Message packet protocol for communication of remote sensor information in a wireless security system

• US 5,761,206 A
• Filed: 02/09/1996
• Issued: 06/02/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GE Security Incorporated (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Interactive Technologies, Inc. (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kackman, Gerald M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Application Number:
  US08/599,627
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 370/216, 370/349, 370/389, 370/470, 370/471, 370/474, 370/475, 370/476, 370/311, 340/506, 340/540, 340/635, 340/636, 340/825.06, 340/835.36, 340/825.49, 340/870.16, 340/539, 364/550
• US Class Current: 370/476
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/007 Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 25/00 Arrangements for preventing or correcting errors; Monitoring arrangements

Abstract

In a security or monitoring system having a system roller and one or more sensor/transmitters, information is sent from the transmitter to the system controller in message packets. As improved message packet protocol provides a front porch pulse, a set of synchronization bits, a start bit, a set of information bits, a first stop bit, a set of error detection bits, and a second stop bit.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting information via a message packet from a transmitter to a system controller in a security system, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a front porch pulse;

transmitting a set of synchronization bits;

transmitting a start bit;

transmitting information bits;

transmitting a first stop bit;

transmitting a set of error detection bits; and

transmitting a second stop bit.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the information bits include:

a set of data bits;

a set of trigger count bits for uniquely identifying each of a plurality of the message packets;

a low battery bit for indicating a low battery level condition associated with the transmitter;

a set of input bits for indicating a condition of a sensor associated with the transmitter;

a set of parity bits; and

a programmable bit for flexible assignment to one or more of a variety of transmission tasks.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the data bits include a sensor identification code and a device type code.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the low battery bit is a logical zero when the battery is at or above a predetermined threshold, and is a logical one when the battery is below the predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the front porch pulse is a 976 microsecond radio frequency pulse.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the transmitter includes a plurality of inputs and the input bits include a latch bit and a debounce bit for each input.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the message packet includes about sixty-four bits of information to be decoded by the system controller.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the message packet includes parity bits and the parity bits include even parity over odd bits 15 to 55 and odd parity over even bits 16 through 56.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the error detection bits include a modulo eight count of the number of logical ones in bits 15 through 54.

10. A method for sending information from a transmitter to a system controller in a security system, comprising:

generating one or more message packets each time the transmitter receives a change in status condition from an associated sensor, wherein the message packet includes a front porch pulse, a set of synchronization bits, a start bit, a set of data bits, a set of trigger count bits for uniquely identifying each of the message packets, a low battery bit for indicating a low battery level condition associated with the transmitter, a set of input bits for indicating a condition of a sensor associated with the transmitter, a set of parity bits, a programmable bit for flexible assignment to one or more of a variety of transmission tasks, a first stop bit, a set of error detection bits, and a second stop bit; and

sending each of the message packets from the transmitter to the system controller.

11. In a security system comprising a system controller and a plurality of remote transmitters with associated sensors, wherein each of the transmitters sends information to the system controller when an associated one of the sensors detects a change in condition, the improvement comprising a method for transmitting the information from the transmitter to the system controller via a message packet, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a front porch pulse,

transmitting a set of synchronization bits,

transmitting a start bit,

transmitting a set of information bits,

transmitting a first stop bit,

transmitting a set of error detection bits, and

transmitting a second stop bit.

12. The security system of claim 11 wherein the information bits include a set of data bits, a set of trigger count bits for uniquely identifying each of a plurality of the message packets, a low battery bit for indicating a low battery level condition associated with one of the transmitters, a set of input bits for indicating a condition of one of the sensors, and a set of parity bits.

13. A method for transmitting information via a message packet from a transmitter to a system controller in a security system, wherein the security system includes a sensor associated with the transmitter, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a front porch pulse;

transmitting a set of synchronization bits;

transmitting a start bit;

transmitting a set of data bits;

transmitting a set of trigger count bits for uniquely identifying each of a plurality of the message packets;

transmitting a low battery bit for indicating a low battery level condition associated with the transmitter;

transmitting a set of input bits for indicating a condition of the sensor associated with the transmitter;

transmitting a set of parity bits;

transmitting a first stop bit;

transmitting a set of error detection bits; and

transmitting a second stop bit.