Patent ID: 8606995

Claim:
A method of updating configuration files for use by processors associated with a plurality of alarm panels, said method comprising: loading a plurality of configuration files into a removable computer readable memory, the plurality of configuration files associated with a plurality of alarm panels; connecting said removable computer readable memory to a memory port of a handheld portable alarm update too, said handheld portable alarm update tool comprising said memory port for receiving a removable computer readable memory, a serial port for interconnection to said plurality of alarm panels, by way of a complementary port and processor, independent of any processors forming part of said plurality of alarm panels; interconnecting said handheld portable alarm update tool to said complementary port of a first one of said plurality of alarm panels; executing processor executable instructions on said processor of said handheld alarm update tool, causing said processor of said alarm update tool to upload at least one of said plurality of configuration files to said first one of said plurality of alarm panels, by way of said serial port; wherein the configuration files associated with the first one of said plurality of security alarm panels are different from the configuration files associated with at least a second one of said plurality of security alarm panels.