Delivery of alarm system event data and audio
View Patent ↗Delivery of alarm system event data and audio. In certain aspects, a method for delivery of alarm system event data is described, including communicating alarm event data from an alarm system to a private telecommunications switch. In turn, the alarm event data may be communicated to a message processing gateway. The message processing gateway evaluates service parameters of the alarm system and, in certain cases, instructs the private telecommunications switch to contact a central alarm monitoring station if certain service parameters are met. In additional aspects, private telecommunications switch opens a voice channel between the private telecommunications switch and the central alarm monitoring station and communicates the alarm event data. Additionally, in response to a determination that a voice channel between the private telecommunications switch and the central alarm monitoring station remains open, the private telecommunications switch may also bridge the voice channel to the alarm system.
1. A method for delivery of alarm system event data and audio, comprising:
detecting, by an alarm system, an alarm event;
communicating, by the alarm system, alarm event data to a private telecommunications switch, the alarm event data being representative of the alarm event;
communicating, by the private telecommunications switch, the alarm event data to a message processing gateway;
evaluating, by the message processing gateway, whether the alarm system is registered among a known group of alarm systems serviced by the message processing gateway;
instructing, by the message processing gateway, the private telecommunications switch to contact a central alarm monitoring station if the alarm system is deemed registered among the known group of alarm systems serviced by the message processing gateway;
in response to the instructions to contact the central alarm monitoring station, opening, by the private telecommunications switch, a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) voice channel between the private telecommunications switch and the central alarm monitoring station and communicating the alarm event data to the central alarm monitoring station;
determining, by the private telecommunications switch, whether the PSTN voice channel between the private telecommunications switch and the central alarm monitoring station remains open after communication of the alarm event data to the central alarm monitoring station; and
in response to determining that the PSTN voice channel between the private telecommunications switch and the central alarm monitoring station remains open, bridging, by the private telecommunications switch, the PSTN voice channel between the private telecommunications switch and the central alarm monitoring station to the alarm system, to create a voice channel between the alarm system and the central alarm monitoring station.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising
initiating, by the alarm system, a call to the central alarm monitoring station using an telephone adapter in response to the alarm event; and
connecting, by the telephone adapter, to the private telecommunications switch and opening a voice channel between the alarm system and the private telecommunications switch based on the call initiated by the alarm system, wherein
bridging the voice channel to the alarm system comprises bridging, by the private telecommunications switch, the voice channel between the alarm system and the private telecommunications switch with the PSTN voice channel between the private telecommunications switch and the central alarm monitoring station, to create the voice channel between the alarm system and the central alarm monitoring station.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein
initiating the call to the central alarm monitoring station by the alarm system comprises initiating the call to the central alarm monitoring station according to a telephone number of the central alarm monitoring station, and
communicating the alarm event data to the message processing gateway by the private telecommunications switch further comprises communicating an identifier of the telephone adapter and the telephone number to the message processing gateway.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
determining, by the message processing gateway, whether the alarm system or the telephone adapter is provisioned at the message processing gateway;
determining, by the message processing gateway, whether the alarm system is associated with an active customer account; and
determining, by the message processing gateway, whether the alarm system is capable and configured for a two-way voice channel.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising communicating, by the message processing gateway, the alarm event data to the central alarm monitoring system if the alarm system is deemed not registered among the known group of alarm systems serviced by the message processing gateway.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to determining that the PSTN voice channel between the private telecommunications switch and the central alarm monitoring station has not remained open, indicating to the alarm system, by the private telecommunications switch to the alarm system, that the central alarm monitoring station has disconnected.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising modifying, by the message processing gateway, data received from the private telecommunications switch, before instructing the private telecommunications switch to contact the central alarm monitoring station.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising communicating, by the message processing gateway, the modified data to the private telecommunications switch, before instructing the private telecommunications switch to contact the central alarm monitoring station.
9. A system for delivery of alarm system event data and connecting a voice channel, comprising:
an alarm system configured to
detect an alarm event, and
communicate alarm event data representative of the alarm event;
a message processing gateway configured to
receive the alarm event data from the alarm system,
evaluate whether the alarm system is configured for two-way voice functionality, and
send instructions to contact a central alarm monitoring station if the alarm system is deemed configured for two-way voice functionality; and
a private telecommunications switch configured to
open a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) voice channel between the private telecommunications switch and the central alarm monitoring station and communicate the alarm event data to the central alarm monitoring station, in response to the instructions to contact the central alarm monitoring station,
determine whether the PSTN voice channel between the private telecommunications switch and the central alarm monitoring station remains open after communication of the alarm event data to the central alarm monitoring station, and
bridge the PSTN voice channel between the private telecommunications switch and the central alarm monitoring station to the alarm system, to create a voice channel between the alarm system and the central alarm monitoring station, in response to a determination that the PSTN voice channel between the private telecommunications switch and the central alarm monitoring station remains open.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein
the alarm system is further configured to
initiate a call to the central alarm monitoring station using a telephone adapter in response to the alarm event, and
connect to the private telecommunications switch and open a voice channel between the alarm system and the private telecommunications switch using the telephone adapter based on the call initiated by the alarm system, and
the private telecommunications switch is further configured to bridge the voice channel between the alarm system and the private telecommunications switch with the PSTN voice channel between the private telecommunications switch and the central alarm monitoring station, to create the voice channel between the alarm system and the central alarm monitoring station.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein
the alarm system is further configured to initiate the call to the central alarm monitoring station according to a telephone number of the central alarm monitoring station, and
the private telecommunications switch is further configured to
receive the alarm event data from the alarm system, and
communicate the alarm event data and an identifier of the telephone adapter to the message processing gateway.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the message processing gateway is further configured to
determine whether the alarm system or the telephone adapter is provisioned,
determine whether the alarm system is associated with an active customer account, and
determine whether the alarm system is capable and configured for a two-way voice channel.
13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the message processing gateway is further configured to communicate the alarm event data to the central alarm monitoring system if the alarm system is deemed not configured for two-way voice functionality.
14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the private telecommunications switch is further configured to indicate to the alarm system that the central alarm monitoring station has disconnected, in response to a determination that the PSTN voice channel between the private telecommunications switch and the central alarm monitoring station has not remained open.
15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the message processing gateway is further configured to modify data received from the private telecommunications switch, before sending the instructions to contact the central alarm monitoring station.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the message processing gateway is further configured to communicate the modified data to the private telecommunications switch, before sending the instructions to contact the central alarm monitoring station.
17. An apparatus for delivery of alarm system event data and connecting a voice channel, comprising:
a message processing gateway configured to
receive alarm event data from an alarm system,
evaluate whether the alarm system is associated with a customer account that is active and in good standing with respect to account balance for services rendered or payment schedule, and
send instructions to contact a central alarm monitoring station if the alarm system is deemed to be associated with the customer account that is active and in good standing; and
a private telecommunications switch configured to
open a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) voice channel between the private telecommunications switch and the central alarm monitoring station and communicate the alarm event data to the central alarm monitoring station, in response to the instructions to contact the central alarm monitoring station,
determine whether the PSTN voice channel between the private telecommunications switch and the central alarm monitoring station remains open after communication of the alarm event data to the central alarm monitoring station, and
bridge the PSTN voice channel between the private telecommunications switch and the central alarm monitoring station to the alarm system, to create a voice channel between the alarm system and the central alarm monitoring station, in response to a determination that the PSTN voice channel between the private telecommunications switch and the central alarm monitoring station remains open.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the private telecommunications switch is further configured to
open a voice channel between the alarm system and the private telecommunications switch using a telephone adapter, and
bridge the voice channel between the alarm system and the private telecommunications switch with the PSTN voice channel between the private telecommunications switch and the central alarm monitoring station, to create the voice channel between the alarm system and the central alarm monitoring station.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the private telecommunications switch is further configured to
receive the alarm event data from the alarm system, and
communicate the alarm event data and an identifier of the telephone adapter to the message processing gateway.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the message processing gateway is further configured to
determine whether the alarm system or the telephone adapter is provisioned, and
determine whether the alarm system is capable and configured for a two-way voice channel.
21. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the message processing gateway is further configured to communicate the alarm event data to the central alarm monitoring system if the alarm system is deemed to be not associated with the customer account that is active and in good standing.
22. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the private telecommunications switch is further configured to indicate to the alarm system that the central alarm monitoring station has disconnected, in response to a determination that the PSTN voice channel between the private telecommunications switch and the central alarm monitoring station has not remained open.
23. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the message processing gateway is further configured to modify data received from the private telecommunications switch, before sending the instructions to contact the central alarm monitoring station.
24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the message processing gateway is further configured to communicate the modified data to the private telecommunications switch, before sending the instructions to contact the central alarm monitoring station.