EP0070224B1 - Surveillance and alarm method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

The method and device employs detectors which are connected to electronic analyzers which, in accordance with the level of detection, actuate the corresponding level of alarm and the level of dissuasion by choosing the suitable timing and the suitable power circuit. The alarm is progressive and dissuasive so as to inform a provoker on the spot, in the region of the openings to be protected, that the system has detectors connected to an alarm center which is capable of analyzing the items of information coming from the detector or detectors and immediately actuating a specific and understandable alarm. The method and device are applicable to the supervision and protection of premises.

Description

The subject of the invention is a monitoring and alarm method, the detection means of which are progressive in order to analyze the intensity of the break-in and the deterrent and alarm means are progressive in intensity, in quality and in duration, and this, depending on the detection.

The alarm installations carried out to date are designed according to roughly analogous block diagrams.

One or more detector loops, peripheral or volumetric, are connected to the inputs of an alarm center. The control panel has the function of monitoring the various sensors, in ways appropriate to the operating principle of each of them, and of triggering the alert when a disturbance is detected by one of them.

The alert is given by various sound or light means, or transmitted remotely by radio or telephone line. The audible warning devices, used most commonly as a means of alert, are chosen so as to release considerable acoustic power, which should be extended as far as possible by the neighborhood.

On the most sophisticated power stations, an access loop makes it possible to connect, in a specific way, the detector (s) monitoring the door through which the user will enter the room under surveillance. This avoids the use of a lock contact placed outside the protected area, to power on or shut down the system.

The user will be able to enter through the door, thus equipped, without setting off the alarm. A pre-alarm, materialized by an indicator light or a buzzer of low sound level, will warn him that he must stop the control panel, before the end of the delay triggered by the opening of the door. If the Control Panel has not been stopped, within the time limit, the alert will be given.

In all cases, when a detector registers a disturbance, the alert will be given with all the powerful means provided for this purpose, immediately, for normal loops, or after a delay for the timed access loop as described in the Patent FR-A-2,394,858.

Furthermore, according to GB-A-1 506 387, an alarm device is known comprising detection means for analyzing the intensity of the break-in and alarm means with several selected intensity levels depending on the intensity of the break-in.

The biggest problems caused by alarm installations come from this characteristic common to all current systems. Indeed, security requirements, combined with technological progress, encourage installers to use increasingly sensitive detectors, and to try to detect intrusion attempts as soon as possible, preferably before the intruder be introduced to the scene.

Unfortunately, in both cases, the same negative result is achieved: the proliferation of an increasing number of nuisance trips. The difference between an attempted intrusion and a disturbance of atmospheric, electromagnetic or thermal origin is sometimes very tenuous, or even non-existent. For example, the action of a strong wind, on a poorly adjusted door, will be identical to that of the introduction of a crowbar, between the door and the frame, for an inertial detector placed on the frame of the 'opening.

The effect of nuisance trips on the neighborhood and on the users themselves is disastrous. They devalue the electronic alarm and discredit it in the eyes of potential customers.

Researchers and alarm equipment manufacturers are working to study increasingly complex detectors to avoid these problems.

The invention was born from thinking about the purposes of the electronic alarm. This type of facility is not intended to capture thieves, but to deter them from committing their crimes.

The method according to the invention and the device for implementing the invention avoid all the drawbacks mentioned above.

The vast majority of installations are carried out with individuals who are not preferred targets for criminals, they are people with a certain material ease, but whose housing contains no treasure, or collection of very great prices. Nothing designates them especially to thieves, they attack this type of victims all the more willingly as the defenses they meet will be weaker and will not endanger their own safety.

Thus, for apartments located in large buildings, it was sufficient, for a long time, to equip the door with a lock slightly higher than those in the vicinity, with reinforcements on several points of the frame, so that intruders avoid it, to the detriment of the surrounding doors which are less well defended. The generalization of this kind of lock has provoked an evolution in intrusion techniques, which currently pushes Insurance Companies to recommend the alarm as a defense. However, the alarm, if it is to be as dissuasive as multipoint locks have been for a long time, must be reported as soon as possible to the attention of the perpetrator, preferably, before the latter has damaged the door.

This is where untimely triggers reappear.

The invention avoids all these drawbacks, it consists in equipping the openings that one wants to monitor, with well chosen inertial detectors, the information of which will be processed by a very advanced electronic analyzer, which discri mine, with maximum security, those coming from normal disturbances of the atmosphere, and those coming from possible intrusion attempts.

• a) Un niveau très sensible qui déclenche une action, par exemple quand un voisin butera, malencontreusement, sur le paillasson placé contre la porte.
• b) Un second niveau de détection moins sensible, donc plus fiable, ne déclenche une action, par exemple uniquement à l'ouverture de la porte.

At the alarm center level, at least two detection levels are provided:

• a) A very sensitive level that triggers an action, for example when a neighbor will, unfortunately, come up against the doormat placed against the door.
• b) A second, less sensitive, and therefore more reliable, detection level does not trigger an action, for example only when the door is opened.

The first level of detection will not cause the start of the general alert, with the various means provided: siren, remote transmission ... It will only signal, by short or low-level sound or light means, that an electronic surveillance system is installed on the opening and that it will be able to trigger a much more powerful alert if the intrusion attempt continues or increases in intensity.

The dissuasive message will only be delivered within a very small radius around the opening, and will not be perceived, either by the neighbors, or by the user himself, if he is at home, awake or asleep, except of course, if it is near the opening.

If from time to time, an untimely trigger surprises the sagacity of the analyzer, due to the very high sensitivity of the detection, this will not cause a drama in the vicinity, it will go unnoticed.

On the other hand, if an intrusion is pursued, despite the dissuasion of the warning shot caused by the first level of detection, the second level will intervene and trigger the most thunderous alert.

Each detector will be accompanied by a buzzer or an indicator light which will signal the action of the first level of detection in the immediate vicinity of the protected opening, without causing discomfort in the immediate vicinity or in the accommodation.

The deterrence is nonetheless total. Which intruder attacking by chance at the opening, will quietly continue his attempt to intrude after being warned that it has been detected?

If it is an innocent bystander, who has made a false step or has knocked a little too hard on the door, it is not bad to inform him that a sophisticated surveillance system watches over the opening and therefore, undoubtedly on the whole housing.

The subject of the invention is therefore a monitoring and alarm method consisting in detecting vibrations undergone by the means for closing the exits or openings of a room to be monitored, in assigning to said vibrations at least two levels corresponding respectively to at least two vibration intensities, to cause in response to the higher vibration intensity a general alarm signal, a process characterized in that it also consists in response to vibrations corresponding at least to the most intense level weak to emit during a predetermined time interval, a warning and deterrence signal exclusively for the attention of the person who caused said vibrations.

The invention also relates to a monitoring and alarm device comprising means for detecting vibrations undergone by the means for closing the exits or openings of a room to be monitored, means for assigning to said vibrations at least two corresponding levels. respectively at least two vibration intensities and means for causing in response to the highest vibration intensity a general alarm signal, characterized in that it further comprises means for emitting in response to corresponding vibrations at least at the lowest intensity level and for a predetermined time, a warning and deterrence signal exclusively for the attention of the person who caused the vibrations.

The single attached figure relates to the functional diagram of a preferred practical embodiment of the power plant constituting the present invention.

The openings to watch: 1, 2, 3 and 4 are either doors or windows. They are equipped with inertial sensors combined with magnetic contacts 5, 6, 7 and 8 so that the wire loops B _i , Bz, B ₃ , B ₄ which connect them to the control unit, forming the subject of the present invention, are closed permanently, when the opening is closed and open, fleetingly when it is subjected to vibration or stably, when it is open.

Each loop B _i , B ₂ , B ₃ and B ₄ arrived on a separate circuit 9, 10, 11 or 12, which ensures filtering of the information, retaining that which corresponds to mechanical vibrations, recorded by the sensor and rejecting at the ground the signals of electromagnetic or electrical origin induced on the wires. The same circuits 9, 10, 11 and 12 shape the stored signals so that their processing can be done at logic levels.

Each shaping circuit 9, 10, 11 and 12 is connected to a specific location memory 13, 14, 15 or 16 which stores the information giving the origin of the signal which has reached the control panel. These memories 13, 14, 15 or 16 are reset cyclically to keep only the information corresponding to the signals which are being processed in the analyzers 17, 18 and 19. The first 17, is very sensitive, it can be triggered by a low amplitude vibration. The second, 18, is of average sensitivity, it only responds to fairly violent shocks received by the opening. The analyzers 17 and 18 which are triggered by weak and medium signals, put into action dissuasive means which are only perceived near very immediately from point 1, 2, 3 or 4, where the signal is emitted, and are not heard by the immediate vicinity and the occupants of the room to be protected. The third is not very sensitive and requires signals of significant duration, which only the magnetic contacts are able to generate. The three analyzers 17, 18 and 19 are attacked simultaneously by all of the signals from the shaping circuits: 9, 10, 11 and 12. Depending on the intensity of the disturbance acting on the aperture, none will be triggered or only the most sensitive 17, or the 17 and the 18, or finally, the 17, the 18 and the 19.

When the threshold of an analyzer is reached, this triggers a following circuit which determines the duration during which the deterrent action will take place. The three timing circuits 20, 21 and 22 follow, respectively, the analyzers 17, 18 and 19. Each is adjustable to its own time value. The 20 corresponding to light disturbances will command an action of a few seconds. The 21, corresponding to medium and strong shocks, will act for a slightly longer time. The 22 corresponding to the characterized intrusions, will determine a deterrent action of one to three minutes, this last value being the legal maximum for the functioning of a siren on the public highway.

At this point in the description of Fig. 1, the device makes it possible to sort the signals from the sensors 5, 6, 7 and 8 mounted on the openings and to trigger three distinct types of actions, of different durations.

The very sensitive channel constituted by the analyzer 17 and the timer 20, will act, in parallel on the four power circuits 23, 24, 25 and 26 connected respectively to the dissuasive devices 27, 28, 29 and 30.

The power circuits are attacked, by the timer 20, on an input releasing the available half-power. They are permanently inhibited and unlocked only under the action of the corresponding memory 13, 14 15 or 16. Thus, only the deterrent element placed near the opening which has been shaken by the vibration, will receive half power triggered by the sensitive analyzer 17.

The medium sensitivity channel formed by the analyzer 18 and the time delay 21, will act on the four power circuits; simultaneously, but this time, on an entry releasing full power. And as before, only the circuit corresponding to the disturbed opening will be inhibited by the memory which is affected. The deterrent action will be carried out under the same conditions as for the very sensitive route, but with a stronger intensity and a longer duration.

If several openings are attacked simultaneously, the deterrent means assigned to them will come into action simultaneously.

When the medium sensitivity channel is activated, the sensitive channel is, of course, at the same time. The deterrent action of the middle route covers that of the sensitive route with greater intensity and longer duration.

If the analyzer 19 is triggered by a disturbance corresponding to a characterized intrusion, it will act on the timer 22 which will activate its specific power channel 31. This will control the dissuasive device 32 which is connected to it. This could be constituted by one of the known sound, light or remote transmission devices or by a combination of several of them.

The duration of action, in the case of a siren, will be between one and three minutes, as we saw above.

The opening having undergone the intrusion will receive the deterrent alert under the conditions seen in the paragraph dealing with the medium sensitivity pathway 19 and 22.

The deterrent means 27, 28, 29 and 30 can be of different types, so they can be light, sound and in particular, it can be a voice message recorded on a magnetic medium or synthesized by an electronic circuit.

Claims (11)

1. A supervising and alarm method comprising detecting vibrations undergone by closing means of exits or openings of a premises to be supervised, assigning to said vibrations at least two levels respectively corresponding to at least two intensities of vibrations, producing in response to the higher intensity of vibrations a general alarm signal, said method being characterized in that it further comprises producing in response to vibrations corresponding at least to the lower level of intensity of vibrations for a predetermined period of time, a warning and dissuation signal exclusively intended for the person who hat caused said vibrations.

2. A supervising and alarm device comprising means (5, 6, 7, 8) for detecting vibrations undergone by closing means (1, 2, 3, 4) of exits or openings of a premises to be supervised, means (17, 18, 19) for assigning to said vibrations at least two levels respectively corresponding to at least two intensities of vibrations and means (22, 31, 32) for producing in response to the highest intensity of vibrations a general alarm signal, characterized in that it further comprises means (20, 21, 23 to 26, 27 to 30) for producing in response to vibrations corresponding at least to the lowest level of intensity and for a predetermined period of time, a warning and dissuation signal exclusively intended for the person who had caused said vibrations.

3. A device according to claim 2, characterized in that said means for detecting vibrations are detectors (5, 6, 7, 8) operative under the action of inertia each associated with a closing means (1, 2, 3, 4) of an exit and connected to analyzers (17, 18, 19) which constitute said means assigning levels to vibrations, said analyzers being connected to timing circuits (20, 21, 22) for determining the period of production of said general alarm signals and/or warning and dissuation signals as a function of the level of the detected vibrations, said timing circuits (20, 21, 22) being respectively connected to dissuation means (27, 28, 29, 30) provided for each one of said exits and to a general alarm means (32).

4. A device according to claim 3, characterized in that the openings to be supervised (1, 2, 3, 4) are provided with detectors operative under the action of inertia combined with magnetic contacts (5, 6, 7, 8) in such manner that wire loops (Bi, B₂, B₃) which interconnect them are permanently closed when the corresponding opening is closed and are fugitively opened when it is submitted to vibrations and opened in a stable manner, when the corresponding opening is opened, each loop (Bi, Bz, B₃ and B₄) comprising a distinct circuit (9, 10, 11, 12) for filtering information and for conserving those information which correspond to mechanical vibrations recorded by the detector and eliminating signals of electromagnetic or electric origin induced on the wires, said filtering circuits (9, 10, 11, 12) constituting shaping circuits for the conserved signals for the purpose of the processing thereof by logic means.

5. A device according to any one of the claims 3 and 4, characterized in that each shaping circuit (9, 10, 11, 12) is connected to a memory of specific localization (13, 14, 15, 16) which conserves the information coming from the corresponding detector, said memories (13,14,15,16) being reset cyclically so as to conserve solely the information corresponding to the signals which are in course of processing in the analyzers (17, 18,19).

6. A device according to any one of the claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the number of levels of vibrations is arranged to be three, and the analyzers are three in number (17, 18, 19), the first analyzer (17) being very sensitive, the second analyzer (18) being of medium sensitivity and the third analyzer (19) being of low sensitivity and requiring signals of long duration.

7. A device according to any one of the claims 3 to 6, characterized in that said timing circuits (20,21) for determining the periods during which said warning and dissuation signals are produced are connected to the corresponding dissuation means (27, 28, 29, 30) through power circuits (23, 24, 25, 26), the outputs of the timing circuits being connected in parallel to the corresponding inputs of said power circuits (23, 24, 25, 26) which further comprise anthorization inputs respectively connected to the outputs of said memories (13,14,15,16).

8. A device according to claim 7, characterized in that the timing circuit (20) connected to the analyzer (17) of signals corresponding to the lowest level of vibrations is connected in parallel to inputs of the power circuits (23, 24, 25, 26) adapted to bring into action one half of the power of said power circuits.

9. A device according to any one of the claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the medium sensitivity channel constituted by the analyzer (18) of signals corresponding to the medium level of vibrations and the corresponding timing circuit (21), acts on the power circuits (23, 24, 25, 26) simultaneously at an input bringing into action the full power of said power circuits.

10. A device according to any one of the claims 4 to 9, characterized in that upon a simultaneous agression of a plurality of openings there is an actuation of the corresponding dissuation means (27, 28, 29, 30) by the highest level of vibrations detected.

11. A device according to any one of the claims 4 to 10, characterized in that the actuation of the analyzer (19) of signals corresponding to the highest level of vibrations caused by a distinct intrusion, causes the actuation through the timing circuit (22) of the associated power circuit and of the alarm device (32).

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