Patent ID: 7818573
Filing Date: 2010-10-19
Classification: G06Q,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of remotely controlling a plurality of security systems comprising the steps of: a. providing a network operating center for the plurality of security systems remotely located from each of the plurality of security systems that controls an operational state of the security systems through a plurality of control commands including at least an arm command that arms a security system of the plurality of the security systems to detect an undesired access into a premises protected by the security system and a disarm command that disarms the security system; b. providing a plurality of destination e-mail addresses within the network operating center that are pre-assigned by the network operating center to respective users of the plurality of security systems for receiving control commands from the users; c. the network operating center receiving an e-mail message from a remote e-mail terminal operated by a user that contains at least one control instruction for controlling the security system of the plurality of security systems; d. authenticating the e-mail message based upon at least one authentication criterion, wherein the authentication includes: searching a central database for a registered e-mail address that corresponds to subscriber information included in the e-mail message, assigning a random transaction number to an outgoing e-mail message, and transmitting the outgoing e-mail message to the registered e-mail address with the random transaction number; e. authorizing a sender of the e-mail message by matching at least a destination e-mail address of the received e-mail message with one of the plurality of pre-assigned destination e-mail addresses; f. transmitting the at least one control instruction to the security system if the e-mail message is authenticated and the sender is authorized; and g. executing the at least one control instruction, wherein the authorizing of a sender of the email message includes the sub-step of determining if an authorization limiting parameter (ALP) includes a time or function limiting schedule and, if so, determining if the e-mail message is in compliance with the time or function limiting schedule.