IE20030578U1 - Environment monitoring system - Google Patents
Environment monitoring systemInfo
- Publication number
- IE20030578U1 IE20030578U1 IE2003/0578A IE20030578A IE20030578U1 IE 20030578 U1 IE20030578 U1 IE 20030578U1 IE 2003/0578 A IE2003/0578 A IE 2003/0578A IE 20030578 A IE20030578 A IE 20030578A IE 20030578 U1 IE20030578 U1 IE 20030578U1
- Authority
- IE
- Ireland
- Prior art keywords
- sms
- message
- communication means
- event
- messages
- Prior art date
Links
- 238000001514 detection method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 5
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 claims description 10
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 description 6
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000005516 engineering process Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000004913 activation Effects 0.000 description 2
- 241000723668 Fax Species 0.000 description 1
- 241000269346 Siren Species 0.000 description 1
- 238000003745 diagnosis Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002401 inhibitory effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000977 initiatory Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000006011 modification reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000779 smoke Substances 0.000 description 1
Abstract
ABSTRACT An environment monitoring system includes sensors (10) for monitoring the environment and control panel (12) for detecting different system events. A digital communicator (16) automatically sends an SMS text message on a fixed telephone line (18) in response to the detection of a least one event. The digital communicator (16) is also able to receive SMS messages for, e.g. remote arming/disarming of the system.
Description
Environment Monitoring System
This invention relates to environment monitoring systems,
such as intruder detection (security) systems and fire
alarm systems.
Currently, security systems that require remote
monitoring contain a so—called digital communicator which
will dial a monitoring system following any significant
event. Communications to the monitoring system are
typically via DTMF tones. The monitoring system is
supervised by an operator, who when informed of an event
by the monitoring system decides on a course of action to
be followed (for example to contact the police or a key
holder for the premises).
At present, SMS technology is predominantly used in the
mobile phone arena, with users able to send text messages
to each other rather than having full phone calls.
Automated services also make use of this system; for
example, by advising a user that they have a voice mail
message waiting for them or welcoming a user to a new
network when travelling abroad. Recently this technology
has been incorporated into fixed telephone line (land
line) systems. This technology has been implemented in
conjunction with the Caller ID systems contained within
telephone exchanges, where typically modems are used for
the transfer of the relevant data to achieve the SMS
functionality. If a customer purchases an SMS—capable
phone they can send and receive SMS messages, either to
mobile phones or to other fixed line phones that are SMS
capable.
According to the present invention there is provided an
environment monitoring system including sensor means for
monitoring the environment, a control means for detecting
different system events, and a communication means for
automatically sending a message on a fixed telephone line
in response to the detection of at least one said event,
wherein the communication means is adapted to send the
message as a text message according to a protocol defined
by an international standard for SMS text services on
fixed telephone lines.
In a preferred embodiment, the communication means stores
a plurality of different SMS numbers and associated event
types and automatically sends an SMS message to the
relevant number upon detection of an event of the
respective type.
Also, the communication means is preferably adapted to
receive SMS text messages according to said protocol and
the control means is adapted to perform at least one
function in response thereto.
The basis of this invention is, therefore, that
communications can be made from and, in the preferred
embodiment, to a security system, or other environment
monitoring system, via a fixed telephone line and the SMS
system.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by
way of example, with reference to the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
Fig. l is a block diagram of the system hardware
embodying the invention; and
Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the digital communicator
forming part of the system of Fig. 1.
This embodiment makes use of the recent introduction of
SMS text services on land line based phone systems. The
European Telecommunications Standards Institute has
specified how this may be implemented (ETSI ES 201 912
v1.1.1). This standard describes two different protocols
that may be implemented to achieve the required
functionality. The protocol implemented in Ireland,
Protocol 1, which is used in the present embodiment, will
first be summarised. It should be noted that the
protocols are capable of being implemented by equipment
that shares a phone line with other devices, such as
telephones, faxes, answering machines etc. They also
allow for multiple SMS devices to be connected to the
same line, as described below.
An SMS host system is combined with the Caller ID
services provided by the telecommunications operator and
the two services operate together to achieve the SMS
functionality. Messages are handled by an SMS Service
Centre (SMS—SC) within the telecommunications system.
Messages are sent by the land line based equipment (in
the present embodiment a digital communicator) seizing
the phone line, dialling a number for the SMS—SC,
establishing a link with the SMS-SC, transferring a
message request to the SMS—SC and receiving a reply from
the SMS—SC indicating if the message has been accepted.
The SMS-SC ‘knows’ where the message has originated from
by virtue of data provided to it by the Caller ID system.
'EU3U578
Messages can also be transmitted from an SMS—SC to land
line based equipment. On all incoming phone calls the
equipment checks the Caller ID and compares it to that of
the SMS—SC. If the number matches that of the SMS—SC
there are a couple of options as to how the message is
processed. The first option is for the equipment to
immediately answer the phone and initiate a transfer from
the SMS—SC. The second option is for the SMS—SC to cease
ringing the phone once the Caller ID data has been
transmitted and for the SMS equipment to then call the
SMS—SC back and request that the message be sent to it.
The protocols also allow for multiple SMS capable devices
to be attached to a single phone line. In this case the
phone numbers used for the SMS—SC differ slightly for
each device. The last number of the phone numbers used
is what is known as a sub—address and identifies the
particular texting device. In this way up to 10 devices
can be uniquely identified (0 to 9).
Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a security system embodying
the invention. The system comprises a plurality of
sensors 10 distributed about the environment to be
monitored.
The sensors 10 may, for example, be intruder
detectors and/or flame/smoke detectors according to the
nature of the event(s) being monitored. The sensors 10
are connected to a control panel 12 which is responsible
for monitoring the system to detect different system
events, raising an alarm
(via a siren, strobe light,
etc.) when appropriate, communicating with a local user
through a menu system via a keypad 14, and communicating
with remote monitoring stations and SMS servers via a
digital communicator 16 via a fixed land line 18. The
keypad 14 is used by local users to arm and disarm the
system and by an engineer to configure the system. Apart
from the SMS messaging capability, the system may be
entirely conventional.
The SMS messaging capability is implemented by the
digital communicator, Fig. 2, which is capable of
initiating calls to remote monitoring stations, SMS
servers and modem—based computers and receiving calls
from SMS—SCs. The digital communicator 16 is connected
to the control panel 12 via control panel interface
circuitry 20 and to the telephone line 18 via line
interface circuitry 22. A suitably programmed
microcontroller 24 and modem chip 26 implement the SMS
protocol in known manner. As mentioned above, the
protocols also allow for multiple SMS capable devices to
be attached to a single phone line. Thus, in the present
embodiment a further item 30 of SMS—capable phone line
terminating equipment is connected to the digital
communicator 16 and the latter is adapted to discriminate
between SMS messages addressed to itself and SMS messages
addressed to the further item of equipment 30. Although
the digital communicator 16 is shown as a separate device
from the control panel 12 its functionality may be
integrated into the control panel as an additional
logical block or function.
This system has two mechanisms for the transmission of
SMS messages. The first mechanism is the automatic
transmission of the notification of relevant events to
various users. The digital communicator 16 contains, in
a memory 28, a list of target SMS numbers and associated
configuration data defining the type(s) of messages to
send to each number. Options include:
|EU5u57s
— alarm activations.
— system armed or disarmed.
— system part inhibited.
— system events such as telephone line faults, mains
power failure, system in engineer mode.
— activation of sensors which have been placed into test
mode (soak events).
Each time a relevant event occurs, as detected by the
control panel 12, the digital communicator l6 scans the
configuration data and if the event matches a type that
should be sent to any of the stored SMS numbers the
digital communicator dials the SMS—SC and sends the
relevant message(s).
The second mechanism is the transmission of messages as a
result of a local user command at the system keypad 14.
The types of message(s) that can be sent in this fashion
are:
— transmit a test SMS message to one of the numbers
stored in the memory 28.
— transmission of engineer log data (see below) to all
SMS numbers in the memory that are configured to take
this data.
— transmission of engineer log data (see below) to a
number inputted by the user.
The transmission of these messages can be achieved either
through the standard user menu interface or through the
pressing of
‘quick keys’. Quick keys are effectively
menu shortcuts. For example, the pressing of the # or *
key on the keypad followed by an option number. Quick
keys are currently used in many security systems to
lEu5057a
achieve functions such as system arming without a user
code, inhibiting of sensor zones, etc.
The digital communicator 16 is also capable of receiving
SMS text messages on the phone line 18 from a remote SMS
text system according to the protocol. Such messages can
be interpreted by the control panel 12 as commands for
the control panel to carry out some pre—defined function
defined by the command. Such functions include:
— remote arming or disarming of the system.
— remote switching on/off of lights or other electrical
equipment on the premises.
— change of options (e.g. enable or disable texting to
their number).
In addition to using the SMS system for communicating
typical status messages of a security system to various
users, the invention allows a new method of being able to
Check a system and diagnose faults remotely.
In many cases diagnosis of faults within a system can be
quickly achieved by an engineer reviewing the system log
of the security system. For example this can enable
him/her to identify faulty sensors or some system option
that requires modification for correct operation.
With the SMS functionality in place it is possible for
the security system to transmit a number of entries from
the system log to an SMS number. The number of events
can be configurable and the SMS number can either be
preset within the system or entered by the user when
starting the process. An engineer can now remotely
review the system log (or a relevant portion) using an
|Eu5U57B
SMS device and may be able to determine corrective action
without having to visit the customer site. This will
result in greater efficiency in fixing faults and could
reduce significantly the number of visits an engineer has
to make to customer sites to diagnose problems.
The invention is not limited to the embodiment described
herein and may be modified or varied without departing
from the scope of the invention.
Claims (8)
1. An environment monitoring system including sensor means for monitoring the environment, a control means for detecting different system events, and a communication means for automatically sending a message on a fixed telephone line in response to the detection of at least one said event, wherein the communication means is adapted to send the message as a text message according to a protocol defined by an international standard for SMS text services on fixed telephone lines.
2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication means stores a plurality of different SMS numbers and associated event types and automatically sends an SMS message to the relevant number upon detection of an event of the respective type.
3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the communication means is further adapted to send an SMS message under local user command.
4. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the SMS message is sent to a number selected by the local user.
5. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the SMS message is sent to a number automatically determined by the nature of the message.
6. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the communication means is further adapted to receive SMS text messages according to said protocol and the control means is adapted to perform at least one function in response thereto. 10 |EU5U57a
7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein a further item of SMS—capable phone line terminating equipment is connected to the communication means and the latter is adapted to discriminate between SMS messages addressed to itself and SMS messages addressed to the further item of equipment.
8. A system as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein said at least one function comprises remotely arming or disarming the system.
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
IE20030578U1 true IE20030578U1 (en) | 2004-06-16 |
IES83465Y1 IES83465Y1 (en) | 2004-06-16 |
Family
ID=
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
EP2140674B1 (en) | Alarm system providing multiple network routing, interface module and method | |
US6700957B2 (en) | Caller ID system with retransmitted caller ID information | |
US4993059A (en) | Alarm system utilizing wireless communication path | |
US7542721B1 (en) | Systems and methods for providing non-dedicated wireless backup service for monitored security systems via Bluetooth | |
US5327478A (en) | Cellular network data transmission system | |
US8509391B2 (en) | Wireless VoIP network for security system monitoring | |
US6825762B2 (en) | Device for directing a premises alarm panel to a backup radio network upon detection of use of the PSTN by another premises device | |
CA1210879A (en) | Telecommunications system | |
CA2605019C (en) | A system and method for capturing and rerouting an individual local security system | |
US20060067484A1 (en) | Private VoIP network for security system monitoring | |
CN101035174B (en) | Central monitoring station with method to process call based on call source identification information | |
US6014426A (en) | Telephone line integrity monitoring system | |
IE20030578U1 (en) | Environment monitoring system | |
IES83465Y1 (en) | Environment monitoring system | |
IES20030578A2 (en) | Environment monitoring system | |
US7236578B2 (en) | System and method for remotely accessing caller ID information | |
GB2242100A (en) | Alarm communication controller | |
US20050031091A1 (en) | Panel SaverTM CPE detection apparatus and method | |
JP3374265B2 (en) | Security device | |
KR100617474B1 (en) | Security service method using public switch telecommunication network and system thereof and terminal therefor | |
EP0198913A1 (en) | Call unit for use in an emergency call system | |
WO2004093423A1 (en) | System and method for transferring information | |
JP2005323243A (en) | Device, server device, and method for remote supervisory control, and remote supervisory control system using same | |
JP3009313B2 (en) | Information transmission device | |
EP1028582A2 (en) | Method and system for detecting a security system breach using telecommunications equipment |