mSMS

The mSMS (Module for SMS alarm transmission over wireless networks) is an add-on board for alarm and fire panels designed to offer line supervision and communication line backup functionalities. Compared to the mSMS module, also available from Telsec, the mSMS uses short text messages (SMS) to transmit alarm information over the cell phone network. This short messages are received at the central station by a VisorALARM multi-network receiver that will then send the alarm information to the alarm automation software via a regular serial connection.

> Line supervision : The mSMS is continuously monitoring the status of the telephone line, being able to detect any “signal loss condition”. If that happens, the mSMS can be programmed to perform two different operations:

1. It will send a mSMS message to the monitoring station VisorALARM receiver indicating a line failure condition. The alarm is transmitted in ContactID format via a GSM short message. At the monitoring station, the operator will receive a technical alarm associated to that specific account and will be able to react to the line failure situation (making a service call, checking the status of the line, etc…).

2. Once the mSMS detects that the telephone line is down, it will allow the alarm panel to send alarms, also in ContactID format, via a SMS. The SMS messages will be sent to the VisorALARM receiver which will relay them to the software automation server.

> Wireless backup to the telephone line: The mSMS offers the alarm panel the possibility of transmitting alarms to the central station via an SMS (cell phone short message format).

1. Under normal conditions, the alarm panel will be able to transmit alarms using the regular telephone line.

2. If the telephone line goes down for some reason (sabotage or technical problems), the mSMS will simulate the phone signal to the panel so that the panel can “send” the alarm information. The mSMS will intercept the information, include it in a SMS and send it to the VisorALARM receiver at the central station.

3. The VisorALARM receiver will get the “short message” from the mSMS module, extract the ContactID information and resend it to the alarm automation software via a regular serial connection.

NOTE 1: The panel gets the handshake just after the mSMS gets the alarm information. The alarm information is then transmitted to the VisorALARM receiver as a separate process.

NOTE 2: functionality not available on all mSMS versions. Check version information below to learn which mSMS product better fits our needs).

> End user notification via SMS : The mSMS can be programmed to send alarms simultaneously to two different locations, the monitoring station VisorALARM receiver and a programmable cell phone number. This feature allows end-users to receive an automatic notification every time an alarm is tripped at the protected premises.

mSMS module versions:

mSMS: The regular version of the mSMS module offers all the functionalities explained in this document, line supervision, alarm panel alarms transmission via SMS, three alarm inputs and automatic SMS alarm messages to a programmable end-user cell phone.

mSMS-X: The X version of the mSMS offers the same functionalities than the standard mSMS module allowing also for the panel to receive phone call through the GSM wireless network. This functionality will allow any ContactID control panel to fully operate as a wireless alarm panel, using the SMS network for line supervision and alarm transmission and the GSM channel for remote access to the panel (not needing the telephone line even for programming or maintenance purposes).

mSMS-lite: This lite version of the mSMS module offers the line supervision functionality as well as the three alarm inputs (it does not allow the alarm panel to send alarms using a SMS message). Communication with the panel will usually be achieved connecting the outputs of the panel to any of the three alarm inputs on the mSMS-lite board).