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WO1993010621A1 - Procede et dispositif d'adjonction de communications vocales a un systeme d'alarme telephonique - Google Patents

Procede et dispositif d'adjonction de communications vocales a un systeme d'alarme telephonique Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1993010621A1
WO1993010621A1 PCT/US1991/008784 US9108784W WO9310621A1 WO 1993010621 A1 WO1993010621 A1 WO 1993010621A1 US 9108784 W US9108784 W US 9108784W WO 9310621 A1 WO9310621 A1 WO 9310621A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
subscriber
link
telephone
alarm
monitoring station
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1991/008784
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Richard J. Bowman
Original Assignee
Digital Designs, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Digital Designs, Inc. filed Critical Digital Designs, Inc.
Priority to PCT/US1991/008784 priority Critical patent/WO1993010621A1/fr
Publication of WO1993010621A1 publication Critical patent/WO1993010621A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M11/00—Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
    • H04M11/04—Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Definitions

  • This invention relates to the general field of alarm systems of the type which use public telephone lines to communicate alarm information from sensors in subscriber residences or other buildings to one or more central monitoring stations. It relates in particular to permitting two-way voice communication between the alarm monitoring station and the subscriber site.
  • an alarm system master control panel 12 is provided to receive alarm signals from a variety of alarm sensors 14, and to seize control of the telephone lines from the residential phone system 16.
  • alarms such as door and window break-in alarms, fire and smoke detectors, motion detectors, medical monitors, manually operated emergency signals, and other varieties of alarms may communicate with the master control panel 12 via wire, radio frequency, or other transmissions.
  • the panel When an alarm from any one of the sensors 14 is received by the master alarm control panel 12, the panel disconnects and seizes the telephone lines 18 from the phone system 16, even though a residential telephone may be in use at that time, and once having seized the telephone lines, prevents the residential telephones from regaining control until the alarm messages have been transmitted to the central monitoring station and acknowledged.
  • the master control panel 12 has conventional telephone circuitry which waits to detect a dial tone, then activates an automatic dialer programmed to dial the number code of an appropriate central monitoring station receiver. The auto-dialer continues to dial receiver code until it is answered by the receiver 20 at the central monitoring station. After the receiver 20 has answered and established the two-way telephone link, a message generator in the alarm panel 12 generates a coded message which identifies the subscriber station, and may in some instances identify the particular type of alarm which was tripped or the type of event which caused it to be tripped.
  • This coded message is transmitted through the telephone lines 18 and the central monitoring station receiver 20 to a computer 22, which compares the coded message to pre-entered identifiers, and thus identifies the subscriber station and any other information such as the nature of the alarm. Having identified the subscriber and alarm, the computer 22 may display relevant information on a CRT screen for an emergency control operator, such as the name and address of the subscriber station, nature of the alarm and any pre-programmed instructions as to the appropriate response or persons to contact. The emergency control operator may select automatic transmission of this information to the appropriate response facility, such as a police department, hospital, fire station, or other entity.
  • an emergency control operator such as the name and address of the subscriber station, nature of the alarm and any pre-programmed instructions as to the appropriate response or persons to contact.
  • the emergency control operator may select automatic transmission of this information to the appropriate response facility, such as a police department, hospital, fire station, or other entity.
  • the monitoring station computer 22 When the coded alarm message is received by the monitoring station computer 22 and verified by various protocols, the monitoring station sends a "kiss-off" signal to the message generator and terminates its connection. The control panel 12 then terminates the local connection and releases control over the lines in order to free the lines for other calls.
  • the emergency control operator it is often beneficial for the emergency control operator to be able to simply listen to the noises and communications inside the subscribers station in order to determine further information about the emergency, such as whether a burglary is in progress, or whether persons are incapacitated but conscious.
  • Two-way voice communication is also helpful in preventing a false alarm from causing the police or fire department or other agency from responding to a perceived emergency.
  • an obj ctive of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for modifying existing telephone alarm systems to have two-way voice communication. It is a further objective that the method and apparatus be adaptable for virtually any type of existing alarm system and central monitoring station combination. It is also an objective that an alarm system so modified can operate with the same central monitoring station as alarm systems which are not so modified and provide alarm information only. It is a further objective that the central monitoring station be able to distinguish which subscribers have the two-way voice capability from those who do not. It is a further objective to provide communication in the subscriber residence through strategically placed microphones and speakers, rather than the residential telephones. It is a further object of the invention to give the central monitoring station emergency operator control over the two-way voice communication. It is a further objective that the apparatus to be able to distinguish actuation of the telephone system by the alarm panel from activation by the normal house telephones.
  • a method and apparatus are disclosed for adding two-way voice communication to an alarm system of the type which use public telephone lines to communicate alarm information from sensors in a subscriber building to a central monitoring station.
  • the apparatus includes an alarm panel add-on module adapted for connection to the central alarm panel of the subscriber building's alarm system, and a voice line receiver module adapted for connection to the central monitoring stations receiver.
  • Speaker/microphones are placed in the subscriber building, and one or more emergency operator's telephone communication sets capable of two-way voice communication and of sending DTMF tones to the subscriber station to cause switching between listen and speak functions of the speaker/microphones, are added at the monitoring station.
  • the apparatus and method further disclose, within the alarm panel add-on module, means for distinguishing activation of the telephone system by the alarm panel from routine activation by the subscriber' telephones, for detecting the alarm panel's termination of the telephone link and for transferring said link to a voice communication control, for sending an identifier code to the central monitoring station indicating that this subscriber has two-way voice communication capability, and for using DTMF tones to cause switching between listen and speak functions of said speaker/microphones.
  • Figure 1 is a schematic of an exemplary prior art telephone alarm system as described above.
  • Figure 2 is a schematic of a telephone alarm system modified according to the present invention to provide two-way voice communication.
  • Figure 3 is a schematic of logic and control circuitry of the add-on board attached to the master alarm panel at the subscriber station, according to the present invention.
  • Figure 4 is a schematic of the logic and control circuitry in the voice line receiver of the central monitoring station, according to the invention.
  • an alarm panel voice module 30 is provided as an add-on integrated circuit board to the master alarm control panel 12.
  • the module 30 provides logic and control functions to distinguish between a telephone connection initiated by the alarm panel 12 and that which is initiated by the residential telephones 16, and having identified a connection as initiated by the alarm panel, preserves the telephone link following the alarm panel's termination.
  • the module 30 sends an identifier code to the central monitoring station indicating that this subscriber has two-way voice communication capability.
  • Module 30 thereafter carries out switching between the listen and speak functions of various speaker microphones 34, which are placed at strategic locations within the residence, under the control of the central monitoring station's emergency operator.
  • a voice line receiver module 34 detects when the monitoring station receiver 20 terminates its telephone link following acknowledgement of the alarm message, and immediately switches the telephone link to the emergency control operator's telephone set 36 if the alarm originates from a subscriber having a voice module 30.
  • the voice line receiver 34 also cooperates with the emergency operator's touch tone telephone 36 to let the emergency operator control the speaker/microphones 32 in the residence, as further described below.
  • Module 30 is schematically depicted in greater detail in Figure 3. Timing and logic are provided by a conventional integrated circuit chip 38 available from Microchip Corporation as a PIC16C54. The functions to which its timing and logic are applied will be apparent from the other elements depicted in Figure 3 and the description which follows.
  • a characteristic of the prior art telephone alarms systems described above is that the master alarm panel 12 is installed between the residential phone system and the telephone lines, so that routine telephone usage passes through the alarm panel 12.
  • the panel 12 thus has a switching section, shown schematically as a double- switch relay 13 on Figures 1 and 2.
  • Relay 13 is normally in the position depicted in Figure 1, which connects the residential telephones to the telephone lines. When the panel 12 receives a signal from a tripped alarm sensor, it changes the relay 13 to disconnect the residential phones and seizes control to connect the auto-dialer and message generator to the lines.
  • the alarm panel voice module 30 must distinguish routine telephone activity from alarm initiated activity in order to not respond to routine operation or activate the speaker/microphones following routine operation.
  • two current detectors are used; a first detector 42 to detect current in the line from the house phones 16 to the alarm panel 12, and a second current detector 44 to detect current in the line out of the alarm panel to the telephone lines 18.
  • the output of the current detectors are supplied to integrated circuit chip
  • the module 30 After identifying an alarm initiated telephone activity, the module 30 does nothing until the alarm panel has auto-dialed and linked with the monitoring station and has sent its coded information to the station computer. At this point, in the basic alarm system, once the station computer has confirmed the accuracy and integrity of the message code by whatever confirmation protocol it uses, the station receiver sends a "kiss-off" signal to the subscriber's alarm panel and terminates the connection at the station receiver 20. Upon receipt and identification of the "kiss-off" signal, the alarm panel 12 also terminates its link to the telephone lines and resets the relay 13 for routine telephone operation.
  • the alarm panel voice module 30 and the voice line receiver module 34 cooperate to capture the link before it is terminated and to transfer communications to the emergency operator phone 36 and speaker/microphones 32, under the emergency operator's control.
  • a drop in the main line current is sensed by current detector 44 when the alarm panel terminates its connection following the kiss-off signal.
  • the current drop causes a switching means depicted as a double-switch relay 58 to move away from the normal position shown in Figure 3 and connect the telephone lines across transformer 56.
  • the system timing and logic integrated circuit chip 38 delays for a brief interval ( « 5 seconds) to allow the central monitoring station connection to transfer to the voice line module, and then sends pulses to a touch tone generator 54 which produces a DTMF tone or tone sequence used by the monitoring station's voice line receiver to identify a subscriber with voice capability.
  • a current detector 46 is used to detect when the monitoring station receiver
  • connection 20 terminates connection, as indicated by a current drop, and immediately switches the connection to the voice line receiver module 34, by switching means shown schematically as a double-switch relay 48.
  • This transfer occurs after the subscriber station alarm model 30 has picked-up the link, as described above.
  • the relay 48 now connects the telephone link, through transformer 50, to a touch tone detector 52 to detect a DTMF tone or tone sequence which indicates that the subscriber station initiating the alarm is also equipped for two-way voice communications.
  • a logic and timing integrated circuit 60 in the receiver module 34 holds the relay 48 for a preset time interval ( «10 seconds) after the monitoring station receiver's termination, and if no DTMF tone is received, resets the original conditions. However, if detector 52 receives the proper DTMF signifying voice capability within the time interval, the logic and timing device 60 sends pulses to tone generator 62, which produce a DTMF tone or tone sequence to acknowledge the voice alarm module 30. The DTMF tone is carried across the telephone lines to the tone detector 53 in module 30.
  • the logic and timing device 60 also sends pulses to a ringing circuit 63 on the emergency operator's phone set 36, to alert the operator that a voice-link has been established with the subscriber, and switches phone connect relay 65 to connect the operator's set to the lines.
  • a current detector 64 senses when the emergency operator picks up the receiver of set 36. Thereafter two-way voice communication is under control of the operator, who can change the speaker/microphones 32 between listen and speak functions by his touch-tone keypad and switching relay 66.
  • Relay 66 as shown in Figure 3, connects the speaker/microphones 32 to either an input amplifier 68 or an output amplifier 74, depending on the switch position of relay 66.
  • the relay 66 When the emergency operator first picks up the receiver of set 36, the relay 66 is in the LISTEN position as shown in Figure 3, with the microphones connected to input amplifier 68.
  • the operator may listen to noises or communications in the subscriber building to determine the nature and progress of the situation and decide upon his response. No sounds made at the monitoring station will be heard at the subscriber site, so that burglars or intruders will not be aware that their conversation is being monitored.
  • the emergency operator decides that he should speak over the lines to give warning or advice, or to ask for information, he may press a selected button on his touch tone keypad, such as the # key.
  • Persons in the subscriber site may now hear the voice of the emergency operator.
  • the operator wants to switch back to the listen mode he presses another key, such as the * key, which produces a different DTMF tone to detector 53. Detection of this tone is signalled to device 38, which in response sends a switching signal to relay 66 to reverse the switch position to the LISTEN mode.
  • timing device 30 sends a signal to mute control relay 70, which holds the relay closed for normal listening, but breaks the signal for a 50 micro-second gap at one second intervals, to open the relay as shown in Figure 3.
  • This gap provides an insignificant interrupt to the human ear, but is sufficient to allow the detector 53 to detect the switching DTMF tone and cause the relay 66 to switch.
  • the alarm panel voice module 30 holds its line connection after the line receiver panel terminates its connection, the subscriber line would appear as a "busy" signal to anyone trying to call it. To prevent this, the alarm panel timing is set to terminate its connection if there is no incoming activity on the line for more than 60 seconds. However, since the emergency operator may want to listen silently for more than that period, the voice line receiver timing device sends a signal pulse to the tone generator 62 every 45 seconds. This "keeper tone" is not heard over the microphones 32 while relay 66 is in the LISTEN position, but is detected by tone detector 53, which resets the termination timing sequence of timing device 38 and allows silent listening as long as the emergency operator is still on the line.
  • This invention is expected to be used for alarm monitoring centers who wish to offer their subscribers the capability of two-way voice communication with the monitoring center.
  • the subscriber add-on module allows participating subscribers to add the capability without replacing the existing alarms and alarm panel.
  • the invention allows the monitoring station to identify alarms from subscribers with voice capability and to transfer the line connection to an emergency operator who can manage the situation by voice communications while freeing the alarm receiver to receive other alarms.
  • the invention can be used on telephone alarms without regard to the particular message conformation protocols used within the alarm system.
  • the subscriber sites are most likely to be residences, convenience stores and other retail outlets, and smaller commercial buildings which do not have an internal security force.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Alarm Systems (AREA)
  • Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)

Abstract

Le module du tableau d'alarme (30) distingue le déclenchement du système téléphonique par le tableau d'alarme (13) du déclenchement systématique par les postes téléphoniques des abonnés, détecte la fin de la liaison téléphonique au niveau du tableau d'alarme et transfère la liaison à une commande (38) de communication téléphonique qui envoie un code identificateur à un poste de contrôle (20) indiquant la possibilité de communication bidirectionnelle, et utilise des tonalités de multifréquence en code à partir du poste de secours de l'opérateur afin de faire basculer entre des fonctions d'écoute et de locution les haut-parleurs/microphones (32). Le récepteur de ligne téléphonique (34) détecte le poste de contrôle (20), met fin à la liaison avec l'abonné et prend la liaison pour une courte période afin de détecter un signal indiquant que l'abonné dispose d'une installation permettant une communication bidirectionnelle, et si oui, transfère la liaison au poste téléphonique de secours de l'opérateur.
PCT/US1991/008784 1991-11-22 1991-11-22 Procede et dispositif d'adjonction de communications vocales a un systeme d'alarme telephonique WO1993010621A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US1991/008784 WO1993010621A1 (fr) 1991-11-22 1991-11-22 Procede et dispositif d'adjonction de communications vocales a un systeme d'alarme telephonique

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US1991/008784 WO1993010621A1 (fr) 1991-11-22 1991-11-22 Procede et dispositif d'adjonction de communications vocales a un systeme d'alarme telephonique

Publications (1)

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WO1993010621A1 true WO1993010621A1 (fr) 1993-05-27

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Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0690606A1 (fr) * 1994-06-29 1996-01-03 Atral Transmetteur téléphonique programmable acoustiquement
WO1997013230A3 (fr) * 1995-09-21 1997-09-25 Patrick Joseph Farragher Dispositif de securite
WO2004057550A1 (fr) * 2002-12-19 2004-07-08 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Systeme telematique dote d'un support de reconnexion automatique

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3527892A (en) * 1967-03-23 1970-09-08 Dasa Corp Automatic alarm transmitting system
DE3321416A1 (de) * 1983-06-14 1984-12-20 ANT Nachrichtentechnik GmbH, 7150 Backnang System zur uebermittlung von notrufen
US4760593A (en) * 1985-05-16 1988-07-26 Lifeline Systems, Inc. Personal alarm system providing handsfree operation
US4763349A (en) * 1981-12-31 1988-08-09 Howard Siegel Monitoring apparatus using telephone link

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3527892A (en) * 1967-03-23 1970-09-08 Dasa Corp Automatic alarm transmitting system
US4763349A (en) * 1981-12-31 1988-08-09 Howard Siegel Monitoring apparatus using telephone link
DE3321416A1 (de) * 1983-06-14 1984-12-20 ANT Nachrichtentechnik GmbH, 7150 Backnang System zur uebermittlung von notrufen
US4760593A (en) * 1985-05-16 1988-07-26 Lifeline Systems, Inc. Personal alarm system providing handsfree operation

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0690606A1 (fr) * 1994-06-29 1996-01-03 Atral Transmetteur téléphonique programmable acoustiquement
FR2722049A1 (fr) * 1994-06-29 1996-01-05 Atral Transmetteur telephonique programmable acoustiquemment
WO1997013230A3 (fr) * 1995-09-21 1997-09-25 Patrick Joseph Farragher Dispositif de securite
WO2004057550A1 (fr) * 2002-12-19 2004-07-08 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Systeme telematique dote d'un support de reconnexion automatique

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