WO1998030010A1

WO1998030010A1 - Method for keeping an object under surveillance by means of a digital data network with a plurality of ring-out points

Info

Publication number: WO1998030010A1
Application number: PCT/EP1997/006444
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hans-Peter Hellemann
Original assignee: Hellemann Hans P
Priority date: 1996-12-30
Filing date: 1997-11-18
Publication date: 1998-07-09
Also published as: AU5483898A; EP0934645A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for keeping an object under surveillance with a decentralized alarm detection unit and a ring-out point, interconnected by means of a digital data network with a signalling channel and a message/data channel. The method comprises the following steps: when an alarm is detected (1), information representing a desired connection is transmitted (4). The information is memorized (7) by the ring-out point, after which indication of the alarm is produced (9). Finally, if the message/data channel of the digital data network is free, a connection is established (13). At least one other ring-out point and a plurality of decentralized detection units are connected to the digital network. Upon detection of an alarm by any one of the decentralized detection units, the afore-mentioned steps are carried out between the detection unit in question and one of the ring-out points. On detection of a state of overload with incoming alarm calls, at least one of the ring-out points transmits call transfer information to a remote station of the digital data network, which transmits further alarm calls to another ring-out point.

Description

Method for monitoring an object via a digital data network with a plurality of alarm centers

description

The present invention relates to a method for monitoring an object with a decentralized alarm detection unit assigned to the object and with an alarm center, which can be connected to one another via a digital data network.

Automatic alarm detection systems with a decentralized alarm detection unit in the form of a so-called automatic dialing and announcement hazard detector according to the VDE 0820 standard and with an alarm center are already known for monitoring objects. Such automatic dialing and announcement hazard detectors are connected on the project side to various monitoring contacts or signaling contacts for the detection of assigned alarms and are connected directly to the public telephone network.

There are also alarm detection systems whose decentralized alarm detection units are connected to a central alarm system via dedicated line connections.

In the case of the first-mentioned systems with the so-called automatic dialing and announcement hazard detectors, these object-side alarm recording units select a stored number in the event of an alarm and, after the dial-up connection to the alarm center has been established, report a stored text to the security staff at the location of the alarm center, for example the location of the alarm knows. If an automatic dialing and announcement hazard detector of a more recent design fails to establish a connection to the alarm center even after several attempts, the hazard detector dials an alternative number in order to attempt to carry out the same procedure. Due to the long dialing times for several attempts, this form of connection establishment is unacceptable for objects that are classified as worthy of protection. For this reason, automatic dialing and announcement hazard detectors are only accepted by the association of property insurers for objects of low hazard class.

The importance of the immediate alarm transmission becomes particularly clear in view of the fact that in a large city the average travel time of the security personnel or the police to a place of action is only about three minutes, so that times for the establishment of a connection with such automatic dialing and announcement -Risk detectors are significant.

On the other hand, the use of a dedicated line connection, which does not have such a shortcoming, either leads to unacceptably high line costs at high distances to be bridged by the dedicated line connection, or the number of alarm centers required for area-wide monitoring increases drastically.

From Funkschau 7/1987, pages 48 to 50, it is already known to transmit alarm messages, such as danger messages, via the D channel of the ISDN network. The technique described there provides for the D channel, which is provided for establishing a connection within the ISDN network, to be used for transmitting alarm messages, without it being intended to establish a connection between a control center and a decentralized alarm detection unit via the Set up data / message channel (B channel). Such use of the D channel of the ISDN network is not permitted without special postal approval.

In general, an ISDN connection is established by exchanging information packets between the calling subscriber and the ISDN network and between the ISDN network and the addressee or called subscriber. This in- Formation packages are defined in international standards, such as ITU (CCITT) publication Q. 930-Q.940 "Digital Subscriber Signaling". These standards describe the individual data packets and how they can be used. When establishing a connection via the ISDN network, each dialog begins with a "set up" package which, in addition to some fields with specified data content, also contains those that can optionally be used. The most important field, which is best known from telephoning, is the "Calling Party Nu ber" field, which is known to users of ISDN telephones by the "Suppress phone number" function and by the "List call" function in private branch exchanges. This "set up" packet is transmitted by the network, for example Telekom, to the number specified in the "set up" packet. With the first incoming signaling packet, the recipient receives information about the type of call and, insofar as the relevant field is filled, also information about the calling person.

According to the older, not previously published DE-A-195 23 980 corresponding to WO 97/02694, starting from this prior art, a method for monitoring an object with a decentralized alarm detection unit assigned to the object and with an alarm center is such that a safe and fast Transmission of the alarm information in the event of an alarm is made possible without the need for a dedicated line between the alarm detection unit and the alarm center.

In the method according to this older, not prepublished DE-A-195 23 980 according to WO 97/02694, information transmitted via the signaling channel which uniquely identifies the decentralized alarm detection unit and which is preferably identified by the call number of the alarm detection unit (calling party number) is used as alarm triggering information for the control center, so that the alarm triggering before the establishment of a connection with the need to access the Message / data channel or B channel takes place.

According to a preferred development of this method, which is further developed by the present invention, the call number transmitted in the D channel of the alarm recording unit (calling party number) serves as alarm information. The transmitted number represents a clear criterion for identifying the decentralized alarm detection unit, which does not require any additional encryption, since ISDN connections, like all communication connections, are connection-oriented, i.e. a falsification of the addressee or the sender automatically leads to no connections.

The step of detecting the alarm state on the basis of the transmission of the information clearly identifying the decentralized alarm detection unit, preferably the call number of the decentralized alarm detection unit, is followed by the step of establishing a connection via the message / data channel of the digital data network if this channel is free. This procedure corresponds to the establishment of a "normal" telephone connection, ie the standard signaling of an ISDN call is carried out with a free B channel of the ISDN network. For example, the situation can now arise that the message / data channel of the connection of the alarm center to the ISDN network is occupied by various alarm recording units due to a large number of alarm messages arriving at the same time. Such an exceptional case can occur, for example, during a thunderstorm in which a large number of alarm detection devices for monitoring houses erroneously detect an intrusion situation. If the B channels are already occupied by such a natural event due to the large number of alarms arriving almost simultaneously, only the call is acknowledged and rejected, but the call number of the respective alarm recording units, i.e. the call number identification or the calling party number in the alarm center is saved. This example shows that the method according to the invention has a reliable Compared to conventional, connection-oriented alarms, more alarming ensures that the same alarming effect is achieved only when a very large number of user channels, which essentially corresponds to the number of possible alarm sources, is achieved, but with a considerable additional technical effort and thus corresponding additional costs.

With this method, the incoming alarm messages can be used for the cartographic position display of the alarm location, so that trained personnel can distinguish false alarms caused by a thunderstorm from real alarms, for example.

As soon as a message / data channel from the alarm center via the digital network to the alarm detection unit is free, the staff in the alarm center can, for example, switch an audio-video connection via the digital network and check the object. Even when the alarm center contacts the decentralized alarm detection unit, the decentralized alarm detection unit can recognize the alarm center based on the call number of the alarm center and, in the event of an alarm, reject any other call with the exception of the call to the alarm center, so that the line cannot be blocked.

If the message / data channels of the alarm center are occupied in the process according to the main patent, the alarm call is only acknowledged and rejected, the number of the respective alarm recording unit for which no free message / data channel was available in the alarm center is saved. This can result in considerable delays when establishing a connection between the alarm center and this alarm recording unit, if one is carried out later.

The invention is based on the object of a method for monitoring an object with one assigned to the object decentralized alarm detection unit and with an alarm center, such that a safe and fast transmission of the alarm information is made possible in the event of an alarm, without the need for a dedicated line between the alarm detection unit and the alarm center, with which an alarm center is possible even during overload times, a connection via a message - / To establish data channel between an alarm center and an alarm detection unit.

This object is achieved by a method according to claim 1.

The invention according to the present additional application creates a method for monitoring an object with a decentralized alarm detection unit assigned to the object and with an alarm center which are connected to one another via a digital data network with a signaling channel and a message / data channel, with the following method - steps:

upon detection of an alarm, transmission of information representing a desired connection as an alarm call, which includes information uniquely identifying the decentralized alarm detection unit, from the decentralized alarm detection unit via the signaling channel of the digital network to the alarm center;

The alarm center stores the information which uniquely identifies the alarm detection unit and generates an alarm display indicating the alarm detection unit; and

if the message / data channel of the digital data network is free, establishing a connection between the alarm center and the alarm detection unit;

wherein at least one further alarm center and a plurality of decentralized alarm detection units with the digital Data network are connected, and wherein the above steps in the detection of an alarm are carried out by any one of the decentralized detection units between this decentralized detection unit and one of the alarm centers, and wherein at least one of the alarm centers detects an impending overload condition of incoming alarm calls at this alarm center - transmits line information to a remote station of the digital data network, which then forwards further alarm calls that are directed to this alarm center to another alarm center.

When using the ISDN network, an alarm center for forwarding an alarm call can use the "Administrative Service" of the call eiderleitung, which is accessible to an ISDN connection.

In the method according to the invention, status information which indicates the degree of alarm call of the respective alarm center is preferably exchanged between the alarm centers. This status information is then preferably exchanged between the alarm centers during signaling gaps via the signaling channel of the digital data network. The call forwarding information can contain destination information which indicates to which alarm center the remote station is to forward an alarm call, this destination information being determined on the basis of the status information exchanged between the alarm centers.

In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the status information is transmitted over the signaling channel during signaling gaps. When using the ISDN network to carry out the method according to the invention, the status information is preferably exchanged between the alarm centers by means of the X25 service of the ISDN network via the D channel of the ISDN network. This is an inexpensive way to transfer the status information. A preferred exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the single figure. It shows:

The only figure

a flowchart of an embodiment method when applied to the ISDN network.

The following description of the preferred exemplary embodiment of the method relates to its use in the case of the ISDN network as a digital data network. Any digital data network that has a signaling channel or control channel and a message / data channel can be used instead of the ISDN network.

After the start of the method in a first step 1, an alarm detection unit carries out a check in step 2 as to whether an alarm is present. The alarm detection unit can be a PC at the location of the object to be monitored, which is provided with a plurality of alarm sensors and is connected to the ISDN network. If the alarm detection unit detects the occurrence of this alarm in step 2, the program proceeds to step 3. Here the alarm detection unit prepares the data to be transmitted including the calling party number and copies this data into the UUS frame, i.e. the field for data transmission from user to user via the signaling channel. In addition to the call number of the alarm detection unit, the data to be transmitted can be, for example, a characterization of the type of alarm, such as the response of a glass break sensor, the response of a fire sensor or the like.

In the subsequent step 4, the information built up in the UUS frame is transmitted by the alarm detection unit via the Signaling channel or D channel of the ISDN network transmitted to an alarm center.

From process step 5 that follows, the process sequence is controlled by the alarm center.

In step 5, the alarm center checks whether the number of the alarm detection unit transmitted via the signaling channel is known, that is to say, for example, it is contained in a table of the number of participants in the alarm system. If this is not the case, the method proceeds to step 6, in which the call is rejected. If the check in step 5 shows that the number of the alarm detection unit is one of the numbers contained in a table of the alarm center, the method continues in step 7, in which the alarm data, namely at least the number of the calling alarm detection unit, possibly the transmitted alarm type and, for example, the current time can be saved.

In the following step 8, details of the monitored object, such as, for example, the address of the object, are read out and, in the subsequent step 9, are displayed as an alarm display connected to the address for the personnel in the alarm center. The alarm is triggered before the connection described below is established with access to the message / data channel.

In the following step 10, the alarm center checks whether the message / data channel or B channel of its connection to the ISDN network is free. If this is the case, the method continues with step 13. Otherwise, the method proceeds to step 11, in which the alarm center receives the alarm via the signaling channel or D channel of the ISDN network in the case of the so-called "release complete", that is to say the abort procedure for the connection establishment which did not come about via the signaling channel - avoidance reconfirmed. In detail, this step 11 can in turn include the preparation of the data to be retransmitted, namely the reconfirmation, the copying of the data to be retransmitted into the UUS frame for ISDN and the subsequent transmission of the UUS frame pages of the alarm center via the signaling channel.

After some time has passed, the alarm center or, if necessary, another center connected to the alarm center via a network tries to call the alarm detection unit in order to establish a connection via the message / data channel or B channel.

In the next method step 13, a connection is established via the message / data channel or B channel in the case of the ISDN network from the alarm center or the said other center to the alarm detection unit. After this connection has been set up, optical and / or acoustic data are transmitted from the alarm detection unit to the alarm center or to said other center via the message / data channel or B channel in the following method step 14 in order to determine the cause of the alarm check and in order to enable the personnel in the alarm center to take appropriate further measures, e.g. to notify the police, fire service, emergency services, etc. In particular, in method step 14, an audio-video connection can be established between the alarm detection unit and the alarm center. In the following method step 15, the establishment of the connection of the message / data channel or B channel in ISDN is terminated and the connection is thus ended. The method ends in the following method step 16.

Steps 3 to 15 of the process sequence described are preferably repeated until the occurrence of the alarm has been transmitted from the alarm recording unit to the alarm center and the alarm center has transmitted the alarm either by reconfirmation via the signaling channel in step 11 or by establishing a connection via the message / data channel in step 13.

According to the present invention, use is now made of a further possibility which a digital data network supplies, namely call forwarding. Such call forwarding is available, for example, in the ISDN network as an administrative service. A subscriber A can forward an incoming call, regardless of whether it is analog or digital, to another subscriber B with a different number. For this purpose, call forwarding information is transmitted to a remote station of the digital data network, which then automatically forwards incoming calls for subscriber A to subscriber B.

According to the present invention, this call forwarding is used to respond to an alarm center, e.g. a critical decrease in free line access, to forward further alarm calls reaching this alarm center to another alarm center connected to the digital network. A busy state of an alarm center can thus be avoided. The selection of the phone number or the alarm center to which an incoming alarm call is to be forwarded can be made using an overload plan.

The alarm centers preferably communicate continuously in order to exchange status information regarding their load status. This communication takes place in the ISDN network preferably during signaling gaps over the signaling channel, i.e. the D channel, the ISDN network instead. In the ISDN network, such a transmission is offered as an X25 service, which provides a tariff-compliant, inexpensive option for the transmission of data packets.

If an alarm center detects an impending overload, it signals the remote station of the network operator. bers a message that further alarm calls should be forwarded to another alarm center. This message, which can be referred to as call forwarding information, can contain the number of the alarm center to which the alarm call is to be forwarded. The status information mentioned above can be used, for example, to determine to which alarm center an alarm call should be forwarded, for example depending on the load status of the individual alarm centers.

Alarm centers and intelligent alarm detection units can also be interconnected to form an alarm network via the D channel of the ISDN network, X25 service, such that information about the state of the individual terminals, i.e. Alarm detection units, between the terminals and the control centers, i.e. Alarm centers to be replaced. As a result, tamper protection and a load distribution mechanism can advantageously be set up using packet data traffic in the ISDN network of the X25 service. This can be done by a signaling chain and in the same way by a star network.

By means of the inventive method explained above, a system for alarm centers can be set up that distributes each alarm call to a free line of the networked alarm centers regardless of location. This means that a small number of control centers can serve a large number of alarm calls without an alarm detection unit sending an alarm call receiving a busy signal from an alarm center.

Claims

claims

Method for monitoring an object with a decentralized detection unit assigned to the object and with an alarm center, which are connected to one another via a digital data network with a signaling channel and a message / data channel, with the following method steps:

upon detection (1) of an alarm, transmission (4) of information representing a desired connection as an alarm call, which comprises information uniquely identifying the decentralized alarm detection unit, from the decentralized alarm detection unit via the signaling channel of the digital network to the alarm center;

The alarm center stores (7) the information which uniquely identifies the alarm detection unit and generates (9) an alarm display indicating the alarm detection unit; and

if the message / data channel of the digital data network is free, establishing (13) a connection between the alarm center and the alarm detection unit;

at least one further alarm center and a plurality of decentralized alarm detection units being connected to the digital data network,

wherein the above method steps are carried out when an alarm is detected by any of the decentralized detection units between this decentralized detection unit and one of the alarm centers, and wherein at least one of the alarm centers transmits call forwarding information to a remote station of the digital data network when an impending overload condition of alarm calls arriving at this alarm center is detected, which then forwards further alarm calls directed to this alarm center to another alarm center.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein

Status information, which indicates the alarm call load level of the respective alarm center, is exchanged between the alarm centers.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein

the status information is exchanged during the signaling gaps between the alarm centers via the signaling channel of the digital data network.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which

the digital network is the ISDN network;

the signaling channel is the D channel of the ISDN network;

the message / data channel is the B channel of the ISDN network; and

the information that uniquely identifies the alarm unit is the call number of the alarm recording unit (calling party number).

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein

the status information is exchanged between the alarm centers using the X25 service of the ISDN network become .

6. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 5, in which

the call forwarding information contains destination information which specifies the alarm center to which the remote station is to forward an alarm call, this destination information being determined on the basis of the status information exchanged between the alarm centers.