Sensor test method and apparatus
AssigneeInteractive Technologies, Inc.
InventorJohn Bergman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a security system having a remote monitoring station, a sensor is tested when the security system is in a normal operating mode. The sensor is tested by actuation of a button on the sensor. Actuation of the button generates a signal indicating that a test has been conducted. Upon the generatation of both an alarm signal generated by the test and a signal indicating that a test has been conducted, the security system determines that the alarm signal was generated by a test of the sensor and not by the detection of alarm conditions by the sensor.
Claims19
In a security system comprising (i) a sensor having a testing feature and a means for actuating and performing a test of the sensor, the test causing the sensor to generate an alarm signal when the sensor is working properly, and (ii) a remote monitoring station operably connected to the sensor and located remotely from a premises where the sensor is located, wherein alarm conditions are automatically reported to the remote monitoring station, a method for testing the sensor with the security system in a normal operating mode, the method comprising:
- (a) actuating a test of the sensor by the sensor's test actuating means, thereby generating an alarm signal when the sensor is working properly;
- (b) generating, in response to the actuation of the test, a signal indicating that a test has been actuated;
- and
- (c) preventing, when both an alarm signal and a test signal are generated, the reporting of an alarm condition to the remote monitoring station.
In a security system comprising (i) a sensor having a testing feature and a means for actuating and performing a test of the sensor, the test causing the sensor to generate an alarm signal when the sensor is working properly, (ii) a control panel operably connected to the sensor and located at a premises where the sensor is located, the control panel for receiving and processing signals transmitted to it from sensors, and (iii) a remote monitoring station operably connected to the control panel and located remotely from the premises where the sensor and the control panel are located, wherein alarm conditions are automatically reported to the remote monitoring station, a method for testing the sensor with the security system in a normal operating mode, the method comprising:
- (a) actuating a test of the sensor by the sensor's test actuating means, thereby generating an alarm signal when the sensor is working properly, and transmitting an indication that the alarm signal has been generated to the control panel;
- (b) generating, in response to the actuation of the test, a signal indicating that a test has been actuated and transmitting an indication that the test signal has been generated to the control panel;
- and
- (c) preventing, when the control panel receives from the sensor a signal indicating that both an alarm signal and a test signal have been generated, the reporting of an alarm condition from the control panel to the remote monitoring station.
In a security system comprising (i) a sensor having a testing feature and a means for actuating and performing a test of the sensor, the test causing the sensor to generate an alarm signal when the sensor is working properly, (ii) a control panel operably connected to the sensor and located at a premises where the sensor is located, the control panel for receiving and processing signals transmitted to it from sensors, and (iii) a remote monitoring station operably connected to the control panel and located remotely from a premises where the sensor and the control panel are located, wherein alarm conditions are automatically reported to the remote monitoring station an apparatus for testing the sensor with the security system in a normal operating mode, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) means, responsive to the actuation of a test, for generating a signal indicating that a test has been actuated;
- and
- (b) means for preventing, when both an alarm signal and a test signal have been generated, the reporting of an alarm condition to the remote monitoring station.
A sensor comprising:
- means for detecting an alarm condition, wherein a signal indicative of an alarm is generated when the alarm condition is detected;
- means for actuating and performing a test of the sensor, wherein the signal indicative of an alarm condition is generated when the test is performed and the sensor is working properly;
- and
- a transmitter, responsive to signals indicative of an alarm, for forwarding, from the sensor to a processor located remotely from the sensor, a signal comprising information sufficient to allow the processor to determine whether the alarm signal was caused by the detection of the alarm condition or by the performance of a test.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.