Method and apparatus for using rendezvous server to make connections to fire alarm panels

摘要

A method and system for using a rendezvous server to make connections to fire alarm panels. In one aspect, an external computer is used to communicate with an authentication computer in a secure overlay network in order for the external computer to establish a secure connection with the secure overlay network and to communicate with a rendezvous server in order for the external computer to, in turn, communicate with the target alarm panels in the secure overlay network. In another aspect, the rendezvous server receives a communication from the electronic device, with the communication indicative of the electronic device seeking to communicate with only devices in the secure overlay network, in response to the communication, accesses information to communicate with the target fire alarm panels and uses the accessed information in order for the electronic device to communicate with the target fire alarm panels.

主权项

1. A method for an external computer to communicate with one or more target fire alarm panels, the one or more target fire alarm panels are configured to communicate in a fire alarm network and in a secure Internet Protocol (IP) overlay network, the fire alarm network being separate from the secure IP overlay network, the secure IP overlay network including one or more network address translation devices or firewalls, the one or more target fire alarm panels behind the one or more network address translation devices or firewalls in the secure IP overlay network and not being behind any network address translation devices in the fire alarm network, the method comprising:
communicating, using the external computer and via a home alarm panel, with an authentication computer in the secure IP overlay network in order for the external computer to establish a secure connection with the secure IP overlay network and for the external computer to communicate using the secure IP overlay network, wherein the one or more target fire alarm panels in the secure IP overlay network comprises an undiscovered target fire alarm panel that is undiscovered to the external computer, wherein the home fire alarm panel is configured to communicate both via the fire alarm network and via the secure IP overlay network; sending, from the external computer and via the home fire alarm panel, a communication to a rendezvous server requesting communication limited to no more than devices in the secure IP overlay network; and in response to sending the communication, receiving a communication from the rendezvous server via the secure IP overlay network in order for the external computer to communicate, via the one or more network address translation devices or firewalls, with the undiscovered target fire alarm panel in the secure IP overlay network in order for the external computer to communicate, via the secure IP overlay network, with the undiscovered target fire alarm panel in the secure IP overlay network regarding operation of the undiscovered target fire alarm panel.