Communication module for a security system and method for same

A security system comprising:

• a plurality of detection devices each configured to selectively transmit an alarm signal in response to an alarm condition;
• and
• a control unit comprising:
• a main processor module in communication with the plurality of detection devices for receiving the alarm signal from each detection device of the plurality of detection devices;
• a half-duplex radio configured to operate exclusively in either one of a voice reception mode and a transmit mode, wherein, when in the voice reception mode, the half-duplex radio receives a voice signal from a remote half-duplex radio and, when in the transmit mode, the half-duplex radio transmits an outgoing audio signal to a remote half-duplex radio;
• and
• a communication module comprising:
• a radio interface module interfaced with a communication port of the half-duplex radio;
• a microprocessor module in communication with the radio interface module;
• and
• a signal routing module in communication with the microprocessor module;
• wherein, when one of the detection devices detects the alarm condition:
• the detection devices transmit the alarm signal to the main processor module;
• the main processor module generates a control signal and the outgoing audio signal in response to the alarm signal and transmits the control signal and the outgoing audio signal to the signal routing module;
• the signal routing module transmits the outgoing audio signal to the radio interface module and transmits the control signal to the microprocessor module;
• and
• the microprocessor module determines whether the half-duplex radio has received a digital talk permit tone, and when the half-duplex radio has received the digital talk permit tone, the microprocessor module activates the transmit mode of the half-duplex radio and controls the radio interface module based upon the control signal to facilitate transmission of the outgoing audio signal through the radio interface module and from the half-duplex radio to a remote half-duplex radio;
• and
• wherein, when the half-duplex radio is in the voice reception mode and receives the voice signal:
• the microprocessor module translates the voice signal into text data and transmits the text data to the signal routing module;
• and
• the signal routing module transmits the text data to the main processor module which transmits the text data to a user-interface device.

A method of communicating via a half-duplex radio for a security system, the security system comprising a control unit and a plurality of detection devices in communication with the control unit, the method comprising:

• receiving, at the half-duplex radio of the control unit, a voice message from a remote half-duplex radio;
• translating, at a microprocessor module of the control unit, the voice message into text data;
• transmitting, by the control unit, the text data to a user-interface device;
• detecting, by the plurality of detection devices, an alarm condition;
• transmitting, by the plurality of detection devices, an alarm signal to a main processor module of the control unit;
• transmitting an outgoing audio signal to a radio interface module in response to the alarm signal;
• transmitting a control signal to the microprocessor module of the control unit in response to the alarm signal;
• determining, by the microprocessor module of the control unit, whether the half-duplex radio has received a digital talk permit tone;
• and
• when the half-duplex radio has received the digital talk permit tone, activating, by the microprocessor module, a transmit mode of the half-duplex radio and controlling the half-duplex radio based upon the control signal to facilitate transmission of the outgoing audio signal from the half-duplex radio to a remote half-duplex radio.