Patent Grant
7423530
This invention relates generally to the field of security systems, and in particular to security device error, defect, obstruction, and malfunctioning sensor orientation monitoring and cross-zone supervision and control of security systems.
Security systems offer a degree of security for residential sites and for office, business, or industrial applications. Typically, a security device monitoring or controlling a zone is provided as part of a security system. For example, an alarm may be set, which is triggered upon the occurrence of various threat or alarm conditions. At a larger installation, such as in a business, industrial or office setting, more than one zone and security device may be provided at various locations of the site. The security devices are typically connected to a security control panel, which is essentially a control board or control module for security for the site. Also, a remote central monitoring station may be connected, and this central station may be notified when fault, a threat condition, or some other type of security breach, a fire condition, or other type of emergency condition or the like is detected.
In such conventional systems, the problem exists that a security device, such as a motion sensor detector may not be working properly because of a defect. For example, a motion detector or sensor using a pyro element that detects infrared light may get less sensitive over time as the device ages, because the lenses deteriorate and electronics and wires fail. Humidity or moisture can exacerbate the effects of oxidation or aging in wires and electronic devices, as can dust, termites or rodents.
Another problem is that the view of the sensor, such as a motion detector or other sensor that is arranged to sense a disruption in infrared light, microwaves, or other types of electromagnetic radiation may be blocked by objects that are inadvertently placed in its field of view, or the angle at which the sensor is deployed may become disadvantageously changed as a result of the nearby movement of people or objects, or because of the effect of gravity, drafts, or the loosening over time of screws or fasteners used to fasten the sensor to a wall, ceiling or the like. For example, an angle at which a passive IR sensor or dual technology apparatus is deployed in a corner of a room near the ceiling may slowly change because of the effect of gravity on one or more fasteners that fasten the apparatus to the wall or ceiling.
Further, in preparation for a crime or intrusion, or other undesirable occurrence, the view of the sensor may be deliberately blocked or obstructed or the field of view of the sensor may be deliberately changed. As a result, the intended view of a motion detector would no longer correspond to the actual view.
It would be desirable therefore, if such change in view, defect, or obstruction could be detected and reported to a central node or central station.
Another problem is that there may be a redundancy of sensors at a site because of alarm verification, requiring both sensors to be tripped before an event is triggered, which could result in a false sense of security when one or more of the sensors is defective or the field of view is off the mark.
A method and apparatus for determining an error condition in a target security device are provided. The method includes detecting a fault or alarm condition or the like a plurality of times in a first security device arranged to sense activity in a first zone, the target security device being arranged to sense activity in a second zone overlapping with the first zone; and determining the error condition in the target security device when a fault in the target security device is not detected for the plurality of times.
The second zone may overlap substantially all of the first zone.
The target security device and the first security device may be motion detectors. The first security device may also be a door security sensor or a gate security sensor. When the first security device is a keypad or user interface, the fault may be an arm setting, a disarm setting, and/or an arm/disarm cycle at the keypad or user interface.
Further, the plurality of times may be a pre-specified number greater than 3 and less than 30 of most recent consecutive alarm conditions of the first security device. The error condition can be determined as follows: the fault in the first security device may be detected the plurality of times over a period of time longer than a pre-specified time period.
When the error condition is determined, a signal may be transmitted to a central station. Also, the error condition may be confirmed by detecting fault in a third security device the plurality of times, the third security device being arranged to sense activity in a third zone overlapped by the second zone. Then, a signal may be transmitted to the central station when the error condition is confirmed or may be transmitted only when it is confirmed.
The following discussion describes embodiments of Applicant's invention as best understood presently by the inventors, however, it will be appreciated that numerous modifications of the invention are possible and that the invention may be embodied in other forms and practiced in other ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. Further, features of embodiments described may be omitted, combined selectively or as a whole with other embodiments, or used to replace features of other embodiments, or parts thereof, without departing from the spirit of the invention. The figures and the detailed description are therefore to be considered as an illustrative explanation of aspects of the invention, but should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the below-set forth claims.
Aspects of the invention will be described with reference to
The security control node 60, as shown in
Reports or information may be provided by security control node 60 using display 66. A fault may comprise the tripping of an alarm, the triggering of an alarm condition, including an opening or breaking of a window, door, gate, lock or the like, a detected motion, an interaction by a user at a keypad or user interface, including for example, an attempted entry or the providing of an incorrect PIN or code, a broken wire, or any other such condition. For example, whether or not the security system is armed, faults can be detected. By way of illustration, a user at keypad may interact with the system causing a fault, or a motion sensor can detect motion and register a fault, even if the security system is not armed. Counter 65 may be used to keep track of a number of times that a fault or alarm condition has been detected in one or more zones. The control 62 coordinates the functioning of the units or modules of the security control node 60. Control 62 may include an integrated circuit, such as a chip to execute software modules for the functioning of the keypad as described herein. Control 62 and the modules of the security control node 60 may be configured as hardware, software, firmware, or some combination of the foregoing.
An operation of a system according to the present invention will now be described with reference to
A fault is detected at a first security device 1, as illustrated in
The security control node 60 increments a counter 65, as shown at S2 of
At S3, the value in counter 65 is compared to a previously set threshold value to determine whether the number of faults detected at security device 1 equals the pre-specified threshold value. If the number of faults detected thus far does not equal the pre-specified threshold value, the “No” branch at S3, processing is returned to S1 where the security control node 60 continues to monitor faults occurring at security device 1.
If however the number of faults detected at security device 1 equals the threshold value, “Yes” branch at S3, then it is determined whether a fault has been detected for motion sensor 2, the target motion sensor whose functioning is being verified, during the pre-specified number of faults at security device 1. If fault has been detected for motion sensor 2 during the detection of these faults at security device 1, “Yes” branch at S4, then processing moves to S4a, where the counter is reset and then to S1, where monitoring of alarm conditions at security device 1 is continued.
If on the other hand, no alarm condition is detected at motion sensor 2 during the detection of the faults at security device 1, “No” branch at S4, then processing continues to S5, where an error condition for motion sensor 2 is determined, since motion sensor 2 appears to be functioning defectively.
For example, as shown in
Similarly, as shown in
According to an aspect of the present invention, when a zone monitored by the target security device is bypassed (for example, when an arm setting is set for the security system but an arm setting is not set for that zone), the system would not determine an error condition for the target security device when no fault is detected from the target security device. Accordingly, since for the duration of the disarm condition of the target security device no fault signal could be received by the control panel or the security control node 60, no fault signal would be expected. Similarly, if the control panel cannot “see” the target security device on the bus because of some defect on the cross-zoned keypad, no fault signal from the target security device would be expected and therefore an error condition would not be determined.
After the error condition in motion sensor 2 is determined at S5, a central station may be notified at S6. Alternatively, a user (not shown) may be directly notified of the error condition determined. Display 66 may identify motion sensor 2 as being defective.
In this way, the defect of the motion sensor 2 (or wires connecting thereto), or defective functioning of the motion sensor 2 may be detected. Further, in an embodiment in which motion sensor 2 is connected to the security system or to the security control node 60 via a wireless connection, a problem in transmission by motion sensor 2 may be detected. Similarly, in embodiment in which motion sensor 2 is connected to security system or to the security control node 60 via a network involving one or more other elements or nodes, a problem in the network or other elements or nodes may be detected. In this way, a cross-zone supervision approach is performed, such that the proper functioning of the motion sensor is monitored or supervised by another security device having an overlapping security zone.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a third security device is deployed to monitor the zone overlapped by zone 9 monitored by the motion sensor 2. Thus, the third security device may be used to confirm the error condition in motion sensor 2. Accordingly, if the error condition is determined at S5, the error condition would be confirmed if a fault was triggered in the third security device at least once. The problem in security device 2 may be reported to a user or the central station.
At S7, the counter 65 of security control node 60 is reset in order to prepare for the next round of monitoring of the motion sensor 2. It will be understood that security control node 60 may include more than one node such as counter 65, to monitor motion sensors in other zones using other security devices.
Processing is stopped at S8, until a further fault of alarm condition in security device 1 is detected at S1.
Preferred embodiments and methods of the present invention discussed in the foregoing are to be understood as descriptions for illustrative purposes only, and it will be appreciated that numerous changes, substitutions, omissions, and updates thereof are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims.
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