Communicating within a wireless security system
Techniques are provided that enable a wireless security system that is designed to detect and receive wireless transmissions in one protocol, to use sensor-transmitters that operate in a different protocol. The techniques involve, generally, the use of an integration device, and in some implementations, first enrolling sensor-transmitters of a first protocol into the integration device, along with device type information for the sensor-transmitters. Thereafter, during system operation, transmissions with message packets in the first message packet protocol are received by the integration device, recognized as having been previously enrolled, and a message packet in a second message packet protocol that includes device type information is then formulated and transmitted by the integration device, for receipt by a system control device for the wireless security system. In some scenarios, an enrollment process need not be done in the integration device, and the integration device is utilized in the communication process.
1. A method of communicating within a wireless security system, the security system comprising (a) at least one sensor-transmitter configured to transmit information wirelessly in message packets that are each formatted according to a first packet protocol, (b) an integration device configured to receive wirelessly transmitted message packets formatted according to the first packet protocol and wirelessly transmit message packets according to a second packet protocol that is different from the first packet protocol; and (c) a security system control device configured to receive wirelessly transmitted message packets formatted according to the second packet protocol and having each of the at least one sensor-transmitter enrolled into the security system control device, the method comprising:
receiving, at the integration device and from a particular one of the at least one sensor-transmitter, a wireless transmission formatted according to the first packet protocol, the first packet protocol comprising a) a first sensor-transmitter identity code field in a first identity code field format, b) first condition information field in a first condition information field format, and c) a device type identifier field indicating a particular one of a plurality of different predefined device types of which a sensor-transmitter of the at least one sensor-transmitter that transmitted a wireless transmission is a member;
the received wireless transmission including a first message packet comprising a) a first assigned identity code in the first sensor-transmitter identity code field, the first assigned identity code distinguishing wirelessly transmitted packets relating to the particular one sensor-transmitter of the at least one sensor-transmitter from wirelessly transmitted packets formatted also according to the first protocol but relating to other sensor-transmitters of the at least one sensor-transmitter, b) first sensed condition information in the first condition information field, the first sensed condition information indicative of condition information sensed by the particular one sensor-transmitter of the at least one sensor-transmitter, and c) device type identifying information in the device type identifier field, the device type identifying information indicating a particular one of the plurality of different predefined device types of which the particular one of the at least one sensor-transmitter is a member;
building, by the integration device, a second message packet corresponding to the first message packet but formatted according to the second packet protocol that is different from the first packet protocol, the second packet protocol comprising a) second sensor-transmitter identity code field in a second identity code field format, and b) second condition information field in a second condition information field format, wherein the second packet protocol includes information indicative of the device type for the sensor-transmitter of the at least one sensor-transmitter making the wireless transmission;
the second message packet built by the integration device comprising a) a second assigned identity code in the second sensor-transmitter identity code field, the second assigned identity code distinguishing wirelessly transmitted packets relating to the particular one sensor-transmitter of the at least one sensor-transmitter from other wirelessly transmitted packets formatted also according to the second protocol but relating to other sensor-transmitters of the at least one sensor-transmitter, and b) translated sensed condition information in the second condition information field, the translated sensed condition information being derived at least in part from the first sensed condition information and representing a condition sensed by the particular one sensor-transmitter of the at least one sensor-transmitter, the contents of the second message packet being based at least in part upon the device type identifying information contained in the device type identifier field of the first message packet; and
wirelessly transmitting, by the integration device, the second message packet relating to the particular one sensor-transmitter of the at least one sensor-transmitter for receipt by the security system control device, the security system control device having been preconfigured such that the particular one sensor-transmitter of the at least one sensor-transmitter is enrolled into the security system control device in a manner that the particular one sensor-transmitter of the at least one sensor-transmitter is associated with the second assigned identity code.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contents of the second message packet being based at least in part upon the device type identifying information comprises the second assigned identity code comprising an identity code within a range or group of identity codes reserved for the particular type of the particular one sensor-transmitter.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising a predicate step of the integration device receiving a predetermined message for enrollment from the particular one sensor-transmitter, and in response assigning for the particular one sensor-transmitter the identity code within the range or group of identity codes reserved for the particular type of the particular one sensor-transmitter.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising a further predicate step of the integration device creating an entry in its enrollment memory for the particular one sensor-transmitter being enrolled into the integration device.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the entry comprises the first assigned identity code and the second assigned identity code.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein upon the integration device receiving the wireless transmission formatted according to the first packet protocol, the integration device determines if the first assigned identity code is in the enrollment memory, and if not the wireless transmission is ignored, and if otherwise the integration device builds the second message packet formatted according to the second packet protocol.
7. The method of claim 2 , further comprising a predicate step of enrolling the particular one sensor transmitter into the system control device and not the integration device.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the receiving, the building and the wirelessly transmitting processes are the same whether the received wireless transmission is a predetermined enrollment transmission to enroll the particular one sensor-transmitter into the security system control device or is a transmission during normal operation of the wireless security system after enrollment of the particular one sensor-transmitter.
9. A method of communicating within a wireless security system, the security system comprising a) at least one sensor-transmitter configured to transmit information wirelessly in message packets that are each formatted according to a first packet protocol, b) an integration device configured to receive wirelessly transmitted message packets formatted according to the first packet protocol and wirelessly transmit message packets according to a second packet protocol that is different from the first packet protocol; and c) a security system control device configured to receive wirelessly transmitted message packets formatted according to the second packet protocol and having each of the at least one sensor-transmitter enrolled into the security system control device, the method comprising:
receiving, at the integration device and from a particular one of the at least one sensor-transmitter, a wireless transmission formatted according to the first packet protocol, the first packet protocol comprising a) a first sensor-transmitter identity code field in a first identity code field format, and b) first condition information field in a first condition information field format, the particular of the at least one sensor-transmitter being a particular one of a plurality of different types of devices;
the received wireless transmission from the particular one sensor-transmitter of the at least one sensor-transmitter including a first message packet comprising a) a first assigned identity code in the first sensor-transmitter identity code field, the first assigned identity code distinguishing wirelessly transmitted packets relating to the particular one sensor-transmitter of the at least one sensor-transmitter from other wirelessly transmitted packets formatted also according to the first protocol but relating to other sensor-transmitters of the at least one sensor-transmitter, and b) first sensed condition information in the first condition information field, the first sensed condition information indicative of condition information sensed by the particular one sensor-transmitter of the at least one sensor-transmitter;
building, by the integration device, a second message packet corresponding to the first message packet but formatted according to the second packet protocol that is different from the first packet protocol, the second packet protocol comprising a) second sensor-transmitter identity code field in a second identity code field format, and b) second condition information field in a second condition information field format, wherein the system control device is configured to interpret information contained in the second condition information field unique to the particular one device type of the particular one of the at least one sensor-transmitter from which the wireless transmission was received, and react appropriately;
the second message packet that is built by the integration device comprising a) a second assigned identity code in the second sensor-transmitter identity code field, the second assigned identity code distinguishing wirelessly transmitted packets relating to the particular one sensor-transmitter of the at least one sensor-transmitter from other wirelessly transmitted packets formatted also according to the second protocol but relating to other sensor-transmitters of the at least one sensor-transmitter, and b) translated sensed condition information in the second condition information field, the translated sensed condition information being derived at least in part from the first sensed condition information and representing a condition sensed by the particular one sensor-transmitter of the at least one sensor-transmitter; and
wirelessly transmitting, by the integration device, the second message packet relating to the particular one sensor-transmitter of the at least one sensor-transmitter for receipt by the security system control device, the security system control device having been preconfigured such that the particular one sensor-transmitter of the at least one sensor-transmitter is enrolled into the security system control device in a manner that the particular one sensor-transmitter of the at least one sensor-transmitter is associated with the second assigned identity code, the security system control device having been further preconfigured to interpret information in the second message packet in a manner appropriate given the type of device of the particular one sensor-transmitter of the at least one sensor transmitter.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first packet protocol further comprises a device type identifier field indicating one of a plurality of different predefined device types of which the sensor-transmitter that transmitted the wireless transmission is a member, and the first message packet further comprises device type identifying information in the device type identifier field, the device type identifying information indicating the one of the plurality of different predefined device types of which the particular one of the at least one sensor-transmitter is a member.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the contents of the second message packet are based at least in part upon the device type identifying information contained in the device type identifier field of the first message packet.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the contents of the second message packet being based at least in part upon the device type identifying information comprises the second assigned identity code comprising an identity code within a range or group of identity codes reserved for the particular type of the particular one sensor-transmitter.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising a predicate step of the integration device receiving a predetermined message for enrollment from the particular one sensor-transmitter, and in response assigning for the particular one sensor-transmitter the identity code within the range or group of identity codes reserved for the particular type of the particular one sensor-transmitter.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising a further predicate step of the integration device creating an entry in its enrollment memory for the particular one sensor-transmitter being enrolled into the integration device.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the entry comprises the first assigned identity code and the second assigned identity code.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein upon the integration device receiving the wireless transmission formatted according to the first packet protocol, the integration device determines if the first assigned identity code is in the enrollment memory, and if not the wireless transmission is ignored, and if otherwise the integration device builds the second message packet formatted according to the second packet protocol.
17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising a predicate step of enrolling the particular one sensor transmitter into the system control device and not the integration device.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the receiving, the building and the wirelessly transmitting processes are the same whether the received wireless transmission is a predetermined enrollment transmission to enroll the particular one sensor-transmitter into the security system control device or is a transmission during normal operation of the wireless security system after enrollment of the particular one sensor-transmitter.