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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to programmable security alarm systems and,
in particular, to an improved system controller which is programmably
responsive to a plurality of distributed wireless and hardwired alarm
sensors/transducers and which communicates with neighboring system
controllers and a central station interactively monitoring a number of
subscriber systems.
With the advent of microprocessors and integrated circuitry, the security
alarm industry has seen the introduction of a variety of low-end systems
capable of meeting the security needs of the average homeowner and small
business. Such systems typically are of the hardwired, loop impedance
monitoring type and accommodate a limited number of environmental zones;
that is, most commonly less than twenty controller identifiable zones are
monitorable by way of an equal member of hardwired sensors. Additional
sensors may be used but typically are not separately identifiable to the
system controller. Alarm annunciation may either occur locally or be
reported to a central station via separate phone line connections or radio
frequency (RF) transmissions.
Although, too, wireless RF systems have been developed, the two types of
systems (i.e. hardwired and wireless) are mutually exclusive of each other
and separate controllers are required to respond to the differeing types
of sensors/transducers. Conversion circuitry can be used to permit one
sensor/transducer type to communicate with another controller (e.g. U.S.
Pat. Nos. 3,925,763 and 4,446,454), but must be replicated for each
sensor. This limits the upgradability of an installed system and increases
cost.
Appreciating too the limited installation size accommodated by most
available systems, a need exists therefore for a system controller having
greater zonal capacity and able to accommodate both hardwired and wireless
sensors. Such a controller could be adapted to the needs of larger
installations, as well as facilitate the upgrading of existing systems,
regardless of type. Applicant particularly believes an expandable,
wireless system controller can best accommodate these ends.
As regards the desirable features of such a system, Applicant is aware of a
number of systems and controllers which are responsive to a plurality of
distributed hardwired transducers. These systems can be found upon
directing attention to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,848,231; 4,001,819; 4,228,424; and
4,465,904. The controllers of such systems, however, are responsive to
hardwired transducers only, as opposed to either hardwired or wireless
transducers. The transducers are also not separately programmable.
Applicant is also aware of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,927,404; 4,203,096; 4,257,038;
4,581,606 and Applicant's own pending U.S. application Ser. No.
06/837,208, filed Mar. 10, 1986 and entitled "SECURITY SYSTEM WITH
PROGRAMMABLE SENSOR AND USER DATA INPUT TRANSMITTERS" which disclose
systems having controller identifiable sensors, some of which sensors are
electrically programmable. Again, however, the controllers of these
systems are not directly responsive to both wireless and hardwired
sensors/transducers.
Applicant is also aware various of the above-mentioned systems include
controllers which communicate detected sensor data, along with user
specific data, such as billing account numbers and the like, to a central
station by way of provided phone lines and/or an RF link. Furthermore,
ones of such system controllers are programmably responsive to
user/installer-entered access codes and delay periods. However, it is not
believed any of such systems are capable of simultaneously responding
equally to hardwired or wireless sensors, nor communicating in a network
arrangement via neighboring system controllers to a common central
station. Moreover, none of such system controllers are believed to be
operative to self-learn the identities of their various distributed
sensors, among a variety of other features provided for in the presently
improved system controller.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide a
programmable system controller simultaneously responsive to an increased
number of separately programmable wireless and hardwired
sensors/transducers, having maximized configuration flexibility and
adaptable to a network configuration interactively communicating with a
common central station which monitors a plurality of other subscriber
systems including similarly constructed system controllers.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a network wherein
each system controller has greater amounts of system data available, as
well as network data, and communications with the central station can be
selectively controlled.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an installer-friendly
system with alternative programming modalities and expanded sensor
reporting capabilities, wherein sensor identification data is self-logged
into a system controller memory, wherein selected sensors can be bypassed
and wherein defective sensors can be more readily detected.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a plurality of user and
central station programmable levels of access codes for controlling access
to the system and the arming level of the secured site.
It is a further object of the invention to enable neighboring system
controllers to monitor and access, under selected circumstances, the
communication capabilities of one another, and to permit the central
station to program which neighbors respond to which other neighbors.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a system
controller operative relative to stored listings of programmable
sensor/transducer numbers, system arming levels and a variety of
programmable parameters and options to respond per pre-programmed, grouped
sensor/transducer response data.
The foregoing objects and advantages are achieved in the present invention
in a security alarm network including a plurality of similarly constructed
microprocessor-based system controllers. The central processor of each
system controller is supported by pre-programmed internal and external
read only and random access operating memories. In particular, the
external default read only memory (ROM) and programmable random access
memory (RAM) define system operation relative to a plurality of grouped,
separately programmable wireless and hardwired sensor/transducer numbers
and a plurality of system arming levels. A plurality of system parameters,
options and features are also programmably available to tailor each
controller to a desired operation and configured hardware. An integrated
system power controller, telephone communication means, radio frequency
communication link, four-wire sensor bus, hardwired transducer control
circuitry reponsive to a plurality of hardwire and "Pinpoint" input
modules, display means and external annunciator means complete the
assembly.
In addition to a plurality of enhanced programmable functions, each system
controller is interactively responsive to the central station and user and
is operative to self-learn the identity of its assigned sensors; maintain
a chronological, central station accessible log of all reported alarm
conditions; permit the central station to audibly monitor a secured
premises; directly program transducers from the controller; access the
system controller of one of a plurality of neighboring systems during a
phone failure condition; and delay reporting an alarm until multiple
sensors/transducers confirm the presence of an alarm condition.
The foregoing objects, advantages and distinctions of the invention, along
with its detailed construction, will become particularly apparent upon
directing attention to the following description with respect to the
appended drawings. It is to be appreciated the description is made by way
of the presently preferred embodiment only and assumes the reader to be
one of skill in the art. It is not intended to be all-encompassing in
scope, but rather only be descriptive of the presently preferred mode and
should not be interpreted in any respect to be self-limiting. To the
extent modifications or improvements may have been considered, they are
described as appropriate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a generalized block diagram of a typical system and network of
neighboring systems relative to a multi-subscriber central station.
FIG. 2, including FIGS. 2a through 2i, shows a detailed schematic diagram
of the system controller.
FIG. 3, including FIGS. 3a through 3b, shows a schematic diagram of the
system controller's radio frequency communication's control circuitry.
FIGS. 4a and 4b show a schematic diagram of the system's logic array for
controlling input/output operations.
FIG. 5 shows a generalized diagram of the operation of the "buddy"
communications.
FIG. 6 shows a flow chart of the CPU's operation relative to a buddy system
alarm and the initialization or self-learning of each sensor/transducer
number.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, a generalized block diagram is shown of a typical
security network 2 such as might be found within any number of cities or
locales wherein a central station 4 monitors a number of subscriber
systems, each of which systems are controlled by an alarm controller SC1
through SCN. Each subscriber may comprise an individual residence,
industrial or office site, but all of which communicate with the central
station 4 via commercially available telephone lines TL1, TL2 through TLN.
Depending on the subscriber system, multiple phone lines may be provided
to the central station 4 to allow the system controller to sequentially
access one or the other of the lines to report system data (reference the
PModes of Table 10).
With particular attention directed to the subscriber system centering about
the system controller SC1, each subscriber system includes a similarly
constructed system controller which is tailor programmed to the
subscriber's needs and which generally communicates with a number of
distributed hardwired and/or wireless sensors/transducers that may be
arranged in a variety of configurations. Consequently, depending upon the
type of responding sensor or transducer, communications with the system
controller can occur over either a radio frequency (RF) transmission link
or a hardwired link, bus 8 per defined protocols established for each mode
of communication. Although too the system controllers are operationally
similar to one another, their modular circuitry and programming may differ
relative to the number, type and arrangements of sensors/transducers, but
which will become more apparent hereinafter.
The subscriber system of the system controller SC1 includes a number of
distributed wireless sensors S1 through SN. Each sensor is comprised of
interconnected transducer and sensor transmitter portions which
appropriately communicate with the system controller SC1 via encoded radio
frequency transmissions. The transducer portions monitor a physical alarm
condition and the state of which is communicated by the closely associated
transmitter portion to the system controller SC1. The transducer portion
may consist of a variety of conventional NO/NC momentary contact switches,
fire/smoke, motion, traffic or audio detectors. The transmitter portion,
in turn, periodically programmably transmits status data, along with
identification data defining a house code and a sensor/transducer number,
to the controller SC1 relative to previously programmed operating or
preconditioning parameters established at the time of installaton. More of
the details of the construction and operation of the sensors S1 through SN
can be found upon directing attention to Applicant's co-pending U.S.
patent application, Ser. No. 06/837,208, filed Mar. 10, 1986, and entitled
"SECURITY SYSTEM WITH PROGRAMMABLE SENSOR AND USER DATA INPUT
TRANSMITTERS".
Otherwise, also coupled to the system controller SC1 via a hardwired,
four-wire bus 8, including power, ground, Data In and Data Out conductors,
are a number of transducers T1 through TN coupled to intervening,
so-called "Pinpoint" modules PP1 through PPN and "hardwired" input modules
HIM1 through HIMN. Of the four conductors, only the Data In/Out conductors
are shown. As presently configured, each system controller accommodates a
mixture of up to a combined total of eight Pinpoint or hardwired modules,
with any mixture of the module types or up to eight or either type and
none of the other type. Any number of hardwire transducers within the
limitations of the modules and zonal capabilities of the controller may
thus be coupled to the bus 8.
Like the sensors S1 through SN, the transducers T1 through TN via the
Pinpoint and HIM modules monitor various environmental conditions such as
the status of a window, door, fire alarm, floor mat sensor, motion
detector or other alarm device. Instead of using an RF communications
link, the modules report their transducers' status data over the Data
In/Out conductors of the hardwired bus 8. It is the Pinpoint and HIM
modules which allow the system controllers SC1 to SCN to mate with
existing hardwired systems and expand their capabilities to accommodate
still other hardwired and wireless transucers and sensors.
Referring to the Pinpoint modules PP1 and PP2 and their associated
transducers T-1-T-7, it again is to be appreciated that up to eight such
modules can be coupled to each controller and between which any number of
transducers can be arranged in configurations like that shown for the PP1
module. Each module, regardless of type, is assigned a decimal unit number
from 0 to 7 which identifies the controller SC1 and the portion of its
circuitry that responds to Pinpoint/HIM transmissions. Each Pinpoint
module is further programmed at installation with identification numbers
for each of its transducers with the system controller's internal
programmer and a touch circuit coupled to the bus 8 or a wireless keypad
13. identification data comprises a six-bit sensor/transducer (S/T) or
zone number (reference Tables 4 and 5) like that assigned to each wireless
sensor S1 to SN, except which, in lieu of a unit number, are assigned a
code. Each sensor/transducer is thus identified by the controller SC1.
As described, a desired number of transducers may be identitiably coupled
to the looped bus 8' of each Pinpoint module in various fashions. For
example and as with the transducers T1, T2 and T6, T7, each transducer is
coupled in parallel to its module's looped bus 8' which transducers are
separately identifiable by way of the assigned unit and S/T numbers which
are stored in the Pinpoint modules PP1 and PP2 and accessed as the
transducers respond.
Situations may exist, as with transducers T3, T4 and T5, which are
series/parallel coupled to one another and the bus 8', where the
transducers are not separately identifiable. In this instance, the
Pinpoint module can be programmed to identify an alarm to the transducers
as a group or a specific zone of the premises only; that is, the sub-loop
8", and not a specific window, door or the like. Thus, a number of
transducers can be assigned a single identification number.
Where too alarm and supervisory transmissions from the sensors S1 to SN may
occur at any time, those from the Pinpoint transducers T1 to T7 and
hardwired input module transducers T8 to TN are consigned to occur on a
time multiplexed basis relative to one another and the controller SC1.
That is, during regularly repeating time windows and in response to
control signals from the controller over the Data Out conductor, each of
the eight possible Pinpoint and HIM modules, along with the others,
reports the status of one of its transducers. The collective status data
is received at the controller over the Data in conductor, where it is
organized into a defined format by a Pinpoint/HIM interface buffer.
The controller's central processor unit (CPU), in turn, monitors the
Pinpoint/HIM buffer to access preprogrammed response data relative to the
particularly responding transducers and a user assigned system arming
level. Any detected activity is logged into a chronologically maintained
event buffer and, depending upon its significance, may also be reported to
the central station 4 and/or induce local annunciation activity. The time
windows are also relatively short (i.e. 125 milliseconds), such that if
two or more alarms are simultaneously reported to any one module, they are
sequentially communicated and processed over the next successive time
windows. Any concurrent RF sensor activity is interleaved with the
hardwired transducer activity at the CPU and similarly reported depending
upon the particular programmed response for each reporting
sensor/transducer identification number at the particularly programmed
arming level. Most important to the user, however, is that the system
response to any multiply detected alarm activity appears simultaneous.
Relative to the general construction and operation of each Pinpoint module,
attention is particularly directed to Applicant's co-pending U.S. patent
application, Ser. No. 06/894,098, filed Aug. 8, 1986, and entitled
"MULTIPLEXED ALARM SYSTEM". A better appreciation can be had therefrom as
to the manner in which each module's circuitry monitors and responds to
the transducers T1 through T7.
Depending again upon the installation, up to eight hardwire input modules
may be coupled to the bus 8. Each HIM module is capable of serving up to
eight transducers. Like the Pinpoint modules, each HIM module has an
assigned unit or number and each unit is allotted a specific portion of
every other 125 millisecond time window in which to report the status of
one of its sensors.
Whereas the transducers coupled to the buses 8' and 8" are individually
identifiable, except possibly those of bus 8", the transducers T8 to TN
coupled to the HIM modules do not have separately assigned identification
numbers. Instead, each of the eight ports of each module is assigned a
specific identification number and all transducers coupled thereto are
identified in mass. In the latter instance, all such transducers are again
commonly found within a physically confined or localized area of the
protected site, such as window contacts. Consequently, if an alarm occurs
at one of the multi-transducer input ports of one of the HIM modules, it
is necessary to physically inspect the premises to determine which
transducer is in its alarm state.
The HIM modules HIM1 through HIMN find particular application with
pre-existing transducers. That is, where a system is being upgraded, the
system controller SC1 can be added and zonally coupled via the Pinpoint
and HIMs to a variety of the existing transducers, without having to re-do
the entire system. Additional wireless and hardwired transducers can later
be added as required to take advantage of the enhanced capabilities of the
controller SC1. The subscriber is thus assured of system integrity, with
minimal switch-over costs, as the pre-existing system is upgraded. For the
subscriber who is somewhat reluctant to try or has concern about a
completely wireless installation, the modular wireless/hardwired
capabilities of the subject invention are particularly advantageous. Most
importantly, however, the controller SC1 is responsive to transmissions
from both wireless and hardwired sensors/transducers.
Whereas too the system controller SC1 principally communicates with the
central station 4 via the telephone link TL1, it may also communicate with
one or more of the neighboring controllers SC2 to SCN via a separately
provided RF communications link RF1. That is, under certain circumstances,
the controller SC1 is programmably operable to communicate with one or
more of the neighboring controllers SC2 through SCN so long as these
controllers are within the transmision range and include a receiver
responding to the same frequency as SC1's RF1 transmitter. The transmitter
range typically is one-fourth of a mile.
At present, the CPU would operate the RF1 transmitter only during an alarm
condition and only if the controller SC1 was unable to access its
telephone link TL1 to the central station 4. Upon one or more neighbor
systems detecting SC1's transmi | | |
