System and method for multiport automation
A system and method are disclosed for enhancing the throughput of signals from a security system receiver to an associated automation server. Multiple parallel Ethernet connections or ports are provided between the receiver and server to enable multiple signals to be transmitted between the two when such signals are received from a client's security system panel. The system and method may access the ports in a variety of orders to provide efficient transmittal of signals from the receiver to the server. In one embodiment, received event signals may be routed though the ports in numeric sequence, forward or reverse. In another embodiment, received event signals may be routed preferentially to the first port, if it is not busy. If the first port is busy then the signal may be routed to the second port, and so on. In a further embodiment, received event signals from specific client panels may be directed through predetermined ports, and a predetermined automation server at the central monitoring facility.
1. A method for transmitting and processing security system event signals, comprising:
at a receiver at a first location, receiving event signal data from a panel located remote from said first location, said event signal data including a time stamp, said receiver configured to communicate with an automation server via a plurality of communication ports;
transmitting the event signal data including the time stamp to the automation server via at least a first one of the plurality of communication ports;
determining whether an acknowledgement signal corresponding to the event signal has been received from the automation server; and
retransmitting the event signal data including the time stamp to the automation server via at least a second one of the plurality of communication ports based on the determination that the acknowledgement signal has not been received, said first communication port different from said second communication port.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising: at the receiver, receiving second event signal data from the panel; selecting a communication port from the plurality of communication ports using a round robin method; and transmitting the second event signal data to the automation server via the selected communication port.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: at the receiver, receiving second event signal data from a panel; selecting a communication port from the plurality of communication ports using a first available port method; and transmitting the second event signal data to the automation server via the selected communication port.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising: at the receiver, receiving third event signal data from a panel; selecting a communication port from the plurality of communication ports using a first available port method; and transmitting the third event signal data to the automation server via the selected communication port.
5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising, at the receiver, receiving third event signal data from the panel; selecting a communication port from the plurality of communication ports using a preselected port method; and transmitting the third event signal data to the automation server via the selected communication port.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, at the receiver, receiving an acknowledgement signal from the automation server via the first communication port.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, at the receiver, receiving an acknowledgement signal from the automation server via a second communication port of the plurality of communication ports.
8. The method of claim 6 , where acknowledgement signal includes information identifying that the event signal data was transmitted to the automation server via the first port.
9. A system for transmitting and processing security system event signals comprising a plurality of sensors and an alarm panel associated with a monitored building, a receiver, and an automation server, the receiver configured to communicate with the automation server via a plurality of communication ports, wherein the plurality of communication ports exist within a single cable connection between the receiver and the automation server, the receiver performing the steps comprising:
receiving event signal data from the panel, said event signal data including a time stamp;
transmitting the event signal data to the automation server via at least a first one of the plurality of communication ports;
determining whether an acknowledgement signal corresponding to the event signal has been received from the automation server; and
retransmitting the event signal data including the time stamp to the automation server via at least a second one of the plurality of communication ports based on the determination that the acknowledgement signal has not been received, said first communication port different from said second communication port.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the receiver performs the additional steps of receiving second event signal data from the panel; selecting a communication port from the plurality of communication ports using a round robin method to; and transmitting the second event signal data to the automation server via the selected communication port.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the receiver performs the additional steps of receiving second event signal data from a panel; selecting a communication port from the plurality of communication ports using a first available port method; and transmitting the second event signal data to the automation server via the selected communication port.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the receiver performs the additional steps of receiving third event signal data from a panel; selecting a communication port from the plurality of communication ports using a first available port method; and
transmitting the third event signal data to the automation server via the selected communication port.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the receiver performs the additional steps of receiving second event signal data from the panel; selecting a communication port from the plurality of communication ports using a preselected port method; and
transmitting the third event signal data to the automation server via the selected communication port.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the receiver performs the additional steps of receiving an acknowledgement signal from the automation server via the first communication port.
15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the receiver performs the additional steps of receiving an acknowledgement signal from the automation server via a second communication port of the plurality of communication ports.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the acknowledgement signal includes information identifying that the event signal data was transmitted to the automation server via the first port.
17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting a non-alarm event signal to the automation server via the first one of the plurality of communication ports, the non alarm event signal including a time stamp;
receiving an acknowledgement from the automation server, the acknowledgement including a time stamp;
determining that the received acknowledgement corresponds to the transmitted non-alarm event signal based on the time stamps; and
determining that the first one of the plurality of communication ports is functional based on determining that the received acknowledgement corresponds to the transmitted non-alarm event signal.
18. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
transmitting a non-alarm event signal to the automation server via the first one of the plurality of communication ports, the non alarm event signal including a time stamp;
receiving an acknowledgement from the automation server, the acknowledgement including a time stamp;
determining that the received acknowledgement corresponds to the transmitted non-alarm event signal based on the time stamps; and
determining that the first one of the plurality of communication ports is functional based on determining that the received acknowledgement corresponds to the transmitted non-alarm event signal.