WO2001027888A1

WO2001027888A1 - Security systems

Info

Publication number: WO2001027888A1
Application number: PCT/GB2000/003893
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stephen Michael Reeder; Alexander Charles Croxall Brennan
Original assignee: British Telecommunications PLC
Current assignee: British Telecommunications PLC
Priority date: 1999-10-11
Filing date: 2000-10-10
Publication date: 2001-04-19
Anticipated expiration: 2002-04-11
Also published as: EP1224638A1; CA2386672A1; AU7675800A; JP2003511803A

Abstract

A security system includes detectors (11, 12) which communicate by way of a main electrical distribution circuit (6) with a home control centre (2) or a community control centre. The local control centre communicates with a remote operations centre to confirm alarm conditions from environmental detectors. The system includes means to pre-register detectors in association with locational data and call-back communications numbers so that appropriate response to alarm conditions is made.

Description

SECURITY SYSTEMS

The present invention relates to security systems and more particularly to alarm handling using such a system. In our published European Patent application No 675626 and co-pending patent application No. 989031 26.5 (published equivalent No EP 869,462) there is disclosed a security system which utilises the public switched telephone network (PSTN) calling line identity (CLI) to provide theft protection to electrically operable apparatus. Further enhancements of the system are disclosed in our co-pending (unpublished) applications nos. EP 993021 32.8, EP 99302133.6, EP 99302134.4 and EP 99302149.

The present invention provides further enhancement of the system described in the above patents and applications, in particular in respect of signals indicative of an environmental alarm condition. The term environmental alarm condition as used herein is to include, but is not limited to, smoke, fire and gas detection alarms, burglar alarms, health monitoring alarms, and consumer operable alarms ("panic buttons").

According to the present invention there is provided a security system of the kind including means responsive to signalling generated by domestic apparatus to determine a release code either from a stored listing or from communication with a control centre, the release code being transmitted to signalling apparatus to confirm locational validity of the apparatus, the apparatus including a local control centre which has a communications link to a remote control centre, the local control centre including means responsive to signals indicative of an environmental alarm to establish an immediate communication between the local control centre and the remote control centre and to cause transmission of signals identifying the type and location of the alarm, the remote control centre including means responsive to signalling from the local control centre to determine the validity of the locational data and to communicate with a pre-determined third control centre appropriate to the alarm condition occurring.

Preferably environmental alarm apparatus uses an electrical mains distribution system to communicate with the local control centre either by amplitude modulated signals superimposed on the electrical distribution circuit or by FSK signalling in known manner.

In the alternative localised radio signalling between the environmental alarm apparatus and the local control centre is used. Preferably also the local control centre uses the PSTN for communication with the remote control centre, the local control centre being pre-programmed with a destination telephone number to which environmental alarm calls are directed. The local control centre may include means responsive to first connection of an environmental apparatus to communicate with the remote control centre to verify the location of installed apparatus whereby the location and validity of any subsequent alarm calls from the installed apparatus may be confirmed .

The local control centre may be a home control centre including a stored data listing in respect of coded electrical apparatus in specific premises or may be specifically installed as a local control centre serving an area or neighbourhood such as a tenement or apartment block.

The local control centre may be programmed to detect alarm conditions arising beyond its immediate locality and to monitor for transmission of a response to the alarm condition from another local control centre and, if such a response is not detected within a pre-determined period of time, to cause communication of signals identifying an originating environmental unit to the remote control centre.

A security system in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:-

Figure 1 is a block schematic diagram of a security system in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a block schematic diagram of a security arrangement in individual domestic premises;

Figure 3 is a block schematic diagram of a security arrangement in community premises; Figure 4 is a block schematic diagram of an environmental alarm including detectors; Figure 5 is a block schematic diagram of an environmental alarm including a manually operable alarm switch;

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of data stored in security aware apparatus of the kind disclosed in the proprietor's previous patent applications; Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of data stored in alarm and detector apparatus in the system of the invention;

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of data stored in the remote control centre of the kind disclosed in the proprietor's previous patent applications; Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of data storage in the home control centre of the kind disclosed in the proprietor's previous applications;

Figure 10 is a flow chart showing modifications of the operation of a processor in the home control centre of the earlier disclosed security system to implement the present invention in such a control centre; Figure 1 1 is a flow chart showing modifications of the operation of the remote operations centre of the earlier disclosed security system to implement the present invention; and

Figures 1 2 to 1 6 are signalling diagrams showing the interaction between modules of the security system of the invention. Referring first to figure 1 , the previously disclosed security system includes a remote operations centre 4 connected to the PSTN 1 and responsive to calls through the network from home control centres 2 in domestic or other premises 3 only one of which is shown. The home control centre 2 acts as an interface between the mains electricity supply line 6 and the PSTN and provides release data in response to signalling requests from electrical appliances 5 (only one of which is shown for simplicity) .

In operation, when a StealthAware (Trademark) appliance 5 is first connected to the mains electrical circuit (or when power is first applied after a disconnection) a control processor of the appliance transmits an identity code to the electricity supply line 6, This signalling is detected in the home control centre 2 which determines from data held in its own (volatile) data store whether the apparatus has previously been connected. If this is the first connection of appliance 5 then the home control centre 2 establishes a telephone call to the StealthGuard (trademark) remote operations centre 4 to register the presence of the apparatus. The remote centre 4 may use manufacture and product identification data included in the transmission to establish the bona fides of the apparatus and will provide codes allocated specifically to the apparatus based on the location of the home control centre 2. The codes are stored by the control centre 2 and are transmitted by way of the electricity supply line 6 to the appliance 5 which stores the release code allocated together with other codes such as a blanking code which is used to allow bona fide transfer of previously coded apparatus. A typical data store arrangement for a StealthAware appliance is shown in Figure 6. Once an apparatus has been coded, that is it has an "Appliance Unlock Code" as shown in Figure 6, on subsequent disconnection and re-connection of electrical power transmission of the identity code to the electricity supply line will result in the home control centre 2 returning the appliance unlock code. If the apparatus does not receive its respective unlock code within a predetermined period of time electrical power will be disconnected from operation circuits of the apparatus until such time as a correct unlocking code is received . Thus apparatus removed from its correct sphere of operation will cease to function and will be of limited value to a thief for example thus deterring theft of StealthAware (trademark) apparatus. Turning now also to Figure 2, in addition to the mains connected appliances 5 there is shown a detector 1 1 an alarm switch 1 2. Although only a single detector 1 1 and a single alarm switch 1 2 is shown it will be appreciated that in a single premises there may be multiple detectors and switches. An example of a detector circuit 1 1 is shown in Figure 4 to which reference is also made. Here, the detector module 1 1 includes sensor circuits 14 (for example smoke or carbon monoxide detectors of known kind) . The sensor circuits may be of the kind re-settable by transmitted signals or may be tested using such signals.

Output signals from the sensor circuits 1 5 are received by a micro processor control system 1 5 which is triggered by the signals to effect communication through a signal generator 1 8 and a mains connection 1 9 to the premises electricity supply line 6. Further operation of the processor control will become apparent from the description hereinafter. The microprocessor 1 5 communicates with a data store to hold reference data in respect of the detector and is responsive to a signal interface 1 7 to signals received by way of the electricity supply line 6 to effect amendment of the data in the data store 1 6 or to cause testing or re-setting of the sensor circuits 14. As shown in Figure 5 the "panic alarm" essentially comprises the same components as the environmental detector alarm 1 1 of Figure 4 except that the sensor circuits 1 4 are replaced by a manually operable switch (panic button) 20 which may again be re- settable or testable by remote instruction over the electricity supply line 6 either at the instance of the remote control centre 4 (of Figure 1 ) or at the instance of the home control centre 2.

It will be noted, referring also to Figure 7, that the data required to be stored in respect of detectors and alarms is less complex than that required to be stored in respect of protected apparatus requiring only to identify the actual unit by Manufacturer's data and serial number, the equipment reference indicating the type of alarm.

Referring briefly to Figure 3, for installation in a neighbourhood or area, for example to provide a detection function to a tenement or apartment building, a community control centre 21 having a connection 22 to the PSTN and a connection 23 to the mains electricity distribution circuit may be provided. The community control centre 21 provides the functionality of the control centre 2 in respect of alarm detection functions and communication with the remote operations centre 4 (of Figure 1 ) . It may however not provide the full functionality of the home control centre in respect of StealthAware apparatus although such functionality could be included.

Referring now to Figure 10, the functionality of the home control centre 2 as disclosed in the above mentioned co-pending patent applications is generally indicated by "Unlock Request" 30 being a signal received by the control centre 2 from StealthAware appliances by way of the mains electrical circuit or other communication such as a local area network or low powered radio transmission including DECT signalling for example. Further description of the operation of the processor of the home control centre 2 in respect of an unlock request (as briefly outlined hereinbefore) may be obtained by reference to the earlier patent applications and is not further discussed herein. Similarly, the data stored in the home control centre 2 is schematically represented in Figure 9 and further description thereof is not deemed necessary in the context of the present application except to state that once a detector or alarm unit has been registered its presence and status as an alarm unit will be registered in the data store. Returning again to Figure 10 while also referring to figures 2 and 3 and noting that the following functionality applies to both the home control centre 2 and the community control centre 21 , when an environmental alarm unit ( 1 1 , 1 2) is first connected to mains power (or in the case of a low power radio communications or LAN or connectionless communications link is first switched on) it will transmit a registration request. The registration request signalling is received by the control unit 2, 21 as indicated at step 31 as a trigger from the stable main state 29. The control centre initiates a call to the remote operations centre and transmits a registration request (32) including the identity of the originating module. The remote operations centre returns a registration response to the calling line which is received (33) by the control unit 2. The control unit adds the registration details(34) to its data store and transmits a registration response (35) to the transmitting module. The control processor 1 5 of the transmitting module on receipt of the registration request will store data indicating that the unit has successfully registered and may cause an optical or audible indication of registration success.

Should an alert signal be transmitted by an environmental alarm module 1 1 , 1 2 this is detected as a trigger 36 causing micro processor of the control centre 2,21 to exit from main state 29. At step 37 the processor determines whether the transmitting detector is registered to the particular control centre 2,21 and if so initiates a call to the remote operations centre and transmits (38) an alarm condition alert which will include the alarm type and serial number for example.

An alarm condition response (39) received from the remote operations centre 4 is reflected to the transmitting unit (40) and the control centre 2 continues to monitor for an alarm condition clear. Should the alarm condition clear, as indicated by signals received over the supply line 6, then on detection (41 ) the control unit 2 will forward an alarm condition cleared indication (42) to the remote operations centre and may receive additional signalling (not shown) to effect transmission of reset signals to the alerting unit for example. Returning now to step 37, if the alerting detector is not shown as present in this control centre's data store, it is possible either that a previous registration has not been effected or that the alert condition is occurring in proximal location by an environmental detector module registered to another control centre 2,21 . In this case, the processor of the control centre commences a timer (43) and monitors for signalling of an alarm condition alert directed to the alerting module. If such a response, which will have been provided by the control unit 2,21 to which the module is registered, is detected (step 44) then the control unit processor clears the timer and returns to its quiescent state 29. If, however, the timer expires then this control unit will transmit signals to the remote operations centre 4. This ensures that when an alarm condition occurs, even if the control unit to which the module is registered fails, transmission of the alarm to the remote operations centre will most likely still occur.

One further condition (not shown in Figurel O) is a test condition which enables an alarm test signal to be transmitted to the local control unit 2,21 which, if the apparatus is registered, will cause initiation of a call to the remote operations centre 4 so that manually or periodical automatic testing of the communications links may occur. A test response from the remote operations centre is reflected to the appropriate alert module so that audible or optical indication of alarm efficacy can be given.

Referring now to figure 1 1 , and also to Figure 8, the quiescent state 50 of an instance of process operation at the remote operation centre 4 may be triggered by a number of differing inputs received from home control centres 2. The existing states "Request Equipment list" 51 , "Repatriation Location Request" 52, "Equipment stored confirm" 53, "equipment Code required" 54, "HCC Blank Complete"55, "Equipment Cover timer expired" 56 and other previously defined conditions are explained in detail in the above mentioned co-pending applications and need not be further discussed herein. The first condition specific to environmental detector alarms 1 1 , 1 2 is the receipt at the remote operations centre of a registration request 60 from a control unit 2,21 . The transmitted information including the serial number of the alarm module may be associated with data previously provide (for example form the supplying source, fire brigade, police, healthcare organisation) to associate the module with a telephone number for example enabling confirmatory call back to be made on alert detect. If no such number is present the module registration will still be processed but will be specifically associated with the CLI of the home control unit 2 or will have no association or a default association. The remote operations centre adds the module identity (61 ) to the customer data (Figure 8) as an additional appliance together with the call-back number. A registration response (62) is then returned to the calling control centre 2,21 .

The second condition which may arise is an alarm test condition (63) which may be the same as a registration request (60) but referring to an already registered unit. Assuming that on receipt of the alarm test condition 63 the identity of the calling module is already present in the customer data then a test response (64) is sent back to the control centre 2,21 for confirmation of the presence of the module in the list to be transmitted to the module so that optical or audible confirmation as hereinabove referred to may be given. The third condition which may be received by the remote operations centre 4 is the alarm condition (65) . On receipt of an alarm condition, an alarm response (66) is immediately transmitted to the calling control centre 2,21 and a "false alarm" timer is started (67) . If prior to expiry of the timer an alarm clear signal is received (68) then no further action, other than possibly to transmit a reset condition for the alarm, is required.

Should the timer expire without receipt of an alarm clear condition then the data relating to the respective control centre is checked (69) to determine whether there is a call back number associated with the respective alarm module. If no call-back number is present then a call is placed (70) to the appropriate emergency control centre 8 (Figure 1 ) by way of the PSTN telephone line ( 1 0) (or other appropriate communications link) for display of details to an operator's display screen 9. If a call-back number is present (with different numbers potentially being available for each type of environmental alarm unit within a customers premises) then a call timer is started and a call initiated to the call back number (70) . On answer the called customer is asked to confirm the alert and if so or if the customer gives no response to a voiced announcement then a call is placed (70) to the appropriate emergency control centre 8. If the called customer cancels the alert (false alarm condition) then the alarm may be cleared as described above (68). Figure 1 2 shows the signalling sequence for registration of an environmental detector module. To avoid false registrations, a manually operable register button (not shown) is pressed at the control centre 2. If either power is connected or a register button of the detector module is pressed within a pre-determined period after activation of the control centre the a registration request signal is transmitted (by way of the power supply line or by low power radio or other means) and is received at the control centre 2 which then initiates the call to the operations centre 4 which now registers the detector in the customer data. A registration response is sent to the home control centre 2 which reflects the response to the module which may give an audible or optical indication of successful registration. In Figure 1 3, when an alarm condition is detected the environmental monitor module transmits an alarm, condition alert which is received by the home control centre 2 which initiates a call to the remote operations centre 4 and transmits an alarm condition alert. The operations centre 4 returns an alarm condition response which is again reflected to the environmental monitor module. Note that on receipt of the alarm condition alert the operations centre 4 commences a timer to cover false alarm conditions. When the false alarm timer expires then the emergency alert procedure is commenced. Figure 14 shows the additional signalling functions when an alarm condition is cleared before expiry of the timer such that additional to the alert and response sequence, a condition cleared signal from the module 1 1 , 1 2 to the home control centre 2 will result in an alarm condition cleared signal for the home control centre to the remote operations centre 4. Figure 1 5 shows the signal flows when the false alarm timer cover of figure 1 3 expires without the alarm condition cleared indication of figure 14 being received. In this case once the alarm cover timer expires the operations centre initiates the call back sequence and then effects condition clear or effects a call to the third party agent. Finally, in figure 1 6 if the test button on a detector module 1 1 , 1 2 is pushed then an alarm condition test signal is transmitted to the home control unit 2 which initiates a call to the remote operations centre 4 which, subject to registration having previously been effected, returns an alarm test response to the control centre 2 which forwards the test response signal to the environmental detector 1 1 , 1 2 which gives an audible or optical indication of test success. The arrangement of Figure 3 in which a multiplicity of detectors is provided is particularly effective for use in buildings in multiple occupancy. In such buildings local alarms (Smoke detectors with audible alert for example) may be ineffective in alerting neighbours to a potentially dangerous condition. If the occupant of the apartment is unable to respond to the alarm condition for any reason then an escalating danger may occur.

By providing communications between detector units and a community control centre 21 by way of existing electrical wiring then minimal additional installation costs are incurred in providing protection for such buildings and their occupiers.

Claims

1 . A security system of the kind including means responsive to signalling generated by domestic apparatus to determine a release code either from a stored listing or from communication with a control centre, the release code being transmitted to signalling apparatus to confirm locational validity of the apparatus, the apparatus including a local control centre which has a communications link to a remote control centre, the local control centre including means responsive to signals indicative of an environmental alarm to establish an immediate communication between the local control centre and the remote control centre and to cause transmission of signals identifying the type and location of the alarm, the remote control centre including means responsive to signalling from the local control centre to determine the validity of the locational data and to communicate with a predetermined third control centre appropriate to the alarm condition occurring.

2. A security system as claimed in claim 1 in which connected environmental alarm apparatus uses an electrical mains distribution system to communicate with the local control centre.

3. A security system as claimed in claim 2 in which the environmental alarm apparatus communicates with the local control centre by superimposing amplitude modulated signals on the electrical distribution circuit.

4. A security system as claimed in Claim 2 in which the environmental alarm apparatus communicates with the local control centre by superimposing FSK signalling on the electrical distribution circuit.

5. A security system as claimed in claim 1 in which environmental alarm apparatus communicates with the local control centre by way of low power radio communication.

6. A security system as claimed in any preceding claim in which the local control centre uses the PSTN for communication with the remote control centre, the local control centre being pre-programmed with a destination telephone number to which environmental alarm calls are directed .

7. A security system as claimed in any preceding claim in which the local control centre includes means responsive to first connection of an environmental apparatus to communicate with the remote control centre to verify the location of installed apparatus whereby the location and validity of any subsequent alarm calls from the installed apparatus may be confirmed.

8. A security system as claimed in any preceding claim in which the local control centre includes a data store for storing a data listing in respect of coded electrical apparatus in specific premises.

9. A security system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 in which the local control centre is responsive to a multiplicity of environmental detection units serving an area or neighbourhood such as a tenement or apartment block.

10. A security system as claimed in any preceding claim in which the local control centre is programmed to detect alarm conditions arising beyond its immediate locality and to monitor for transmission of a response to the alarm condition from another local control centre and, if such a response is not detected within a predetermined period of time, to cause communication of signals identifying the originating environmental detection unit to the remote control centre.

1 1 . An environmental detector unit including signalling means to transmit signals identifying the unit to a control centre, the unit including detector or switch means which cause transmission of identity signals by way of the signalling means, the signalling means being adapted to transmit signals by way of an electrical mains distribution system. 1 2, An environmental detector unit as claimed in claim 1 1 in which the signalling means superimposes amplitude modulated signals on the electrical , mains distribution circuit.

1 3. An environmental detector unit as claimed in Claim 1 1 in which the signalling means superimposes FSK signals on the electrical mains distribution circuit. 14. A local control unit for use in a security system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 1 0.

1 5. An environmental detector unit in combination with a security system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10.