Automated Alarm Handling

Patriot allows several categories of alarms to be handled automatically, to reduce operator load and simplify monitoring. For example, a site with unreliable power may generate excessive numbers of 'Power Failure' alarms. Using Automated Alarm Handling, these activations can be hidden from the operator unless a certain period of time has gone by without the power being restored. Automated alarm handling can also be used to trigger reminder alarms if an expected restoral has not been received.

Also see Auto Complete On Recent Opening

Pre-requisites

All of the options in this document require that the Automated Alarm Handling setting is enabled in the System Wide Settings. To check this, open System -> System Settings -> System Wide Settings. On the Data Service Settings tab, ensure that the Automated Alarm Handling checkbox is enabled.

Data Service Settings
Automated Alarm Handling must be enabled in the system settings.

There is no need to restart Patriot to enable this setting. It is applied as soon as the settings are saved.

Automatic Alarm Handling settings

Automated Alarm Handling can be configured on the Event Types Tab of a client. If configured on a template, it will affect all clients using that template. To configure automated alarm handling for an individual client, it is necessary to create a site-specific event type, and enter the alarm handling settings there. It is also possible to use Restore settings for zones, or for Action Plans.

Type settings screen showing Auto Alarm settings
Panic Alarm event type configured with restore tracking.

Restore Settings

This determines the action taken when this alarm signal is received.

Restore settings diagram
Delay Time and Restore Tracking settings determine when an operator is notified about an unrestored alarm event.

Important note about alarm auto-completion

Patriot will only auto-complete an activation if all events for the same client and action plan use the same Restoral conditions. This is to prevent any activations being missed when multiple activations generate for the same client. For example, if two zones activate with the same action plan, but only one of the two zones has restore settings configured, the activation will not be auto-completed when the first zone restores.

Escalate Type

This allows a delayed or sleeping alarm to be woken up immediately when another specific event type is received. This may be useful in situations where a single event would normally be treated as a low priority, but when two related event types are received, they need to be responded to more urgently. For example, an AC Fail in conjunction with a Low Battery alarm.

Type settings screen showing Auto Alarm settings
AC Loss with Escalate Type enabled

In the screenshot above is an example of using an Escalate Type Number to raise an immediate alarm in the following scenario:

As soon as the second event (302) is received, both of the alarms will be shown to the operator.

Restore settings for Zones

It is possible to set restore settings for selected Zones, from the Zones tab of a client. If a zone's restore settings are set to anything other than "No Restore Needed", and an event comes in on this zone, the zone restore settings will override any existing event type restore settings. This may be useful if only certain zones require automated alarm handling.

Zone Restore Settings
Adding Restore Settings to a Zone

If a zone has active restore monitoring, it must have a Restore Type Number set on either the zone or the event type. When an alarm event is received on that zone, it will first check if the zone has a restore type number. If the zone restore type is 0, then it will look at the event type settings for a restore type number. If neither is found, then restore monitoring is not used. Restore type numbers should always be set on the types, unless you are using an event interpreter such as Contact ID Expanded.

Monitor Restores

Outstanding restore signals can be viewed and removed by operators with the required security rights. If an outstanding restore is removed by an operator the associated sleeping activation will be automatically removed along with it. If no restore is received by the due date/time the sleeping activation will awake at that time.

Monitor Restores Icon Use the Monitor Restores button to view outstanding restores. This button is visible from the Current Activations screen, the Right Panel (Enterprise only) and from within any Patriot client. From left to right the outstanding restores listing displays the due date/time, full client number, client name and the sleeping alarm description of each outstanding restore.

When Monitor Restores is opened from Current Activations or the Right Panel, the list of outstanding restores displayed is a complete list across the entire client database.

Monitoring all outstanding restores
Full listing of outstanding restore signals.

When Monitor Restores is opened from within a Patriot client, the list of outstanding restores displayed is filtered to those which apply to the open client (and its areas if it is a partitioned client).

Monitoring restores due for a partitioned client
Client filtered outstanding restore signals.

Response Time Adjustments to Restore Monitoring

When Restore Tracking is used, the operator can edit the restore settings from the client. The Restore button is shown at the bottom left of the client window, and will display in orange if there is a current activation that uses restoral tracking.

Monitor Restores Icon
The Restore button is coloured orange when restore tracking is active

Clicking this button will bring up a list of Restores Due. Double clicking on one of these Restores Due will display a popup window. From this popup, the operator can extend the expected restore time, or cancel the restore tracking.

Edit Restore Settings
Edit Restore Settings

Restore Behaviour Summary

Restore Setting Signals Received Operator Actions Result
Delay
  1. Alarm
  2. Restore received within time limit (any zone)
None Auto-completed. No further tracking.
Delay
  1. Alarm
  2. Restore not received within time limit
Operator picks up awakened alarm and completes it manually. No further tracking.
Delay
  1. Alarm
  2. Same alarm, same zone (Awakens first alarm)
  3. Restore received (any zone) before any operator picks up the activation.
None Auto-completed. No further tracking.
Delay (Same Zone Option ON)
  1. Alarm
  2. Alarm (different zone)
  3. Restore for either zone
Must be manually completed by operator. There is no auto-completion for multiple zone activations, when the Same Zone option is turned on.
Delay + Restore Tracking
  1. Alarm
  2. Restore received within time limit (any zone).
None Auto-completed. No further tracking.
Delay + Restore Tracking
  1. Alarm
  2. No restore received within time limit. Alarm awakens.
  3. Restore received (any zone)
None Auto-completed. No further tracking.
Delay + Restore Tracking
  1. Alarm
  2. No restore received within time limit. Alarm awakens.
  3. Operator Completes alarm. Restore Tracking continues.
  4. Delay expires again. Fail to Restore alarm generated.
  5. Restore received (any zone). Restore Tracking stops.
Operator must manually complete the Fail To Restore alarm. Alarms continue to generate until the restoral is received.
Delay + Restore Tracking (Same Zone Option ON)
  1. Alarm (Zone 1)
  2. Alarm (Zone 2)
  3. Restore for zone 1. Restore Tracking stops for zone 1, but continues for zone 2.
Alarms must be manually completed by operator. There is no auto-completion for multiple zone activations, when the Same Zone option is turned on. Restore tracking continues for each activated zone, until they have received a restoral.
Restore Tracking
  1. Alarm
  2. Operator Completes alarm
  3. No restore received within time limit. Fail to Restore alarm is generated.
  4. Restore received. Restore tracking stops.
Alarms must be manually completed by operator. There is no auto-completion of activations if Delay is disabled, and only Restore Tracking is enabled.

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