Wireless security network and communication methods
A security network provides reduced power consumption and more robust communication of messages in comparison to conventional wireless systems. Reducing power consumption as discussed herein ensures that the security system is able to operate for a long duration of time, potentially with minimal or no power from an electrical grid. Additionally, redundant communication paths as discussed herein provide a more robust way of selectively forwarding security data to a remote server. The availability of multiple communication paths ensures that a respective remote target recipient such as a server resource or remote communication device operated by a user can be notified of a trigger event during power failure conditions, such as when certain communication functionality of a security system is disabled.
1 . A communication system comprising:
a first wireless access point communicatively coupled to a management server over a network;
a second wireless access point device communicatively coupled to the management server, the second wireless access point device comprising a first communications interface and a second communications interface; and
a communication device, the communication device storing instructions that, when executed by computer processor hardware of the communication device, cause the communication device to:
monitor a location for occurrence of a trigger event;
determine failure to wirelessly communicate a message to the first wireless access point, the message indicating the trigger event;
based on determining the failure, wirelessly communicate a command to the second wireless access point device via the first communications interface to switch the second communications interface from a power saving sleep mode to a powered mode; and
wirelessly communicate the message to the second wireless access point device via the second communications interface.
2 . The communication system as in claim 1 , wherein the communication device stores further instructions that, when executed by the computer processor hardware of the communication device, further cause the communication device to determine a failure to establish a wireless communication link to the first wireless access point.
3 . The communication system as in claim 1 , further comprising:
a gateway resource communicatively coupled to the management server via a hard-wired network, wherein the gateway resource includes the first wireless access point; and
communication management hardware communicatively coupled to the management server via i) a primary wireless communication link to the first wireless access point, and ii) a bypass wireless communication link to the management server.
4 . The communication system as in claim 3 , wherein the bypass wireless communication link is a wireless mobile phone link providing access to a public switched telephone network, the public switched telephone network communicatively coupled to the management server.
5 . The communication system as in claim 1 , wherein the communication device stores further instructions that, when executed by the communication device, further cause the communication device to establish a wireless communication link with the second wireless access point device subsequent to the second communications interface of the second wireless access point device being switched from the power saving sleep mode to the powered mode in response to the command.
6 . The communication system as in claim 5 , wherein the wireless communication link is a time slotted communication channel in which the communication device is assigned a time slot to communicate the command to communication management hardware, the communication management hardware comprising the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point device.
7 . The communication system as in claim 1 , wherein the second wireless access point device is powered by a battery.
8 . The communication system as in claim 1 , wherein the second wireless access point device is communicatively coupled to the first wireless access point, and wherein the first wireless access point is communicatively coupled to the management server.
9 . The communication system as in claim 1 , further comprising:
communication management hardware storing second instructions that, when executed by the communication management hardware, cause the communication management hardware to send a second message to the communication device, the second message instructing the communication device to communicate with the management server through at least one of the first wireless access point or the second wireless access point device.
10 . The communication system as in claim 1 , wherein:
the first wireless access point, the second wireless access point device, and the communication device are located in a home; and
the management server is located outside of the home.
11 . A method comprising:
monitoring a location for occurrence of a trigger event;
detecting the trigger event;
generating a message indicating the trigger event;
determining failure to wirelessly communicate the message to a first wireless access point;
based on the determining of the failure, wirelessly communicating a command to a first communications interface of a second wireless access point device to switch a second communications interface of the second wireless access point device from a power saving mode to a powered mode; and
wirelessly communicating the message to the second communications interface of the second wireless access point device.
12 . The method as in claim 11 further comprising:
determining an inability to establish a wireless communication link to the first wireless access point due to failure of power delivery to the first wireless access point.
13 . The method as in claim 11 further comprising:
communicatively coupling the first wireless access point to a management server over a wired network;
communicatively coupling the second wireless access point device to the management server via a primary wireless communication link to the first wireless access point; and
communicatively coupling the second wireless access point device to the management server via a bypass wireless communication link.
14 . The method as in claim 11 further comprising:
monitoring the location for occurrence of the trigger event comprising motion detection.
15 . Non-transitory computer-readable storage hardware having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by computer processor hardware, cause the computer processor hardware to:
monitor a location for occurrence of a trigger event indicating security with respect to the location;
detect the trigger event;
generate a message indicating the trigger event;
determine failure to wirelessly communicate the message to a first wireless access point;
based on determining the failure, wirelessly communicate a command to a first communications interface of a second wireless access point device to switch a second communications interface of the second wireless access point device from a power saving mode to a powered mode; and
wirelessly communicate the message to the second communications interface of the second wireless access point device.