Asset Sentry System
This system is designed to prevent unauthorized removal or theft of assets. The system may also be used to track and locate assets. Typical anti-theft, asset containment, and tracking applications include lab equipment, computers, tool carts, floor polishers, furniture, fire extinguishers, medical equipment and any other item of value or strategic importance.
- Generate an alarm if an asset is taken outside of its defined area
- Generate an alarm if an asset is stolen
- Track runaway assets as they move through the facility
- System works indoors and outdoors
- Locate assets
- Locate personnel
- Completely wireless infrastructure greatly reduces system cost
- Transmitters are fully supervised for operational readiness
- Innovative patent pending technology
Totally Wireless
The detection infrastructure, installed throughout the facility, uses totally wireless transceivers. Each transceiver requires nothing more than a 110vac power source and includes a built-in back up battery power supply. The elimination of costly interconnect wiring allows the Asset Sentry to satisfy the most demanding budgets.
Fixed Asset Transmitters
Assets which are stationary, such as overhead projectors and computers can be easily protected with a Fixed Asset Transmitter (F.A.T.). If any part of the transmitter is dislodged, removed, or disconnected an alarm signal is immediately sent to the central computer. Multiple assets such as a row of computers in a computer lab can be easily protected with a single Fixed Asset Transmitter.
Mobile Asset Transmitters
These transmitters are attached to any asset that is mobile. Mobile Asset Transmitters (M.A.T.) are used to track and locate assets as they move about in a facility and to detect when an asset has gone beyond the invisible prescribed boundaries, called “containment areas”. Typical applications could include laptop computers, lab equipment and maintenance equipment such as tool carts and scissor lifts.
Containment Areas
Mobile assets are assigned to containment areas through our unique and innovative patent pending technology. These areas are defined in the Asset Sentry Software by facility management. For example, we may wish to assign a laboratory oscilloscope to the R&D department. This would be the user defined “containment area” for the oscilloscope. We will allow the oscilloscope to move anywhere within this department, but as soon as it is taken beyond this containment area, an alarm will be generated. Containment areas can be any size or shape. It can be one room, or the entire complex. In another example, a hospital will have equipment that may be assigned to a containment area that is one wing, one floor, three floors, or the entire building. A hospital may also have an inhalation therapy machine that could be taken anywhere in the building, but an alarm will sound only when someone tries to remove it from the building.
Asset Tracking
We may find the location of a portable or mobile asset at any time by querying the computer. The computer will then indicate the last loation detected by the system and the time and date of the detection.
Personnel Tracking
Employees and staff persons carrying belt clip pendants can also be tracked in a facility. As with the asset tracking, a query is made at the computer to see the last known location of the person. These same pendants can also be used to call for help in an emergency. The computer shows who activated the call and their location. This is especially comforting to employees and managers who must walk to their car at night in a parking garage or parking lot.
Automated Dispatch
The Asset Sentry has several useful methods for dispatching alarms and all of them are automated. This virtualy eliminates human error and assures a rapid response. Outputs include portable hand-held radios, on-site paging sysems, off-site subscription pagers, fax and email.
For most installations, broadcasting to handheld radios will be the most efficient means
of dispatching alarms. In the event of an alarm, the central computer broadcasts a user defined radio voice message to the existing facility hand held radios (walkie talkies). For example, those equipped with radios might hear themessage, “Overheadprojector theftalarm. Adams hall, third floor, room 312”. Alarm messages are created or changed by simply typing the message into the computer setup program. The message will continue to broadcast every 15 seconds until the alarm is acknowledged either at the computer or from a hand-held radio. Acknowledgement is by individual user ID numbers, which provide a vital level of accountability. Radio messages can be partitioned as needed to specified groups of hand-held radios. In the event of an alarm, security personnel may haveongoing tactical discussions via the radio network to more efficiently facilitate a successful outcome. Also, a radio message is heard by staff without having to stop. An incoming page requires that the staff person stop, pull the pager off of the belt, manipulate the buttons and then read the message. This time-consuming ritual is fully eliminated with radios.
The Asset Sentry does support pagers which can be used as auxillary annunciation for managers and supervisors. Proprietary on-site alpha-numerc pagers will display the alarm messages. Off-site area wide subscription pagers can be set up to do the same. Faxes and emails may also be activated. As with pagers, these are used as management tools. Typical alarms might include supervisory failure of a transmitter or taking too long to acknowledge an alarm. Any alarm or event may be set up to be delivered as a fax or email.
Other building systems can be easily integrated for the purpose of automating the dispatch of their alarms or events. An addressable building fire alarm system can announce specific detectors and their locations over hand-held radios. This saves precious time as staff would normally be required to first go to the fire alarm panel to determine the location of the fire. Automated dispatch sends staff to the trouble spot immediately. HVAC and access control system alarms are two more examples of systems that can benefit from automated dispatch.
Door and Room Alarms
Detection transmitters are also available to create an alarm if a door is opened or if there is movement in a room. Secure sensitive areas such as the computer server room or a tool room. These transmitters can be turned on or off automatically by a flexible software scheduler, key switch, keypad, or by an access control card reader. For example, if the scheduler was used, you may choose to arm the main door from 6pm to 7am and all day Saturday and Sunday.
Outside
The Asset Sentry can easily accommodate large outdoor yards and facilities. It can monitor forklifts, trucks, cars, golf carts, power lifts, graders, earth movers and anything in between. Because the Asset Sentry is completely wireless, installation in large outdoor areas is easy and cost effective.
Rock Solid Reliability
All aspects of the system, including all wireless transmitters, repeaters, and locators are fully supervised ensuring that everything is always working. The system will be there when you need it. All wireless devices continuously transmit a heartbeat signal to the central computer. If a transmitter or other device stops working, a supervisory failure alarm is created. Also, low battery conditions are monitored as well and will be indicated before the transmitter stops working. Batteries are user replaceable and commonly available. The Asset Sentry employs true frequency hopping Spread Spectrum Technology. This technology was first developed by the military to eliminate jamming and interference. Signals will torpedo through the noisiest environments, providing rock solid reliability.
Reports
An easy to use report generator allows custom reports to be defined by the user. The report formats are then saved for repeated use. Up to four sorting criteria and three sorting orders may be implemented in building reports.
Care Caller Software
The Sentry system by CareCaller uses our powerful software engine to provide the comprehensive communication required for effective security response.
It is designed to receive alarms and signals from almost any type of system and integrate them into one command
and control center. “The CareCaller software has virtually unlimited input and output capabilities allowing
it to be easily tailored to any use.”