WO2010097963A1

WO2010097963A1 - Home security surveillance system

Info

Publication number: WO2010097963A1
Application number: PCT/JP2009/054243
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tomohiro Suzuki; Seiji Nimura; Takashi Fujii; Dan Hovang
Original assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.; Securitas Direct Ab
Priority date: 2009-02-27
Filing date: 2009-02-27
Publication date: 2010-09-02
Also published as: ES2465946T3; JP2012519314A; EP2401725B1; CA2753670C; CA2753670A1; EP2401725A1; JP5162034B2

Abstract

A home security surveillance system has a plurality of terminal detectors one of which functions as a master, and the other function as a slave to constitute an in-house alarm network. The in-house network is linked to a server on the side of a service provider to transmit an aid-requesting signal through a gateway unit upon detection of a hazardous condition at each of the terminals. Upon detecting a hazardous condition, each slave transmits a hazard signal through a first communication network to the master which responds to transmit the aid-requesting signal. The aid-requesting signal is transmitted through a second communication network which has a communication protocol different from the first communication network such that the server can receive the aid-requesting signal either from the master or the slave for fail-safe acknowledgement of the hazard condition detected in the customer's home.

Description

DESCRIPTION HOME SECURITY SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is directed to a home security surveillance system, and more particularly to such a system in which a service provider implements a home security service to individual customer's homes respectively equipped with in-house alarm network. BACKGROUND ART

There has been proposed a hazard alarm system, for example, as disclosed in WO 2008/088079 that is designed to operate solely in a user's home for giving a fire alarm in a multiplicity of rooms or locations when any one of the locations is detected to see a fire occurrence. For this purpose, the prior alarm system utilizes a master detector and a plurality of slave detectors, which are disposed in different locations and are communicated with each other through an in-house network. Each of the detectors incorporates a detector for detection of a hazard or fire condition as well as an alarm unit which issues an alarm upon the detector generating a hazard signal indicative of the occurrence of the hazard condition. The master detector is specifically designed to receive the hazard signal from anyone of the slave detectors and to generate a linking hazard signal and transmit the same to all the other detectors for simultaneous alarm at every detectors or rooms. While on the other hand, the slave terminal is designed to transmit the hazard signal to the master detector and optionally to the other slave detectors, but not to relay the hazard signal to the others. Thus, only the master detector acts as a repeater to relay the hazard signal to all the other detectors in order to successfully issue the alarms from all of the detectors for enhancing system integrity against possible failure of issuing the alarm in any one of the rooms.

In recent years, there is a growing demand of expanding the above individual in-house alarm networks to an integrated network service or system with the use of a widely-available computer network, e.g. the internet, in order to add an assistant service of dealing with the hazard condition by a third party other than the individual users. When implementing such integrated network service, it is required to employ a computer-based server on the side of a service provider, and a gateway in each of the users' homes as an interface between the in-house alarm network and the server so as to collect the hazard signal transmitted within the in-house alarm network. The server can be designed to communicate through the public computer network with the gateway so as to acknowledge hazard condition detected in the in-house alarm network for providing an assistance service upon receiving of the hazard condition detected in the in-house alarm network.

Thus, it is required to establish a communication between the gateway to the in-house alarm network, i.e., at least one of the detectors. Accordingly, it is a straightforward solution to use a communication protocol employed in the in-house alarm network also to the communication between the in-house alarm network and the gateway, and to make the communication between the gateway and the master detector by making the use of its repeater function.

However, such straightforward solution is thought not to be sufficient for reliable and fail-safe service because of a possible communication error in the in-house alarm network results in a failure of notifying the server of the hazard condition, and also because of that a possible defect of the master detector results in the like failure.

Thus, the implementation of the integrated network system has to take into the consideration of the above potential insufficiencies and is well coordinated with the existing in-house alarm network for realizing reliable and fail-safe home security surveillance system.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been achieved to solve a problem of providing a reliable and fail-safe home security surveillance system or integrated service system in which the server can successfully collect hazard condition detected in the in-house alarm network through different signal information paths. The home security surveillance system in accordance with the present invention includes a plurality of detection terminals arranged to detect a hazardous condition in a customer's home and generate a hazard signal, and a computer-based server having a terminal enrollment table arranged to store an enrollment record for each of the detection terminals, and a gateway unit adapted to be installed in each of said customer¹ homes. The enrollment record is configured to include a terminal code predetermined to identify each of the detection terminals. Each detection terminal includes a radio transceiver for transmitting the hazard signal to the other detection terminal through a first communication network. The gateway unit includes a communication means which is arranged to communicate with the server through the public computer network, and also to communicate with the detection terminals through a second communication network for receiving an aid-requesting signal from at least one of the detection terminals and transmitting the aid-requesting signal to the server. The server has a processor which is configured to collect the aid requesting signal from the gateway unit, and an alert means configured to provide an alert report in response to receiving the aid-requesting signal.

Each detection terminal includes an alarm unit which provides an alarm upon such detection terminal generating the hazard signal or receiving a linking hazard signal from one of the other detection terminals. Further, each detection terminal is arranged to function selectively as a mater and a slave. The master is defined to provide the linking hazard signal when receiving the hazard signal from any one of the other detection terminal, while the slave is defined to transmit the hazard signal to the master through the first communication network. The gateway unit is arranged to relay the aid-requesting signal to the server upon receiving the aid-requesting signal.

The characterizing feature of the present invention resides in that each detection terminal is arranged to generate and transmit the aid-requesting signal to the gateway unit through the second communication network upon generating the hazard signal, and that the second communication network has a communication protocol different from the first communication network.

With this feature, the server can receive the aid-requesting signal either from the master or the slave for fail-safe acknowledgement of the hazard condition detected in the customer's home, yet avoiding possible interference between the first communication network and the second communication network.

Preferably, the gateway unit is configured to transmit a request acknowledgement signal to the detection terminal sending the aid-requesting signal, and each detection terminal is configured to re-send the aid-requesting signal to the gateway unit when the request acknowledgement signal is not received within a predetermined response time period. Thus, the master and the slave can successfully transmit the aid-requesting signal to the server through the gateway unit, even if it temporarily fails to transmit the aid-requesting signal.

Further, the detection terminal assigned as the slave may be programmed to transmit the hazard signal as the aid-requesting signal first to the gateway unit upon generating the hazard signal, and subsequently transmit the hazard signal to the master. Thus, the gateway can promptly transmit the aid-requesting signal to the server for immediate acknowledgement of the hazard condition on the side of the server. Further, the slave is configured to re-send the hazard signal to the master when the request acknowledgement signal is not received from the gateway unit within a predetermined response time period, whereby the master can be successfully informed of the hazard signal.

In a preferred embodiment, the gateway unit includes an assigning means which is arranged to assign the master to one of the detection terminals that is energized to first establish communication with the gateway unit, and assign said slave to the other detection terminal that is energized to later establish communication with gateway unit. Thus, the system can be easily - developed in the customer's home without requiring the customer to understand how to discriminate the master from the slave, and vice versa.

These and still other advantageous features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a home security surveillance system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating terminal registration tables and a terminal status table respectively prepared in detection terminals and a gateway unit constituting the above system, in addition to a terminal enrollment table of a server,

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the server;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the detection terminal;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the gateway unit;

FIG. 6 is a timing chart illustrating how the detection terminals are assigned as a master and a slave;

FIG. 7 is a timing chart illustrating how the system is reconfigured in case when one of the slave is removed from the system;

FIG. 8 is a timing chart illustrating how the system is reconfigured in case when the master is removed from the system;

FIG. 9 is a timing chart illustrating how the system is reconfigured in case one of the slaves is replaced with a new detection terminal;

FIG. 10 is a timing chart illustrating how the system is reconfigured in case the master is replaced with a new detection terminal; and

FIG. 11 is a timing chart illustrating an operation sequence upon detection of hazardous condition at one of the detection terminals.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Now referring to FIG. 1 , there is shown a home security surveillance system which employs a hazard detection subsystem in accordance with the present invention. The home security surveillance system is provided by a service provider and includes a computer-based server 30 installed on the side of a service provider for collecting hazard information such as fire occurrence from an in-house alarm network in each of customers' homes and providing an assistance, for instance, dispatching qualified personnel to the customers home and/or informing an urgent prompt to a customer out of ones' home. The in-house network is realized by the subsystem which is developed in each of the customers' homes and includes a plurality of detecting terminals 50 such as smoke detectors, and a gateway unit 10 which acts as an interface between the detecting terminals and the server 30. The server 30 is equipped or linked with an alert device 38 which generates an alert report when receiving the hazard information in the form of an aid-requesting signal from any one of the detection terminals 50 through the gateway unit 10. As will be discussed later in details, each of the detection terminals is configured to communicate with each other through a first communication network, and also communicate with the gateway unit 10 through a second communication network.

The system further includes an input device 100, for instance, a personal computer or the like which belongs to each customer and is configured to communicate with the server 30 through a public computer network, e.g., the Internet for enrolling the detection terminals 50 in the server 30. For this purpose, the server 30 is provided with a terminal enrollment table 37, which is configured, as shown in FIG. 2, to store a record of terminal code, for instance, manufacture's serial number entered by the customer by use of the input device 100. No other entry is required on the side of the customer. The customer is only required to insert the record of the terminal code or delete such record in advance of developing the in-house alarm network of the subsystem.

As shown in FIG. 3, the server 30 includes, in addition to a memory constituting the terminal enrollment table 37, a communication module 32 for communication with the input device 100 as well as the gateway unit 10 through the public network, and a processor constituting an enrolling module 34 and a hazard event module 36. The enrolling module 34 is programmed to insert, delete, and update the enrollment record in the terminal enrollment table 37 in response to the customer's input at the input device 100. The hazard event module 36 is programmed to activate an alert device 38 for providing the alert report in response to the aid-requesting signal transmitted by way of the gateway unit 10 and received at the communication module 32. The alert device 38 may be a display, a speaker, or the like providing information to the personnel of the service provide.

The detection terminals 50 employed in the present invention are of the same configuration which enables each of the detection terminal to function selectively as a master and a slave. The detection terminal 50 is powered by an incorporated battery (not shown), and includes, as shown in FIG. 4, a power switch 52, a smoke sensor 56, an alarm unit 58, a radio transceiver 68, a processor, and a memory. The smoke sensor 56 is designed to detect a smoke density in an atmosphere and output a density signal indicative of the detected smoke density to a hazard event module 64 realized in the processor. When the smoke density exceeds a predetermined threshold, the hazard even module 64 generate a hazard signal indicative of possible fire and output the signal to the alarm unit 58, which responds to give an alarm sound. The hazard signal is transmitled by means of the radio transceiver 68 to the other detection terminals 50 forming the in-house alarm network through the first communication network, and is also transmitted as the aid-requesting signal to the gateway unit 10 through the second communication network. To this end, the hazard event module 64 is configured to generate the hazard signal in compliance with a first communication protocol specific to the first communication network, and the aid-requesting signal in compliance with a second communication protocol, which is different from the firs communication protocol, specific to the second communication network.

The master is defined to provide a linking hazard signal when receiving the hazard signal from any one of the other detection terminals, while the slave is defined to transmit the hazard signal to the master through the first communication network, and to give the alarm upon receiving the hazard linking signal from the master. The linking hazard signal is prepared in accordance with the first communication protocol and is transmitted from the master to all of the slaves forming the in-house alarm network for providing the alarm at every detection terminals simultaneously. The master is also configured to generate and transmit the aid-requesting signal to the gateway unit 10 when receiving the hazard signal from any one of the slaves or when generating the hazard signal by its own. In this sense, the master acts as a repeater to transmit the aid-requesting signal to the gateway unit in parallel with the aid requesting signal transmitted from the slave directly to the gateway unit 10. In addition, the slave is configured to transmit the hazard signal also to the other slave or slaves, when detecting the hazard configuration or fire occurrence. In order to make interrelated operations between the master and the slaves, the detection terminal has a terminal registration table 67 which is realized in the memory to store, as shown in FIG. 2, a record of a master/slave index indicative of the master or slave, and a node number discriminating each one of the detection terminals from the other within the in-house alarm network. Further, the record of the terminal registration table 67 includes the terminal code. When the detection terminal is assigned as the master, as will be discussed later, it is made to store the master/slave index and the node numbers for all of the detection terminals. When, on the other hand, the detection terminal is assigned as the slave, it is made to store the master/slave index and the node number of itself and the master.

The processor also realizes a configuration/registration module 62 which is programmed to interact with the gateway unit 10 to complete a terminal configuration of assigning the maser and slave, and a terminal registration of determining the node number in association with the master/slave index.

As shown in FIG. 5, the gate unit 10 includes a radio transceiver 11 for communication with the server 30 as well as with the detection terminals 50 through the second communication network, which is distinguished from the first communication network of interconnecting the detection terminals 50 due to the use of a specific communication protocol different from that of the first communication network. The gateway unit 10 also includes a memory constituting a terminal status table 17 which has a configuration identical to the terminal enrollment table 37 and is updated to reflect a change in the enrollment record of the terminal enrollment table 37. Further, the gateway unit 10 has a processor constituting a hazard event module 12, an authentication module 14, and an assigning module 16. The hazard event module 12 is programmed to relay the aid-requesting signal to the server 30, in response to receiving it from any one of the detection terminals 50. The authentication module 14 is programmed to authenticate the detection module, i.e., check whether or not the detection terminal 50 making a configuration demand is recorded in the terminal status table 17, and permits the entry of such detection terminal 50 into the in-house alarm network when it is so recorded in the terminal status table 17. The assigning module 16 is programmed to assign the master to one of the authenticated detection terminals 50 and the slave to the other authenticated detection terminals 50. The result of such assignment is recorded in the terminal status table 17, as well as in the terminal registration table 67 of each detection terminals.

Now referring to FIG. 6, the terminal configuration and the terminal registration are explained in details. After the customer enters the terminal code for each of the detection terminals 50 to be installed in one's home in the terminal enroilment table 37 of the server, the gateway unit 10 responds to record the terminal code in the terminal status table 17 when communicating first with the server. Thus, the gateway unit 10 becomes ready for making the terminal configuration. When one of the first detection terminals is energized with its power switch turned on, it transmits to the gateway unit 10 the configuration demand including the terminal code. When the gateway unit authenticates the detection terminal transmitting the configuration demand as being recorded in the terminal status table 17, the gateway unit 10, i.e., the assigning module 16 acknowledges that the detection terminal is the first one that establishes the communication with the gateway unit 10, and returns a configuration request to the detection terminal, requesting the detection terminal to transmit a configuration response of a specific encryption key to the gateway unit 10. When the gateway unit 10 verifies the configuration response as valid, it transmits a configuration instruction a configuration instruction to the detection terminal in order to assign the master thereto, and at the same time, updates the record of the terminal status table 17 with respect to the detection terminal by setting the master/slave index of "1" and the node number of "00", both indicating the master. The configuration request and the configuration response are provided only for exchanging the encryption key between the detection terminal and the gateway unit for an encrypted communication, and may be optional. That is, the gateway unit 10 may be configured to transmit the configuration instruction in direct response to the configuration demand from the detection terminal of which terminal code is authenticated.

Upon receiving the configuration instruction at the detection terminal 50, the configuration/registration module 62 responds to write the master/slave index of "1 " and the node number of "00" in association with the terminal code of its own in the terminal registration table 67. Thus, the detection terminal 50 (hereinafter also referred to as "DT-master") becomes ready for registration of the other detection terminals (hereinafter also referred to as "DT-slave") which constitute the in-house alarm network with the DT-master.

Subsequently, when one of the other detection terminals 50 (DT-slave) is energized by manipulation of the power switch 52, the detection terminal 50 (DT-slave) goes into a stage 1 sequence ( i.e., a slave configuration sequence) of transmitting the configuration demand with its terminal code, and optionally receiving the configuration request from the gateway unit 10, and transmitting back the configuration response to the gateway unit 10. When the terminal code is recorded in the terminal status table 17, the gateway unit 10 assigns the slave to the detection terminal 50 (DT-slave) by transmitting to the DT-slave the configuration instruction by which the configuration/registration module 62 of the DT-slave responds to write the master/slave index of "0" as associated with its own terminal code in the terminal registration table 67. When sending the configuration instruction to the DT-slave which establishes the communication with the gateway unit 10 later than the preceding one of the detection terminals, i.e., the DT-master, the gateway unit 10 includes a registration instruction in the configuration instruction. That is, the assigning module 16 generates the registration instruction to be added with the configuration instruction. When receiving such configuration instruction, the DT-slave goes into a stage 2 sequence (i.e., a slave registration sequence) starting from waking up the DT-master by sending a registration demand to the DT-master.

Upon receiving the registration demand, the DT-master responds to return a demand acknowledgement to the DT-slave, and a registration inquiry to the gateway unit 10. Subsequently, the gateway unit 10 returns a slave registration permission which is prepared by the assigning module 16 to include the node number of "01 " to be given to the DT-slave. Then, the DT-master responds to transmit a registration order to the DT-slave with the node number of "01 " indicative of that the DT-terminal is the first slave recognized by the DT-master, in addition to the master/slave index, and the node number of about the DT-master so that the configuration/registration module 62 of the DT-slave updates the record of its own to have the node number of "01 ", and adds the record of the DT-master in the terminal registration table 67, as shown in FIG. 2. After completion of updating the terminal registration table 67, the DT-slave returns a registration response to the DT-master which responds to add the record of the DT-slave in its terminal registration table 67. Upon receiving the registration response from the DT-slave, the DT-master sends a slave registration request to the gateway unit 10 so that the gateway unit updates the record of the DT-master and the newly added DT-slave in the terminal status table 17 with regard to the master/slave index and the node number in relation to the terminal code. After updating the terminal status table 17, the gateway unit 10 issues a registration completion response to the DT-slave, completing the slave registration sequence, i.e., the stage 2 sequence.

If the registration completion response is not received within 2500 ms from the configuration demand, the above slave configuration sequence followed by the slave registration sequence is repeated. With the completion of the above registration for all of the other DT-terminals, the DT-master acknowledges each of the DT-slaves and the vice versa as constituting the in-house alarm network such that the each DT-slave can transmit the hazard signal to the DT-master and the other DT-slave through the first communication network, i.e., the in-house alarm network, and the DT-master can transmit the aid-requesting signal to the gateway unit 10 through the second communication network upon receiving the hazard signal from any one of the DT-slaves, in addition to that each of the DT-slave can transmit the aid-requesting signal directly to the gateway unit 10 through the second communication network.

Referring to FIG. 7, there is shown a time chart illustrating how the system works when one of the DT-slaves is removed from the system. When the DT-slave, for instance, one having the node number of "01 " becomes defective and is powered off, the customer utilizes the input device 100 to delete the record of the defective DT-slave from the terminal enrollment table 37 in the server 30. The change of the record is reflected in the terminal status table 17 of the gateway unit 100 when it communicates with the server 30. That is, the terminal status table 17 is updated to give a delete flag to the record of the defective DT-slave, indicating that such recorded is to be deleted. In this situation, the DT-master functions to make a status check sequence whether or not the registered DT-slaves are currently available in the system. The status check sequence is initiated by manipulation of a set button 54 on the side of the DT-master. Upon manipulation of the set button 54, the configuration/registration module 62 responds to generate a status check request for alt of the existing or registered DT-slaves, interrogating whether or not each of the DT-slaves registered in the terminal registration table 67 is recorded as a valid one in the terminal status table 17 of the gateway unit 10. When returning a status request acknowledgement to the DT-master, the gateway unit 10 provides a slave remove instruction for deleting the defective DT-slave from the terminal registration table 67, i.e., the record of the defective DT-slave which is marked with the delete flag in the terminals status table. In response to the slave remove instruction, the DT-master deletes such record from its terminal registration table 67, and returns a slave remove confirmation to the gateway unit, such that the gateway unit updates its terminal status table 17 by actually deleting the record with the delete flag. When the other non-defective DT-slave, for example, having the node number of "02" has its set button 54 pressed, the DT-slave transmits a like status check request whether or not the DT-slave "02" is recorded in the terminal status table 17 of the gateway unit and receives therefrom the status request acknowledgement, which necessitates no change in the terminal registration table 67 of the DT-slave "02".

It is noted in this connection that the status check sequence is initiated by pressing the set button 54 for a short period, for example, less than 4 seconds. When, on the other hand, the set button 54 is pressed for a long period more than 4 seconds, the DT-master or DT-slave makes the above status check followed by a manual test routine which generates a pseudo hazard signal for checking whether the in-house alarm system reacts to issue the alarm from the individual detection terminal. In this case, after sending the status check request and receiving the status request acknowledgement, the DT-master or the DT-slave issues a test request to the gateway unit which responds to return a test request acknowledgement. Upon receiving the test request acknowledgement, the DT-master or the DT-slave is allowed to enter a manual test mode of giving the pseudo hazard signal to generate the alarm within the in-house alarm network, while the gateway unit can acknowledge that the resulting alarm is false one and simply as a result of the test.

In addition, as will be discussed later with reference to FIG. 11 , the set button, when long-pressed, issues a stop alarm signal provided that that there is the hazardous condition detected in the in-house alarm network.

Further, it is also noted in this connection that the each of the DT-master and the DT-slaves is activated intermittently or comes into an intermittent operation mode of checking whether or not the hazardous condition is detected, and wakes-up to transmit the hazard signal as well as the aid-requesting signal immediately upon detection of the hazardous condition. In the figures, such intermittent operation mode of the terminal is denoted by the term "intermittent operation". Also, each of the DT-master and the DT-slave is configured to issue the status check request to the gateway unit at regular intervals for checking whether or not the second communication network operates successfully.

FIG. 8 illustrates a time chart how the system works when the DT-master is removed. As a result of that the DT-master becomes defective and is removed from the system, the customer is required to delete the record of the defective DT-master from the terminal enrollment table 37 in the server 30 such that the gateway unit 10 updates its terminal status table 17 to reflect the deletion. In this situation, when one of the DT-slaves, in this instance, DT-slave having the node number of "01 " has its set button 54 pressed for the short period, this DT-slave makes the status check sequence by transmitting the status check request to the gateway unit 10. However, the gateway unit 10 fails to successfully return the status request acknowledgement to the DT-slave, because of that the gateway unit acknowledges no DT-master in its terminal status table 17. After repeating to transmit the status check request for a predetermined number within a predetermined period after the short-pressing of the set button 54, the DT-slave is allowed to make the configuration sequence to the gateway unit 10. Upon receiving the configuration demand from the DT-slave, the gateway unit 10 makes a reconfiguration routine for reestablishing the in-house alarm network. The reconfiguration routine continues by the gateway unit 10 returning the configuration instruction by which the receiving DT-slave is assigned as a new master and rewrites its terminal registration table 67 to have the master/slave index of "1 ". That is, upon receiving the configuration demand, as explained with reference to FIG. 6, from the detection terminal establishing the communication with the gateway unit, the gateway unit refers to its terminal status table and permits the assigning module 16 to assign the master to the detection terminal transmitting the configuration demand, only when the terminal status table shows a record of the detection terminal transmitting the configuration demand, and shows no record of any detection terminal already assigned as the master.

At this time, the gateway unit 10 updates the terminal status table 17 to rewrite the master/slave index of the new DT-master. Thereafter, the DT-master transmits the status check request to the gateway unit 10 which returns the status request acknowledgement to the DT-master. Whereby, the DT-master responds to clear the records of the remaining DT-slaves with regard to the node number, and the gateway unit 10 clears the records of the remaining DT-slaves with regard to the node number. Then, the gateway unit 10 becomes ready for completing the reconfiguration routine in combination with the DT-master. That is, upon receiving the configuration demand from each of the remaining DT-slaves, in this instance, DT-slave having the node number of "02", the gateway unit 10 generates the configuration instruction designating a new node number of "01 " and the master/slave index of "0", and transmits the same to the DT-slave, which responds to update its own terminal registration table 67 correspondingly, thereby completing the stage 1 sequence (slave configuration sequence). At this time, the gateway unit 10 has its terminal status table 17 updated to reflect the change made to the DT-slave. The configuration instruction generated in the gateway unit 10 includes the registration instruction by which the DT-slave comes into the stage 2 sequence (i.e., the slave registration sequence), which starts from waking up the new DT-master by sensing the registration demand and complete by receiving the registration completion response from the gateway unit 10, as explained in details with reference to FIG. 6. Similarly, any of the remaining DT-slaves completes the above reconfiguration routine simply by pressing the set button 54 for the short time period. Upon completion of the reconfiguration of the all the existing DT-slaves, the new DT-master has its terminal registration table 67 updated to acknowledge the DT-slaves by their node numbers for communication within the in-house alarm network, in addition to that the DT-master as well as the DT-slaves can communicate with the gateway unit 10 with the use of individual node numbers.

Referring to FIG. 9, there is shown another time chart illustrating how the system works when replacing the DT-siave with a new one. As a result of that one registered DT-slave (one having the node number "01", in this instance) becomes defective and has to be replaced with the new detection terminal, the customer uses the input device 100 to remove the record of the defective DT-slave from the terminal enrollment table 37 in the server 30 and insert a record of the newly added detection terminal in the terminal enrollment table 37. The change of the record is reflected in the terminal status table 17 of the gateway unit 100 when it communicates with the server 30. In this situation, upon being energized to communicate with the gateway unit 10, the new DT-slave interacts with the gateway unit 10 to complete the stage 1 sequence and the stage 2 sequence as explained herein above so as to be given the master/slave index of "0" and a new node number, whereby the new DT-slave is recognized by the gateway unit 10 and also by the DT-master for successful communication therebetween. Subsequently, in response to the short-pressing of the set button 54, the DT-master makes the status check sequence whether or not the DT-slaves recorded in its terminal registration table are currently available in the system. That is, the DT-master generates and transmits the status check request to the gateway unit 10, interrogating whether or not each of the DT-slaves recorded in the terminal registration table 67 is also recorded as valid one in the terminal status table 17 of the gateway unit 10. When returning a status request acknowledgement to the DT-master, the gateway unit 10 provides the slave remove instruction for deleting from the terminal registration table 67 the record of the terminal which is marked with the delete flag in the terminal status table 17. In response to the slave remove instruction, the DT-master deletes such record from its terminal registration table 67, and returns the slave remove confirmation to the gateway unit for completely deleting such record also from the terminal status table. Thereafter, when the DT-slave has its set button short-pressed, it transmits the status check request to the gateway unit 10 which returns the status request acknowledgement indicative of that no change is necessary for the terminal registration table 67 of the requesting DT-slave.

When the DT-master becomes defective and is replaced with a new one, the system operates as shown in FIG. 10. In this situation, the user updates the terminal enrollment table 37 of the server 30 by deleting the record of the defective DT-master and inserting the terminal code of a new detection terminal. The resulting change is reflected in the terminal status table 17 of the gateway unit 10. In response to the new detection terminal being energized to establish the communication with the gateway unit 10 by sending the configuration demand, the gateway unit 10 checks whether or not there is the record of the detection terminal assigned as the master in the terminal status table 17, and complete the stage 1 sequence by sending the configuration instruction, which assigns the master to the new detection terminal when the terminal status table shows no record of the detection terminal assigned as the master. Thus, the newly added detection terminal is acknowledged as the new DT-master. Thereafter, the new DT master transmits the status check request to the gateway unit 10 and receives therefrom the status request acknowledgement for confirmation of that the DT-master is recorded in the terminal status table. At this time, the DT-master does not acknowledge the associated DT-slaves, since no record of the DT-slaves are entered in its terminal registration table 67. Also, the gateway unit 10 clears the node number of each DT-slave from its terminal status table, such that it fails to return the status acknowledgement to each DT-slave, even when each DT-slave has its set button short-pressed in an attempt to interact with the gateway unit.

Subsequently, upon short-pressing of the set button, the DT-master sends the status check request, requesting the gateway unit 10 to accept the configuration demand followed by the status check request from each DT-slave. After that, the DT-slave is allowed to make the configuration sequence to the gateway unit and receives the configuration instruction to complete the stage 1 sequence and the stage 2 sequence in a manner as described in the above, whereby the DT-slave is redefined as the slave with the node number given from the gateway unit, and is recorded in the terminal registration table of the DT-master. In this manner, all of the existing DT-slaves are redefined and acknowledged by the DT-master and the gateway unit.

FIG. 11 illustrates how the system works upon detection of the hazardous condition at one of the DT-slaves. In this instance, DT-slave having the node number of "01" (herein after referred to as detecting DT-slave) detects the hazardous condition and is caused to wake-up to issue the alarm and to transmit the aid-requesting signal to the gateway unit 10. Then, the gateway unit responds to relay the aid-requesting signal to the server 30 to notify the hazardous condition, and return an aid-request acknowledgement to the detecting DT-slave. Immediately subsequently, the detecting DT-slave transmits the hazard signal, waking up the DT-master as well as the other DT-slave (hereinafter referred to as non-detecting DT-slave). In response to the hazard signal, the non-detecting DT-slave issues the alarm, while the DT-master generates and transmits the linking hazard signal to the detecting and non-detecting DT-slaves such that each DT-slave issues the alarm. If the non-detecting DT-slave should have failed to wake-up due to some temporary communication error, it is caused to wake-up by the interconnecting hazard signal and issue the alarm. The detective DT-slave and the non-detective DT-slave, when waking-up, return a linking alarm response back to the DT-master, which in turn comes into an interlocked mode of transmitting the aid-requesting signal repeatedly to the gateway unit, and at the same time transmitting the linking hazard signal repeatedly to the detective and non-detective DT-slaves.

Upon the set button being pressed in this situation where the linking hazard signal is repeatedly transmitted, the DT-master transmits an alarm stop order to the detecting and non-detecting DT-slaves, and at the same time transmits an alarm status signal to the gateway unit, indicating that the DT-master is requesting the DT-slaves to stop the alarm. The alarm stop order and the alarm status signal are transmitted repeatedly within a predetermined time period of 90 seconds, for example. After the elapse of the time period, the DT-master transmits an alarm stop confirmation, requesting the detective and non-detective DT-slaves to return an alarm stop response indicative of that the alarm stop order is accepted at the DT-slave. However, while the detecting DT-slave is still detecting the hazardous condition, the detecting DT-slave returns the alarm stop response indicative of the hazardous condition such that the DT-master responds to continue transmitting the linking hazard signal until the hazardous condition is cleared, and continues transmitting to the gateway unit the aid-request signal including information that the hazardous condition is still being detected at the detecting DT-slave after the DT-master transmits the alarm stop order.

When the hazardous condition is cleared, the detecting DT-slave transmits a stop alarm demand to the DT-master, while stopping its own alarm. Then, the DT-master responds to transmit a stop alarm confirmation order to all the DT-slaves, requesting them to return a stop alarm response including information whether or not the DT-slave is ready for stopping the alarm. Upon acknowledgement of the stop alarm response, the DT-master transmits a stop alarm order to the DT-slaves for stopping the alarm at the individual DT-slaves. When the alarm is stopped, each DT-slave returns the stop alarm response indicative of the alarm status to the DT-master, and comes into the intermittent reception mode. Likewise, the DT-master comes into the intermittent reception mode upon receiving the stop alarm response from the DT-slaves. Further, after receiving the stop alarm demand and until receiving the stop alarm response, the DT-master functions to transmit the alarm status signal to the gateway unit with information that the DT-master receives the stop alarm demand from the detecting DT-slave. It is noted that the detection terminal is designed to issue the alarm as a sound-voice "whiz whiz warning smoke alarm⁸ when the hazardous condition is detected by its own, and to issue the alarm as a sound-voice "whiz whiz warning smoke in another room " when the hazardous condition is detected by the other detection terminal.

While the detection terminal is in the intermittent operation mode, it transmits the status check request at regular intervals of 33 hours, for instance, to the gateway unit with information about a battery condition or some parameters indicative whether or not the detection terminal is in good order.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the illustrated embodiment, the individual features as described in the above may be suitably combined to constitute an improved invention or inventions other than the claimed invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A home security surveillance system comprising:

- a plurality of detection terminals (50) arranged to detect a hazardous condition in a customer's home and generate a hazard signal, each of said detection terminals including a radio transceiver (68) for transmitting said hazard signal to the other detection terminal through a first communication network,

- a computer-based server (30) having a terminal enrollment table (37) arranged to store an enrollment record for each of said plurality of detection terminals, said enrollment record including a terminal code predetermined to identify each of said detection terminals;

- a gateway unit (10) being adapted to be installed in each of said customer' homes, and including a communication means (11) which is arranged to communicate with said server through a public computer network, and also to communicate with said detection terminals through a second communication network for receiving an aid-requesting signal from at least one of said detection terminals and transmitting said aid-requesting signal to said server; wherein said server has a processor which is configured to collect said aid requesting signal from said gateway unit, and an alert means configured to provide an alert report in response to receiving said aid-requesting signal, each of said detection terminals including an alarm unit (58) which provides an alarm upon such detection terminal generating said hazard signal or receiving a linking hazard signal from one of the other detection terminals, each of said detection terminals being arranged to function selectively as a mater and a slave, said master being defined to provide said linking hazard signal when receiving said hazard signal from any one of the other detection terminal, and said slave being defined to transmit said hazard signal to said master through said first communication network, said gateway unit being arranged to relay said aid-requesting signal to said server upon receiving said aid-requesting signal, and each of said detection terminals being arranged to generate and transmit said aid-requesting signal to said gateway unit through said second communication network upon generating said hazard signal, said second communication network having a communication protocol different from said first communication network.

2. A home security surveillance system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said gateway unit is configured to transmit a request acknowledgement signal to said detection terminal sending said aid-requesting signal, and each of said detection terminal is configured to re-send said aid-requesting signal to said gateway unit when said request acknowledgement signal is not received within a predetermined response time period.

3. A home security surveillance system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said slave is programmed to transmit said hazard signal as said aid-requesting signal first to said gateway unit upon generating said hazard signal, and then transmit said hazard signal to said master, said gateway unit being configured to transmit a request acknowledgement signal to said slave sending said aid-requesting signal, and said slave being configured to re-send said hazard signal to said master when said request acknowledgement signal is not received within a predetermined response time period.

4. A home security surveillance system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said gateway unit includes an assigning means (16) arranged to assign said master to one of said detection terminals that is energized to first establish communication with said gateway unit, and assign said slave to the other detection terminal that is energized to later establish communication with said gateway unit.