Apparatus and method of a combined burglar/fire alarm having isolation

1. Apparatus located in a common box for providing a combination of fire and burglar alarm protection comprising:

a fire alarm control panel for providing fire alarm protection;

a burglar alarm control panel which provides burglar alarm functionality mounted on the fire alarm control panel;

a power supply coupled to a burglar bus to power only the burglary alarm control panel and a plurality of burglar devices;

a first switch located between the burglar alarm control panel and the fire alarm control panel to initiate operation of a burglar alarm system when closed; and

a second switch located to provide power to all the burglar devices connected to a burglar module when closed;

wherein the first switch, when open, suspends only the operation of the burglar alarm control panel;

wherein the second switch, when open, removes power from all the burglar devices connected to the burglar module.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the burglar alarm control panel independently supports the burglar alarm functionality without compromising integrity of the fire alarm protection.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the power supply coupled to the burglar control panel is an independently regulated backup battery power supply.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the burglar devices are conventional burglar peripherals which include burglar keypads or zone expansion modules.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the independently regulated battery power supply is coupled to its own burglar backup battery power and charging circuitry, allowing the fire alarm control panel to have its own dedicated backup battery supply.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when the first switch is open, service of the burglar alarm system may be performed with uninterrupted fire alarm protection.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second switches are jumper cables.

8. Apparatus located in a common box for providing a combination of fire and burglar alarm protection comprising:

a burglar alarm control panel for providing burglar alarm protection;

a fire alarm control panel which provides fire alarm functionality which provides support for the burglar alarm control panel;

a power supply coupled to the fire control panel to power only the fire alarm control panel and fire devices;

a first switch located between the burglar alarm control panel and the fire alarm control panel to initiate operation of a burglar alarm system when closed; and

a second switch located to provide power to all burglar alarm devices connected to the burglar module when closed;

wherein the first switch, when open, suspends only the operation of the burglar alarm control panel;

wherein the second switch, when open, removes power from all burglar devices connected to the burglar module.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the fire alarm control panel independently supports fire alarm functions without compromising integrity of the burglar alarm protection.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the power supply coupled to the fire control panel is an independently regulated backup battery power supply.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the fire devices are conventional fire peripherals which includes smoke detectors or heat detectors.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the independently regulated battery power supply is coupled to its own fire backup battery power and charging circuitry, allowing the burglar alarm control panel to have its own dedicated backup battery supply.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein when the first switch is open, service of the burglar alarm portion of the system may be performed with uninterrupted fire alarm protection.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first and second switches are jumper cables.

15. A method for providing a combination of fire and burglar alarm protection comprises:

providing a fire alarm control panel for fire alarm protection;

mounting a burglar alarm control panel which provides burglar alarm functionality on the fire alarm control panel;

providing a power supply coupled to a burglar bus to power only the burglary alarm control panel and burglar devices;

locating a first switch between the burglar alarm control panel and the fire alarm control panel to initiate operation of a burglar alarm system when closed; and

locating a second switch to provide power to all burglar alarm devices connected to a burglar module when closed;

wherein the first switch, when open, suspends only the operation of the burglar alarm control panel;

wherein the second switch, when open, removes power from all burglar devices connected to the burglar module.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the burglar alarm control panel independently supports burglar alarm functions without compromising integrity of the fire alarm protection.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the power supply coupled to the burglar control panel is an independently regulated backup battery power supply.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the burglar devices are conventional burglar peripherals which includes burglar keypads or zone expansion modules.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the independently regulated battery power supply is coupled to its own burglar backup battery power and charging circuitry, allowing the fire alarm control panel to have its own dedicated backup battery supply.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein when the first switch is open, service of the burglar alarm portion of the system may be performed with uninterrupted fire alarm protection.