Security Controller Alarm Reporting After Network Connection Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing home security and automation systems require separate programming and control, limiting flexibility and versatility, and are prone to failure as a single point of vulnerability, especially in cases of communication loss during zone fault events.
Innovation Solution
A server-based environment that detects cessation of network connection between a security, monitoring, and automation (SMA) controller and a remote server, automatically reporting alarm messages to central stations and users after a delay window expires, preventing false disarm indications and ensuring continuous monitoring and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single centralized controller is used for security, monitoring and automation, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to single point of failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized controller functionality into distributed components: a gateway device within the premises and a remote server outside the premises. This segmentation eliminates the single point of failure while maintaining functional integration, as the gateway handles local processing and the remote server provides backup and cloud-based monitoring capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The remote server acts as an intermediary between the gateway device and external monitoring systems. It provides a communication bridge that allows the system to maintain reliability even when the direct connection between the gateway and central station is compromised, effectively mediating the communication path to prevent total system failure.
2Measurement precision
If communication connection is maintained always-on, then monitoring precision is improved, but loss of information increases during communication failures
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by implementing local buffering and event logging at the gateway device before communication failures occur. The gateway maintains a local record of alarm events and system states, ensuring that no information is lost even when the always-on connection is interrupted, as the buffered data can be transmitted once connectivity is restored.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the remote server receives status updates from the gateway and sends acknowledgment signals. This feedback loop ensures that information is continuously validated and transmitted, reducing information loss during communication failures by confirming data receipt and triggering retransmission if necessary.
3Reliability
If delay window is implemented for alarm reporting, then false alarms are reduced, but response time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic delay window adjustment where the timing of alarm reporting is adapted based on real-time conditions. The gateway device can immediately report critical alarms while applying delay windows only to non-critical events, dynamically optimizing the balance between response time and false alarm reduction based on the nature and severity of each event.
Data Source
AI summary
A server-based environment for reporting a status of a security, monitoring and automation controller is provided. Detecting cessation of an always-on persistent network connection between the SMA controller and the server is also provided. Reporting the cessation of the network connection to an end user and defined others is further provided. A further aspect provides for automatically reporting an alarm event to a central station, the end user, and others, in the event the cessation of the network connection occurs while the SMA controller is aimed and after a zone fault event, and not receiving a disarm notification prior to expiration of a preset entry delay.