Abstract: This disclosure pertains to a system and method configured provide entry check-in protection of a protected premises network including a central alarm monitoring station in communication with a plurality of protected premises, each protected premises comprises a protected premises panel configured to provide entry check-in protection. Protected premises panels include processors and memory configured to provide entry check-in protection comprising receiving an indication of a zone violation of the monitored premises, transmitting a check-in message to the central alarm monitoring station, and transmitting an alert, by the central alarm monitoring station, indicating a destruction of the protected premises panel, upon expiration of the predetermined entry delay period. The check-in message includes a duration corresponding to the entry delay time plus a set period, e.g., one minute.

Abstract: This disclosure pertains to a system and method configured provide entry check-in protection of a protected premises network including a central alarm monitoring station in communication with a plurality of protected premises, each protected premises comprises a protected premises panel configured to provide entry check-in protection. Protected premises panels include processors and memory configured to provide entry check-in protection comprising receiving an indication of a zone violation of the monitored premises, transmitting a check-in message to the central alarm monitoring station, and transmitting an alert, by the central alarm monitoring station, indicating a destruction of the protected premises panel, upon expiration of the predetermined entry delay period. The check-in message includes a duration corresponding to the entry delay time plus a set period, e.g., one minute.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a system and method for facilitating security monitoring by a security monitoring apparatus installed at a location of interest. In some embodiments the security monitoring apparatus is configured to communicate with a server and/or a central monitoring station and incorporates an alarm sensor, a user interface, a doorbell module, and/or other components. The doorbell module may include a camera, a doorbell actuator, a motion detector, a system enabling two-way communication with a user device, an identification interrogator to identify a person, animal, or object, and/or other components.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a system configured to facilitate on demand monitoring by a local security monitoring apparatus installed at a location of interest. In some implementations, the system includes the local security monitoring apparatus, a server, a central monitoring station, a user device, and/or other components. The system may be configured to facilitate entry and/or selection of monitoring demand information from a user and/or other users. The monitoring demand information may indicate (e.g., a start time, an end time, a duration, etc.) when the monitoring apparatus should operate in a central monitoring mode (e.g., transmitting indications of alarm events for the location of interest.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a system configured to facilitate remote verification of alarm events. Responsive to detection of an alarm event at a location of interest, clips of security video information and/or substantially real-time images may be presented to an end user on a user device associated with the end user, and/or to a reviewer via a central station, to facilitate determination of whether or not the detected alarm event is false. The system is configured to facilitate remote verification of alarm events by the end user and/or the reviewer while still protecting the privacy of the end user. The system may be configured to allow review of the clips and/or the substantially live images by the reviewer at the central station only responsive to detection of an alarm event, and only for a temporary period of time following the detection of the alarm event.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a system configured to facilitate remote verification of alarm events. Responsive to detection of an alarm event at a location of interest, clips of security video information and/or substantially real-time images may be presented to an end user on a user device associated with the end user, and/or to a reviewer via a central station, to facilitate determination of whether or not the detected alarm event is false. The system is configured to facilitate remote verification of alarm events by the end user and/or the reviewer while still protecting the privacy of the end user. The system may be configured to allow review of the clips and/or the substantially live images by the reviewer at the central station only responsive to detection of an alarm event, and only for a temporary period of time following the detection of the alarm event.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an automated method of associating a new security sensor with a control panel. In contrast to the former manual method, identification information for a new sensor is encoded within a radio frequency identification “RFID” component. The control panel includes a radio frequency identification interrogator that is able to receive the RFID code from the sensor. During installation, a technician may simply hold the sensor within the control panel's RFID component's reading range. The technician does not need to manually enter the identification number for each sensor.

Abstract: A method of alarm data communication involves protecting a premise with an alarm sensor, sensing an exception, text messaging a responsible user's text-messaging device a text message indicative of such exception and, in the absence of an effective cancel instruction, propagating a signal to a central alarm monitoring station indicative of such exception or otherwise expediting dispatch of authorities to the premise in response to such exception. Another aspect of this method involves that, notwithstanding the absence of an effective cancel instruction, there instead might be the issuance of an effective verify instruction, which propagates to the central alarm monitoring station as indicative of not only the exception but also that such exception is verified.

Abstract: Apparatus for alarm data communication with a central alarm-monitoring station having a central station receiver linked to a communications medium involves a remote, premise-protecting alarm system. It has a central processing unit (CPU), at least one sensor reporting to the CPU, an interface for communications with the central station receiver across the communications medium, and at least one user interface for a user to enter inputs to the CPU. The alarm system furthermore has a pro-active verify utility configured to allow a user, after the alarm system has automatically propagated a message to the central station receiver comprising a report of an exception sensed by the sensor, to enter an input through the user interface that causes the alarm system to propagate a later message comprising the user's verification. Preferably the user interface is a keypad, and the pro-active verify utility is actuated by minimal key strokes.

Abstract: A glass keypad for an automatic premise-monitoring alarm system of remote sensors linked to a control panel has a screen defined by a peripheral edge spacing inboard and outboard faces and allowing a flush or closely gapped mounting to a wall. There is also operative circuitry and devices as well as a diminutive housing that conceals the circuitry and devices and is mounted to the peripheral edge and/or outboard face. Thus, the glass keypad has display mode, where a display is illuminated on the screen including illuminated keys for entry of inputs to the control panel, as well as a sleep mode in which the illumination is switched to reduced power such that the keypad display is invisible. The reduced power state is off or very low such that any color, texture or design on the wall shows through, the glass keypad thus self-camouflaging itself.

Abstract: A premise-monitoring alarm system has a base transceiver for a control panel and numerous distributed remote transceivers servicing the numerous distributed remote alarm-event sensors. Given remote transceivers are enhanced with a user-sensible indicator as well as a user interface. For installation purposes, a remote transceiver responds to a manual trigger through the interface with transmission of a test signal. The base transceiver responds to any within-range test signal with sending a reply signal. In turn, the sending-remote transceiver responds to reception of the reply signal with output of a user-sensible indication through the user-sensible indicator. That way, during installation, a single installer can determine when the two transceivers are within range without help from additional persons or equipment.

Abstract: A communication path integrity supervision system is provided for a network of automatic alarm data transmissions. A plurality of alarm data transmitters are linked by diverse paths with a central receiver for such automatic alarm data, wherein the responsibility for carrying out integrity supervision has been largely shifted onto the remote transmitters—each responsible for its own path or paths—and shifted away from the central receiver to the extent required by the prior art “receiver-polling” protocol. Hence each transmitter generates and sends to the central receiver a succession of check-in messages. The central receiver responds to each such message by updating a table of such messages, scheduling or rescheduling the next check-in as applicable to that particular remote transmitter. An alert is signaled whenever any remote transmitter fails to meet its scheduled or rescheduled check-in. Given the foregoing, the integrity of the communication paths are supervised.

Abstract: A fixture for a miniature thin-profile RFID proximity transponder has cap and a planar base, both produced from thin flexible plastic sheet stock. The cap is formed with an inset center that is bounded by a relatively planar, relatively floppy brim that is bounded by a spaced outer edge. The inset center is shaped and inset to define an open cavity to closely accommodate the transponder. The planar base is about the same size as a planar surface containing the cap's outer edge for closing the open cavity. An ultrasonically welded seam is utilized to join the cap's brim to a matching portion of the base in order to form thereby a relatively floppy brim composite with the transponder is situated in the closed cavity in a close fit. Adhesive on the base's exterior side allows adhesive attachment of the combination fixture and transponder to another article.

Abstract: Remote online utilization of video data for analyzing potential alarm events from an automatic alarm network includes the following. A premise-protecting control panel communicates with a sensor, providing a message in some or all cases of sensor signals. A remote receiver receives the messages of the control panel. A camera device is combined with the sensor for acquiring video data that allows further analysis into the matter of a given sensor-detected event. The camera device is configured with stateless network communication protocols and server processing to achieve network service of video data upon request. Correspondingly, the receiver is configured with compatible stateless network communication protocols and then also browser processing wherein the receiver can transmit network requests to the camera device for network service of said video data. The foregoing achieves remote online analysis of the video data in the matter of the given sensor-detected event.

Abstract: Remote online utilization of video data for analyzing potential alarm events from an automatic alarm network includes the following. A premise-protecting control panel communicates with a sensor, providing a message in some or all cases of sensor signals. A remote receiver receives the messages of the control panel. A camera device is combined with the sensor for acquiring video data that allows further analysis into the matter of a given sensor-detected event. The camera device is configured with stateless network communication protocols and server processing to achieve network service of video data upon request. Correspondingly, the receiver is configured with compatible stateless network communication protocols and then also browser processing wherein the receiver can transmit network requests to the camera device for network service of said video data. The foregoing achieves remote online analysis of the video data in the matter of the given sensor-detected event.

Abstract: A communication path integrity supervision system is provided in a network system that allows communication of automatic alarm data. This involves a network, needless to say, in which a plurality of automatic alarm data transmitters are linked by diverse paths with at at least one central receiver on the network for receiving the automatic alarm data. In this integrity supervision system, the responsibility for carrying out the integrity supervision functions have been largely shifted onto the remote transmitters—each responsible for its own path or paths—and shifted away from the central receiver to the extent required by the prior art “receiver-polling” protocol. That is, each transmitter includes circuits for generating and sending to the central receiver a succession of “next promised check-in” messages, to be on schedule as promised.

Abstract: A communication path integrity supervision system is provided in a network system that allows communication of automatic alarm data. This involves a network, needless to say, in which a plurality of automatic alarm data transmitters are linked by diverse paths with at at least one central receiver on the network for receiving the automatic alarm data. In this integrity supervision system, the responsibility for carrying out the integrity supervision functions have been largely shifted onto the remote transmitters--each responsible for its own path or paths--and shifted away from the central receiver to the extent required by the prior art "receiver-polling" protocol. That is, each transmitter includes circuits for generating and sending to the central receiver a succession of "next promised check-in" messages, to be on schedule as promised.

Abstract: A combination cordless telephone and premise-monitoring alarm system has a base unit, a cordless handset, and one or more remote alarm detectors. The alarm detectors can be generally either smoke detectors, motion detectors, or open-entry detectors. The base unit includes at least one interface for the public telephone network, and another interface for radio communication with the cordless handset. The base unit preferably also communicates with the remote alarm sensors across the same radio interface. The base unit includes telephone call circuitry to relay telephone calls between the public telephone network and the handset. The base unit also includes alarm processing circuitry to send an alarm warning to a central alarm-monitoring station in response to an alarm signal from a remote detector.

Abstract: A direct-wire alarm system for scanning and monitoring a plurality of security alarm systems located in various user's facilities. The device monitors each line sequentially and converts current levels present on each line to a digital value. A digital filter is utilized to eliminate periodic line noise while a second digital filter is utilized to eliminate pulse noise. The system further comprises a line ringing system for notifying the user of a line condition and an adjustable comparator for obtaining high resolution of line current values.