Wireless Duress System Design

Planning Guide to Assist in Selecting and Properly Designing a Wireless Alarm/Duress System

Introduction

This design guide is provided to assist in the selection and proper design of a wireless duress system. All persons involved in selecting, designing or installing such systems should be familiar with all of the concepts mentioned herein.

What is it?

A Wireless Duress system, also known as:• Panic Alarm Systems• Code White Systems• Man-Down Systems• Emergency Call Systems

Provide Staff or Residents with a wireless device to use to place an emergency call from virtually anywhere in a facility when assistance is needed.

Efficient systems allow alarms to be sent & displayed to responding staff in real-time and provide adequate information to be able to respond quickly.

Different Types of Systems

Several different brands of such systems provide similar functionality. The major criteria to consider include the ability to:– Supervise system components and report any failures or low

battery conditions– Provide notification of which wireless transmitter generated the

alarm (i.e. which person)– Provide approximate notification of the event location

(i.e. which wing in a building)– Provide detailed location information

(i.e. an exact room location)– Interface to different display systems (pagers, phones etc.)

Meeting Code Requirements

Ensure that the system you select meets all local Industry Canada and/or FCC codes as well as all CSA and/or ULC requirements.Does the system use frequencies that can interfere with other wireless devices?Does the system use >1W of transmission power (requiring an Industry Canada license)?What interference can/will the wireless system encounter from other wireless equipment?

Selecting a System

Most Important Criteria to Consider:– Survivability– Ease-of-use– Maintainability

Survivability

How long will the system operate trouble-free?– Is it a new system or has it been used & proven in

numerous local facilities for many years?– Does the system rely on a computer for

storing/logging active alarms? PC’s tend to fail after only a few years.

– Are all components supervised? Batteries, Transmitters, Receivers?

– Can the entire system continue to operate during a major power outage (this is usually when such a system is needed the most)?

Ease-of-use

Due to the nature of such systems, many wireless duress systems can generate many different event types for a single transmitter, often making the system very cumbersome to setup, use and maintain.Is the system interface simple for staff to use?Can transmitters/Receivers be added easily?Does the system provide a method of testing different system components?

Maintainability

Can transmitter batteries be changed without needing to purchase new transmitters or sending them back to the factory? Most manufacturers will void any warranty if batteries are not replaced at the factory.Will the system alert staff when any component is found defective? Many systems make this an option or programmable, making it far too easy to dismiss system troubles.Do System Receivers require individual batteries that also require replacement?

Selecting a System

Does the system offer different types of transmitters? Push-button, pendant-worn, wrist-worn, wander-protective, man-down, resettable? Be sure that you are aware of the types of transmitters that will be used and that a sufficient quantity of each type is purchased.Select transmitters that are water-proof where required.Consider the size & weight of transmitters.

The iServer Duress SystemBy QBsoft Solutions

iServer Overview

The iServer operates using hardware that runs on an proprietary commercial-grade wireless RF mesh network.All wireless transmitter positions are located by using a powerful RTLE (Real-Time Locating Engine) to triangulate the exact location, no other wireless signals are used other than RF.Many different transmitter options are available.

Mesh Network

A mesh network is a series of wireless repeaters that retransmit signals until the end receiver unit is reached.A mesh network offers:– Enhanced survivability– Simplified installation– Redundancy– Reduces cost

Any repeater can be removed or fail without compromising wireless

reception! New repeaters automatically link to all

nearby.

RF Locating

The iServer determines the location of wireless devices based on the received RF signals, this eliminates the need of adding expensive IR, LF or Ultrasonic receivers, choke-points or beacons.Bleed through floors or walls is not a problem.Repeater location is not critical* to proper operation of the positioning engine.

*Repeaters must remain at their location after setup.

RF Locating

How wireless device locations are triangulated:– A duress transmitter alarm is activated– The signal is received by 3 repeater modules (minimum)– Based on the signal strength of the signal received by each

repeater, the room/area is triangulated using a proprietary algorithm (called RTLE).

Transmitter Options

Many different transmitter options are available.– Wearable Personal Duress Transmitters:

Transmitter Options

Many different transmitter options are available.– Fixed Call-for-Assistance Devices:

Transmitter Options

Many different transmitter options are available.– Sensing Devices:

Very Simple Graphical Interface makes an iServer System easy to maintain and upkeep or upgrade.

iServer Overview

Simple Administration of Wireless Transmitters and Alert Settings, includes transmitter test ability.

iServer Overview

Detailed Reports help keep track of all assets and programming, as well as provides details on battery replacements.

iServer Overview

Simple and operator friendly Wireless Wizard application can be used virtually anywhere to provide system monitoring and administration.

iServer Overview

Getting More Information

Contact us for a free demonstration or to receive additional information:

Quick Business Software Solutions1939 144th Street, Surrey, BC, V4A 7M6

Telephone: (604) 812-SOFT (7638)Email: sales@qbsoft.ca

Web: http://www.qbsoft.ca Twitter: www.twitter.com/QBsoftLinkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/qbsoft-solutionsRSS feed: http://twitter.com/statuses/user_timeline/259106405.rss