GB2141856A - Security system - Google Patents

Abstract

A security system (10) comprises a control station (13), a key station (11), and a portable recorder (12), the portable recorder (12) comprising an electronic timer (44) and memory (45), an input connector (16) arranged to co-operate with an output connector of the key station (11) to receive a signal from the key station (11) containing information, said information being stored in the memory (45) of the recorder, and an output connector (17) arranged to co-operate with an input connector (18) of the control station (13) to enable said information to be fed from the recorder (12) to the control station (13). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Security system This invention relates to a security system particularly for use where an area, hereinafter referred to a protected area, is to be protected by one or more patrol guards. Systems are known in which the protected area has at least one check point at which the guard must visit, and where a plurality of check points are provided, the particular check points, and order of visiting in will depend on a particular patrol pattern for each guard, to each which guard must adhere.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new or improved security system.

According to one aspect of the invention we provide a security system comprising a control station, a key station, and a portable recorder, the portable recorder comprising an electronic timer and memory, an input connector arranged to co-operate with an output connector of the key station to receive a signal from the key station containing information, said information being stored in the memory of the recorder, and an output connector arranged to co-operate with an input connector of the control station to enable said information to be fed from the recorder to the control station.

Thus a guard may carry the portable recorder with him on his patrol, and may obtain said information from the key station. Thereafter, the information in the memory of the portable recorder may be read for example at the control station, and so it may be ascertained whether or not the guard visited the key station.

As the portable recorder is electronically operated, the weight and bulk thereof can be reduced to a minimum, to ensure that the portable recorder does not inhibit the guard from carrying out his duties.

Preferably, the input and output connectors of the portable recorder co-operate electrically by making direct electrical contact with the output connector of the key station and the input connector of the control station respectively.

For example, the input and output connectors of the key station, portable recorder and control station may comprise plug and socket connectors, each plug and socket having a plurality of contacts which are brought together as the key station and portable recorder, or portable recorder and control station are connected, although as the portable recorder operates electronically, and thus very fast, only temporary connectors are required.

If desired, one connector only may be provided on the portable recorder, arranged to both be coupled to a connector of the key station and a connector of the control station to both transfer said information from the key station and to the control station, although preferably the portable recorder has separate input and output connectors for receiving said information and feeding said information to the control station.

The key station may comprise a memory which stores said information, and means to feed said information from the memory to the output connector of the key station upon receipt of a signal from the portable recorder.

In one arrangement, the information which is stored by the memory of the key station comprises a coded identity to identify the key station. For example, the key station may have a number associated therewith which identifies the key station.

In one arrangement, the memory of the key station is a permanent memory and the key station has no associated power supply, the portable recorder providing power to the key station when electrical connection is made, to activate the key station to provide said signal.

Thus there is no need to change batteries at the key station or otherwise maintain a power supply thereto, although the portable recorder will require a portable power supply such as batteries, which will from time to time require recharging and/or changing.

If desired a back-up power supply may be provided in case the primary portable power supply of the portable recorder should fail.

The portable recorder may comprise a processor, preferably in the form of a microprocessor which provides a signal from the timer to the memory of the portable recorder, said signal containing time information, when the information in the signal from the key station is stored, so that the time indicated by the timer, when said information from the key station is stored, is correlated with information from the key station.

The time information may be fed with the information from the key station, from the portable recorder to the control station.

Thus it can be ascertained when for example, a guard visits the key station.

Preferably the control station receives the information from the portable recorder when an electrical connection is made between the two, and stores said information in a memory, such as an electronic memory, or other memory such as a floppy disc.

The control station may have integral therewith means to process the information received thereby and present the information as a read-out or printout therefrom.

Thus a suitably programmed commercially available computer may be used as a control station, along with a suitable adaptor which is connectable with both the computer and the output connector of the portable recorder, the information from the portable recorder being processed as required by the programmed computer to give any desired output from the information received from the portable recorder.

Alternatively, the control station has an output means to enable the information stored in the memory thereof to be fed subsequently to a separate processing means which is capable of presenting the information as a read-out or print-out.

Thus in one envisaged arrangement the information stored in the memory of the portable recorder may be read at the control station and the information transferred from the control station to the processing means, subsequently. Thus where the processing means is for example a computer, the computer may be used for purposes other than in the security system, when not in use therein.

Where a separate processing means is used, the information may be fed from the control station to the processing means by a direct electrical connection, or alternatively the information may be fed from the control station to the processing means over a telephone line, radio link, or the like.

In a system in accordance with the invention, preferably a plurality of key stations are provided, each having a memory containing identity information unique to that key station, and the portable recorder may be connectable to each of the key stations to receive information from each of the key stations and to store information from each of the key stations in the memory of the portable recorder, the portable recorder including means to discriminate information received from one key station from information received from another key station and provide a thus discriminated signal to the control station.

Thus it can be checked that the guard has visited each key station he is supposed to.

Preferably also, the information from each key station is correlated with time information from the timer so that the relative times when information was received from each of the respective key stations can be determined from the information fed to the control station so that it can be checked not only that the guard has visited each key station, but when.

Further, in a security system in accordance with the invention, a plurality of portable recorders may be provided, and each may impose on the signal fed therefrom to the control station, information to identify from which portable recorder the information is being fed.

Thus a plurality of guards may each be provided with a portable recorder, and each portable recorder may be uniquely coded and provide the information stored in its memory to the control station and the processing means of the control station, or remote from the control station may discriminate the information from each portable recorder. as well as, where appropriate, the information from each individual key station.

The invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which: Figure lisa diagrammatic illustration of a security system in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a key station for use in the system of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one end of a portable recorder for use in the security system of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the other end of the portable recorder of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic block diagram showing the circuit of the portable recorder of Figures 3 and 4.

Referring first to Figure 1, a security system 10 comprises a plurality of key stations 11, two of which are individually indicated at 1 lea and 1 it, a plurality of portable recorders 12, two of which are individually indicated at 12a and 12b, and a control station indicated at 13.

In practice, more than two key stations 11a, lib, may be provided, at positions spaced around an area to be protected.

In the arrangement to be described, up to 255 key stations may be provided, although the number actually required is a matter of choice, but will depend on the size of the area which is to be protected, and the number of guards for example.

Further, more than two portable 1 2a, 1 2b, may be provided as required. It is preferred that each guard who patrols the protected area, would have his own portable recorder, and in the arrangement to be described, up to 999,999 such recorders may be provided.

Only one control station 13 is shown, which has an integral processing means, although in another arrangement, more than one control station 13 may be provided, each being arranged to transfer information to a common separate processor means, to enable the information collected by the portable recorders 12a, 126, two be assimilated, and presented as a read-out or print-out as required.

As described hereinafter, each key station 1 la, 116, its uniquely coded, and is arranged to provide a signal containing coded information to any portable recorder 1 2a,12b, connected thereto.

To facilitate this, each key station 1 la, 1 1b, has an electrical connector 15 comprising a socket, which is arranged to co-operate with an electrical connector 16 on each portable recorder 12a, 126, which comprises a plug.

Each portable recorder 12a, 12b, also has an electronic timer means which is described hereinafter in more detail, and an electronic memory, and is arranged to receive information fed thereto from the key station 118, 11 b, and to store the information in the memory.

When a guard has completed his patrol, he may connect his portable recorder with the control station 13, the portable recorder 12a, or 12b, having a further electrical (plug) connector 17 which may be connected with an electrical (socket) connector 18 of the control station 13, to facilitate this.

Thus the control station 13 may read the information stored in the memory of the portable recorder 12a, or 12b. The control station 13 may have a further electronic memory, so that the integral processing means may provide said read-out or print-out at any time, or may have a further output means (not shown) to enable said information in the memory to be fed to a remote processing means, either by direct electrical connection therewith, or over a telephone line for example.

Where the control station 13 has integral processing means, the memory may store information from a number of portable recorders and process this information when required and may include means to transfer the input from the electronic memory onto floppy disc or another storage means, for permanent record. Alternatively, periodically, the information may be read from the memory and fed to a remote processing means for processing.

The signal which is fed from each key station 11a, 11 b, will contain information identifying that key station. The information which is fed from the portable recorder 12a or 12b to the control station 13, contains not only this information, but also timer information indicating the time at which the information was recorded from the key station 1 lea, 116, and further information identifying the portable recorder 12a or 12b on which said key station information was collected.

Referring now to Figure 2, one example of a suitable construction of key station 11 is shown.

The key station 11 has a housing 20 and is arranged to be mounted directly on a mounting surface such as a wall of a building, or on a stand which is secured to the ground. The housing 20 has in a front face 21 thereof, a rebate 22 in which the electrical connector 15 is provided. As shown, the electrical connector 15 comprises a six contact socket, the contacts 23 each being arranged to connect with an electrical contact on the portable recorder 1 2a or 1 2b as hereinafter described.

Mounted within the casing 20 is a printed circuit board (not shown) which contains a permanent memory which stores information identifying the key station 11. The information is stored in eight bit form and may be fed therefrom as a binary number in its eight bit form.

Hence the maximum number of key stations 20 which can be individually identified using the eight bit binary form, is 255.

Of course, if more key stations are required, a larger memory would be required.

Referring now to Figure 3, a perspective view of one end of a portable recorder 12 is shown.

The portable recorder has therein a timer (not shown), which presents a display as shown at 25 of the current time, in hours and minutes. This display 25 may be omitted if not required.

An end face 26 of the portable recorder 12 shown, has projecting therefrom six electrical contacts comprising studs 28, and the overall dimensions of the end face 26 of the recorder are such as to be receivable within the rebate 22 of the key stations 11, so that each stud 28 connects with an appropriate electrical contact 23 within the rebate 22. Thus the end face 26 comprises a plug of an electrical connector.

At an opposite end 29 of the portable recorder 12, which is shown in Figure 4, there is provided a recess 30 in which the electrical plug connector 17 is provided, the connector 17 presenting ten electrical contacts 31, the connector 17 being adapted to co-operate with electrical socket connector 18 provided on the control station 13. Of course, any other type of electrical connectors may be provided between the key station 11, portable recorder 12, and the control station 13, although as the electrical connections only need to be made for a short time, i.e. a matter of milli seconds, as information is transferred electronically, only a temporary connection is required.

Referring now to Figure 4, a block diagram of a typical circuit for the portable recorder 12 is shown, comprising a central microprocessor indicated at 40, a programmer indicated at 41 which programmes the microprocessor 40 via a line 42 in response to a request for programming fed to the programmer 41 from the microprocessor 40 via a line 43.

The circuit further includes a timer 44 and a memory 45, a power supply 46 such as rechargable battery shown diagrammatically, and an activating circuit 47 the purpose of which will hereinafter be explained.

On the right hand side of the Figure, connector 16 is shown which is arranged to be connected with the connector 15 at the key stations 11 and at the left hand side of Figure 4, a connector 17 arranged to be connected with connector 18 of the control station 13 is shown.

The connector 16 has six contacts 28a, 28b, 28c, 28d, 28e and 28f.

Contact 28f is a ground reference.

Contacts 28b and 28c are connected to the power supply 46, and in use, provide power to the key station 11 which is not itself provided with any power source.

The contact 28d, receives information fed from the key station 11 and feeds this information to the processor 40 along line 48.

The contact 28e provides a signal to activating circuit 47.

The microprocessor 40 normally operates under a low load mode wherein power is maintained to the timer 44 via line 50 and to the memory 45 via line 51, from the supply 46 in order to maintain the timer 44 in operation, and in order to retain information already stored in the memory 45.

However upon receipt of a signal from the activating circuit 47, via line 52, the microprocessor 40 switches to a higher load mode and provides a signal to programmer 41 via the line 43, and is then programmed by the programmer 41.

The microprocessor 40 then provides a signal to contact 28a via line 54 which causes the key station 11 to feed one bit of its eight bit information to contact 28d, which bit of information is then passed from microprocessor 40 to the memory 45 via a feed line 49.

When the microprocessor 40 has received the bit of information and fed it to the memory 45, it sends another signal to contact 28a, so that the key station 11 is caused to transmit the next bit of information which is again in turn, passed to the memory 45.

When the eight bits of information have been fed to the memory, the programmer 41 causes the processor 40 to pass a signal from the timer 44 (fed thereto via line 56) to the memory 45 again along line 49, so that the memory contains not only the eight bit information from the key station 11, but also timer information from the timer 44.

The memory 45 is arranged to store the eight bit information and time information is one segment, and to discriminate the information from any further information fed thereto, for example, from a further key station.

When the memory segment is full, the microprocessor 40 will signal the activating circuit 47, via line 57, to return to a low load mode, to conserve the power supply 46. The portable recorder 12may then be disconnected from the key station 11 by the guard, and carried around on his patrol.

When the guard arrives at each key station 11 on his route, he would then insert the portable recorder 12 into the key station so that the memory 45 accumulates information from each key station in separate segments thereof, identifying each key station and correlating this information with the time indicated by timer 44, at which the information was collected.

This will continue until each key station on the guard's patrol, has been visited.

On returning to the control station 13, the information in the memory 45 may be read therefrom, via connector 17, by the control station as follows.

The connector 17 hasten contacts 31a,31b, 31c, 31d,31e,31f,31g,31h,31j,31k.

Contact31kis again a ground reference contact.

Contact 31h is connected to the activating circuit 47 so that when connection is made, the activating circuit 47 again causes the microprocessor 40 to be switched to a higher load mode.

Power is supplied to the portable recorder 12 via two contacts 31 c and 31 d, from the control station 13 so that power is not consumed from the batteries 46 of the portable recorder 12 in reading the information therefrom.

When the microprocessor 40 is activated, it passes a signal to contacts 31 d, 31e, which causes the control station 13to interrogate the portable recorder 12 using two contacts 31 and 31g which instruct the microprocessor 40 to provide said information.

The first segment in the memory is permanently programmed by the control station with an identity code to identify the portable recorder, and this information is thus imposed on the information fed to the control station. This identity code may be changed when required by reprogramming from the control station.

When all the information stored in the memory has been received by the control station, the memory, with the exception of the first segment thereof where this is permanently programmed, is cleared by a further signal from the microprocessor 40.

Where the memory does not contain a permanent ly programmed segment, the portable recorder 14 may be identified by providing a suitable input to the control station manually, or other means for identify ing the particular portable recorder may be provided.

Upon receiving signals from contacts 38fand 38g, the microprocessor 40 feeds a "transmit" signal via line 55 to the memory 45, and the memory 45 feeds the information stored therein to contacts 31a and 31b ofthe connector 17.

Contact31jmay be used to recharge the power supply 46 of the portable recorder, when necessary.

It will be appreciated that the circuit described is only diagrammatic, and that many modifications would be necessary in order to reach a practical working arrangement as would be apparent to a man skilled in the art of electronics. For example, between the input and outputs through which information is transmitted, suitable buffer circuits would need to be provided. Further, means may be provided to isolate the memory, timer and if neces sary programmer, from the microprocessor 40, as the microprocessor 40 is switched on and off to avoid any transients inducting any spurious signals therein.

If desired a low battery detector may be provided so that in the event of the batteries of the power supply running low, an indication such as a low power consumption light may be provided (not shown) to indicate that the batteries need recharging.

If desired, back-up batteries may be provided so that at least that information stored in memory 45 will not be lost in the event of the power supply 46 failing.

Avoltage regulator may need to be provided between the power supply 46 and the microprocessor 40 to ensure a steady even supply of current to operate the various circuits of the portable recorder 12, and to activate the key station.

Claims (21)

1. A security system comprising a control station, a key station, and a portable recorder, the portable recorder comprising an electronic timer and memory, an input connector arranged to co-operate with an output connector of the key station to receive a signal from the key station containing information, said information being stored in the memory of the recorder, and an output connector arranged to co-operate with an input connector of the control station to enable said information to be fed from the recorder to the control station.

2. A security system according to Claim 1 wherein the input and output connectors of the portable recorder co-operate by making direct electrical contact with the output connector of the key station and the input connector of said control station.

3. A security system according to Claim 2 wherein the input and output connectors of the key station, portable recorder and control station, comprise plug and socket connectors each plug and socket having a plurality of contacts which are brought together as the key station and portable recorder, or portable recorder and control station are connected.

4. A security system according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the portable recorder has separate input and output connectors for receiving said information and feeding said information to the control station.

5. A security system according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the key station comprises a memory which stores said information and means to feed said information from the memory to the output connector of the key station upon receipt of a signal from the portable recorder.

6. A security system according to Claim 5 where in the information which is stored by the memory of the key station comprises a coded identity.

7. A security system according to Claim 5 or Claim 6 wherein the memory of the key station is a permanent memory and the key station has no associated power supply, the portable recorder providing power to the key station when electrical connection is made, to activate the key station to provide said signal.

8. A security system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the portable recorder comprises a processor which provides a signal from the timer to the memory of the portable recorder, said signal containing time information, when the information in the signal from the key station is stored, so that the time indicated by the timer when said information from the key station is stored, is correlated with said information from the key station.

9. A security system according to Claim 8 wherein the time information is fed with the information from the key station from the portable recorder, to the control station.

10. A security system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the control station receives the information from the portable recorder when electrical connection is made between the two, and stores said information in a memory.

11. A security system according to Claim 9 or Claim 10, wherein the control station has integral therewith means to process the information received thereby and present the information as a read-out or print-out therefrom.

12. A security system according to Claim 10 wherein the control station comprises an output means to enable said information stored in the memory thereof to be fed to a separate processing means which is capable of presenting the information as a read-out or print-out.

13. A security system according to Claim 12 wherein the information is fed from the control station to the processing means by a direct electrical connection.

14. Asecuritysystem according to Claim 12 wherein the information is fed from the control station to the processing means via a telephone line.

15. A security system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a plurality of key stations are provided each having a memory containing identity information unique to that key station, and the portable recorder being connectable to each of the key stations to receive information from each of the key stations and to store information from each of the key stations in the memory of the portable recorder, the portable recorder including means to discriminate information received from one key station from information received from another key station, and provide a thus discriminated signal to the control station.

16. Asecuritysystem according to Claim 15 wherein the information from each key station is correlated with time information from the timer so that the relative times when information was received from each of the respective key stations can be determined from the information fed to the control station.

17. A security system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a plurality of portable recorders are provided.

18. A security system according to Claim 17 wherein each recorder imposes on the signal fed therefrom to the control station, information to identify from which portable recorder the information is being fed.

19. A security system according to Claim 18 wherein the processing means of the control station, or separate therefrom, discriminates the information from each portable recorder.

20. A security system substantially as hereinbefore ascribed with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

21. Any novel feature of novel combination of features disclosed herein and/or shown in the accompanying drawings.