Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to public and industrial warning systems employing multiple remote warning units and more particularly to a method and apparatus for detecting false activation of the remote warning units.  
         DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART  
         [0002]    Outdoor warning sirens are the modern equivalent of what used to be known as civil defense sirens. Outdoor warning sirens are high power voice and siren systems used to notify the public of a potential safety hazard related to severe weather, dam failure, nuclear plant emergency, chemical plant emergencies or hazardous material spills and the like. A typical outdoor warning system includes a number of warning units dispersed over a geographical area. Each of the warning units includes a high power siren and/or voice warning capability, a power supply with battery backup, a connection to the municipal power grid and a communication interface to link the remote warning units to a centralized base station. The communications link between the remote warning units and the base station typically comprises a one-way or two-way radio frequency (RF) link. In a one-way RF link system, the remote warning units are activated or deactivated by a command transmitted from the base station. Activation and deactivation of warning units operate similarly in a two-way RF link system with the additional feature that the remote warning units can communicate with the base station to relay information regarding status of the warning unit. Status reports may include an alert notifying the base station of some fault in the remote unit, such as failure of the backup power supply.  
           [0003]    In a warning siren system, RF communications between the base station and the warning units are typically carried out in either of a dual-tone multi format (DTMF) or frequency shift keying (FSK), although other communications formats are possible.  
           [0004]    The base station is typically located in an emergency management center where information and personnel are gathered to evaluate developing threats to public safety. Public safety personnel activate the outdoor warning system from the base station. An activation signal from the base station causes each of the remote warning units to emit a pre-determined tone and/or voice warning alerting the public to the hazard. Different tones and/or voice warnings may be assigned to each hazard and the warning units may store several warning patterns. Thus, there may be several activation commands, depending on the warning siren system configuration.  
           [0005]    The term “base station” as used herein refers to that portion of an outdoor warning siren system used to interact with remotely located warning units. The emergency management center is typically equipped with a base radio and antenna. The outdoor warning siren system “base station” therefore typically includes an interface and audio frequency transceiver which allow the siren system to use the existing radio equipment. The “base station” may be a PC-based system or a stand alone unit. Either configuration includes a user-interface permitting emergency personnel to activate and monitor the warning siren system.  
           [0006]    A concern raised about such public warning systems is the possibility of a system breach enabling an unauthorized party to generate a false alarm. Such a false activation might be carried out by monitoring the frequency used for communications between the base station and the warning units, recording a coded activation command when transmitted from the base station and replaying the activation command on the correct frequency. This means of false activation is available regardless of whether the activation is coded in the DTMF or FSK format.  
           [0007]    One approach to preventing this type of system breach is to provide the base unit and warning units with synchronized clocks and to encode a time along with all system radio communications. The warning units are then programmed to reject or ignore an activation command including a time stamp that does not match (or come very close to matching) the time on its clock. This approach increases the maintenance burden by requiring the clocks to be maintained in synchronicity. A particularly severe side effect of this approach is that if the proper maintenance is not performed, the clocks will be out of time and reject even a legitimate warning activation.  
           [0008]    Time stamps and other complex data encryption algorithms often require additional, expensive hardware. The additional equipment and complexity may also result in increased maintenance expense.  
           [0009]    There is a need in the art for a method and apparatus for detection of a system breach in an outdoor warning siren system. The method and apparatus are preferably capable of distinguishing a valid transmission from an unauthorized transmission.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    The method and apparatus for detection of system breaches in outdoor warning siren systems comprises apparatus and steps for validating encoded RF transmissions used for communications between a base station and remotely located warning units. An aspect of the invention relates to the detection and validation of all command signals that could activate the warning units of an outdoor warning siren system. The invention may be as simple as the addition of computer-implemented steps to the operating software of the base station equipment, although changes to the outdoor warning siren system may be necessary.  
           [0011]    A typical outdoor warning siren system has one or more base stations capable of transmitting encoded RF command signals to activate one or more remotely located warning units. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, each of the base stations is programmed to monitor the system communication radio frequency (RF). A system with a two-way RF link between the base station and the warning units will necessarily monitor the system communication RF. In a system with a one-way RF link, implementation of the exemplary embodiment of the invention may require the addition of system communication RF monitoring capability. It should be noted that the outdoor warning siren system monitoring function for a particular base station is suspended when that base station is transmitting on the system communication RF.  
           [0012]    The present invention may be implemented by adding a security device to the existing base station equipment. The security device is a stand alone unit interfaced with the base station radio and equipped to accept inputs from emergency personnel as well as provide outputs indicating siren system status to emergency personnel. The security device may replicate the base radio interface and audio frequency protocol transceiver to provide the necessary monitoring and transmission capability. In this manner, a siren system using a one-way RF link is upgraded by interfacing the security device with the base station radio and existing alarm activation transceiver.  
           [0013]    In an outdoor warning siren system with multiple base stations capable of transmitting an activation command, part of the coded activation command identifies the base station generating the command. An aspect of the invention relates to each base station being provided with a validation procedure. The validation procedure relies on two simple facts. The monitoring function is suspended on a transmitting base station for the brief period of transmission, e.g., a base station does not transmit and monitor at the same time; and a legitimate activation command must be generated by one of the base stations in the outdoor warning siren system. Thus, a legitimate command signal cannot be detected by a base station generating the command signal.  
           [0014]    The validation procedure comprises computer-implemented steps of:  
           [0015]    monitoring the system communication RF to detect command signals;  
           [0016]    decoding detected command signals to determine the originating base station;  
           [0017]    comparing the base station ID of the detected command signal with the detecting base station&#39;s ID; and  
           [0018]    invalidating the command signal if the base station ID included in the detected command signal matches the detecting base station&#39;s ID.  
           [0019]    Upon detection of an invalid activation command, the outdoor warning siren system may be configured to automatically transmit a command turning off the warning units. The outdoor warning siren system may also be configured to alert relevant personnel to the detection of a system breach. The emergency personnel are then able to deal with the situation accordingly.  
           [0020]    An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for ensuring the integrity of RF communications in outdoor warning siren systems that is compatible with existing equipment.  
           [0021]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for ensuring the integrity of RF communications in outdoor warning siren systems that is efficient and reliable.  
           [0022]    A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for ensuring the integrity of outdoor warning siren systems that is effective regardless of the format used to encode RF command signals from a base station to the warning units. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a representative security device for implementation of aspects of the method of the present invention;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a main routine for a security sub system according to aspects of the present invention;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a validate string sub-routine called by the main routine of FIG. 2;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an exemplary outdoor warning siren system compatible with the method of the present invention; and  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 5 is a block diagram partially illustrating an exemplary outdoor warning siren system in conjunction with a false activation signal. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0028]    An exemplary outdoor warning siren system illustrative of several aspects of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 through 5. The illustrated outdoor warning siren system  10  includes one or more base stations  20  and one or more remotely located warning units  30  connected to the base station by an RF link. Each warning unit  30  includes a sound generating warning device  36  for the generation of tone and/or voice warning signals, a power supply  34  comprising a connection to the local power grid (if available) and a backup power system (usually a battery), microprocessor-based control electronics  32  and RF reception and/or transmission components  24 . In some configurations, solar panels (not illustrated) may be used to charge a battery-type power supply. The control electronics  32 , are preferably programmed with alternative tones and/or voice warnings corresponding to different hazards. The control electronics  32  are also equipped with a decoder/encoder for interpreting encoded command signals or encoding status signals sent to the base station  20 . The radio receiver or transceiver  24  is equipped with an appropriate antenna for the reception of and/or transmission of RF signals.  
         [0029]    One or more base stations  20  provide emergency personnel with the capability to activate the remotely located warning units  30  by transmission of command signals. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a security device  20   a  for incorporation into or interface with a base station  20 . The security device  20   a  primary functional blocks are the microcontroller  40 , a user interface  44 , a radio system  46 , a data system and a power bus  48 . The user interface  44  provides contact closures that may be configured to provide visual indications of the system status and allows emergency personnel to acknowledge a system breach by a contact closure. The radio system  46  includes a base radio interface and an audio frequency protocol (AFP) transceiver  50  in communication with the microcontroller  40 . The AFP transceiver  50  encodes and transmits the command signals to the warning units  30 . The data system  42  includes on-board memory  54  and may also include an interface  56  with an external computer for additional data storage. Power is distributed to the various components from the power bus  48 .  
         [0030]    It will be understood that control circuitry of the security device  20   a  is preferably implemented using a programmable microcontroller  40 . Alternatively, the security device  20   a  user interface  44 , data system  42  and microcontroller  40  may be emulated by software installed on a personal computer (not shown) and interfaced with a radio system  22 . Whatever the physical form of the security device  20   a , it will be understood that the security device is programmable and includes memory for storage of, for example, validation program steps and steps permitting activation of the radio system  22  to transmit a clear command.  
         [0031]    The method and apparatus of the present invention may be built into the base station  20  or may be implemented as an add-on security device  20   a  as shown in FIG. 5. The security device  20   a  “learns” the base station ID of the base station to which it is attached and uses it in the validation steps as described below. This “plug and play” ease of installation allows the security device to be easily added to existing outdoor warning siren systems without disrupting the system or requiring extensive training of personnel using the system.  
         [0032]    New or existing outdoor warning siren systems may be configured as a one-way or two-way system. In a one-way outdoor warning siren system, the remotely located warning units  30  do not have the capability to transmit signals back to the base station equipment. In a two-way outdoor warning siren system  10  as shown in FIG. 4, each of the remotely located warning units  30  is coupled to the base stations  20  by a two-way RF link. Typically, the outgoing RF link  23  from the base station  20  to the warning units  30  is used for commands from the base station to the warning unit to turn on, turn off, test, or request a status report from the warning units. The incoming RF link  21  from the warning unit  30  to the base station  20  is typically used for regular status reports from the warning unit and may also include requests for maintenance or notifications of a fault from the warning unit to the base station.  
         [0033]    In the representative outdoor warning siren system  10 , command signals from the base station  20  to the warning units  30  have a particular format, for example, a ten-digit DTMF string. Returning signals from the warning units  30  to the base station  20  have a different format, for example, a fourteen- to eighteen-digit DTMF string.  
         [0034]    An aspect of the invention relates to monitoring the system communication RF and computer implemented steps that validate detected command signals. A security device  20   a  in accordance with the present invention includes the monitoring capability even if the existing base station  20  to which it is added does not. In an outdoor warning siren system configured for two way communications, the security device may be implemented without changes to the existing hardware.  
         [0035]    In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, each transmission from a base station  20  includes an encoded portion associating the transmission with the base station that generated it. Each base station  20  or security device  20   a  is programmed to monitor the system communication RF. Upon detection of a command signal, the base station  20  or security device  20   a  decodes the signal to determine the originating base station ID. If the detected command signal indicates that the detecting base station was the originating base station, the signal is determined to be invalid and indicative of a system breach. If the detected signal contains the base station ID of another of the base stations; the detecting base station ignores the command signal.  
         [0036]    A further aspect of the present invention relates to how an outdoor warning siren system improved according to the present invention reacts to detection of an invalid command signal. The base station  20  or security device  20   a  may be configured to automatically transmit a command signal turning off any warning units activated by the invalid control signal. This option is indicated at steps  100  (Yes),  102  (Yes) and  104  of FIG. 2. Another option is to alert authorized personnel to the system breach so that they may deal with the situation as they see fit. This option is indicated at steps  100  (Yes),  102  (No) and  106 . Step  106  corresponds to sending notice to relevant personnel that a system breach has occurred. This may include visual and/or audio alarm indications at the base station. In either case, the invention provides a reliable means for detecting invalid command signals in an outdoor warning siren system.  
         [0037]    Data System  
         [0038]    The data system  42  is comprised of the EEPRom Data Storage  54  and PC Port Interface  56  functional blocks. The data system  42  provides a means by which an end-user can enter, store, view or change system configuration data.  
         [0039]    Configuration data includes system area code, station ID and counter measure scenario, (a counter measure scenario could be audio/visual contact closures and/or automatic sending of a cancel command to siren or system). On power-up the microcontroller  40  loads configuration data into RAM from EEProm  54  at step  110  of FIG. 2. The operating program of the security device  20   a , including the main routine of FIG. 2 and the Validate String sub-routine of FIG. 3 are run in the microprocessor RAM to detect a system breach. If detected, the main routine deploys a selected countermeasure scenario. A representative countermeasure scenario is illustrated at steps  100 ,  102 ,  104 , and  106  of FIG. 2.  
         [0040]    The microcontroller  40  has reserved commands for updating data stored in EEPRom Data Storage  54 . When these commands are received, the microcontroller  40  will update the corresponding data field or fields.  
         [0041]    Depending on the microcontroller used, the EEPRom Data Storage  54  may be external or internal to the microcontroller. Also, the EEPRom Data Storage  54  is interfaced to the microcontroller  40  serially and that protocol is either I 2 C or polled, depending on the microcontroller used.  
         [0042]    The PC Port Interface  56  connects the microcontroller  40  to a PC&#39;s serial or USB port. Through the PC Port Interface, commands and data are exchanged between the microcontroller  40  and a PC (not illustrated).  
         [0043]    User Interface  
         [0044]    The user interface  44  is comprised of the Audio/Visual Closures and Breach Acknowledge functional blocks. The user interface  44  provides contact closures, if configured as part of a counter measure scenario, when a system breach is detected. The term “contact closures” is used to describe the activation of electronic or electro-mechanical relays to provide control to user-selected devices that may include audio and/or visual signaling devices. An authorized person may disable (open or de-activate) the audio/visual closures by using the breach acknowledge functionality also provided by the user interface. The breach acknowledge is a control input (contact closure) to the security device  20   a.    
         [0045]    If the microcontroller  40  detects a system breach and if contact closures are configured as a counter measure, contact closures will move from the “Normally Open” to “Normally Closed” state. Likely external equipment connected to the audio/visual closures might be a flashing light or audible alarm device. Activation of these or similar warning devices signals an operator that a system breach has occurred. A breach acknowledgment from an authorized person will revert the contact closures back to the “Normally Open” state.  
         [0046]    Radio System  
         [0047]    The radio system  22  includes Audio Frequency Protocol (AFP) Transceiver  50  and Base Radio Interface  52  functional blocks. This provides an electrical interface between the security device microcontroller  40  and the signal handling portions (transmitter/antennae) of the radio system  22 . Functionality for encoding and decoding either the FSK or DTMF audio frequency protocol signals is provided by this system. It Will be understood that the security device radio system may duplicate some functions in the existing equipment.  
         [0048]    The Audio Frequency Protocol Transceiver  50  monitors all radio and/or landline communications within the outdoor warning siren system  10 . Typically DTMF and/or FSK are the audio frequency protocols (AFPs) being monitored. As each character, as defined by the protocol in use, is detected an interrupt is issued to the microcontroller  40  informing it of the character&#39;s presence.  
         [0049]    Should the microcontroller  40  require a transmission, the Audio Frequency Protocol Transceiver  50  will convert digital characters from the microcontroller  40  into a format that corresponds to the protocol in use. Several characters together form a string.  
         [0050]    The Base Radio Interface  52  provides electrical isolation and signal conditioning between the system&#39;s base radio  22  and the microcontroller  40 . To accommodate a variety of radios, configuration options may be provided.  
         [0051]    Microcontroller  
         [0052]    The microcontroller  40  acts as the “brain” of the base station  20 . The microcontroller  40  interacts with the functional components of the base station  20  through an operating program uploaded from memory on system power up. System variables such as area code and base station ID are retrieved from Eeprom. The microcontroller:  
         [0053]    transmits and receives radio frequency characters through the Audio Frequency Protocol Transceiver  50 . The Audio Frequency Protocol Transceiver generates an interrupt to the base station operating program upon reception of a transmission on the system communication RF.  
         [0054]    transmit and receive PC commands and data through the PC Port Interface.  
         [0055]    when commanded store data to and on power-up retrieve data from EEPRom Data Storage.  
         [0056]    following a security breach provide contact closures for any externally connected optional audio/visual alarms.  
         [0057]    observe and control radio signals i.e. PTT, Squelch and Channel Grant, using the Base Radio Interface.  
         [0058]    accept a user acknowledgment of a system breach through the user interface  44 .  
         [0059]    The microcontroller  40  is programmed to extract the area code and station ID information from any received AFP string. It will then validate that information against system variables retrieved from EEPRom as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. If a system breach is detected, then predefined actions, (counter measures) are taken. These actions might be automatic sending of cancel command to the system or siren and/or provide contact closures for external signaling devices to indicate a system breach to relevant personnel.  
         [0060]    The software algorithms for the PC Port Interface  56  and Audio Frequency Protocol Transceiver  50  are interrupt driven. The Base Radio Interface  52  and Breach Acknowledge algorithms are polling routines. Sub-routines related to Audio/Visual closures and EEPRom Data Storage  54  are active only when necessary.  
         [0061]    The two primary software algorithms relevant to the method disclosed herein are:  
         [0062]    the main routine, a relevant portion of which is illustrated in FIG. 2; and  
         [0063]    the validate_string sub-routine illustrated in FIG. 3.  
         [0064]    The main routine is always running and manages polling and general services. FIG. 2 diagrams the functionality of the main routine related to detection and response to a system breach. If the final decision block  300  of the main routine evaluates to Yes, a complete audio frequency protocol (AFP) string has been received, and the Validate_String sub-routine is called, see FIG. 3. Step  120  of FIG. 3 verifies the length of the string being verified. If the string is of the correct length, e.g., 10 characters, then step  130  verifies that the area code contained in the string is that of the evaluating base station. If the area code corresponds to that of the evaluating base station, then step  140  compares the base ID in the string to its own ID. If the base ID in the string is the same as that of the evaluating base station, then step  150  verifies that the command is valid according to the format and encoding used for the relevant warning system  10 . If the answer to steps  120 ,  130 ,  140  and  150  are all yes, then a system breach is detected at step  200 . The Validate_String sub-routine delivers a System Breach Yes to the main routine at step  210 . A yes at step  210  of FIG. 2 initiates the countermeasure scenario selected by the outdoor warning system operators. The countermeasure scenario may include activation of the Audio/Visual Closures at step  220 ,  222  or automatically clearing the activated warning unit or units at steps  100 ,  102 ,  104 ,  106 .  
         [0065]    Power Bus  
         [0066]    The Power Buss  48  brings power into the base station and distributes power to the several components. Power from the Power Bus may be distributed to an external signal encoder.  
         [0067]    While a preferred embodiment of the foregoing invention has been set forth for purposes of illustration, the foregoing should not be deemed a limitation of the invention herein. Accordingly, various modifications, adaptations and alternatives may occur to one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.

Technology Category: g