Guide To The Maxxpak System

Transcript

Doc - 6001055 Rev - 3220 GUIDE TO THE SENTEX MAXXPAK  SYSTEM IMPORTANT NOTE: The "GUIDE TO THE MaxxPak SYSTEM" may be revised from time to time. Make sure you are using the most recent version so that you do not overlook any of the MaxxPak System's capabilities when putting together a system specification. CHATSWORTH, CALIFORNIA 1 WHAT IS A MaxxPak SYSTEM? The MaxxPak system is one of the most powerful access control systems ever designed for the ministorage industry. Yet its user-friendly design also makes it one of the easiest to use. This section gives you an overview of how the system operates before you enter into a detailed discussion of the decisions you must make in bidding a MaxxPak system for a specific application. There are two basic models of the MaxxPak system which can combine a wide variety of access control functions in one set of electronics. MaxxPak 1 systems allow code or card entry and exit by renters and/or authorized personnel while providing you with extensive control of your facility. The system's electronics come in a plain NEMA-type enclosure (suitable for installation in an environmentally controlled area) and communicates with remote keypads/card readers. MaxxPak 2 systems contain all the features of MaxxPak 1 systems, but they also provide direct telephone communications between the entry gate and the manager's office (whether it be on-site or remotely located) and the ability to activate the entry gate from this location. The Maxxpak 2 system electronics are housed in a weather and vandal resistant housing and are mounted at the point of access to the facility. Or, instead of purchasing a complete package, you may assemble a system that is configured to meet your specific needs by purchasing components individually. Each MaxxPak system can carry out the functions discussed below: 1. SETTING UP THE FACILITY: An integral part of the MaxxPak system is the manager setting up his facility in the MaxxPak system's memory. The first step is to establish unit types (up to 64 different types are allowed), including a 12 character description and the monthly rent for this type of unit. The unit types are then assigned to each individual rental unit when it is set up so that available and rented units by type may be assessed on an on-going basis. The second step in setting up the facility is to enter all of the individual units that are in the facility, assigning each a unit number (containing up to 6 numbers or letters) and one of the unit types that have been established. Rental units may be individually entered or may be entered in groups that have consecutive numbering and are the same type of unit. Once set up, the units are ready to be rented. When a unit is rented, the manager enters the renter's name, his entry code or card number (see points 2 and 3 below), and the time zone during which the renter is to be automatically marked delinquent by the system. The manager can also disable this automatic delinquency function if desired. See point 5 for a discussion of automatic and manual delinquency control. The final piece of information entered is how the renter heard about the facility. 2. ACCESS CONTROL USING ENTRY CODES: The MaxxPak system can be used to provide control of entry and exit through one or two gates/doors. This can be accomplished by giving each renter and/or authorized personnel a unique 4- to 7- digit entry code which may be validated or invalidated individually. Each person enters his code at one of the system's keypads. If the code is valid and the renter is not delinquent (see point 5), the system will activate a relay and open the gate at which the code is used. A record of this entry is then sent to the system's RS 232 serial port (which can be hooked to a printer or terminal for real time recording of activity) and is also stored in a "transaction" memory that retains the most recent 1200 events (you may increase this to 6000 as an option). This transaction memory can be reviewed later to find out who gained access to the facility recently. All transaction records include the time and date (taken from the system's 365 day clock/calendar), as well as the source of the activity, the name of the person involved, the person's unit number, and the action taken by the system. 2 Further control of the facility is provided by two standard features. Seven user-definable "time zones" can be used to restrict the times during which a given code is allowed entry (there is one unrestricted zone for entry at any time). There is also an "anti-passback" feature which greatly reduces the possibility of a code being used by more one person. Anti-passback requires that a code must be used to exit before it can be used to enter again. 3. ACCESS CONTROL USING CARDS: The MaxxPak system can also be used to provide card access control. Each renter and/or authorized personnel is given a uniquely coded card instead of an entry code (discussed in point 2 above) in terms of validity, delinquency, time zone restrictions, and anti-passback. The MaxxPak system is compatible with Weigand, Barium Ferrite, and Proximity card technologies. Although mini-storage facilities have traditionally used entry codes instead of cards, there are two very important reasons why the use of cards should be given careful consideration. First, cards are more secure than entry codes. Only the person in possession of a card can actually use it and cards are almost impossible to duplicate. Conversely, codes can be passed to friends and relatives by word of mouth, making it easy for unauthorized people to gain access to the facility. Codes may also be guessed or overseen by unauthorized people. Thus, unauthorized entry is greatly reduced by using cards. The second reason to consider cards is that they are actually less expensive than entry codes. Although using cards will increase the initial cost of the system, this can be offset by requiring security deposits (typically of up to $20-$30) when a card is issued to a renter. This money can be used to pay for the system directly or it can be put back in a bank account and earn interest. Deposits will be returned when the renters move out, of course, but a new security deposit will be collected for the card when a new renter moves in. 4. TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS/VISITOR ENTRY (MaxxPak 2 systems only): The MaxxPak 2 system allows telephone communication between the main entry gate/door and the office (regardless of whether it is on-site or off-site). The facility manager enters the telephone number that he wants the system to dial when a request is made by a potential or current renter. (The system display will instruct the user to "PRESS # TO REACH MANAGER".) When the "#" button is pressed, the system will automatically dial the preprogrammed number. The call is placed over existing tone phone lines (or a device known as a TelTone can be used to provide communication without the use of a telephone line). When the call is answered, the manager can dial a "9" to open the entry gate/door or "5" to open a second gate/door (only a tone dial telephone may be used). The manager can also dial an "Σ" to hang-up the system without allowing entry or "#" at anytime during the conversation to reset the "call-timer" and prolong the conversation. When the gate/door is opened, the display will show "Access Granted - Please Enter Now" and a short tone will be emitted. All telephone requests are recorded on the printer (if one is hooked up) and are stored in the "transaction buffer" memory (discussed in point 2). The manager can initiate voice communication with the system by calling the number of the line to which is connected and dialing a "#". 3 5. DELINQUENCY CONTROL: As noted in point 1 above, the system will support both automatic and manual delinquency control. If automatic delinquency is enabled at the time a specific unit is rented, the renter will automatically be marked delinquent at 12:00 a.m. on the "next past due date" (and will be denied entry into the facility thereafter) - unless his rent payment is received before that date. When the rent payment is received, the manager enters it in the system and sets a new "next past due date" that includes any grace period allowed. Manual delinquency control requires the manager to manually initiate any change in payment status. Besides "paid-up" and "delinquentdeny entry", the manager may also mark a renter as "delinquent-allow entry" under manual delinquency control. Any time that a delinquent renter of any type tries to gain entry to the facility, the MaxxPak system will cause the terminal to beep twice so the manager knows that a delinquent renter is at the site. If you install a MaxxPak 2 system, an entry attempt by a "delinquent-deny entry" renter will cause the system to place a telephone call to a preprogrammed number so that immediate voice communication can be established with that renter. 6. MANAGEMENT REPORTING: The MaxxPak can provide management with reports that will help significantly in the management and control of the facility. One automatic report, the "END OF THE DAY REPORT", is generated every day at midnight. This report shows the daily, week-to-date, and month-to-date traffic counts and rent collections, as well as a tabulation of how new renters during the current month have heard about the facility. This report also lists all units made delinquent on that day by the automatic delinquency function. The traffic, rent, and renter source statistics are also available at any time through the programming mode of the system. Other reports that are available at any time through the system's programming mode are shown below: A) summary statistics on each unit type (including total number set-up, rented, and vacant, and the total percentage of those that are rented and vacant). B) a listing of all units in the system and their current status. C) a listing of all delinquent renters/units. D) a listing of all vacant units by unit type. E) a listing of all rented units by unit type. F) a listing of all renters who are currently on the premises. G) a listing of the event records that are stored in the transaction memory. 7. TIMED OPENING AND CLOSING OF GATES: The MaxxPak system has a 365 day clock and calendar as a standard feature. The system can use this clock to automatically open and close any controlled entry once per day at a user-specified time. The system also accommodates a schedule of 16 holidays during which these timed schedules will not operate unless specified by the manager. For example, if the gates to the facility are to be open during normal business hours, the holiday schedule makes sure the gates do not get opened on New Year's Day, if it falls on a weekday. All timed activity is reported to the RS 232 serial port (printer is optional) and is stored in the transaction memory. 8. DIRECT OPERATOR CONTROL OF DOORS/GATES: The MaxxPak system allows direct control of the secured doors/gates by the system operator. The operator can latch either entry open indefinitely or open them only for a specified period of time (up to 99 seconds). 9. FREE EXIT: The Infinity system has the capability of allowing "free exit" through either controlled entry to make sure that someone who entered the facility properly does not cause the system to think that the door/gate is being forced open when they leave. 4 10. GATE/DOOR STATUS MONITORING: The MaxxPak system can monitor the status of either gate/door controlled by the system. If the required sensors are installed, the system will respond if a controlled door is held open for more than 60 seconds longer than the period the system is programmed to keep it unlocked or if a controlled gate/door is forced opened without being activated by the system. If either of these two conditions occurs, the system can be programmed to respond in either or both of the following ways: A) place a call to a preprogrammed telephone number and inform the recipient that a problem is occurring (this is done by modem output, synthesized voice, or beeping depending upon the options which the system has been equipped). B) close a relay to turn on a light, activate a siren, or inform an alarm monitoring station of the problem. The system will also undertake these actions if someone enters too many incorrect entry codes consecutively in a 3 minute period or if a delinquent renter attempts to gain entry. All "alarm" conditions are recorded on the printer and are also stored in the transaction memory (discussed in point 2) which can be accessed at any time if necessary. 5 OPTIONS YOU MUST CONSIDER IN SPECIFYING A MaxxPak SYSTEM The MaxxPak system provides you with the ability to tailor an access control system to meet your specific needs very effectively and inexpensively. This flexibility results from a number of options that you must consider when putting together a system specification, as discussed below. 1. TRANSACTION ANALYSIS PROGRAM (TAP): TAP allows any computer that is compatible with an IBM PC/XT/AT to be used as a terminal to communicate with a local MaxxPak system via a direct connection to the system's RS 232 serial port and/or to communicate via modem with MaxxPak systems at remote locations. Once the communication link has been established, TAP lets you perform 5 tasks: (1) Program the system, including entering and deleting renters and printing reports, (2) Copy the system's memory onto a floppy or hard disk so that if something serious should happen to the MaxxPak system (e.g., vandalism, lightning) or if a serious mistake is made in programming, the system can be reloaded, (3) Reload the system's memory using one of the two most recent copies of the memory that have been stored on disk (TAP gives you a choice of which back-up to use so that if a back-up is made of memory that is subsequently determined to be incorrect, you may use the previous back-up), (4) Retrieve the most recent transactions onto a floppy or hard disk so that they may be analyzed and/or printed out at a later date, (5) Analyze and/or print out transactions using the data retrieved from a system and stored on disk. You can get a complete listing of all transactions or have the system and stored on disk. You can get a complete listing of all transactions or have the system list only those transactions that meet a certain set of criteria. TAP allows you to sort the transactions based on time and date, the person's name, their card/entry/directory code, the source or location of the activity, and the action taken by the system and the reason it was taken. TAP will be an attractive tool for anyone who wishes to do programming and monitoring of one or multiple sites from a remote location. 2. SENTERM: Senterm allows any computer that is compatible with an IBM PC/XT/AT to be used as a terminal to communicate with a local MaxxPak system via a direct connection to the system's RS 232 serial port and/or to communicate via modem with MaxxPak systems at remote locations. Senterm lets you program at 300, 1200, 2400, or 4800 baud (user selectable) depending on the communications mode and the speed of the modems you are using. Unlike TAP discussed in point 1 above, Senterm is designed for programming purposes only. 3. EXPANDED TRANSACTION MEMORY: All MaxxPak systems have a standard transaction memory that stores the most recent 1200 activity records generated by the system. For installations in which there will be a very high level of activity or where the system must be able to retain transactions for an extended period, there is an option available that will expand the memory to hold 6000 transactions. Please note that it will take about 1 hour 50 minutes to retrieve these transactions using the MaxxPak system's optional built-in modem and almost 30 minutes using a 1200 baud modem. You may, of course, review the transactions any time using the system's local printout/display capability without disabling the system in any way. 6 4. REQUEST FOR ACCESS/DOOR POSITION SENSING INPUTS: Each of the gates/doors that can be controlled by the MaxxPak system has dedicated request for access and door position sensing inputs. The request for access inputs will cause the system to activate the appropriate control relay for the specified period when a contact closure is received (for example, from a manager override button). The gate/door position sensing inputs have several functions: (1) to deactivate the relay when a contact closure is sensed, if the contact closure is received after the relay is activated and before the relay activation time is completed, (2) to set off the appropriate alarm response, if the contact is still closed 60 seconds after the relay activation time has expired, and (3) to set off the appropriate alarm response, if a contact closure is sensed at a time when the system has not authorized access through that gate/door. The door position sensing functions require that a switch be mounted in the door frame or gate so that a contact closure is created when the door or gate is opened. All inputs are connected to the system using 18 to 22 awg shielded cable. 5. KEYPADS: A basic decision must be made whether to use cards or codes. If codes are to be used, keypads must be connected to the MaxxPak system using 22 or 24 awg, braid shielded cable. You will need 7 conductors for the keypad, 2 conductors for the LED, and 2 conductors for the light. Maximum distance from the controller to the keypads is 800 feet. The basic MaxxPak systems will allow you to connect two keypads that will control two separate gates (either separate entries into the facility or separate entry and exit gates) or control one gate that services both entry and exit. There is, however, an option that will allow you to connect four keypads to control both entry and exit through two gates. The additional keypads require the shielded cable described above and must be within 800 feet of the controller. 6. TYPE OF CARD AND CARD READER: If you decide to use cards, the decision of which card and reader technology to use is more complicated. You have 3 basic choices: (1) Proximity cards and readers are the most convenient of the technologies because the card simply needs to be passed within 6 to 8 inches of the reader to be read. This also reduces lost cards since most cards are left in wallets or purses at all times and are not left out where they can be stolen or lost. However, this is also the most expensive of the technologies. (2) Wiegand cards and readers are moderately priced while being reasonably convenient to use and very weather and vandal resistant. There are three different types of reader heads and two different types of cards from which to choose. The key reader and keys are especially good where space is limited or appearance is critical. (3) Barium Ferrite cards and readers are inexpensive and particularly well designed for drive-up applications (although they also work well in walk-up applications). The Wiegand and Barium Ferrite reader heads are powered by the MaxxPak system. Proximity readers will generally require a separate 12 VDC power supply that will service both readers. Each of the three readers requires a 5 conductor, 20 awg or thicker, braid shielded cable. Maximum distance from the Maxxpak system to the reader head is 500 feet in most cases. Maximum readers per system is two. There is no option to allow connection of four readers as there is with keypads. 7. SURFACE OR FLUSH MOUNTING: The Telephone Communication Module with Built-in Controller is designed for surface mounting as a standard procedure. However, there is a flush mounting kit available that will allow the system to be recessed into a wall so that only the faceplate extends past the wall surface. There is also a flush mount bezel available for remotely located keypads (this mounts to any standard "2 gang" electrical box). 7 8. PROGRAMMING THE SYSTEM: There are 3 different ways that a MaxxPak system can be programmed and deciding which of these programming methods will be used is important in putting together any MaxxPak system bid since it can affect the cost of the system and the ease of use. A. TERMINAL CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO RS 232 SERIAL PORT: This is the standard method for programming and a terminal is provided as part of all MaxxPak 1, 1X, 2, and 2X systems. It is extremely convenient since the terminal is generally located in the management office. Wiring requires only a three conductor cable. If you are putting together a separate package, cost is dependent upon what equipment is already in the management office. The terminal function can be performed by three types of devices: (1) A video display terminal is provided with the MaxxPak 1X and 2X packages. This type of terminal's primary functions is to transmit entries made on the computer-style keyboard and display what is sent back by the MaxxPak system. It has a CRT screen and can communicate at high speeds, so programming is quick and easy to follow. The video display terminal provided by Sentex has a serial port so that all transaction records and reports can also be printed. Any video display terminal used must be compatible with the Televideo 910+ terminal. (2) A printing terminal is provided with the MaxxPak 1 and 2 packages. It has a built-in printer (rather than a video screen) that will log all transactions as well as printing all programming prompts and responses. However, the printer is relatively slow and the printed output is harder to read than a CRT screen. Thus, programming is slower and somewhat more difficult to follow than with a video display terminal. (3) A personal computer using "terminal emulation" software is potentially the lease expensive and most convenient of the three choices if there is already a computer in the management office. This terminal emulation is a standard feature of the Transaction Analysis Program or Senterm discussed in points 1 and 2. B. TERMINAL CONNECTED VIA MODEM: This capability allows the system to be programmed from a remote location over the telephone line. The terminal function at the remote location can be performed by any of the three devices described in point A above. If you are using a personal computer, you will need communications software to utilize the modem. This is a standard feature of the Transaction Analysis Program or Senterm discussed in points 1 and 2. The modem used at the remote location must be "Hayes-compatible" and must be baud rate compatible with the modem used at the MaxxPak system location. The MaxxPak system modem can either be the built-in 300 baud modem option or a separate modem connected to the system's RS 232 serial port (using a 3 conductor cable). In the latter case, the modem speed can be set at any of the MaxxPak system's four selectable baud rates (300, 1200, 2400, or 4800). C. TONE DIAL TELEPHONE: The ability to support remote programming via tone dialing telephone is an option that can be ordered with any MaxxPak system. It allows the programmer to handle most data entry and deletion tasks without having any extra equipment at the remote location (data/transaction retrieval is not possible). Since the programmer will have no visual feedback available at the remote site, this option also includes synthesized voice responses and prompts. For example, when the system answers the call from the remote location, it responds by saying "HELLO", indicating it is ready for the programming access code to be entered. Each letter or number entered is echoed back to the programmer. This option is ideal for applications where programming changes are not frequent and where data retrieval is not necessary. However, where there will be a high level of change, this option will be less convenient.