Alarm System Proactive Verification Keypad Interface

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current electronic security systems lack the ability for on-site users to proactively verify the validity of alarm signals to the central monitoring station, leading to delayed responses due to manual verification processes, which can result in false alarms and delayed dispatch of authorities.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a 'Verify' button on the keypad that allows users to transmit a confirmation message to the central station, enabling immediate verification and dispatch of authorities without manual verification by the central station operator.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the central alarm-monitoring station uses manual verification processes to confirm alarm validity, then false alarms can be filtered out, but the response time of authorities is delayed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealarm signal validityVSAvoidresponse time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary verification action by providing a verification mechanism that allows the central station to confirm alarm validity before dispatching authorities. The verification message is sent and awaited before final dispatch decision, ensuring reliability while maintaining efficient response time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Speed

If the alarm system transmits alarm signals immediately without verification, then the response time is reduced, but false alarms increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresponse speedVSAvoidalarm accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by sending a verification message to the central alarm-monitoring station and awaiting a verification response before final dispatch. This feedback loop allows the system to maintain fast response speed while ensuring alarm accuracy through confirmed validity checking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If the authorized user disarms the alarm system to silence bells and sirens, then the immediate alarm noise is stopped, but the dispatch of authorities is inadvertently canceled

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealarm silencingVSAvoiddispatch confirmation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts the verification function from the disarm action. When a user disarms the system, the alarm is silenced but a separate verification message is sent to the central station to confirm whether authorities should be dispatched. This separation allows easy alarm silencing while maintaining reliable dispatch confirmation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS7772971B1Method for the proactive verification of alarm signals from the protected premise location

Publication Date: 2010.08.10 BRITTON RICK A

AI summary

Apparatus for alarm data communication with a central alarm-monitoring station having a central station receiver linked to a communications medium involves a remote, premise-protecting alarm system. It has a central processing unit (CPU), at least one sensor reporting to the CPU, an interface for communications with the central station receiver across the communications medium, and at least one user interface for a user to enter inputs to the CPU. The alarm system furthermore has a pro-active verify utility configured to allow a user, after the alarm system has automatically propagated a message to the central station receiver comprising a report of an exception sensed by the sensor, to enter an input through the user interface that causes the alarm system to propagate a later message comprising the user's verification. Preferably the user interface is a keypad, and the pro-active verify utility is actuated by minimal key strokes.