Mobile Alert Gateway for DIY Security Remote Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
DIY home security systems lack the ability to communicate with remote monitoring facilities, leaving consumers without professional monitoring services despite their desire for third-party oversight.
Innovation Solution
A software application on mobile devices enables professional monitoring services by receiving alert messages from DIY security systems, providing user notifications, and automatically contacting remote monitoring facilities if the user fails to respond within a predetermined time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If DIY security systems use wireless sensors and Internet gateways for easy installation, then ease of operation is improved, but the ability to communicate with remote monitoring facilities deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mobile device as an intermediary component that bridges DIY security systems and remote monitoring facilities. The mobile device receives alerts from the DIY system and forwards them to monitoring facilities, enabling communication without requiring changes to the DIY system's architecture. This resolves the contradiction by adding a communication layer without compromising the ease of installation of the original system.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device serves multiple functions: it acts as an alert receiver from the DIY security system, provides user notification interfaces, and functions as a communication gateway to remote monitoring facilities. This multi-functionality enables the system to maintain ease of installation while gaining remote monitoring capability through a single universal device.
2Loss of time
If DIY systems send alerts directly to homeowners via text message or email, then loss of time is reduced for notification, but reliability of professional monitoring services deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically forwarding alerts to remote monitoring facilities before the homeowner needs to respond. The mobile device proactively transmits alert information to monitoring facilities, ensuring professional monitoring is activated in advance of any homeowner response, thus maintaining both quick notification and reliable professional service.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes feedback loops where the mobile device continuously monitors alert status and maintains communication channels with both the DIY security system and remote monitoring facilities. This feedback mechanism ensures that professional monitoring services are reliably activated and maintained while keeping the homeowner informed through timely notifications.
3Loss of substance
If homeowners install DIY security systems without monthly monitoring fees, then loss of substance is reduced for monitoring costs, but adaptability to professional monitoring services deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device serves as a cost-free intermediary that enables DIY security system owners to access professional monitoring services without direct monthly fees. It facilitates the connection between the DIY system and monitoring facilities, allowing homeowners to benefit from professional services while maintaining cost-effectiveness through the existing mobile device infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system leverages the homeowner's existing mobile device to provide the bridging functionality between DIY security systems and remote monitoring facilities. This self-service approach eliminates the need for additional hardware or monthly monitoring fees, as the mobile device's existing communication capabilities are utilized to enable professional monitoring access.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a software application used on mobile devices that enables professional monitoring services to DIY monitoring systems that lack an ability to communicate with remote monitoring facilities. In one embodiment, alert messages are transmitted by a monitoring system gateway and received by a personal communication device. The alert messages indicate occurrences of events at a monitored premises. When the software application determines that an incoming communication is an alert message, an indication is provided to a user of the mobile device that an event has occurred at the premises, and giving the user a predetermined time period in which to respond to the indication. If the user fails to respond to the indication within a predetermined time period, a message is transmitted to a remote monitoring facility, alerting the remote monitoring facility of the event.