Controller and interface for home security, monitoring and automation having customizable audio alerts for SMA events

A method comprising:

• interpreting an event signal corresponding to one or more device events and received from the one or more devices, wherein the one or more devices comprise one or more of security sensors, a security system, and monitoring devices, and the interpreting is performed in accord with configuration information for the one or more devices, wherein the configuration information includes a zone function assigned to each security sensor and configuring actions and reactions of the corresponding security sensor and the security system;
• determining whether a first event tone identifier is associated with the interpreted event signal, wherein the determining is performed using mapping information associating the one or more devices, at least one zone, a state change of the one or more devices, and the one or more device events with corresponding event tone identifiers, wherein a device event of the one or more device events comprises an action corresponding to a device, wherein a zone comprises a set of the one or more devices having a common characteristic, the one or more device events including defining an event of the one or more device events using state information of a plurality of the one or more devices;
• playing a first event tone associated with the first event tone identifier, if the first event tone identifier is associated with the interpreted event signal;
• playing a default event tone, if no first event tone identifier is associated with the interpreted event signal.

An apparatus comprising:

• means for storing configuration information for one or more devices comprising one or more security sensors, a security system, and monitoring devices, and mapping information associating the one or more devices, at least one zone, a state change of the one or more devices, and one or more device events with corresponding event tone identifiers, wherein a device event of the one or more device events comprises an action corresponding to a device, wherein a zone comprises a set of the one or more devices having a common characteristic, wherein the configuration information includes a zone function assigned to each security sensor and configuring actions and reactions of the corresponding security sensor and the security system;
• an audio processor coupled to a speaker;
• means for interpreting an event signal corresponding to the one or more device events, the interpreting performed in accord with the configuration information;
• means for determining if a first event tone identifier is associated with the interpreted event signal, the determining performed using the mapping information;
• means for playing a first event tone associated with the first event tone identifier using the audio processor, if the first event tone identifier is associated with the interpreted event signal;
• means for playing a default event tone using the audio processor, if no first event tone identifier is associated with the interpreted event signal.