Patent Publication Number: US-9424737-B2

Title: User management of a response to a system alarm event

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/858,701, filed Jul. 26, 2013, entitled “CANCELLATION OF SECURITY SYSTEM ALARM EVENT USING TEXT OR EMAIL,” the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     n/a 
     FIELD 
     The invention relates to systems that monitor for alarm events at a premises, and in particular to user management of the response to an alarm event at a premises. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The demand for systems that monitor homes and businesses for alarm conditions has continued to grow as more home and business owners seek to protect their premises from various hazards and threats. Examples include intrusion, fire, carbon monoxide and flooding, among others dangers that may be monitored and reported to a monitoring station. When a sensor such as a motion detector is triggered, a representative at a remote monitoring center receives an alarm event code and initiates a response process, including contacting a homeowner or others on a contact list and/or first responders such as local firefighters and/or police to request a dispatch to investigate the event at the premises being monitored. 
     While these systems provide numerous benefits, there are limitations on the ability of a home or business owner to prevent the initiation of response services when not needed, e.g., in the case of a “false alarm.” For example, when an alarm event is triggered, there is typically a short period of time allotted to enter a disarm code into the system (either directly into the system at the premises or via remotely such as via mobile application), which then sends an indication that it has been disarmed back to monitoring center. This disarm event is also an indicator that responder dispatch may not be needed. When an alarm event is first received, a representative from the monitoring center also calls a contact number for property owner to verify whether or not to request response services. 
     However, if the representative cannot immediately speak with the home or business owner, the representative may not be able to adequately verify the nature of the alarm event within a short window of time, and a request for response services may be initiated to investigate. Similarly, while the user may learn of an alarm event via a system notification, if they are not able to quickly disarm the system at the premises (prompting it to send a “disarm” event that is received by the monitoring center) and/or call the monitoring center representative, response services will have already been initiated by the time the owner disarms the system or verifies to the monitoring center representative, and it may not be possible to prevent emergency response. 
     These limitations on the ability to prevent an emergency response can result in wasted resources at the monitoring center, unnecessary use of valuable response resources, as well as undue cost to the system owner in fees to the responding municipalities or even fines for a false alarm response. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention advantageously provides a method and system for user management of an alarm event at a premises. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, a system for managing response to an alarm event for an alarm system monitoring a premises is provided. The premises is associated with at least one user device. The system includes a monitoring device including a processor programmed to: determine whether an alarm event has triggered at the premises, determine whether a user response message associated with the at least one user device has been received, and in response to receiving the user response message, cause an indicator at a remote monitoring center to indicate whether the user wants at least one response action. 
     According to another embodiment of this aspect, the at least one response action includes at least one of verifying the alarm event, cancelling the alarm event and having a responder dispatched to the premises. According to another embodiment of this aspect, the processor is further programmed to: determine whether the alarm event has triggered at the premises, and in response to determining the alarm event has triggered, cause transmission of a notification message to the at least one user device associated with the premises being monitored, the notification message indicating the alarm event has been triggered. According to another embodiment of this aspect, the notification message includes alarm event information. According to another embodiment of this aspect, the user response message includes user provided information for a responder dispatched to the premises. The user provided information is associated with the alarm event. 
     According to another embodiment of this aspect, the processor is further programmed to, in response to receiving the user response message, cause transmission of an update message to at least one other user device associated with the premises. The update message indicates at least one of a plurality of users associated with the premises wants the response action. The update message includes the identity of the user that wants the response action. According to another embodiment of this aspect, if the user response message indicates the user wants a responder dispatched to the premises, the user response message further indicates whether the user has verified the alarm event is genuine. 
     According to another embodiment of this aspect, a security control unit at the premises is provided and configured to determine whether the alarm event has triggered at the premises, and in response determining the alarm event has triggered, cause transmission of a notification message to the at least one user device. The notification message indicates the alarm event has been triggered. According to another embodiment of this aspect, the security control unit is further configured to determine whether the user response message has been received from the at least one user device, and in response to receiving the response message, forwarding the response message to a remote server. According to another embodiment of this aspect, the security control unit is further configured to cause transmission of an update message to at least one other user device. The update message identifies the user of the at least one user device that wants the response action. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for managing response to an alarm event for an alarm system monitoring a premises is provided. A determination is made whether an alarm event has triggered at the premises. A determination is made whether a user response message from the at least one user device has been received. In response to receiving the user response message, an indicator at a remote monitoring center is caused to indicate whether the user wants at least one response action. 
     According to another embodiment of this aspect, the at least one response action includes at least one of verifying the alarm event, cancelling the alarm event and having a responder dispatched to the premises. According to another embodiment of this aspect, a determination is made whether the alarm event has triggered at the premises. In response to determining the alarm event has triggered, causing transmission of a notification message to the at least one user device associated with the premises being monitored is caused. The notification message indicates the alarm event has been triggered. According to another embodiment of this aspect, a cancellation message is transmitted to a dispatch device associated with at least one dispatcher that is responding to the alarm event. 
     According to another embodiment of this aspect, in response to receiving the user response message indicating, transmission of an update message to at least one other user device associated with the premises is caused. The update message indicates at least one of a plurality of users associated with the premises wants the response action. The update message includes the identity of the user that wants to cancel the response action. According to another embodiment of this aspect, if the user response message indicates the user wants a responder dispatched to the premises, the user response message further indicates whether the user has verified the alarm event is genuine. According to another embodiment of this aspect, transmission of an update message to at least one other user device is caused. The update message identifies the user of the at least one user device that wants to one of verifying and cancel the response action. According to another embodiment of this aspect, the user response message includes user provided information for a responder dispatched to the premises. The user provided information is associated with the alarm event. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, a server for managing response to an alarm event for an alarm system monitoring a premises is provided. The server is associated with a remote monitoring center. The server includes a processor programmed to determine whether the alarm event has triggered at the premises, and in response to determining the alarm event has triggered, cause transmission of a notification message to the at least one user device associated with the premises being monitored. The notification message indicates the alarm event has been triggered. The processor is further programmed to determine whether a user response message from the at least one user device has been received. The user response message indicates the user of the at least one user device wants at least one response action. The processor is further programmed to, in response to receiving the response message, cause an indicator at a remote monitoring center that is servicing the alarm event to be triggered. The triggered indicator indicates whether the user wants at least one response action. 
     According to another embodiment of this aspect, the processor is further programmed to, in response to receiving the user response message, cause transmission of an update message to at least one other user device associated with the premises. The update message indicates at least one of a plurality of users associated with the premises wants the response action. The update message includes the identity of the user that wants the response action. According to another embodiment of this aspect, if the user response message indicates the user wants to a responder dispatched to the premises. The user response message further indicates whether the user has verified the alarm event is genuine. According to another embodiment of this aspect, the at least one response action includes at least one of verifying the alarm event, cancelling the alarm event and having a responder dispatched to the premises. According to another embodiment of this aspect, the user response message includes user provided information for a responder dispatched to the premises. The user provided information is associated with the alarm event. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more complete understanding of the invention, and the attendant advantages and features thereof, will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a security control system for managing an alarm event in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a security control unit in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a remote server in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of a user device in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart of an exemplary notification process in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart of an exemplary messaging process in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a flowchart of an exemplary alert process in accordance with the principles of the invention; and 
         FIG. 8  is a flowchart of an exemplary alternative messaging process in accordance with the principles of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention advantageously provides a system, device and method for managing an alarm event at a premises. Accordingly, the system, device and method components have been represented where appropriate by convention symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. 
     As used herein, relational terms, such as “first” and “second,” “top” and “bottom,” and the like, may be used solely to distinguish one entity or element from another entity or element without necessarily requiring or implying any physical or logical relationship or order between such entities or elements. 
     In embodiments described herein, the joining term, “in communication with” and the like, may be used to indicate electrical or data communication, which may be accomplished by physical contact, induction, electromagnetic radiation, radio signaling, infrared signaling or optical signaling, for example. One having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that multiple components may interoperate and modifications and variations are possible of achieving the electrical and data communication. 
     Referring now to the drawing figures in which like reference designator refer to like elements there is shown in  FIG. 1  a security control system constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention and designated generally as “ 10 .” System  10  includes one or more premises  12 . Premises  12  includes one or more one or more premises devices  14   a  to  14   n  (collectively referred to as “premises device  14 ”), one or more interface devices  16   a  to  16   n  (collectively referred to as “interface device  16 ”) and one or more security control units  18 . Premises device  14 , user interface  16  and security control unit  18  provide an alarm system for monitoring premises  12 . The alarm system is configured to be in an armed state or disarm state. When in the armed state, a triggered premises device  14  causes an alarm event to be generated. 
     System  10  also includes one or more remote servers or monitoring devices  20   a  to  20   n  (collectively referred to as “remote server  20 ”), one or more user devices  22   a  to  22   n  (collectively referred to as “user device  22 ”) and one or more networks  24 . Premises devices  14  may include one or more types of sensors, control and/or image capture devices. For example, the types of sensors may include various life safety related sensors such as motion sensors, fire sensors, carbon monoxide sensors, flooding sensors and contact sensors, among other sensor types that are known in the art. The control devices may include, for example, one or more life style related devices configured to adjust at least one premises setting such as lighting, temperature, energy usage, door lock and power settings, among other settings associated with the premises or devices on the premises. Image capture devices may include digital cameras and/or video cameras, among other image capture devices that are well known in the art. Premises device  14  may communicate with security control unit  18  via wired connection, proprietary wireless communication protocols and may also use Wi-Fi, all of which are known in the art. Those of ordinary skill in the art will also appreciate that various additional sensors and control and/or image capture devices may relate to life safety or life style depending on both what the sensors, control and image capture devices do and how these sensors, control and image devices are used by system  10 . 
     Interface device  16  may be a wireless device that allows a user to communicate with security control unit  18 . Interface device  16  may be a wall mounted control panel  16   a , tablet  16   n , computer and mobile phone, among other devices that allow a user to interface with security control unit  18 . User interface device  16  may communicate at least with security control unit  18  using one or more wireless communication protocols well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, portable control keypad  16   a  may communicate with security control unit  18  via a ZigBee based communication link, e.g., network based on Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.15.4 protocols, and/or Z-wave based communication link, or over the premises&#39; local area network, e.g., network based on Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 protocols. 
     Security control unit  18  may provide management functions such as power management, premises device management and alarm management, among other functions. In particular, security control unit  18  may manage one or more life safety and life style features. Life safety features may correspond to security system functions and settings associated with premises conditions that may result in life threatening harm to a person such as carbon monoxide detection and intrusion detection. Life style features may correspond to security system functions and settings associated with video capturing devices and non-life threatening conditions of the premises such as lighting and thermostat functions. 
     Security control unit  18  may communicate with network  24  via one or more communication links  25   a  to  25   n  (collectively referred to as “communication link  25 ”). In particular, the communications links may be broadband communication links such as a wired cable modem or Ethernet communication link  25   a , and digital cellular communication link  25   n , e.g., long term evolution (LTE) based link, among other broadband communication links known in the art. Broadband as used herein may refer to a communication link other than a plain old telephone service (POTS) line. Ethernet communication link  25   a  may be an IEEE 802.3 based communication link. Network  24  may be the Internet, wide area network, local area network, wireless local network and metropolitan area network, among other networks known in the art. Network  24  provides communications between security control unit  18  and remote server  20 . 
     User device  22  may include mobile phone  22   a , smartphone, personal digital assistant, personal computer  22   n  and tablet, among other devices that allow a user to communicate messages to and/or from remote server  20  and/or security control panel  18  via network  24 , as discussed in detail with respect to  FIGS. 4 and 7 . User device  22  may communicate with remote server  20  via network  24  using one or more wireless communication protocols known in the art. While user device  22  is illustrated as being a separate device from interface device  16 , the functionality of user device  22  may be included in interface device  16 . For example, a user&#39;s cellular phone may provide the functionality of both interface device  16  and user device  22 . While user device  22  is illustrated being remote from premises  12 , user device  22  can be remote or proximate premises  12 . 
     System  10  includes remote server  20  that performs monitoring, configuration and/or control functions associated with security control unit  18 , as discussed in detail with respect to  FIGS. 3 and 6 . For example, remote server  20  monitors life safety features associated with security control unit  18  in which the remote server  20  receives life safety data from security control unit  18 . For example, with respect to fire and carbon monoxide detectors/sensors, life safety data may include at least one carbon monoxide readings, smoke detection reading, sensor location and time of reading, among other related to these detectors that may be communicated with remote server  20 . In yet another example, with respect to a door contact detector, life safety data may include at least one of sensor location and time of detection, among other data related to the door contact detection that may be communicated with remote server  20 . Remote server  20  may be part of one or more remote monitoring centers  21 , and/or may be remote from and in communication with one or more remote monitoring centers  21 . Each remote monitoring center  21  may include one or more indicators for notifying or alerting a security company representative of the alarm event and how at least one user associated with a premises being monitored would like the alarm event to be handled, as discussed in detail with respect to  FIG. 5-7 . In one embodiment, one or both of security control panel  18  and remote server  20  may perform the monitoring of premises  12  for alarm events. 
     Alarm event data from premises  12  may be used by remote server  20  and remote monitoring center  21  for various life safety response processes such as notifying the owner of the premises and notifying any appropriate response agency (e.g., police, fire, emergency response) as discussed herein. The same or separate remote server  20  and remote monitoring center  21  may also include a life style system/service that allows for various life style features associated with security control unit  18 . The remote life style system may receive life style data from security control unit  18 . For example, with respect to temperature control, life safety data may include thermostat readings. In yet another example, with respect to video capture devices, life style data may include at least one of captured images, video, time of video capture and video location, among other data related to video capture devices that may be in communication with remote monitoring center  21  and/or remote server  20 . Remote monitoring center  21  and/or remote server  20  may also provide updates to security control unit  18  such as updates to features associated with life safety and/or life style operating system. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that video and other data may also be used by the life safety monitoring center. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of security control unit  18 . Security control unit  18  includes transmitter  26 , receiver  28 , memory  32  and processor  36  in communication with each other. Transmitter  26  and receiver  28  are configured to communicate with premises devices  14 , interface devices  16 , remote server  20 , remote monitoring center  21  and user devices  22 , either directly and/or via network  24 . Transmitter  26  and receiver  28  may be one or more transceivers. Processor  30  may be one or more central processing units (CPUs) that execute computer program instructions stored in memory  32  to perform functions described herein with respect to security control unit  18 . Memory  32  includes non-volatile and volatile memory. For example, non-volatile memory may include a hard drive, memory stick, flash memory and the like. Also, volatile memory may include random access memory and others known in the art. Memory  32  may store notification module  34 . Notification module  34  includes instructions, which when executed by processor  30 , causes processor  30  to perform the processes described herein, such as the notification process, discussed in detail with reference to  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram of remote server  20 . Remote server  20  includes transmitter  36 , receiver  38 , processor  40  and memory  42  in communication with each other. In particular, transmitter  36 , receiver  38 , processor  40  and memory  42  may generally correspond to the components of security control unit  18 , with size and performance being adjusted based on design need, while providing the functionality described herein with respect to remote server  20 . For example, transmitter  36  and receiver  38  provide communications with interface device  16 , premises device  14 , user device  22 , security control unit  18  and/or other monitoring centers  21  via network  24  using one or more communication protocols as is known in the art. Remote server  20  may also communicate with other devices and servers at remote monitoring center  21 . Memory  42  includes messaging module  44 , among other modules and/or data. Messaging module  44  includes program instructions, which when executed by processor  40 , cause processor  40  to perform the messaging process, discussed in detail below with respect to  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a block diagram of user device  22 . User device  22  includes transmitter  46 , receiver  48 , processor  50  and memory  52  in communication with each other. In particular, transmitter  46 , receiver  48 , processor  50  and memory  52  may generally correspond to the components of security control unit  18  and/or remote server  20 , with size and performance being adjusted based on design need, while providing the functionality described herein with respect to user device  22 . For example, transmitter  46  and receiver  48  provide communications to/from security control unit  18 , remote server  20  and remote monitoring center  21  via network  24  using one or more communication protocols known in the art. Memory  52  includes alert module  54 , among other modules and/or data. For example, alert module  54  includes program instruction, which when executed by processor  50 , cause processor  50  to perform the messaging process, discussed in detail below with respect to  FIG. 7 . Alert module  54  may be a downloadable program application. 
     A notification process of notification module  34  is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . Processor  30  determines if an alarm event at premises  12  has been triggered (Block S 100 ). For example, security control unit  18  receives data from one or more premises devices  14  for determining whether a premises device  14  indicates an alarm event such as a sensor that indicates movement. If an alarm event at premises  12  has not been triggered, the determination of Block S 100  is repeated, e.g., periodically repeated. In response to determining an alarm event at premises has been triggered, processor  30  causes transmission of a notification message to at least one user device  22  associated with premises  12  being monitored to notify the user of the alarm event (Block S 102 ). The notification message is transmitted to user device  22  from security control unit  18  via network  24 . The notification message indicates an alarm event has been triggered and may include the data, time, zone of alarm event corresponding to the tripped premises device  14 , image of one or more zones in premises  12 , video of one or more zones in premises  12 , location of one or more user devices  12  relative to premises  12  as determined by security control unit  18  (e.g., such as via Wi-Fi at premises  12 ), among other data and/or media related to the premises device  14  having an alarm event. 
     Processor  30  determines whether a user response message has been received from the at least one user device  22  (Block S 104 ). For example, the user response message indicates the user of the at least one user devices wants at least one response action. The at least one response action may include at least one of verifying the alarm event, cancelling the alarm event and having a responder dispatched to the premises. The user response message may include an authorization code, disarm code and/or other user provided information such as information usable by a responder dispatched to premises  12 . If processor  30  determines a user response message has not been received, processor  30  repeats the determination of Block S 104 , e.g., periodically repeat. 
     In one embodiment, processor  30  returns to Block S 100  after a predetermined amount of time such that a user is given a predetermined amount of time to indicate whether the user wants at least one response action, e.g., verify or cancel the alarm event. This predetermined amount of time included in the notification message to user device  22  may be displayed on display  49  of user device  22 . For example, a notification message may indicate to a user, via display  49 , that the user has ten minutes (predetermined amount of time) to indicate at least one response action, e.g., cancel or verify the alarm event. In another example, the notification message may indicate that the user has until 3 pm to indicate at least one response action, e.g., verify or cancel the alarm event that was triggered at 2:50 pm. 
     If processor  30  determines the user response message has been received from the at least one user device  22 , processor  30  causes an indicator at remote monitoring center  21  that is serving the alarm event to be triggered in order to alert a representative at remote monitoring center  21  that is monitoring/servicing the alarm (Block S 106 ). For example, security control unit  16  may forward the user response message to remote server  20  and/or remote monitoring center  21 , or may transmit a new message indicating user of user device  22  wants to cancel/verify alarm event to remote server  20  and/or remote monitoring center  21 . In one embodiment, processor  30  compares the code included in the user response message to one or more codes stored in memory  30  to check if the user of user device  12  is authorized to respond to the notification message. If the code included in the response message matches one or more codes stored in memory  30 , processor  30  may perform Block S 106 . If the code included in the user response message does not match one or more codes stored in memory  30 , processor  30  will not cause an indicator at remote monitoring center  21  to be triggered and/or may return to Block S 112 . 
     Processor  30  causes an update message to be transmitted via transmitter  26  to at least one other user device  12  associated with premises  12  to notify at least one user of the response message (Block S 108 ). The update message indicates at least one of a plurality of users associated with premises  12  wants to verify or cancel the alarm event. The update message may include an identity the user that wants to the at least one response action, e.g., cancel the alarm event. The update message provides the other users, e.g., mother, son, daughter, etc., information via respective user devices  12  as to which user, e.g., father, wants at least one response action such as to verify or cancel the alarm. The update message may include a message for display by display  49  that the remote monitoring center  21  will attempt to provide the at least one response action, e.g., cancel the alarm event, as requested by specific user device  12 , or a message for display by display  49  that remote monitoring center  21  will notify emergency responders about the alarm event. In other words, the update message provides notice to one or more users of user devices  12  associated with premises  12  that remote monitoring center  21  received the response message to cancel/verify the alarm event. 
     The update message may also be transmitted via transmitter  26  to user device  12  that transmitted the user response message, i.e., to the user that requested the at least one response action such as verification or cancellation of the alarm event. Data of users and/or user devices  12 , i.e., contacts, associated or enrolled with security control unit  18  may be stored in memory  32  such that security control unit  18  is able to determine which user devices  22  to contact. In one embodiment, Blocks S 106  and S 108  may be skipped or omitted. For example, after security control unit  18  transmits the notification message to user device  12 , user device  12  may communicate the user response message directly with remote server  20  and/or remote monitoring center  21  via network  24 . In another embodiment, discussed below in  FIG. 6 , one or more of Blocks S 100 , S 102  and S 104  may be performed by remote server  20 . 
     Further, a disarm indication or code, i.e., alarm event cancellation, may be received by security control unit  18  from interface device  16  at premises  12 . For example, a user at premises  12  may enter a disarm code after the alarm event has been triggered but before notification message(s) have been sent out to one or more user devices  12 . In one embodiment, notification messages may still be transmitted by security control unit  18 , as described in Block S 102 , or remote server  20 , as described in Block S 112 , but may include an indication that remote monitoring center  21  will attempt to provide the at least one response action, e.g., cancel the alarm event, among other data. The notification message may still prompt the user of user device  12  to respond to the notification message. In another embodiment, update messages may be transmitted by security control unit  18 , as described in Block S 108 , or remote server  21 , as described in Block S 118 , to one or more user devices  12  associated with premises  12 , and may include an indication that remote monitoring center  21  will attempt to provide the at least one response action, e.g., cancel the alarm event, among other data. 
     In another example, a user at premises  12  may enter a disarm code after the alarm event has been triggered and after notification message(s) have been sent out to one or more user devices  12  associated with premises  12 . In one embodiment, notification messages are transmitted by security control unit  18 , as described in Block S 102 , or remote server  20 , as described in Block S 112 , and includes an indication that the remote monitoring center will attempt to provide the at least one response action, e.g., cancel the alarm event, among other data. The notification message may still prompt the user via user device  12  to respond to the notification message. In another embodiment, update messages are transmitted by control unit  18 , as described in Block S 108 , or remote server  21 , as described in Block S 118 , to one or more user devices  12  associated with premises  12 , and may include an indication that the remote monitoring center will attempt to cancel the alarm event, among other data. 
     A messaging process of messaging module  44  is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . Processor  40  determines whether an alarm event at premises  12  has been triggered (Block S 110 ). For example, remote server  20  may receive alarm data from security control unit  18  that indicates an alarm event has occurred, i.e., determines an alarm event occurred based on alarm data received from security control unit  18 . If the determination is made that an alarm event at premises  12  has occurred, processor  40  causes transmission of a notification message to at least one user device  22  associated with premises  12  being monitored (Block S 112 ). The notification message may include the same data and indications as described above with respect to Block S 102 . 
     Processor  40  determines whether a user response message has been received from the at least one user device  22  as described with respect to Block S 104  but with remote server  20  communicating with user device  12  (Block S 114 ). In response to determining the user response message has been received, processor  40  causes an indicator at a remote monitoring center that is servicing the alarm event to be triggered (Block S 116 ). For example, the indicator may be a pop up message on the computer of a representative at remote monitoring center  21 . The pop up message indicates to the representative that that a user associated with premises  12  is requested at least one response action such as verifying the alarm event, requesting the alarm event to be cancelled or having a responder dispatched to premises  12 . In one embodiment, the user may indicate the need for processing of the alarm event at remote monitoring center  21  by verifying via the user response message that the alarm event is genuine. For example, the notification message to user device  12  may include an image of the premises zone corresponding to the alarm event in which a fire or a burglar can be seen in the image such that the user of user device  12  may want to not only verify the alarm event but request dispatch of a responder to premises  12 . Further, the user of user device  22  may include other data in response message that may help responders, e.g., key under door mat, dog on premises, person in second floor, break-in in back of home, description of suspect(s), image data, video data, etc. The other data in the response message may be forwarded to a device associated with at least one responder. 
     In one embodiment, processor  40  compares the code included in the user response message to one or more codes stored in memory  42  to make sure the user of user device  12  is authorized to respond to the notification message. If the code included in the response message matches one or more codes stored in memory  42 , processor  40  may perform Block S 106 . If the code included in the response message does not match one or more codes stored in memory  42 , processor  40  will not cause an indicator at remote monitoring center  21  to be triggered and/or may return to Block S 112 . Processor  40  causes an update message to be transmitted to at least one other user device  22  associated with premises  12  as described above with respect to Block S 108  (Block S 118 ). 
     An alert process of alert module  54  is illustrated in  FIG. 7 . Processor  50  determines whether a notification message has been received (Block S 120 ). If a notification message has not been received, processor  50  may repeat, e.g., periodically repeat, the determination of Block S 120 . If processor  50  determines the notification message has been received, processor  50  causes the user to be prompted to respond to the message (Block S 122 ). For example, processor  50  causes user device  12  to vibrate, activate a notification light on user device  12  indicating a message is waiting to be read, and/or display the message on display  49  of user device  22 . In one embodiment, the notification message may prompt user of user device  12  to respond by indicating at least one response action such as cancelling or verifying an alarm event. Processor  50  determines whether the user of user device  12  has provided a response to the notification message such as by pressing “verify alarm”, “cancel alarm” or at least one response action button on display  49 . The list of response actions may be predefined based on the triggered alarm event. 
     If the determination is made that a user response has not been received, processor  50  repeats, e.g. periodically repeats, the determination of Block S 124 . In one embodiment, processor  50  may “time out” block S 124  in which a predetermined time included in the notification message has been reached such that processor  50  returns to the determination of Block S 120 . In one embodiment, processor  50  may notify user of user device  22  that the predetermined time for responding to the notification message has been reached, and that the user should contact the service representative by phone. If the determination is made that the user response via one or more inputs mechanisms of user device  22  has been received from the user, processor  50  causes a user response message to be transmitted by transmitted  46  (Block S 128 ). In one embodiment, user device  22  may transmit the user response message to remote server  20  and/or remote monitoring center  21  via network  24 . In another embodiment, user device  22  may transmit the user response message to security control unit  18  via network  24 . The user response message indicates the user of user device  22  wants at least one response action to be performed, e.g., cancel or verify the alarm event triggered at premises  12 . 
     Processor  50  determines an update message has been received (Block S 130 ). The update message indicates at least one of the users associated with premises  12  wants to at least one response action to be performed, e.g., verify or cancel the alarm event. The update message may further include the identity of the user that wants to cancel the alarm event. For example, the update message may indicate the owner of premises  12  or parent of family living at premises  12  wants to cancel the alarm event, i.e., identify person verifying or cancelling alarm event. The update message acts a confirmation to the user of user device  22 , who wants alarm cancel or verify, that the instruction to cancel or verify were received by remote monitoring center  21 . 
     In one embodiment, the update message is transmitted to all user devices  22  associated with premises  12 , i.e., registered with security control unit  18  at premises  12  such that the other users are notified that at least one user is requesting for the alarm event to be cancelled or verified, i.e., requesting at least one response action. This provides the advantage to other users associated with premises  12  to also respond to the notification in case they agree or disagree with the cancelling or verification of the alarm event. For example, an employee, son or daughter associated with premises  12  may respond to the notification message by indicating he/she wants the alarm cancelled but the owner or parent associated with the premises may want to verify the alarm event out of an abundance of precaution, or may have verified the alarm event to be genuine. As such, the other users may also respond to the notification message. In one embodiment, each user may be granted a different level of authorization such that one user can override another user&#39;s verification or cancellation. Alternatively, after the first response to notification message is received, any further responses may be logged by remote server  20  and/or remote monitoring center  21  but not acted on. 
     In one embodiment, remote server  20  and/or security control panel  18  may be configured to automatically send a cancellation or verification message to one or more dispatch devices associated with one or more dispatch entities, e.g., emergency responders, in response to the response message indicating the user of user device  22  wants to verify or cancel the alarm event. For example, remote server  20  and/or security control panel  18  may search a database, at remote monitoring center  21  or at another location, for the one or more dispatch entities, e.g., police, firefighters, police dispatcher, etc., that was alerted and is responding to the alarm event. If the one or more dispatch entities are found in the database, remote server  20  and/or security control unit  18  transmits a cancellation message to the one or more dispatch entities via network  24 . The cancellation message may be in the form of a text message, email, automatically dialed telephone call and/or other electronic form known in the art. Further, the cancellation message may include data that may be useful to the one or more dispatch entities. For example, the cancellation message may include data from the response message such as the identity of the user that verified or cancelled the alarm event and/or data provided by the user of user device  22  that may be useful for the one or more dispatch entities in case of an emergency, e.g., key under door mat, dog at premises, person in second floor, break-in in back of home, description of suspect(s), etc. While the cancellation message allows a user to control the response process initiated by the alarm event, the cancellation message does control the system itself, i.e., does not disarm or arm security control panel  18 . 
     An alternative messaging process of messaging module  54  is illustrated in  FIG. 8 . Processor  40  is configured to determine whether an alarm event has triggered at premises  12  (Block S 132 ). Processor  40  is configured to determine whether a user response message associated with the at least one user device has been received (Block S 134 ). The user response message indicates the user of the at least one user device wants to one of verify the alarm event and cancel the alarm event. Processor  40  is configured to, in response to receiving the user response message, cause an indicator at a remote monitoring center that is servicing the alarm event to be triggered to indicate whether the user wants at least one response action (Block S 136 ). The triggered indicator indicates that the user wants at least one response action such as to verify the alarm event, cancel the alarm event, verify the alarm event or have a responder dispatched to the premises. In one embodiment, neither the user response message nor the triggered indicator are able to directly change the state of the alarm system from the armed state to a disarmed state. In other words, the user response message and the trigger indicator are used to indicate to the monitoring center or emergency dispatch service that the users wishes at least one response action to be performed, e.g., verify alarm as genuine or cancel alarm, but the response message and triggered indicator are not able to change the state of the security system from armed to disarmed, or vice versa. The user is allowed direct control over the response process initiated by the alarm event. 
     Therefore, the instant invention advantageously provides notification messages to one or more user devices  12  associated with premises  12  such that one or more users of user devices  12  can request at least one response action, e.g., verify or cancel alarm event processing at remote monitoring center  21  via text message, email or other forms of electronic communication. A user with direct control of the response process to an alarm event as opposed to the system itself. In one embodiment, the instant invention&#39;s messaging and triggered indicator at remote monitoring center  21  do not alter the alarm system state at premises  12  such that the messaging among remote server  20 , user device  22  and/or security control unit  18  does not change the alarm system state from “armed” to “disarm”, i.e., does not turn off the alarm system at premises  12 . While system  10  is described with reference to security, the invention is not limited to such and is applicable to home automation system related events. Further, in one embodiment, processing functions described herein are performed at remoter server  20  or remote monitoring center, while alarm monitoring functions described herein are performed at premises  12  by control unit  18 . 
     While the modules described herein are discussed as being software stored in memory, the modules may be hardware based or software-hardware based. Further, separate programs can be a single program. 
     It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described herein above. In addition, unless mention was made above to the contrary, it should be noted that all of the accompanying drawings are not to scale. A variety of modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, which is limited only by the following claims.