Realize security integration based on access control system

At present, in the integration platform of security systems, access control-based integration and video-based integration are widely used. This article will mainly introduce the demand for access control-based integration, system composition, main functions, and future challenges for readers' reference.

For a comprehensive security system, access control, monitoring, alarm, and electronic patrol system are all very important. The TV monitoring system transmits the on-site video images to the management center for processing and recording, ensuring the rapid and intuitive handling of on-site events; the access control system changes passive prevention into active prevention through the authorization management of the channel, and also increases the convenience of channel management; the alarm system is an indispensable subsystem, which forms a three-dimensional protection space through various alarm detectors; the patrol system enhances the efficiency of human defense and ensures that security personnel must patrol at regular times and fixed points.

However, each subsystem in the traditional integrated security system exists and operates independently, and there is no necessary connection between them. With the continuous improvement of security technology and people's demand for centralized and unified management, it is urgent to use a centralized unified management platform to centrally control and monitor each subsystem, that is, "using the changes in information generated by each subsystem to make corresponding coordinated actions, which also means that information can pass through and cross different subsystems to achieve information exchange, extraction, sharing and processing." said Zhang Hui, senior product marketing manager of access control and integrated security systems in Bosch Security China.

Therefore, we define the integration based on the access control system as the process of using the access control function module to complete the information interaction with other subsystems.

System composition: front-end controller + management platform

It is understood that this comprehensive security integration system based on the access control system mainly includes two parts: the front-end controller and the management platform.

The front-end controller realizes the access and control of access control, alarm, and electronic patrol equipment. According to Lu Tianyi, Lenel's North Asia Sales Director, these devices include access control card readers, electric locks, exit switches, door magnets, attendance card readers for attendance systems, card readers for parking systems, infrared detectors, vibration or sound detectors, perimeter beam detectors for alarm systems, patrol card readers for patrol systems, patrol buttons, etc. It can be seen that such a management platform includes subsystems related to access control, alarm, electronic patrol, attendance, parking management, etc. of the comprehensive security system.

The management platform provides management for these control devices. Since all front-end controllers are intelligent, the management software mainly sets the work content of the controllers and collects various record information of the controllers, and processes and controls various events accordingly. "For example, real-time reflection of the card reading status of the access control cardholder, reflection of the alarm event on the electronic map, and visual reflection of the patrol status of the security personnel, etc., all these tasks are completed by a set of management software." said Zhang Hui, senior product marketing manager of Bosch access control and integrated security systems.

Regarding the TV monitoring and consumption systems, an engineer from the technical department of Shenzhen Tianyinglong Technology Co., Ltd. said that as long as the two subsystems have common data and equipment interfaces on the market, such as the matrix switcher of the TV monitoring system has the function of accepting external commands through the serial port, the DVR has remote control management and image regulation functions, the database of the consumption system can support the import or synchronization of external personnel data, and the hardware products of the consumption system can be compatible with the card reading technology of the one-card system, integrated security management can also be achieved.

Focus on alarm and event information management

From the interview, I learned that this integration method based on the access control system is that the main functions served by the overall system tend to be access control and entrance and exit management. "When an event occurs, the alarm front-end system must first detect the target. When the alarm information is transmitted back to the management center, it can be viewed in real time on the scene by calling the video image. However, in this series of reactions, the alarm system is only an early warning mechanism, and the video system realizes viewing and verification. Only the access control system can truly realize the control of the on-site situation." said Zhang Hui, senior product marketing manager of Bosch access control and integrated security systems.

Of course, once an event occurs, all alarm events of the system (access control, alarm, patrol, etc.) can be linked to the hard disk recording system and matrix controller of the TV monitoring system to make corresponding responses. "For example, when a door in the access control system is illegally opened, the integrated system will control the matrix controller of the TV monitoring system to switch the camera image corresponding to this door to the main screen of the TV monitoring system display and the management platform of the integrated system, and start the hard disk recorder to record at the same time. If the camera has a pan/tilt, it can also be controlled on the management platform to rotate the pan/tilt to the preset position set." said Yang Deyun, general manager of Shenzhen Indigo Digital Co., Ltd.

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At the same time, the system also has the function of triggering the execution of script programs by alarm events, so that some alarm events can be associated with the control of DVR according to user needs. For example, when a certain alarm event begins, the DVR will be triggered to start recording and execute the remote control program of the DVR. The recording information can also be queried and retrieved as required.

In addition, the on-site recording can be viewed through the alarm event record of the access control system. The system's matrix control module can also directly control the decoder of the selected camera, and usually has built-in control protocols for matrix controllers such as PELCO, PHILIPS, PANASONIC, etc., to achieve control of matrices of other brands.

Integration with other software

For security system integration, it is not only necessary to achieve integration between various hardware, but also to integrate with other software (such as: fire alarm, building automation, information release, elevator control, consumer system, daily management, etc.). Its integrability depends on the degree of protocol openness of various hardware devices, that is, whether these hardware devices provide interfaces and protocols.

Only when the hardware provides a unified interface (SDK or API function) can the software manage and control the hardware uniformly through the interface and keep track of the hardware's working status at all times. Of course, the software should also provide linkage strategies and contingency plans. "At the same time, the system's software integration should also support hierarchical management. For example, the software integration in the rail transit system includes software integration at the operation management center and software integration at the station level," said Dong Haoqing, product manager of Shanghai Bell Alcatel Co., Ltd.

However, different hardware provides different interfaces, which requires us to modularize the software. We use one module to manage each hardware. "Because different projects use different front-end devices, it is impossible to develop or purchase a set of software for each project." Zhang Hui, senior product marketing manager of Bosch access control and integrated security systems, said: "Just like WINDOWS is an operating system platform software, no matter what the hardware configuration of your PC is, you can install and use it, because different hardware has corresponding drivers for WINDOWS. If you change an accessory, you only need to reinstall the corresponding driver. Therefore, security integration software will gradually realize 'platform' and 'module'."

According to an engineer from the technical department of Shenzhen Tianyinglong Technology Co., Ltd., the interface provided by the hardware should be able to provide functions such as status access, device operation, and system configuration, and various hardware should be managed uniformly through the TCP/IP protocol and the hardware functions should be implemented to achieve system integration. However, in the current Chinese security market, many manufacturers are unwilling to disclose the protocols of their products in order to ensure their market share, so the compatibility between products of different brands is poor and the integration is still relatively low.

At the same time, Lu Tianyi, Lenel's North Asia sales director, also said that if there is a relatively unified standard for the production of system integration management software, it will bring great convenience to the work of software vendors and will also promote the development of the system integration industry.

Understand end-user needs and improve technical level

In addition to understanding the key technologies of integration, integrators and engineers also need to truly understand the actual needs of end users.

At present, many end users are blindly pursuing more and more integrated functions, but lack understanding of system integration, which often leads to waste of system functions. "For example, many building developers pay too much attention to the appearance and price of the system, often only pay attention to local effects, and do not consider whether the whole system is reasonable. It can be said that they often ignore technology for economic benefits. In addition, some developers think that a brand is a good project, and some users do not consider their actual needs at all, blindly pursue powerful and complex system functions, and think that the larger the system, the better. In fact, such integrated systems are often put aside during use because they are either impractical, do not know how to use them, or have too complex functions." Yang Deyun, general manager of Indigo, gave an example.

Therefore, for end users, when planning the system, they should first understand their actual needs and the effect that the system integration is going to achieve. "For example, which subsystems need to be integrated into the project? If it is an access control system, what level should be achieved after integration, how to link with other systems (alarm system, access control system), etc., all these need to be communicated with the engineering company or integrator to avoid deviations between their needs and the effect after integration." said Lu Tianyi, Sales Director of Lenel North Asia.

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In addition, according to industry insiders, the demand in China's security integration market is currently experiencing a period of turmoil. Since many system integrators are transformed from engineering companies or network operators, the technical levels of various integrators are also uneven. Most of the construction parties of system integration do not have their own technical strength, and are not good at the overall planning and potential functions of the system. They cannot optimize the system and are limited to installation and debugging. Some integrators, in order to expand their business, completely cater to some unreasonable demands of customers, which makes "system integration" seriously distorted or misunderstood.

Therefore, whether it is security manufacturers, system integrators, or engineers involved in system integration projects, they all need to continuously strengthen their understanding and knowledge of system integration and improve the technical level of integration in order to select more suitable platforms for customers and achieve the results that customers expect.

Outlook

With the increase of security needs, the definition of security systems is also gradually developing. Single access control and alarm can no longer meet the needs of modern security management and control. The addition of subsystems such as CCTV, patrol, parking management, consumption, attendance, elevators, etc. has gradually improved the security system. However, the increase of subsystems also means the increase of management platform, and the complexity of management will also increase, which may weaken the ability of security system. Therefore, the best way to solve this problem is to integrate these systems reasonably and scientifically into a unified platform.

As mentioned above, access control and alarm are already a mature system. All integrations are usually developed based on the integrated management platform of access control and alarm. The same card reader can be used to collect data for patrol and parking attendance, thus achieving data unification. However, due to the sensitivity of consumption systems to money, they usually use a separate database.

Of course, the CCTV system is also a mature system. Due to the differences in its data and other systems and the different requirements for the management platform, its integration is usually a linkage integration, which not only ensures the independence of the system, but also ensures that the entire security system is interconnected, thereby giving full play to the functions of each subsystem.