GB2106354A

GB2106354A - Alarm monitor

Info

Publication number: GB2106354A
Application number: GB08127126A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alistair David James Ford; Christopher David Pratt
Original assignee: Standard Telephone and Cables PLC
Current assignee: STC PLC
Priority date: 1981-09-08
Filing date: 1981-09-08
Publication date: 1983-04-07
Also published as: GB2106354B

Abstract

A fault reporting system, in the example described for use in a and telephone system, reports the faults by speech derived from a speech synthesizer (4). The alarm inputs are monitored by an alarm detection unit (2), and when this finds an alarm to be reported it operates an auto-dialler (5) via a control unit (3), as a result of which a remote alarm centre is called. While this is in progress the alarm detection unit (2) and the control unit (3) cause a message for reporting the fault to be generated and passed to the speech synthesizer (4). When the alarm centre replies, this is detected by an answering unit (6), which via the control unit (3) causes the message to be speech synthesized and the result sent to the alarm centre for recording thereat. The basic idea is applicable to other forms of alarm and event recording. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Alarm monitor This invention relates to a system for reporting the occurrence of remote alarms, with special reference to its use in a telecommunications system, although it is not so limited.

According to the present invention, there is provided an event reporting equipment, which includes a number of inputs each individual to an event to be recorded, a detection unit associated with said inputs and adapted to respond to the occurrence at a said input, means under control of said detection unit and responsive to an indication therefrom that at least one event has been detected to generate a message indicative of that event or events, an auto-dialler responsive to an indication that an event has been detected to initiate a call over telephone lines to a remote point, an answering unit responsive to a call answered signal to initiate the transmission of an event reporting message to said remote point, and a speech synthesizer to which the message to be sent is passed, the speech synthesizer generating a speech version of that message for transmission to said remote point.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an event monitoring device embodying the invention, Fig. 2 is a simplified diagram of an event monitoring system using devices of the type shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is an arrangement in which devices of the type shown in Fig. 1 are used in a system for testing many devices.

An alarm reporting system embodying the invention has as its main element a device which continuously monitors a number of alarms presented to it. If one or more alarms become active, the device constructs a suitable message in binary format to represent the alarm condition.

The device, which is connected to a standard public telephone line, now uses its integral autodialler to dial a preset telephone number. When the device detects that the called line has answered, it passes the message which it constructed to its own speech synthesizer and this translates the message into speech of any pre-determined language. This speech version of the message is sent over the established telephone connection to the called party, which may be a centralised alarm reporting arrangement. The device repeats this speech message until the called party (either manually or .automatically) hangs up.

The block diagram, Fig. 1, includes six units whose functions will now be described. The power supply unit 1 regulates and distributes power to the other units. The device may be powered either from the mains or from batteries.

The alarm detection unit 2 has two functions, the first of which is the detection of changes in the status of N alarms presented to it, and the second is the translation of this data into a form suitable for the control unit 3 to process it.

The control unit 3 controls and synchronises the operation of the whole device. It also converts the alarm information given to it by the alarm detection unit 2 into a coded message suitable for the speech synthesizer unit 4. In this case this form is binary. The control unit may contain a real time clock. When the speech synthesizer 4 receives a coded message from the control unit 3, it translates that message into speech, and routes the resuit into the telephone line.

The auto-dialling unit 5 is stimulated when an alarm message is to be sent, to set up a "telephony" call over the public service telephone network to a number given to it by the control unit. It can also detect when a called party has hung up. Finally there is an auto-answering unit 6 which detects when the device is being called over the public network, and subsequently released.

In addition to its ability to verbally report the occurrence of one or more alarm conditions, there are other facilities which the device can provide.

Thus it can report a message when an alarm condition has been cleared, and if an alarm condition has not been cleared within a set time the device reports a reminder message.

If the device is called over the public network and it answers the call by verbally informing the caller of the status of the alarms which it is monitoring. This facility can be used instead of, or in addition to, the equipment dialling the remote location. If the device is called over the public network it can perform self tests, on completion of which it dials a remote location (usually the one which originated the self test) and reports the result. The device is assumed to have failed if it does not respond within a set time. It can also perform self tests automatically, in which case if it detects a fault it tries to report it to a remote location. However, the ability to report a fault depends on the nature of that fault.

The arrangement for remote fault recording is shown in Fig. 2, where there are a number of event monitoring devices, three of which are shown at 10, 11 and 12 each connected to the public network 1 3.

At each station there is a two-position switch -such as 14, suitable either for telephone use or as shown for fault-recording. The network 1 3 gives access to a remote location which has a telephone and a cassette based call answering device 15. Here also there is a two-position switch so that the line can be connected to the telephone or to the call recording equipment.

If a system uses a large number of event monitoring devices, such as shown in Fig. 1, it is possible to link them together such that only one manually-initiated self-test is needed to test them all. This will now be described with reference to Fig. 3. From one reporting location 20, a maintenance man dials a first monitoring device 21 , and instructs it to test all devices, including itself. Each connection needed to do this is set up via the public network, or a special PABX, indicated at 22. The connection to the first device 21 is indicated by the arrow 23. The device 21 on reception of the call does its self tests, and then dials the next device 24 and instructs it to do the same. This procedure repeats until the last device has finished its self tests.At this time the last device reports a message to the reporting location 20 that the tests have been completed. If this message is not received within a set time, then one or more devices is assumed to have failed, and the faulty device(s) identified by individual calls to them all.

Such a device can hold many telephone numbers for use at different times, such as in or out of working hours, and in the working week or at week-ends. It can also hold telephone numbers for use with different alarms, e.g. a burglar alarm can summon the constabulary, or for the failure of the air-conditioning plant call a service engineer.

As already mentioned the device may contain a real-time clock so that the time and date a message is reported can be added to the message. For logging the equipment can interwork over the public network with a remote location having a cassette-based automatic answering equipment.

Control of the equipment from a remote site is limited to three commands, the device operating the interface as follows: if the device is dialled over the public network, it returns a message of the general format: to test this device hang up now-pause-to test all devices hang up nowpause-alarm status follows. Thus dependent on if and when the caller hangs up, the equipment "decides" which of the commands to obey.

The alarms are presented to the device as onoff switches and can be realised in many ways, e.g. relays, TTL logic gates, opto-couplers, etc.

The number of alarms monitored by one device is typically up to 1 6.

If two or more devices try to call the same number simultaneously there are three options:- (a) the devices can store and use alternative numbers (b) the devices can wait for a random period within set limits and try again (c) a combination of (a) and (b).

The device can be realised as a discrete box, or on the equipment practice appropriate to the system in which it is used.

The device described above is intended for application where it is required to monitor alarms from a wide goegraphical area at a central point, and where the frequency of alarms does not justify the use of private circuits, modems and terminals. Thus it is also usable for monitoring telephone exchanges, repeater stations, etc. from a central point. It can be used with existing detectors, e.g. fire, smoke, intruder alarms, and can be used in a factory environment for monitoring anything such as production processes which could indicate a health hazard (e.g. gas, high voltages, acid bath levels). In such localised application the monitoring could convey its results via a PABX in preference to the public network.

The use of cassette-based answering equipment referred to enables an event logging facility to be provided, the alarm inputs then being event inputs. The device(s) send messages with time and data in response to the events to a remote location where the messages are recorded in time order. Thus the cassette stores a history of events in time order from a large geographical area and in speech form, which record is readily readable with a cassette player.

A possible extension of the system is the inclusion of speech recognition facilities, which would give a person the ability to instruct the equipment using a telephone over the public network to perform simple tasks. Thus the equipment could, under voice command, control a small number of on-off switches in the equipment which could in turn control other equipments.

Possible uses include domestic use, switching on/off cooker, lights, heating and commercial use, switching off equipment for which alarms are being reported, switching on other monitoring equipment, acknowledging alarms.

With current speech recognition equipment it is possible to achieve speech recognition of up to about ten words or phrases with better than 90% accuracy, from a specific speaker at very low cost.

Claims

1. An event reporting equipment, which includes a number of inputs each indivdiual to an event to be recorded, a detection unit associated with said inputs and adapted to respond to the occurrence at a said input, means under control of said detection unit and responsive to an indication therefrom that at least one event has been detected to generate a message indicative of that event or events, an auto-dialler responsive to an indication that an event has been detected to initiate a call over telephone lines to a remote point, an answering unit responsive to a call answered signal to initiate the transmission of an event reporting message to said remote point, and a speech synthesizer to which the message to be sent is passed, the speech synthesizer generating a speech version of that message for transmission to said remote point.

2. Equipment as claimed in claim 1, in which said events are faults in a telecommunication system.

3. Equipment as claimed in claim 1 or 2, and in which the transmission of an event reporting message can be initiated by an incoming call to the equipment.

4. A fault reporting equipment for use in a telecommunication system, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 3rd August 1 982 New or amended claims:

5. A fault reporting equipment for a telecommunication exchange, which includes a number of inputs from the exchange equipment, each of which inputs corresponds to a fault condition of the exchange equipment or of a part thereof, a detection unit associated with said fault inputs and adapted to respond to the occurrence of a fault signal on one of said inputs, means under control of said detection unit and responsive to an indication therefrom that at least one such fault signal has been detected to generate a message indicative of the detected fault signal or signals, an auto-dialler responsive to an indication that a fault has been detected to initiate a call over telephone lines from the exchange to a remote point, an answering unit responsive to a call answered signal from said remote point to initiate the transmission of a fault-reporting message to said remote point, and a speech synthesizer to which the message to be sent is passed, the speech synthesizer generating a speech version of that message for transmission over the telephone lines to said remote point.

6. A fault reporting equipment for a telephone exchange, which includes a number of inputs from the exchange equipment, each of which inputs corresponds to a fault condition of the exchange equipment or of a part thereof, a further input from the exchange equipment over which an incoming call for the fault reporting equipment is received, which incoming call is a request for a message reporting the conditions (fault or nofault) of said fault inputs, a detection unit adapted when enabled in response to the reception of a said incoming call to test said fault inputs and to determine from the conditions of those fault inputs which (if any) of them bears a faultindicating signal, means under control of said detection unit and responsive to a sequence of said tests on the fault inputs by the detection unit to generate a message indicative of the fault conditions of said fault inputs, and a speech synthesizer generating a speech version of that message for transmission over the telephone lines to a remote point appropriate to the said incoming call.