SQL
Version 5 now uses a Microsoft SQL database engine. Patriot 5 comes with a free license of SQL (with some size
restrictions). SQL has many advantages over the database engine used with other flat file databases, these include:
- The database is more robust, being a lot less susceptible to data corruptions.
- The database is designed to handle any volume of data or number of signals that it can log. Preliminary
tests have shown that the database can log 50 times the number of signals (per minute) over the previous
version of Patriot.
- There is no limit to the number of workstations.
- The database can be backed up without shutting Patriot down first. Automatic Backups can be setup, and With the Enterprise version of Patriot
automatic data restores onto your backup server are possible.
- Integration with 3rd party software is also possible.
Action Plans
Action Plans make event types, alarm priorities, response plans, and assignable tasks all much easier to
understand, maintain and use. Action plans give a consistent structure right throughout the program.
An action plan is a set of instructions on how to handle any signal, which is logged into the system. It
decides if the signal should create an alarm, what priority the alarm should be, whether the signal is an open
or a close, what response plan is displayed if there is an activation and what assignable tasks are fired.
Generally only 10 to 20 action plans will be required in a system. All signals, which should be handled the same,
will all use the same action plan.
Internet Dealer Access
Also known as bureau access. Using thin client technology, a very efficient connection
to the monitoring station database can be made, allowing access from virtually
anywhere. Using a connection program installed on the remote computer, essentially
a remote workstation connection is made. In this way, the data isn't duplicated on
each computer, removing all the inherent complications with concurrent updates. The
program has a windows look and feel, so it is not cumbersome to use like a web page.
Apart from a red/green light in the top right corner of each window, showing the
upload status of the window, the program looks very similar (in some cases,
identical) to the standard Patriot software. The user then logs on and is only
presented with the clients (sites) they have access to (configured at the monitoring
station end). The user can view log history, site details, and make changes to site
details. The level of access the user has is completely configurable by the
monitoring station. The central station decides what access to areas of the program
a user has, and what changes are able to be made.
Internet Log Access
Global anytime - Allow your clients to access their logs (history) anytime they wish.
With the correct setup, this data can be virtually live. Your operators will no
longer have to spend time generating and sending out reports. Access is gained using
a standard web browser, so as long as you can get onto the net, you can access this
data.
Users are required to log on with a user name and a password to gain access.
They will then see all the sites belonging to them. The monitoring station has
complete control over what sites any person has access to, and what data they can
view. Decide whether you wish all signals to be viewed, or only opens (unsets) and
closes (sets), or any combination you require.
You may host ILA on your own webserver, which will give you complete control
and allow you to host all your clients log information. Alternatively, Patriot
offers a ILA hosting service. We setup and maintain the log access website, you
only have to pay a small monthly fee per client hosted.The ILA website is also
tailored to fit the look and feel of your existing website.
Activation Report Window
Operator Comments and actions are logged as they happen, date and timed stamped. This records the sequence of
events which occur when an operator attends to an activation. There is also a tab showing all signals for the
current client.
Current Activations
New filter added to show all activations, not actioned activations and actioned activations.
Operator Expert Mode
When in the activation report window, speed features have been added. Mouse clicks are not required to change
tab, you only need to move the mouse over them. There are also buttons for the view client, and on hold. But
you only have to hover the mouse over them to activate them. Speed tabs and a Cancel speed button have also
been placed on the client window.
Multiple Complete Of Activations
Multiple activations can be selected (using standard windows marking, using the shift or ctrl keys and the
mouse) and all completed in one hit. This improves on the previous version where on alarms of the same priority
could be completed in one hit.
Specific User Tolerance
You can give each user assigned to a site, a different tolerance for opening out of hours. This allows for
cleaners or managers to have special after hours access, but no one else.
User Details
In user details, there is a:
- Field for storing second email address for a user.
- Tab which shows what user groups this user belongs to.
- Tab which shows what clients this user has been assigned to.
- Tab for quickly assigning, un-assigning action plans to/from a user. Makes the setting up of assignable
tasks much quicker.
No Signals Monitoring
Can now choose whether no signals monitoring is activated by test signals only or any signal received from a
client. This is option is on a per client basis.
Client Copy
When copying a client, you can optionally copy the types, zones, users, and log history as well.
Deleting a Client
You can optionally delete the log history of a client or leave it behind as an audit trail.
Email Reports
Log (Slim Standard and Incident) and Client reports can be emailed directly from a client record. Also get
the option of sending the email to the site or to a user of the site. The email address can also be changed
when the report is run. Preset client reports can also be emailed.
Fax Log Reports
Can fax a log report directly from a client record. Also get the option of sending the fax to the site or to
a user of the site. The fax number can also be changed when the report is run.
Work Order Report
It is now possible to add your own section to the bottom of the work order report.
This report also has a date range added to it, and can be emailed.
Labels Report
Now have option to use the client name as the first line of the address or just start the with the location
fields.
Operator Response Times Report
Lists all activations in the date range, showing how long it took an operator to first attend to an alarm and
the operator’s name. The next section lists all operators listed in the first section, showing their average
response time and number of activations. The last section shows some averages of response times taken for all
operators.
Fee List Report
The total number of clients listed in the report has been added to the bottom of this report.
Report Filtering by Action Plan
The following reports can be filtered by action plan. Slim, Standard, and Analysis log reports, Incident
Report, Operator Response Report, and Activation List Report. This filter has replaced the Signal Types filter
from version 4.
Select User for Report Form
When running a report by user, on the form to select the first and last user, a locator field has been added
to the all tab to assist in finding the required user.
Additional Report Changes
Incident report has been added to the Reports to Users menu. This report can be sent
to the printer or email.
Inactive report has been added to the Reports to Users menu. This report can be
sent to the printer or email. This report can also be setup as a preset report.
Work Order Reports now have a date range filter.
The Work Order report can now be run as a preset report.
Work Order report has been added to the Reports to Users menu. This report can be
sent to the printer or email. This report can also be setup as a preset report.
The Following reports can now be sent to an email address when run from the
Reports -> Site Reports menu; Standard Log Report, Slim Log Report, Incident Report,
Client Report, Inactive Report, Work Order Report, User Report, Types Report,
Zone Report, Service Due Report.
Customisable Report Headers
Most reports can now have there report header customised. The report header can
include a image(company logo) plain text, and some fields from the database.
Operator Log
Now includes the maintenance of Response Plans.
User Photos
Can now store and view of photo of each user in database if required.
User Groupings
Easily see what users have been assigned to each group.
Server and Workstation setups simplified
Adding a workstation to the system is now much easier. The setting can be automatically detected.
4x2 Binary with User or Zone
New Interpreter for 4x2 binary, called 4x2 Binary with Zone. The type no is generated as per normal 4x2
binary, but the zone or user is the actual zone or user no sent from the panel.
Current Activations
You can now select a colour (in master settings) for activations which are currently being edited by another
operator.
Archiving
Archiving occurs automatically in version 5. You set the number of days you want your current log to be, and
any history older than this is automatically archived. Signals, Activations (and operator notes), operator
maintenance log, and work orders are all archived.
Completing an Attend
There is now an option to disable the warning, no one attended message.
User Maintenance
Can easily view what users exist in the database, but aren’t assigned to any clients. These users can then be
easily removed.
User Phone Number Ordering
Can now select what order a phone number will appear in the response plan.
Client Filter by Operator
Now able to filter what clients an operator can see right throughout the system. (Enterprise version only).
Task and Workstation Polling
Much improved to give better notification if a problem occurs somewhere in the system. If a workstation
detects a problem with a task, it can now play a sound to emphasize this.
Client Search Functionality
Searching for clients has become much more efficient and flexible. These searches can be stored as queries
and run any time. Once a search has been run, the resulting list of clients can now be printed as well.
It is also possible to search for clients using native SQL select statements, which would allow for unique
searches to be performed that would only apply to your particular monitoring station.
Copy Client
When copying a client, you can now optionally copy the types, zones, users, and log history at the same time.
Copying the Log could take a few minutes depending on how many signals have been received by the original
client.
Delete Client
When deleting a client, you are given the option of also removing the log history, which previously was left
behind as an audit trail.
Zone Templates
Can now use zone templates in a similar way to event type templates. Useful for formats like IRFast.
Late To Open and Early to Close Monitoring
These functions have been added to the Auto status monitoring functionality of the system.
Multi language and Regional Support
Regional Support means Patriot uses the settings in windows to display Numbers, Currency, Dates and Times.
The Locale is automatically detected from your windows settings.
All text in Patriot can now be translated. This means Patriot can be translated into any language and can also
be customized to suit your particular environment.
Billing Support Module
This module is designed to create CSV files for importing into accounting packages. The module covers
activation charges, periodic charges, and one off/work order charges. This is an optional module, which covers
consultation of the integration with your accounting package.
These report can be run for all clients, or by installer. Installer can have there own
charges which override the standard charges.
Work Orders can have charges assigned to them to cover standard fee, parts labour.
Generic Report
New Preset report which can print or create a CSV file from any fields in the database.
User Code Field
Has been extended to 15 characters.
Remote control Buttons
The button to open this window has been moved from the advanced tab, into the control bar at the bottom of
the client window, for easier access. Also any buttons setup against the Def Log Notes Client will also appear
for all other clients in the database, but if these buttons are pressed on a client other than the Def Log
Notes Client, the signal will be logged against this client, not the Def Log Notes Client. This allows buttons
common to all clients to be setup very quickly.
Panel Types
You can now enter instructions for each panel. Then from a client, pages 3, click on the Panel Instructions
button to view them. Should be useful for giving an added service to your clients.
Billing
On the Report tab of an activation, there is now a place to select a charge for this activation (from the
master charges). This also copies the master charge amount into the Attend Fee field, which can then be edited
for just this Activation if required.
You can now select a charge to automatically be tagged onto an activation, by action plan. In any action plan,
if required, select a charge from the advanced tab. This will automatically be tagged to any activations using
this action plan.
Client Alias
Signals can now be redirected and logged against another (alias) client. On the advanced tab of the client,
under Client Alias Account, select the account the signals should be redirected to.
This will be useful for a set of clients that should be treated as different areas, but the panels are set to
different client ID’s.
Camera Interface Module
New optional module added for interfacing with security cameras on the web. With this
module you can store the details of each camera at a site. Then quickly display a
window showing the live camera footage from the client, from the browse signals
screen, and from any activation.
Automated Backups
Backups can be setup to run automatically up to every ˝ hour if required.
Mobile Prefix
Can enter a prefix for mobile phones. Required by some South American countries.
OzVision Video Receiver
Added new task to support the OzVision Video receiver.
Browse Refresh Option
Previously the main browses only refreshed if they where in focus, now this is
optional using this swtich. This applies to the Browse Current Activations, Browse
Signals, Browse Unset List, and Browse Logged Notes.
Open/Close Times Defaults
Defaults for open time, close time, and tolerance can now be set on the defaults tab
of system wide settings. This applies to both quick set, and inserting a new
schedule.
No Signals Monitoring Defaults
Defaults for ‘Alarm if no signals since’ and ‘No Sigs Alarm Reset Time’ can now be
set on the defaults tab of system wide settings.
Auto Status Monitoring Defaults
Defaults for the Alarm Reset Time can now be set on the defaults tab of system wide
settings.
Zone Number
Zone numbers are now able to be changed once they have been setup.
Text Log
You can now right click on a signal from the signal browse or the log tab of a client,
and either add the raw data of this signal to the text log, or create a new text log,
containg the raw data of this signal. This will make assisting you with format problems much
easier.
Paging Tasks
There is a new switch on the System Wide Settings window, which decides if signals on
test mode should be paged out or not. This switch applies to Pacnet, Pet Protocol, and GSM
paging tasks, and also to the emailing and telephony tasks
Radionics Receiver
The Radionics D6600 – SIA mode receiver task has been enabled.
CDMA Paging Task
Added CDMA paging task to work with a CDMA modem to send and receive Text messages.
Has all the functionality of the GSM paging task.
Report Page Size
The size and position of most reports (all the reports that have customisable headers)
can now be altered. From the menu item Reports -> Report Settings, enter in the page
size and position if you need to change from the default settings.
Automated Alarm Handling (Enterprise Version Only)
Auto Priority Increase: Action Plans can be given a priority increase and an interval.
Once an activation is created, if an operator hasn’t picked up the activation within
the specified interval, the priority of the activation increases by the amount set.
And will continue to do so until an operator picks up the activation.
Automated Alarm Handling (Enterprise Version Only)
Multi Knock: Along with the existing multi knock feature, where an alarm is put to
sleep until it receives the desired number of alarm signals, there is also a new
multi knock feature, where an alarm signal generates an alarm, upon receiving
another alarm signal for the same activation, the priority is increased by the
amount specified. This will continue for the number of times (knocks) specified, or
the multi knock expires. Note that this will only occur until the operator picks up
the activation.
Auto Select and Assignment of Activations (Enterprise Version Only)
Auto Select of activations is a new button which has been added to the current
activations window. If an operator currently not dealing with any activations, and
they press this button, it will find the highest priority free activation and open
it. Auto assignment automatically assigns and opens the next highest priority
free activation to the operator (if they are currently not dealing with any
activations), whenever you open the current activations window, whenever you
complete an activation, or when a new activation is generated and there was
previously no free activations (as long as the current activations window has the
focus).
Tasks Monitoring (Enterprise Version Only)
A Tasks Processor time monitor has been added to the Tasks View window in the Task
Manager. This can be useful for trouble shooting a task, or checking how your server
copes during busy periods.
Assign Response Plan Window
The Assign all available users button now only assigns Users who have been assigned to
the site, and a new button has been added which assigns all global users(Patrols).
Global users are now coloured yellow in the Available users list.
Program Face Lift
The entire program has been given a face lift. This new colour scheme is optional.
Auto Data Restore Program (Enterprise version only)
New program supplied seperately which will automatically restore backups onto your
backup server, giving you a warm backup.
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