Condition detection and notification systems and methods

• US 20040151282A1
• Filed: 05/20/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fireear, Inc., Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sentinel Vision, Inc.
• Inventors: West, Mark S., Miller, G. Mark, Jones, Russell K. III
• Granted Patent: US 6,850,601 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/37
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality

Abstract

The security detection system includes a detection unit capable of detecting a condition, said unit in communication with a remote central server. Where the detection unit is connected to the server via a dial-up modem, the detection system may be connected to a telephone seizure unit. Upon occurrence and detection of a condition, the detection unit prevents a telephone from communicating with a main telephone line, while still allowing said detection unit to communicate electronic information to the server, even upon lifting of the telephone receiver from the base. Once electronic information is sent to the server, a programmed database of the server may send the information according to a pre-determined designation. The server monitors whether a designated party has responded to the information, and if not, may send the information to a human monitoring station. The designated party may request and receive additional information from the detection unit, via the server.

Claims

1. A condition detection and telephone seizure system comprising:

a telephone seizure unit disposed in between and connected to a telephone and a telephone jack associated with a telephone line, said telephone seizure unit including a switch having a open state, allowing for telephonic communication by said telephone via said telephone line, and a closed state, preventing telephonic communication by said telephone via the telephone jack through said telephone line; and

a detection unit capable of communication with a server via said telephone line and capable of detecting a condition, wherein upon detection of said condition said detection unit is placed in radio frequency communication with said telephone seizure unit causing said switch to be placed in said closed state, wherein said detection unit remains capable of communication with said server via said telephone line when said switch is in said closed state.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a second telephone jack, said jack connected to said detection unit via said telephone line.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said telephone seizure unit includes a circuit chip.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said detection unit includes a modem.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein detection unit includes a circuit chip.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a telephonically inputted pre-designated code causing said switch to be placed into said open state from said closed state.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said detection unit communicates information to said server upon detection of said condition.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said information is electronic.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said telephone seizure unit is connected to a phone junction box.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said server is a remote server having a programmed database storing at least one designation of a party, said server connected to and programmed to receive said information transmitted by said detection unit and to distribute said information to at least one designated party according to said programmed database.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said server has means for monitoring whether said designated party has responded to said information and means for sending said information to another designated party if said at least one designated party has not responded to said information.

12. A condition detection and notification system comprising:

a programmable detection unit capable of detecting a condition, generating electronic information related to said condition, and transmitting said electronic information;

a remote server having a programmed database storing at least one designation of a party, said server connected to and programmed to receive said electronic information transmitted by said detection unit and to send said electronic information to at least one designated party according to said programmed database, said server having means for monitoring whether said designated party has responded to said electronic information.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said designated party is a human monitoring station and said server is programmed to send said electronic information to said human monitoring station.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein said server is programmed to send said electronic information to a human monitoring station if said designated party has not responded to said electronic information.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein said server is capable of retrieving additional information from said detection unit upon request from said designated party.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said detection unit includes a camera and said electronic information includes images sent to said remote server upon request from said designated party.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein said detection unit includes an audio sensor and said electronic information includes audio files.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein distribution of electronic information to said designated parties occurs simultaneously.

19. The system of claim 12 further comprising an Internet connection to said server.

20. The system of claim 12 wherein electronic information distribution is to a first plurality of designated parties.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein if said first plurality of designated parties fail to respond to said electronic information, said electronic information is sent to at least one different designated party.

22. The system of claim 12 wherein said designated party is a human monitoring station and said server is programmed to send said electronic information to said human monitoring station.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein if none of said first plurality of designated parties respond to said electronic information said server is programmed to send said electronic information to a human monitoring station.

24. The system of claim 12 wherein a first designated party receives said information and a second designated party receives a portion of said information.

25. The system of claim 12 wherein said detection unit includes a sensor.

26. The system of claim 12 further comprising a phone seizure unit in communication with said detection unit.

27. A method for detecting a condition and notifying a designated party of the condition, comprising the steps of:

detecting a condition and generating electronic information related to said condition at a detection unit;

transmitting said electronic information to a remote server from said detection unit;

receiving said electronic information at said server;

sending said electronic information at said server to at least one designated party according to a designation of a programmed database of said server; and

monitoring at said server whether said designated party has responded to said electronic information.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein if said designated party has not responded to said electronic information, further comprising sending said electronic information from said server to a human monitoring station.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein if said at least one designated party fails to respond to said electronic information, said server sends said electronic information to at least one different designated party.

30. The method of claim 27 further comprising said designated party requesting additional information from said detection unit via said server, retrieving said additional information from said detection unit at said server, and sending said requested information from said server to said designated party.

31. The method of claim 27 further comprising programming said detection unit to suspend distribution of said electronic information for a designated area and for a designated amount of time.

32. The method of claim 27 wherein said electronic information is a telephone message.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising entering of a telephonic numeral by said designated party to control a server response.

34. The method of claim 27 further comprising sending said information to said designated party according to a schedule.

35. A condition detection and notification system comprising:

a programmable detection unit capable of detecting a condition, generating electronic information related to said condition, and transmitting said electronic information;

a remote server having a programmed database storing at least one designation of a party, said server connected to and programmed to receive said electronic information transmitted by said detection unit and to send said electronic information to at least one designated party according to said programmed database, said server having means for retrieving additional information from said detection unit upon request from said designated party.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein said detection unit includes a sensor.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein said sensor includes a camera recording images prior to images being sent to said remote server.

38. The system of claim 35 wherein said additional information includes different electronic images from an additional sensor associated with said detection unit.

39. The system of claim 35 wherein sending of electronic information is to a plurality of designated parties.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein said server is programmed to send said electronic information to a human monitoring division if none of said plurality of designated parties responds to said electronic information.