Data communication device

Claim 2

A communications system for use with an existing panel of the type which uses a telephone line as its primary communications path, the communications system providing the existing panel with a radio-frequency primary communications path, the communications system comprising: a communications panel, including first transceiver means for use in the radio-frequency primary communications path, the communications panel adapted for receiving one or more desired conditions from one or more geographical areas, for transmitting the desired condition information and a control signal, and for receiving a control signal, over a predetermined radio frequency, the communications panel also including means for generating electrical signals; and a telephone intercept connected to the communication panel, the telephone intercept adapted for connection to the existing panel, and communicating appropriate electrical signals generated by the communications panel to make the communications panel transparent to the existing panel, whereby the communications system communicates the data and control signals of the existing panel through the radio-frequency primary communications path and is transparent to the existing panel.

Claim 3

A communications system for use with an existing panel of the type which uses a telephone line as its primary communications path, the communications system providing the existing panel with a radio-frequency primary communications path which is transparent to the existing panel, the communications system comprising: a communications panel, including first transceiver means for use in the radio-frequency primary communications path, and a dialer interface for use in the telephone-line secondary communications path, the communications panel adapted for receiving one or more desired conditions from one or more geographical areas, for transmitting the desired condition information and a control signal, and for receiving data and an `acknowledge` control signal via the primary communications path, the communications panel further having selection means for selecting either the primary or the secondary communications path, and the communications panel also including means for generating electrical signals; a telephone intercept connected to the communications panel, the telephone intercept adapted for connection with the existing panel, and communication appropriate electrical signals generated by the communications panel to make the communications panel transparent to the existing panel; and a base station, including second transceiver means for receiving condition information and a control signal from the communications panel, and for transmitting information and an `acknowledge` signal to the communications panel through the radio-frequency primary communications path, the base station also having means for receiving condition information and a control signal through the telephone-line secondary communications path, wherein the communications system communicates the data and control signals of the existing panel through the radio-frequency or telephone-line paths transparent to the existing panel.

Claim 4

A communications system for use with an existing panel of the type which uses a telephone line as its primary communications path, the communications system providing the existing panel with a radio-frequency primary communications path which is transparent to the existing panel, the communications system comprising: a communications panel, including first transceiver means for use in the radio-frequency primary communications path, and a dialer interface for use in the telephone-line secondary communications path, the communications panel adapted for receiving one or more desired conditions from one or more geographical areas, for transmitting the desired condition information and a control signal, and for receiving data and an `acknowledge` control signal via the primary communications path, the communications panel further having selection means for selecting either the primary or the secondary communications path, and the communications panel also including means for generating electrical signals; a telephone intercept connected to the communications panel, the telephone intercept adapted for connection with the existing panel, and communication appropriate electrical signals generated by the communications panel to make the communications panel transparent to the existing panel; and a base station, including second transceiver means for receiving condition information and a control signal from the communications panel, and for transmitting information and an `acknowledge` signal to the communications panel through the radio-frequency primary communications path, the base station also having means for receiving condition information and a control signal through the telephone-line secondary communications path, wherein the communications system communicates the data and control signals of the existing panel through the radio-frequency or telephone-line paths transparent to the existing panel.

Claim 5

A communications system for use with an existing panel of the type which uses a telephone line as its primary communications path, the communications system providing the existing panel with a radio-frequency primary communications path which is transparent to the existing panel, the communications system, comprising: a communications panel, including first transceiver means for use in the radio-frequency primary communications path, and a dialer interface for use in the telephone-line secondary communications path, the communications panel adapted for receiving one or more desired conditions from one or more geographical areas, for transmitting the desired condition information and a control signal, and for receiving data and an `acknowledge` control signal via the primary communications path, the communications panel further having selection means for selecting either the primary or the secondary communications path, the communications panel having means for encoding the desired conditions into messages and for transmitting the encoded messages and a control signal using an appropriate protocol and the communications panel also including means for generating electrical signals; a telephone intercept connected to the communications panel, the telephone intercept adapted for connection with the existing panel, and communicating appropriate electrical signals generated by the communications panel to make the communications panel transparent to the existing panel; and a base station, including second transceiver means for receiving condition information and a control signal from the communications panel, and for transmitting information and an `acknowledge` signal to the communications panel through the radio-frequency primary communications path, the base station also having means for receiving condition information and a control signal through the telephone-line secondary communications path, whereby the communications system communicates the encoded data messages and control signals, using an appropriate protocol, through the radio-frequency or telephone-line paths transparent to the existing panel.

Claim 6

A communications system for use with an existing panel of the type which uses a telephone line as its primary communications path, the communications system providing the existing panel with a radio-frequency primary communications path which is transparent to the existing panel, the communications system, comprising: a communications panel, including first transceiver means for use in the radio-frequency primary communications path, and a dialer interface for use in the telephone-line secondary communications path, the communications panel adapted for receiving one or more desired conditions from one or more geographical areas, for transmitting the desired condition information and a control signal, and for receiving data and an `acknowledge` control signal via the primary communications path, the communications panel further having selection means for selecting either the primary or the secondary communications path, the communications panel having means for encoding the desired conditions into messages and for transmitting the encoded messages and a control signal using an appropriate protocol and the communications panel also including means for generating electrical signals; a telephone intercept connected to the communications panel, the telephone intercept adapted for connection with the existing panel, and communicating appropriate electrical signals generated by the communications panel to make the communications panel transparent to the existing panel; and a base station, including second transceiver means for receiving condition information and a control signal from the communications panel, and for transmitting information and an `acknowledge` signal to the communications panel through the radio-frequency primary communications path, the base station also having means for receiving condition information and a control signal through the telephone-line secondary communications path, whereby the communications system communicates the encoded data messages and control signals, using an appropriate protocol, through the radio-frequency or telephone-line paths transparent to the existing panel.

Claim 7

A communications system as set forth in claim 1, which includes a base station, including second transceiver means for receiving condition information and a control signal and for transmitting information and a control signal to the communications panel, whereby, the base station and the communications panel are in two-way communication and wherein the communications panel includes fail safe transmission means comprising a telephone line directly connecting the communications panel and the base station.

Claim 8

A communications system as set forth in claims 1 or 2, wherein the condition information received by the communications panel is received from an existing panel via telephone line.

Claim 9

A communications system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the message forwarded to the base station from an existing panel comprises a full data transfer of information.

Claim 10

A communications system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the first transceiver means comprises at least 2 transceivers.

Claim 11

A communications system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the second transceiver means comprises at least 2 transceivers.

Claim 12

A communications system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the communications system includes a plurality of sensors connected to the control panel.

Claim 13

A communications system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the plurality of sensors are different from each other and sense a plurality of different conditions.

Claim 14

A communications system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the sensors sense smoke, temperature, building security and sensor identification.

Claim 15

A communications system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the communication panel comprises a polling means for polling each of the sensors at timed intervals.

Claim 16

A communications system as set forth in claim 12, wherein the polling means is adapted to be manually overridden through use of the control signal.

Claim 17

A communications system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the communications panel is integrated with the existing panel.

Claim 18

A communications system as set forth in claim 2, wherein there are a plurality of existing panels and the communications panel receives information from the plurality of existing panels, defining a cluster controller.

Claim 19

A communications system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the communications panel is capable of transmitting and receiving condition information and a control signal using radio frequencies over long distances.

Claim 20

A communications system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the first and second transceiver means communicate via spread spectrum.

Claim 21

A communications system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the first and second transceiver means transmit at a rate of 29.000 baud.

Claim 22

A communications system as set forth in claims 1 or 2 wherein the information sent to the base station is encoded by a predefined protocol and wherein that protocol includes an end to end acknowledgement.