Patriot Smart Phone App (Plink)

Patriot has a dedicated mobile app for end users. This app allows customers to view details about their own sites. With the optional First Response module, the users can also receive notifications about alarms, with options for responding directly from the app itself. With the optional Patrol Response module, patrols can also use the app to respond to dispatched alarms as well as perform welfare checks and guard tours.

Prerequisites

Patriot Internet Client Access (ICA) configured
Additional configuration may need to be added to your Patriot Task Service configuration file.

Setup

Before your users can access your ICA server through the smart phone application, you must contact Patriot support and provide them with the URL for accessing your ICA server, and an optional shorthand registration code for your monitoring station. This shorthand code can be your monitoring name or a number (whatever you prefer).

Patriot support staff will enter this information on our registration web server and then they will provide you with:

A Firebase Instance Id (your unique identifier for sending message notifications to the app) which you must enter in your System Wide Settings under General Client Settings -> ICA Settings.
A credential file (proof of your right to use the Firebase Instance Id) for selection in the Patriot Smart Phone task settings.

When your users first run the app, it needs to register so it can connect with your ICA website. The user of the app will be asked to enter your ICA server URL in full or your selected shorthand monitoring station registration code .

Installing and configuring the app

First, ensure that the user is registered for ICA access.

They will also need to be told your Monitoring Station Registration code which identifies your ICA server.

The first time that the end-user starts the Plink mobile app, it will ask them for the registration code.

Once this is entered, they will be able to log in to ICA using their standard username + password.

Using the Smart Phone task to send notifications to users

The Smartphone task can be assigned to the response plan, to trigger actions on the user's phone when certain signals are received. If your customers are only using the app to access ICA, then the following steps are not required.

Requirements

First Response module Or Plink Patrol Response Module registered
ICA version 6.7.17.1 or later
Project ID and credentials file, provided by Patriot support.

Task Service Configuration Setup

Changes to the Task Service config which is running the Smart Phone task are likely to be required. See Task Service Configuration section of Task settings.

Otherwise you may run into this error when using the task,

Unexpected error: System.MissingMethodException: Method not found: 'System.Threading.Tasks.Task, System.Net.Http.HttpContentExtensions.ReadAsAsync...

Task Setup

Please read TASK SETTINGS for general information about adding tasks.

	Add a new task to the list in the Task Settings window. Double click on Smart Phone in the drop down list in the details area of the window.
	Click the next button to continue. The Smart Phone task settings form will appear.

Task Settings

Credentials File: Provided by Patriot support. Keep this file in a secure location.
Subject: The title displayed on any notifications shown to the user.
Ack Wait Time: The amount of time that the user has to respond to a First Response notification message. This value will be overridden if an Ack Wait Time value is configured in the Action Plan settings.

Assignable Tasks Setup

Once the SmartPhone task is configured, it can be assigned to trigger when certain signals are received. See Assignable Tasks for more general information on how to configure this.

Once assigned, the message type can be selected, depending on what actions the user should be able to take.

Standard. Simply sends a notification to the user's device. When selected, the relevant client record is shown directly in the app.
First Response. Allows the user the chance to respond to the activation before it is shown to the operator. The action plan being used must have the 'put to sleep' special option, to give the user a chance to respond. When the user selects the notification, they are taken to a page showing the specific details of the activation that has been generated. The User can select I Will Respond, which will acknowledge and clear the activation, or set temporary schedule changes for Late to Close activations. If the user chooses Request Operator Action, or does not respond before the activation awakens from sleep, then the operator will respond to the activation as per normal. There is more info on First Response under Instant Messaging Tasks.

Each message sent to the phone will display as a separate notification, so they can be individually tracked and responded to.