Security system for a building complex having multiple units

A method for monitoring security in a building complex having multiple units, the method comprising:

• sensing a security condition in one of the units;
• communicating a unit alarm condition to a main controller located remotely from the unit in which the security condition is sensed, the unit alarm condition being communicated without significant delay following sensing of the security condition;
• monitoring user input to invalidate the unit alarm condition;
• invalidating the unit alarm condition in response to the user input;
• and
• generating at the main controller a main alarm condition in the event the unit alarm condition is not invalidated within a delay period following communication of the unit alarm condition.

A security system for a building complex having multiple units, the system comprising:

• a sensor, located in one of the units, for indicating a security condition in the unit;
• a main controller located remotely from the unit in which the sensor is located;
• a unit controller, located in the unit in which the sensor is located, for communicating a unit alarm condition to the main controller substantially immediately following indication of the security condition;
• a unit alarm associated with the unit in which the sensor is located;
• a user input device for receiving user input indicating invalidation of the unit alarm condition, wherein the unit controller and at least a portion of the user input device are mounted in a common housing, the unit controller invalidating the unit alarm condition in response to the user input and activating the unit alarm in the event the user input is not received by the user input device within a unit delay period following indication of the unit alarm condition,
• wherein the main controller indicates a main alarm condition in the event the unit alarm condition is not invalidated by the unit controller within a main delay period following communication of the unit alarm condition to the main controller, the main controller activating a main alarm upon indication of the main alarm condition.

A security system for a building complex having multiple units, the system comprising:

• a plurality of unit controllers, each of the unit controllers being associated with one of the units and monitoring security conditions within the respective unit, the unit controllers generating unit alarm signals in response to sensed security conditions;
• a main controller, positioned within the building complex remotely from the unit controllers, for receiving the unit alarm signals from the unit controllers;
• and
• a plurality of user input devices, each of the user input devices being associated with one of the unit controllers and receiving user input to invalidate one of the unit alarm signals generated by the respective unit controller, the respective unit controller communicating an alarm invalidation signal to the main controller in response to the user input.