CA1239210A - Pbx security system for monitoring security guard tours - Google Patents
Pbx security system for monitoring security guard toursInfo
- Publication number
- CA1239210A CA1239210A CA000497153A CA497153A CA1239210A CA 1239210 A CA1239210 A CA 1239210A CA 000497153 A CA000497153 A CA 000497153A CA 497153 A CA497153 A CA 497153A CA 1239210 A CA1239210 A CA 1239210A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- guard
- tour
- checkpoint
- check
- station
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- G07C1/00—Registering, indicating or recording the time of events or elapsed time, e.g. time-recorders for work people
- G07C1/20—Checking timed patrols, e.g. of watchman
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M11/00—Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
- H04M11/04—Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
Abstract
Abstract of the Disclosure A security system arrangement utilizing a standard PBX for monitoring a plurality of concurrently administrable guard tours. The PBX comprises a control processor which includes a main memory containing a number of feature processing algorithms. One such feature processing algorithm is the security monitoring algorithm. This algorithm monitors the activities of tour guards as the guards progress through the tours. In particular, a programmable memory defines a plurality of tours. Each tour comprises a finite list of sequentially defined checkpoints where each checkpoint is a designated conventional station set of the PBX. A security controller activates the security system by "dialing" the appropriate feature code at a central control facility, such as an attendant console.
The security controller then selects one or more of the available tours by "dialing" a tour code. Following the selection and activation of a tour, a tour guard "dials" a check-in code at each checkpoint and progresses sequentially through the checkpoints contained in the list comprising the selected tour or tours. The tour guard has an allotted amount of time in which to reach each of the designated checkpoints included in the tour sequence. The tour is successfully concluded when the tour guard sequentially checks-in within the allotted time at each of the designated checkpoints included in a tour. However, if the proper check-in sequence is not followed or if the allotted time period elapses before the tour guard reaches the next checkpoint in the sequence, the control processor detects these conditions and generates an alarm to indicate that the tour sequence is disrupted. This alarm signals a condition that requires investigation.
The security controller then selects one or more of the available tours by "dialing" a tour code. Following the selection and activation of a tour, a tour guard "dials" a check-in code at each checkpoint and progresses sequentially through the checkpoints contained in the list comprising the selected tour or tours. The tour guard has an allotted amount of time in which to reach each of the designated checkpoints included in the tour sequence. The tour is successfully concluded when the tour guard sequentially checks-in within the allotted time at each of the designated checkpoints included in a tour. However, if the proper check-in sequence is not followed or if the allotted time period elapses before the tour guard reaches the next checkpoint in the sequence, the control processor detects these conditions and generates an alarm to indicate that the tour sequence is disrupted. This alarm signals a condition that requires investigation.
Description
V. D. Vanacore ~
A PBX SECURITY SYSTEM FOR MONITORING SECURITY GUARD TOURS
Tachnical Pield ~his invention relates to security arrangements and, in particular, to a security arrangement utilizing a typical Private ~ranch Exchange (PBX) to monitor a plurality of security guard tours.
ackground of the Invention Several types of security arrangements are available to provide security for a variety o-f buildings.
One arranRement utilizes a "breaking and entering" type of alarm system. In this type o~ arrangement, an alarm is tripped in response to opening a locked door or breaking a window. Ad~unct electronic equipment detects the opening and breaking ac-tions which usually indicate unauthori~ed entry. ~his type of security arrangement works well to generate an alarm when the system remains active. ~owever, i~ the adjunct electronic equipment is the sub~ect of tampering, i.e., the alarm is deactivated, no security is proviaed ~or the building. These types of security arrangements are usually highly visible and therefore, can be easily deactivated.
Other security arrangements for buildings utilize an internal security guard to remedy the problem of deactivation of an electronic alarm. ~he guard tours the entire building and looks for unu~ual types o~ activities or circumstances, ~uch as the presence of an intruder. In this type of arrangement, a tour usually includes a number o~
checkpoints located along the route o~ the tour. ~he checkpoint~ are typically visible hardware devices ~l~3~
.
~ 2 -V. D. Vanacore 2 comprising specialized transmitters and receiYers that are hardwired to some -type of alarm ~acility monitoring device.
~hese checkpoints serve a~ interfaces between the guard and the alarm ~acility~ Several dif~erent t;ypes of checkpoint arrangements are available.
One type o~ checkpoint arranRement operates in response to a "key" which locks and unlocks a number of designated lock boxes. In this arrangement, a guard tours the building and check~-in at the various lock-box locations throughout the building. ~hese lock boxeq are electronically triggered mechani~ms. When a guard unlocks a box, this action generates a signal to an alarm panel. ~his signal activates an indicator on the alarm panel to identi~y the location o~ the guard on the tour route. The indications on the alarm panel represent the guard's progress in the tour.
Another type of checkpoint arrangement utilizes specialized telephone equipment. This telephone equipment is strictly used ~or check-in purposes only~ A direct connection exists only between the telephone and some type o~ alarm facility. ~hese telephones are not inte~rated into the internal P~X switchinR ~ystem a~sociated with the building. ~herefore, no other call processing for incoming and outgoing calls is available ~or this telephone equipment. Additionally, the telephone equipment utili~ed in this checkpoint arrangement is easily detectable since such telephones are usually designated as security telephones either by color or style. A touring guard picks up the recei~er at one of the many ~ecurity telephones to generate an alarm and the alarm ~acility pinpoints the . . . . . . , ~ . . . . .
~3 ( location of the guard. ~ach security telephone is independent from the other security telephones since each telephone iB independently hardwired to the alarm facility.
During a tour, a guard' 8 location is pinpointed only when the guard checks in at any one of the designated security telephones located throu~hout the buildin~. There is no integral relationship between the telephones utilized in this arrangement.
Several other types of security guard tour arrangements exist having similar structural arr~ngements.
These arran~ements have several disadvantage~. One such disadvantage is that most o~ these systems are isolated electronically and communicatively from the PBX system in the building. Therefore, an individual located at an alarm facility monitoring device must take alternative ~easures to generate an external alarm and alert the appropriate authorities for assistance. q'he traditional checkpoint stations are not integrated with the internal PBX sys-tem.
Additionally, the -traditional checkpoint arrangements utilize hardwired adjunct equipment to serve as checkpointsO A tour guard has access to only currently installed checkpoint equip~ent and only with the inclusion o~ additional equipment can -the tour be expanded or altered.
A further disadvantage of the above-de~cribed security arrangements is that each hardwirea checkpoint is clearly detectable and identi~iable (e.g., color, shape, structure).
Any potential intruder can easily identify, at any time, a ; checkpoint. Also, since the alarm facility pinpoints the exact location of a guard when the guard checks in, a tour ~0 route i8 easily identified by observing the alarm facility.
.~
, ~ 4 ( An interested observer or intruder can easily learn the route by following the guard on a tour to each of the fixed checkpoints or by observin~ the alarm facility monitoring device. Only by physically moving the checkpoints to di~erent locations can the actual tour route be modified.
Another disadvantage of the currently available security checkpoint arrangements is that only a single tour loop is administrable at a time since most checkpoint eecurity Qrrangements in a building provide only single loop 1Q structuring. A tour is limited by the available hardwired equipment that operates independently to activate an indication at an a~sociated alarm facility. Although a single tour loop for a small building is adequate, a large buildin6 would requirQ more than one tour loop. Concurrent tour execution requires a large amount of duplicated equipmentO This equipment consumes extensive amounts of building ~pace, and is costly to acquire and install.
In sum, all the currently available security systems are independent systems which include detectable adjunct hardwired component parts such as lock boxes or designated security telephones. ~hese systems are usually rigidl~y structured single loop arrangements where each checkpoint operates independently from the other checkpoints located in the building. Securit,y considerations are questionable in view o~ such a visible and non~lexible security arrangement.
There~ore, it would be advantageous to have a ~lexible ~ecurity s~ystem which does not require detectable adjunct hardwired equipment and does not require ~0 modi~ications to the building structure to administer one or ", , more concurrent guard tours.
Summary o the Invention In accordance with an aspect of the invention there is provided in a PBX serving a p:Lurality of stations which are scanned by a PBX control processor to provide a plurality of various PBX services to each of said Psx stations in response to service requests generated ~rom each of said statlons, a method for operating said PBX to provide a guard monitor check-in service comprising the steps of: storing one or more containing entries represent-ing a time-ordered sequence of guard check-ins at selected ones of said stations to serve as station checkpoints for one or more concurrently administrable guard tours;
transmitting guard tour selection signals ~rom any of said stations to said control processor to activate a selected one of said yuard tours; generating sequentially a check-in service request at each of said station checkpoints included in the one of said lists associated with said selected guard tour; verifying in response to said check-in service request that said station checkpoint is one of said stations included in the one of said lists associated with said selected g~ard tour; and applying an alarm signal to an alarm unit in response to an interruption of said time-ordered sequence of guard check-ins.
The disclosed security arrangement overcomes the prior art disadvantages by utilizing a currently installed PBX. The PBX typically co~.prises a variety of communication devices, for example, standard station sets. A control processor controls interconnections between the stations in response to routine call processing algorithms. A security processing algorithm for monitoring a plurality of guard tours comprises a feature of the PBX. This security processing algorithm is contained in the control processor and includes a programmable memory structure which de~ines a plurality of concurrently administrable guard tours ~or the building or buildings served by the PBX. Each tour includes a number of 3~
- 5a -checkpoints. A checkpoint is a designated station set which may be any one of the plurality of station sets typically located throughout a building. Since the designation is recorded only in memory, a designated station set does not appear physically changed nor does it have any other designation which would identify it as a designated check-point to an interested observer. Additionally, these checkpoints provide a station set user with routine call processing capability such that incoming and outgoing calls may be made or received during a tour at each checkpoint.
A security controller activates the disclosed security monitoring system by "dialing" the appropriate feature code at a central facility, such as an attendant consoleO In response to the feature code, the control processor branches Erom the routine call processing algorithm to the security monitoring algorithm. The .
~ ~3~ 3 V. D. Vanacore 2 security controller then selects one or more o~ the available tours. Each tour comprises a list of checkpoints known only to the security controller and a -touring guard.
These checkpoin-ts are sequentially ordered and the tour guard iq requirea to execute his/her tour according to the checkpoint sequence, However, the tour guard may start the tour at any checkpoint in the sequence. This prevents an interested observer ~rom determining the location o~ the start checkpoint. Once the tour begins, the tour guard must progress through the tour according to the predefined sequence o~ checkpoints. Therefore~ the progress and location o~ the guard is always known since the checkpoints correspond to the station sets located in the building.
Alsoy the tour guard must proceed to each checkpoint within an allotted a~ount of time. In particular, ~ollowing a check-in at each one of the designated checkpoints~ the tour guard has only a prescribed amount o~ time in whieh to reach each o~ the next desi~nated checkpoints in the sequence.
~he guard continues through the timed ~equence of check-ins until the tour is concluded at the la~t checkpoint.
~ollowing the last checkpoint, the tour is cancelled.
However, if the proper check-in sequence i9 disrupted or if too much time has elapsed between check-ins at the desi~nated checkpoints, the control processor responds to these oonditions and gen0rates an alarm to indicate that the tour i8 interrupted. ~hiq interruption signals a condition that requires investigationc The securit~ monitoring al~orithm i8 defined by ; the memory structur.e, the number of tours and tour ~0 configurations may be continually altered and changed so V. D. Vanacore 2 that an interested observer can never be sure which tour is in progress and what checkpoints are included in a tour currentl~ in progress.
Additionally, since the security system is integrated with the standard PBX system, thi~ security ~uard tour monitoring sy~tem is not communicatively isolatea from making connections to other PBX stations. Ihere~ore, i~ a guard requires assistance during the tour, the guard may call any station location ~or assistance ~rom the checkpoint.
This P~X security qystem arrangement utilizes the existing station equipment as checkpoints. No adjunct hardware or equipment is required, and since the .station sets are conventlonal, an interested obqerver would ~ind it dif~icult to pinpoint the checkpoints. Additionally, -the ; security monitoring algorithm provides flexibility in the tours and tour configurations. Such flexibility while utilizing conventional station equipment may defeat any interested ob~erver ~rom determining the exact checkpoint sequence and provides a more protected security arrange~ent.
Brie~ Description of the Drawing FIG. 1 illustrates a typical PBX;
FIG. 2 lllu~trates the structure o~ the memory a3sociated with the security algorithm; and FIGS. 3-6 illustrate in ~low chart form, the operation o~ the ~ecurity monitorinR algorithms.
FI~. 1 discloses a typical private branch exchange ~PBX~ comprisin~ a.plllralit~ of communication device~ such 30 as ~tation sets 100-1 through 100-n, digital terminal V. Do Vanacore 2 equipment 101-1 through 101-n9 and alarm indi~ator unit 102.
Alarm indicator unit 102 can be any one oY a variety of devices such as an alarm panel or an at-tendant console.
~hese communication devices connect over paths 116 through 5 116-n, 118 through 118-n and 120 to as~ociated port circuits 103-1 through 103 n, 104-1 through 104 n, and 105.
Port circuits 103-1 through 103-ng 104~1 through 104-n, and 105 interface with switching ne-twork 106, ~canner 107 and conl;rol proce~sor 108. Control 10 proces~or 108 is of the ~tored-program tgpe and controls the interconnections between the communication devices o~
~IG. 1. ~or ease oî di~cu~siong the remainder of -this description uses the term station to refer to the various typeæ o~ communication devices. Control processor 108 15 includes main memory 108 a. Main memory 108-a con-tains various call processing algorithms which are implemented in response to stimulus received ~rom the associated stations.
A stimulu~ may be an "oI~-hook" or "on-hook" condition of an a~sociated ~tation~ Scanner 107 operates under control o~
20 control processor 108. Scanner 107 scans, over paths 123 through 123-n~ 125 through 125-n and 127, ports 103-1 through 103-n, iO4-1 through 104-n, and 105 to detect the appearance OI a stimulus indication (e.g., "on-hook" or lloI~ hook") as generated Irom any one oî the associated 25 stations 100 through 100-n, 101 through 101-n and 102. The ports 10~-1 through 1(3-n, 104-1 through 104-n, and 1 05 receive signals over paths 116 through 116-n, 118 through 118-n and 120 from the associated qtations 100-1 through 100-n, 101-1 through 101-n and 102. These signal~
30 indicate t}le condition o~ the as30ciated stations as ' ~l~3~
g V. Do Vanacore 2 generated in response to a stimulus. Scanner 107 detects each change in stimulus (e.g., "on-hook" to "o~f-hook") and applies an indication o~ the stimulus over path 109 to control processor 108. Processor 108 responds to this indication and implements routine call processing algorithms in response to the received stimulus. Processor 108 generates control in~ormation to establish interconnections between stations. ~ollowing the establishment of these interconnections, switching network 106 serves to exchan~e infor~ation, i.e. J "voice or data" between the stations associated with each interconnection. Switching network 106 is controlled by control processor 108 over path 110.
Processor 108 additionally controls system timers 121 over path 122. System timers 121 comprise a plurality of decremental timers (not shown) whlch start decrementing in response to some ~peci~ied stimulus. These decremental timers provide time-monitoring function~ ~or P~X opera-tions having time-dependent activity.
Processor 108 control~ both the interconnection between stations and the exchange of "voice or data" between the interconnected stations via switching network 106.
Processor 108 contains the call processing algorithms which administer the various interconnections. ~hese call processing algorithms comprise a list o~ stored instructions which direct routine call proces~ing operations. In addition to routine call proce~sin~ algorithms, which serve to originate and complet~ interconnections between stations, main memo~y 108-a in control processor 108 also contains various feature processing alRorithm~. Ihese feature proces3ing al~orithms also comprise lists of instructions ~ll w f ~d .- - 10 -V. D. Vanacore 2 that ~peci~y proce~sing operation~. Each separately identifiable feature processing algorithm is associated with a service request which iR typically identi~ied by a specified l'dialed" feature code. When a subscriber or attendant requests a particular feature, control processor 108 accesse~ main memory 108-a in re~ponse to the "dialed" feature code and implement~ the appropriate algorithm to satisfy the request. In particular, processor 108 branches ~rom the routine call proce~sing algorithm to the requested ~eature processing algorithm to serve the reque~t.
One of the features available to a P~X subscriber is a ~ecurity ~y~qtem ~or monitoring guard tour~. ~his ~ecurity system utilizes the conventional equipment in a standard P~X. A security algorithm provides the monitoring operations for one or more guard tours where each tour comprise~ a de~ined Ret o~ sequential checkpoints. A tour guard check~ in at a ~irst checkpoint by "dialing" a check-in code. ~hi~ identi-~ie~ the guard'~ presence at a checkpoint. A checlcpoint may be any one o~ the communication device~ illustrated in FIG.1. ~or ea~e of de~cription, as~ume the checkpoints are typical ~tation sets located throughout a building. TheRe station ~ets may be u~ed to place out~oing calls and receive incominR calls a3 well a~ serve a~ checkpoint3 during a guard tour. Fo]lowing a check-in at the ~ir~t checkpoint, the tour guard has an allotted a~ount o~ time to reach the next checkpoint in the aequence. ~he tour guard progre~ses throu~h the tour, sequentiall~ checking in at each checkpoint included in the tour within the allotted amount o~ tlme specified between V. D. Vanacore 2 chsckpointsO An alarm is generated if the tour ~uard does not check--in at the appropriate checkpoint in the sequence and in the allotted amount of time. A control guard at an alarm indicator station such as that illustrated in ~IG. 1 responds to the alarm and takes appropriate action. Since a standard P~X is used to provide the security monitoring operation, an observer cannot easily identi~y those stations servin~ as checkpoints nor the sequential timing of the statiQns included in the tour. Prior to describing the operation of the security algorithm: the structure o~ the tours, checkpoints, and associa-ted allotted times are discussed ~irst since the memory defining these structures is essential to understanding the operation of the security al~orithm.
Memor~ Structure ~or ~ours FIG. 2 illustrates the memory s-tructure of the security monitoring sgs-tem. This memory structure is contained in main memory 108-a of control processor 1OB and comprises translation tables ~or tour 1 throu~h tour n, a ; 20 station identity status register and an allotted time status register. In particular, each translation table i8 associated with one of a plurality of guard tours 1 through n. ~ach translation table is additionally associated with a speci~ied tour code. ~he tour code iden-ti-~ies th~
appropriate translation table required for a selected tour~
As previousl~ described, each tour comprises a designated number of specified checkpoints. The numbeI of checkpoints included in a tour is d~cretionary and may be dependent on the proximity of stration sets in a particular building ~0 lo~ation, such as, for example, a single win~ in the .
~ 3 , V. D. Vanacore 2, Pentagon building. Each checkpoint is associated with a station identity and an allotted time as illustrated in the translation table (tsur 1) o~ ~IG, 2. The station identity indicates which of the plurality o~ station sets comprising the PBX is included in the tour and therefore serves as a checkpoint. The identity o~ the station set may be specified by, for example9 an extension number. The allotted time is a specified unit o~ time which indicates the amount of time allotted ~or a tour guard to reach each checkpoint, ~he translation table additionally includes a memory location having an associated check-in code. This`
check-in code is the code the guard uses to check-in at each checkpoint associated with the guard's selected tour as defined by the appropriate translation table~ Another t5 memory location includes a stop code. This stop code iq the ; code required to cancel the selected tour.
~ he tour translation tables represent a plurality o~ predefined ~equentially timed checkpoints ~or each po3sible tour. The translation tables are programmable memories which allow a system programmer to modi~y the codes 9 the number o~ checkpoints, the identity of the stations serving a~ checkpoints and the allotted time to reach each checkpoint. ~his programming capability allows ~lexibility in the security system. ~his prevents an observer or in~iltrator ~rom detecting a pattern associated with the guard tours. ~he lack o~ pattern detection acts as a deterrent to would be intruders. In addition9 only the programmer and any speci~ied security personnel need know the number o~ tours and which ~tations are included in each ; ~0 tour. The programmer may then disclose the tour checkpoint V~ D. Vanacore 2 sequence -to the tour guard immediately prior to tour activation. This provides a tighter security sy~tem However, once this in~ormation is programmed into each translation table, the tour must be executed according to the programmed sequence a~ defined by the associated translation table.
~ he security memory structure additionally includes a station identity Rtatus register and an allotted time status register. ~ach regîster contains memory locations where each memory location is associated with one o~ the plurality o~ tours. (See FIG. 2) Each status register dynamically changes throughout the progress of each tour. Station identity status register provides the identity of the checkpoint to which the guard must proceed l~ to complete the check-in process. ~or example, i~ a guard check~ in at checkpoint "1" during a selected current tour, the appropriate memory location associated with the current tour in pro~res~ re~lects the "next" checkpoint in the sequence, i.e., checkpoint 2. The tour guard must then proceed to checkpoint 2 to maintain tour progress. In the above manner, station identity status regi~ter maintains a current record of the next checkpoint ~or each concurrently active tour.
Allotted time status register also contains me~or~y location~ that correspond to the number o~ available tour~ 1 through n. Allotted time status register dynamically re~lects the current time allowable for the tour guard to reach a checkpoint in the sequence of checkpoints. ~or example, usin~ the ~ame 1 and 2 checkpoints described above, ~ume the tour guard checks in at checkpoint 1O ~he next ~ - 14 -V. D. Vanaoore 2 , checkpoint 9 2, must be reached within a speci~ied allotted time period. Allotted time status register re~lects that time period in the appropriate memory location associated with the currentl~ active guard tour. A:Llotted time status register operates in respon~e to a security timer (not shown) con-tained in system timers 121 of FIG. 1. ~he security timer is set to a predetermined time period, i.e., the time period equals the allotted time in the allotted time status register, and operates in a manner similar to a decremental clock. As the securi-ty timer decrements, the allotted time recorded in the speci~ied memory location periodically decrements until the allottsd time status register times out. ~or example, if a guard has 10 minutes to reach checkpoint 2, the value 10 minutes is stored in the appropriate memory location of the allotted time status register. ~he security timer is set to 10 minute~ and then activated. Every 1 minute, the allotted time in allotted time status register decrements by 1 minute. There~ore, ~ollowing the duration of 1 minute, the memory location of the allotted time register contains 9 minutes and 80 on.
~he value in the memory location changes to a lesser time with each minutè. ~he allotted time status register times out when a "0" is con-tained in the appropriate memory location associated wlth the current tour in progress~ ~oth status register~ are concurrently updated throu~hout the tour progression.
I~ a tour progresses in the orderly sequence as speci~ied by the associated tour translation table, at the conclusion o~ a tour, the alarm status regi~ter re~lects this condition. In particular, the alarm status register V. D. Vanacore 2 comprises memory locations tha-t correspond to tours 1 through n as represented by the tour translation tables.
Each memory location can contain either one of two bits which indicates whether an alarm is active or inactive. An alarm is activated in response to a "1" bit. ~he conditions which ~enerate an alarm are discussed subsequently. No alarm is activated when a "O" bit is present.
The above-description discusses the structure of the security monitoring system's memories. ~hese memories respond to the security al~orithm. The ~ollowing description discusses the implementation and operation o~
the ~ecurity monitoring algorithm with respect to the above-described memory ~tructure.
Securit~ MonitorinR System Operation -For ease of de~cription, only a single tour executed by two guards is de~cribed; it is understood that a plurality of concurrent tours associated translation tables are admini~trable concurrently by control processor 108.
Assume the following conditions. A building includes the PBX o~ ~IG. 1 where the P~ interconnects a plurality of station sets such as stations 100~1 throu~h 100-n. The sy tem programmèr has designated the sequence of stations that compri~e the tour and entered these de~ignation~ into an a~sociated tour translation table ~uch as the translation table (tour 1) of FIG. 2. ~he system programmer has additionally designated the amount of time required between each equential check-in at the various desi~nated checkpoints. Further, ~or this example, two ~ecurity personnel are presentl one, a security control guard at a central control such a~ alarm indicator unit 1Q2 o~ FIG. 1, ~ . .
~3~2 . - 16 ^
V. D. Vanacore 2 This control guard monitor9 the progress o~ the tour and respond~ to any ~enerated alarms. The other person is a security tour guard who performs the actual tour. The tour guard performs the check-ins at the designated checkpoints.
A singla guard ma~ per~orm the tour; however, the control guard provides -for a back-up person when an alarm condition exists. Assume that the guards are at the beRinning of their ~hift and tha-t no tour is in progress.
~IGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6 illustrate, in flowchart form, the steps re~uired to implement the PBX security monitoring system feature for a single guard tour. In FIGo 3 ~ step 301 serves as the logical start o~ the process, i.e., ~eature activation. In particular, the security control guard who i~ located at alarm indicator unit 102, e.g , attendant con~ole, activates the P~X security system.
~he control guard "dials" a ~eature code associated with the security guard tour monitoring feature 9 step 3010 Control processor 108 responds to the l'dialed" ~eature code, and scans its main memory (108-a) to identi~y the feature associated with the "dialed" ~eature code, 9tep 302.
Control processor 108 then verifies the validity o~ the feature code by`comparing the "dialed'l feature code with the stored ~eature code~,i.e., i9 this securit~ feature available ~or this P~X, step 30~ the contrGl guard "dialed" an incorrect feature code or if the ~eature is unavailable, control processor 108 detects the error or unavailabilit~ o~ the ~eature and generates an error ~ndication, e.g., intercept tone, to the control ~uard, ~tep 316. ~he cont.rol guard in response to the error indication must either ~ andon the feature service request ~3~
V. D. Vanacore 2 or retry "dialing" th correct ~eature code. ~he security algorithm is not activated under these conditions. The process of entering and validating the ~eature code prevent~
unauthorized personnel from activating the ~eature.
As~ume, however, that the control ~uard is an authorized individual, and that the control guard has entered the correct feature code to identi~y the security algorithm. In response to this validated feature code, control processor 108 branches from call processing to the security algorithm contained in main memory 108-a and generates a confirmation indication, e.g~, a dial tone to the control guard, step 304. This confirmation indicates that the ~pecified ~eature i 8 available for this P~X. In responqe to the confirmation indication, the control guard then "dials" a specified tour code, step 305. A~ previously discussed, a tour code identi~ies an associated one of the tour translation tables. Control processor 108 scans all the translation table to identify the translation table having a corresponding tour code 9 step 306. In this manner, the control guard select~ a particular tour. As previously sta-ted, each translation table represents one -tourO
~ ollowing the scanning process, control proces~or 108 compares the "dialed" tour code with each translation table tour code to validate the tour ~election, i.e., does the selected tour exi~t, ~tep 307. If -the control guard "dials" an incorrect tour code or the selected tour doe~ not exist, control processor 108 ~enerates an error indication, e~g., an intercept messa~e which indicates that an incorrect t~ur code has~been entered, to the control 3D guard ~ Btep 316. ~he ~ecurity system is not activated under ~.~
V. D. Vanacore 2 these conditions. The security control Ruard must then go "on~-hook" and reinitiate the entire process again by "dialing" the secùrity system ~eature code and either "dialing" the correct tour code or selecting a different tour. ~hese steps serve as additional precautionary measures to eliminate unauthorized tour code entry.
Assume that the tour code is correct and such a tour exists. Control proce~sor 108 then detects whether'the selected tour is currently in progres~, step 308. I~ the tour is in proRres~, control proce~sor 108 generates an error indica-tionl e.gO~ an intercept message ~tating that the selected tour is in progress, to the control guard.
This step prevents the disruption oY a -tour currently in progress.
A~sume that the selected tour is not in progress.
Under these conditions, control processor 108 generates Q
confirmation indication, e.g~, a dial tone, to the control guard, step 309. ~his confirma-tion indicates that -the selected tour i~ available. ~he control guard, in response to the confirmation indication, now "dials" a station identity code~ step 310. As previously descrlbed J the station identity code identifies the actual ~tation set which serves a~ a checkpoint in the tour. Control roceBsor 108 responds to the qtation identity code and scans the ~elected tour translation table ~or the existence o~ the station identity code, step 311. If the ~tation ldentit~ code i~ invalid, step 312, contro1 processor 108 generateæ an error indication, e.g., an intercept messaRe indicating that the station identity code i~ invalid to the control guard. ~he control guard must relnitiate the entire ~3~
V. D. Vanacore 2 security system under these condition~. However, if the station identity code exists following the ~cannin~
operation, control processor 108 generates a con~irmation indication, e.g., a stutter dial tone, to the control guard, s-tep 31~. Since these aforementioned s1;eps are included in tour activation, the confirmation indicates to the control guard that the identi~ied station is the start station included in the tour or the start checkpoint, step 314, in the selected tour. Control processor 108 detects the checkpoint number associated with the identified station. A
tour may ~tart at any checkpoint included in the selected tour. However, once a start checkpoint i8 determined, the remaining checkpoints must then sequentially follow the determined start checkpoint. Por example, if there are 9 checkpoint~ with sequential de~iRnations 1 through 9, a control guard may de~ignate a start checkpoint o~ 4.
~hereafter, all check-ins must pro~ress through the checkpoints in sequential order, e.~.9 5, 6l 7, 8, and 9.
The above-described validation processes as indicated by ~teps 3039 307, 308, and 312 serve to deter unauthorized individuals ~rom accessing the security monitoring system. A confidential sequence of correc-t codes must be input to activate the sec~rity feature.
A~sume all validations are correct and veri~ied, and the starting checkpolnt number i3 identified. Control processor 108 re~ponds under these conditions and writes, ~tep ~15, into the ~pecified memory location associated with the ~elected to~r of the station identity status register, the starting checkpoint number of the identified station.
(~ee ~IG. 2~ Control processor 108 then scan~ the ~elected .
~3~
V. D~ Vanacore 2 .
tour translation table for the as~ociated allotted time for the starting checkpoint, step 410 o~ ~IG. 4. As previously indicated, each checkpoint must be reached within a speci~ied period of timeO A tour guard pro~reAses throu~h a tour b~ checking~in at each checkpoint within an allotted time period. ~he starting checkpoint ha~ an associated allotted time period specifyin~ the time in which the tour guard has to reach the ~tàrting checkpoint and then~
check-in. ~hat allotted time is written into the specified memory location associated with the selected tour of the allotted time status register.
Followin~ the identi~ication and recording of the start checlcpoint and the associated allotted time to reach that start checkpoint 9 control processor 108 sets, step 403, and immediately activates, ~tep 404, the security timer previously described. Control proces~or 108 detects which of the plurality o~ timers matche~ the allotted ti~e stored in the allotted time status register. Proce~sor 108 immediately activates that security timer which begins decrementing fro~ its set time to zero. In respon~e to ~ome period o~ time~ e.g., one minute, the security timer periodically decrement~ the allotted time status register, step 405. ~he security system is now active and the tour RUard ma~ now start hi~/her tour.
Assume the tour guard i9 now walking the pre~cribed tour route as defined by the sequential list of chec~points included in the selected tour translation table.
; While the tour guard i~ progre~sing toward the ~tart checkpoint~ control processor 108 maintains a continuou~
scanning of the allotted time status register, step ~06.
A PBX SECURITY SYSTEM FOR MONITORING SECURITY GUARD TOURS
Tachnical Pield ~his invention relates to security arrangements and, in particular, to a security arrangement utilizing a typical Private ~ranch Exchange (PBX) to monitor a plurality of security guard tours.
ackground of the Invention Several types of security arrangements are available to provide security for a variety o-f buildings.
One arranRement utilizes a "breaking and entering" type of alarm system. In this type o~ arrangement, an alarm is tripped in response to opening a locked door or breaking a window. Ad~unct electronic equipment detects the opening and breaking ac-tions which usually indicate unauthori~ed entry. ~his type of security arrangement works well to generate an alarm when the system remains active. ~owever, i~ the adjunct electronic equipment is the sub~ect of tampering, i.e., the alarm is deactivated, no security is proviaed ~or the building. These types of security arrangements are usually highly visible and therefore, can be easily deactivated.
Other security arrangements for buildings utilize an internal security guard to remedy the problem of deactivation of an electronic alarm. ~he guard tours the entire building and looks for unu~ual types o~ activities or circumstances, ~uch as the presence of an intruder. In this type of arrangement, a tour usually includes a number o~
checkpoints located along the route o~ the tour. ~he checkpoint~ are typically visible hardware devices ~l~3~
.
~ 2 -V. D. Vanacore 2 comprising specialized transmitters and receiYers that are hardwired to some -type of alarm ~acility monitoring device.
~hese checkpoints serve a~ interfaces between the guard and the alarm ~acility~ Several dif~erent t;ypes of checkpoint arrangements are available.
One type o~ checkpoint arranRement operates in response to a "key" which locks and unlocks a number of designated lock boxes. In this arrangement, a guard tours the building and check~-in at the various lock-box locations throughout the building. ~hese lock boxeq are electronically triggered mechani~ms. When a guard unlocks a box, this action generates a signal to an alarm panel. ~his signal activates an indicator on the alarm panel to identi~y the location o~ the guard on the tour route. The indications on the alarm panel represent the guard's progress in the tour.
Another type of checkpoint arrangement utilizes specialized telephone equipment. This telephone equipment is strictly used ~or check-in purposes only~ A direct connection exists only between the telephone and some type o~ alarm facility. ~hese telephones are not inte~rated into the internal P~X switchinR ~ystem a~sociated with the building. ~herefore, no other call processing for incoming and outgoing calls is available ~or this telephone equipment. Additionally, the telephone equipment utili~ed in this checkpoint arrangement is easily detectable since such telephones are usually designated as security telephones either by color or style. A touring guard picks up the recei~er at one of the many ~ecurity telephones to generate an alarm and the alarm ~acility pinpoints the . . . . . . , ~ . . . . .
~3 ( location of the guard. ~ach security telephone is independent from the other security telephones since each telephone iB independently hardwired to the alarm facility.
During a tour, a guard' 8 location is pinpointed only when the guard checks in at any one of the designated security telephones located throu~hout the buildin~. There is no integral relationship between the telephones utilized in this arrangement.
Several other types of security guard tour arrangements exist having similar structural arr~ngements.
These arran~ements have several disadvantage~. One such disadvantage is that most o~ these systems are isolated electronically and communicatively from the PBX system in the building. Therefore, an individual located at an alarm facility monitoring device must take alternative ~easures to generate an external alarm and alert the appropriate authorities for assistance. q'he traditional checkpoint stations are not integrated with the internal PBX sys-tem.
Additionally, the -traditional checkpoint arrangements utilize hardwired adjunct equipment to serve as checkpointsO A tour guard has access to only currently installed checkpoint equip~ent and only with the inclusion o~ additional equipment can -the tour be expanded or altered.
A further disadvantage of the above-de~cribed security arrangements is that each hardwirea checkpoint is clearly detectable and identi~iable (e.g., color, shape, structure).
Any potential intruder can easily identify, at any time, a ; checkpoint. Also, since the alarm facility pinpoints the exact location of a guard when the guard checks in, a tour ~0 route i8 easily identified by observing the alarm facility.
.~
, ~ 4 ( An interested observer or intruder can easily learn the route by following the guard on a tour to each of the fixed checkpoints or by observin~ the alarm facility monitoring device. Only by physically moving the checkpoints to di~erent locations can the actual tour route be modified.
Another disadvantage of the currently available security checkpoint arrangements is that only a single tour loop is administrable at a time since most checkpoint eecurity Qrrangements in a building provide only single loop 1Q structuring. A tour is limited by the available hardwired equipment that operates independently to activate an indication at an a~sociated alarm facility. Although a single tour loop for a small building is adequate, a large buildin6 would requirQ more than one tour loop. Concurrent tour execution requires a large amount of duplicated equipmentO This equipment consumes extensive amounts of building ~pace, and is costly to acquire and install.
In sum, all the currently available security systems are independent systems which include detectable adjunct hardwired component parts such as lock boxes or designated security telephones. ~hese systems are usually rigidl~y structured single loop arrangements where each checkpoint operates independently from the other checkpoints located in the building. Securit,y considerations are questionable in view o~ such a visible and non~lexible security arrangement.
There~ore, it would be advantageous to have a ~lexible ~ecurity s~ystem which does not require detectable adjunct hardwired equipment and does not require ~0 modi~ications to the building structure to administer one or ", , more concurrent guard tours.
Summary o the Invention In accordance with an aspect of the invention there is provided in a PBX serving a p:Lurality of stations which are scanned by a PBX control processor to provide a plurality of various PBX services to each of said Psx stations in response to service requests generated ~rom each of said statlons, a method for operating said PBX to provide a guard monitor check-in service comprising the steps of: storing one or more containing entries represent-ing a time-ordered sequence of guard check-ins at selected ones of said stations to serve as station checkpoints for one or more concurrently administrable guard tours;
transmitting guard tour selection signals ~rom any of said stations to said control processor to activate a selected one of said yuard tours; generating sequentially a check-in service request at each of said station checkpoints included in the one of said lists associated with said selected guard tour; verifying in response to said check-in service request that said station checkpoint is one of said stations included in the one of said lists associated with said selected g~ard tour; and applying an alarm signal to an alarm unit in response to an interruption of said time-ordered sequence of guard check-ins.
The disclosed security arrangement overcomes the prior art disadvantages by utilizing a currently installed PBX. The PBX typically co~.prises a variety of communication devices, for example, standard station sets. A control processor controls interconnections between the stations in response to routine call processing algorithms. A security processing algorithm for monitoring a plurality of guard tours comprises a feature of the PBX. This security processing algorithm is contained in the control processor and includes a programmable memory structure which de~ines a plurality of concurrently administrable guard tours ~or the building or buildings served by the PBX. Each tour includes a number of 3~
- 5a -checkpoints. A checkpoint is a designated station set which may be any one of the plurality of station sets typically located throughout a building. Since the designation is recorded only in memory, a designated station set does not appear physically changed nor does it have any other designation which would identify it as a designated check-point to an interested observer. Additionally, these checkpoints provide a station set user with routine call processing capability such that incoming and outgoing calls may be made or received during a tour at each checkpoint.
A security controller activates the disclosed security monitoring system by "dialing" the appropriate feature code at a central facility, such as an attendant consoleO In response to the feature code, the control processor branches Erom the routine call processing algorithm to the security monitoring algorithm. The .
~ ~3~ 3 V. D. Vanacore 2 security controller then selects one or more o~ the available tours. Each tour comprises a list of checkpoints known only to the security controller and a -touring guard.
These checkpoin-ts are sequentially ordered and the tour guard iq requirea to execute his/her tour according to the checkpoint sequence, However, the tour guard may start the tour at any checkpoint in the sequence. This prevents an interested observer ~rom determining the location o~ the start checkpoint. Once the tour begins, the tour guard must progress through the tour according to the predefined sequence o~ checkpoints. Therefore~ the progress and location o~ the guard is always known since the checkpoints correspond to the station sets located in the building.
Alsoy the tour guard must proceed to each checkpoint within an allotted a~ount of time. In particular, ~ollowing a check-in at each one of the designated checkpoints~ the tour guard has only a prescribed amount o~ time in whieh to reach each o~ the next desi~nated checkpoints in the sequence.
~he guard continues through the timed ~equence of check-ins until the tour is concluded at the la~t checkpoint.
~ollowing the last checkpoint, the tour is cancelled.
However, if the proper check-in sequence i9 disrupted or if too much time has elapsed between check-ins at the desi~nated checkpoints, the control processor responds to these oonditions and gen0rates an alarm to indicate that the tour i8 interrupted. ~hiq interruption signals a condition that requires investigationc The securit~ monitoring al~orithm i8 defined by ; the memory structur.e, the number of tours and tour ~0 configurations may be continually altered and changed so V. D. Vanacore 2 that an interested observer can never be sure which tour is in progress and what checkpoints are included in a tour currentl~ in progress.
Additionally, since the security system is integrated with the standard PBX system, thi~ security ~uard tour monitoring sy~tem is not communicatively isolatea from making connections to other PBX stations. Ihere~ore, i~ a guard requires assistance during the tour, the guard may call any station location ~or assistance ~rom the checkpoint.
This P~X security qystem arrangement utilizes the existing station equipment as checkpoints. No adjunct hardware or equipment is required, and since the .station sets are conventlonal, an interested obqerver would ~ind it dif~icult to pinpoint the checkpoints. Additionally, -the ; security monitoring algorithm provides flexibility in the tours and tour configurations. Such flexibility while utilizing conventional station equipment may defeat any interested ob~erver ~rom determining the exact checkpoint sequence and provides a more protected security arrange~ent.
Brie~ Description of the Drawing FIG. 1 illustrates a typical PBX;
FIG. 2 lllu~trates the structure o~ the memory a3sociated with the security algorithm; and FIGS. 3-6 illustrate in ~low chart form, the operation o~ the ~ecurity monitorinR algorithms.
FI~. 1 discloses a typical private branch exchange ~PBX~ comprisin~ a.plllralit~ of communication device~ such 30 as ~tation sets 100-1 through 100-n, digital terminal V. Do Vanacore 2 equipment 101-1 through 101-n9 and alarm indi~ator unit 102.
Alarm indicator unit 102 can be any one oY a variety of devices such as an alarm panel or an at-tendant console.
~hese communication devices connect over paths 116 through 5 116-n, 118 through 118-n and 120 to as~ociated port circuits 103-1 through 103 n, 104-1 through 104 n, and 105.
Port circuits 103-1 through 103-ng 104~1 through 104-n, and 105 interface with switching ne-twork 106, ~canner 107 and conl;rol proce~sor 108. Control 10 proces~or 108 is of the ~tored-program tgpe and controls the interconnections between the communication devices o~
~IG. 1. ~or ease oî di~cu~siong the remainder of -this description uses the term station to refer to the various typeæ o~ communication devices. Control processor 108 15 includes main memory 108 a. Main memory 108-a con-tains various call processing algorithms which are implemented in response to stimulus received ~rom the associated stations.
A stimulu~ may be an "oI~-hook" or "on-hook" condition of an a~sociated ~tation~ Scanner 107 operates under control o~
20 control processor 108. Scanner 107 scans, over paths 123 through 123-n~ 125 through 125-n and 127, ports 103-1 through 103-n, iO4-1 through 104-n, and 105 to detect the appearance OI a stimulus indication (e.g., "on-hook" or lloI~ hook") as generated Irom any one oî the associated 25 stations 100 through 100-n, 101 through 101-n and 102. The ports 10~-1 through 1(3-n, 104-1 through 104-n, and 1 05 receive signals over paths 116 through 116-n, 118 through 118-n and 120 from the associated qtations 100-1 through 100-n, 101-1 through 101-n and 102. These signal~
30 indicate t}le condition o~ the as30ciated stations as ' ~l~3~
g V. Do Vanacore 2 generated in response to a stimulus. Scanner 107 detects each change in stimulus (e.g., "on-hook" to "o~f-hook") and applies an indication o~ the stimulus over path 109 to control processor 108. Processor 108 responds to this indication and implements routine call processing algorithms in response to the received stimulus. Processor 108 generates control in~ormation to establish interconnections between stations. ~ollowing the establishment of these interconnections, switching network 106 serves to exchan~e infor~ation, i.e. J "voice or data" between the stations associated with each interconnection. Switching network 106 is controlled by control processor 108 over path 110.
Processor 108 additionally controls system timers 121 over path 122. System timers 121 comprise a plurality of decremental timers (not shown) whlch start decrementing in response to some ~peci~ied stimulus. These decremental timers provide time-monitoring function~ ~or P~X opera-tions having time-dependent activity.
Processor 108 control~ both the interconnection between stations and the exchange of "voice or data" between the interconnected stations via switching network 106.
Processor 108 contains the call processing algorithms which administer the various interconnections. ~hese call processing algorithms comprise a list o~ stored instructions which direct routine call proces~ing operations. In addition to routine call proce~sin~ algorithms, which serve to originate and complet~ interconnections between stations, main memo~y 108-a in control processor 108 also contains various feature processing alRorithm~. Ihese feature proces3ing al~orithms also comprise lists of instructions ~ll w f ~d .- - 10 -V. D. Vanacore 2 that ~peci~y proce~sing operation~. Each separately identifiable feature processing algorithm is associated with a service request which iR typically identi~ied by a specified l'dialed" feature code. When a subscriber or attendant requests a particular feature, control processor 108 accesse~ main memory 108-a in re~ponse to the "dialed" feature code and implement~ the appropriate algorithm to satisfy the request. In particular, processor 108 branches ~rom the routine call proce~sing algorithm to the requested ~eature processing algorithm to serve the reque~t.
One of the features available to a P~X subscriber is a ~ecurity ~y~qtem ~or monitoring guard tour~. ~his ~ecurity system utilizes the conventional equipment in a standard P~X. A security algorithm provides the monitoring operations for one or more guard tours where each tour comprise~ a de~ined Ret o~ sequential checkpoints. A tour guard check~ in at a ~irst checkpoint by "dialing" a check-in code. ~hi~ identi-~ie~ the guard'~ presence at a checkpoint. A checlcpoint may be any one o~ the communication device~ illustrated in FIG.1. ~or ea~e of de~cription, as~ume the checkpoints are typical ~tation sets located throughout a building. TheRe station ~ets may be u~ed to place out~oing calls and receive incominR calls a3 well a~ serve a~ checkpoint3 during a guard tour. Fo]lowing a check-in at the ~ir~t checkpoint, the tour guard has an allotted a~ount o~ time to reach the next checkpoint in the aequence. ~he tour guard progre~ses throu~h the tour, sequentiall~ checking in at each checkpoint included in the tour within the allotted amount o~ tlme specified between V. D. Vanacore 2 chsckpointsO An alarm is generated if the tour ~uard does not check--in at the appropriate checkpoint in the sequence and in the allotted amount of time. A control guard at an alarm indicator station such as that illustrated in ~IG. 1 responds to the alarm and takes appropriate action. Since a standard P~X is used to provide the security monitoring operation, an observer cannot easily identi~y those stations servin~ as checkpoints nor the sequential timing of the statiQns included in the tour. Prior to describing the operation of the security algorithm: the structure o~ the tours, checkpoints, and associa-ted allotted times are discussed ~irst since the memory defining these structures is essential to understanding the operation of the security al~orithm.
Memor~ Structure ~or ~ours FIG. 2 illustrates the memory s-tructure of the security monitoring sgs-tem. This memory structure is contained in main memory 108-a of control processor 1OB and comprises translation tables ~or tour 1 throu~h tour n, a ; 20 station identity status register and an allotted time status register. In particular, each translation table i8 associated with one of a plurality of guard tours 1 through n. ~ach translation table is additionally associated with a speci~ied tour code. ~he tour code iden-ti-~ies th~
appropriate translation table required for a selected tour~
As previousl~ described, each tour comprises a designated number of specified checkpoints. The numbeI of checkpoints included in a tour is d~cretionary and may be dependent on the proximity of stration sets in a particular building ~0 lo~ation, such as, for example, a single win~ in the .
~ 3 , V. D. Vanacore 2, Pentagon building. Each checkpoint is associated with a station identity and an allotted time as illustrated in the translation table (tsur 1) o~ ~IG, 2. The station identity indicates which of the plurality o~ station sets comprising the PBX is included in the tour and therefore serves as a checkpoint. The identity o~ the station set may be specified by, for example9 an extension number. The allotted time is a specified unit o~ time which indicates the amount of time allotted ~or a tour guard to reach each checkpoint, ~he translation table additionally includes a memory location having an associated check-in code. This`
check-in code is the code the guard uses to check-in at each checkpoint associated with the guard's selected tour as defined by the appropriate translation table~ Another t5 memory location includes a stop code. This stop code iq the ; code required to cancel the selected tour.
~ he tour translation tables represent a plurality o~ predefined ~equentially timed checkpoints ~or each po3sible tour. The translation tables are programmable memories which allow a system programmer to modi~y the codes 9 the number o~ checkpoints, the identity of the stations serving a~ checkpoints and the allotted time to reach each checkpoint. ~his programming capability allows ~lexibility in the security system. ~his prevents an observer or in~iltrator ~rom detecting a pattern associated with the guard tours. ~he lack o~ pattern detection acts as a deterrent to would be intruders. In addition9 only the programmer and any speci~ied security personnel need know the number o~ tours and which ~tations are included in each ; ~0 tour. The programmer may then disclose the tour checkpoint V~ D. Vanacore 2 sequence -to the tour guard immediately prior to tour activation. This provides a tighter security sy~tem However, once this in~ormation is programmed into each translation table, the tour must be executed according to the programmed sequence a~ defined by the associated translation table.
~ he security memory structure additionally includes a station identity Rtatus register and an allotted time status register. ~ach regîster contains memory locations where each memory location is associated with one o~ the plurality o~ tours. (See FIG. 2) Each status register dynamically changes throughout the progress of each tour. Station identity status register provides the identity of the checkpoint to which the guard must proceed l~ to complete the check-in process. ~or example, i~ a guard check~ in at checkpoint "1" during a selected current tour, the appropriate memory location associated with the current tour in pro~res~ re~lects the "next" checkpoint in the sequence, i.e., checkpoint 2. The tour guard must then proceed to checkpoint 2 to maintain tour progress. In the above manner, station identity status regi~ter maintains a current record of the next checkpoint ~or each concurrently active tour.
Allotted time status register also contains me~or~y location~ that correspond to the number o~ available tour~ 1 through n. Allotted time status register dynamically re~lects the current time allowable for the tour guard to reach a checkpoint in the sequence of checkpoints. ~or example, usin~ the ~ame 1 and 2 checkpoints described above, ~ume the tour guard checks in at checkpoint 1O ~he next ~ - 14 -V. D. Vanaoore 2 , checkpoint 9 2, must be reached within a speci~ied allotted time period. Allotted time status register re~lects that time period in the appropriate memory location associated with the currentl~ active guard tour. A:Llotted time status register operates in respon~e to a security timer (not shown) con-tained in system timers 121 of FIG. 1. ~he security timer is set to a predetermined time period, i.e., the time period equals the allotted time in the allotted time status register, and operates in a manner similar to a decremental clock. As the securi-ty timer decrements, the allotted time recorded in the speci~ied memory location periodically decrements until the allottsd time status register times out. ~or example, if a guard has 10 minutes to reach checkpoint 2, the value 10 minutes is stored in the appropriate memory location of the allotted time status register. ~he security timer is set to 10 minute~ and then activated. Every 1 minute, the allotted time in allotted time status register decrements by 1 minute. There~ore, ~ollowing the duration of 1 minute, the memory location of the allotted time register contains 9 minutes and 80 on.
~he value in the memory location changes to a lesser time with each minutè. ~he allotted time status register times out when a "0" is con-tained in the appropriate memory location associated wlth the current tour in progress~ ~oth status register~ are concurrently updated throu~hout the tour progression.
I~ a tour progresses in the orderly sequence as speci~ied by the associated tour translation table, at the conclusion o~ a tour, the alarm status regi~ter re~lects this condition. In particular, the alarm status register V. D. Vanacore 2 comprises memory locations tha-t correspond to tours 1 through n as represented by the tour translation tables.
Each memory location can contain either one of two bits which indicates whether an alarm is active or inactive. An alarm is activated in response to a "1" bit. ~he conditions which ~enerate an alarm are discussed subsequently. No alarm is activated when a "O" bit is present.
The above-description discusses the structure of the security monitoring system's memories. ~hese memories respond to the security al~orithm. The ~ollowing description discusses the implementation and operation o~
the ~ecurity monitoring algorithm with respect to the above-described memory ~tructure.
Securit~ MonitorinR System Operation -For ease of de~cription, only a single tour executed by two guards is de~cribed; it is understood that a plurality of concurrent tours associated translation tables are admini~trable concurrently by control processor 108.
Assume the following conditions. A building includes the PBX o~ ~IG. 1 where the P~ interconnects a plurality of station sets such as stations 100~1 throu~h 100-n. The sy tem programmèr has designated the sequence of stations that compri~e the tour and entered these de~ignation~ into an a~sociated tour translation table ~uch as the translation table (tour 1) of FIG. 2. ~he system programmer has additionally designated the amount of time required between each equential check-in at the various desi~nated checkpoints. Further, ~or this example, two ~ecurity personnel are presentl one, a security control guard at a central control such a~ alarm indicator unit 1Q2 o~ FIG. 1, ~ . .
~3~2 . - 16 ^
V. D. Vanacore 2 This control guard monitor9 the progress o~ the tour and respond~ to any ~enerated alarms. The other person is a security tour guard who performs the actual tour. The tour guard performs the check-ins at the designated checkpoints.
A singla guard ma~ per~orm the tour; however, the control guard provides -for a back-up person when an alarm condition exists. Assume that the guards are at the beRinning of their ~hift and tha-t no tour is in progress.
~IGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6 illustrate, in flowchart form, the steps re~uired to implement the PBX security monitoring system feature for a single guard tour. In FIGo 3 ~ step 301 serves as the logical start o~ the process, i.e., ~eature activation. In particular, the security control guard who i~ located at alarm indicator unit 102, e.g , attendant con~ole, activates the P~X security system.
~he control guard "dials" a ~eature code associated with the security guard tour monitoring feature 9 step 3010 Control processor 108 responds to the l'dialed" ~eature code, and scans its main memory (108-a) to identi~y the feature associated with the "dialed" ~eature code, 9tep 302.
Control processor 108 then verifies the validity o~ the feature code by`comparing the "dialed'l feature code with the stored ~eature code~,i.e., i9 this securit~ feature available ~or this P~X, step 30~ the contrGl guard "dialed" an incorrect feature code or if the ~eature is unavailable, control processor 108 detects the error or unavailabilit~ o~ the ~eature and generates an error ~ndication, e.g., intercept tone, to the control ~uard, ~tep 316. ~he cont.rol guard in response to the error indication must either ~ andon the feature service request ~3~
V. D. Vanacore 2 or retry "dialing" th correct ~eature code. ~he security algorithm is not activated under these conditions. The process of entering and validating the ~eature code prevent~
unauthorized personnel from activating the ~eature.
As~ume, however, that the control ~uard is an authorized individual, and that the control guard has entered the correct feature code to identi~y the security algorithm. In response to this validated feature code, control processor 108 branches from call processing to the security algorithm contained in main memory 108-a and generates a confirmation indication, e.g~, a dial tone to the control guard, step 304. This confirmation indicates that the ~pecified ~eature i 8 available for this P~X. In responqe to the confirmation indication, the control guard then "dials" a specified tour code, step 305. A~ previously discussed, a tour code identi~ies an associated one of the tour translation tables. Control processor 108 scans all the translation table to identify the translation table having a corresponding tour code 9 step 306. In this manner, the control guard select~ a particular tour. As previously sta-ted, each translation table represents one -tourO
~ ollowing the scanning process, control proces~or 108 compares the "dialed" tour code with each translation table tour code to validate the tour ~election, i.e., does the selected tour exi~t, ~tep 307. If -the control guard "dials" an incorrect tour code or the selected tour doe~ not exist, control processor 108 ~enerates an error indication, e~g., an intercept messa~e which indicates that an incorrect t~ur code has~been entered, to the control 3D guard ~ Btep 316. ~he ~ecurity system is not activated under ~.~
V. D. Vanacore 2 these conditions. The security control Ruard must then go "on~-hook" and reinitiate the entire process again by "dialing" the secùrity system ~eature code and either "dialing" the correct tour code or selecting a different tour. ~hese steps serve as additional precautionary measures to eliminate unauthorized tour code entry.
Assume that the tour code is correct and such a tour exists. Control proce~sor 108 then detects whether'the selected tour is currently in progres~, step 308. I~ the tour is in proRres~, control proce~sor 108 generates an error indica-tionl e.gO~ an intercept message ~tating that the selected tour is in progress, to the control guard.
This step prevents the disruption oY a -tour currently in progress.
A~sume that the selected tour is not in progress.
Under these conditions, control processor 108 generates Q
confirmation indication, e.g~, a dial tone, to the control guard, step 309. ~his confirma-tion indicates that -the selected tour i~ available. ~he control guard, in response to the confirmation indication, now "dials" a station identity code~ step 310. As previously descrlbed J the station identity code identifies the actual ~tation set which serves a~ a checkpoint in the tour. Control roceBsor 108 responds to the qtation identity code and scans the ~elected tour translation table ~or the existence o~ the station identity code, step 311. If the ~tation ldentit~ code i~ invalid, step 312, contro1 processor 108 generateæ an error indication, e.g., an intercept messaRe indicating that the station identity code i~ invalid to the control guard. ~he control guard must relnitiate the entire ~3~
V. D. Vanacore 2 security system under these condition~. However, if the station identity code exists following the ~cannin~
operation, control processor 108 generates a con~irmation indication, e.g., a stutter dial tone, to the control guard, s-tep 31~. Since these aforementioned s1;eps are included in tour activation, the confirmation indicates to the control guard that the identi~ied station is the start station included in the tour or the start checkpoint, step 314, in the selected tour. Control processor 108 detects the checkpoint number associated with the identified station. A
tour may ~tart at any checkpoint included in the selected tour. However, once a start checkpoint i8 determined, the remaining checkpoints must then sequentially follow the determined start checkpoint. Por example, if there are 9 checkpoint~ with sequential de~iRnations 1 through 9, a control guard may de~ignate a start checkpoint o~ 4.
~hereafter, all check-ins must pro~ress through the checkpoints in sequential order, e.~.9 5, 6l 7, 8, and 9.
The above-described validation processes as indicated by ~teps 3039 307, 308, and 312 serve to deter unauthorized individuals ~rom accessing the security monitoring system. A confidential sequence of correc-t codes must be input to activate the sec~rity feature.
A~sume all validations are correct and veri~ied, and the starting checkpolnt number i3 identified. Control processor 108 re~ponds under these conditions and writes, ~tep ~15, into the ~pecified memory location associated with the ~elected to~r of the station identity status register, the starting checkpoint number of the identified station.
(~ee ~IG. 2~ Control processor 108 then scan~ the ~elected .
~3~
V. D~ Vanacore 2 .
tour translation table for the as~ociated allotted time for the starting checkpoint, step 410 o~ ~IG. 4. As previously indicated, each checkpoint must be reached within a speci~ied period of timeO A tour guard pro~reAses throu~h a tour b~ checking~in at each checkpoint within an allotted time period. ~he starting checkpoint ha~ an associated allotted time period specifyin~ the time in which the tour guard has to reach the ~tàrting checkpoint and then~
check-in. ~hat allotted time is written into the specified memory location associated with the selected tour of the allotted time status register.
Followin~ the identi~ication and recording of the start checlcpoint and the associated allotted time to reach that start checkpoint 9 control processor 108 sets, step 403, and immediately activates, ~tep 404, the security timer previously described. Control proces~or 108 detects which of the plurality o~ timers matche~ the allotted ti~e stored in the allotted time status register. Proce~sor 108 immediately activates that security timer which begins decrementing fro~ its set time to zero. In respon~e to ~ome period o~ time~ e.g., one minute, the security timer periodically decrement~ the allotted time status register, step 405. ~he security system is now active and the tour RUard ma~ now start hi~/her tour.
Assume the tour guard i9 now walking the pre~cribed tour route as defined by the sequential list of chec~points included in the selected tour translation table.
; While the tour guard i~ progre~sing toward the ~tart checkpoint~ control processor 108 maintains a continuou~
scanning of the allotted time status register, step ~06.
2~ ~
Y. D. Vanacore 2 , ~wo alternative actions are possible ~ollowing syste~
activation: (l) the tour guard reaches the checkpoint and checks-in9 or (2) the tour guard does not reach the checkpoint and the associated allotted time elapses. Assume the latter ~irst, i.e., that the tour guard does not reach the ~irst checkpoint in the allotted time. Control processor l08, while scanning the allotted time status register, detects that the allotted time status register has timed out, step 4l5. In response to the detected time-out, control processor l08 ~et~ into a specified`memor~ location associated with the currently active selected tour o~ the alarm status indicator, an activate alarm bit, a "l"0 (See PIG. 2, step 4l6.) Control processor l08 generates, in re~ponse to the set bit, an alarm, step 4l79 and applies this alarm to alarm indicator unit 102 o~ ~IG. 1 where the control guard iB present. ~he control guard detects this alarm indication and takes the appropriate action, e.g., noti~y àuthorities or send a back~up guard. Pollowing the generation of -the alarm, control processor l08 clears all the registers and deactivates the æecurity -timer ~or the currently active seleoted tour, step 4l8. ~hsse operation~
cancel the tour, step 4l9, and no further check-ins are possible. ~he tour ends.
~owever, the alternati~e response iR that the tour ~uard reaches the start checkpolnt prior to the elapse o~
the allotted time period, ~tep 406 of ~IG. 4. Assume that the tour guard has reached the start checkpoint, ~he tour guard checks-in by "dialin~" a check-in code, step 407. As previousl~ described, each tour has a corresponding check-in ~0 code, Control processoI l08 scans the selected tour :
~ ~3 V. D~ Vanacore 2 translation table to de-tect the check-in code ~or the tour currently in progress~ step 408. Control processor 108 then performs a comparison function of the "dialed" check-in code with the check in code stored in the appropriate memory location of the selected tour translation table, step 409.
If the check-in code is incorrect, control processor 108 generates an error indication, e.g~, an intercept tone, to the tour guard, step 4200 ~he tour guard mu~t retry the check-in code again before a time-out occurs and control processor 108 cancels the tour. I~ the check-in code is correct, control proce~sor 108 then per~orms two scanning operations, s-tep 410. A firæt scanning operation determines whether or not the tour guard's checkpoint is included in the tour, ~tep ~11. Processor 108 compares the iden-tity of the currently active checkpoint with all the checkpoints included in the currently active tour as de~ined by the select2d tour translation table. I~ the selected translation table does not include thi~ checkpoint, control processor 108 generates an error indication, e.g.~ an intercept tone, to the tour guard, step 420. Additionally, if the checkpoint is out o~ sequence as detected by control processor 108,`processor 108 also generates an error indication, steps 410~ 411, and 420. In particular, control processor 108 identi~ies the station identity o~ the tour guard's checkpoint b~ ~canning the selected tour translation table. Control processor 108 then identifies the corresponding checkpoint number ~or the identi~ied station.
Pollowing the identi~ication o~ the checkpoint number, the ldenti~ied checkpoint number is compared against the checkpoint number stored in the station identity status :
- ~3 -( re~isterO I~ the checkpoint numbers do not match, then the checkpoint i~ out of sequence and the tour cannot progress.
The tour guard is required to re-enter the correct check-in code from the appropriate checkpoint prior to a time-out by the allotted time status re~ister.
Assume that the guard has "dialed" the appropriate check-in code and that the checkpoint is in the appropriate sequence. Control processor 108 then generates a confirmation indicatlon, e.g., stutter dial tone to the tour guard, step 412. Followin~ the confirmation indication, control prooessor 108 ~cans the selected tour translation table to determine i~ there are additional checkpoints, step 413. Control processor 1 08 scans the selected translation table to determine if this checkpoint was the t5 last checkpoint in the sequence. Following the last checXpoint in the sequence, the next readable memory location of the selected translation table contains in~ormation indicatin~ that the previously identi~ied checkpoint was the last checkpointO In response to this indication, control processor 108 cancels the tour, step 414. ~he process o~ cancelling the tour is discussed subsequently.
Assu~e that the ~revious checkpoint was the start checkpoint as has been described and therefore, control processor 108 scans the selectea tour translation table to identi~ the next checkpoint in the sequence, step 501 of ~IG. 5. Control proce~sor 1~8~ then, overwrite~ into the specified memor~ location of the station identity status register, the next checkpoint in the sequence, step 5020 ~urther, control processor 108 scans the selected tour ~L~3~
translation table for the associated allotted time for the next checkpoint, i.e., the allotted time period in which the tour guard has to reach the next checkpoint, step 503.
Control processor 108 then overwrites into the specified memory location of allotted time status register the allotted time for the check-in at the next checkpoint, step 504. In the above-described manner, the two registers are dynamically changing with respect to each checkpoint during a currently active tourO Following the writing of the checkpoint information into the appropriate registers, control processor 108 resets ~he appropriate security timer having a time period corresponding to the allotted time and activates the decremental timer, steps 505 and 506. Thereafter, as previously described, the security timer periodically decrements the allotted time sta~us register during tour progress, step 507.
The tour guard, now, has an allotted amount of time in which to reach the next checkpoint. Processing operations return to point A of FIG. 4 and processing progresses to step 406. Control processor L08 maintains continuous scanning of the allotted time status register. The time directed check-in sequence at the checkpoints included in the tour repeats in the same manner as described above. The guard continues the sequential check ins to complete the tour. No alarm is generated r unless a guard fails to properly check in at the appropriate checkpoint within the allotted time. In the above manner, the currently installed PBX security algorithm monitors a guard's tour.
Referring back to FIG. 4, step 414, assume the tour is now complete and that control processor 108 has detected the last checkpoint in the sequence. The following discussion describes the process o~ cancelling the currently active tour.
There are two available cancellation options, automatic and manual. The steps associated with these options are shown in the flowchart on FIG. 6. To automatica:Lly cancel the tour, control processor 108 detects that the last checkpoint in the sequence has been reached. In response to this detection, control processor 108 automatically clears all the status registers and deactivates the security timer, step 601.
Following the clearing and deactivation process, the tour ends, step 602. This option is reasonable if the control guard completes his work shift and leaves or is unavailable.
Assume the control guard remains at alarm indicator unit 102 of FIG. 1. To cancel the tour manually, the control guard must activate the manual cancellation switch (not shown) on indicator unit 102. Following activation, the control guard ends the tour by "dialing" the tour~stop code associated with the selected tour translation table, step 603. Control processor 108 scans the selected tour translation table to identify the stop code, step 604. A tour terminates only if the tour-stop code i5 correct. If the stop code is not valid, i.e., incorrect, control processor 108 detects the incorrect stop code and generates an error indication, e.g., an intercept tone, to the control guard, steps 605 and 609.
Assume the stop code is correct. In response to this correct stop code, control processor 108 clears all registers and deactivates the security timer, step 606.
Concurrently, control processor 108 generates a confirmation V, D. Vanacore 2 indication, e.g., a stutter dial tone, to the control guard, step 607, to indicate that the currently active tour is canceled. The tour ends9 step 608. ~his option is available so that a tour is not canceled until the tour guard returns to the location of the control guard. In this manner, the physical presence of the tour guard is verification to the control Ruard that the tour was success~ully completed.
~he above-desoribed PBX security ~ystem dlsoloses a ~lexible security arran~ement that discretely monitors a Ruard's activity by utilizing conventional P~X equipment.
This arrangement provide~ a ti~hter and le~s visible 3ecurity sy~tem ~or a building that utilizes a securi-ty checkpoint arrangement as the security ~ystem.
Whi].e a ~pecl~ic embodiment o~ the invention has been disclo~ed, variations in structural detail, within the scope o~ the appended claims, are possible and are contemplated. ~here i9 no intention o~ limitation to what i~ contained in the ab~tract or the exact di~clo~ure a~
herein presented. ~he above-described arrangements are only illustrative oY the application of the principles of the invention. Normally, other arrangements may be devised b~
tho~e skilled in the art without departin~ from the scope and the 3pirit o~ the invention.
Y. D. Vanacore 2 , ~wo alternative actions are possible ~ollowing syste~
activation: (l) the tour guard reaches the checkpoint and checks-in9 or (2) the tour guard does not reach the checkpoint and the associated allotted time elapses. Assume the latter ~irst, i.e., that the tour guard does not reach the ~irst checkpoint in the allotted time. Control processor l08, while scanning the allotted time status register, detects that the allotted time status register has timed out, step 4l5. In response to the detected time-out, control processor l08 ~et~ into a specified`memor~ location associated with the currently active selected tour o~ the alarm status indicator, an activate alarm bit, a "l"0 (See PIG. 2, step 4l6.) Control processor l08 generates, in re~ponse to the set bit, an alarm, step 4l79 and applies this alarm to alarm indicator unit 102 o~ ~IG. 1 where the control guard iB present. ~he control guard detects this alarm indication and takes the appropriate action, e.g., noti~y àuthorities or send a back~up guard. Pollowing the generation of -the alarm, control processor l08 clears all the registers and deactivates the æecurity -timer ~or the currently active seleoted tour, step 4l8. ~hsse operation~
cancel the tour, step 4l9, and no further check-ins are possible. ~he tour ends.
~owever, the alternati~e response iR that the tour ~uard reaches the start checkpolnt prior to the elapse o~
the allotted time period, ~tep 406 of ~IG. 4. Assume that the tour guard has reached the start checkpoint, ~he tour guard checks-in by "dialin~" a check-in code, step 407. As previousl~ described, each tour has a corresponding check-in ~0 code, Control processoI l08 scans the selected tour :
~ ~3 V. D~ Vanacore 2 translation table to de-tect the check-in code ~or the tour currently in progress~ step 408. Control processor 108 then performs a comparison function of the "dialed" check-in code with the check in code stored in the appropriate memory location of the selected tour translation table, step 409.
If the check-in code is incorrect, control processor 108 generates an error indication, e.g~, an intercept tone, to the tour guard, step 4200 ~he tour guard mu~t retry the check-in code again before a time-out occurs and control processor 108 cancels the tour. I~ the check-in code is correct, control proce~sor 108 then per~orms two scanning operations, s-tep 410. A firæt scanning operation determines whether or not the tour guard's checkpoint is included in the tour, ~tep ~11. Processor 108 compares the iden-tity of the currently active checkpoint with all the checkpoints included in the currently active tour as de~ined by the select2d tour translation table. I~ the selected translation table does not include thi~ checkpoint, control processor 108 generates an error indication, e.g.~ an intercept tone, to the tour guard, step 420. Additionally, if the checkpoint is out o~ sequence as detected by control processor 108,`processor 108 also generates an error indication, steps 410~ 411, and 420. In particular, control processor 108 identi~ies the station identity o~ the tour guard's checkpoint b~ ~canning the selected tour translation table. Control processor 108 then identifies the corresponding checkpoint number ~or the identi~ied station.
Pollowing the identi~ication o~ the checkpoint number, the ldenti~ied checkpoint number is compared against the checkpoint number stored in the station identity status :
- ~3 -( re~isterO I~ the checkpoint numbers do not match, then the checkpoint i~ out of sequence and the tour cannot progress.
The tour guard is required to re-enter the correct check-in code from the appropriate checkpoint prior to a time-out by the allotted time status re~ister.
Assume that the guard has "dialed" the appropriate check-in code and that the checkpoint is in the appropriate sequence. Control processor 108 then generates a confirmation indicatlon, e.g., stutter dial tone to the tour guard, step 412. Followin~ the confirmation indication, control prooessor 108 ~cans the selected tour translation table to determine i~ there are additional checkpoints, step 413. Control processor 1 08 scans the selected translation table to determine if this checkpoint was the t5 last checkpoint in the sequence. Following the last checXpoint in the sequence, the next readable memory location of the selected translation table contains in~ormation indicatin~ that the previously identi~ied checkpoint was the last checkpointO In response to this indication, control processor 108 cancels the tour, step 414. ~he process o~ cancelling the tour is discussed subsequently.
Assu~e that the ~revious checkpoint was the start checkpoint as has been described and therefore, control processor 108 scans the selectea tour translation table to identi~ the next checkpoint in the sequence, step 501 of ~IG. 5. Control proce~sor 1~8~ then, overwrite~ into the specified memor~ location of the station identity status register, the next checkpoint in the sequence, step 5020 ~urther, control processor 108 scans the selected tour ~L~3~
translation table for the associated allotted time for the next checkpoint, i.e., the allotted time period in which the tour guard has to reach the next checkpoint, step 503.
Control processor 108 then overwrites into the specified memory location of allotted time status register the allotted time for the check-in at the next checkpoint, step 504. In the above-described manner, the two registers are dynamically changing with respect to each checkpoint during a currently active tourO Following the writing of the checkpoint information into the appropriate registers, control processor 108 resets ~he appropriate security timer having a time period corresponding to the allotted time and activates the decremental timer, steps 505 and 506. Thereafter, as previously described, the security timer periodically decrements the allotted time sta~us register during tour progress, step 507.
The tour guard, now, has an allotted amount of time in which to reach the next checkpoint. Processing operations return to point A of FIG. 4 and processing progresses to step 406. Control processor L08 maintains continuous scanning of the allotted time status register. The time directed check-in sequence at the checkpoints included in the tour repeats in the same manner as described above. The guard continues the sequential check ins to complete the tour. No alarm is generated r unless a guard fails to properly check in at the appropriate checkpoint within the allotted time. In the above manner, the currently installed PBX security algorithm monitors a guard's tour.
Referring back to FIG. 4, step 414, assume the tour is now complete and that control processor 108 has detected the last checkpoint in the sequence. The following discussion describes the process o~ cancelling the currently active tour.
There are two available cancellation options, automatic and manual. The steps associated with these options are shown in the flowchart on FIG. 6. To automatica:Lly cancel the tour, control processor 108 detects that the last checkpoint in the sequence has been reached. In response to this detection, control processor 108 automatically clears all the status registers and deactivates the security timer, step 601.
Following the clearing and deactivation process, the tour ends, step 602. This option is reasonable if the control guard completes his work shift and leaves or is unavailable.
Assume the control guard remains at alarm indicator unit 102 of FIG. 1. To cancel the tour manually, the control guard must activate the manual cancellation switch (not shown) on indicator unit 102. Following activation, the control guard ends the tour by "dialing" the tour~stop code associated with the selected tour translation table, step 603. Control processor 108 scans the selected tour translation table to identify the stop code, step 604. A tour terminates only if the tour-stop code i5 correct. If the stop code is not valid, i.e., incorrect, control processor 108 detects the incorrect stop code and generates an error indication, e.g., an intercept tone, to the control guard, steps 605 and 609.
Assume the stop code is correct. In response to this correct stop code, control processor 108 clears all registers and deactivates the security timer, step 606.
Concurrently, control processor 108 generates a confirmation V, D. Vanacore 2 indication, e.g., a stutter dial tone, to the control guard, step 607, to indicate that the currently active tour is canceled. The tour ends9 step 608. ~his option is available so that a tour is not canceled until the tour guard returns to the location of the control guard. In this manner, the physical presence of the tour guard is verification to the control Ruard that the tour was success~ully completed.
~he above-desoribed PBX security ~ystem dlsoloses a ~lexible security arran~ement that discretely monitors a Ruard's activity by utilizing conventional P~X equipment.
This arrangement provide~ a ti~hter and le~s visible 3ecurity sy~tem ~or a building that utilizes a securi-ty checkpoint arrangement as the security ~ystem.
Whi].e a ~pecl~ic embodiment o~ the invention has been disclo~ed, variations in structural detail, within the scope o~ the appended claims, are possible and are contemplated. ~here i9 no intention o~ limitation to what i~ contained in the ab~tract or the exact di~clo~ure a~
herein presented. ~he above-described arrangements are only illustrative oY the application of the principles of the invention. Normally, other arrangements may be devised b~
tho~e skilled in the art without departin~ from the scope and the 3pirit o~ the invention.
Claims (13)
1. In a PBX serving a plurality of stations which are scanned by a PBX control processor to provide a plurality of various PBX services to each of said PBX
stations in response to service requests generated from each of said stations, a method for operating said PBX to provide a guard monitor check-in service comprising the steps of:
storing one or more containing entries represent-ing a time-ordered sequence of guard check-ins at selected ones of said stations to serve as station checkpoints for one or more concurrently administrable guard tours;
transmitting guard tour selection signals from any of said stations to said control processor to activate a selected one of said guard tours;
generating sequentially a check-in service request at each of said station checkpoints included in the one of said lists associated with said selected guard tour;
verifying in response to said check-in service request that said station checkpoint is one of said stations included in the one of said lists associated with said selected guard tour; and applying an alarm signal to an alarm unit in response to an interruption of said time-ordered sequence of guard check-ins.
stations in response to service requests generated from each of said stations, a method for operating said PBX to provide a guard monitor check-in service comprising the steps of:
storing one or more containing entries represent-ing a time-ordered sequence of guard check-ins at selected ones of said stations to serve as station checkpoints for one or more concurrently administrable guard tours;
transmitting guard tour selection signals from any of said stations to said control processor to activate a selected one of said guard tours;
generating sequentially a check-in service request at each of said station checkpoints included in the one of said lists associated with said selected guard tour;
verifying in response to said check-in service request that said station checkpoint is one of said stations included in the one of said lists associated with said selected guard tour; and applying an alarm signal to an alarm unit in response to an interruption of said time-ordered sequence of guard check-ins.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of verifying includes the steps of:
identifying said station checkpoint in response to said generated check-in service request;
comparing said identified station checkpoint with said selected stations serving as station checkpoints in the one of said lists associated with said selected guard tour; and providing an alarm signal in response to a comparison when said station checkpoint does not match an associated sequential one of said selected stations serving as station checkpoints in the one of said lists associated with said selected guard tour.
identifying said station checkpoint in response to said generated check-in service request;
comparing said identified station checkpoint with said selected stations serving as station checkpoints in the one of said lists associated with said selected guard tour; and providing an alarm signal in response to a comparison when said station checkpoint does not match an associated sequential one of said selected stations serving as station checkpoints in the one of said lists associated with said selected guard tour.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of verifying includes the steps of:
specifying said time-ordered sequence according to relative prescribed allotted time periods between said guard check-ins at each one of said station checkpoints;
activating a timer having a time period equal to each of said allotted time periods; and generating an alarm signal when said check-in does not occur in an elapsed time.
specifying said time-ordered sequence according to relative prescribed allotted time periods between said guard check-ins at each one of said station checkpoints;
activating a timer having a time period equal to each of said allotted time periods; and generating an alarm signal when said check-in does not occur in an elapsed time.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said method further includes the steps of:
generating one or more guard tour lists having bifurcated memory portions where each guard tour list corresponds to an associated guard tour;
entering into a first one of said memory portions data listing a finite number of said PBX stations to serve as station checkpoints; and entering into a second one of said memory portions data listing the time associated with a guard check-in at the associated station checkpoint.
generating one or more guard tour lists having bifurcated memory portions where each guard tour list corresponds to an associated guard tour;
entering into a first one of said memory portions data listing a finite number of said PBX stations to serve as station checkpoints; and entering into a second one of said memory portions data listing the time associated with a guard check-in at the associated station checkpoint.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein said method further includes the steps of:
writing the identity of the station checkpoint following said identified station checkpoint in the one of said lists associated with said selected guard tour into a first memory store where said identity is stored until the next guard check-in; and writing from said second memory portion said data listing the time associated with a guard check-in at said following station checkpoint into a second memory store where said associated time data is stored until the next guard check-in.
writing the identity of the station checkpoint following said identified station checkpoint in the one of said lists associated with said selected guard tour into a first memory store where said identity is stored until the next guard check-in; and writing from said second memory portion said data listing the time associated with a guard check-in at said following station checkpoint into a second memory store where said associated time data is stored until the next guard check-in.
6. A method utilizing a standard PBX having a control processor, which provides PBX services to a plurality of standard PBX stations in response to generated service requests, to provide one or more concurrently administrable guard tours where each guard tour includes PBX station checkpoints and where a guard checks-in at each one of said station checkpoints in a sequential time-referenced manner wherein said method includes the steps of:
specifying one or more guard tour lists containing entries representing a time-ordered sequence of guard check-ins at selected ones of said stations to serve as said station checkpoints;
transmitting guard tour selection signals from any of said stations to said control processor to activate a selected one of said guard tours;
generating sequentially a security service request at each of said station checkpoints included in said selected guard tour;
scanning, in response to each security service request, said stations serving as station checkpoints to identify the one of said station checkpoints generating said security service request;
comparing said identified station checkpoint against the one of said guard tour lists associated with said selected guard tour; and generating, in response to the step of comparing, an alarm when said identified station checkpoint does not match said sequentially time-referenced station checkpoints contained in the one of said guard tour lists associated with said selected guard tour.
specifying one or more guard tour lists containing entries representing a time-ordered sequence of guard check-ins at selected ones of said stations to serve as said station checkpoints;
transmitting guard tour selection signals from any of said stations to said control processor to activate a selected one of said guard tours;
generating sequentially a security service request at each of said station checkpoints included in said selected guard tour;
scanning, in response to each security service request, said stations serving as station checkpoints to identify the one of said station checkpoints generating said security service request;
comparing said identified station checkpoint against the one of said guard tour lists associated with said selected guard tour; and generating, in response to the step of comparing, an alarm when said identified station checkpoint does not match said sequentially time-referenced station checkpoints contained in the one of said guard tour lists associated with said selected guard tour.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein said method further includes the steps of:
generating one or more first sequential lists of station checkpoints to indicate said check-in sequence for each of said concurrently administrable guard tours; and generating one or more second sequential lists each containing data identifying a check-in time associated with each of said station checkpoints included in a corresponding one of said first sequential lists to define said time-referenced manner for each of said concurrently administrable guard tours.
generating one or more first sequential lists of station checkpoints to indicate said check-in sequence for each of said concurrently administrable guard tours; and generating one or more second sequential lists each containing data identifying a check-in time associated with each of said station checkpoints included in a corresponding one of said first sequential lists to define said time-referenced manner for each of said concurrently administrable guard tours.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein said method further includes the steps of:
writing into a first memory portion the identity of a next station checkpoint in one of said first sequential lists when said guard checks-in at said identified station checkpoint;
writing into a second memory portion the value of a check-in time associated with said identified next checkpoint; and stopping the administration of said selected guard tour when the station generating the next security service request in said selected guard tour does not match said next identified station checkpoint or said associated check in time.
writing into a first memory portion the identity of a next station checkpoint in one of said first sequential lists when said guard checks-in at said identified station checkpoint;
writing into a second memory portion the value of a check-in time associated with said identified next checkpoint; and stopping the administration of said selected guard tour when the station generating the next security service request in said selected guard tour does not match said next identified station checkpoint or said associated check in time.
9. A method of operating a standard PBX having a control processor, containing a main memory where the control processor controls and administers a plurality of different call processing operations in response to service requests received from a plurality of connected PBX
stations, to provide a security guard monitoring service by defining a plurality of independent guard tours con-currently administrable by the control processor where each of the plurality of tours includes selected stations serving as checkpoints, said method comprising the steps of:
allocating portions of said main memory to define a plurality of tables each of which lists the check-in procedure for a guard tour where each table is identified by a unique prescribed guard tour code;
selecting, in response to a guard tour service request from any of said stations identifying a guard tour code, the one of said tables identified by said guard tour code; and executing said security guard monitoring processing operation according to the check-in procedure defined in said identified by said guard tour code when a security guard follows said guard check-in procedure.
stations, to provide a security guard monitoring service by defining a plurality of independent guard tours con-currently administrable by the control processor where each of the plurality of tours includes selected stations serving as checkpoints, said method comprising the steps of:
allocating portions of said main memory to define a plurality of tables each of which lists the check-in procedure for a guard tour where each table is identified by a unique prescribed guard tour code;
selecting, in response to a guard tour service request from any of said stations identifying a guard tour code, the one of said tables identified by said guard tour code; and executing said security guard monitoring processing operation according to the check-in procedure defined in said identified by said guard tour code when a security guard follows said guard check-in procedure.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of allocating further includes the steps of:
entering into a first portion of each of said tables data identifying a sequence of stations serving as checkpoints included in each tour; and entering into a second portion of each of said tables a sequence of check-in times associated with said sequence of stations serving as checkpoints included in each tour.
entering into a first portion of each of said tables data identifying a sequence of stations serving as checkpoints included in each tour; and entering into a second portion of each of said tables a sequence of check-in times associated with said sequence of stations serving as checkpoints included in each tour.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of selecting further includes the step of:
dialing said guard tour code from a central control location of the PBX.
dialing said guard tour code from a central control location of the PBX.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of executing further includes the steps of:
dialing by said security guard at a current checkpoint a specified guard code associated with said current checkpoint to check-in at said current checkpoint;
writing into a first memory store included in said main memory the identity of the next checkpoint in said sequence of checkpoints in response to said check-in at said current checkpoint; and writing into a second memory store included in said main memory a value of an associated specified check-in time corresponding to said next checkpoint in said sequence of checkpoints in response to said check-in at said current checkpoint.
dialing by said security guard at a current checkpoint a specified guard code associated with said current checkpoint to check-in at said current checkpoint;
writing into a first memory store included in said main memory the identity of the next checkpoint in said sequence of checkpoints in response to said check-in at said current checkpoint; and writing into a second memory store included in said main memory a value of an associated specified check-in time corresponding to said next checkpoint in said sequence of checkpoints in response to said check-in at said current checkpoint.
13. The method of claim 9 wherein said method further includes the step of:
generating an alarm when said check-in procedure is contravened.
generating an alarm when said check-in procedure is contravened.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US06/680,932 US4672654A (en) | 1984-12-12 | 1984-12-12 | PBX security system for monitoring security guard tours |
| US680,932 | 1984-12-12 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1239210A true CA1239210A (en) | 1988-07-12 |
Family
ID=24733101
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000497153A Expired CA1239210A (en) | 1984-12-12 | 1985-12-09 | Pbx security system for monitoring security guard tours |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US4672654A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1239210A (en) |
Families Citing this family (15)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5347567A (en) * | 1992-09-10 | 1994-09-13 | Telident, Incorporated | Apparatus and method for identifying a calling station |
| US5572192A (en) * | 1994-03-17 | 1996-11-05 | Detection Systems, Inc. | Personal security system with guard tour features |
| US6459704B1 (en) | 1997-08-12 | 2002-10-01 | Spectrum Tracking Systems, Inc. | Method and system for radio-location determination |
| US7027955B2 (en) * | 1999-10-15 | 2006-04-11 | Timekeeping Systems, Inc. | Guard tour system incorporating a positioning system |
| US6834259B1 (en) * | 1999-10-15 | 2004-12-21 | Timekeeping Systems, Inc. | Guard tour system |
| US20060064305A1 (en) * | 2002-04-30 | 2006-03-23 | Alonso Jose M | Security and property management system |
| US7778802B2 (en) * | 2005-05-02 | 2010-08-17 | Timekeeping Systems, Inc. | Wireless devices as guard tour checkpoint data collection and checkpoint data communication devices |
| US7331241B1 (en) | 2006-08-22 | 2008-02-19 | Kulite Semiconductor Products, Inc. | Low cost pressure sensor for measuring oxygen pressure |
| US7464600B2 (en) * | 2006-08-25 | 2008-12-16 | Kulite Semiconductor Products, Inc. | Combined temperature and pressure transducer incorporating connector keyway alignment and an alignment method |
| GB2502994A (en) * | 2012-06-12 | 2013-12-18 | Nigel Reginald Marsay | Checkpoint monitoring unit |
| US20140167963A1 (en) * | 2012-12-17 | 2014-06-19 | Simon Ferragne | System and method for monitoring an area using nfc tags |
| US10186098B2 (en) | 2016-11-18 | 2019-01-22 | Honeywell International Inc. | Access control via a mobile device |
| US10051429B2 (en) | 2016-11-18 | 2018-08-14 | Honeywell International Inc. | Checkpoint-based location monitoring via a mobile device |
| US10929798B1 (en) | 2017-06-22 | 2021-02-23 | Alarm.Com Incorporated | Guard tour tracking |
| US10878650B1 (en) | 2019-06-12 | 2020-12-29 | Honeywell International Inc. | Access control system using mobile device |
Family Cites Families (11)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3725596A (en) * | 1971-11-12 | 1973-04-03 | Bell Telephone Labor Inc | Pbx automatic number identification system |
| JPS524709A (en) * | 1975-06-30 | 1977-01-14 | Iwatsu Electric Co Ltd | Display system of presence/absence, location and state of affairs by m eans of an exchange |
| US4141006A (en) * | 1976-07-14 | 1979-02-20 | Braxton Kenneth J | Security system for centralized monitoring and selective reporting of remote alarm conditions |
| GB1601941A (en) * | 1977-03-04 | 1981-11-04 | Post Office | System for transmitting alarm information over telephone lines |
| DE2817053C2 (en) * | 1978-04-19 | 1985-11-21 | Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München | Alarm system |
| US4228424A (en) * | 1978-10-16 | 1980-10-14 | Baker Protective Services, Incorporated | Central station alarm |
| US4273961A (en) * | 1979-11-14 | 1981-06-16 | Gte Laboratories Incorporated | Apparatus for communicating with processing apparatus over a telephone network |
| JPS5725764A (en) * | 1980-07-22 | 1982-02-10 | Nec Corp | Guard monitor device |
| JPS5753176A (en) * | 1980-09-16 | 1982-03-30 | Nec Corp | Call system for patrolling guard |
| US4375637A (en) * | 1981-02-24 | 1983-03-01 | Firecom, Inc. | Integrated alarm, security, building management, and communications system |
| US4459582A (en) * | 1982-08-18 | 1984-07-10 | American District Telegraph Company | Local control apparatus for central station alarm system |
-
1984
- 1984-12-12 US US06/680,932 patent/US4672654A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1985
- 1985-12-09 CA CA000497153A patent/CA1239210A/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| US4672654A (en) | 1987-06-09 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| CA1239210A (en) | Pbx security system for monitoring security guard tours | |
| CA2100699C (en) | Portable telephone user profiles using central computer | |
| EP1810093B1 (en) | Actuating a security system using a wireless device | |
| US5239583A (en) | Method and apparatus for improved security using access codes | |
| US4760393A (en) | Security entry system | |
| US4531023A (en) | Computer security system for a time shared computer accessed over telephone lines | |
| US4937855A (en) | Building security system | |
| CA2038476C (en) | Automatic personal search telephone system | |
| GB2383167A (en) | Access control system having tenant codes that may be selectively displayed | |
| EP0266355A1 (en) | Entrance telephone system utilizing the public subscriber telephone network. | |
| JP3684521B2 (en) | Mobile terminal clone detection method and mobile communication system | |
| US11361630B1 (en) | Identifying and logging mobile devices posing security threats | |
| JP3880202B2 (en) | Apartment house monitoring call system | |
| JP2010015307A (en) | Service providing system, service providing apparatus, communication terminal, position authentication apparatus, service providing program, communication program, and position authentication program | |
| CN114202842A (en) | Be used for personnel to pass in and out register recorder | |
| GB2397196A (en) | Mobile communications device with location dependent mode of operation. | |
| JPH09112092A (en) | Multiple dwelling house interphone device | |
| US7760374B2 (en) | Identification document verification system | |
| JPS60128764A (en) | Locking release system of lock | |
| JPS6247762A (en) | Checking system for other party to be connected in on-line system | |
| JPH09307649A (en) | Telephone transfer system | |
| JPH1162345A (en) | Locking system | |
| EP2445180B1 (en) | Method and system for placing an emergency phone call from a mobile communication device to an enterprise | |
| US6853709B1 (en) | Apparatus for direct communication with a phone entry system | |
| JP3090288B2 (en) | Collective entrance management system |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |