Security system with remote indication device

A remote indication device for providing status of a security system to a user comprising:

• means for generating, as a result of a stimulus external to the remote indication device, a status request trigger signal;
• means for retrieving, from an externally located central control unit, status data in response to the status request trigger signal;
• and
• means for presenting the status data to the user.

A security system comprising:

• a central control unit comprising a first RF transmitter and a first RF receiver;
• a plurality of security system peripheral devices in communication with the central control unit to provide signals representative of operating status thereof;
• and
• a remote indication device in communication with the central control unit comprising:
• trigger generation means for generating a status request trigger signal as a result of an external stimulus;
• a second RF transmitter;
• a second RF receiver;
• a presentation device;
• and
• a processor unit operatively coupled to the trigger generation means, the second RF transmitter, the second RF receiver, and the presentation device, the processor unit adapted to cause the second RF transmitter to transmit a status request signal to the first RF receiver of the central control unit in response to the status request trigger signal generated by trigger generation means, to extract status data from a status message received by the second RF receiver from the first RF transmitter;
• and
• to provide the status data to the presentation device for presentation to the user.

In a security system comprising a central control unit located within a premises being monitored, a remote indication device in wireless communication with the central control unit, and a plurality of security system peripheral devices in communication with the central control unit;

• a method for providing status of the security system to a user, comprising the steps of:
• (a) generating, as a result of a stimulus external to the central control unit, a status request trigger signal by a security system peripheral device in communication with the central control unit;
• (b) the central control unit receiving the status request trigger signal from the peripheral device;
• (c) the central control unit transmitting an RF status signal comprising status data of the security system;
• (d) the remote indication device receiving the RF status signal;
• (e) the remote indication device extracting the status data from the status RF signal;
• and
• (f) the remote indication device presenting the status data to the user.

A security system comprising:

• a plurality of security system peripheral devices;
• a central control unit in communication with the plurality of security system peripheral devices, and comprising:
• means for receiving a status request trigger signal from one of the peripheral devices as a result of a stimulus external to the central control unit, and
• means for transmitting an RF status signal comprising status data of the security system;
• and
• a remote indication device in communication with the central control unit comprising:
• an RF receiver;
• a presentation device;
• and
• a processor unit operatively coupled to the RF receiver and the presentation device, the processor unit adapted to extract the status data from the RF status signal received by the RF receiver from the central control unit and to provide the status data to the presentation device for presentation to the user.