What is the most surprising thing that you’ve used effectively as a prior art example?
Most people don’t realize just how widespread and versatile a 90’s era security system could be. In the mid-90’s DSC designed and produced a highly expandable and configurable system called the Power 832. The Power 832 in its basic form was an alarm system but it could be easily expanded with “bolt on” modules. These modules covered wired and wireless (RF) communications and included things like Access Control, Home Automation (X-10), HVAC, Intercom & Audio, Video Capture, Pager, Cellular, Listen In, Printer support and a lot more. The point being that the Power 832 and its commercial equivalent, Maxsys, have such a wide range of potential configurations and valid use cases that I have been able to offer one variant or the other as potential prior art in most of my cases.