WO2012025517A1

WO2012025517A1 - Security network, security network system and method of forwarding alarm warning signals in a security network

Info

Publication number: WO2012025517A1
Application number: PCT/EP2011/064446
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kim Enevoldsen
Original assignee: Makisa Holding Aps
Priority date: 2010-08-23
Filing date: 2011-08-23
Publication date: 2012-03-01

Abstract

There is provided a security network and a method of forwarding alarm warning signals in a security network, where the security comprises four or more alarm systems being located at different locations. The alarm systems are communicatively networked with each to form the security network, and the alarm systems may be communicatively networked with each through wireless communication. There is also provided a security network system comprising at least two wireless security networks, wherein each network comprises two or more alarm systems being located at different locations, wherein each security network is uniquely identified, and wherein all alarm system of a selected security network are communicatively networked with each other through wireless communication.

Description

SECURITY NETWORK, SECURITY NETWORK SYSTEM AND METHOD OF

FORWARDING ALARM WARNING SIGNALS IN A SECURITY NETWORK

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a security network and a method of forwarding alarm warning signals in a security network, and more particularly to a security network having a number of alarm systems located at different locations and communicating with each other. The invention also relates to a security network system comprising several security networks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Alarm sensors generating a warning signal in an abnormal situation, such as the occurrence of a burglary, a fire, etc... are positioned in private houses, apartments, offices, etc... . The warning signal contains information defining both the nature and the location of the abnormal situation. The known sensors may be directly linked to one telephone to reach a security company. Wth such known alarm systems the respond time from an alarm sensor generates a warning signal to a representative for the security company reaches the location of the alarm system can be quite long.

Furthermore, in case of a failure of the associated telephone or telephone link, the warning signal generated by the alarm sensor may not reach the security company.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a security network of several alarm systems, which solves the above mentioned problems. Such a security network may be used as a neighbor security network.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a security network comprising four or more alarm systems being located at different locations, wherein each alarm system comprises security control circuitry being operatively coupled to communication circuitry, and wherein the alarm systems are communicatively networked with each other through signalling via said communication circuitries to form a security network in which the alarm systems communicates with each other.

According to an embodiment, the alarm systems being networked together may communicate directly with each other by transmitting a message simultaneously from a transmitting alarm system to the remaining alarm systems of the network. A message may be broadcasted or transmitted directly from a transmitting alarm system to the remaining alarm systems of the network. It is also within an embodiment that alarm systems being networked together are connected in a ring network, and one or more messages may be forwarded from one alarm system to another in the ring network, such as a token or token like message in a token like ring network.

According to an embodiment of the invention the alarm systems are communicatively networked with each other through a computer network such as the Internet. The alarm systems may be communicatively networked by peer- to-peer networking.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the communication circuitry comprises wireless communication circuitry, and the alarm systems are

communicatively networked with each through wireless communication. Here, communication may comprise broadcasting of messages between alarm systems of a network.

It is preferred that each alarm system of a network has a unique unit identifier, unitJD, and wherein each alarm system of the network stores the unit identifiers of all the alarm systems of the network.

Preferably, then for each alarm system of the network, the control and communication circuitry is arranged for transmitting messages and/or status messages to the other alarm systems of the network and for receiving messages and/or status messages transmitted from the other alarm systems. Here, transmitted messages may hold information identifying the alarm system transmitting the message. Preferably, the control and communication circuitry of the alarm systems are arranged for transmitting the status messages frequently and/or regularly. The status messages may be transmitted regularly within predetermined time intervals.

According to one or more embodiments of the invention, then for each alarm system of the network, the control circuitry keeps a status record for each of the other alarm systems of the network, each said status record holding information regarding status messages received from the corresponding alarm system of the network. Here, each alarm system of the network may have a unique unit identifier, unitJD, and each status record may store the unit identifier of the corresponding alarm system. Preferably, then for each alarm system, the status record further includes the unit identifier of the alarm system itself.

It is within an embodiment of the invention that for each alarm system of the network, the control circuit is arranged for issuing a warning signal via the communication circuitry to the other alarm systems of the network when a status message has not been received within a predetermined period of time from an alarm system being part of the security network.

It is preferred that for each or at least part of the alarm systems of the network, the alarm system further comprises one or more alarm devices for raising an alarm, said alarm devices being coupled to or communicating with the control circuitry of the alarm system. The control circuitry of an alarm system having alarm devices may be arranged for forwarding an activation signal to one or more of the alarm devices of the alarm system upon issuing the warning signal.

It is also preferred that for each or at least part of the alarm systems of the network, the alarm system further comprises one or more alarm triggering devices communicatively coupled to the control circuitry of the alarm system. The alarm triggering device(s) may be communicating with the control circuitry by wireless communication. The alarm triggering device(s) may comprise one or more alarm sensors and/or a panic button/device.

According to an embodiment of the invention, then when an alarm triggering device of an alarm system is triggered, the control circuitry of said alarm system is activated to transmit a warning signal via the communication circuitry to the other alarm systems of the network. It is preferred that when an alarm triggering device of an alarm system is triggered, the control circuitry of said alarm system is activated to forward an activation signal to one or more of the alarm devices of said alarm system.

It is also within an embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, that for each of the alarm systems of the network, the control circuitry is activated to forward an activation signal to one or more of the alarm devices of the alarm system, when said alarm system receives a warning signal from another alarm system of the network.

According to the first aspect of the invention there is also provided a method of networking four or more alarm systems to form a security network, wherein the alarm systems are located at different locations within communication range with each other and each alarm system comprises security control circuitry being operatively coupled to communication circuitry, wherein the alarm systems are communicatively networked with each other through signalling via said communication circuitries to communicate directly with each other, and wherein for each alarm system of the network, the control and communication circuitry is arranged for transmitting status messages to the other alarm systems of the network and for receiving status messages transmitted from the other alarm systems, said method comprising:

a) regularly and at predetermined time intervals transmitting a status message from each or at least part of the alarm system the network,

b) receiving the transmitted status messages at each or at least part of the alarm systems of the network, and

c) checking at each or at least part of the alarm systems of the network, if all alarm systems of the network have transmitted a status message within the

predetermined time interval.

According to the first aspect of the invention there is also provided another method of networking four or more alarm systems to form a security network, wherein the alarm systems are located at different locations within communication range with each other and each alarm system comprises security control circuitry being operatively coupled to communication circuitry, wherein the alarm systems are communicatively networked with each other through signalling via said communication circuitries to communicate with each other, and wherein for each alarm system of the network, the control and communication circuitry is arranged for transmitting status messages to the other alarm systems of the network and for receiving status messages transmitted from the other alarm systems, said method comprising:

a) transmitting a status message from each or at least part of the alarm system the network,

b) receiving the transmitted status messages at each or at least part of the alarm systems of the network, and c) checking at each or at least part of the alarm systems of the network, if all alarm systems of the network have transmitted a status message within a

predetermined time interval or period of time. It is preferred that the methods of the first aspect of the invention further comprises the step of:

d) when detecting at an alarm system that one alarm system has not transmitted a status message within the predetermined time interval or period of time, transmitting a warning signal from the detecting alarm system to the other alarm systems of the network.

Also for the methods of the first aspect of the invention it is preferred that the communication circuitry comprises wireless communication circuitry, and that the alarm systems are communicatively networked with each through wireless communication. Here, communication may comprise broadcasting of messages between alarm systems of a network. Thus, a message may be broadcasted or transmitted directly from a transmitting alarm system to the remaining alarm systems of the network.

However, the alarm systems may also be networked together in a ring or token like network, and a message may be and one or more messages may be forwarded from one alarm system to another in the ring network, such as a token or token like message.

It is within an embodiment of the methods of the first aspect of the invention that for each alarm system of the network, the control circuitry keeps a status record for each of the other alarm systems of the network, each said status record holding information regarding status messages received from the corresponding alarm system of the network. Here, each alarm system of the network may have a unique unit identifier, unitJD, and each status record may store the unit identifier of the corresponding alarm system.

Also for the methods of the first aspect of the invention it is preferred that for each or at least part of the alarm systems of the network, the alarm system further comprises one or more alarm devices for raising an alarm, said alarm devices being coupled to or communicating with the control circuitry of the alarm system. Here, the control circuitry of the detecting alarm system may forward an activation signal to one or more of the alarm devices of said detecting alarm system when a warning signal is transmitted.

It is within an embodiment of the methods of the first aspect of the invention that for each of the alarm systems of the network, the control circuitry forwards an activation signal to one or more of the alarm devices of the alarm system, when said alarm system receives a warning signal from another alarm system of the network.

It is within an embodiment of the method of the first aspect of the invention that for each or at least part of the alarm systems of the network, the alarm system further comprises one or more alarm triggering devices communicatively coupled to the control circuitry of the alarm system. The alarm triggering device(s) may be communicating with the control circuitry by wireless communication. The alarm triggering device(s) may comprise one or more alarm sensors and/or a panic button/device. It is preferred that when an alarm triggering device of an alarm system is triggered, the control circuitry of said alarm system transmits a warning signal via the communication circuitry to the other alarm systems of the network. It is also preferred that when an alarm triggering device of an alarm system is triggered, the control circuitry of said alarm system forwards an activation signal to one or more of the alarm devices of said alarm system.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a security network system comprising at least two wireless security networks, wherein each network comprises two or more alarm systems being located at different locations, wherein each security network is uniquely identified, and wherein all alarm system of a selected security network are communicatively networked with each other through wireless communication. It is preferred that each alarm system of each network holds information identifying the network to which the alarm system is part of, and it is preferred that

each security network has a unique network identifier.

According to an embodiment of the second aspect of the invention, part of or all the security networks communicate within different wireless transmission frequencies, with the transmission frequency of a security network thereby uniquely identifying the security network. According to another embodiment of the second aspect of the invention, part of or all the security networks communicate within the same wireless transmission frequency, and a security network is identified by a unique network identifier being stored in the alarm systems being part of the security network. However, it is preferred that all the security networks have a unique network identifier, which is stored in the alarm systems being part of the corresponding security network.

For the second aspect of the invention it is preferred that each alarm system has a unique unit identifier, and that each alarm system of a security network stores the unit identifiers of all the alarm systems being part of said network.

Also for the second aspect of the invention it is preferred that each alarm system of a network comprises security control circuitry being operatively coupled to wireless communication circuitry, and that the alarm systems being part of the same security network are communicatively networked with each other through signalling via said wireless communication circuitries to form a security network in which the alarm systems communicates directly with each other two by two. Preferably, each security network comprises four or more alarm systems. Also for the second aspect of the invention it is preferred that the alarm systems being networked together

communicates directly with each other by transmitting a message simultaneously from the transmitting alarm system to the remaining alarm systems of the network. It is preferred that alarm systems being networked together are also connected in a ring network. It is also preferred that a message is broadcasted or transmitted directly from a transmitting alarm system to the remaining alarm systems of the network. Thus, communication between alarm systems of the same network may comprise

broadcasting of messages between the alarm systems of the network, and it may also comprise forwarding of a ring or token like message from one alarm system to another. It is also within a preferred embodiment of the second aspect of the invention that the control and communication circuitry of an alarm system of a network is arranged for transmitting messages and/or status messages to the other alarm systems being part of the same network and for receiving messages and/or status messages transmitted from these other alarm systems. Here, transmitted messages may hold information identifying the network to which the transmitting alarm system is part of, and transmitted messages may hold information identifying the alarm system transmitting the message. The status messages may be transmitted frequently and/or regularly, and the status messages may be transmitted regularly within predetermined time intervals.

According to one or more embodiments of the second aspect of the invention, then for each alarm system of a network, the control circuitry keeps a status record for each of the other alarm systems of the network, each said status record holding information regarding status messages received from the corresponding alarm system of the network. Here, for each alarm system of a network, each status record may store the unit identifier of the corresponding alarm system. Preferably, then for each alarm system, the status record further includes the unit identifier of the alarm system itself. It is also preferred that for each alarm system, the status record further includes information regarding the unique network identifier of the network to which the alarm system belongs.

It is within one or more embodiments of the second aspect of the invention that the control circuit of an alarm system issues a warning signal via the communication circuitry to the other alarm systems being part of the same network when a status message has not been received from an alarm system being part of the network within a predetermined period of time.

Also for the second aspect of the invention it is preferred that one or more alarm systems of network further comprise one or more alarm devices for raising an alarm, said alarm devices being coupled to or communicating with the control circuitry of said alarm system. It is preferred that the control circuitry of the alarm system forwards an activation signal to one or more of the alarm devices of the alarm system upon issuing the warning signal. It is also within embodiments of the second aspect of the invention that one or more alarm systems of a network further comprise one or more alarm triggering devices communicatively coupled to the control circuitry of the alarm system. The alarm triggering device(s) may be communicating with the control circuitry by wireless communication. The alarm triggering device(s) may comprise one or more alarm sensors and/or a panic button/device. When an alarm triggering device of an alarm system is triggered, the control circuitry of said alarm system may be activated to transmit a warning signal via the communication circuitry to the other alarm systems being part of the same network. When an alarm triggering device of an alarm system is triggered, the control circuitry of said alarm system may be activated to forward an activation signal to one or more of the alarm devices of the alarm system.

According to an embodiment of the second aspect of the invention, then when an alarm system of a network receives a warning signal from another alarm system being part of the same network, the control circuitry of the receiving alarm system is activated to forward an activation signal to one or more of the alarm devices of the receiving alarm system.

It is within one or more embodiments of the second aspect of the invention that at least one selected alarm system comprises circuitry for determining active security networks being within communication range of said alarm system. In order for a network to be in communication range to the selected alarm system, then at least one or more alarm systems and preferably all the alarm systems being part of this network should be in communication range with the selected alarm system. Preferably, the selected alarm system having circuitry for determining networks being within communication range is adapted for communicating through wireless communication with alarm systems being part of a security network being within range. The alarm systems being part of a security network may be identified by unit identifiers stored by an alarm system of said network and communicated to the selected alarm system. It is preferred that the alarm system having circuitry for determining networks being in communication range comprises a user interface outputting or displaying the security networks being in range, and further comprises circuitry for selecting one of said security networks being within range based on a user input.

It should be understood that it is also within one or more embodiments of the second aspect of the invention that the wireless security networks being part of the security network systems of the second aspect of the invention are selected from the wireless security networks according to the first aspect of the invention.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method of forwarding alarm warning signals representing an alarm condition in an alarm system being part of a security network comprising four or more alarm systems, wherein the alarm systems are located at different locations and are communicatively networked with each other, said method comprising:

a broadcast alarm transmission process being a broadcast of an alarm warning message from a first alarm system, which is the alarm system experiencing the alarm condition, to the remaining alarm systems being part of the security network.

It is preferred that the method of the third aspect of the invention further comprises a successive alarm transmission process being a transmission of an alarm warning message initiated from the first alarm system and then successively transmitted from one alarm system to another alarm system through the network of alarm systems. Here,

the alarm systems of the network may be arranged for transmitting messages from one alarm system to another in a ring or circle like transmission network, such as in a token-ring network, and the alarm warning message transmitted by the successive alarm transmission process may be transmitted as a message from one alarm system to another alarm system through the circle like transmission network.

The method of the third aspect of the invention may further comprise:

a direct alarm transmission process being a transmission of an alarm warning message in turn directly from the first alarm system to each or at least part of the remaining alarm system of the network.

For the method of third aspect of the invention it is preferred that the alarm warning message transmitted by the successive alarm transmission process is transmitted as a message from one alarm system to another alarm system through the transmission network until being received by the first alarm system originally transmitting the alarm warning message. For the method of the third aspect of the invention then one or more status messages may successively be transmitted from one alarm system to another alarm system through the transmission network. A status message may be transmitted as a message from one alarm system to another alarm system through the ring or circle like transmission network. The status message may be a token or token like message. For the method of the third aspect of the invention then the alarm warning message transmitted by the successive alarm transmission process may be added as an alarm message to a status message being transmitted by the first alarm system. For the method of the third aspect of the invention then when an alarm system has received an alarm warning message from a transmitting alarm system during the successive and/or direct alarm transmission process, the receiving alarm system may forward a receipt acknowledge message to the transmitting alarm system. According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a method of transmitting one or more status messages in a security network comprising four or more alarm systems, wherein the alarm systems are located at different locations and are communicatively networked to each other in at least a ring or circular like topology, said method comprising:

generating a status message at a first alarm system;

transmitting the status message from the first alarm system to a second alarm system, and then transmitting the status message as a ring message from one alarm system to another alarm system through the security network. Here, the ring topology communication network may be a token ring or token ring like communication network, and the status message is a token or token like message.

For the methods of the third and fourth aspects of the invention it is preferred that each alarm system of the security network has a unique unit identifier, unitJD, and that each alarm system stores the unit identifiers of all the alarm systems of the network.

For the methods of the third and fourth aspects of the invention it is also preferred that a transmitted status message holds information identifying the alarm system

transmitting the status message. It is also preferred that a transmitted status message holds information identifying the alarm system receiving the status message. Thus, a status message may hold origin data identifying the transmitter, and further hold destination data identifying the receiver.

For the methods of the third and fourth aspects of the invention it is preferred that a status message holds data identifying the issuance of the status message, such as an issuance number. It is also preferred that a status message holds presence data representing active alarm systems having received/transmitted the status message and further representing non-active alarm systems, which have not received/transmitted the status message. It is within one or more embodiments of the third and fourth aspects of the invention that an alarm system receiving a status message checks if the message identifies the receiving alarm system as the receiver, and if not, then the status message is discarded by the receiving alarm system. It is also within one or more embodiments of the third and fourth aspects of the invention that an alarm system receiving a status message validates the issuance data of the message, and if the message is issued before a previously received status message, then the newly received status message is discarded. For the methods of the third and fourth aspects of the invention it is preferred that each alarm system of the network keeps a status record for all the other alarm systems of the network, each said status record holding information related to status messages transmitted to the corresponding alarm system of the network. Here, an alarm system may issue an alarm warning message together with the transmission of a status message, when a status record indicates that another alarm system of the network has not received/ transmitted a valid status message within a predetermined period of warning time. It is preferred that each status record comprises a timer, and that an alarm system receiving a status message resets the timers of all status records corresponding to an active alarm system as indicated by the presence data of the status message, while timers corresponding to non-active alarm systems keep running. The predetermined period of warning time may be defined by the setting of the timers of the status records, and an alarm warning message may be issued when a timer runs out. For the methods of the third and fourth aspects of the invention it is preferred that the presence data of a status message comprises a number of bits corresponding to the number of alarm systems, and that a bit is set to 1 , when the corresponding alarm system is active or present, and that a bit is set to 0, when the corresponding alarm system is non-active or non-present by having not received/transmitted the status message. For the methods of the third and fourth aspects of the invention it is preferred that when an alarm system has received a status message, it is delayed in time before being transmitted to the next alarm system. The delay in time may be a predefined delay, such as in the range of 2-10 seconds, such as about 5 seconds.

It is within one or more embodiments of the third and fourth aspects of the invention that each or at least part of the alarm systems have circuitry for forwarding a receipt acknowledge message to an alarm system transmitting a status message, and that when a status message is transmitted from a first alarm system to a second alarm system and no acknowledgement of reception is received from the second alarm system, then the first alarm system updates the status message by notifying in the status message that the second alarm system has not received the status message, and then transmits the status message to the next alarm system in the ring or circle like transmission network.

Also for the methods of the third and fourth aspects of the invention it is preferred that the alarm systems are communicatively networked with each other through wireless communication.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention there is provided a security network comprising four or more alarm systems, wherein the alarm systems are located at different locations and are communicatively networked with each other for broadcasting a broadcast message from one alarm system to the other alarm systems of the network, and further being communicatively networked to each other in a ring or circular like topology for successively transmitting a ring message from one alarm system to another alarm system through the security network. Here, the alarm systems may further be communicatively networked with each other for directly transmitting a direct message in turn from one alarm system to each or at least part of the remaining alarm system of the network. It is preferred that the alarm systems are

communicatively networked with each other through wireless communication.

For the fifth aspect of the invention it is preferred that each or at least part of the alarm systems have circuitry for receiving a transmitted message and for forwarding a receipt acknowledge message to the alarm system transmitting the message. For the fifth aspect of the invention it is also preferred that each or at least part of the alarm system comprises: one or more alarm devices for detecting an alarm condition; and circuitry for broadcasting an alarm message as a broadcast message or signal to the other alarm systems of the network upon an alarm condition being detected by an alarm device. Here, each or at least part of the alarm systems may further comprise circuitry for initiating the transmission of an alarm message as a ring message from one alarm system to another upon an alarm condition being detected by an alarm device. Also, each or at least part of the alarm systems may further comprise circuitry for transmitting an alarm message as a direct message in turn to each or at least part of the other alarm systems of the network upon an alarm condition being detected by an alarm device.

For the fifth aspect of the invention it is preferred that that one or more status messages are transmitted as one or more ring messages from one alarm system to another alarm system through the ring or circle like transmission network. The status message(s) may be a token or token like message. An alarm system comprising circuitry for initiating the transmission of an alarm message as a ring message may further comprise circuitry for adding the alarm message to a status message being transmitted by the alarm system.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention there is provided a security network comprising four or more alarm systems, wherein the alarm systems are located at different locations and are communicatively networked to each other in at least a ring or circular like topology, wherein each alarm system comprises circuitry for generating a status message, and for transmitting the status message to another alarm system within the ring like communication network, and further for receiving a status message from an alarm system within the ring like network. It is preferred that a generated status message is transmitted as a ring message from one alarm system to another alarm system through the security network. The ring topology communication network may be a token ring or token ring like communication network, and the status message may be a token or token like message. It is preferred that the alarm systems are

communicatively networked with each other through wireless communication. For the networks of the fifth and sixth aspects of the invention it is preferred that each alarm system of the security network has a unique unit identifier, unitJD, and that each alarm system stores the unit identifiers of all the alarm systems of the network. It is also preferred that a transmitted status message holds information identifying the alarm system transmitting the status message. A transmitted status message may also hold information identifying the alarm system receiving the status message. Thus, a status message may hold origin data identifying the transmitter, and further hold destination data identifying the receiver. For the networks of the fifth and sixth aspects of the invention it is preferred that a status message holds data identifying the issuance of the status message, such as an issuance number. It is also preferred that a status message holds presence data representing active alarm systems having received/transmitted the status message and further representing non-active alarm systems, which have not received/transmitted the status message.

It is within one or more embodiments of the network of the fifth and sixth aspects of the invention that an alarm system comprises circuitry for checking or validating if a received status message identifies the receiving alarm system as the receiver or not. It is preferred that an alarm system comprises circuitry for validating the issuance data of a received status.

It is within one or more embodiments of the network of the fifth and sixth aspects of the invention that each alarm system of the network keeps a status record for all the other alarm systems of the network, each said status record holding information related to status messages transmitted to the corresponding alarm system of the network. Here, an alarm system may comprise circuitry for issuing an alarm warning message together with the transmission of a status message, when a status record indicates that another alarm system of the network has not received/ transmitted a valid status message within a predetermined period of warning time. Preferably, each status record comprises a timer, and an alarm system receiving a status message may be adapted to reset the timers of all status records corresponding to an active alarm system as indicated by the presence data of the status message, while keeping timers

corresponding to non-active alarm systems running. The predetermined period of warning time may be defined by the setting of the timers of the status records, and wherein an alarm warning message is issued when a timer runs out.

For the networks of the fifth and sixth aspects of the invention it is preferred that the presence data of a status message comprises a number of bits corresponding to the number of alarm systems, and that a bit is set to 1 , when the corresponding alarm system is active or present, and that a bit is set to 0, when the corresponding alarm system is non-active or non-present by having not received/transmitted the status message.

It is within one or more embodiments of the network of the fifth and sixth aspects of the invention that alarm system comprises circuitry for delaying further transmission of a received status message. The delay in time may be a predefined delay, such as in the range of 2-10 seconds, such as about 5 seconds.

For the networks of the fifth and sixth aspects of the invention it is preferred that each or at least part of the alarm systems have circuitry for receiving a transmitted message and for forwarding a receipt acknowledge message to the alarm system transmitting the message, and that when a status message is transmitted from a first alarm system to a second alarm system and no acknowledgement of reception is received from the second alarm system, the first alarm system comprises circuitry for updating the status message by notifying in the status message that the second alarm system has not received the status message, and further comprises circuitry for transmitting the status message to the next alarm system in the ring or circle like transmission network.

It is within one or more embodiments of the network of the fifth and sixth aspects of the invention that the security network further comprises a central server and that the network alarm systems are communicatively networked with each other through wireless communication, and that at least one of the network alarm systems comprises a GSM modem adapted for establishing communication between the central server and the network alarm systems. It is preferred that at least two of the network alarm systems comprises a GSM modem adapted for establishing communication between the central server and the network alarm systems. It is also preferred that an alarm system comprising a GSM modem is adapted for forwarding a message received from another alarm system via the GSM modem to the server. It should be understood that it is also within one or more embodiments of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth aspects of the invention that a wireless security network and/or alarm system being part of a security network according to the third, fourth, fifth or sixth aspects of the invention is/are selected from the wireless security networks and/or alarm systems according to the first aspect of the invention.

According to a seventh aspect of the invention there is provided a method of connecting a new alarm system to a security network in a security network system comprising at least two wireless security networks, wherein each security network comprises two or more alarm systems being located at different locations and being communicatively networked with each other through wireless communication at a communication channel or frequency selected from a predetermined number of communication channels or frequencies, said method comprising:

a scanning process in which the new alarm system broadcasts one or more search messages at a number of the predetermined communication channels or frequencies; and

a response process in which the new alarm system receives one or more response messages from alarm systems being part of a security network and having received a search message, said response message(s) being communicated at the same channel or frequency as the corresponding received search message and said response message(s) holding information of the network to which the responding alarm system belongs. It is preferred that the method further comprises selecting a security network based on the network information received with the response messages, and connecting the new alarm system to the selected security network. The network selection process may comprise a presentation of at least part of the network information to a user, which user then selects the security network.

According to an embodiment of the seventh aspect of the invention the new alarm system may broadcast one or more search messages at a first selected channel or frequency; and awaits response messages from alarm systems at said first selected channel or frequency, and the new alarm system may further broadcast one or more search messages at a second selected channel or frequency; and awaits response messages from alarm systems at said second selected channel or frequency. For the method of the seventh aspect of the invention it is preferred that the new alarm system broadcasts one or more search messages at each of the predetermined communication channels or frequencies. For the method of the seventh aspect of the invention it is also preferred that each security network has a unique network identifier, and that each alarm system of a network holds information of the corresponding network's unique identifier allowing communication between alarm systems of the same network, and that each or at least part of the alarm systems of a network further holds a no-network identifier being different to the network identifiers, thereby allowing communication with alarm systems outside the security networks and/or with alarm systems of another security network. Her, the broadcasted scan messages may hold the no-network identifier.

According to an eighth aspect of the invention there is provided a security network system comprising at least two wireless security networks, wherein each network comprises two or more alarm systems being located at different locations, wherein each security network is uniquely identified, and wherein all alarm system of a selected security network are communicatively networked with each other through wireless communication. Each alarm system of each network may hold information identifying the network to which the alarm system is part of, and each security network may have a unique network identifier.

For a system according to the eighth aspect of the invention it is preferred that a security network is identified by a unique network identifier being stored in the alarm systems being part of the security network. Here, it is preferred that each or at least part of the alarm systems of a network further holds a no-network identifier being different to the network identifiers, thereby allowing communication with alarm systems outside the security networks and/or with alarm systems of another security network. According to a ninth aspect of the invention there is provided a security network system comprising at least two wireless security networks, wherein each security network has a unique network identifier and comprises two or more alarm systems being located at different locations and being communicatively networked with each other through wireless communication, wherein each alarm system of a network holds information of the corresponding network's unique identifier allowing communication between alarm systems of the same network; and

each or at least part of the alarm systems of a network further holds a no- network identifier being different to the network identifiers, thereby allowing

communication with alarm systems outside the security networks and/or with alarm systems of another security network.

For the systems of the eighth and ninth aspects of the invention it is preferred that at least part of the security networks communicate within different wireless transmission frequencies. Here, all the security networks may communicate within different wireless transmission frequencies, and the transmission frequency of a security network may thereby uniquely identifying the security network. It is also within one or more embodiments of the systems of the eighth and ninth aspects of the invention that at least part of the security networks communicate within the same wireless transmission frequency, and that a security network is identified by a unique network identifier being stored in the alarm systems being part of the security network. Here, all the security networks may communicate within the same wireless transmission frequency, and a security network may be identified by a unique network identifier being stored in the alarm systems being part of the security network

For the systems of the eighth and ninth aspects of the invention it is preferred that each alarm system has a unique unit identifier, and that each alarm system of a security network stores the unit identifiers of all the alarm systems being part of said network.

It is within one or more embodiments of the network systems of the eighth and ninth aspects of the invention that or some or for each of the security networks, the alarm systems are communicatively networked with each other for broadcasting a broadcast message from one alarm system to the other alarm systems of the network. It is preferred that for some or for each of the security networks, the alarm systems are communicatively networked to each other in a ring or circular like topology for successively transmitting a ring message from one alarm system to another alarm system through the security network. It is also within one or more embodiments of the systems of the eighth and ninth aspects of the invention that he security network system further comprises a central server, and that for each of the security networks, at least one of the network alarm systems comprises a GSM modem adapted for establishing communication between the central server and the alarm systems of the corresponding network. Here, it is preferred that for some or for each of the security networks, at least two of the network alarm systems comprises a GSM modem adapted for establishing communication between the central server and the alarm systems of the corresponding network. It is preferred that an alarm system comprising a GSM modem is adapted for forwarding a message received from another alarm system of the same network via the GSM modem to the server.

It should be understood that it is also within one or more embodiments of the systems of the eighth and ninth aspects of the invention that the wireless security networks being part of a security network system according to the eighth or ninth aspects of the invention may be selected from the wireless security networks according to the fifth or sixth aspects of the invention. It should also be understood that it is within one or more embodiments of the systems of the eighth and ninth aspects of the invention that the wireless security networks being part of a security network system according to the eighth or ninth aspects of the invention may be selected from the wireless security network systems according to the second aspects of the invention.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention there is provided a security network comprising four or more alarm systems being located at different locations and being communicatively networked with each other through wireless communication for transmitting messages from one alarm system to another, wherein the security network further comprises a central server, and wherein at least one of the network alarm systems comprises a GSM modem adapted for establishing communication between the central server and the network alarm systems. Here, it is preferred that at least two of the network alarm systems comprises a GSM modem adapted for establishing communication between the central server and the network alarm systems. I

For the tenth aspect of the invention it is preferred that the alarm systems are communicatively networked with each other for broadcasting a broadcast message from one alarm system to the other alarm systems of the network. It is also preferred that the alarm systems are communicatively networked to each other in a ring or circular like topology for successively transmitting a ring message from one alarm system to another alarm system through the security network. An alarm system comprising a GSM modem may be adapted for forwarding a message received from another alarm system via the GSM modem to the server.

It should be understood that it is also within one or more embodiments of the tenth aspect of the invention that the wireless security networks being part of the security network of the tenth aspect of the invention are selected from the wireless security networks according to the first aspect of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the

accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an alarm system for use in a security network according to an embodiment of the invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram giving more details of a base unit being part of the alarm system of Fig. 1 ,

Fig. 3 illustrates a security network system with two security networks according to an embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 4 is a table illustrating communication commands used by the alarm systems of a security network according to an embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the connection of an alarm system to a security network according to an embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the disconnection of an alarm system from a security network according to an embodiment of the invention, Fig. 7 is a flowchart illustrating forwarding of status messages between alarm systems being part of a security network according to an embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 8 is a flowchart illustrating start of an alarm signal according to an embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 9 is a flowchart illustrating cancelling of an alarm signal according to an embodiment of the invention, Fig. 10 is a flowchart illustrating acknowledge of command received according to an embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 1 is a flowchart illustrating possible commands and corresponding actions performed by an alarm system being part of a security network according to an embodiment of the invention,

Figs. 12 and 13 are diagrams illustrating communication of status messages between alarm systems being part of a security network according to a first embodiment of the invention,

Figs. 14-16 are diagrams illustrating communication of status messages between alarm systems being part of a security network according to a second embodiment of the invention, Figs. 17a,b,c are diagrams illustrating forwarding of an alarm signal according to an embodiment of the invention,

Figs. 18a,b are diagrams illustrating communication between an alarm system searching for a security network and alarm systems being part of a security network according to an embodiment of the invention,

Figs. 19a,b are diagrams illustrating the use of different transmission channels for different security networks according to an embodiment of the invention, Fig. 20 is a diagram illustrating communication between a central server and a alarm systems of a security network according to an embodiment of the invention, and

Figs. 21 a, b are diagrams illustrating communication of alarm messages between alarm systems being part of a security network according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Alarm system

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an alarm system 100 for use in a security network according to an embodiment of the invention. The security network comprises a number of alarm systems 100 which are located at different locations, see also Fig. 3. The alarm systems 100 of the security network are communicatively networked with each other to form a security network in which the alarm systems 100 communicates with each other, where a message may be broadcasted or transmitted from the transmitting alarm system 100 to one or more of the remaining alarm systems 100 of the network, see also Figs. 12-17 and Fig. 21. The alarm systems 100 being members of the same network may communicate directly with each other whereby a message may be transmitted simultaneously from the sender to the other members of the network, Figs. 12 and 21a, but the alarm systems 100 being members of the same network may also or alternatively be connected in a ring network , such as a token or token like network, whereby a message may be transmitted successively from one alarm system to another alarm system of the network, Figs. 14-17. It is preferred that the network comprises at least four alarm systems 100, and the alarm systems may be communicatively networked by a so-called peer- to-peer networking.

The alarm systems 100 may be networked together by different means, and in one embodiment of the invention, the alarm systems are communicatively networked with each other through a computer network such as the Internet. In another embodiment of the invention, which is the preferred embodiment, the alarm systems 100 are communicatively networked with each through wireless communication. The alarm system 100 shown in Fig. 1 has a base unit 101 , to be discussed in more details in connection with Fig. 2, a number of alarm triggering or sensor devices 102 and a number of alarm devices 103 for raising an alarm. The base unit 101 has control and communication circuitry, and the alarm triggering devices 102 are communicating with the base unit 101 through wireless communication 104, and the base unit 101 is also communicating with the alarm devices through wireless communication 105. Thus, when one of the sensors or triggering devices 102 are activated, an alert signal is forwarded to the base unit 101 , which again may forward an activation signal to one or more of the alarm devices 103 to raise an alarm signal. The communication circuitry of the base unit 101 is also adapted for wireless communication 106 with the other alarm systems being part of the security network, and when the base unit 101 receives an alert signal from one of the sensors or triggering devices 102, a warning signal or alarm command may be transmitted from the base unit 101 to the other base units of the alarm systems of the network.

The alarm triggering devices 102 may be alarm sensors such as intrusion/burglar detectors, such as motion detectors such as door/window detectors for detecting opening of a door/window. The alarm triggering devices 102 may also comprise or be a panic button which can be activated by a person pushing or pressing the button. Other alarm triggering devices or detectors may be used such as smoke/fire detectors, a carbon-monoxide detector, a water detector and a gas detector. The alarm detectors 102 wirelessly transmit an alert message to the base unit 101 upon detecting an alarm condition. Advantageously, a remote control (not shown) is used to operate the alarm system 100. In this way the user may, for instance, arm or disarm the alarm system 100. The alarm devices 103 for raising an alarm may include an audible alarm device, a visual alarm device, a device for forwarding SMS messages to pre-programmed mobile phone numbers, and a device for calling one or more pre-programmed telephone numbers. Fig. 2 is a block diagram giving more details of the base unit 101 being part of the alarm system 100 of Fig. 1.

The base unit 101 comprises a central processing unit, CPU, 201 , a display module 202, a data entry module 203, a wireless receiver/transmitter module 204, and a power supply module 205. The display module 202 may be an alphanumeric display, such as a LED or LCD display, with 30 characters or more in order to be capable of showing names and addresses. The display should preferably be able to show more than one line of text, and the display may be used to assist the user in navigating through menus, entering data, and to display messages (status, names and addresses for other network members, alarm messages, battery operation etc). The display may have control LEDs for showing status for the system (Power, Online, Battery condition etc). The display module 202 must have interfaces to the user for navigating, to the data entry module 203, and further have interface to the CPU 201.

The data entry module 203 may be an alphanumeric keyboard for entering names and addresses or a numeric keypad with text input (like phone) or step-up / step down buttons to select characters. The data entry module 203 may also have command buttons for easy access to key commands such as "Panic" (set alarm) or "Stop alarm". Thus, the data entry module 203 may be used for entering user inputs, e.g. commands, data (name, address), and for navigating through user menu. The data entry module interfaces to the display module 203 and to the CPU 201. The wireless receiver / transmitter module 204 comprises wireless communication circuitry, such as RF circuitry. The wireless module 204 serves to transmit and receive messages from the base units of the other alarm systems 100 of the network, and further functions to receive trigger or alert signals from the sensors/triggering devices 102 and to forward activation or de-activation signals to the alarm devices 103. Thus, the wireless module 204 has interfaces to the wireless sensors 102, the wireless alarm devices 103, the CPU 201 , and the other base units 101 in the network.

The power supply module 205 has power supply circuitry for supplying the base unit 101 with mains power, and back-up battery and battery charging circuitry. The power supply module thus serves to provide the base unit 101 with mains power, keep the backup battery charged and switch between mains and battery operation. The power supply module interfaces to mains power and to the base unit 101.

The CPU module 201 forms the control circuitry of the base unit 101 and contains hardware and software for controlling all operational functions and communications (send/receive) of the base unit. The CPU module also contains data for the network, such as names and addresses of the members of the network, unique identifiers of the alarm systems 100 of the network, and identification of the network of which the alarm system 100 is part of. The CPU module 201 contains a microcontroller with RAM, ROM, IO and ALU and non-volatile memory for storing data. The CPU module 201 interfaces to the display module 202, the data entry module 203, the wireless receiver / transmitter module 204, and the power supply module 205.

Fig. 3 illustrates a security network system with two security networks 301 , 303 according to an embodiment of the invention. The first network 301 has 6 alarm systems at 6 different locations 302a-302f, and the second network 303 has 4 alarm systems at 4 different locations 304a-304d. The two alarm systems of 302c and 302f are located so as to be in communication range with both the first network 301 and the second network 303, but here they have been set up to be members of the first network 301. It should be understood that the present invention also covers security network systems with more than two security networks. Thus, an alarm system may be located so as to be in communication range with several networks, but it it preferred that the alarm system is only connected to or member of a single security network. Communication protocol

For a security network of the present invention, it is essential that the alarm systems being part of the same security network can communicate with each other. It is preferred that the communication protocol used for communication between alarm systems of a network follows the below listed guidelines:

General

- Commands may be sent out simultaneously to all units in the network or as a ring message or token travelling around a ring or token like unit network.

- The communication protocol may allow commands to be sent by any alarm system of the network asynchronously at random times.

- A receiving alarm system of the network may return all commands with an

acknowledge, so that the sender knows which alarm systems have received (and understood) the command. - The sender will thereby know if the command has been successfully transmitted and will be able to resend if necessary.

- Acknowledge may be sent to all alarm systems of the network or to the transmitting alarm system.

- The network is identified by an ID.

- All alarm systems are identified by a unique ID.

Syntax

- Command.

- Network ID for sender.

- Unit ID for sender.

- Data (specific for the command).

Fig. 4 is a table illustrating control commands, which may be used for the

communication between the alarm systems of a security network according to one or more embodiments of the invention. The commands listed in Fig. 4 are:

Network_request, Join_network, Leave_network, l_am_alive, Alarm, and Acknowledge.

The first command of Fig. 4 is the Network _request command. This command may be initiated by a user when an alarm system is not yet connected to a security network.

There may be several active networks, see also Fig. 3, and the alarm system may then search for active networks being in communication range. In order for a network to be in communication range to the alarm system, then at least one or more alarm systems and preferably all the alarm systems being part of this network should be in

communication range with the searching alarm system. When an active network has been identified, then a mapping of this network is performed, which includes an identification of the alarm systems being member of the network, and may further include an exchange of communication signals or messages with all the identified members of the network. All alarm systems being member of a security network store data identifying the members of the network, and these data can be transferred from an alarm system being member of the network to the searching alarm system.

The second command of Fig. 4 is a Join_network command. When a user has decided to join a network being in communication range, the join_network command is issued, and the new alarm system connects to the network, during which connection action the new alarm system is identified to all the alarm systems being member of the network and these alarm systems are updated with the identifier, Unit-ID, of the new alarm system. The new alarm system is also updated with the identifiers, Unit-ID, of the members of the alarm system. It is preferred that each security network has a network identifier, NetworkJD, and the network identifier is also stored in all alarm systems being part of the corresponding network.

If an alarm system being part of a security network needs to be disconnected from the network, which can be due to the user wanting to leave the network, then a

"Leave_network" command is issued. The leaving alarm system transmits a

"Leave_network " message, and by receiving this message, the other alarm systems being member of the network then knows that this alarm system is no longer connected to the network, and will therefore avoid issuing false alarms due to no signals being received from the leaving alarm system.

For an alarm system being connected to a network, an" l_am_alive" command may be given by the CPU module, and such a command may be given at regular intervals. The "l_am_alive" command may activate the alarm system to transmit a status message, which may include name and address and/or Unit-ID of the transmitting alarm system. This status message is received by all the other members of the network, and each member of the network stores a status record for all the other members of the network. When an alarm system receives a status message, the corresponding status record is updated. In one embodiment of the invention status messages are transmitted at predetermined, regular intervals, which may be every minute, or every 30 or 15 seconds, and if a status message for one of the alarm systems is not received by another alarm system of the network within this predetermined interval, then an alarm will be issued by the alarm system(s) not receiving such status message.

In another embodiment of the invention, status messages are transmitted as token like messages in a ring shaped communication network, where a receiving alarm system may wait a predetermined time, such as 5 seconds, in order not to overload the network, before transmitting a status message to the following alarm system. One or more status messages may be travelling round the network. If one of the alarm systems has not transmitted a status message within a predetermined period of time, such as one minute or 30 sec, then an alarm may be issued by the alarm system notifying from a received status message that the not-transmitting alarm system is missing.

When the base unit 101 of an alarm system 100 receives an alert signal from one of the sensors or triggering devices 102 an alarm command or warning signal is issued or transmitted. An alarm command or warning signal may also be issued when an alarm systems has detected that another alarm system of the network has not issued a status message within the predetermined interval. The alarm command or warning signal may hold information of the ID of the sender and information of the type of sensor/triggering device 102, which rises the alarm. In case of the alarm command being issued due to no status message received, then the alarm command or warning signal holds information of the sender ID and the ID of the alarm system not transmitting status messages. Thus the alarm command/warning signal makes it possible for the receiving alarm systems to identify the sender and to identify the alarm type, which makes it possible for the receiving alarm systems to choose between different alarm actions. Thus, the alarm command can be used for issuing alarm start/activating commands, but the alarm command may also be used for forwarding alarm stop commands.

The acknowledge command is used when an alarm system of the network has received a command or message. Alarm systems of the network may return all commands with an acknowledge, so that the sender knows if a receiving alarm system have received the command.

System start-up and user menu

When an alarm system starts up for the first time a power-on self test may be performed. Then the user of the alarm system may be presented with the main menu:

1. Arm/disarm alarm

2. Enter own name and address

3. Scan for network

4. Connect to network

5. Leave network

6. System test

7. Power off The user then chooses one of the actions. The alarm system may ensure that the user is guided. E.g. if the user tries to connect to a network without having entered own name and address he is asked to do so.

Arm/disarm alarm

The alarm system 100 is armed or disarmed for burglar alarm operation. This function may act like other alarm system, i.e. PIN code controlled, timer controlled etc.

Enter own name and address

The user sets up his own system to identify himself for the other members of the network.

Scan for network

The alarm system 100 scans for active networks in the neighborhood.

Connect to network

The alarm system 100 connects to a network. If several networks are active the user will choose which one to connect to.

Leave network

The system disconnects from the network (permanently).

System test

The alarm system 100 performs a system test where sensors and alarm devices are tested without alarming the network. This should be assisted by the user and may be performed by a technician.

Power off

The system powers off and signals its (temporary) absence to the network.

Normal operational mode

When the alarm system 100 runs in operational mode either the burglar alarm is armed or not. In both cases the panic buttons may be active.

The alarm system 100 is communicating with the network. It sends and receives commands and messages.

Sent messages: The alarm system 100 transmits "I am alive" status messages telling the network that the alarm system 100 is online. In case of an alarm an alarm command or warning signal is sent. Received messages: These could be messages from other alarm systems in the network telling that a new member has connected, that a member has disconnected (permanently or temporary). It could be the "I am alive" message from other alarm systems. And it could of cause be an alarm command.

Alarms from other alarm systems

Could be triggered in two ways: Either by the other alarm system 100 sending an alarm command or the other alarm system 100 stops sending "I am alive" messages. The latter will occur if the alarm system is jammed or tampered with. There is a risk of false alarms if someone in the network turns of the alarm system 100 on the mains power switch on the wall. This risk should be avoided by having the alarm system 100 warning the user. A battery backup may ensure enough time for the alarm system 100 to alert the user to either turn on the power again or make an "authorized" power down. Alarm from own alarm system

If an alarm signal from one of the sensors or the panic buttons is detected the alarm may be send to the network indicating the type of alarm and the name/address of the unit.

The following Figs. 5-1 1 are flowcharts illustrating actions taken by issuance of different commands.

Fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the connection of a new alarm system 100 to a security network.

Start - 501.

Possible triggers

The unit is connected for the first time. Initiate "initial set-up" or "scan for network".

The function "scan for network" is activated - 502.

Function

The unit sends request to the network - 503.

The unit identifies one or more active network:

Wait for all units to respond - 504; Read input -505; Data received - 506.

If no network detected - 507, then go to end - 512. If one or more networks detected, then go from 506 to 508 and get the NetworkJDs from the detected networks.

Present the network data for the user - 509.

User selects network to join - 510.

The alarm system sends connect command join_network to the other alarm system in the network - 51 1.

Network connection end - 512.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the disconnection of a connected alarm system 100 from a security network.

Start - 601.

Possible triggers

The user wants to lave the network, initiate Leave_network command - 602.

Function

The alarm system sends Leave_network command to the other alarm systems in the network - 603.

End disconnect alarm system - 604.

Fig. 7 is a flowchart illustrating forwarding and check of status messages between alarm systems being part of a security network according to an embodiment of the invention.

Start - 701.

Possible triggers

No user input. The status is send automatically and regularly.

Function

The unit send an l_am_alive command - 702.

The unit checks that all other units are alive - 703, 704.

If not an alarm is issued - 705.

End status message check - 706.

Fig. 8 is a flowchart illustrating start of an alarm command.

Start - 801.

Possible triggers

An alarm is recognized by an alarm system of the network.

The alarm system knows what triggered the alarm. Function

The alarm system sends an alarm command - 802.

End send alarm command - 803. Fig. 9 is a flowchart illustrating cancelling of an alarm signal.

Start - 901.

Possible triggers

The user cancels the alarm, or a timeout - 902.

Function

The alarm system sends an alarm_stop command - 903.

End stop alarm - 904.

Fig. 10 is a flowchart illustrating send acknowledge of command received.

Start - 1001.

Possible triggers

The alarm system receives a command.

Function

The alarm systems sends an acknowledge - 1002.

End send of acknowledge - 1003.

Fig. 1 1 is a flowchart giving an overview of commands and corresponding actions performed by an alarm system being part of a security network according to an embodiment of the invention.

Start - 1 101

Possible triggers

The alarm system receives a command - 1102.

Function

The alarm system parses (interpret) the command and perform the relevant action. The commands may be as described in connection with the table of Fig. 4:

Network_request - 1103, see also the flowchart of Fig. 5;

Join_network - 1104, which may include the action of adding the ID and name and address of the new alarm system to the members of the network - 1105, see also the flowchart of Fig. 5;

Leave_network - 1106, which may include the action of removing the alarm system from the network - 1107, see also the flowchart of Fig. 6; l_am_alive - 1108, which may include the action of forwarding a status message and checking status messages received, including log of time of receipt of status message and log of name and address of sender - 11009, see also the flowchart of Fig. 7;

Alarm - 11 10, which may take a decision 1 11 1 of stop alarm - 11 12, or start alarm, where the alarm may be an audible or visible alarm 1 113, and where there may be a timeout of for example 5 min. - 11 14 for the alarm, see also the flowcharts of Figs. 9 and 8.

End - 11 15. Network surveillance

This function detects if an alarm system stops working normally. This could be caused by somebody tampering or jamming the alarm system and therefore an alarm is issued to the network. The function of the security network surveillance has been described in connection with the "l_am_alive" command of the table of Fig. 4 and the flowchart of Fig. 7. There may be three operations involved:

1. An alarm system sends an l_am_alive status message to the network frequently and regularly.

2. The alarm system receives l_am_alive status messages from other alarm systems in the network

3. The alarm system checks status for all other alarm systems in the network and issues alarm if an alarm system has stopped sending l_am_alive status messages.

Figs. 12 and 13 are diagrams illustrating communication of status messages between alarm systems being part of the same security network according to a first embodiment of the invention. In Fig. 12, the alarm system 1201 transmits a status message

(l_am_alive message) to the network. This status message is transmitted

simultaneously to all the alarms systems 1202-1207 being member of the network, and the message may contain information of which network the transmitting alarm system 1201 belongs to and identifies the alarm system 1201. The transmission of the status message may be repeated frequently and regularly during normal operation.

In Fig. 13, the alarm system 1201 receives a status message from another alarm system 1204 of the network. The alarm system 1201 recognizes the message as coming from an alarm system 1204 in the same network as alarm system 1201 is part of. Alarm system 1201 holds a status record for alarm system 1204, which status record may include a counter or timer, and alarm system 1201 updates or resets the status record for alarm system 1204, in case the status record include a counter or timer, this counter or timer may be reset, meaning that "alarm system 1204 has been reporting l_am_alive 0 seconds ago". Alarm system 1202 checks status records for all other alarm systems 1202-1207 in the network, and If the status record or counter/timer for an alarm system in the network exceeds a pre-defined time since receipt of status message, an alarm or warning message is sent to the network . Multiple networks allowed

As illustrated in Fig. 3, the present invention also covers a security network system comprising two or more security networks, where the security networks may be networks as described above. A security network should be geographically limited to keep an "neighbor watch" intact. Therefore it makes no sense to just keep on extending an existing network with more units. New networks should be created instead. In areas where two active networks are within reach of an alarm system there may be a need for the alarm system to be able to distinguish between the networks and to let the user choose which network he/she wants to join.

When having a system with multiple security networks according to an embodiment of the invention, then each network is identified by a unique identifier.

The networks can function on either the same wireless transmission frequency or on different frequencies, and each alarm system of a network can scan for active networks being in range. In case of the networks transmitting on different frequencies, the alarm system may scan the allowed frequencies and receive messages from other alarm systems. The network transmission frequency may be used as identifier for the network. In case of the networks transmitting on the same frequency, the alarm systems scan the network frequency and receives messages from other alarm systems, where the network they belong to is identified by a network ID included in a received message.

In either case the scanning alarm system may then be connected to a specific network, decided by the user. In normal operation hereafter only messages from other alarm systems belonging to the chosen network are received/reacted upon. It is possible to scan for networks and change between networks at any time. Message communication in ring based network

Figs. 14-16 are diagrams illustrating communication of status messages between alarm systems being part of a security network according to a second embodiment of the invention. The security network 1400 comprising five alarm systems 1401-1405, which are communicatively networked to each other in at least a ring or circular like topology. Each alarm system 1401-1405 comprises circuitry for generating a message or status message 1406, and for transmitting the message or status message 1406 to another alarm system within the ring like communication network as indicated by the arrows between the alarm systems 1401-4105, and further for receiving a message or status message from an alarm system within the ring like network 1400. The ring topology communication network 1400 is a token ring or token ring like communication network 1400, and the message or status message is a token or token like message 1406.

The token like message or status message 1406 comprises a series of bits, which may include 8 bits of origin 1407 for identifying the alarm system transmitting the message and 8 bits of destination 1408 for identifying the alarm system intended to receive the message, see also Fig. 15a. When a new token arrives, the unit or alarm system checks whether the destination 1408 is its own ID number. Otherwise the token is discarded.

To ensure the network 1400 is not flooded, a delay is used before passing on the token 1406. When a token 1406 has been received and validated, the receiving unit or alarm system waits a predetermined period of time, such as approx 5 seconds, before updating the new token 1406 and passing it on.

The token like status message 1406 further may have two times 8 bits count 1409, which include an 8 bit increment counter 141 1 , and 8 bit of unit ID 1412, see also Fig. 15b. When a new token arrives, the value of the 8 bit increment counter 1411 is compared to that of the last received and accepted token 1406. If the value of the counter 14011 is equal to or greater than the last count, then this token 1406 is accepted as valid, and its data is valid. If the value is less, then the token 1406 must be older than at least one other token on the net. The token is then discarded.

If the token 1406 is discarded or lost, a recovery procedure must be present.

A timer is started, and when it expires, a new token 1406 may be constructed with a count value constructed from the internally maintained 8 bit increment counter 1411 and the 8 bit Unit ID 1412 representing the ID of the unit or alarm system constructing the new token 1406. If a valid token arrives before the recovery timer expires, the timer is stopped. The expiry time of the recovery timer may be calculated from the network setup: the time a token 1406 takes to make a best case round trip + a jitter value.

The jitter value ensures that token recovery will not happen simultaneously in the units or alarm systems 1401-1405. This might provoke too many discards of tokens 1406.

The token like status message 1406 may also have a series of data bits 1401 , which may be up to 20 bits, see also Fig. 15c. When a token is recovered, all units or alarm systems 1401-1405 are assumed missing, except the recovering unit itself.

The data 1410 is a status of the units or alarm systems 1401-1405 on the network 1400. If the n'th bit is set to 1 , the n'th unit is present. Every unit 1401-1405 monitors all other units on the network 1400. The unit or alarm system maintains a timer for all units 1401-1405, which timer triggers a keep alive alarm when it expires. Every time a valid token 1406 arrives, the unit or alarm system 1401-1405 resets the timer of the units that are present. Each unit 1401-1405 keeps the data from the last valid token 1406. When the token 1406 is passed on, the network status is passed along. Each unit is represented by 1 bit in the data 1410, 1 for present, 0 for missing. Each timer may represent a status record for the corresponding unit or alarm system, where the timer holds information about how long time has expired since the corresponding unit has received or transmitted a status messages. Figs. 16a-16c illustrate an unsuccessful delivery of a token 1406 from a first unit or alarm system A to a second unit or alarm system B, where the token is then

transmitted to a third unit or alarm system C. When the unit A tries to pass the token 1406 on unsuccessfully, the receiving unit B's status bit is set to 0, and the sender A will try the next unit C on the network 1400. The next unit C will then be passed a token where the original receiver B is missing. If the unit B has not announced it presence at a passing status message 1406 within a specified time, a keep alive alarm will go off.

For the network 1400 then each alarm system 1401-1405 has a unique unit identifier, unitJD, and each alarm system 1401-1405 stores the unit identifiers of all the alarm systems 1401-1405 of the network 1400. From the origin 1407 and destination 1408 bits of the token 1406, it is seen that a transmitted status message 1406 holds information identifying 1407 the alarm system transmitting the status message 1406, and further holds information identifying the alarm system 1408 receiving the status message. A status message 1406 also holds data identifying the issuance of the status message, such as an issuance number or count given by the increment counter 141 1.

In case of an active alarm being generated within an alarm system 1401-1405, then the token 1406 may be appended with the alarm data of the active alarm, i.e. user information and alarm type. This is illustrated in Figs. 17a-17c, which are diagrams illustrating forwarding of an alarm signal 1413 according to an embodiment of the invention. The alarm data 1413 is added to the token 1406 each time a unit 1401-1405, which has received the alarm signal 1413, generates or passes on the token 1406, see Fig. 17a. The unit receiving the token 1406 with the appended alarm data 1413 will then pass on the token and alarm data, 1406 and 1413, to the next unit or alarm system in the ring network 1400, see Fig. 17b. If the unit or alarm system, which previously has sent the alarm 1413, receives the alarm 1413 again in a token 1406, then the alarm may be removed from the token 1406 before the token 1406 is passed on again, see Fig. 17c. Thus, only necessary data should be sent.

Searching for networks

As already discussed previously, then when a new alarm is to be connected to a security network, such as network 1400, then according to one or more embodiments of the present invention, there may be several networks within communication range. Fig. 18a is a diagram illustrating communication between an alarm system 1801 searching for a security network and alarm systems 1802-1806 being part of a security network according to an embodiment of the invention. First, a new unit 1801 is asked to search for nets by the new user. The unit 1801 will then start broadcasting a PING package to all units 1802-1806 in its vicinity.

The content of the PING package is illustrated in Fig. 18b. For the broadcasted PING signal, Origin 1808 is a random value in the range 32-255 to avoid collision with existing routing table, Destination 1809 is a fixed value of 255, to indicate it is a broadcast, No connection 1810 is a fixed value of 255, to avoid collision with existing network identifiers, Net IDs or NetworkJDs. Type 181 1 is a fixed value to distinguish the packet type as a PING signal in this case. The Data 1812 is not part of the broadcasted PING package but part of the response 1807. If a unit 1802-1806 is within receiving distance, and the unit 1802-1806 is connected to a security network, it will send a PING response 1807 back to the pinging unit 1801.

The PING response 1807 has the content: Origin 1808 is the ID of the responding unit, Destination 1809 is the ID of the pinging unit 1801 , No connection 1810 is 255, as before for the broadcasted PING signal, Type 1811 is a fixed value to distinguish the packet type as a PING response, and Data 1812 is the contact info for the admin, e.g. the phone number. The data received from the PING responses at the new unit 1801 is then used for displaying the list of found security networks, and the contact info for the various networks.

It should be understood that when having a security network system comprising several wireless security networks, then the networks may communicate on different communication channels or frequencies. And if different networks are communicating at the same channel or frequency, then the networks are distinguished by a unique network identifier, NetworkJD. However, it is preferred that all networks have a unique network identifier.

The new unit or alarm system 1801 will have to perform a scanning process, in which the new alarm system 1801 broadcasts the PING signal at a number of the

predetermined communication channels or frequencies, being the channels of frequencies which are allowed for the security network system. In a preferred embodiment 10 different channels or sub-frequencies are allowed and may be used. There may then be a number of different networks on each channel. During the scanning process, the new unit 1801 will receive one or more response messages from alarm systems 1802-1806 being part of a security network and having received the broadcasted PING signal. The PING response messages are communicated at the same channel or frequency as the corresponding broadcasted PING signal, and the PING responses hold information of the network to which the responding alarm system 1802-1806 belongs.

The unit 1801 may be adapted for presenting the received network information to a user, which user then selects the security network. It is to be noted that when each security network has a unique network identifier, then each alarm system 1802-1806 of a network holds information of the corresponding network's unique identifier, which allows communication between alarm systems of the same network. But in order for the alarm systems of a network to communicate with alarm system outside the network, such as the new alarm system 1801 , then the alarm systems further holds a no-network identifier being different to the network identifiers. For the broadcasted PING signals and the PING response 1807, then the No connection 1810 has a fixed value of 255, to avoid collision with existing network identifiers, NetworkJDs, and thereby functions as the no-network identifier. In case of adjacent security networks being within receiving range of each other, interference can occur, which may cause loss of transmission messages or packets. To ensure adjacent networks do not generate problems within the specified frequency band, the networks can operate on different sub-channels. This is illustrated in Figs. 19a and 19b, where the two networks of Fig. 19a are operating on the same channel, sub-channel 0, and interfering with each other, while the network of Fig. 19b is operating at another channel, sub-channel 1 , to thereby avoid interference with the networks of Fig. 19a.

Communication with server

Fig. 20 is a diagram illustrating communication between a central server 2001 and alarm systems 2002-2006 of a security network 2000 according to an embodiment of the invention. The units 2002-2006 communicate to the central server 2001 by communicating to one or more units 2002, 2003 having a GSM Modem. To ensure redundancy, it is preferred that two or more units 2002, 2003 have a GSM modem. Furthermore, the network 2000 optimizes utilization of these modems 2002, 2003 by having the units 2004-2006 communicating to the units 2002 or 2003 in order to communicate to the central server 2001. Here, the alarm systems 2002-2006 may be communicatively networked with each other for broadcasting a broadcast message from one alarm system to the other alarm systems 2002-2006 of the network 2000, and they may be communicatively networked to each other in a ring or circular like topology for successively transmitting a ring message from one alarm system to another alarm system 2002-2006 through the security network 2000.

Alarm broadcast

Figs. 21 a, b are diagrams illustrating communication of alarm messages between alarm systems being part of a security network according to an embodiment of the invention. In Fig. 21 a, the unit 2101 will broadcast an alarm message or signal 2106, and units 2102-2105 receiving the alarm will relay the broadcast. Thus, the alarm broadcast of Fig. 21a aims to notify as many units or alarm systems 2102-2105 of the network as possible in the first try. The broadcast process does not return any info on number of units 2102-2105 receiving the alarm 2106. It is preferred that when the broadcast signal 2106 has been transmitted, then the broadcasting unit 2101 will transmit the alarm message or signal to each unit specifically, that is to 2102 as indicated by 1 , to 2103 as indicated by 2, 2104 as indicated by 3, and 2105 as indicated by 4. The units 2102-2104 receiving this alarm message may return a receipt acknowledge. Thus, the system aims to optimize the number of receiving units 2102-2105 in the network.

Claims

1. A method of forwarding alarm warning signals representing an alarm condition in an alarm system being part of a security network comprising four or more alarm systems, wherein the alarm systems are located at different locations and are communicatively networked with each other, said method comprising:

2. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising a successive alarm transmission process being a transmission of an alarm warning message initiated from the first alarm system and then successively transmitted from one alarm system to another alarm system through the network of alarm systems.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the alarm systems of the network are arranged for transmitting messages from one alarm system to another in a ring or circle like transmission network, such as in a token-ring network, and wherein the alarm warning message transmitted by the successive alarm transmission process is transmitted as a message from one alarm system to another alarm system through the circle like transmission network.

4. A method according to any one of the claims 1-3, further comprising:

5. A method according to claim any one of the claims 2-4, wherein the alarm warning message transmitted by the successive alarm transmission process is transmitted as a message from one alarm system to another alarm system through the transmission network until being received by the first alarm system originally transmitting the alarm warning message.

6. A method according to any one of the claims 1-5, wherein one or more status messages are successively transmitted from one alarm system to another alarm system through the transmission network.

7. A method according to claims 3 and 6 wherein a status message is transmitted as a message from one alarm system to another alarm system through the ring or circle like transmission network.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the status message is a token or token like message.

9. A method according to claims 2 and any one of the claims 6-8, wherein the alarm warning message transmitted by the successive alarm transmission process is added as an alarm message to a status message being transmitted by the first alarm system.

10. A method according to any one of the claims 2 -9, wherein when an alarm system has received an alarm warning message from a transmitting alarm system during the successive and/or direct alarm transmission process, the receiving alarm system forwards a receipt acknowledge message to the transmitting alarm system.

1 1. A method according to any one of the claims 1-10, wherein the alarm systems are communicatively networked with each other through wireless communication.

12. A method of transmitting one or more status messages in a security network comprising four or more alarm systems, wherein the alarm systems are located at different locations and are communicatively networked to each other in at least a ring or circular like topology, said method comprising:

generating a status message at a first alarm system;

transmitting the status message from the first alarm system to a second alarm system, and then transmitting the status message as a ring message from one alarm system to another alarm system through the security network.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the ring topology communication network is a token ring or token ring like communication network, and the status message is a token or token like message.

14. A method according to any one of the claims 1-13, wherein each alarm system of the security network has a unique unit identifier, unitJD, and wherein each alarm system stores the unit identifiers of all the alarm systems of the network.

15. A method according to any one of the claims 6-14, wherein a transmitted status message holds information identifying the alarm system transmitting the status message.

16. A method according to any one of the claims 6-15, wherein a transmitted status message holds information identifying the alarm system receiving the status message.

17. A method according to claims 15 and 16, wherein a status message holds origin data identifying the transmitter, and further holds destination data identifying the receiver.

18. A method according to any one of the claims 6-17, wherein a status message holds data identifying the issuance of the status message, such as an issuance number.

19. A method according to any one of the claims 6-18, wherein a status message holds presence data representing active alarm systems having received/transmitted the status message and further representing non-active alarm systems, which have not received/transmitted the status message.

20. A method according to any one of the claims 16-19, wherein an alarm system receiving a status message checks if the message identifies the receiving alarm system as the receiver, and if not, then the status message is discarded.

21. A method according to any one of the claims 18-20, wherein an alarm system receiving a status message validates the issuance data of the message, and if the message is issued before a previously received status message, then the newly received status message is discarded.

22. A method according to any one of the claims 6-21 , wherein each alarm system of the network keeps a status record for all the other alarm systems of the network, each said status record holding information related to status messages transmitted to the corresponding alarm system of the network.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein an alarm system issues an alarm warning message together with the transmission of a status message, when a status record indicates that another alarm system of the network has not received/ transmitted a valid status message within a predetermined period of warning time.

24. A method according to claims 19 and claim 22 or 23, wherein each status record comprises a timer, and wherein an alarm system receiving a status message resets the timers of all status records corresponding to an active alarm system as indicated by the presence data of the status message, while timers corresponding to non-active alarm systems keep running.

25. A method according to any one of the claims 19-23, wherein the presence data of a status message comprises a number of bits corresponding to the number of alarm systems, and wherein a bit is set to 1 , when the corresponding alarm system is active or present, and wherein a bit is set to 0, when the corresponding alarm system is non-active or non-present by having not received/transmitted the status message.

26. A method according to claims 23 and claim 24 or 25, wherein the

predetermined period of warning time is defined by the setting of the timers of the status records, and wherein an alarm warning message is issued when a timer runs out.

27. A method according to any one of the claims 6-26, wherein when an alarm system has received a status message, it is delayed in time before being transmitted to the next alarm system.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein the delay in time is a predefined delay, such as in the range of 2-10 seconds, such as about 5 seconds.

29. A method according to any one of the claims 6-28, wherein each or at least part of the alarm systems have circuitry for forwarding a receipt acknowledge message to an alarm system transmitting a status message, and wherein when a status message is transmitted from a first alarm system to a second alarm system and no acknowledgement of reception is received from the second alarm system, then the first alarm system updates the status message by notifying in the status message that the second alarm system has not received the status message, and then transmits the status message to the next alarm system in the ring or circle like transmission network.

30. A method according to any one of the claims 12-29, wherein the alarm systems are communicatively networked with each other through wireless

communication.

31. A security network comprising four or more alarm systems, wherein the alarm systems are located at different locations and are communicatively networked with each other for broadcasting a broadcast message from one alarm system to the other alarm systems of the network, and further being communicatively networked to each other in a ring or circular like topology for successively transmitting a ring message from one alarm system to another alarm system through the security network.

32. A security network according to claim 31 , wherein the alarm systems further are communicatively networked with each other for directly transmitting a direct message in turn from one alarm system to each or at least part of the remaining alarm system of the network.

33. A security network according to claim 31 or 32, wherein the alarm systems are communicatively networked with each other through wireless communication.

34. A security network according to any one of the claims 31 -33, wherein each or at least part of the alarm systems have circuitry for receiving a transmitted message and for forwarding a receipt acknowledge message to the alarm system transmitting the message.

35. A security network according to any one of the claims 31-34, wherein each or at least part of the alarm system comprises:

one or more alarm devices for detecting an alarm condition;

circuitry for broadcasting an alarm message as a broadcast message or signal to the other alarm systems of the network upon an alarm condition being detected by an alarm device.

36. A security network according to claim 35, wherein each or at least part of the alarm systems further comprises:

circuitry for initiating the transmission of an alarm message as a ring message from one alarm system to another upon an alarm condition being detected by an alarm device.

37. A security network according to claim 35 or 36, wherein each or at least part of the alarm systems further comprises:

circuitry for transmitting an alarm message as a direct message in turn to each or at least part of the other alarm systems of the network upon an alarm condition being detected by an alarm device.

38. A security network according to any one of the claims 31-37, wherein one or more status messages are transmitted as one or more ring messages from one alarm system to another alarm system through the ring or circle like transmission network.

39. A security network according to claim 38, wherein the status message(s) is/are a token or token like message.

40. A security network according to claims 36 and 38 or 39, wherein an alarm system comprising circuitry for initiating the transmission of an alarm message as a ring message further comprises circuitry for adding the alarm message to a status message being transmitted by the alarm system.

41. A security network comprising four or more alarm systems, wherein the alarm systems are located at different locations and are communicatively networked to each other in at least a ring or circular like topology, wherein each alarm system comprises circuitry for generating a status message, and for transmitting the status message to another alarm system within the ring like communication network, and further for receiving a status message from an alarm system within the ring like network.

42. A security network according to claim 41 , wherein a generated status message is transmitted as a ring message from one alarm system to another alarm system through the security network.

43. A security network according to claim 42, wherein the ring topology communication network is a token ring or token ring like communication network, and the status message is a token or token like message.

44. A security network according to any one of the claims 31-43, wherein each alarm system of the security network has a unique unit identifier, unitJD, and wherein each alarm system stores the unit identifiers of all the alarm systems of the network.

45. A security network according to any one of the claims 38-44, wherein a transmitted status message holds information identifying the alarm system transmitting the status message.

46. A security network according to any one of the claims 38-45, wherein a transmitted status message holds information identifying the alarm system receiving the status message.

47. A security network according to claims 45 and 46, wherein a status message holds origin data identifying the transmitter, and further holds destination data identifying the receiver.

48. A security network according to any one of the claims 38-47, wherein a status message holds data identifying the issuance of the status message, such as an issuance number.

49. A security network according to any one of the claims 38-48, wherein a status message holds presence data representing active alarm systems having received/transmitted the status message and further representing non-active alarm systems, which have not received/transmitted the status message.

50. A security network according to any one of the claims 46-49, wherein an alarm system comprises circuitry for checking or validating if a received status message identifies the receiving alarm system as the receiver or not.

51. A security network according to any one of the claims 48-50, wherein an alarm system comprises circuitry for validating the issuance data of a received status.

52. A security network according to any one of the claims 38-51 , wherein each alarm system of the network keeps a status record for all the other alarm systems of the network, each said status record holding information related to status messages transmitted to the corresponding alarm system of the network.

53. A security network according to claim 52, wherein an alarm system comprises circuitry for issuing an alarm warning message together with the transmission of a status message, when a status record indicates that another alarm system of the network has not received/ transmitted a valid status message within a predetermined period of warning time.

54. A security network according to claims 49 and claim 52 or 53, wherein each status record comprises a timer, and wherein an alarm system receiving a status message is adapted to reset the timers of all status records corresponding to an active alarm system as indicated by the presence data of the status message, while keeping timers corresponding to non-active alarm systems running.

55. A security network according to any one of the claims 49-54, wherein the presence data of a status message comprises a number of bits corresponding to the number of alarm systems, and wherein a bit is set to 1 , when the corresponding alarm system is active or present, and wherein a bit is set to 0, when the corresponding alarm system is non-active or non-present by having not received/transmitted the status message.

56. A security network according to claims 53 and claim 54 or 55, wherein the predetermined period of warning time is defined by the setting of the timers of the status records, and wherein an alarm warning message is issued when a timer runs out.

57. A security network according to any one of the claims 38-56, wherein an alarm system comprises circuitry for delaying further transmission of a received status message.

58. A security network according to claim 57, wherein the delay in time is a predefined delay, such as in the range of 2-10 seconds, such as about 5 seconds.

59. A security network according to any one of the claims 38-58, wherein each or at least part of the alarm systems have circuitry for receiving a transmitted message and for forwarding a receipt acknowledge message to the alarm system transmitting the message, and wherein when a status message is transmitted from a first alarm system to a second alarm system and no acknowledgement of reception is received from the second alarm system, the first alarm system comprises circuitry for updating the status message by notifying in the status message that the second alarm system has not received the status message, and further comprises circuitry for transmitting the status message to the next alarm system in the ring or circle like transmission network.

60. A security network according to any one of the claims 41-59, wherein the alarm systems are communicatively networked with each other through wireless communication.

61. A security network according to any one of claims 31-60, wherein the security network further comprises a central server and the network alarm systems are communicatively networked with each other through wireless communication, and wherein at least one of the network alarm systems comprises a GSM modem adapted for establishing communication between the central server and the network alarm systems.

62. A security network according to claim 61 , wherein at least two of the network alarm systems comprises a GSM modem adapted for establishing communication between the central server and the network alarm systems.

63. A security network according to claim 61 or 62, wherein an alarm system comprising a GSM modem is adapted for forwarding a message received from another alarm system via the GSM modem to the server.

64. A method of connecting a new alarm system to a security network in a security network system comprising at least two wireless security networks, wherein each security network comprises two or more alarm systems being located at different locations and being communicatively networked with each other through wireless communication at a communication channel or frequency selected from a

predetermined number of communication channels or frequencies, said method comprising:

a response process in which the new alarm system receives one or more response messages from alarm systems being part of a security network and having received a search message, said response message(s) being communicated at the same channel or frequency as the corresponding received search message and said response message(s) holding information of the network to which the responding alarm system belongs.

65. A method according to claim 64, further comprising selecting a security network based on the network information received with the response messages, and connecting the new alarm system to the selected security network.

66. A method according to claim 65, wherein the network selection process comprises a presentation of at least part of the network information to a user, which user then selects the security network.

67. A method according to any one of the claims 64-66, wherein the new alarm system broadcasts one or more search messages at a first selected channel or frequency; and awaits response messages from alarm systems at said first selected channel or frequency, and wherein the new alarm system further

broadcasts one or more search messages at a second selected channel or frequency; and awaits response messages from alarm systems at said second selected channel or frequency.

68. A method according to any one of the claims 64-67, wherein the new alarm system broadcasts one or more search messages at each of the predetermined communication channels or frequencies.

69. A method according to any one of the claims 64-68, wherein each security network has a unique network identifier, and wherein each alarm system of a network holds information of the corresponding network's unique identifier allowing

communication between alarm systems of the same network, and wherein each or at least part of the alarm systems of a network further holds a no-network identifier being different to the network identifiers, thereby allowing communication with alarm systems outside the security networks and/or with alarm systems of another security network.

70. A method according to claim 69, wherein the broadcasted scan messages hold the no-network identifier.

71. A security network system comprising at least two wireless security networks, wherein each network comprises two or more alarm systems being located at different locations, wherein each security network is uniquely identified, and wherein all alarm system of a selected security network are communicatively networked with each other through wireless communication.

72. A security network system according to claim 71 , wherein each alarm system of each network holds information identifying the network to which the alarm system is part of.

73. A security network system according to claim 71 or 72, wherein each security network has a unique network identifier.

74. A security network system according to any one of the claims 71-73, wherein a security network is identified by a unique network identifier being stored in the alarm systems being part of the security network.

75. A security network system according to claim 74, wherein each or at least part of the alarm systems of a network further holds a no-network identifier being different to the network identifiers, thereby allowing communication with alarm systems outside the security networks and/or with alarm systems of another security network.

76. A security network system comprising at least two wireless security networks, wherein each security network has a unique network identifier and comprises two or more alarm systems being located at different locations and being communicatively networked with each other through wireless communication, wherein

each alarm system of a network holds information of the corresponding network's unique identifier allowing communication between alarm systems of the same network; and

77. A security network system according to any one of the claims 71-76, wherein at least part of the security networks communicate within different wireless

transmission frequencies.

78. A security network system according to any one of the claims 71-77, wherein all the security networks communicate within different wireless transmission frequencies, the transmission frequency of a security network thereby uniquely identifying the security network.

79. A security network system according to any one of the claims 71-77, wherein at least part of the security networks communicate within the same wireless

transmission frequency, and wherein a security network is identified by a unique network identifier being stored in the alarm systems being part of the security network.

80. A security network system according to any one of the claims 71-76, wherein all the security networks communicate within the same wireless transmission frequency, and wherein a security network is identified by a unique network identifier being stored in the alarm systems being part of the security network

81. A security network system according to any one of the claims 71-80, wherein each alarm system has a unique unit identifier, and wherein each alarm system of a security network stores the unit identifiers of all the alarm systems being part of said network.

82. A security network system according to any one of the claims 71-81 , wherein for some or for each of the security networks, the alarm systems are communicatively networked with each other for broadcasting a broadcast message from one alarm system to the other alarm systems of the network.

83. A security network system according to any one of the claims 71-82, wherein for some or for each of the security networks, the alarm systems are communicatively networked to each other in a ring or circular like topology for successively transmitting a ring message from one alarm system to another alarm system through the security network.

84. A security network system according to any one of claims 71-83, wherein the security network system further comprises a central server, and wherein for each of the security networks, at least one of the network alarm systems comprises a GSM modem adapted for establishing communication between the central server and the alarm systems of the corresponding network.

85. A security network system according to claim 84, wherein for some or for each of the security networks, at least two of the network alarm systems comprises a GSM modem adapted for establishing communication between the central server and the alarm systems of the corresponding network.

86. A security network system according to claim 82 or 83 and claim 84 or 85, wherein an alarm system comprising a GSM modem is adapted for forwarding a message received from another alarm system of the same network via the GSM modem to the server.

87. A security network system according to any one of the claims 81-86, wherein one or more of the security networks are selected according to an embodiment selected from any one of the claims 31-60.

88. A security network comprising four or more alarm systems being located at different locations and being communicatively networked with each other through wireless communication for transmitting messages from one alarm system to another, wherein the security network further comprises a central server, and wherein at least one of the network alarm systems comprises a GSM modem adapted for establishing communication between the central server and the network alarm systems.

89. A security network according to claim 88, wherein at least two of the network alarm systems comprises a GSM modem adapted for establishing communication between the central server and the network alarm systems.

90. A security network according to claim 88 or 89, wherein the alarm systems are communicatively networked with each other for broadcasting a broadcast message from one alarm system to the other alarm systems of the network.

91. A security network according to any one of the claims 88-90, wherein the alarm systems are communicatively networked to each other in a ring or circular like topology for successively transmitting a ring message from one alarm system to another alarm system through the security network.

92. A security network according to claim 90 or 91 , wherein an alarm system comprising a GSM modem is adapted for forwarding a message received from another alarm system via the GSM modem to the server.