Patent ID: 7042349

Claim:
A method of operating a sensor in a security system having a control panel that receives transmissions from the sensor and the sensor has a user-operable test button that tests a condition sensing device in the sensor, the method comprising: generating, in response to actuation of the test button in the absence of a predetermined condition, a transmission from the sensor including information indicating that a test of the sensor has been conducted; receiving by the control panel, in response to actuation of the test button in the presence of the predetermined condition, a transmission from the sensor indicating that the control panel should not report to a monitoring station; and upon depressing the test button in the presence of the predetermined condition, generating a transmission from the sensor including information indicating the presence of a sensed condition sensed by the sensing device, wherein the transmission including information indicating the presence of the sensed condition does not include information indicating that a test of the sensor has been conducted.