Security Escort | Technical Reference Manual | 1.0 Security Escort
System Architecture
Bosch Security Systems | 6/12 | 38947D
The alert unit has back-up battery
power in addition to AC power. The
alert unit driver contains a
microprocessor, which communicates with
the transponder for strobe and siren
commands, status reports, and trouble
indications. The troubles monitored are
tamper, loss of AC power, and low
battery.
1.1.5 Transponder
The transponder is a device controller
for up to 64 devices; any combination
of receivers and alert units. The
devices are connected to the
transponder by means of 8 four wire
multiplex busses, two wires for power
and two wires for data. Each bus is
capable of supporting up to eight
devices. The Security Escort System
supports up to 255 transponders.
Each receiver and alert unit is
identified to its transponder by a
multiplex address that is set during
system installation using a multi-
position switch on the receiver or
alert unit circuit board. Transponders
communicate on the data bus with
individual multiplex devices by issuing
commands, which contain the receiver or
alert unit’s multiplex address. Note
that a given transponder may have up to
eight devices with the same binary
multiplex address, one on each bus.
Thus, the complete identification of a
particular device must include the
transponder with which it is associated
(1 to 255), the bus on which it is
located (0 to 7), and its binary
multiplex address (0 to 7).
When a receiver or alert unit detects a
reportable event (alarm, test, tamper,
loss of AC power, and so on) it goes
into an Off Normal state. To quickly
locate any devices which might be in
the Off Normal state, global commands
(which are interpreted simultaneously
by all of its devices) are issued by
the transponder approximately ten times
per second. These global commands are
followed by commands to specific
devices to determine the nature of the
Off Normal condition and, in the case
of an alarm or test, to obtain the
Transmitter Identification Number,
Transmitter Battery Condition, and
Received Signal Strength. This
information is used by the central
console to identify the subscriber
transmitting the alarm (test) and to
determine the subscriber’s location.
1.1.6 Central Console
The central console consists of one to
eight IBM PC compatible computers
running the Security Escort software
within the Microsoft Windows
environment. One computer serves as the
main controller for the entire Security
Escort System (the master computer) and
a second serves as an optional backup
(the slave computer). The other
computers serve as workstations for the
operators of the software. The slave
and workstation computers can be used
for administrative functions such as
adding subscribers or performing
routine system tests without
interfering with the operation of the
master computer.
In the event of an alarm from a
transmitter, the console displays the
name of the individual to whom the
transmitter is assigned, and the
location from which the transmission
was made. The location information is
shown graphically on a map of the
protected area. Other information about
the subscriber, such as address, home
address, phone number, and any
disabilities may also be shown.
Both the main computer and the backup
record all messages sent between the
central console and the transponders,
providing redundancy of records.
1.1.7 Software Overview
The central console contains all of the
operating software and all of the
databases required by the Security
Escort System. The Security Escort
System Operations Manual describes that
portion of the system software, which
affects system operators (in most
cases, the Security Department
personnel). This Technical Manual
discusses only the software functions
that are specific to installation and
maintenance of the system.
All operations on the central console
computers are password access
controlled. The Logout option on the
Main Menu bar produces a screen for
entry of the password (see Figure 1).
Passwords may have different authority
levels, assigned by installation
company personnel or the Security
Department’s key operator.