Alarm Communication Systems & Signal Transmission Flashcards
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Read the first 7 Alarm Communication Systems & Signal Transmission flashcards as text
What does 'polling' mean in the context of alarm system communication?
Answer: Periodic check-in signals used to verify the communication path is active
Polling involves the central station or receiver periodically sending a signal to the alarm panel communicator to confirm the path is active and the system is functioning.
What is the purpose of an 'account number' programmed into an alarm communicator?
Answer: To uniquely identify the specific alarm system at the central station
The account number is a unique identifier so the central station receiver knows exactly which customer's system is reporting an event when a signal is received.
What does SIA stand for in the context of alarm industry communication standards?
Answer: Security Industry Association
SIA stands for Security Industry Association, the trade organization that develops alarm industry standards including communication protocols such as SIA DC-09.
In alarm communications, what is a 'handshake'?
Answer: The exchange of tones between communicator and receiver to establish a connection
A handshake is the initial exchange of tones or signals between the alarm communicator and the central station receiver that establishes a valid communication session before event data is sent.
What is a supervisory signal in alarm system communication?
Answer: A signal indicating a trouble or monitoring condition, distinct from an alarm
A supervisory signal reports a trouble or monitoring condition such as low battery or AC power loss that requires attention but is not an actual alarm activation.
What advantage does cellular communication provide over traditional PSTN for alarm signal transmission?
Answer: It cannot be defeated by cutting the telephone line
Cellular communicators transmit over wireless carrier networks, making them immune to telephone line cuts that would completely disable a PSTN-only alarm communicator.
Which signal format uses DTMF tones transmitted over a telephone line to send alarm event codes to the central station?
Answer: Contact ID
Contact ID transmits alarm event data as a series of DTMF (dual-tone multi-frequency) tones sent by the communicator over the telephone line to the central station receiver.