Dynamic Alarm Annunciation Delay for Security Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional security systems are vulnerable to the 'smash and grab' technique, where intruders can locate and disable the control panel during the delay period before an alarm notification is sent, as the sounding of notification devices like sirens reveals their location, allowing destruction of the communication unit.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic annunciation trigger system that delays the activation of notification devices until successful transmission of the alarm notification to the central monitoring facility, ensuring the intruder remains unaware of the communication and location of the control unit, thereby preventing premature destruction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a predetermined delay period is programmed into the system to allow homeowners time to disarm the alarm, then the homeowner has sufficient time to disarm the alarm system, but the intruder can locate and disable the control panel during this delay period before the alarm notification is sent
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs the alarm notification transmission to the monitoring facility before triggering the annunciation device. This preliminary action ensures that the alarm signal is already sent out before the intruder can locate and disable the control panel during what would otherwise be the delay period.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the timing sequence based on the transmission status. If transmission to the monitoring facility is successful, the annunciation device is triggered after a short interval; if transmission fails, the system extends the delay period to allow retry attempts, making the timing adaptive rather than fixed.
2Ease of manufacture
If notification devices such as sirens are incorporated with the control panel, then installation labor costs are reduced, but the siren sound allows the intruder to locate and destroy the communicator
Solution Approach 1:
The alarm notification is transmitted to the monitoring facility before the annunciation device (siren) is triggered. This ensures that by the time the siren sounds and reveals the control panel location, the alarm signal has already been sent to authorities, reducing the effectiveness of the intruder's sabotage attempt.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the delayed annunciation trigger as a protective measure. The very feature that could help an intruder locate the device (the siren sound) is converted into a benefit by ensuring the alarm notification is already transmitted before the siren sounds, turning a potential vulnerability into a security advantage.
3Speed
If the alarm notification signal is sent immediately upon alarm condition, then the monitoring facility is notified quickly, but the intruder has no time to disarm the system and the system provides no buffer for false alarm recovery
Solution Approach 1:
The system sends the alarm notification to the monitoring facility as a preliminary action before triggering the annunciation device. This allows the notification to be in transit during what would traditionally be the delay period, ensuring quick notification while maintaining the disarming window.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically manages the timing between notification transmission and annunciation triggering. The notification is sent immediately upon alarm condition detection, but the annunciation device trigger is delayed until transmission confirmation, creating a flexible timing window that accommodates both quick notification and false alarm recovery needs.
Data Source
AI summary
A security system including a main control unit, a plurality of sensors and a user interface device. The main control unit communicates with a remote central monitoring station when a sensor detects an alarm event. Once the communication signal from the main control unit is successfully transmitted to the central station, a siren is sounded. Thus, the delay time to trigger the siren is dynamic based on the time it takes for successful transmission of an alarm notification to the central station. This dynamic delay accounts for transmission interruptions between the security system and the central station and allows the location of the main unit and/or the siren from being detected prior to successful alarm transmission to the central station.