Apartment
Intercom Works
An apartment intercom system allows entry to a visitor to a building. A
visitor can come up to the entry system at the main building entrance, select
an entry and call a tenant. This sends a buzzer signal to the resident inside
the apartment. The resident can pick up the call using an audio phone call, or
a video call using a video intercom mobile app. They can communicate with the
visitor, and then release and buzz the door remotely.
The latest
lobby intercoms include a large touchscreen panel, intercom, camera, and
wireless connections to the tenant’s phones. This multi-tenant
intercom system connects from the lobby intercom station to an app on each
person’s smartphone.
This
article reviews the apartment Intercon’s state-of-the-art components making
this a valuable and easy-to-install system for apartment houses and
multi-tenant organizations.
The new
systems have large LCD screens that allow you to see a list of the residents in
the building. The intercom panel also includes a camera so the tenant can see
and hear the visitor at the door. These video intercom systems are used in
offices, hospitals, and other large multi-tenant organizations.
How the TFT LCD Display Works
The
display has a high enough resolution (800 x 1280) to make the information clear
and readable. The TFT LCD (Thin-Film-Transistor Liquid Crystal Display)
consists of three layers: a sandwich-like structure with liquid crystal
material filled between two glass plates.
The two
polarizer filters, color filters (RGB, red/green/blue), and two alignment
layers control the light allowed to pass and which colors are created.
LCD Intercom
The pixels
are addressed in rows and columns, reducing the connection count from millions
to thousands. The column and row wires attach to each pixel (or transistor
switch). The transistor’s one-way current characteristic prevents the charge
applied to each pixel from being drained between refreshes to a display’s
image. Each pixel is a small capacitor with a layer of insulating liquid
crystal sandwiched between transparent conductive ITO (Indium tin oxide)
layers. The capacitor allows each sub-pixel to retain its charge between each
cycle.
The
display is bright enough to be seen in a well-lit environment. For example,
many panels provide 400 Nits of brightness. The term “nit” is a unit of
measurement defining luminance rather than an abbreviation. One Nit equals one
candela per square meter. Imagine a candle inside a box that is one meter by
one meter square. The light from the candle equals one candela, and the light
hitting the sides of the cube is equivalent to one Nit.
How the Touchscreen Works
The
touchscreen is a combination of an input device with a display screen. It
provides a signal that indicates the position where a person touches the
display screen. There are various types of touchscreens. Some of the older
touchscreens use infrared beams around the edge, while others use surface
acoustic waves or near-field imaging. Many current touchscreens use resistive
or capacitive effect touchscreen.
Capacitive
touch screens generally have a brighter, clearer appearance and are much more
sensitive than resistive touch screens. The capacitive touchscreen is the most
popular technology used on our smartphones, laptops, and tablet screens.
Touchpanel
Capacitive
screens have multiple layers of glass and plastic coated with a conductor
material like indium tin oxide or copper. This conductive material responds
when contacted by another electrical conductor, like your bare finger. When you
touch your screen, an electric circuit is completed at the point where your
finger makes contact, changing the electrical charge at this location. Your
device registers this information as a “touch event.”
Resistive
touchscreens detect position by pressure applied to its surface. The pressure
on the surface causes the two layers to touch, which relates to the position on
the surface.
Once a
touch event has been detected, the screen’s receptors notify the operating
system where the screen has been touched, allowing the application to respond.
Intercom
The
apartment intercom includes a built-in intercom with a speaker and microphone.
The speaker requires enough sound level so it can be heard in noisy
environments, while the microphone needs to be sensitive enough to hear the
person near the intercom. The closeness of the microphone to the speaker can
cause problems. This is solved by using echo suppression.
Intercom System Diagram
Echo
suppression improves voice quality by preventing speaker sound from circulating
from the speaker, creating feedback. Echo suppressors and echo cancellers have
similar goals—preventing a speaking individual from hearing an echo of their
own voice.
Camera
The camera
allows the person answering the door to see the visitor. The camera usually has
a reasonable resolution (usually 2-MegaPixels) and can view a wide angle. There
is an IR illuminator so the camera can see when there isn’t any ambient
lighting. The camera is also able to see a person in bright sunlight. Many of
these cameras include a wide dynamic range that provides a clear image of the
person, even with a bright background. The camera connects through the computer
unit, and the video is sent to the tenant’s smartphone.
Processing Unit
The
computer system includes the Central Processing Unit (CPU) that can run an
Android, Linux, or Unix operating system. The computer and software control the
intercom panel’s functions, including the display, IO (the relay), audio, WiFi,
and Ethernet interface.
Cloud-Based Management
Apartment
intercoms use cloud-based servers that maintain the record of all the
users.
IP Apartment Intercom Diagram
The
management software provides an easy method for updating and editing the user
list. The message passes through the local intercom server and the network
switch and router to the cloud server. The message is sent from the cloud
server to the smartphone (or standard phone). Once the connection is
established, the tenant can talk to the person at the door. They can then
remotely unlock the door. The IP intercom system provides increased
security because it allows the tenant, with a smartphone, to see the person at
the door.
Apartment
intercom systems actually come in several forms, and each has their own set of
unique capabilities to meet the needs of different multifamily buildings.
Wired Apartment
Intercoms
Wired
intercoms require running a cable from the main entry panel to each apartment
unit receiver. There were very popular for smaller condo and apartment
buildings. They could have audio or video capabilities.
·
Much
higher upfront cost of install due to all the wiring needed
·
No
recurring cost once installed, which is beneficial
·
May
come with video or audio
·
You
have to be home, and constantly walk over the receiving unit in order to
receive the intercom
·
No
ability to give our remote access when you are not home
·
Cannot
generate and give delivery PINs
·
Very
difficult and technically complicated to program. Often requires paying a
security company to makes change every time someone moves in
Wireless Intercom
Systems
Wireless
intercom systems have been the real game changer in the world of modern access.
Instead of
requiring a wall mount station inside the apartment unit and outside the front
door, wireless intercom systems offer the ability for tenants
to receive a visitor call to their mobile phone or other device that is
compatible with the system’s software. Tenants are no longer tied to a wired
intercom station inside their apartment – they are able to receive visitor
calls and grant access from anywhere. There are two different ways in which to
do this: telephone entry system and video intercom systems.
Telephone Entry
System
Telephone
entry systems like Doorking and Linear are very popular over the
last decade. Most of you might be familiar with these door entry callboxes. You
can program a list of phone numbers in the callbox and connect it to a
traditional phone line or cellular VOIP system (those cost extra per month).
·
Reliable
and popular technology over the last 20 years
·
Audio
calls can be received to smart phone and regular phones
·
Ability
to release the door lock pressing a number – often 9
·
Major
known security issues – e.g. you can buy a key on amazon to open the box and
release doors
·
Lack
of video allows package thieves to now pretend to be delivery drivers and get
buzzed in
·
Very
difficult to program by condo management and property management – requires a
ton of technical training
Video Intercom
Systems for Apartments
Video
intercoms make video calls between visitors and residents. Smart
intercom systems support option for telephone calls using VOIP, to support
older or non tech savvy residents. Most buildings are upgrading to modern video
intercom systems. Video intercoms used to be very expensive.
Benefits of
Apartment Intercom Systems
Apartment
intercoms are convenient for multifamily tenants and their guests, but they go
far beyond just convenience. A building intercom system offers a layer of
security to access management for the best protection of your biggest
investment.
·
Secure
delivery management is
becoming more than just a building amenity. With the increasing rate of
e-commerce, and the ability to have more and more essentials and necessities
delivered right to your door, securing packages and deliveries is a must. With
a building intercom system, couriers can easily be granted building access from
either a call to the front desk staff or directly to the tenant.
·
Securely
granting access to guests and visitors is
not only convenient to the tenant, but also the other occupants in the
building. Tenants have peace of mind knowing any other occupant in the building
has been authorized.
·
Convenience for tenants enhances a
building’s reputation and boost tenant retention and acquisition.
·
Reducing
operational overhead is
made easy with building intercom systems because it seamlessly supports front
desk staff and enables frictionless access to other operational or maintenance
staff.
·
Business
continuity is
another unassuming benefit of building intercom. But, should an apartment need
to be seen or toured in order to fill a vacancy, self-guided, contactless
apartment tours can be facilitated with remote unlock features.
Summary of
Apartment Intercom
The
apartment intercom is a device that allows visitors to contact people inside a
multi-tenant building. It consists of a TFT LCD with a touch panel, audio
intercom section, IP camera, and processing unit. The new wireless intercom
allows you to contact the resident’s smartphone or standard phone to request
entry into the building. The lobby intercom display provides a list of all the
tenants in the building.
