Portable telephone in a security network

A security network for use in a building with an opening to be monitored for possible intrusion comprising:

• an intrusion sensor monitoring the opening;
• a first RFID transponder associated with the sensor;
• a portable telephone handset having a first set of keys activating conventional telephone capability and a second set of keys activating interaction with components of the security network;
• and
• a security cradle including a charging cradle for the portable telephone handset and constituting an RFID reader in wireless communication with the first RFID transponder and providing a gateway with an interface to a network external to the security network wherein the gateway can selectively transmit messages through the network external to the security network, the first set of keys of the portable telephone handset activating conventional telephone capability through the RFID reader and the second set of keys of the portable telephone handset activating interaction with at least one of the sensor, the first RFID transponder, and the RFID reader of the security network, and
• wherein the first RFID transponder communicates a present state of the sensor to the security cradle and the security cradle includes a control function that receives the communication from the first RFID transponder and is configured to send an alert message to an emergency response agency.

A security network for use in a building with an opening to be monitored for possible intrusion comprising:

• an intrusion sensor monitoring the opening;
• a first RFID transponder associated with the sensor;
• a portable telephone handset including a first set of keys having a first texture and activating conventional telephone capability and a second set of keys having a second texture and activating interaction with components of the security network, the different textures permitting the user to easily and quickly distinguish the different sets of keys, some of the keys having different sizes or colors which convey information to the user;
• and
• a security cradle including a charging cradle for the portable telephone handset and constituting an RFID reader in wireless communication with the first RFID transponder, the first set of keys of the portable telephone handset activating conventional telephone capability through the RFID reader and the second set of keys of the portable telephone handset activating interaction with at least one of the sensor, the first RFID transponder, and the RFID reader of the security network.

A security cradle for use in a security network monitoring an opening in a building for possible intrusion comprising:

• charging strips, wires, or points that provide power to at least one portable telephone handset placed in contact with the charging strips, wires, or points;
• first communications circuitry adapted to receive wireless communications from at least one RFID transponder;
• second communications circuitry in wireless communication with the at least one portable telephone handset;
• third communications circuitry in communication with a network external to the security network;
• and
• a processor executing program code that enables the at least one portable telephone handset to communicate with the network external to the security network via the security cradle.

A telephone console for use in a security network monitoring an opening in a building for possible intrusion comprising:

• a first set of keys that enable a user to enter numeric codes into the telephone console for dialing remote telephone numbers;
• a second set of keys activating interaction with components of the security network;
• first communications circuitry adapted to receive wireless communications from at least one RFID transponder;
• second communications circuitry in wireless communication with at least one portable telephone handset;
• third communications circuitry in communication with a network external to the security network;
• and
• a processor executing program code that enables the at least one portable telephone handset to communicate with the network external to the security network via the telephone console.