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Optical fibre perimeter protection

Cable Network Specialists has introduced the Odet SmartSense solution suite to the South African security market, providing a scalable fibre optic perimeter intrusion detection system. The optical fibre sensor can be mounted on most fence types including walls, palisade, diamond mesh, welded mesh and electrical fencing.

The system is scalable from a single zone unit for small sized installations to hundreds of units connected with secure optical fibre cable for large installations.

The system excites an optical fibre and measures minute disturbances in the fibre, as mounted on the fencing structure. The disturbances are interpreted by the field unit using highly specialised algorithms, to detect possible intrusion events.

The Odet SmartSense system provides advanced event filtering to minimise nuisance alarms. The event filter is customisable per zone to allow for differences in disturbance types and different fence/walled media, for example, a zone on a wall and a zone on a welded mesh fence. The event processing is done in the field unit, reducing the network traffic to below 10 Kbytes per second per field unit.

Per-zone customisable disturbance filtering is employed to minimise nuisance alarms. Secure optical fibre communication between units and the control room provides tamper resistant monitoring of the system.

The field units are installed in IP65 enclosures, mounted near the fence. Different pre-engineered power supply and communication options are available in order to suite a large variety of operational/installation requirements. These solutions can be tailored for site and/or country-specific wiring code requirements.

Optical fibre communications is used between the units and to the control room. TCP/IP is used and the communications may be routed through commercial off the shelf (COTS) networking equipment. The installation architecture creates infrastructure on the perimeter fence that allows for the integration with complementing security products, such as security lighting, cameras, remote sirens, strobe lights and other I/O devices.

Odet SmartSense models

The Odet SmartSense product range is available in pre-configured options:

• Odet SmartSense-1: This is a cost-optimised single zone 19-inch rack-mounted solution, specifically tailored for the protection of small sites for example radio transmitter towers, pump stations, power pylons and cellular base stations.

• Odet SmartSense-2: This is the standard building block in the Odet product range. With the flexible optical fibre communications interface, it is possible to build both small and large security systems. This unit is optimised for the protection of farmsteads, secure housing complexes, office parks, warehouses, solar farms, factories, stock yards, airports, refineries and borders.

• Odet SmartSense-4: This is a cost-optimised, four-zone, 19-inch rack-mount solution specifically tailored for the protection of small sites where more zones are required. This is targeted at utility sub-stations, railway sub-stations, water reservoirs and telephone exchanges.

Distributed installation architecture

Photo source: Flickr Creative Commons, Groman123, (https://www.flickr.com/photos/pkirtz/16273399055/).

The system’s installation configuration options enables cost effective distributed architecture solutions. The infrastructure allows for redundancy and easy integration with other supporting technologies i.e. cameras, security lights and localised alarming devices (dependent on the supporting technology’s power requirements).

With industry standard, open system communication options, the monitoring control room can be anywhere in the world. For typical site installations, the control room can be up to 40 km from the perimeter fence, using off-the-shelf technology. Where the application requires even higher levels of redundancy and further distance in communicating to a control centre, radio, GSM or even satellite communication can be employed.

SmartWare software

The Odet SmartSense products are supported by the Odet SmartWare software application. SmartWare is a client-server based application used to configure, maintain and operate the SmartSense product line. A graphical user’s interface allows for easy set-up and configuration.

Smart Ware’s open system communication and the client-server architecture is easily integrated with other physical security information management (PSIM) systems. Alarm and event information can be distributed via SNMP, FTP, E-mail, SMS, and distributed digital outputs. Advanced filtering and event detection allows for the elimination of disturbance alarms from environmental conditions, for example wind, rain, wildlife and gates opening and closing.

The units are backed by a two year limited factory warranty.

SmartSense benefits

Security: Detecting disturbances to the fence/barrier media, provides early warning of intrusion events, enabling time to react to potential threats.

Sensitivity: The Odet SmartSense system is a highly sensitive fibre optical intrusion detection system capable of detecting the smallest disturbances to a perimeter fence/barrier. It thus provides a high probability of detection (POD), to potential threats.

Customisable filtering: With high sensitivity, the probability of nuisance alarms increases. The SmartSense system employs advanced optical, electrical and software filtering techniques/algorithms to reduce nuisance alarms. The filtering is customisable on a per-zone basis, allowing different fence media and/or disturbance types to be accommodated.

Scalability: Solutions can be built from a simple single zone solution, to hundreds of interconnected units for large perimeter deployments.

Immunity: Due to a unique fibre optical sensor, the SmartSense system is not directly affected by electromagnetic disturbances and is immune to lightning induced nuisance alarms. The optical communications employed, protects the system against lightning induced damage.

Open system: Security systems such as the Odet SmartSense never operate in a vacuum, but are normally integrated with systems such as camera surveillance and access control. The open systems architecture of the system, allows for easy integration with other security systems.

Distributed architecture: The distributed architecture decentralises the physical equipment risk. In addition, the installation provides an infrastructure platform that allows for the easy addition of other security technologies and redundancies.

Established in 1990 by the Ritchie brothers, Cable Network Specialists focuses on providing structured communication/signalling media solutions to all sectors of the South African economy. It has fully trained and certified staff, designing and servicing solutions customised to customer specifications.

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