Account number substitution for dial capture and IP based communicators
View Patent ↗A system and method for providing account number substitution for dial capture and IP based communicators (panel communicators) is disclosed. The system processes alarm information sent from building management systems such as fire alarm systems and security systems. In the system, control panels of the building management systems are located at one or more premises, and provide raw signals which include the alarm information and account numbers for identifying the control panels. A station receiver installed at a monitoring station provides site account numbers for the account numbers of the control panels. In an embodiment, panel communicators at the premises enable communications between legacy control panels having telephony interfaces and the station receiver. The monitoring station then uses the site account numbers to identify the premises at which each control panel is installed for responding to the alarm information sent from the control panels.
1. A system for processing alarm information sent from a building management system, comprising:
a control panel at a premises, wherein the control panel stores an account number for identifying the control panel, wherein the control panel provides raw signals which include the alarm information and the account number; and
a station receiver installed at a monitoring station, wherein the station receiver provides a site account number associated with the account number of the control panel, wherein the site account number is longer than could be programmed into the control panel, wherein the monitoring station uses the site account number to identify the premises at which the control panel is installed for responding to the alarm information sent from the control panel.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a panel communicator located at the premises and in communication with the control panel, wherein the panel communicator receives the raw signals sent from the control panel.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the panel communicator provides the site account number and the alarm information to the station receiver at the monitoring station.
4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the panel communicator provides the site account number and the alarm information to the station receiver in a new version of the raw signals.
5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the panel communicator provides a communicator identifier (ID) which identifies the panel communicator to the station receiver, and wherein the station receiver uses the communicator ID to obtain the site account number associated with the account number of the control panel.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the communicator ID comprises a media access control (MAC) address of the panel communicator.
7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the communicator ID comprises an Internet protocol (IP) address of the panel communicator.
8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the communicator ID comprises a serial number of the panel communicator.
9. The system of claim 5 , wherein the panel communicator provides the communicator ID to the station receiver in a new version of the raw signals.
10. The system of claim 5 , wherein the station receiver uses the communicator ID to obtain the site account number associated with the account number of the control panel by executing a lookup of the communicator ID against a lookup table at the station receiver to obtain the site account number.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring station and the station receiver communicate with one another and are in communication with a communications network.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control panel is in communication with the station receiver and provides a network identifier (ID) which identifies the control panel to the station receiver, and wherein the station receiver uses the network ID to obtain the site account number associated with the account number of the control panel.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the network ID comprises a media access control (MAC) of the control panel.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the network ID comprises an Internet protocol (IP) address of the control panel.
15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the network ID comprises a subscriber identification module (SIM) number of the control panel.
16. A method for processing alarm information sent from a building management system, comprising:
providing raw signals by a control panel at a premises, wherein the control panel stores an account number for identifying the control panel, wherein the raw signals include the alarm information and the account number;
providing a site account number by a station receiver installed at a monitoring station, the site account number being associated with the account number of the control panel, the site account number being longer than could be programmed into the control panel; and
using the site account number by the monitoring station to identify the premises at which the control panel is installed for responding to the alarm information sent from the control panel.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
receiving the raw signals from the control panel by a panel communicator located at the premises.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
providing, by the panel communicator, the site account number associated with the account number of the control panel to the station receiver.
19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
providing, by the panel communicator, a communicator identifier (ID) to the station receiver, the communicator ID identifying the panel communicator; and
using the communicator ID by the station receiver to obtain the site account number associated with the account number of the control panel.
20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
providing, by the control panel, a network identifier (ID) to the station receiver, the network ID identifying the control panel; and
using, by the station receiver, the network ID to obtain the site account number associated with the account number of the control panel.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the station receiver uses the network ID to obtain the site account number dynamically or based upon a programmed translation.