Alarm signaling with hybrid data and two-way voice channel
View Patent ↗A method is presented for providing alarm notification and two-way voice communication for a hybrid data/voice system by sending an alarm from a communication device to a central station receiver via a data transmission method, associating the alarm with a telephone number operating with a voice transmission method, and initiating the two-way voice communication between the communication device and a voice receiver. In one embodiment, associating includes selecting a line number and telephone number, verifying the number's availability, and if the number is available, sending it to the communication device. In another embodiment, associating includes forwarding the alarm from the alarm forwarding service to a receiver, sending a telephone number to the communication device, contacting the telephone number from the communication device, and using a voice transmission method to create a three-way call among the alarm forwarding service, the communication device and the central station.
1. A method for providing alarm notification and two-way voice communication for a hybrid data/voice system, said method comprising:
sending an alarm notification from a remote communication device to a central station using a data transmission method;
associating the alarm notification with a central station telephone number operable with a voice transmission method, said step of associating comprising the steps of:
the central station selecting a line number from a plurality of line numbers having a corresponding central station telephone number;
the central station verifying the availability of the selected line number;
the central station sending, using the data transmission method, an acknowledgement message of the alarm notification to the remote communication device, when the line number is available, the acknowledgement message containing the central station telephone number corresponding to the line number selected by the central station; and
initiating a two-way voice communication between said remote communication device and a the central station using a voice transmission method.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said data transmission method is one of cellular transmission protocol and internet protocol.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said voice transmission method is one of cellular transmission protocol and internet protocol.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said line number is an integer.
5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said step of selecting a line number comprises incrementing said line number.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said step of verifying comprises:
sending a signal to an automated server; and
determining if the automated server receives the signal.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the remote communication device is a cellular radio.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the remote communication device is an internet enabled communication device.
9. A method for providing alarm notification and two-way voice communication for a service based hybrid data/voice system, said method comprising:
sending an alarm notification from a remote communication device to an alarm routing service using a data transmission method;
associating the alarm notification with a central station telephone number operable with a voice transmission method, said step of associating comprising the steps of:
forwarding the alarm notification from the alarm routing service to a central station receiver;
sending, using the data transmission method, the central station telephone number and an acknowledgement of the alarm notification to the remote communication device from the alarm routing service;
contacting the central station telephone number from the remote communication device; and
creating a three-way call among the alarm routing service, the remote communication device and a central station voice receiver using a voice transmission method; and
initiating the two-way voice communication between the remote communication device and the central station voice receiver using the voice transmission method.
10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said data transmission method is one of cellular transmission protocol and internet protocol.
11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said voice transmission method is one of cellular transmission protocol and internet protocol.
12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said remote communication device is a cellular radio.
13. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said remote communication device is an internet enabled communication device.
14. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the alarm routing service comprises a dialer bank operable to obtain the telephone number.