who invented the home security system
The first modern home security system (using cameras, monitors, and two- way communication) was invented by Marie Van Brittan Brown of Queens, New York, together with her husband Albert Brown, in the 1960s.
Quick Scoop: Who Invented the Home Security System?
If you mean “who invented the home security system” as we think of it today—video surveillance, monitoring, and remote control—the credit goes to Marie Van Brittan Brown.
- She was a nurse living in Jamaica, Queens, concerned about crime and slow police response times in her neighborhood.
- Together with her husband, technician Albert L. Brown, she designed a system that let her see and talk to visitors at the door without opening it.
- Their patent, titled “Home Security System Utilizing Television Surveillance,” was filed on August 1, 1966 and granted on December 2, 1969, naming Marie as the primary inventor.
- Her design is widely recognized as the first home security system in the modern sense and laid the groundwork for CCTV-based home security.
What Her System Actually Did
Marie Van Brittan Brown’s setup was surprisingly advanced for the 1960s.
- Multiple peepholes at different heights in the door, so adults and children could see out.
- A camera that slid between the peepholes and fed the image to a monitor inside the home.
- A two-way microphone so the homeowner could speak safely with the person outside.
- Remote-operated door lock so she could let in trusted visitors without going to the door.
- A button that could directly contact the police if the visitor seemed dangerous.
Although the system wasn’t mass-produced because of cost, it influenced many later patents and is considered a direct ancestor of the video doorbells and smart security kits we see today.
But Weren’t There Burglar Alarms Before That?
Yes—if you zoom out from “home security system” to any burglar alarm , the story goes further back.
- In the early 1700s, an English inventor named Tildesley created a mechanical “door alarm” that used chimes linked to a door lock to alert homeowners when someone entered.
- In 1853, Reverend Augustus Russell Pope in Massachusetts patented the first electromagnetic burglar alarm , using an electric circuit on doors and windows to ring a bell when opened.
- Edwin Holmes bought Pope’s patent, commercialized the alarm, and helped spread electric burglar alarms in U.S. cities in the late 1800s.
- In 1870s America, Edward A. Calahan and the company that became ADT built a telegraph-based network so alarms could signal a central monitoring station , an early form of professional monitoring.
So:
- First burglar alarms : Tildesley (mechanical door alarm, 1700s) and Augustus Russell Pope (electromagnetic alarm, 1853).
- First commercialized alarms : Edwin Holmes (bought and sold Pope’s system).
- First monitored alarm network : Edward A. Calahan / ADT in the 1870s.
- First modern home security system with video : Marie Van Brittan Brown, patent granted 1969.
Mini Timeline (Home Security Evolution)
| Year / Era | Key Person | What They Did |
|---|---|---|
| Early 1700s | Tildesley | Created a mechanical intrusion door alarm using chimes linked to a door lock for homeowners. | [7][6]
| 1853 | Augustus Russell Pope | Patented the first electromagnetic burglar alarm that rang a bell when doors or windows opened. | [8][6][9]
| 1857–1858 | Edwin Holmes | Bought Pope’s patent rights, manufactured and sold electric burglar alarms commercially in the U.S. | [9]
| 1870s | Edward A. Calahan / ADT | Developed telegraph-based alarm networks and central monitoring with alarm call boxes in cities. | [7][2]
| 1966–1969 | Marie Van Brittan Brown & Albert Brown | Invented and patented the first modern home security system using TV surveillance, two-way audio, remote locks, and police alert. | [3][1][2][4]
Why Marie Van Brittan Brown Is Usually Named in 2020s Discussions
In recent years—especially in online forums and “did-you-know” posts—people often answer “Who invented the home security system?” with Marie Van Brittan Brown because:
- Her invention looks most like what we now call a “home security system”: cameras, monitoring, remote operation, and emergency calling.
- Her patent title literally uses the phrase “home security system” and “television surveillance,” which maps directly onto today’s CCTV and smart camera ecosystems.
- She is also highlighted as a pioneering Black woman inventor whose work influenced dozens of later surveillance and security patents.
So when you see the question trending online—“who invented the home security system?”—the modern, socially relevant answer is Marie Van Brittan Brown, even though earlier inventors created alarms and monitored services long before her.
TL;DR:
- The first modern home security system with video, audio, and remote control was invented by Marie Van Brittan Brown (with Albert Brown), patented in 1969.
- Earlier inventors like Tildesley , Augustus Russell Pope , Edwin Holmes , and Edward A. Calahan built the foundations with mechanical alarms, electric burglar alarms, and monitoring networks.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.