Emergency action systems including console and security monitoring apparatus

• US 4,962,473 A
• Filed: 12/09/1988
• Issued: 10/09/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ITT Corporation (ITT, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITT Corporation (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: Crain, Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): Zache, Raulfe B.
• Application Number:
  US07/283,439
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200, 364/900, 340/541, 340/825.37, 340/502
• US Class Current: 340/541
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/00 Alarms responsive to two or more different undesired or abnormal conditions, e.g. burglary and fire, abnormal temperature and abnormal rate of flow
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements

Abstract

There is described an emergency action system which is an integrated security control and communications system employed for relatively large and secure installations such as embassies, military buildings and so on. The emergency action system apparatus consists of two major subdivisions. A first subdivision is a security and control subsystem which operates to monitor and control sensors and actuators associated with an intrusion detection system. The security and control subsystem handles event logging, generates alarm map displays and switches and distributes surveillance video. The second subdivision of the system is associated with user emergency action consoles which consoles provide the interface and handle voice and data communications to enable the user to interface with the existing communications system as located on the installation as well as with the intrusion detection system. The consoles include direct control circuits which provide for rapid fail safe actuation of various controls throughout the building such as doors and so on. The console contains various displays to enable the user to interface with both systems. This enables the user to control and monitor system operation from a single console which serves to integrate control of both the intrusion detection system as well as the communication system as existing on the premises.

Claims

1. An emergency action apparatus for use in an installation having a given floor plan format and maintained and operated by known, authorized personnel located on said installation, said installation requiring an intrusion detection system and a communications system, said emergency action apparatus providing an interface between said intrusion detection system and said communications system to enable a user to monitor said instruction detection system and said communications system at a single location, comprising:

a console located at said location, said console including a position control computer in said console and having input means coupled to said communications system and operative to process data relating to said floor plan format of said installation,

a first display located on said console and coupled to said position control computer to display processed data from said computer indicative of said floor plan format,

a user interface computer located in said console and operative to process specialized databases containing information related to said personnel located in said installation to enable said user to determine the authorization of said personnel and including memory means having stored conference call data to enable said user to connect selected personnel together via said communications system to participate in a conference,

a second display located on said console and coupled to said user interface computer to enable data as processed by said computer to be displayed, said user interface computer coupled to said position control computer to enable data to be transferred between said computers,

means coupled to said memory means to enable said user to interface with said user interface computer via said second display wherein said user can set up conferences between personnel and display stored data regarding said personnel,

an environment and security processor (ESP) located remote from said console and coupled to said intrusion detection system for processing data regarding said intrusion detection system and for storing data related to said floor-plan format and to provide and process data indicative of monitored detection system functions and having output lines coupled to said position control computer and said first display, a video matrix coupled to said processor and controlled thereby to provide video signals as provided by said intrusion detection system,

a third display located on said console and coupled to said environment and security processor to display, said video signals as controlled by said environment and security processor.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 further including at lease one controllable switch panel having a plurality of switches and including a dedicated control microprocessor coupled to said position control computer so that said position control computer can control said microprocessor, said controllable switch panel located on said console with at least one switch selected to be operated to control one of said monitored system functions according to a generated display from said position control computer.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein a given number of switches on said panel are directly connected to actuators located on said installation to enable said user to actuate said actuators from said console.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein at least one other of said plurality of switches is coupled directly to said intrusion detection system to control system operation directly from said console.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 further including a data printer coupled to said environment and security processor for providing a hard copy data printout indicative of intrusion data processed by said processor.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 further including:

a manual patch/switch and display panel coupled to said intrusion detection system for receiving sensor and actuator leads from said detection system at inputs of said panel and for directing said leads to outputs of said panel and means for coupling said outputs to said environment and security processor (ESP) whereby each sensor and actuator can be identified by said processor.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said means for coupling includes a remote controller having inputs coupled to said panel and outputs coupled to said (ESP) processor.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said (ESP) processor as coupled to said position control computer controls the display of said first and second displays to cause an alarm display to automatically appear when an intrusion is detected by said intrusion detection system.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said environment and security processor is located at a secure location within said installation and remote from said console.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said video matrix has inputs coupled to surveillance cameras located throughout said installation and outputs controlled by said environment and security processor to cause said third display to display video signals from any selected surveillance camera.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means coupled to said user interface computer includes a keyboard.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means coupled to said user interface computer includes a mouse.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said memory means has stored therein a database containing a directory of personnel located in said location.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said data base includes stored data indicative of key personnel.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1 further including a dialing means located on said console and coupled to said communications system to enable a user to access personnel via said communications system.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said second display is a high resolution graphics display.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said user interface computer further contains means for storing a database indicative of checklist procedures for informing said user of a procedure to be implemented as necessary to deal with a given intrusion as detected by said intrusion detection system.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1 further including a floppy disk means coupled to said environment and security processor to electronically store a log of events as processed by said processor.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said communications system is a private automatic branch exchange (PABX).

20. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said user interface computer as coupled to said second display provides a display presentation based on stored data including symbols selectively accessed by said user via said display to enable said user to access other displays based on stored data in said user interface computer.

21. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said second display provides a two area display image as controlled by said user interface computer to display a first area indicative of main system data and a second area indicative of a menu bar to enable access to less frequently used data.