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SMS from your gate

Taking intruder detection to a cellular level.

Using infrared beams in conjunction with gate openers has become a staple of home automation. In fact, many installers refuse to automate gates without also quoting to fit safety beams. They are easy to install, relatively inexpensive and they are completely effective against crushing; for this very reason many countries in Europe require by law that both opening and closing beams are fitted to automatic gates.

But what about the ever-present security issue? Seeing as beams are so paramount in ensuring safety, could they not also be used as a security stalwart? Up until now, beams could only be interfaced with buzzers or alarms, which were effective in their own right, but relied upon someone actually being within hearing distance of the output. Should you be temporarily out of the house or live in a remote area with no close neighbours, you may very well find yourself burgled in spite of the beam/alarm combination.

The Centurion D-series controllers have two features for turning your beams into electronic guard dogs, namely the Break-in Alarm and the Ambush Alarm. The Break-in Alarm will sound a 4 kHz tone whenever the beams are interrupted and will continue sounding for 30 seconds after the beams have been cleared. This is extremely useful since it allows immediate intruder detection and is a deterrent to loiterers.

The Ambush Alarm, on the other hand, works its magic by activating an alarm if either the opening or closing beams have been interrupted for a predefined time. The modus operandi of many burglars and hijackers is to cover the beams using, for example, insulation tape, paint or varnish and through these means keeping the gate in the open position and gaining access to your property. By invoking the Ambush Alarm function on your D-series operator, a 4 kHz tone will warn you if an evildoer is blocking your beams or if your beams are in any way being tampered with. But this functionality, although key to effective intruder detection, still depends upon someone being within earshot of the alarm, right?

With the G-Switch-22, built on GSM technology connected to a D-series controller with the Break-in and Ambush alarms enabled, an SMS will be sent to up to 300 pre-assigned numbers when the beams are interrupted or remain interrupted. In addition to this, the Web interface – known as G-Web – will allow you to keep detailed logs of any transactions on the G-Switch-22. The G-Web also makes programming the unit convenient as you can do it all offsite.

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