Sensor interface for computer-based notification system

Claim 1

For a computer-based notification system having a plurality of sensors installed at selected locations within defined area being monitored by said computer-based notification system and a computer system for determining whether an event requiring an issuance of a notification to a selected recipient has occurred, a sensor interface for interconnecting said plurality of sensors and said computer system, comprising: a system bus; a level register coupled to said system bus, said level register having a single bit block corresponding to each one of said plurality of sensors; a status register coupled to said system bus, said status register having a flag bit corresponding to each one of said plurality of sensors; a computer processor coupled to said system bus and to each of said plurality of sensors, said computer processor including: means for repeatedly polling each of said plurality of sensors to determine its state; means for storing, each time said plurality of sensors are polled, the state of each of said plurality of sensors in said corresponding bit block of said level register; means for determining changes in the state of each of said plurality of sensors between successive pollings thereof; means for setting said flag bits of said status register corresponding to each one of said plurality of sensors determined to have changed state between successive pollings thereof; said means for peroidically transferred the contents of said level register and said status register to said computer system; wherein said computer system determines whether an event requiring an issuance of a notification has occured based upon the contents of said level register and said status register transferred thereto.