Security system having segregated operating software
A control apparatus for a premises based system is provided. The control apparatus has an improved memory and processor configuration for separate operation of the life safety and life style code so that the operation of the life style code may be changed without changing the operation of the life safety code, such as through the use of a virtual machine or code running at a single operating system layer. The memory may store life safety code in a first partition and life style code in a second partition. The life style code may be updated while life safety code continues to run.
1. A control apparatus for a premises based system, the control apparatus comprising:
a memory configured to store life safety code and life style code;
a processor configured to:
operate the life safety code, the life safety code relating to code that manages a response of the system to at least one harmful premises condition; and
operate the life style code, the life style code relating to code that manages a response of the system to at least one non-harmful premises condition; and
the memory and processor are configured for separate operation of the life safety and life style code for changing the operation of the life style code without changing the operation of the life safety code, a virtual machine being configured to provide the separate operation of the life safety code and life style code on the processor.
2. The control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine resource usage for life style functions associated with life style code;
determine whether resource usage exceeds a predefined resource threshold; and
if the resource usage is determined to exceed the predefined resource threshold, shut down at least one life style function.
3. The control apparatus of claim 2 , wherein resource usage includes at least one of memory usage and computing resource usage.
4. The control apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a wireless communication element configured to support a plurality of wireless communication protocol radios;
a premises power supply, the premises power supply configured to supply power to the control apparatus;
a backup power supply, the backup power supply configured to provide power to the control apparatus during failure of the premises power supply; and
the processor being further configured to:
determine if the premises power supply has failed; and
shut down at least one life style function and corresponding wireless communication protocol radio in response to the determined failure of the premises power supply.
5. The control apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless communication element configured to support a plurality of wireless communications protocols, the wireless communication element including a plurality of wireless communication protocol radios, the plurality of wireless communication radios including at least one life safety radio and at least one life style radio; and
the processor is further configured to:
activate all wireless communication radios;
determine an amount of interference between the at least one life style radio and at least one life safety radio; and
generate an alert if the amount of interference exceeds a predefined interference threshold.
6. The security control apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising at least one socket for communicating between life style code and life safety code; and
the processor is further configured to close down the at least one socket during the changing of life style code.
7. A control apparatus for a premises based system, the control apparatus comprising:
a memory configured to store life safety code and life style code;
a processor configured to:
operate the life safety code, the life safety code relating to code that manages a response of the system to at least one harmful premises condition; and
operate the life style code, the life style code relating to code that manages a response of the system to at least one non-harmful premises condition;
the memory and processor are configured for separate operation of the life safety and life style code for changing the operation of the life style code without changing the operation of the life safety code, wherein the life style code is stored in a first partition in the memory and the life safety code is stored in a second partition in the memory different from the first partition, the processor is further configured to modify at least a portion of the life style code in the first partition; and
the modification of the life style code includes:
receiving updated life style code;
storing the updated life style code to a third partition in the memory;
installing the updated life style code into a fourth partition in the memory;
shutting down and unmounting the life style code from the first partition; and
mounting the installed updated life style code for operation by the processor.
8. The control apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine resource usage for life style functions associated with life style code;
determine whether resource usage exceeds a predefined resource threshold; and
if the resource usage is determined to exceed the predefined resource threshold, shut down at least one life style function.
9. The control apparatus of claim 8 , wherein resource usage includes at least one of memory usage and computing resource usage.
10. The control apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:
a wireless communication element configured to support a plurality of wireless communication protocol radios;
a premises power supply, the premises power supply configured to supply power to the control apparatus;
a backup power supply, the backup power supply configured to provide power to the control apparatus during failure of the premises power supply; and
the processor being further configured to:
determine if the premises power supply has failed; and
shut down at least one life style function and corresponding wireless communication protocol radio in response to the determined failure of the premises power supply.
11. The control apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a wireless communication element configured to support a plurality of wireless communications protocols, the wireless communication element including a plurality of wireless communication protocol radios, the plurality of wireless communication radios including at least one life safety radio and at least one life style radio; and
the processor is further configured to:
activate all wireless communication radios;
determine an amount of interference between the at least one life style radio and at least one life safety radio; and
generate an alert if the amount of interference exceeds a predefined interference threshold.
12. The security control apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising at least one socket for communicating between life style code and life safety code; and
the processor is further configured to close down the at least one socket during the changing of life style code.
13. A method for a control apparatus of a premises based system, the method comprising:
storing life safety code in a first partition in memory, the life safety code relating to code that manages a response of the system to at least one harmful premises condition;
storing life style code in a second partition in memory different from the first partition, the life style code relating to code that manages a response of the system to at least one non-harmful premises condition; and
causing the operation of the life style code to be changed while the operation of the life safety code remains unchanged, the changing of the operation of the life style code includes:
receiving updated life style code;
storing the updated life style code to a third partition in the memory;
installing the updated life style code into a fourth partition in the memory;
shutting down and unmounting the stored life style code; and
mounting the installed updated life style code for operation by the processor.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
determining resource usage for life style functions associated with life style code; and
determining whether resource usage exceeds a predefined resource threshold; and
if the resource usage is determined to exceed the predefined resource threshold, shutting down at least one life style function.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein resource usage includes at least one of memory usage and computing resource usage.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the control apparatus includes:
a wireless communication element configured to support a plurality of wireless communication protocol radios;
a premises power supply, the premises power supply configured to supply power to the control apparatus; and
a backup power supply, the backup power supply configured to provide power to the control apparatus during failure of the premises power supply; and
the method further comprising:
determining if the premises power supply has failed; and
shutting down at least one life style function and corresponding wireless communication protocol radio in response to the determined failure of the premises power supply.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the control apparatus includes a wireless communication element having at least one life safety radio and at least one life style radio; and
the method further comprises:
activating at least one life safety radio and at least one life style radio;
determining an amount of interference between the at least one life style radio and at least one life safety radio; and
generating an alert if the amount of interference exceeds a predefined interference threshold.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the control apparatus includes at least one socket for communicating between life style code and life safety code; and
wherein the changing of life style code includes closing down the at least one socket.
19. A system, the system comprising:
a remote server, the remote sever configured to store updated life style code configured to support life style features; and
a premises based control apparatus, the control apparatus including:
a remote communication element, the remote communication element configured to receive at least a portion of the updated life style code from the remote server;
a memory configured to store life safety code relating to code that manages a response of the system to at least one harmful premises condition and life style code relating to code that manages a response of the system to at least one non-harmful premises condition;
a processor configured to operate the life safety code and life style code; and
the memory and processor are configured for separate operation of the life safety and life style code for changing the operation of the life style code based at least in part on the received updated life style code without changing the operation of the life safety code.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the life style code is stored in a first partition in memory and the life safety code is stored in a second partition in the memory; and
the changing is based at least in part on the updated life style code includes:
storing the updated life style code to a third partition in the memory;
installing the updated life style code into a fourth partition in the memory;
shutting down and unmounting the life style code from the first partition; and
mounting the installed updated life style code for operation by the processor.
21. The system of claim 19 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine resource usage for life style functionality associate with life style code, the resource usage including at least one of memory usage and computing resource usage;
determine whether resource usage exceeds a predefined resource threshold; and
if the resource usage is determined to exceed the predefined resource threshold, shut down at least one life style function.
22. The system of claim 19 , wherein the control apparatus further comprises at least one socket for communicating between life style code and life safety code; and
the processor is further configured to close down the at least one socket during the updating of life style code.
23. The system of claim 19 , wherein the control apparatus further comprises a wireless communication element supporting a plurality of wireless communications protocols, the wireless communication element including a plurality of wireless communication protocol radios, the plurality of wireless communication radios including at least one life safety radio and at least one life style radio; and
the processor is further configured to:
activate all wireless communication radios;
determine an amount of interference between the at least one life style radio and at least one life safety radio; and
generate an alert if the amount of interference exceeds a predefined interference threshold.