WO2001078034A1

WO2001078034A1 - Procedure and apparatus for transmitting information of alarm or control type

Info

Publication number: WO2001078034A1
Application number: PCT/FI2001/000367
Authority: WO
Inventors: Esa Ohvo; Jukka Vitri
Original assignee: Korhonen, Onni
Priority date: 2000-04-12
Filing date: 2001-04-12
Publication date: 2001-10-18
Also published as: FI20002777A0; FI20002777A; AU2001256375A1

Abstract

A procedure for transmitting alarm or control type information, in which procedure the alarm or control type information is transmitted wirelessly over at least part of the transmission distance. The alarm information (3) is first passed from an alarm device to a separate communication device (2), which, upon receiving the information, turns on the supply of power to a wireless telephone, such as a mobile telephone (1), and, after a predetermined time delay, causes the telephone to call a pre-selected telephone number stored in the memory of the telephone or on a memory card.

Description

PROCEDURE AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING INFORMATION OF ALARM OR CONTROL TYPE

The present invention relates to a method as defined in the preamble of claim 1 and to an apparatus as defined in the preamble of claim 4 for transmitting alarm or control type information.

In the following, ' alarm or control type information' refers to alarm, control, monitoring or directive information transmitted either as a telephone call or as a message consisting of data, text or images, which information can be transmitted both ways in a network. In prior-art technology, alarm information from a burglar alarm device installed in a moving vehicle, e.g. a boat or a motor car, is sent as a loud signal which can only be heard at a relatively close distance from the place of alarm. A disadvantage with this solution is that the alarm can only be heard at a given distance from the object and that there is no other way to establish a connection with a control center or the owner of the vehicle when an alarm is acti- vated. It s not possible to use the wired telephone networ or equivalent .

On the other hand, from an immobile object, alarm information, such as a burglar or fire alarm, can be transmitted over the wired tele- phone network to a control center or a similar place where e.g. the alarm can be received. However, this involves the drawback that it is possible to tamper with the wired network e.g. so that the alarm will not reach the destination.

The solution of the present invention is designed to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks and to achieve a reliable, serviceable and economical method and apparatus for transmitting alarm and control type information by means of a telephone device comprised in the invention. The method of the invention is characterized by what is presented in the characterization part of claim 1. Correspondingly, the apparatus of the invention is characterized by what is presented in the characterization part of claim 4. Other embodiments of the invention are characterized by what s presented in the other claims .

The invention provides the advantage that, using a simple apparatus, an alarm can be effected or alarm or control type information can be sent wirelessly to a specified place, such as a control center, police station, security company, owner of a vehicle, and so on. Wireless operation makes it possible to send alarm or control type m- formation to above-mentioned receivers even from a burglar alarm device or equivalent installed on a moving vehicle, such as a boat or a motor car, where such devices are difficult to connect to wired networks. Moreover, the above-mentioned drawback associated with wired networks is avoided. A further advantage of the solution of the invention is that the invention can be used to send several different types of alarm or control type information to different numbers selected beforehand. For example, a smoke or fire alarm can be sent to the alarm center of a rescue organization, and similarly a burglar alarm can be sent to the control room of a security company, and so on. In the solution of the invention, the selection of the target number for the alarm is also easy as this is done using a portable telephone serving as a telephone device connected as part of an alarm system, by utilizing either the quick dial keys or other memory locations of the telephone, where the telephone numbers needed for making an alarm are stored. Thus, the rest of the alarm system can consist of very simple and low-cost equipment as the number selection and several other telephone functions are performed using a telephone. The invention also provides a very advantageous feature n that the portable telephone connected as part of the alarm system can also be used for normal telephone functions when there is no need for alarm functions, e.g. at a leisure residence, because the telephone can be easily detached from the alarm system. The invention has the further advantage that the portable telephone connected to the system of the invention can be connected to many other applications in which input data is entered into the telephone via an appropriate interface and the telephone, based on this input data, performs a predetermined task, e.g. a call to a pre-selected telephone number.

Another advantage of the invention is that the solution is not sus- ceptible to thunder because the telephone device and the communication device transmitting the alarm can be in an de-energized state during inaction. Yet another advantage is that the solution of the invention allows two-way transmission of information, which means that the communication device can be instructed from the receiving end, e.g. from a summer residence owner's home or from a control room, e.g. to adjust illumination or to turn on a sauna stove etc. A further advantage is a voice control capability, allowing an alarm from a burglar alarm device or a fire detector or equivalent to be routed directly by voice to the owner, rescue organization, and so on, without requiring a wired connection to the place of alarm. In addition, the communication device can be easily given instructions by voice control. An additional advantage is that, using the solution of the invention, the place of alarm can be monitored by listening as the telephone remains on-line upon making an alarm call. Yet another advantage of the invention is that the portable telephone connected as part of the alarm system may consist of an obsolete model for which there would not be any other use and which might therefore be a discarded object detrimental to the environment. In this respect, the invention is therefore very advantageous regarding environmental protection and economy.

A further advantage is versatile utilization of functions. The solution of the invention allows the use of at least text, voice, data, image, telefax and electronic mail communication. In addition, the solution is safe as it only allows a connection to be established from certain telephone numbers.

The invention provides the additional advantage that the communication device can be used directly as a hands-free device with a tele- phone. Thus, a burglar alarm device can serve two different purposes, and no separate hands-free device is needed in the car or boat. In this case, a separate adapter may additionally be used to connect the owner' s portable telephone in normal use to the communication device during driving. When the burglar alarm function is on, the communication device is connected e.g. to an old portable tele- phone, which may have a different connector than a new portable telephone .

Yet another advantage is that the solution of the invention also functions as a safety telephone provided with a voice control system responding to a voice that it has been taught to recognize. Thus, an alarm can be sent to a predetermined party e.g. by shouting for help. When the communication device hears the cry for help, it will set up a telephone connection so that the cries for help will be heard at the receiving end.

In the following, the invention will be described in detail by the aid of an embodiment example with reference to the attached drawings, wherein

Fig. 1 presents a diagram illustrating the principle of the solution of the invention in a simplified form, and

Fig. 2 presents a more detailed and simplified diagram of the structure of the communication device for transmitting information.

In the arrangement presented in Fig. 1, a wireless portable telephone, such as a GSM mobile telephone 1 or an equivalent telephone device of some other wireless network, is connected via a connector 11 and a connecting cable 4 to a communication device 2 for trans- m tting information, which has been fitted for both supplying external signals to the telephone 1 and for receiving signals from the telephone 1. The telephone 1 used may be e.g. an existing old telephone which is perhaps no longer usable for any other purpose. The connector is a simple adapter whose structure is different for each telephone and which therefore allows the connection of different types and makes of wireless telephones to the communicating device 2 for transmitting information. The telephone 1 has been arranged to permit a wireless connection 12 to a wired-network telephone 5, which may be the home telephone of the owner of the alarm system or a wired alarm telephone of e.g. a control center, security company, police station or rescue organization. A wireless connection 12 to a wireless portable telephone 6 or other corresponding telephone of the owner of the alarm system may also be provided. In addition to these, a wireless connection 12 to a computer 7 in a control room or equivalent may further be provided.

The communication device 2 for transmitting information may have its own power source for its operation, but the communication device can just as well use the power source of the telephone 1. Connected to the communication device 2 are inputs 3 from alarm devices in dif- ferent places, e.g. facilities to be monitored, such as fire, smoke, burglar or boat submersion alarms. Alarm devices like these may be mounted on moving vehicles, such as cars or boats, and also e.g. n offices or in permanent or summer residences. In addition, the communication device 2 has outputs 8 for issuing control and monitoring information to desired applications, e.g. for the regulation of illumination, turning on a sauna stove, etc. These control functions can be performed using e.g. relays or equivalent. The control and monitoring data can thus be given by remote control from the telephones 5 and 6 or the computer 7, the voice control data being transmitted via telephone 1 into the two-way hands-free line 4c connecting the telephone 1 and the communication device 2 and further via the outputs 8 of the communication device to the desired target, such as a loudspeaker, illumination, sauna stove, etc. Similarly, control data sent as a text message are transmitted via line 4d to the communication device 2 and further via the outputs 8 of the communication device to the desired target, such as illumination, sauna stove, etc. Even if the telephone 1 has been turned off, it will be turned on when a call is received from outside, e.g. from sources 5- 7, and a connection with the processor 9 will be set up via the above-mentioned hands-free line 4c. Fig. 2 is a more detailed illustration of the connections of the communication device 2, although still in a greatly simplified and diagrammatic form. The communication device comprises at least a programmable processor 9, which is a commercially available, previ- ously known product. The processor 9 has been programmed to receive alarms from the inputs 3 and to issue corresponding call commands to the telephone 1 via line 4b in the connecting cable 4. The programming of the processor can be performed either using a separate keyboard 13 or using the telephone 1 itself via line 4a in the connect- ing cable 4. The programming comprises n the first place identification of alarm line 3a - 3d, memory storage of corresponding alarm messages, and calling the telephone number or equivalent reserved for the purpose m each case of alarm. The communication device 2 additionally comprises at least a timer circuit for giving a suit- able time delay between the turn-on of the telephone and the call to the receiving telephone number to allow the telephone 1 enough time to log on in the network before the call is activated. The timer may be a separate circuit or it may form part of the programmable processor 9. In addition, the communication device 2 has a timer func- tion either provided by the above-mentioned timer circuit or as a separate function which generates the required clearance delays for alarm devices using them. Such a delay is needed e.g. for a burglar alarm device mounted on a vehicle to ensure that it will not activate an alarm immediately upon being turned on.

Connected to the input of the programmable processor 9 of the communication device 2 are three permanent alarm lines 3a-3c. Each line carries alarm data informing the processor of a different type of alarm. Alarm line 3a is based on the use of voltage control. The op- eration of this is such that, after an alarm has been triggered, the alarm device sends a voltage via line 3a to the communication device 2 to activate the processor 9 for further transmission of the alarm. The actual alarm device may be e.g. a burglar alarm which, when an alarm is triggered, sends a voltage signal to the communication de- vice 2 via line 3a. Alarm line 3b is a line based on the occurrence of an open loop condition. In this case, the alarm device may be e.g. a closed loop or equivalent mounted e.g. on a door or window, which loop is broken when an event triggering an alarm occurs, thus sending an alarm signal to the communication device 2. Correspondingly, alarm line 3c is based on the occurrence of a so-called closed loop condition. Such an alarm device may be e.g. a device measuring the level of a liquid surface. When the liquid surface rises to a given level, the alarm circuit is shorted by the action of the liquid, thus giving an alarm signal to the communication de¬

The system additionally comprises a voice recording processor 10, which allows an alarm given by voice to be transmitted via the telephone 1 to an appropriate party. The voice recording processor 10 is either a part of the communication device 2 or a separate processor connected to it. The figure shows a fourth alarm line 3d as an input to the voice recording processor. However, this is not actually a permanent line from the place of alarm to the voice recording processor, but e.g. a line from a microphone. The transmission of an alarm via line 3d is based on an alarm device which, when an alarm occurs, emits a clearly audible sound. An example is the sound emitted by a fire alarm device. The voice recording processor functions in the same way as voice control of telephones. The voice recording processor has been taught beforehand to recognize the sound of the fire alarm device and instructed how to act after receiving the sound. When this happens, the voice recording processor sends the processor 9 of the communication device a pre-stored command to transmit the alarm further. The transmission of the actual alarm is carried out in the same way as in the case of the above-mentioned alarm lines 3a-3c.

The voice recording processor may also be so connected to the communication device 2 that it can be used for controlling and also programming the processor 9 by voice instead of or besides control via the keyboard 13 or the keypad of the telephone 1. The voice re- cording processor 10 can store several sounds of different alarm devices, each of which, when activated, will cause the activation of a specific pre-stored function. The advantages associated with the use of a voice recording processor include e.g. the fact that no alarm cables need to be provided m difficult places or where they could be easily broken.

The transmission of alarm and control type information by the method of the invention is performed as follows. When an alarm is triggered in the alarm circuit 3, an alarm signal is passed to the communication device 2 for the transmission of information, by means of which the telephone 1 is turned on via software. After a prescribed delay, the processor 9 of the communication device 2 s caused via software to send the telephone a command to call or send a text, voice or a similar message concerning this function and stored in the communication device to an external telephone number or equivalent, which telephone number has been programmed in the communication device expressly for this function. The message is transmitted in at least part of the distance over a wireless telecommunication network 12 to the telephone number in question, which has also been stored in a memory location or equivalent m the telephone 1. This telephone number may be e.g. the number of wired-network telephone, e.g. that of a specific control center 5 or the number of a mobile telephone 6 owned by the person having connected the alarm system, or the telephone number 7 of a computer or modem. The duration of the delay is controlled via software by the communication device 2. At the end of the transmission of the call or text message, the communication device is left waiting for an acknowledgement, after which the communication device is allowed to disconnect the supply of power to the circuit to prevent an immediate repetition of the same alarm.

When necessary, the communication device 2 can also remain active so that the place of alarm can be monitored from a control center or equivalent by listening via the telephone 1. In this case, the communication device will not turn off the telephone until allowed to e.g. by the control center. Such monitoring is made possible by the hands-free function, which permits two-way communication between the telephone 1 and the communication device 2 over line 4c, which con- nects the communication device 2 to the telephone 1 via the connector 11. In this case, the place of alarm may be provided with a microphone and a headphone to allow listening, also making it possible to give instructions or the like.

In the above presentation of the method, the transmission of an alarm was described as a series of separate functions. These functions have been programmed beforehand or they may be programmed on site in the processor 9, which, after an alarm has occurred, sends a pre-programmed command concerning each alarm over line 4b to the telephone 1, which then sends the alarm further to the appropriate place 5-7. The pre-programmed command of the processor 9 contains all the information required for turning on the telephone 1, observing an appropriate time delay, calling the right, pre-selected tele- phone number and sending a sound, voice or text message to the telephone number in question.

It is obvious to the person skilled m the art that the invention is not restricted to the example described above, but that the embodi- ments of the invention may be varied within the scope of the claims presented below. Thus, for example, the number of different alarm signals 3 may vary. The same alarm line 3a-3d may receive an alarm from more than one alarm device. In addition, the apparatus and the telephone can be used for transmitting other information as well be- sides alarm information. Such other information includes alarm type information as mentioned above, such as control and monitoring data. Likewise, depending on its properties, the telephone 1 may also send electronic mail to pre-selected e-mail addresses.

The connection of the voice recording processor 10 may also differ from that presented above. Depending on the application, the voice recording processor 10 may be connected directly to line 4b without a connection to the processor 9. This alternative is indicated in Fig. 2 with a broken line. In this case, the voice recording proces- sor itself contains stored information regarding the actions to be taken to give an alarm further to the telephone 1. The structure may further differ from that presented above in that, when alarm or control type information reaches the communication device 2, it is decoupled galvanically using a galvanic decoupler, an optoisolator or equivalent from the circuit connected to the telephone 1, the information received is identified, the telephone is turned on and, based on the identification of the information received, the desired quick dial key or text message key of the telephone is activated after a predetermined delay to call the telephone number pre-stored in the memory location indicated by the key by closing the circuit of the quick dial key or text message key. In other words, at least one quick dial key of the telephone 1 is connected to the output of the communication device 2 so that the function of the quick dial key or text message key has been arranged to be activated when alarm or control type information reaches the communication device, the result being a telephone call to the telephone number pre-stored at the memory location indicated by the quick dial key.

Claims

1. Procedure for transmitting alarm or control type information, in which procedure alarm or control type information is transmitted wirelessly over at least part of the transmission distance, characterized in that the alarm or control type information is passed into a separate communication device (2) , which is caused to send a command signal to a wireless telephone, such as a mobile telephone (1), for sending a message descriptive of the information to a pre- selected telephone number.

2. Procedure as defined in claim 1, characterized in that, as the alarm or control type information reaches the communication device (2), the communication device (2) is caused to send to a wireless telephone, such as a mobile telephone 1, a command signal pre-stored in the memory of the communication device (2) and descriptive of the information for delivering a message to a pre-selected telephone number stored in memory.

3. Procedure as defined in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that alarm or control information given in the form of a text message is transmitted from outside via a wireless telephone, such as a mobile telephone (1), over a data line (4d) to the communication device (2) and through it further to the final target if necessary, and that alarm or control information given in the form of speech is transmitted from outside via a wireless telephone, such as a mobile telephone (1), over a so-called hands-free line (4c) to the communication device (2) and through it further to the final target if necessary.

. Apparatus for the transmission of alarm or control type information, said apparatus comprising a telephone device (1) transmitting the information to a control center or equivalent and a communication device (2), at least one output (4b) of said communication device being connected to the telephone device (1), characterized in that the communication device (2) comprises a programmable processor (9) arranged to send a pre-programmed command message descriptive of the alarm or control type information to the telephone (1), to be sent further to a pre-selected telephone number.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, characterized in that that the communication device (2) comprises at least one timer circuit fitted to produce a delay between a turn-on command given to the telephone (1) and a command for sending the message.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the telephone device (1) is a wireless mobile telephone, which is connected via a connecting cable (4) to the communication device (2) so that it can be activated via the communication device (2) .

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, 5 or 6, characterized in that the telephone device (1) intended to be connected to the apparatus is a used mobile telephone which is connected to the communication device (1) v a a connecting cable (4) so that it can be activated via the communication device.