Burglar (or intrusion) Alarm System

Burglar (or intrusion), fire, and safety alarms are electronic alarms designed to alert the user to a specific danger. Sensors are connected to a control unit via low-voltage wiring or a narrowband RF signal which is used to interact with a response device. The most common security sensors are used to indicate the opening of a door or window or detect motion via passive infrared (PIR). New construction systems are predominately hardwired for economy. Some installations often use wireless systems for a faster, more economical installation. Some systems serve a single purpose of burglar or fire protection. Combination systems provide both fire and intrusion protection. Systems range from small, self-contained noisemakers, to complicated, multi-zoned systems with color-coded computer monitor outputs. Many of these concepts also apply to portable alarms for protecting cars, trucks or other vehicles and their contents (i.e., "car alarms"). See also fire alarm control panel for specific fire system issues. Burglar alarms are sometimes referred to as alarm systems, see burglar alarm control panel for a discussion of hard-wired burglar alarm system design.
Burglar alarms (or perimeter detection systems, Perimeter protection, intrusion detection systems and many more terms for the same thing) are divided to two main fields: home burglar alarms and industrial burglar and perimeter intrusion detection.

Intruder Panel
These are reliable and easy to use and offers enhanced fire detection and external lighting control facilities, conforming to CE specification directives and BS4737 standards.

The salient features are:
8 Zones - Each zone is separately identified on the keypad and provides ample security detection for most domestic properties.
Burglar Alarm Zone, in general terms represent an area or collection of sensors that protect an area. Zones allow to pinpoint the area from where the alarm got initiated, otherwise one has to use guess-work & check all doors & windows for intrusion. In large premises, such a feature is very desirable, though it increases the cost. Make sure that your Central Control Panel can be expanded (or has built-in flexibility) to meet your future needs or you may be faced with replacing the control Panel when you want to add devices.Lets look at a typical zone layout for a control panel so that you can understand the way it is wired and programmed works.
ZONE 1 – (DELAY): This zone is where the doors from which most often enter and exit are. When you turn your alarm on, the exit delay will start a timer (programmed to your specifications, if requested) allowing you time to get out. Once the exit time has expired, (usually about 30-60 seconds.) the alarm will be in the on or “armed” condition.
When you return to your home or business and enter through the delay doors, an entry timer begins. This timer is usually set at about 15-30 seconds. You do not want to have a long entry time as a burglar entering through a delay zone has the same amount of time in your protected area before the alarm goes off. During this time you would go to the nearest keypad and enter your code to turn your alarm off.
In the Know!
The doors have chime feature that can easily be turned on or off. Most people elect to leave this feature on all this time, so that they can hear a tone when the alarm is off and someone enters.
ZONE 2 – (INSTANT PERIMETER): This zone would be for other than delay doors. The back yard door and the master bedroom to deck doors and good examples of these types of doors. There is no delay time timer on these doors and when the alarm is on and entry is made the alarm will go off instantly.
ZONE 3 – (INTERIOR): This zone is for your motion detector on the main floor. When you enter through a delay door the motion will delay also, giving you the ability to get to the keypad turn off or “disarm” your system. If you do not enter through a delay door first and the motion sees you it will go into an alarm condition instantly. When you are staying home or arming your business system without leaving, you can arm your interior zone or zones allowing you to move around without restrictions while still having your perimeter secured.
ZONE 4 – (INTERIOR): This zone is for your windows if your house is in Ground Floor and for the customers those who are asking selectively arm or disarm certain doors / windows to protect the particular zone specifically.
Types of ZonesZones fall in various categories depending upon kind of response desired e.g. medical, burglary, and panic. Each type of device could have a specific activation, alarm and response procedure. Some examples of zone are: Hold-up zones can be audible or silent but are always active. You may choose either or both. Audible hold-up can be used to "scare' away prowlers but care must always be exercised when activating hold-up devices since there is no way of predicting the action an intruder may take when he hears the alarm or when the police arrive. By connecting to an Auto Dialer the control panel can 'silently' call for help.
Burglary devices fall into various categories, 24 hour (always active), main entry door, and interior (motion detectors) etc. While going away, you will like to monitor the premises on 24 hours basis. Whereas, if you are at home, you might like to arm (activate) the external doors & windows but not PIR's which monitor the interior. You may also want to selectively arm or disarm certain doors / windows.
Information Input
Advanced Burglar Alarm control panels have displays that may be LCD (liquid crystal display) based or simple LED lights. They can prompt you for the required data, such as Enter Code when the system is activated and provide a clear visual indication of the system status. Some systems also give audible beeps depending upon if the input has been accepted by the system or not.Most of the systems have built-in checks to verify the authenticity of the person entering inputs. The key-pad based system requires the user to enter correct password to perform any function. By giving the password to near & dear ones, the need to have multiple keys is not these. Also, key protection & control could be a problem in case there are many authorized 'individuals'
3 Part Set Programs - Allows three programmed setting levels dependent on the people in the property or the level of protection required.
Simple Set Readers for Ease of Operation - Up to 4 stylish readers can be used to set/unset the system using a proximity keyfob.
Personal Attack Facility - Any number of PA buttons may be set to activate the system in an emergency.
Remote Keypads for added Flexibility - Up to four keypads can operate the system from any point in the property.
Input for Remote Keyswitch or Push to Set Switch - A remote keyswitch or push can be used to set or unset the system.
Fire Zone - Any number of zones can be programmed as a fire zone. Two types are available: Standard Fire - operated only whwn system has been set; 24 hour - operates all the time.
Lighting Control Feature - Full manual and automatic control over security lightng.
Duress Code - Allows the user to unset the system and silence the alarm under duress, using a second code that will communicate an alarm to an alarm receiving center.
Chime - Can be used to select a low security chime alarm for various areas of the protected area, even when the main alarm is turned off.
Built-in tamper control.

Indoor
These types of sensors are designed for indoor use. Outdoor use would not be advised due to false alarm vulnerability and weather durability.

Motion detector
A motion detector is a device that contains a physical mechanism or electronic sensor that quantifies motion that can be either integrated with or connected to other devices that alert the user of the presence of a moving object within the field of view. They’re a vital component of comprehensive security systems, for both homes and businesses.
An electronic motion detector contains a motion sensor that transforms the detection of motion into an electric signal. This can be achieved by measuring optical or acoustical changes in the field of view.
A motion detector connected to a burglar alarm that is used to alert the home owner or security service after it detects motion. Such a detector may also trigger a red light camera.
An occupancy sensor is a motion detector that is integrated with a timing device. It senses when motion has stopped for a specified time period in order to trigger a light extinguishing signal. These devices prevent illumination of unoccupied spaces like public toilets.
There are basically three types of sensors used in motion detectors spectrum.
• Passive Infrared sensors (PIR)
o Looks for body heat. No energy is emitted from the sensor.
• Ultrasonic (Active)
o Sensor sends out pulses and measures the reflection off a moving object.
• Microwave (Active)
o Sensor sends out microwave pulses and measures the reflection off a moving object. Similar to a police radar gun.

Passive infrared detectors
The passive infrared detector (PIR) is one of the most common detectors found in household and small business environments because it offers affordable and reliable functionality. The term passive means the detector is able to function without the need to generate and radiate its own energy (unlike ultrasonic and microwave volumetric intrusion detectors that are “active” in operation). PIRs are able to distinguish if an infrared emitting object is present by first learning the ambient temperature of the monitored space and then detecting a change in the temperature caused by the presence of an object. Using the principle of differentiation, which is a check of presence or nonpresence, PIRs verify if an intruder or object is actually there. Creating individual zones of detection where each zone comprises one or more layers can achieve differentiation. Between the zones there are areas of no sensitivity (dead zones) that are used by the sensor for comparison.
The salient features of the range of movement detectors are as follows:
Look Down Technology - Dual lookdown zones are employed to ensure that even the most determined intruder will be detected.
NC/NO Selectable Outputs - Products are fitted with changeover relays to ensure compatibility with all requirements.
White Light Filter Lens - To minimize any possibility of problematic alarms due to fluorescent / environmental conditions.
Intelligent Pulse Counts - Reduces the possibility of false alarms caused by environmental and power line interference.
Sealed Optics - The sensor element is sealed, to prevent unwanted small insects form accessing the sensor area.

Dual-technology motion detectors
Many modern motion detectors use a combination of different technologies. These dual-technology detectors benefit with each type of sensor, and false alarms are reduced. All companies have the option to use PIR/Microwave Motion Detectors that have "Pet-Immune" functions which allow the detector to ignore pets that weigh up to 80 pounds. Placement of the sensors can be strategically mounted so as to lessen the chance of pets errantly activating alarms.
Often, PIR technology will be paired with another model to maximize accuracy and reduce energy usage. PIR draws less energy than microwave detection, and so many sensors are calibrated so that when the PIR sensor is tripped, it activates a microwave sensor. If the latter also picks up an intruder, then the alarm is sounded.n it is also used in burglar alarm. As interior motion detectors do not ‘see’ through windows or walls, motion-sensitive outdoor lighting is often recommended to enhance comprehensive efforts to protect the property.

Panic Button
Panic buttons are targeted and rapid mode of contact used primarily by sick and old people to contact their care takers at times of distress or during emergency situations. It offers either visual or acoustic signaling. The signals can also be routed to the wireless devices carried by their caregivers, enabling a fast and quick response. This system typically consists of a main communicator panel and the multiple points connected to it.

Ultrasonic detectors
Using frequencies between 25 kHz and 75 kHz, these active detectors transmit ultrasonic sound waves that are inaudible to humans. The Doppler shift principle is the underlying method of operation, in which a change in frequency is detected due to object motion. This is caused when a moving object changes the frequency of sound waves around it. Two conditions must occur to successfully detect a Doppler shift event:
• There must be motion of an object either towards or away from the receiver.
• The motion of the object must cause a change in the ultrasonic frequency to the receiver relative to the transmitting frequency.
The ultrasonic detector operates by the transmitter emitting an ultrasonic signal into the area to be protected. The sound waves are reflected by solid objects (such as the surrounding floor, walls and ceiling) and then detected by the receiver. Because ultrasonic waves are transmitted through air, then hard-surfaced objects tend to reflect most of the ultrasonic energy, while soft surfaces tend to absorb most energy.
When the surfaces are stationary, the frequency of the waves detected by the receiver will be equal to the transmitted frequency. However, a change in frequency will occur as a result of the Doppler principle, when a person or object is moving towards or away from the detector. Such an event initiates an alarm signal. This technology is considered obsolete by many alarm professionals, and is not actively installed.

Microwave detectors
This device emits microwaves from a transmitter and detects microwaves at a receiver, either through reflection or reduction in beam intensity. The transmitter and receiver are usually combined inside a single housing (monostatic) for indoor applications, and separate housings (bistatic) for outdoor applications.
By generating energy in the microwave region of the electromagnetic spectrum, detector operates as an active volumetric device that responds to:
• A Doppler shift frequency change.
• A frequency phase shift.
• A motion causing reduction in received energy.

Photo-electric beams
Photoelectric beam systems detect the presence of an intruder by transmitting visible or infra red light beams across an area, where these beams maybe obstructed. To improve the detection surface area, the beams are often employed in stacks of two or more. However, if an intruder is aware of the technology’s presence, it can be avoided. The technology can be an effective long-range detection system, if installed in stacks of three or more where the transmitters and receivers are staggered to create a fence-like barrier. Systems are available for both internal and external applications. To prevent a clandestine attack using a secondary light source being used to hold the detector in a ‘sealed’ condition whilst an intruder passes through, most systems use and detect a modulated light source.

Glass break detectors
A glass break detector is a device that detects a break in a pane of glass, alerting a burglar alarm. If it detects broken glass, and the alarm is set, then it sets off the alarm.
It used for internal perimeter building protection. When glass breaks it generates sound in a wide band of frequencies. These can range from infrasonic, which is below 20 Hertz (Hz) and can not be heard by the human ear, through the audio band from 20 Hz to 20 kHz which humans can hear, right up to ultrasonic, which is above 20 kHz and again cannot be heard. Glass break acoustic detectors are mounted in close proximity to the glass panes and listen for sound frequencies associated with glass breaking. Seismic glass break detectors are different in that they are installed on the glass pane. When glass breaks it produces specific shock frequencies which travel through the glass and often through the window frame and the surrounding walls and ceiling. Typically, the most intense frequencies generated are between 3 and 5 kHz, depending on the type of glass and the presence of a plastic interlayer. Seismic glass break detectors “feel” these shock frequencies and in turn generate an alarm condition.
Acoustic Glassbreak Detectors employ a microphone, which "listens" for the sound(s) created by breaking glass. These sounds are typically recorded, digitized and then compared to a library of other sounds/events to determine if in fact glass was broken or a false alarm occurred.
There are several types of window break detectors, one kind detects the vibrations of the window, and if the vibrations get too high/ the window breaks the alarm goes off. Basically the device tells whether or not the window is broken by measuring the vibrations. Another kind detects the noise of glass breaking.

Magnetic Door Contact
Magnetic Door Contact detectors identify intruders by using a magnet and reed switch mechanism. The reed switches are electrical contacts held open by the presence of a magnet. When a magnet attached to an opening door moves away from the reed switches in the alarmed sensor, the switches make contact with each other and trigger a radio frequency (RF) transmission to the system control panel. Information in the RF transmission identifies the type and location of the sensor.
Magnetic Door Contact Detectors can be surface-mounted or recessed. Absence of any external wiring provides the installer with unlimited scope to place the device in positions where it is hidden from view. The detector is a truly stand alone module containing the low power viper integrated circuit, identification and encoding electronics, scantronic transmitter, integral aerial and battery.
Salient features include:
Simple calibration
Exclusive double knock facility at point of attack
Wire free
Scantronic 4600 series compatible
Adjustable detection sensitivity
Fully approved transmitter
Integral magnetic door contact

LPG Gas Detector
LP gas (butane or propane) is the most common type of fuel used for cooking and heating worldwide. LPG leak can cause devastating explosions and consequences of a gas leak in both domestic and commercial situations are every bit as disastrous as those of a fire and can be avoided with the fitting of easy to use and cost effective detection equipment.
Feature and Benefits are as follows:
Officially approved to BS7348 (The British Standards for Domestic Gas Detectors).
Proven semiconductor sensor technology.
230Vac or 12Vds versions.
Relay output models are available.
Suitable for home, caravan and commercial use.
Easy to install and use with no maintenance.

Smoke, heat, and carbon monoxide detectors
Smoke Detectors provide the earliest practicable fire detection and warning. This system consists of smoke or heat detectors at designated locations, to detect smoke or heat at the earliest during any outbreak of fire. The various types of detectors used in this system are Photoelectric, Heat and Multisensing. The detectors are selected based on certain pre-determined parameters. On sensing fire the system initiates a warning alarm, thereby alerting the occupants.
Most systems may also be equipped with smoke, heat, and/or carbon monoxide (CO) detectors. These are also known as 24 hour zones (which are on at all times). Smoke detectors and heat detectors protect from the risk of fire and carbon monxide detectors protect from the risk of carbon monoxide.

Auto Dialer
The communicator / auto dialer is pre programmed to place 4 automatic calls to any pre set destinations, which could include the owner, other two important numbers and one to the Central Monitoring System (CMS).
The salient features are:
Up to four keypads per control panel
Full LCD status indication
Illuminated keys
On-board PA facility Entry / exit tones
Programmable user strings
Programmable backlight options for keypad and LCD display.

Outdoor
These types of sensors would be found most of the time mounted on fences or installed on the perimeter of the protected area.

Vibration (shaker) or inertia sensors
These devices are mounted on barriers and are used primarily to detect an attack on the structure itself. The technology relies on an unstable mechanical configuration that forms part of the electrical circuit. When movement or vibration occurs, the unstable portion of the circuit moves and breaks the current flow, which produces an alarm. The technology of the devices varies and can be sensitive to different levels of vibration. The medium transmitting the vibration must be correctly selected for the specific sensor as they are best suited to different types of structures and configurations.
More sophisticated sensors use piezo-electric components rather than mechanical circuits, which can be tuned to be extremely sensitive to vibration. These sensors are more durable and more resistant to tampering.
• pros: Very reliable sensors, low false alarm rate and middle place in the price range.
• cons: Must be fence mounted would be the main con. Its rather high price deters many customers, but its effectiveness offsets its high price.
The Salient feature are as follows:
Removable Electronics
Non gravity dependent
Dual memory LED and relay
Walk test facility
Remote rest
Dual stage sensitivity
Sensitivity potentiometer
LED lens relay auto resets
Surface mount technology
Anti condensation base
Door contact option
Double knock link

Passive magnetic field detection
This buried security system is based on the Magnetic Anomaly Detection principle of operation. The system uses an electromagnetic field generator powering with two wires running in parallel. Both wires run along the perimeter and are usually installed about 5 inches apart on top of a wall or about foot buried in the ground. The wires are connected to a signal processor which analyzes any change in the magnetic field.
This kind of buried security system sensor cable could be buried on the top of almost any kind of wall to provide a regular wall detection ability or be buried in the ground.
• pros: Very low false alarm rate, can be put on top of any wall, very high chance of detecting real burglars.
• cons: Cannot be installed near high voltage lines, radars, or airports.

E-field
This proximity system can be installed on building perimeters, fences, and walls. It also has the ability to be installed free standing on dedicated poles. The system uses an electromagnetic field generator powering one wire, with another sensing wire running parallel to it. Both wires run along the perimeter and are usually installed about 800 millimetres apart. The sensing wire is connected to a signal processor that analyses:
• amplitude change (mass of intruder),
• rate change (movement of intruder),
• preset disturbance time (time the intruder is in the pattern).
These items define the characteristics of an intruder and when all three are detected simultaneously, an alarm signal is generated.
The barrier can provide protection from the ground to about 4 metres of altitude. It is usually configured in zones of about 200 metre lengths depending on the number of sensor wires installed.
• pros: concealed as a buried form.
• cons: expensive, short zones which mean more electronics (more money), high rate of false alarms as it cannot distinguish a cat from a human. In reality it doesn't work that well, as extreme weather causes false alarms.

Microwave barriers
The operation of a microwave barrier is very simple. This type of device produces an electromagnetic beam using high frequency waves that pass from the transmitter to the receiver, creating an invisible but sensitive wall of protection. When the receiver detects a difference of condition within the beam (and hence a possible intrusion), the system begins a detailed analysis of the situation. If the system considers the signal a real intrusion, it provides an alarm signal that can be treated in analog or digital form.

Microphonic systems
Microphonic based systems vary in design but each is generally based on the detection of an intruder attempting to cut or climb over a chainwire fence. Usually the microphonic detection systems are installed as sensor cables attached to rigid chainwire fences, however some specialised versions of these systems can also be installed as buried systems underground. Depending on the version selected, it can be sensitive to different levels of noise or vibration. The system is based on coaxial or electro-magnetic sensor cable with the controller having the ability to differentiate between signals from the cable or chainwire being cut, an intruder climbing the fence, or bad weather conditions.
The systems are designed to detect and analyse incoming electronic signals received from the sensor cable, and then to generate alarms from signals which exceed preset conditions. The systems have adjustable electronics to permit installers to change the sensitivity of the alarm detectors to the suit specific environmental conditions. The tuning of the system is usually accomplished during commissioning of the detection devices.
• pros: very cheap, very simple configuration, easy to install.
• cons: some systems has a high rate of false alarms because some of these sensors might be too sensitive. Although systems using DSP (Digital Signal Processing) have largely eliminated false alarms.

Taut wire fence systems
A taut wire perimeter security system is basically an independent screen of tensioned tripwires usually mounted on a fence or wall. Alternatively, the screen can be made so thick that there is no need for a supporting chainwire fence. These systems are designed to detect any physical attempt to penetrate the barrier. Taut wire systems can operate with a variety of switches or detectors that sense movement at each end of the tensioned wires. These switches or detectors can be a simple mechanical contact, static force transducer or an electronic strain gauge. Unwanted alarms caused by animals and birds can be avoided by adjusting the sensors to ignore objects that exert small amounts of pressure on the wires. It should be noted that this type of system is vulnerable to intruders digging under the fence. A concrete footing directly below the fence is installed to prevent this type of attack.
• pros: low rate of false alarms, very reliable sensors and high rate of detection.
• cons: Very expensive, complicated to install and old technology.

Fibre optic cable
A fibre-optic cable can be used to detect intruders by measuring the difference in the amount of light sent through the fibre core. If the cable is disturbed, light will ‘leak’ out and the receiver unit will detect a difference in the amount of light received. The cable can be attached directly to a chainwire fence or bonded into a barbed steel tape that is used to protect the tops of walls and fences. This type of barbed tape provides a good physical deterrent as well as giving an immediate alarm if the tape is cut or severely distorted. Other type’s works on the detection of change in polarization which is caused by fiber position change.
• pros: very similar to the Microphonic system, very simple configuration, easy to install. Can detect for distances of several km on a single sensor.
• cons: high rate of false alarm or no alarms at all for systems using light that leaks out of the optical fiber. The polarization changing system is much more sensitive but false alarms depend on the alarm processing.

H-field
This system employs an electro-magnetic field disturbance principle based on two unshielded (or ‘leaky’) coaxial cables buried about 10–15 cm deep and located at about 2.1 metres apart. The transmitter emits continuous Radio Frequency (RF) energy along one cable and the energy is received by the other cable. When the change in field strength weakens due to the presence of an object and reaches a pre-set lower threshold, an alarm condition is generated. The system is unobtrusive when it has been installed correctly, however care must be taken to ensure the surrounding soil offers good drainage in order to reduce nuisance alarms.
• pros: concealed as a buried form.
• cons: affected by RF noise, high rate of false alarms, hard to install.

Hooter
The hooters offered are sophisticated, stylish and highly featured solution to external sounder requirements.
The features are:
Easily mountable
Rugged strobe with panaromic lens
Sound output - 108 db - 113 db
Selectable timer
Dual ring mode
Alternating comfort Leds
Selectable sounder cut-off timer

System connections
The trigger signal from each sensor is transmitted to one or more control unit(s) either through wires or wireless means (radio, line carrier, infrared). Wired systems are convenient when sensors (such as PIRs, smoke detectors etc) require power to operate correctly, however, they may be more costly to install. Entry-level wired systems utilize a Star network topology, where the panel is at the center logically, and all devices "home run" its wire back to the panel. More complex panels use a Bus network topology where the wire basically is a data loop around the perimeter of the facility, and has "drops" for the sensor devices which must include a unique device identifier integrated into the sensor device itself (e.g iD biscuit). Wired systems also have the advantage, if wired properly, of being tamper-evident. Wireless systems, on the other hand, often use battery-powered transmitters which are easier to install, but may reduce the reliability of the system if the sensors are not supervised, or if the batteries are not maintained. Depending on distance and construction materials, one or more wireless repeaters may be required to get the signal reliably back to the alarm panel. Hybrid systems utilize both wired and wireless sensors to achieve the benefits of both. Transmitters, or sensors can also be connected through the premises electrical circuits to transmit coded signals to the control unit (line carrier). The control unit usually has a separate channel or zone for burglar and fire sensors, and better systems have a separate zone for every different sensor, as well as internal "trouble" indicators (mains power loss, low battery, wire broken, etc).

Alarm connection and monitoring
Depending upon the application, the alarm output may be local, remote or a combination. Local alarms do not include monitoring, though may include indoor and/or outdoor sounders (e.g. motorized bell or electronic siren) and lights (e.g. strobe light) which may be useful for signaling an evacuation notice for people during fire alarms, or where one hopes to scare off an amateur burglar quickly. However, with the widespread use of alarm systems (especially in cars), false alarms are very frequent and many urbanites tend to ignore alarms rather than investigating, let alone contacting the necessary authorities. In short, there may be no response at all. In rural areas (e.g., where nobody will hear the fire bell or burglar siren) lights or sounds may not make much difference anyway, as the nearest responders could take so long to get there that nothing can be done to avoid losses.
Remote alarm systems are used to connect the control unit to a predetermined monitor of some sort, and they come in many different configurations. High-end systems connect to a central station or responder (eg. Police/ Fire/ Medical) via a direct phone wire (or tamper-resistant fiber optic cable), and the alarm monitoring includes not only the sensors, but also the communication wire itself. While direct phone circuits are still available in some areas from phone companies, because of their high cost they are becoming uncommon. Direct connections are now most usually seen only in Federal, State, and Local Government buildings, or on a school campus that has a dedicated security, police, fire, or emergency medical department (in the UK communication is only possible to an Alarm Receiving Centre - communication direct to the emergency services is not permitted). More typical systems incorporate a digital telephone dialer unit that will dial a central station (or some other location) via the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and raise the alarm, either with a synthesized voice or increasingly via an encoded message string that the central station decodes. These may connect to the regular phone system on the system side of the demarcation point, but typically connect on the customer side ahead of all phones within the monitored premises so that the alarm system can seize the line by cutting-off any active calls and call the monitoring company if needed. Encoders can be programmed to indicate which specific sensor was triggered, and monitors can show the physical location (or "zone") of the sensor on a list or even a map of the protected premises, which can make the resulting response more effective. For example, a water-flow alarm, coupled with a flame detector in the same area is a more reliable indication of an actual fire than just one or the other sensor indication by itself. Many alarm panels are equipped with a backup dialer capability for use when the primary PSTN circuit is not functioning. The redundant dialer may be connected to a second phone line, or a specialized encoded cellular phone, radio, or internet interface device to bypass the PSTN entirely, to thwart intentional tampering with the phone line(s). Just the fact that someone tampered with the line could trigger a supervisory alarm via the radio network, giving early warning of an imminent problem (e.g., arson). In some cases a remote building may not have PSTN phone service, and the cost of trenching and running a direct line may be prohibitive. It is possible to use a wireless cellular or radio device as the primary communication method.

Broadband Alarm Monitoring
Increasing deployment of voice over IP technology (VoIP) is driving the adoption of broadband signaling for alarm reporting. Many sites requiring alarm installations no longer have conventional telephone lines (POTS), and alarm panels with conventional telephone dialer capability do not work reliably over some types of VoIP service
Legacy dial up analog alarm panels or systems with serial/parallel data ports may be migrated to broadband through the addition of an alarm server device which converts telephone signaling signals or data port traffic to IP messages suitable for broadband transmission. But the direct use of VoIP (POTS port on premises terminal) to transport analog alarms without an alarm server device is problematic as the audio codecs used throughout the entire network transmission path cannot guarantee a suitable level of reliability or quality of service acceptable for the application.
In response to the changing public communications network, new alarm systems often can use broadband signaling as a method of alarm transmission, and manufacturers are including IP reporting capability directly in their alarm panel products. When the Internet is used as a primary signaling method for critical security and life safety applications, frequent supervision messages are configured to overcome concerns about backup power for network equipment and signal delivery time. But for typical applications, connectivity concerns are controlled by normal supervision messages, sent daily or weekly.
Various IP Alarm transmission protocols exist but most in use today are proprietary. Just as the formats used for conventional telephone reporting were standardized and published, broadband signaling for alarm reporting is being standardized today. In 2007, US alarm manufacturers developed an open standard called DC-09. This standard has been accepted as an American National Standard, and is published as ANSI/SIA DC-09-2007. [ref: ANSI/SIA DC-09-2007] The protocol provides an encoding scheme and transport mechanism to carry data from 17 previously defined alarm protocols, including the latest Contact ID, SIA DC-03 and SIA 2000 protocols. [ref: ANSI/SIA DC-07-2001.04] Several manufacturers of panels and receivers are reported to be developing or have released support for DC-09.

Listen In Alarm monitoring
Monitored alarms and speaker phones allow for the central station to speak with the homeowner and/or intruder. This may be beneficial to the owner for medical emergencies. For actual break-ins, the speaker phones allow the central station to urge the intruder to cease and desist as response units have been dispatched.

Alarm monitoring Services
The list of services to be monitored at a Central Station has expanded over the past few years to include: Access Control; CCTV Monitoring; Environmental Monitoring; Intrusion Alarm Monitoring; Fire Alarm & Sprinkler Monitoring; Critical Condition Monitoring; Medical Response Monitoring; Elevator Telephone Monitoring; Hold-Up or Panic Alarm Monitoring; Duress Monitoring; Auto Dialer tests; Open & Close Signal Supervision & Reporting; Exception Reports; and PIN or Passcode Management. Increasingly, the Central Stations are making this information available directly to end users via the internet and a secure log-on to view and create custom reports on these events themselves.

Alarm response
Depending upon the zone triggered, number and sequence of zones, time of day, and other factors, the monitoring center can automatically initiate various actions. They might be instructed to call the ambulance, fire department or police department immediately, or to first call the protected premises or property manager to try to determine if the alarm is genuine. They could also start calling a list of phone numbers provided by the customer to contact someone to go check on the protected premises. Some zones may trigger a call to the local heating oil company to go check on the system, or a call to the owner with details of which room may be getting flooded. Some alarm systems are tied to video surveillance systems so that current video of the intrusion area can be instantly displayed on a remote monitor, not to mention recorded.

Access control and bypass codes
To be useful, an intrusion alarm system is deactivated or reconfigured when authorized personnel are present. Authorization may be indicated in any number of ways, often with keys or codes used at the control panel or a remote panel near an entry. High-security alarms may require multiple codes, or a fingerprint, badge, hand-geometry, retinal scan, encrypted response generator, and other means that are deemed sufficiently secure for the purpose.
Failed authorizations should result in an alarm or at least a timed lockout to prevent "experimenting" with possible codes. Some systems can be configured to permit deactivation of individual sensors or groups. Others can also be programmed to bypass or ignore individual sensors (once or multiple times) and leave the remainder of the system armed. This feature is useful for permitting a single door to be opened and closed before the alarm is armed, or to permit a person to leave, but not return. High-end systems allow multiple access codes, and may even permit them to be used only once, or on particular days, or only in combination with other users' codes (i.e., escorted). In any case, a remote monitoring center should arrange an oral code to be provided by an authorized person in case of false alarms, so the monitoring center can be assured that a further alarm response is unnecessary. As with access codes, there can also be a hierarchy of oral codes, say, for furnace repairperson to enter the kitchen and basement sensor areas but not the silver vault in the butler's pantry. There are also systems that permit a duress code to be entered and silence the local alarm, but still trigger the remote alarm to summon the police to a robbery.
Fire sensors can be "isolated", meaning that when triggered, they will not trigger the main alarm network. This is important when smoke and heat is intentionally produced. The owners of buildings can be fined for generating False alarms that waste the time of emergency personnel.

Zone bypassing and forced arming
Sometimes you may want to disconnect OR bypass part of the protected area e.g. in case of a fault in part of the system or when for some reason you do not want to protect a specific area. Such situations can be handled only if the system allows selectively bypassing or arming at a zone level.

False / no alarms
System reliability can be a problem when it causes nuisance alarms, false alarms, or fails to alarm when called for. Nuisance alarms occur when an unintended event evokes an alarm status by an otherwise properly working alarm system. A false alarm also occurs when there is an alarm system malfunction that results in an alarm state. In all three circumstances, the source of the problem should be immediately found and fixed, so that responders will not lose confidence in the alarm reports. It is easier to know when there are false alarms, because the system is designed to react to that condition. Failure alarms are more troublesome because they usually require periodic testing to make sure the sensors are working and that the correct signals are getting through to the monitor. Some systems are designed to detect problems internally, such as low or dead batteries, loose connections, phone circuit trouble, etc. While earlier nuisance alarms could be set off by small disturbances, like insects or pets, newer model alarms have technology to measure the size/weight of the object causing the disturbance, and thus are able to decide how serious the threat is, which is especially useful in burglar alarms.

False-Alarm Reduction
Home and business owners can now choose a new type of keypad control panel designed to help reduce false alarms.
Based on a standard called CP-01-2000, developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and Security Industry Association (SIA)) , the new generation of keypad control panels takes aim at user error by building in extra precautions that minimize unwarranted dispatch of emergency responders.
Some of the features of CP-01 keypads include a progress annunciation function that emits a different sound during the last 10 seconds of delay, which hastens exit from the premises. Also, the exit time doubles if the user disables the pre-warning feature.
Other "rules" address failure to exit premises, which results in arming all zones in Stay Mode and a one-time, automatic restart of exit delay. However, if there is an exit error, an immediate local alarm will sound.
Cross zoning reduces alarms
Cross zoning is an innovative alarm-system strategy that does not require a new keypad. Using multiple sensors to monitor activity in one area, advanced software analyzes input from all the sources.
For example, if a motion detector trips in one area, the signal is recorded and the central-station monitor notifies the customer. A second alarm signal - received in an adjacent zone in close time proximity, is the confirmation the central-station monitor needs to request a dispatch immediately. This builds in increased protection and a fail safe should a door blow open or a bird rattle an exterior window.

Enhanced Call Verification
Enhanced Call Verification (ECV) helps reduce false dispatches while still protecting citizens. ECV requires central station personnel to attempt to verify the alarm activation by making a minimum of two phone calls to two different responsible party telephone numbers before dispatching law enforcement to the scene.
The first alarm-verification call goes to the location the alarm originated. If contact with a person is not made a second call is placed to a different number. The secondary number, best practices dictate*, should be to a telephone that is answered even after hours, preferably a cellular phone of a decision maker authorized to request or bypass emergency response.
In-the-field proof that ECV practices are the best solution for false-alarm reduction while maintaining the safety of taxpayers comes from the state of Florida. As of July 1, 2006, the implementation date of the nation’s first statewide ECV law, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Department reduced dispatches from 12,712 between October 2005 and December 2005 to 8,802 during the same period in 2006. Tennessee has also adopted EVC policies, as has Reno, Nevada policies among other municiplaities including St. Louis, MO, Providence, RI, Bethlehem, PA and Golden, CO, among others. CSAA/ECV which is an ANSI adopted standard has recently been adopted in ordinance form in Lynn, ma 2/17/09 as a proven method to reduce false police dispatches. In addition to a possible second call other more advanced methods can also be utilized to distinguish between a potential false alarm or real alarm such as alarm & cancel or biometrics. CSAA/ECV means = Central Station Alarm Association / Enhanced Call verification.

Video verification
Video verification documents a change in local conditions by using cameras to record video signals or image snapshots. The source images can be sent over a communication link, usually an Internet protocol (IP) network, to the central station where monitors retrieve the images through proprietary software. The information is then relayed to law-enforcement and recorded to an event file, which can later be used as prosecution evidence.
An example of how this system works is when a passive infrared or other sensor is triggered a designated number of video frames from before and after the event is sent to the central station.
A second video solution can be incorporated into to a standard panel, which sends the central station an alarm. When a signal is received, a trained monitoring professional accesses the on-site digital video recorder (DVR) through an IP link to determine the cause of the activation. For this type of system, the camera input to the DVR reflects the alarm panel’s zones and partitioning, which allows personnel to look for an alarm source in multiple areas.




Sources
1. Atss, R.Nandakumar.
2. Walker, Philip (1985). Electronic Security Systems. Cambridge, UK: University Press.
3. Aii, N.Clifton. "Broadband CSV, XML Alarm data Standards" Auckland NZ, (2002)
Trimmer, H.William (1981). Understanding and Servicing Alarm Systems. Stoneham: Butterworth.
4. http://www.gobeyondsecurity.com/profile/ArindamBhadra
5. http://www.orkut.co.in/Main#Community?cmm=97394062

IPCCTV Design - Network Requirements

Designing a IP CCTV System - Network Requirements
Manufacturers of IP Video equipment provide excellent tools for helping security and IT professionals design digital CCTV systems and in particular compute the bandwidth requirements of the network. It’s fundamentally a very simple process; decide how many cameras are required, decide what video quality for viewing and recording is required and decide how many days of recording are needed. These can then be used to calculate how much bandwidth and recording storage is required.
Each device connected to the network is then assigned an IP address, ensuring they are all on the same sub-net and can therefore ‘see’ each other. The ‘Site Builder’ software tools provided then interrogate the network and discover all the appropriate devices and automatically build a site database and recording schedule.
In many cases the bandwidth requirements can be easily accommodated on the existing corporate LAN/WAN, giving the proposed IP Video system another significant advantage over analog CCTV by removing the need for additional cabling. This also means the network can be shared with the normal IT traffic and facilities such as Voice-over-IP. IP Video has many clever features which ensure that the bandwidth impact is kept to a minimum. Positioning NVRs locally to relevant camera clusters can reduce network traffic and improve redundancy. The compressed video can be transmitted across the network using TCP, UDP Unicast or UDP Multicast protocols. The advantage of Multicast is that it uses the same amount of network traffic for 1000 operators to view a camera as it would for one operator.
Activity Controlled Framerate (ACF is another feature designed to reduce network traffic. This facility relies on processing data at the camera IP transmitter/receiver unit. If no movement is detected in the camera scene then the bandwidth used is dramatically reduced. This feature is most effective in places where low activity occurs, such as in corridors, on fire escapes, or in buildings which are unoccupied at night. Searching recorded video can be a time-consuming activity with a corresponding increase in network traffic. However, clever thumbnail search facilities can be provided by the video and alarm management The typical NVR solution simply requires a PC platform and hard disk storage. However, for more demanding fault tolerant applications NVRs can be packaged in stand-alone units with removable hard disk drives. Transmitter/receiver modules transmit MPEG-4 quality digital video, audio and control data over the IP Network. Software. The system can analyse movement in a scene and display thumbnail images that represent frames from recordings containing the specified movement. Clicking on one of the thumbnails then replays that section of video. This feature can search 24 hours of recorded video and display the thumbnails in just a few seconds. Changing the search variables allows the operator to sift through vast quantities of recorded material quickly and efficiently. The use of thumbnails allows a vast amount of video to be analysed with little extra impact on the network.
Don’t Throw Out the Old Cameras – Handling Legacy Systems:
It is clear to see the advantages of IP Video for large enterprise systems, with its underlying flexibility and scalability. However, it is also an ideal solution for smaller CCTV systems and in particular for upgrades to existing installations. When upgrading from an existing analog system the obsolete equipment such as the matrix and DVRs can be replaced, but all the cameras, domes, monitors and keyboards can be kept. Using IP transmitter/receiver units, all existing cameras and monitors can be interconnected; in fact existing control room configurations can largely remain unchanged. With the addition of a PC or two, all the advanced features of IP CCTV can be made available without the need to change the familiar surroundings of the control room. Once the migration is complete it’s very easy to expand the system in the future. It is now becoming common practice for IP Video systems to be used to expand existing analog CCTV systems based on cost alone – it’s often just too costly to cable in new cameras from remote locations.

Transmitter/receiver modules transmitMPEG-4 quality digital video, audio and control data over the IP network the typical NVR solution simply requiresa PC platform and hard disk storage. However, for more demanding fault tolerant applications NVRs can be packaged in stand-alone units with removable hard disk drives IP Video allows potential end users to easily trial the system at first-hand without commitment to large scale change from day one. Even though IP Video is an established technology, users will always want to convert to new technology at their own pace.
The integration with intruder alarm and access control systems is also providing advantages as they are now moving to IP networks as well. These systems are also seeing the benefits and flexibility of replacing cable with a network. The CCTV video and data from these systems can share the network without any problems, in fact this level of integration provides some interesting features. For example, a security alarm can provide an input to the IP Video system, which automatically moves a camera to cover the incident and displays the video feed on a monitor in the control room together with a map of the location providing multiple perspectives on the incident. Digital Video Recording – the NVR is important to differentiate between Digital Video Recorders and network Video recorders (NVRs), as both are often termed ‘digital’. A DVR digitally compresses analog video feeds and stores them on a hard-drive, the term ‘digital’ referring to the compression and storage technology, not the transmitted video images. The DVR therefore has to be located near the analog feeds. In contrast an NVR stores digital images directly from the IP Network.
Therefore the most obvious difference between the DVR and NVR is that the DVR records analog streams from analog cameras, whereas the NVR records video streams that have already been encoded at the cameras. Thus you find no video connectors anywhere on a NVR; its inputs and outputs are IP data, comprising of compressed and encoded video. NVRs can be either PC software based or dedicated stand-alone units.
The huge advantage of an architecture based on NVRs is that they can be located anywhere on a network – at the monitoring centre, adjacent to camera clusters, on the edge of a network or collected together in a hardened environment. In use their location is transparent to an operator; the recorded video stream from any camera can be viewed by any operator at any point on the network. NVRs record and replay simultaneously and recordings on any one machine can be remotely viewed by a number of authorised operators spread across the network simultaneously, all totally independently and without affecting each other. The independence of physical location is an important factor. By calculating the required network traffic and strategically placing NVRs accordingly, the impact of video streaming on bandwidth usage can be minimised. Typically an NVR might be placed near (in network terms, not necessarily physically) a camera cluster so that the load is carried by the local LAN capable of absorbing it easily, thus saving capacity on other, perhaps more restricted, parts of the network.
“Mirroring” techniques are now often used to duplicate the recording of video streams on additional NVRs located at different parts of the network, which provides a high level of protection against network failure; if one part goes down the other is there as a backup. You can have as many NVRs across a system as you like - there is no requirement for additional video cabling. Evidence from the NVR can be exported in the standard MPEG-4 format allowing it to be viewed by any 3rd party viewer such as QuickTime for Windows Media Player. However, the exported video includes encryption and watermarking to allow extremely secure detection of tampering such as frame removal, reordering or modification.
Advanced Analytics – The Future Analytics is the processing of video images to detect such events as congestion, stolen objects, cars parked too long outside a building, people moving the wrong way through security checkpoints, etc. Analytics are available as an add-on to analog systems which makes it difficult to realise the true benefits of this technology. In IP systems however, analytics can be completely integrated so their full benefits can be realised. IP-based analytics can be run in two modes: real time within the IP transmitter/receiver at the camera, and post-processing, on any operator’s PC. The real time mode allows the system to automatically identify events as they occur. Post processing allows operators to run many different scenarios on recorded video, e.g. look for cars parked for more than 2 minutes. These two modes offer the best of both worlds, using analytics to identify events as they occur, and also providing advanced search tools for operators to analyse previous situations. Human operators are particularly poor at watching video monitors for long periods of time, but are generally very good at confirming whether something is an incident or not, once it has been flagged automatically by the system.
Many of the latest developments in IP Video are centered on these types of features; here are just some of the analytics algorithms that are appearing on the market:
1. Congestion Detection - too many people in too small a space
2. Motion Detection - person or vehicle moving, say, from left to right across a scene
3. Abandoned Object Detection - suitcase abandoned in an airport terminal
4. Counter Flow - person moving against an immigration route
5. Virtual Tripwire - detection and alarm upon breach of a defined line
6. Shape-Based Detection – e.g. vehicle detection
7. Object Tracking and Theft Detection - object removed from a busy scene

Advanced analytics is one of the outstanding applications of IP Video that simply cannot be matched by traditional analog CCTV systems and offers so many advantages that this feature alone can often justify the IP solution. It can be expected that huge productivity improvements will result from using analytics software during the searching of recorded material in post-event analysis - and for this, the NVR is the key.


Sources:
http://www.gobeyondsecurity.com/forum/topics/designing-the-ip-cctv-system
http://www.gobeyondsecurity.com/forum/topics/what-is-a-dvr-what-is-a-nvr

Verious Type of CCTV camera

CCTV cameras are being installed everywhere for crime prevention and detection. They are now available at quite affordable price, are easy to install, and require low-maintenance. There are many types of technologically advanced CCTV cameras that offer fitting surveillance solutions. Depending upon your requirement, you can select one. This article discusses types of CCTV cameras and their features and uses.

Indoor Camera: Indoor camera as the name suggests are used for indoor security mechanism. Depending upon your security needs, you can mount it at any suitable location inside the building. These are suitable for security in homes, schools, offices, hotels, etc.

Outdoor Camera: Outdoor CCTV Camera is used for outdoor places. They are mostly used for entry and exit points with limited night lighting. Outdoor cameras typically have hard shell vandal-proof casings and a variety of lens options.

IR Day/Night Camera: IR Day/ Night Camera are used for high alert security areas where surveillance needs to happen throughout day and night. In the daytime the camera functions like a normal camera with standard colors and at night it switches to low-lux black and white mode. When visibility decreases due to no-light at night, Infrared LEDs are automatically illuminated providing full security. These cameras are used by military personals, in parking lots, and high security zones.

Dome Camera: Dome cameras are installed inside a dark dome and are designed in a way that they go unnoticed by visitors. They come in compact design for a discreet appearance. The thief does not know if the camera is recording. These cameras can also be rotated and tilted manually. Dome type cameras are used in public places like railway station, bus terminals, and other areas where there is huge gathering of people.

Bullet Camera: Bullet cameras are placed inside a bullet shaped housing, and they are used in residential places as well as commercial places. They are small in size, have an integrated design, and are really effective. They offer illuminate viewing even in darkness and are weatherproof as well.

Vandal Proof Camera: Vandal proof cameras are used as outdoor security cameras. These cameras are sheltered within solid material and are covered by a “hub” of break-proof glass which doesn’t hinder the quality of the video camera streams. It is difficult to break these cameras and this makes them perfect for high security. They are suitable for wall or ceiling mounting and are rain and fog resistant.

Hidden Camera: Hidden cameras are compact in size and are used for secret monitoring. They are usually installed in public places like department stores, theaters, clubs, etc. Hidden cameras have a built-in recorder that records and broadcasts simultaneously. By using a large number of security cameras and networking them various strategic views of the place can be obtained.

Pan Tilt Zoom Camera: Pan-tilt-zoom camera offers the ability to view and zoom in all directions. You can even set the camera to automatically rotate to different fields of vision. To gather more information on CCTV cameras, cables, monitors, and connectors.