Patent Application
20080224846
This invention relates generally to controlling security systems remotely through a communication system, such as the Internet, a Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), or a local or wide area network (LAN) or (WAN). In particular, this invention relates to operating security systems through the communication system using a virtual remote control keypad application which includes an audio capability to enhance user understanding of the security system's status.
Security systems are used to monitor homes and businesses to prevent unwanted intrusions as well as to guard against natural disasters. Critical to the operation of such security systems is their arming and disarming. Generally a security system is armed and disarmed using a keypad on a control panel residing within the structure that the system monitors. Traditional keypads can be wired into the system's control panel or can be wireless. In addition, non-traditional, virtual keypad applications providing access to the security system over the Internet, GSMs, LANs or WANs are also available. For example, U.S. patent application (serial number unknown), filed Feb. 13, 2007, for “Auto Connect Virtual Keypad” discloses a virtual keypad application, and is incorporated herein by reference.
A traditional keypad's screen display can show only text or can include sophisticated graphics and/or audio responses to user commands. However, at present, security system status information from a virtual remote keypad application has been a text only function.
The present invention advantageously provides a system having audio capabilities to enable audio responses to user commands for users accessing their security systems using a virtual remote keypad application through a communication system. A virtual remote keypad having audible annunciation will increase a user's awareness of the status of the security system. This virtual remote keypad can be displayed on a display screen. The method for operating a virtual remote keypad of a security system for securing a structure comprises: initiating a virtual remote keypad application and receiving an initial status; receiving a current status; if the current status is not the same as the initial status, audibly announcing the current status and setting the initial status to the current status. In a preferred embodiment, the audible announcement of the status is produced by playing a digital file.
In another embodiment, a method for operating a virtual remote keypad of a security system for securing a structure comprises initializing a virtual remote keypad application and receiving an initial state from a control panel of the security system; simulating the control panel of the security system; and processing a function to perform a state, wherein the function is one of arming and disarming, the state is one of armed and disarmed, and the processing includes at least audibly announcing the state.
The invention also comprises a system for operating a virtual remote keypad of a security system for securing a structure which includes a control panel associated with the security system, the control panel operable to detect one or more events occurring at the security system; a device for displaying the virtual remote keypad; and a virtual remote keypad application receiving an initial state from the control panel, wherein the virtual remote keypad application receives a current state, and if the current state is not the same as the initial state, the virtual remote keypad application audibly announces the current state and sets the initial state to the current state.
The foregoing and other objects, aspects, features, advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and from the claims.
The invention is further described in the detailed description that follows, by reference to the noted drawings by way of non-limiting illustrative embodiments of the invention, in which like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the drawings. As should be understood, however, the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings.
An inventive solution to the need to increase the user's awareness of the status of his security system when the user is not on the premises monitored by the security system is presented.
In one embodiment, the VRK application 200 may communicate using WAP (Wireless Application Protocol). WAP is an open international standard for applications that use wireless communication. WAP enables access to the Internet from a mobile phone or PDA. Thus, in this embodiment, the VRK application 200 may communicate with any device, mobile or stationary, that is WAP enabled using, for instance, the Internet. Any communication protocol may be employed to enable the VRK application to communicate with the user's security system.
One system feature available as a tab 220 on the VRK screen 210 is the Partition Zone Status which displays the status of logical work units or partitions, and the corresponding zones of the partitions. When the control panel is “armed”, a partition with its corresponding zones is “armed”. Multiple partitions can be armed simultaneously. For example, in a residence, each floor can be a partition having corresponding zones, such that the basement can be one partition, and the first floor can be a second partition having a living zone and a kitchen zone and others. This allows, for instance, a user to arm the basement while the first floor is disarmed.
Operation of one embodiment of the inventive system is described below and illustrated with the steps in the flow diagram shown in
Next, unlike a traditional keypad, the VRK application continues to parse ECP protocol and detects the security events that are audible, such as whether the arming status has changed at 440 since the prior received status. When an arming state difference, or change in arming status, is detected (440=YES), the VRK application downloads the associated mp3 or other digital file from the NOC to the consumer device, and audibly announces the change in arming status by “playing” the digital file at step 450 corresponding to the detected change. For example, a message such as “State Armed” or “Disarmed” is played. The associated digital file can be stored on the consumer device while the VRK application is active.
If no change in the arming state is detected (440=NO), step 420 is performed as discussed above. If the VRK application is no longer active (420=NO), VRK is ended at step 460, and associated mp3 files are deleted from the consumer device.
While the present invention has been described in particular embodiments, it should be appreciated that the present invention should not be construed as limited by such embodiments, but rather construed according to the below claims.
