November 27, 2012 at 12:15

Constructor "Video control"

    A couple of weeks ago, a series of practical tests ended, during which we tested a set of a wireless camera and various sensors for it. Actually, it was not even us who experienced it, but several private security companies that were happy to receive a new toy.

    In general, attempts to create a wireless camera that sends data thanks to a SIM card have been made for quite some time. A few years ago, the first solutions appeared that could be proud of the metal case, the dimensions of the half-brick and the Nokia battery on the good old Soviet bolts. They had to be programmed by sending SMS messages to the SIM card inside, and they, in turn, gave the picture in response to an incoming message or simply by timer. Even these “dinosaurs” were already convenient for some objects, but things did not go beyond a series of experiments.

    There were several problems:
    1. The then widespread 2G coverage imposed restrictions on use: the cellular infrastructure was simply not ready to support such devices.
    2. There were no special rates for such cameras: operation was quite expensive.
    3. Management was difficult: you had to be an engineer in order to properly configure or reconfigure everything.
    4. Because of the same difficulty with programming via SMS commands, setting up hundreds of cameras or reconfiguring them to another mode turned into natural hell.
    5. The camera did not work with external sensors, which greatly limited its capabilities in practice.


    We tried to figure out what hinders implementation most of all and did this:
    1. We assembled a normal, intuitive, control center: to configure the camera, just go to your personal account and click the necessary options. It is very simple and does not even require reading instructions.
    2. Created profiles for cameras: now you can roll one profile on hundreds of devices in two clicks.
    3. Let me remind you that at about the same time, the standard scheme for building the security system of a remote object was a star made of sensors, “tied” to a block that could process their data and send an alarm in which case through a radio channel or wire. So, the camera still contained a module for data transfer - therefore, at the same time, we “stuck” the lightweight functions of this unit into it, sufficient for standard use.
    4. They added a microphone to the camera so that you could call her and listen to the situation.


    As a result, we got such a designer from finished parts:
    • A camera that can be placed on a horizontal surface or mounted on a vertical.
    • Motion sensor (volumetric sensor).
    • Magnetic door opener.
    • Radio alert button.
    • Smoke sensor
    • Wireless siren.


    You can connect any combination of sensors to the camera (including from different from other companies and just assembled by security company engineers) up to 15 pieces. The camera can handle events differently: for example, turn on the siren to trigger the door open sensor, and send a photo to you; send SMS about smoke; to photograph the movement in the room and put it in the archive; just shoot by timer and so on.



    Channels - SMS, MMS, e-mail, direct voice communication (listening to the built-in microphone). Pictures - JPEG up to 640x480, there is infrared illumination for darkened conditions. The camera works up to 24 hours on battery power (depending on activity) and charges via mini-USB.

    Management via SMS has been saved (sometimes it is necessary to urgently do something), but you don’t need to use it at all - you can make all the settings in your account and view the archive of camera images and the event log at the same time. There you can add additional users who can watch the camera logs.

    Practice


    We showed the final complex to private security companies and proposed to run it in practice. As a result, most of those who took the complex for testing agreed that it was not worth using it instead of a full-fledged security system (GSM jammers have not been canceled yet), but the option is quite suitable for monitoring .


    Interface


    Frame from our office


    Sensors and prices

    We know about the following cases in test operation:
    • A camera with sensors was used to control access to the room and filmed all the traffic there at night: the owner was looking for employees who “rummaged” around the warehouse at night.
    • The camera was put in the car so that the owner could at any time receive an MMS with a windshield photograph on his phone and make sure that everything is in order.
    • The solution was installed in the nursery so that you could take a picture of the child and listen to what was happening.
    • Suddenly, camera owners became interested in cameras, who needed to see the situation on the trading floor every 10 minutes, or to get information about which customers and how often enter the store at night.
    • The cameras were tested on a network of gas stations to monitor the situation.
    • Fleets liked the solution because they can observe the density of passengers in the cabin and get statistics on time.
    • On remote objects, cameras are installed with various sensors and are used more as a transmitting unit with different features.


    At the moment, there is very great interest on the part of the private security companies regarding the solution: there is no talk of mass purchases, but many take 1-2 sets to study the solution. It is important that the camera plus sensors is not a security system, but a means of monitoring and informing, which effectively and economically closes part of the tasks of private security companies.
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