EP0183738B1 - Control installation and method for checking control points in a surveillance installation - Google Patents

Abstract

PCT No. PCT/DE85/00176 Sec. 371 Date Jan. 24, 1986 Sec. 102(e) Date Jan. 24, 1986 PCT Filed May 21, 1985 PCT Pub. No. WO85/05712 PCT Pub. Date Dec. 19, 1985.A control system is provided having stationary check points which are contactlessly read by a data collector and verified. The data so read can be stored and transmitted by a transmitter to a central unit, where the data so received are centrally evaluated. Together with the data of the check point being read, the time at which the respective check point is read is transmitted to the central unit as well. If all data are received by the central unit, it transmits back a verification entry, and the data are subsequently stored in a memory together with such verification entry. If no verification entry is received, the data are automatically and continually retransmitted to the central unit until the verification entry is received by the receiver in the data collector. In addition, the data collector has a random generator capable of establishing which individual check points are to be successively called on by the security guard. Each check point is to be called on within a time range and, if such time limit is exceeded, an emergency call is automatically transmitted to the central unit.

Description

The invention relates to a control system according to the preamble of claim 1, as is known from DE-A-3021 515, and the invention also relates to a method for reading and recording the characteristics of control points in a monitoring system according to the preamble of Claim 5 as described in US-A-3,959,633.

Such control systems and procedures are used on a large scale to largely secure buildings or building sections against break-ins or unauthorized entry - especially outside of normal working hours.

While, for example, electronic alarm systems that work automatically can usually be used in residential buildings (i.e. small, manageable objects), surveillance by security staff is common for larger objects such as a factory, a refinery, a bank, etc.

Several systems and methods are known which can be subsumed under the two terms "guard control" and "guard protection".

The long-known time clock is used for guard control. At each of the control points arranged at several points of the object to be secured there is a key in a key box, the key bit of which is mechanically coded and identifies the respective control point. The watchman inserts the key into the time clock, which then uses a printing unit on a control strip to record the time, date and number of the control point - i.e. the number of the key.

The essential feature here is that the guard controls the individual checkpoints, as is also expressed in the keyword "guard control". However, this monitoring has considerable disadvantages.

More and more companies and also insurance companies are demanding a complete, secure and quickly evaluable monitoring protocol. Now it is difficult to evaluate and read the control strip, which can be several meters long for large objects to be monitored with many control points to be run at intervals. As a result, the control strips of the time clock are often stored unread. The control strip is only used and checked when a claim or an insurance claim has actually occurred.

The security guard can only be checked after the security guard has acknowledged the control points on a prescribed route and then handed in the time clock with the control strip to the control center. During the route itself there is no contact with the head office. The protection of the guards, who are often exposed to dangers during the inspection rounds, must therefore be regarded as insufficient.

In addition, security checks against deliberate manipulation can be classified as very low when the guard is checked using the mechanical time clock and the control keys. With some skill, it is easily possible to pretend that a control point has been acknowledged without the guard actually starting up at the control point. This is because there are no particular difficulties in copying a control key, for example in order to avoid an external control point and to pretend that it has been acknowledged with the replacement key. The low security against manipulation can therefore lead to insufficient protection due to incomplete inspection rounds.

After all, the number of mechanical coding options for the key bits is limited, and with a conventional system only 999 different keys - i.e. control points - with the appropriate numbering are currently possible. Although this may be sufficient for individual systems, it can happen that several keys with a certain number are present in multiple locations with several systems with the same system. In such a case, for example, a control point from another object in southern Germany could be acknowledged with a control key from northern Germany.

In the surveillance system known under the term guard protection, a radio device with a transmitting and receiving part is used instead of the time clock. In contrast to the guard control, constant contact between the guard and the control center is possible, which enables better protection of the guard and quicker detection of an intrusion.

To acknowledge the individual checkpoints, they are designed so that the radio can be “plugged” into the checkpoint. A radio signal is then sent to the control center, which contains the number of the control point but not the time. This is detected by the control center when it is received, which then confirms receipt by sending an acknowledgment signal which causes an acoustic or optical signal on the radio. The guard can now remove the radio from the control point and continue his route.

Although the use of a portable radio device reduces some of the disadvantages described at the beginning, the guard protection is also limited in its possible applications and has disadvantages. In the case of larger objects, for example an oil refinery, it can often happen that a control point is in the "radio shadow", so that radio control contact with the control center is not possible from this control point. Such radio shadows occur, for example, through larger metal containers (eg cooling tower) or the like. Furthermore, the radio devices cannot be used to control rooms that are particularly secured with metal, such as a bank vault, because the radio signals cannot penetrate the walls.

A control system is known from DE-A-3 021 515, from the state of the art of which claim 1 is formulated, in which the data collector has a data reading head for serial reading of the data when the reading head moves over the data carrier and one with the Data reader head connected electronic memory. The data collector can be connected to a transmitter for transmitting the read and stored characteristic data to a central office.

In practice, the situation may arise in which the signal emitted by the transmitter cannot be received immediately by the control center because the transmitter is in a radio shadow. In this case, it is provided in the known control system that the transmitter emits the transmission words several times with a certain number of transmissions at predetermined time intervals and that a transmission stop occurs automatically after the predetermined number of emissions has been reached.

After this finite transmission sequence has ended, the corresponding memory must be available again for the next guard post, so that the location code word of the previous guard post is deleted. In this known control system, the case can occur that within the fixed period of time specified for the transmission sequence, the receiver cannot receive the transmitted signals due to a radio shadow and the information is lost. This can easily happen in confusing terrain with large systems.

But even if the transmitter is received by the central control point within the period of the finite transmission sequence, the information available is still incomplete because only the time of the respective reception is logged and not the time at which the guard post was checked. This means that a log of the actual route can only be incompletely prepared.

US-A-3 959 633 describes a hand-held device for recording, storing and transmitting data and the use of this hand-held device as a watch which is intended in particular as a replacement for mechanical watch. The characteristic data provided at the checkpoints are read off and stored together with the reading time, it being possible to store all the data of a route comprising several checkpoints.

The invention has for its object to provide a control system and a method for reading and recording the characteristics of control points in a surveillance system, which enabled improved protection and a tamper-proof control even under extreme conditions with simple means.

The stated object is achieved by the features specified in the characterizing parts of claims 1 and 5.

A radio with a transmitting and receiving part can be connected to the data collector in order to send the stored data to a central station, from where reception can be acknowledged.

The data in the memory of the individual control points are queried, sent out and, after being sent out, stored again in the memory, with the "note" that the data of the relevant control point have been sent out and received by the control center.

With the help of the microprocessor which is also provided, there are various possibilities for achieving increased security.

With the help of the microprocessor, the respective route can be determined on different days, possibly using a random generator. It is therefore possible to randomly specify a specific sequence in which the individual control points have to be queried. After a first control point has been acknowledged, the watchdog is shown on a display of the data collector which control point he must go to next. In addition to the date, time and number of the respective control point, the selected route is also saved in the memory.

The risk of manipulation is effectively countered in the invention, and the security is increased in that the data collector comprises a clock chip as a time base and that the requirement exists to acknowledge certain control points within a certain time range - that is, within a certain time period. In the memory of the microprocessor, at the beginning of the inspection course, all inspection points with an original time at which they must be reached are stored. If the checkpoint in question is not reached within a certain time window, a code call to the center can be made automatically by means of the transmitter. This means that irregularities can be detected immediately.

In the event of a radio shadow, if the control center cannot receive the radio message, the radio message will be repeated automatically at certain intervals. The automatic transmission of the data from the control points that have now started has been repeated until an acknowledgment from the head office comes about the receipt of the data. This corresponding data is then stored again in the memory with the receipt note.

The automatic and periodic sending of the data present in the memory is in progress especially advantageous for so-called district services. This involves the monitoring of several objects by a guard, who uses a vehicle to scan and control the objects to be monitored one after the other. Here the transmitter can be arranged in the vehicle for sending out the data stored in the memory of the data collector. When the guard has finished his inspection of an object, the data collector is put in a holder and automatically connected to the transmitter, so that the data can now be passed on to the control center by radio. In the case of radio shadows, the transmission is repeated until it has been received by the control center. In the case of the invention, the signals assigned to the control points can therefore be transmitted as often and as long as necessary until they are actually received by the control center. This receipt is acknowledged by returning a signal, and only now the transmitted signals or information are stored within the data collector with a corresponding confirmation note. The complete route is therefore stored in the memory of the data collector.

The signal received by the control center also contains the time of the actual control of the respective control point (real time), since the data collector has a clock chip by means of which the time of the actual control of a control point is determined and stored.

Overall, the invention combines both the features of the guard control mentioned above and the guard protection, the entirety of these features leading to a new control system with the advantages described. In the sense of the guardian control, the individual control points are still queried, however the mechanics, which are susceptible to faults, are replaced by electronics, this electronics furthermore having the advantage that manipulations are practically impossible. The invention also takes up the idea of guard protection to be able to establish a connection to the control center as quickly as possible, in such a way that radio shadows, for example, are not disruptive.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention result from the subclaims and the description.

• Fig. 1-3 mehrere Ansichten eines Datensammlers,
• Fig. 4-5 eine Draufsicht und eine Seitenansicht eines Datenträgers,
• Fig. 6 eine Datenträger und einen Datensammler während des Quittierens einer Kontrollstelle,
• Fig. 7 eine weitere Ansicht des Datensammlers, von unten gesehen,
• Fig. 8 ein Prinzip-Blockschaltbild des Datensammlers,
• Fig. 9 eine Prinzipdarstellung einer Kontrollanlage mit einer Zentrale zur Auswertung, und
• Fig. 10 die Prinzipdarstellung einer Zentrale.

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing. Show it:

• 1-3 several views of a data collector,
• 4-5 are a top view and a side view of a data carrier,
• 6 shows a data carrier and a data collector while acknowledging a control point,
• 7 is another view of the data collector, seen from below,
• 8 shows a basic block diagram of the data collector,
• Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a control system with a center for evaluation, and
• Fig. 10 shows the schematic diagram of a center.

The data collector 10 shown in FIGS. 1-3 has notches 12 in its lower area in order to be able to grip the data collector 10 non-slip by hand. 1 that the data collector 10 has two light-emitting diodes 14 and 16. One LED 14 signals - which will be explained in more detail below - the switching on of the data collector, while the other LED 16 indicates the reading of a data carrier 28 (see FIG. 6) at the end when the read data has been saved.

3, two projections 20 and 22 can be seen, which form a reading track 18 between them. In the area of this reading track, the data reading head 24 and a sensor 26, shown in broken lines in FIG. 1, are located within the data collector 10 close to the surface of the reading track 18. The width of the reading track 18 is selected such that the reading surface 32 of the one shown in FIG and 5 shown data carrier 28 can be detected.

The data carrier 28 forming a control point in a control system is shown in more detail in FIGS. 4 and 5 in a top view and a side view. The data carrier 28 has a flat housing 30, which is preferably made of plastic. At the top of the reading surface 32 there is an inclined surface 34 on which an arrow symbol 38 is applied. The arrow symbol 38 indicates to the user that the data collector 10 - as shown in FIG. 6 - is moved in the direction of the arrow 44 with the reading track 18 from top to bottom on the data carrier 28, starting on the inclined surface 34.

Behind the inclined surface 34 there is a switch-on magnet 40, by means of which the sensor 26 of the data collector 10 is activated in order to switch on an operating voltage source 64 (cf. FIG. 8) for a specific period of time. While the data collector 10 with the reading track 18 is then pulled over the reading surface 32 of the data carrier 28, the associated data are read magnetically by the data collector 10 by means of the data reading head 24.

The data itself is located behind the reading surface on a code strip 36, which is shown in FIG. 5 with dashed lines. This code strip can be introduced into the housing 30 and then cast using a potting compound, so that it is no longer accessible from the outside in order to prevent manipulation.

In addition to the simple handling of the data collector 10 already described for the purpose of acknowledging a data carrier 28 - that is to say a control point - FIG. 6 also illustrates that the flat housing 30 of the data carrier 28 can be attached to a wall 42 in a simple manner leaves, for example by gluing.

In Fig. 7 it is shown that the data collector 10 has at its lower end - but within the housing - a connector strip 46 with knife contacts 50, which are protected in that the knife contacts 50 are only accessible via corresponding openings 48. As will be described further below, the data collector 10 can be inserted into an opening of a charging station 80 which is adapted to its shape (cf. FIG. 10), the knife contacts 50 engaging with assigned contact pins.

8 shows a basic illustration of the electrical structure of a data collector 10. The essential components are a microprocessor 52, a memory 54, and a backup battery 56. The microprocessor 52 is connected to the memory 54 and also to the battery 56 for control purposes.

In addition to the operating voltage source 64, which can be switched on via the sensor 26 by means of a timer 62 for a selectable period of time, the data collector 10 also has the data reading head 24 connected to the microprocessor 52, in order to process and read the data of the code strip 36 read in digital form to save.

A serial interface 66 is also connected to the microprocessor 52, which - as the arrow 70 indicates - leads to the connector strip 46 or the transmitter 69. In addition, the data collector 10 has an emergency call button 60 (which can also be used as an acknowledgment button), and a control connection to the transmitter 69 with a receiving part 71 can be established via a connection indicated by the arrow 68. Data stored in the memory 54 can be sent to a control center via this transmitter, and it is also possible to make an emergency call via the transmitter 69 by actuating the emergency call button 60.

The transmitter 69 with the receiving part 71 is normally provided as a separate structural unit, for example in a vehicle of the security personnel, but it is also possible to integrate the transmitter 69 with the data collector 10 as one unit. In the former case, the data collector 10 can be inserted into a corresponding opening in the transmitter 69 in order to establish the required electrical connections by means of the plug connector 46. Outside of the individual control points, the transmitter 69 then simultaneously serves as a storage area for the data collector 10. The confirmation note from the central unit reaches the microprocessor 52 via the connection 73.

9 shows the basic circuit diagram of a complete control system with subsequent evaluation via a data input 72 with a control center 74. The various control points of an object to be monitored are formed by the data carriers 28a-28g. The checkpoints can be queried and acknowledged by the security personnel using data collectors 10a-10c.

Each data collector 10a-10c stores the data read from the data carriers as well as the time and the date. After completion of a control tour, the stored data are entered into a data input 72 and evaluated in a control center 74.

According to the principle block diagram in FIG. 10, such a center comprises a charging station 80 with an opening into which the data collector 10 can be inserted. On the one hand, the electrical connection established in this way can be used to charge the operating voltage source of the data collector 10, and on the other hand the stored data can now be called up and displayed on the screen 84 of a computer 82. This can be a conventional personal computer with a keyboard 86 and a connected printer 88. Thus, after inserting the data collector 10 into the charging station 80, a log printout of the completed inspection run is also possible.

Appropriate software can be used to keep the log printout in an easily understandable form. Possible printouts are, for example: "South gate checked at 11:00 p.m .; North gate checked at 11:30 p.m .; Main entrance: no report, etc.".

The center 74 further comprises a radio receiver 76 with an antenna 78. In the case already described that - in the case of a radio shadow automatically at periodic intervals - the acknowledged data are to be transmitted to the center 74 by means of the transmitter 69, this data can be transmitted to the radio receiver 76 received and passed on to the computer 82. Subsequently, the confirmation of the receipt of the data is sent to the respective data collector 10 (receiving part 71) by means of a transmitter (not shown).

It has already been explained with reference to FIG. 5 that each data carrier has a code strip 36 on which the data identifying the respective control point are applied. The data can be formed by individual magnetic bits, which are spatially spaced from one another in a pattern on the code strip 36. During the movement of the data collector 10 along the reading surface 32 of the data carrier 28, the data reading head 24 registers the individual bits, which are then stored digitally in the memory 54. The individual bits can be used in various known code forms, i.e. the numbers of the respective control points are present on the code strip 36 in coded form.

In addition to coding on a magnetic basis, the use of infrared light is also possible. In this case, the reading surface 32 of the data carrier 28 consists of an infrared-transparent material. Behind the reading surface are - corresponding to the digital signals "0" and "1" materials that reflect the infrared light or not. In this case, the read head of the associated data collector consists of an infra red source with a receiver for the reflected infrared light.

Regardless of what type of coding is used, the control system's characteristics can easily be read serially in the control system and stored in a memory. In conjunction with the microprocessor 52, a wealth of possible applications and variants are then advantageously obtained, which make the control system particularly safe. An "immediate" report printout is possible via a control tour, whereby this report printout can be designed in any way using appropriate software.

It was also mentioned above that by moving the sensor 26 or the data collector 10 along the inclined surface 34 of the data carrier 28, the timer 62 can be switched on, which switches the data collector 10 on for a selectable period of time. It is particularly advantageous if, before the expiry of this selectable fixed period of time, a switch-off is already made when a valid or invalid control point is recognized. This enables considerable savings in electrical energy to be achieved. For example, it is possible to switch off after one second instead of after about three seconds.

Instead of the protected connector strip 46 with the contacts 50 (cf. FIG. 7), a contactless and contactless remote feed device and several contactless data transmission links can be provided. This makes it possible, for example, when using a rechargeable battery, to charge inductively.

The data transmission path can be both inductive and optical.

The data collector 10 can be designed as a black box, so to speak, which no longer has any external control elements. This ensures a very high level of security against manipulation, since the operation and use is completely without contacts. In this case, the application of an emergency button to send an emergency call is dispensed with.

Claims (6)

1. Monitoring installation comprising at least one stationary monitoring point, provided with characteristic data, and a central data collector (10), equipped with a microprocessor and controlled by it, for reading off and recording the characteristic data of the individual monitoring points, wherein each monitoring point possesses a data carrier (28) which can be interrogated without contact, on which the characteristic data associated with this monitoring point are disposed along a surface and spatially separated from one another and the data collector (10) possesses a data reading head (24) for the series reading of the data as the reading head (24) is moved over the data carrier (28) and an electronic memory (54) connected with the data reading head (24), and wherein the data collector (10) can be connected with a transmitter (69) for transmitting the read-off and stored characteristic data to a central station (74), characterized in that the transmitter (69) comprises a reception element (71), that precautions are taken which cause the read-off characteristic data of the monitoring points, together with the relevant read-off time obtained on each occasion from a clock chip of the data collector, to be input into the memory (54) and to be transmitted by the transmitter (69) also to the central station (74), that the transmitted data, together with a confirmation note of the central station received from the central station, are transmitted back from this station to the reception element (71) of the data collector and are filed in the memory (54) of the data collector, that if the confirmation note is absent on account of radio shadow, the transmitter (69) continues to transmit the characteristic data and the associated clock times repeatedly at time intervals until the confirmation note from the central station (74) is received by the reception element (71), and that the memory (54) of the data collector is constructed for storing all the data of an inspection route comprising several monitoring points.

2. Monitoring installation according to Claim 1, characterized in that the data collector (10) possesses, on its bottom face, a protected plug board (46), the contacts (50) of which are accessible through openings.

3. Monitoring installation according to Claims 1 and/or 2, characterized in that the data collector (10) possesses, on its bottom face, a contactless remote supply unit and several contactless data link routes.

4. Monitoring installation according to one of the preceding Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the data collector (10) comprises a random generator and an optical display for representing the characteristic numbers of the data carriers (28), the sequence of the data carriers (28) displayed being able to be determined by the random generator.

5. Method of reading off and recording the characteristic data of monitoring points in an inspection installation, wherein a time information is associated on each occasion with the characteristic data of the various monitoring points read off in series with a data collector (10) and the characteristic data, together with their time information, are filed ready for call-up in a memory (54, 56), characterized in that the characteristic data and the time information are transmitted repeatedly at intervals of time until a confirmation of the receipt of the transmission from a reception centre (74) is received at a data collector receiver (71).

6. Method according to Claim 5, characterized in that a time range is associated with each monitoring point (28), within which time range the relevant monitoring point must be read off, and that when this time range is exceeded an emergency call, which states the monitoring point that has not been read off, is automatically transmitted to the reception centre (74).

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