This solution uses the customer’s existing Ethernet connection as the primary polled alarm transmission path. The Ethernet connection might be via a LAN or WAN connection to the internet at a larger commercial site, or an ADSL or cable connection to the internet at a small business or domestic premises.

Poll rates can be set to whatever the customer chooses, however 90 second polling is the default. Rates such as 20 second polling can be implemented if desired.

If the Ethernet path becomes unavailable the Multipath-IP STU will select the GPRS path to continue polling the central station. If the GPRS path also becomes unav10-Nov-2006l up path to maintain polling. The STU dials the ISP and establishes an IP session, then starts polling. This IP session will stay online for as long as the primary and secondary paths are unavailable until the allowable ISP dial up time for that month expires. When a primary or secondary path becomes available, the Multipath-IP STU will revert back to polling over this path.

In the unlikely event that all of these polled paths are unavailable, there are also traditional backup paths such as PSTN dialler or GSM, over which alarm and event data can be sent.