EXTERNAL ALARM TRANSMISSION MEDIA EVALUATION - FINAL REPORT

• NCJ Number: 26737
• Author(s): S SCALA; G C BYRNE; T KOVATTANA; D LOHR; F A SCHOOLEY
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 121 pages
• Contract Number(s): J-LEAA-025-73
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; Aerospace Corporation
• Corporate Author: Stanford Research Institute
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE PRINCIPAL TRANSMISSION MEDIA CONSIDERED WERE CROSS SUITABLE THROUGH THE 1980'S FOR TRANSMISSION OF ALARM SIGNALS, PARTICULARLY AS APPLIED TO FUTURE LOW-COST RESIDENTIAL OR SMALL BUSINESS BURGLAR ALARMS.

Abstract

THE PRINCIPAL TRANSMISSION MEDIA CONSIDERED WERE CROSSTOWN POWER LINES, TELEPHONE, CABLE TELEVISION, AND RADIO. A MAJOR PART OF THE STUDY CONSISTED OF GATHERING DATA FROM RELEVANT SOURCES. THE EVALUATION PARAMETERS INCLUDED COST, AVAILABILITY, RELIABILITY, AND REGULATORY AND POLICY CONSTRAINTS. THE RESULTS INDICATE THAT TELEPHONE CIRCUITS USING MULTIPORT BRIDGES AND CABLE TELEVISION (CATV), IF AVAILABLE, MAY REPRESENT OPTIMUM SOLUTIONS FOR THE COMMERCIAL GRADE OF ALARM SERVICE; TELEPHONE AUTO DIALERS AND CATV REPRESENT THE LOW-COST SOLUTIONS. CURRENTLY AVAILABLE RADIO SYSTEMS WERE FOUND TO BE TOO COSTLY; SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF EQUIPMENT COSTS AND IMPROVEMENTS IN RELIABILITY ARE NECESSARY TO MAKE RADIO COST COMPETITIVE WITH TELEPHONE OR CATV MEDIA. CROSS-TOWN POWER LINES ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE OR DESIRABLE FOR ALARM SIGNALING BECAUSE OF THE POLICIES OF THE UTILITIES AND THE NATURE OF THE NETWORK. RECOMMENDATIONS ARE MADE FOR DEVELOPING A SET OF REQUIREMENTS FOR LOW COST AUTO-DIALER ALARMS, AND FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF POTENTIALLY LOW-COST RADIO COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)