Rerouting Processor for Alarm Panel Phone Number Substitution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing security systems lack flexibility in modifying alarm routing, making it difficult to adapt to changes in communication methods or central monitoring stations, particularly in scenarios where traditional wired connections may be compromised or when seeking better service or cost-effective options.
Innovation Solution
A rerouting processor is introduced that can reconfigure alarm notification messages to route them to a different central monitoring station by altering telephone numbers, reformulating messages for transmission through cellular links or internet channels, and using a DTMF converter and routing processor to manage communication ports, allowing seamless switching without modifying the alarm panel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If alarm notification messages are transmitted using traditional wired connections to central monitoring stations, then system reliability is maintained, but adaptability to change and ease of reconfiguration are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a rerouting processor as an intermediary device that sits between the alarm panel and the central monitoring station. This processor intercepts alarm notification messages, captures the destination telephone number, and substitutes it with an alternative number. This intermediary approach allows the system to maintain reliable wired connections while gaining flexibility to redirect alarms to different destinations without modifying the alarm panel's firmware.
2Ease of operation
If firmware programming is used to define alarm routing, then system reliability is ensured, but ease of modification and adaptability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the routing modification functionality from the alarm panel's firmware and relocates it to a separate rerouting processor. This extraction allows the alarm panel to continue using reliable firmware-based routing while the rerouting processor handles dynamic modifications. The destination telephone number is captured from the original message and substituted with an alternative number, enabling easy reconfiguration without touching the alarm panel's firmware.
3Adaptability or versatility
If alarm routing is hardcoded in firmware, then system stability is maintained, but versatility in selecting different central monitoring stations is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a copy of the alarm notification message and intercepts it at the rerouting processor. Instead of modifying the original firmware-hardcoded routing, the system copies the message and alters the destination telephone number in the copy. This copying approach allows versatile routing changes while preserving the original stable firmware configuration unchanged.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus are provided. The method includes the steps of connecting a rerouting processor to a communication port of an alarm panel, the connected processor capturing an alarm notification sent from the alarm panel through the communication port, said alarm notification including a destination telephone number of a first central monitoring station, the connected processor altering the captured alarm notification by deleting the destination telephone number from the captured alarm notification and the connected processor routing the altered alarm notification to a second central monitoring station that is different than the first monitoring station.