Method and system for communicating with and controlling an alarm system from a remote server
View Patent ↗A communication system is provided that can be added to a legacy alarm system to provide a plurality of communication modes to a remote server system from the legacy alarm system and provide remote control and monitoring to a user of the system via two-way communication links. The communication system can be configured to communicate with an alarm processor of the legacy alarm system through use of a keypad bus typically used by the legacy alarm system for communication between the alarm processor and one or more keypads. Communication modes that can be provided by embodiments of the present invention can include, for example, communication over a public switched telephone network, cellular transmission, broadband transmission, and the like. The communication system can monitor all configured communication modes and determine which communication mode is the best for providing communication between the alarm system and the remote server. Through these communication modes and by virtue of being coupled to the alarm processor via the keypad bus, the communication system can provide both transmission to the remote server of the status and alarm condition of the legacy alarm system as well as provide control signals from the remote server to the legacy alarm system. The remote server provides pre-determined responses to information received from the alarm system, including providing alarm system condition information to a user or a monitoring station for response.
1. A method performed by a network node coupled to an alarm system communications unit via a network, the method comprising:
receiving, by the network node, a first set of data over the network from the alarm system communications unit, wherein
the first set of data comprises keypad bus information,
the keypad bus information corresponds to a signal on a keypad bus of an alarm system controller, and
the keypad bus of the alarm system controller provides communication between an alarm processor of the alarm system controller, a keypad processor, and the alarm system communications unit; and
performing, by the network node, a first pre-determined response to the keypad bus information in the first set of data.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving, by the network node, a second set of data over the network, wherein
the second set of data comprises alarm condition information, and
the alarm condition information corresponds to a signal from an alarm system controller telecommunications interface; and
performing, by the network node, a second pre-determined response to the alarm condition information in the second set of data.
3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:
determining, by the network node, whether the first or second set of data contain reportable information to provide to a monitoring station; and
transmitting, by the network node, a description corresponding to the reportable information to the monitoring station, if the first or second set of data contains reportable information.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
storing, by the network node, a set of responses to keypad bus information, wherein
the keypad bus information comprises one of a plurality of events and conditions reported on the keypad bus of the alarm system controller, and
each response of the set of responses corresponds to an event or condition of the plurality of events and conditions; and
selecting, by the network node, the pre-determined response to the keypad bus information in the first set of data from the set of responses.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the pre-determined response comprises:
providing a description corresponding to the information in the first set of data to a selected user.
6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:
providing, by the network node, a user interface configured to enable a user to enter response data; and
storing, by the network node, the response data as a response of the set of responses.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising: transmitting, by the network node, control information to the alarm system communications unit, wherein the first pre-determined response comprises said transmitting, said transmitting is performed over a selected communication mode by the network node, and the control information comprises data usable to control the alarm system controller,
the alarm system communications unit is coupled to an alarm processor of the alarm system controller via a keypad bus, and
the keypad bus provides communication between the alarm processor of the alarm system controller, a keypad processor, and the alarm system communications unit.
8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:
transmitting, by the alarm systems communications unit, the received control information to the alarm system controller, wherein
said transmitting the received control information is performed using the keypad bus,
said transmitting the received control information is performed using a protocol that is the same as that used between the keypad processor and the alarm system controller.
9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
interpreting the received control information, by the alarm systems communication unit, prior to said transmitting the received control information, wherein
said interpreting the received control information converts the received control information into the protocol.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein said transmitting the received control information is performed to emulate communication between the keypad processor and the alarm system controller.
11. The method of claim 7 wherein the control information comprises one of a command to arm the alarm system controller and a command to disarm the alarm system controller.
12. An apparatus comprising:
means for receiving a first set of data over a network from an alarm system communication unit, wherein
the first set of data comprises keypad bus information,
the keypad bus information corresponds to a signal on a keypad bus of an alarm system controller, and
the keypad bus of the alarm system controller provides communication between an alarm processor of the alarm system controller, a keypad processor, and the alarm system communication unit; and
means for performing a first pre-determined response to the keypad bus information in the first set of data.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:
means for receiving a second set of data over the network, wherein
the second set of data comprises alarm condition information, and
the alarm condition information corresponds to a signal from an alarm system controller telecommunications interface; and
means for performing a second pre-determined response to the alarm condition information in the second set of data.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:
means for determining whether the first or second set of data contain reportable information to provide to a monitoring station; and
means for transmitting a description corresponding to the reportable information to the monitoring station, if the first or second set of data contains reportable information.
15. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:
means for storing a set of responses to keypad bus information, wherein
the keypad bus information comprises one of a plurality of events and conditions reported on the alarm system controller keypad bus, and
each response of the set of responses corresponds to an event or condition of the plurality of events and conditions; and
means for selecting the pre-determined response to the keypad bus information in the first set of data from the set of responses.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:
means for providing a user interface configured to enable a user to enter response data; and
means for storing the response data as a response of the set of responses.