Alarm signaling technology

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10282974-B1
Application number	US-201815984971-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 21, 2018
Priority date	Mar 22, 2010
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

Techniques are described for handling an event where a control panel or an alarm signaling device is tampered with or destroyed by a disablement tactic, e.g., a “crash and smash intrusion.”

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A server comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the at least one processor having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
monitoring alarm signaling quality for alarm signals received from at least one component of an alarm system;
determining alarm signaling quality for the at least one component of the alarm system based on the monitoring; and
handling alarm system destruction detection for the alarm system based on the determined alarm signaling quality for the at least one component of the alarm system,

wherein handling alarm system destruction detection for the alarm system based on the determined alarm signaling quality for the at least one component of the alarm system comprises:
dynamically setting an escrow period for alarm signals from the at least one component of the alarm system based on the determined alarm signaling quality for the at least one component of the alarm system; and
handling alarm signal escrowing and alarm system destruction detection for the alarm system using the dynamically set escrow period.

2. The server of claim 1 , wherein dynamically setting the escrow period for alarm signals from the at least one component of the alarm system comprises setting a relatively short escrow period for alarm signals from the at least one component of the alarm system based on the determined alarm signaling quality being a relatively high signal quality and setting a relatively long escrow period for alarm signals from the at least one component of the alarm system based on the determined alarm signaling quality being a relatively low signal quality.

3. The server of claim 1 :
wherein monitoring alarm signaling quality for alarm signals received from at least one component of the alarm system comprises measuring signal strength for alarm signals received from the at least one component of the alarm system; and
wherein determining alarm signaling quality for the at least one component of the alarm system based on the monitoring comprises determining an average or median signal strength for alarm signals received from the at least one component of the alarm system.

4. The server of claim 1 :
wherein monitoring alarm signaling quality for alarm signals received from at least one component of the alarm system comprises measuring latency of alarm signals received from the at least one component of the alarm system; and
wherein determining alarm signaling quality for the at least one component of the alarm system based on the monitoring comprises determining an average or median latency of alarm signals received from the at least one component of the alarm system.

5. The server of claim 1 :
wherein monitoring alarm signaling quality for alarm signals received from at least one component of the alarm system comprises measuring signal to noise ratio of alarm signals received from the at least one component of the alarm system; and
wherein determining alarm signaling quality for the at least one component of the alarm system based on the monitoring comprises determining an average or median signal to noise ratio of alarm signals received from the at least one component of the alarm system.

6. The server of claim 1 :
wherein monitoring alarm signaling quality for alarm signals received from at least one component of the alarm system comprises tracking whether alarm signals received from the at least one component of the alarm system result in communication errors; and
wherein determining alarm signaling quality for the at least one component of the alarm system based on the monitoring comprises determining an error rate of alarm signals received from the at least one component of the alarm system.

7. The server of claim 1 , wherein determining alarm signaling quality for the at least one component of the alarm system based on the monitoring comprises determining one or more alarm signaling quality statistics for a particular number of outlier signaling events for alarm signals received from the at least one component of the alarm system.

8. The server of claim 1 , wherein determining alarm signaling quality for the at least one component of the alarm system based on the monitoring comprises determining one or more alarm signaling quality statistics for the at least one component of the alarm system based on the monitoring.

9. A server comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the at least one processor having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
monitoring alarm signaling quality for alarm signals received from at least one component of an alarm system;
determining alarm signaling quality for the at least one component of the alarm system based on the monitoring; and
handling alarm system destruction detection for the alarm system based on the determined alarm signaling quality for the at least one component of the alarm system,

wherein handling alarm system destruction detection for the alarm system based on the determined alarm signaling quality for the at least one component of the alarm system comprises:
requiring exchange of pinging communications before issuing an alarm system destruction signal based on the determined alarm signaling quality being a relatively low signal quality; and
allowing the alarm system destruction signal to be issued without requiring exchange of pinging communications based on the determined alarm signaling quality being a relatively high signal quality.

10. A method comprising:
monitoring alarm signaling quality for alarm signals received from at least one component of an alarm system;
determining alarm signaling quality for the at least one component of the alarm system based on the monitoring; and
handling alarm system destruction detection for the alarm system based on the determined alarm signaling quality for the at least one component of the alarm system,
wherein handling alarm system destruction detection for the alarm system based on the determined alarm signaling quality for the at least one component of the alarm system comprises:
dynamically setting an escrow period for alarm signals from the at least one component of the alarm system based on the determined alarm signaling quality for the at least one component of the alarm system; and
handling alarm signal escrowing and alarm system destruction detection for the alarm system using the dynamically set escrow period.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein dynamically setting the escrow period for alarm signals from the at least one component of the alarm system comprises setting a relatively short escrow period for alarm signals from the at least one component of the alarm system based on the determined alarm signaling quality being a relatively high signal quality and setting a relatively long escrow period for alarm signals from the at least one component of the alarm system based on the determined alarm signaling quality being a relatively low signal quality.

12. The method of claim 10 :
wherein monitoring alarm signaling quality for alarm signals received from at least one component of the alarm system comprises measuring signal strength for alarm signals received from the at least one component of the alarm system; and
wherein determining alarm signaling quality for the at least one component of the alarm system based on the monitoring comprises determining an

Assignees

• Alarm Com Inc

Inventors

• Trundle Stephen Scott
• Slavin Alison Jane
• Martin Jean-Paul

Classifications

• G08B29/185

  Signal analysis techniques for reducing or preventing false alarms or for enhancing the reliability of the system · CPC title

• G08B25/008

  Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system · CPC title

• G08B25/006

  Alarm destination chosen according to type of event, e.g. in case of fire phone the fire service, in case of medical emergency phone the ambulance · CPC title

• G08B29/046 Primary

  prevention of tampering with detection circuits · CPC title

• G08B29/02

  Monitoring continuously signalling or alarm systems · CPC title