# US 10,871,961 B2 · Security system with smart connection module > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,871,961 B2 - Document ID: US10871961B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/590,839 - Filed: 2019-10-02 - Published: 2020-04-02 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-02 - Assignees: Alarm.com Incorporated - Applicants: Alarm.com Incorporated - Inventors: Colin Ulen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871961B2 ## CPC - G06F 8/654: using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories - G06F 8/66: {of program code stored in read-only memory [ROM]} - G08B 25/08: using communication transmission lines {(G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence)} - G08B 26/004: {with common interrogation of substations} - G08B 26/008: {central annunciator means of the sensed conditions, e.g. displaying or registering} - H05K 1/0215: {Grounding of printed circuits by connection to external grounding means} - H05K 7/1451: {with connections between circuit boards or units} - H05K 1/117: {Pads along the edge of rigid circuit boards, e.g. for pluggable connectors} - H05K 2201/09163: Slotted edge - H05K 2201/09172: Notches between edge pads - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract Systems and techniques are described for a sensor designed to connect to and monitor devices in an ecosystem. In some implementations, a system monitors a property that includes the sensor configured to generate sensor data reflecting an attribute of the property. The sensor includes a host board that generates the sensor data and a core board connected to the host board. The core board identifies a type of the host board and communicates with a monitor control unit. The monitor control unit receives a request for firmware associated with the type of the host board from the sensor. In response, the monitor control unit accesses the firmware and transmits the firmware to the sensor. The core board of the sensor receives the firmware and stores the firmware. The core board receives the sensor data from the host board and transmits the sensor data to the monitor control unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A monitoring system that is configured to monitor a property, the monitoring system comprising: a sensor that is configured to generate sensor data that reflects an attribute of the property and that comprises: a host board that is configured to generate the sensor data; and a core board that is connected to the host board, that is configured to identify a type of the host board, and that is configured to communicate with a monitor control unit; and the monitor control unit that is configured to: receive, from the core board of the sensor, a request for firmware associated with the type of the host board; in response to receiving the request for firmware associated with the type of the host board, access the firmware associated with the type of the host board; and transmit, to the core board of the sensor, the firmware associated with the type of the host board, wherein the core board of the sensor is configured to: receive the firmware associated with the type of the host board; store the firmware associated with the type of the host board; receive, from the host board, the sensor data; and transmit, to the monitor control unit, the sensor data. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the core board is configured to: connect to the host board through an adaptable connector that comprises one or more pin connectors; retrieve the firmware associated with the type of the host board from a memory of the core board; and configure a function of the one or more pin connectors based on the firmware associated with the type of the host board. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein: the one or more pin connectors comprises multi-function pins and single function pins, and a function of each of the multi-function pins is configured to change based on the type of the host board. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein a pin connector layout of the adaptable connector comprises 22 multi-function purpose pins, 23 power and ground pins, and 21 single function pins. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the core board is configured to: maintain the one or more pin connectors in RESET mode until configuring the function of the one or more pin connectors based on the firmware associated with the type of the host board. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the core board is configured to identify a type of the host board by: transmitting a request to a memory of the host board; and receiving data identifying the type of the host board from the memory of the host board. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the data identifying the type of the host board comprises unique serial information of the host board, data indicating a product type of the host board, and a pin configuration for the one or more pin connectors based on the product type of the host board. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitor control unit is configured to receive the request for firmware associated with the type of the host board by: receiving unique serial information associated with a product type of the host board and data instructing the monitor control unit to transmit a request to a security server for the requested firmware. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitor control unit is configured to: in response to accessing the firmware associated with the type of the host board, transmit a notification to a client device indicating that firmware has been requested for the core board; transmit the firmware to the core board; receive a notification from the core board indicating that the core board is configured to communicate with the host board; and in response to receiving the notification from the core board indicating that the core board is configured to communicate with the host board, transmit an additional notification to the client device indicating that the core board is functioning properly with the host board. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the core board comprises one or more add-on boards that provide additional functionality to the core board and the host board. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the core board is configured to: connect to an additional host board that is different from the host board; identify a type of the additional host board; determine additional firmware corresponding to the additional host board is not locally found on the core board; transmit a request to the monitor control unit for the additional firmware; receive the additional firmware from the monitor control unit; and configure a function of one or more pin connectors based on the additional firmware associated with a type of the additional host board. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the type of the additional host board is a thermostat specific host board and the type of the host board is a smoke sensor specific host board. ### Claim 13 A computer-implemented method, comprising: determining, by a sensor that is located at a property and that includes a host board and a core board that is connected to the host board, a type of the host board; based on the type of the host board, transmitting, by the sensor and to a monitoring system that is configured to monitor a property, a request for firmware associated with the type of host board; receiving, by the sensor and from the monitoring system, the firmware associated with the type of the host board; storing, by the sensor, the firmware associated with the type of the host board; based on storing the firmware associated with the type of the host board, generating, by the sensor, sensor data that reflects an attribute of the property; and transmitting, by the sensor and to the monitoring system, the sensor data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, comprising: connecting, by the sensor, the core board through the host board through an adaptable connector that comprises one or more pin connectors; retrieving, by the sensor, the firmware associated with the type of the host board from a memory of the core board; and configuring, by the sensor, a function of the one or more pin connectors based on the firmware associated with the type of the host board. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein: the one or more pin connectors comprises multi-function pins and single function pins, and a function of each of the multi-function pins is configured to change based on the type of the host board. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein a pin connector layout of the adaptable connector comprises 22 multi-function purpose pins, 23 power and ground pins, and 21 single function pins. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, comprising: maintaining, by the sensor, the one or more pin connectors in RESET mode until configuring the function of the one or more pin connectors based on the firmware associated with the type of the host board. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, comprising: transmitting, by the core board of the sensor, a request to a memory of the host board; and receiving, by the core board of the sensor, data identifying the type of the host board from the memory of the host board. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the data identifying the type of the host board comprises unique serial information of the host board, data indicating a product type of the host board, and a pin configuration for the one or more pin connectors based on the product type of the host board. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein transmitting the request for the firmware associated with the type of the host board comprises: transmitting, by the sensor and to the monitoring system, unique serial information associated with a product type of the host board and data instructing the monitoring system to transmit a request to a security server for the requested firmware.