoke detector of

claim 3

, wherein the predetermined message format comprises at least one packet, wherein the packet comprises:

a receiver address comprising a scalable address of the at least one of the intended receiving communication device;

a sender address comprising the address of the sending communication device;

a command indicator comprising a command code;

at least one data value comprising a scalable message; and

an error detector that is a redundancy check error detector.

5. The smoke detector of

claim 4

, wherein the packet further comprises:

a packet length indicator which indicates a total number of bytes in the current packet;

a total packet indicator which indicates the total number of packets in the current message;

a current packet indicator which indicates which packet of the total packets the current packet is; and

a message number, wherein the controller generates a sender message in the preformatted command message and the transceiver generate a response message number formed by a mathematical combination of the sender message number and a predetermined offset.

6. The smoke detector of

claim 5

, wherein the packet further comprises:

a preface and a postscript;

wherein the preface comprises a predetermined sequence comprising a first logic level and a subsequent sequence comprising at least two bytes of a second logic level; and

wherein the postscript comprises a low voltage output.

7. The smoke detector of

claim 6

, wherein the wireless communication comprises radio frequency (RF) communication.

8. The smoke detector of

claim 7

, wherein the wireless communication comprises a low powered RF communication.

9. The smoke detector of

claim 8

, wherein the message comprises Manchester encoding.

10. An apparatus for insertion between a smoke detector and a surface, the apparatus comprising:

a data interface configured to receive a signal and outputs a conditioned signal;

an identifier configured to output an unique identifier of the apparatus;

a data controller configured to receive the conditioned signal and the unique identifier and to output a message comprising the conditioned signal and the unique identifier in a predetermined message format; and

a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the message.

11. The apparatus of

claim 10

, wherein the message comprises at least one packet, wherein the packet comprises:

a receiver address that is a scalable address of the at least one of the intended receiving transceivers;

a sender address that address is the unique identifier of the sending transceiver;

a command indicator that is a command code;

data that is a scalable message; and

an error detector that is a redundancy check error detector.

12. The apparatus of

claim 11

, wherein the packet further comprises:

a packet length indicator which indicates a total number of bytes in the current packet;

a total packet indicator which indicates the total number of packets in the current message;

a current packet indicator which indicates which packet of the total packets the current packet is; and

a message number, wherein the controller generates a sender message in the preformatted command message and the transceiver generate a response message number equal to the sender message number +1.

13. The apparatus of

claim 12

, wherein the packet further comprises:

a preface and a postscript;

wherein the preface comprises twenty four logic ones and a two bits of high voltage; and

wherein the postscript comprises a low voltage output.

14. The apparatus of

claim 13

, wherein the communicator is in wireless communication with the local gateway.

15. The apparatus of

claim 14

, wherein the wireless communication is via radio frequency (RF) communication.

16. The apparatus of

claim 15

, wherein the wireless communication is via a low powered RF communication.

17. The apparatus of

claim 16

, wherein the preformatted message is transmitted via Manchester encoding.

18. A remote monitoring system comprising:

a sensor sensing a condition and outputting a signal;

a communicator configured to receive the signal and transmitting a corresponding message via a predetermined message format;

a remote gateway, geographically remote from the communication device, configured to receive the message and decode the message via a predetermined message format; and

a central monitoring station, communicating with the remote gateway via a WAN, configured to receive the decoded message.

19. The system of

claim 18

, wherein the sensor comprises a smoke detector and the sensed signal indicates a presence of smoke.

20. The system of

claim 19

, wherein the communication device comprises an transmitter, a data interface, a data controller, and an identifier;

wherein the data interface receives the signal and outputs a conditioned signal;

wherein the identifier outputs an unique identifier of the communication device;

wherein the data controller receives the conditioned signal and the unique identifier and outputs the message; and

wherein the transmitter wirelessly transmits the message.

21. The system

claim 20

, wherein the message comprises at least one packet,

wherein the packet comprises:

a receiver address comprising a scalable address of the at least one of the intended receiving transceivers;

a sender address comprising the unique identifier of the sending transceiver;

a command indicator comprising a command code;

at least one data value comprising a scalable message; and

an error detector comprising a redundancy check error detector.

22. The system of

claim 21

, wherein the packet further comprises:

a packet length indicator which indicates a total number of bytes in the current packet;

a total packet indicator which indicates the total number of packets in the current message;

a current packet indicator which indicates which packet of the total packets the current packet is; and

a message number, wherein the controller generates a sender message in the preformatted command message and the transceiver generate a response message number formed by a mathematical combination of the sender message number and a predetermined offset.

23. The system of

claim 22

, wherein the packet further comprises:

a preface and a postscript;

wherein the preface comprises a predetermined sequence comprising a first logic level and a subsequent sequence comprising at least two bytes of a second logic level; and

wherein the postscript comprises a low voltage output.

24. The system of

claim 23

, wherein the communicator is in wireless communication with the local gateway.

25. The system of

claim 24

, wherein the wireless communication comprises radio frequency (RF) communication.

26. The system of

claim 25

, wherein the wireless communication comprises a low powered RF communication.

27. The system of

claim 26

, wherein the preformatted message further comprises Manchester encoding.

28. The system of

claim 18

, wherein the sensor and the communicator form a sensing system, and wherein the system further comprises a plurality of sensing systems, each communicating with the local gateway.

29. The system of

claim 23

, wherein each transceiver is in wireless communication with at least one other of the plurality of transceivers.

30. The system of

claim 24

, wherein the wireless communication is via radio frequency (RF) communication.

31. A sensing system for remotely sensing a condition and remotely transmitting the sensed condition to a geographically remote controller, the sensing system comprising:

a sensor that detects a condition and outputs a sensed signal;

a communicator that receives the sensed signal, composes a message comprising the sensed signal to the geographically remote controller;

wherein the communicator comprises;

a data interface that receives the sensed signal, conditions the sensed signal, and outputs the conditioned signal

an unique identifier that uniquely identifies the communicator;

a data controller that receives the data interface and the unique identifier, composes the message, and outputs the message; and

a transmitter that receives the message and transmits the message to the geographically remote facility; and

wherein the message comprises at least one packet, wherein the packet contains;

a receiver address comprising a scalable address of the at least one of the intended receiving transceivers;

a sender address comprising the unique identifier of the sending sensor message;

a command indicator comprising a command code;

at least one data value comprising a scalable message; and

an error detector comprising a redundancy check error detector.

32. The system of

claim 31

, wherein a packet further comprises:

a packet length indicator which indicates a total number of bytes in the current packet;

a total packet indicator which indicates the total number of packets in the current message;

a current packet indicator which indicates which packet of the total packets the current packet is; and

a message number, wherein the controller generates a sender messages in the preformatted command message and the transceiver generates a response message number formed by a mathematical combination of the sender message number and a predetermined offset.

33. The system of

claim 32

, wherein the packet further comprises a preface and a postscript;

wherein the preface comprises a predetermined sequence comprising a first logic level and a subsequent sequence comprising at least two bytes of a second logic level; and

wherein the postscript comprises a low voltage output.

34. The system of

claim 33

, wherein the communicator is a transmitter that transmits the message.

35. The system of

claim 34

, wherein the communicator is a transceiver that transmits the message and receives messages.

36. The system of

claim 35

, wherein the sensing system is in wireless communication with the geographically remote controller.

37. The system of

claim 36

, wherein the wireless communication comprises radio frequency (RF) communication.

38. The system of

claim 37

, wherein the RF communication comprises a low powered RF communication.

39. They system of

claim 38

, wherein the preformatted message comprises Manchester encoding.

40. A remote monitoring system comprising:

means for sensing a condition and transmitting a message;

means for remotely receiving the message and decoding the message; and

means for remotely monitoring the remote receiving means whereby the remote monitoring means receives the decoded message and reviews the decoded message.

41. The system of

claim 40

, wherein the sensing means comprises means for sensing smoke.

42. The system of

claim 41

, wherein the sensing means comprises:

means for wirelessly transmitting the message;

means for conditioning the sensed signal;

means for uniquely identifying the sensing means; and

means for formatting the conditional signal into the message.

43. The system of

claim 42

, wherein the predetermined message format comprises:

means for identifying at least one intended received of the message;

means for identifying the sending receiving means;

means for identifying a command;

means for identifying the sensed signal;

means for identifying any errors.

44. The system of

claim 43

, wherein the predetermined message format further comprises at least one means for packeting information;

and

wherein the message comprises at least one packeting means.

45. The system of

claim 44

, wherein the predetermined message format further comprises:

means for identifying a number of byte length of the current packet;

means for identifying a number of packets in a message;

means for identifying which of the total number of packets in a message the current packet is; and

means for identifying which of the total number of packets in a message the current packet it; and

means for identifying the message to coordinate the command and the response.

46. The system of

claim 45

, wherein the means for packeting further comprises:

means for prefacing the packet; and

means for postscripting the packet.

47. The system of

claim 46

, wherein the prefacing means comprises a predetermined sequence comprising a first logic level and a subsequent sequence comprising at least two bytes of a second logic level;

and

wherein the postscripting means comprises a low voltage output.

48. The system of

claim 47

, wherein the wireless transmitting means transmits via radio frequency.

49. The system of

claim 48

, wherein the wireless transmitting means transmits via low-powered radio frequency.

50. The system of

claim 49

, wherein the wireless transmitting means transmits via Manchester coding.

51. The system of

claim 50

, wherein the system further comprises means for systematic sensing comprising a sensing means and a receiving means;

and

wherein the system further comprises multiple systematic sensing means.

52. A system for sensing a condition and remotely transmitting the sensed condition to geographically remote controller, the system comprising:

means for sensing a condition and transmitting a message to a geographically remote controller via a predetermined message format;

wherein the sensing means comprises;

means for conditioning the sensed signal;

means for uniquely identifying the communicating means;

means for formatting the conditional signal into the predetermined formatted message; and

means for transmitting the message; and

wherein the predetermined message format comprises at least one packet, wherein the packet comprises;

means for identifying at least one intended receiver;

means for identifying a sender;

means for identifying a command;

means for identifying the sensed signal; and

means for identifying errors.

53. The system of

claim 52

, wherein the packet further comprises:

means for indicating a byte length of the packet;

means for indicating a total number of packets in a message;

means for indicating which of the total number of packets the current packet is; and

means for identifying the message to coordinate commands and responses.

54. The system of

claim 53

, wherein the packet further comprises:

means for prefacing the packet comprising twenty-four logic ones and two bits of high voltage; and

means for postscripting the packet comprising a low voltage output.

55. The system of

claim 54

, wherein the sensing means comprises an RF transmitter.

56. The system of

claim 55

, wherein the sensing means comprises an RF transceiver.

57. A method of remotely monitoring a condition, the method comprising:

monitoring a condition;

outputting a sense signal;

transmitting the sensed signal to a geographically remote controller via a predetermined formatted message;

decoding the transmitted message; and

receiving the decoded message at a central monitoring station.

58. The method of

claim 57

, wherein monitoring a condition comprises monitoring for a presence of smoke.

59. The method of

claim 58

, wherein transmitting the sensed signal comprises:

receiving the sensed signal;

conditioning the sensed signal;

formatting the sensed signal into the message; and

transmitting the message.

60. The method of

claim 59

, wherein transmitting the sensed signal comprises:

receiving the sensed signal;

conditioning the sensed signal;

formatting the sensed signal into the message; and

transmitting the message.

61. The method of

claim 60

, wherein receiving the decoded message comprises receiving the decoded message via the Internet.

62. The method of

claim 61

, wherein formatting the sensed signal comprises:

determining a byte length of the sensed signal;

determining a number of packets needed to send the sensed signal;

wherein a packet comprises;

a receiver address;

a sender address;

a command indicator;

the formatted sensed signal;

an error detector;

a packet length indicator;

a current packet indicator; and

a message number; and

composing the message.

63. The method of

claim 62

, wherein the transmitting the message comprises wirelessly transmitting the message.

64. The method of

claim 63

, wherein transmitting the message further comprises transmitting the message via RF.

65. The method of

claim 63

, wherein transmitting the message further comprises transmitting via low-powered RF.