Soul of a New Machine: The Legend of the D5-Evo (Part 2)

A couple of weeks ago, we embarked on the first leg of our journey into the storied history of the hugely popular D5-Evo sliding gate motor. We delved deep into its illustrious past, exploring how it came to be the vanguard of a new, intelligent generation of gate operators and came to define innovation in gate automation.

In this exclusive interview, R & D director Robert Dickens takes us back to those halcyon days. As always Rob writes compellingly, almost lyrically, and this is one interview you don’t want to miss.

“It’s hard to know exactly where the story begins, or at least where the story hits the cusp, the proverbial fork in the road, that led to such a radical shift in CENTURION’s trajectory. Perhaps, as I reflect on it now, it wasn’t a single discontinuity, it was the sum of many disruptive technology hops that ultimately, and ostensibly magically, allow us to appear where we are today.

At least in terms of CENTURION’s culture of driving paradigm-shifting innovation, we need to start right at the beginning. Gate operators in their crudest form are actually far more mechanical than they are electrical. Provide the simplest of contact-based logic, that in combination with two end-of-travel limit-switches that inhibit the operator from driving a gate beyond its mechanical limits, and you have a working automatic gate… And so begins CENTURION’s inexorable genesis. Pat [Dickens, CENTURION MD] and Richard [Rohman, CENTURION marketing and sales director) with their respective electrical and mechanical backgrounds developed operators that fell into this class of automation – just opening and closing a gate with the crudest of remote control stimulus.

But competition was fierce back in those days… Or so it is regaled in folklore! In truth, the barrier-to-entry was just very low. You didn’t need much technology expertise to get into the game. Out of this free-market primordial soup came the DNA for CENTURION’s later prominence in the access automation market – a deep commitment to constantly innovate! I recall Pat investing hundreds, if not indeed thousands, of hours developing the logic, that back in those days was entirely implemented using CMOS logic gates, to design gate controllers that evolved beyond crudely opening and closing gates. I believe that CENTURION’s long-standing alpha-characteristic of developing feature-rich products became part of our genetics at this formative point in our history.

So too with Darwin’s Finches, we built on this genetic blueprint fairly linearly and organically over the next of several years. Change is inevitable though… As the business grew, Pat and Richard had less and less time to invest in the development of new products. Enter Ian Rozowsky! At the time, a young and fairly recent university graduate with a new technology skillset. He radically changed the landscape with the introduction of microcontroller-based controllers. Recall, up until this point all behavioural logic was implemented using logic gates. Logic gates in their own right are ingeniously clever, but they don’t scale well with complexity. At least not when functional behaviour is built by hand, gate by gate. For us, microcontrollers represented the next technology discontinuity in our evolutionary development. In R&D we often discuss what is referred to as a ‘technology enabler’. 

The term describes a concept, entity, technology, paradigm, etc., that does more than address the direct requirement for its existence. Of course, it must address the direct and immediate requirement that justifies its initial existence, but often its real value lies in its indirect and often subtle merits. It ‘enables’ entirely new ways of conceptualising, implementing, and developing systems and/or products. Microcontrollers for CENTURION were, and still very much are, one of the most significant ‘technology enablers’ we’ve leveraged to create our strong lineage.

Microcontrollers rapidly accelerated our ancestry all the way to the point where we introduced the CP80 sliding-gate controller. Without doubt, it was a product well ahead of its time. In fact, it was functionally so far ahead of its time, that it got a bit ahead of itself. The functionality it offered far exceeded the user interface we’d provided in support of it. It was this genetic misstep that was one of the primary drivers in the ultimate development of the Evo platform.

Our history becomes a bit disjointed at this point; because the Evo didn’t evolve linearly from the CP80. Strange as it may seem, it actually evolved from a parallel genus in the form of our swing gate operators. For largely circumstantial reasons, the business was developing the Vector swing gate operator at the time. Mechanically this operator, for reasons that will make for a story for another day, required a controller that fundamentally controlled the operator in a radically different manner to the manner in which we’d been controlling motors up to this point. CENTURION, as it had done numerous times before, disruptively innovated; developing a new way to control motors in the context of gate automation. It was a subtle but disruptive paradigm shift that closed the control loop giving us full control to not only accelerate a gate, but decelerate it too, in a deterministic and controlled manner. To this day, we remain at the apex of motor control technology in the world of gate automation.

The Vector also introduced a far more sophisticated user interface in the form of an onboard LCD. Over the years we’ve identified the LCD as another significant ‘technology enabler’. It’s directly addressed the non-intuitive configuration weaknesses we had historically introduced in controllers like the CP80, but it has facilitated so much more. It’s enabled the ability to configure advanced parameters like precise operator speeds, and introduce advanced features like time-barred, and auto-activated access (that appeared in the Evo platform).

The Evo therefore inherited the intelligent design of the Vector platform, and subtly built upon it. 

Logic gates had given way to microcontrollers; and even though we’d been using microcontrollers for nearly two decades, we’d always used them fairly conservatively. Again, for reasons that extend beyond the horizon of this story, even the Vector had evolved on the back of fairly conservative design paradigms. The Evo became the first platform therefore to break this design thinking. And this change has become another ‘technology enabler’ that has enabled new and innovative ways of designing and manufacturing products that offer strong value propositions. For example, this change in thinking has facilitated support for multiple languages on many of our newer generation controllers.

The development of the Evo platform could not stand in isolation. Indeed it stands on the shoulders of many giants before it. It is an incremental evolution of product design in CENTURION’s long lineage of creating compelling products. Disruptive innovation has always been a defining characteristic in CENTURION’s DNA. I suspect the Evo, for all that it is, is currently the canon realisation of that intangible.”

Read part one of the story of the D5-Evo here.

6 Crucial Things to Ask Your Installer

If you’ve ever dealt with a toddler – and I speak from experience, having a two-and-a-half year old nephew – you’ll attest to their inherently inquisitive nature. In a matter of mere minutes, they can make the word “why” take on more or less the same quality as long fingernails being dragged across a blackboard. “Why is the sky blue?” “Why do dogs go ‘woof’?” “Why are you pulling out tufts of hair and banging your head against the wall?”. That sort of thing.

But, as it turns out, they might just be onto something. I mean, how often have we not uttered the lamentation: “If only I knew then what I know now…”? And yet, we are so often afraid to ask, mainly because we don’t know which questions to ask. We simply don’t feel empowered enough.

One would think that the logical first question to ask when having a new gate motor installed is: “What will it cost?” but, in the words of that Greek sage Plato: “A good decision is based on knowledge, and not on numbers”.

Here are the six things you really should be asking your installer:

Does he offer after-sales support?

In other words, if things do go pear-shaped with regards to the installation, can you depend on him to come and sort it out? A good installer will offer a warranty on his workmanship, and not just on the product.

Are there products that could complement your installation?

Of course, there are times when a standalone gate motor will do just fine but, in the world of access control, a full bouquet of products will offer you enhanced security, convenience and functionality.

Think of your gate motor as a juicy piece of lazy-aged steak; it’s delicious on its own, but add a nice claret and the experience overall just feels richer. Be sure to ask your installer about ancillary products like keypads, tag readers, GSM devices and intercom systems.

How can he make your installation safer?

If you were buying a new car, chances are you’d ask the salesman whether it comes with airbags, ABS, that sort of thing. While most modern gate motors come with features like built-in anti-crushing protection, it’s always a good idea to ask your installer to fit additional safety devices such as infrared gate safety beams.

Does the operator require routine maintenance?

The reality is, any mechanical system accumulates a certain amount of wear and tear over time; it’s an inevitable side effect of moving parts working against each other and the various forces of nature.

Your maintenance schedule will generally be directly proportional to how frequently you use your gate motor, but a routine service every two years or so is recommended, just to ensure that everything keeps running smoothly under the hood.

Is he able to provide you with a users’ guide?

While the installer might not necessarily want to leave you with the complete installation manual – this is, after all, his domain – you should at the very least insist that he give you the users’ guide. As the name suggests, this document contains all information relevant to the end-user, such as the setting up of various features and the coding of remote controls, and even some basic diagnostics.

Does he have references?

Remember, you’re essentially putting your home and family’s security in the hands of this person, so it’s important to be sure that he’ll do a proper job, and that there are past clients that can vouch for his work. Ask for a list of references before giving the go-ahead.

Security in the Workplace

Unless you hit it big by penning a series of novels about boy wizards or sparkly vampires, chances are you spend the greatest part of your day in an office of some sort. And, since the focus of our newsletter has predominantly been on domestic security, we reckoned it’s high time we explored some of the ways that you can keep safe in your place of employment.

The reality is that we spend a great deal of time (and money) turning our homes into the kind of high-tech fortresses that would make a Bond villain green with envy – and rightly so – but how prepared are we to deal with threats to our personal security in the building where we spend 80% of our day?

Sure, there’s the obligatory fire evacuation drill every couple of months, and you might even have a working clock-in machine, but there’s a lot more that you can do to help ensure that you and your coworkers don’t fall victim to crime at work (and we’re not talking about all those hours of unpaid overtime you put in, either).

Here’s a few useful (and potentially life-saving) tips to keep in mind when you leave for the office tomorrow:

•  Ensure that there is a proper evacuation plan, and that it is communicated to all employees and contractors. This includes establishing emergency assembly points and designated exits
• If you’re in the habit of arriving at work early or leaving late, have a trusted co-worker escort you to and from your car or, if you are in a position to do so, move your car closer to the building entrance
• When entering the office park or building, check that you are not being followed
•  Know your co-workers and report anyone who seems out of place or is acting suspiciously. Your vigilance might just save a life!
•  If you’re the last one leaving the office, ensure that entry points are locked and secured and that the alarm has been armed
• Regularly check that camera and surveillance equipment are in working order
• Have a maintenance schedule drawn up for security equipment such as traffic barriers, gate motors, keypads and card readers
• If a co-worker is acting in a suspicious or threatening manner, report this to your HR representative
• Assign asset numbers to all movable assets and keep an up-to-date inventory

Introducing the Heir to the Throne of Access Automation

But for the steady drone of traffic lazily drifting in from the invisible highway, there’s precious little indication that we’re somewhere in the heart of Johannesburg. In front of us – and seemingly stretching to the horizon which is only now, at about 6:30, beginning to blush with the rising sun – is a sprawling golf course lined with trees already ablaze with fiery autumnal splendour.

It’s a setting befitting the crowning of a king, which is exactly what CENTURION marketing and sales director Richard Rohman will be officiating in just a couple of hours.

For the moment, however, the Johannesburg Country Club in Woodmead is a hive of activity as staff from CENTURION and Events Company Contact Media scurry to get the venue ready for the coronation ceremony of what we are calling the heir to the throne of access automation, the SECTOR II high-volume traffic barrier.

The guests – among them architects, property developers and installers of security development - start to arrive at 9am, after enjoying some coffee and conversation, sit down to a hearty breakfast, lovingly prepared by the gastronomical artistes of the Johannesburg Country Club.

Shortly after, Richard finally takes to the stage, accompanied by the sounds of royal trumpets that echo through the club’s Kingfisher Hall.

“Our tale begins, as these things often do,” Richard booms, “once upon a time in a kingdom far, far away…”

While Richard keeps the audience spellbound as he traces the original SECTOR’s meteoric rise to glory as the valiant guardian of housing estates, airports, car dealerships, office parks and even warehouses, the real focus is on the six beauties that flank him on either side.

A direct descendant of its predecessor, and yet superior in so many ways, the SECTOR II is sleeker, harder, better, and has been adorned with a crown as is befitting a king.

Richard spends some time on the exceptional aesthetics of the SECTOR II – highlighting the sleek, attractive design, stylish powder-coated aluminium lid (which includes a condensation shield) and three stunningly beautiful colours in which the enclosure is available – before moving on to the optimised layout.

The electronics carrier has been moved to the top of the barrier, Richard explains, for easy access. It is now at the perfect working height and looks much neater, incorporating cable channels and dedicated, independent switches for AC and DC isolation. Additionally, the all-important SECTOR controller neatly clips into its holder but is still hinged so that it can be tilted up to expose components underneath. The battery is housed in its own easily-accessible pocket, while the charger is tucked away neatly underneath the controller.

The access door is in the spotlight next, with a brief treatise on its clever design allowing it to be easily unclipped from the cabinet, and an illustrative animated video clip to drive the message home.

Some 20 minutes later, and our guests have been given a thorough education in what makes the SECTOR II superior to its predecessor, and what makes it stand out head and shoulders above the competition.

For your edification, here’s the executive summary:

• Easy access to electronics
•  Sleek, attractive design
• Available in different coulours to befit any entrance
• Die-cast aluminium lid for greater durability
• Pre-wired for quicker installation
•  AC and DC isolators for greater safety
• Convenient mains connector for easy maintenance
• Extended battery compartment for longer power failure autonomy
• Seamless integration with CLAWS for easier installation and enhanced security

Vivat rex! Long live the king!

CENTURION Uses Key Technologies to Help Keep You Safe

“And slowly, and surely, they drew their plans against us”

 

This iconic line forms part of the introduction to one of the most famous radio plays ever to be recorded, the Orson Welles adaptation of H.G. Wells’ unnerving sci-fi tour de force, The War of the Worlds. Of course, the conspirators Wells was referring to here were malicious otherworldly intelligences intent on destroying our planet and/or enslaving the human race. It was gripping stuff; so gripping, in fact, that it sowed widespread panic when it was broadcast sometime during the beginning of the previous century.

So how does the father of modern science fiction’s ominous opening words – so utterly ripe with foreboding – relate to the current security situation in South Africa?

It’s quite simple, really. The reality is that yes, South Africa sleeps, but it is an uneasy sleep plagued by nightmares of home invasions and crooks lurking about in the night. In this sense, we are akin to War’s protagonist (and indeed, all of mankind), our eyes darting nervously about as we await the imminent invasion and the terrible fate that awaits us.

But it need not be that way. If there is one prevailing theme throughout the history of mankind, it is the triumph of good over evil. We, the average citizens of this country, the home and business owners, are Good, while the criminals represent the forces of Evil.

Centurion Systems has developed a number of key technologies to aid the forces of Good in this eternal struggle, and to help South Africans sleep more soundly, secure in the knowledge that their homes and families are safe. It is worth noting that CENTURION is a South African company with South African sensibilities, always in tune with the unique security needs of the country.

CENTURION’s ongoing influence in the fight against crime is clearly evident in the following technologies:

 

Intruder-detection Alarms

As children, the majority of us were told cautionary tales and feared the “bogeyman”: an exaggerated evil entity that would come for us if we misbehaved. But, in our childlike innocence, we knew that switching on the light would render the bogeyman powerless and banish him to the realms of shadow whence he came.

In the slightly imagination-stripped world of adulthood, the bogeyman takes the shape of criminals wanting to get their hands on our possessions – or otherwise cause us harm – and the entrance gate is the typical point where they would try breach perimeter security. From following hapless homeowners into their properties to obstructing the gate safety beams so that the gate stays open, criminals have devised all sorts of clever ways of gaining entrance.

The Intruder-detection Alarm feature-set is CENTURION’s interpretation of “switching on the light” and catching the bogeyman in the act.  These alarms – consisting of the Break-in Alarm and Ambush Alarm – work by sounding the onboard buzzer of your D-Series operator (D10/D10 Turbo, D5-Evo, SECTOR, VECTOR2) whenever the infrared gate safety beams are interrupted, or remain interrupted for a predefined period of time.

Consider, if you will, the practical application of these alarms: A potential intruder has been staking out your house for a couple of nights and knows your habits, your comings and goings. Then, one night, the criminal sees you enter your property and decides to stick some insulation tape over the lenses of the beams, thereby keeping the gate open and affording himself ample opportunity to enter the yard.

But the joke’s on him, because you have enabled the Ambush Alarm which promptly picks up that the beams have been obstructed for the preset period of time, and it triggers the alarm which you have relayed to your security company. The armed response chaps arrive and arrest the would-be burglar. Threat neutralised.

 

ChronoGuard

As you can most probably deduce from its name, ChronoGuard was named after the Greek word for time, “chronos”, which is also used as a prefix in English words related to time (think: “chronological”).

Yes, the ChronoGuard is a timer, but it is a timer that opens up a world of access control possibilities.

 

Take, for example, the Auto-activations feature offered by ChronoGuard. Using the onboard Real Time Clock and Calendar found in CENTURION D-Series controllers, this feature allows you to set up to 100 unique time periods that can be used to perform a myriad automatic activations. Among them:

·         Opening your gate during busy times, such as in the mornings, so that your gate motor’s battery is not run flat from continually opening and closing

·         Interfacing with an irrigation system to water your garden at certain times of the day

·         Automatically switching on a security light only at night so as not to waste electricity

The possibilities are virtually endless.

Then there’s the Time-barring functionality. This security feature is useful to anyone from home-owners to managers who want to restrict access to their property after work or during weekends. Time-barring can be used to inhibit signals from remote controls or even physical triggers, so criminals won’t be able to simply short-circuit wires in order to get the gate to open.

From a practical application perspective, this is very handy since employers who have issued their staff with remotes can configure their D-Series gate motor or traffic barrier to work during normal office hours, but ignore inputs from remotes after hours. Hey presto – you now have a highly effective access control system without having to buy any expensive additional equipment. All that is needed is your CENTURION D-Series operator.

Code-hopping Technology

 

“And slowly, and surely, they drew their plans against us”

That menacing line makes a final appearance. Criminals have always attempted to use our own tools and technology against us and, at times, it even seemed as though they had succeeded.

“Code grabbing” is one way in which tech-savvy crooks have been doing this; taking the wonderful convenience of remote controls and using it for their own dark purposes. What basically happens is this: a homeowner stops at his entrance gate and presses his remote, oblivious to the fact that in the bushes nearby a crook is hiding wielding a makeshift signal-grabbing device. The crook than uses this device to “grab” the code transmitted by the homeowner’s remote, and so gets carte blanche for helping himself to the homeowner’s possessions.

In an effort to combat this malfeasance, CENTURION has implemented code-hopping technology. What this means, is that every code transmitted by the CENTURION transmitter is completely and randomly different to the previous one, making code-grabbing more or less impossible. It is worth noting that this is the same sort of secure technology currently employed by leading vehicle manufacturers.

From the development and implementation of these innovative technologies it is clear that in actuality it is us drawing our plans against the criminals, and not vise versa.

Unlocking the Future with CENTURION Biometric Readers

Swiss surrealist artist H.R. Giger is perhaps best-known as the mastermind behind the set design for science fiction films like Alien and Prometheus; his trademark style can best be described as “biomechanical”, representing the interconnected relationship between man and machine.

While Mr Giger perhaps paints rather a bleak picture of this relationship, depicting it as cold and even dangerous, there is something very positive about marrying biology and technology, namely its benefits to security.

This is most evident in the division of access control known as biometrics, being the identification of humans by their characteristics or traits.  Biometric authentication has (quite literally, in some instances) opened many doors for those within the security industry by  providing arguably the only means of controlling access that cannot be copied, cloned or circumvented in any way.  It does this by using the human body itself as access tag.

One major benefit of incorporating biometrics, and fingerprint authentication in particular, into your security infrastructure is that the access device (being the finger) cannot be misplaced or stolen as is often the case with loose tags.  Authentication occurs by placing a finger onto a small glass “window” on the reader, which then scans it and matches it to the records stored in memory, granting access based on whether or not a record is found.

CENTURION is an authorised distributor of the award-winning Virdi range of biometric readers.  Virdi uses state-of-the-art fingerprint recognition and RFID technology to provide an access control system boasting superior functionality as well as dependability.



The Virdi AC4000 Fingerprint Authentication Reader

The Virdi range’s strength lies in its use of patented fake finger detection technology, a powerful system that measures the electrostatic capacitance differential between real and fake fingers, while also employing an infrared beam and sophisticated software algorithm for added reliability.

Some of the advanced features you can look forward to with the Virdi range are:

·         Live and Fake Finger Detection

A patented three tiered approach incorporating IR scanning technology with the ability to identify the material the fingerprint is made of (chemical composition) such as silicon, rubber, paper, gel, etc.  A capacitive sensor is built into the optical scanner and an intelligent algorithm is used to measure and compare image distortion.

·         Patented Search Algorithm

Incredibly fast and accurate template matching algorithm will compare a 1:1 match in less than half a second, and a 1:N match for 1000 users in less than 1 second.

·         Number of Enrolled Fingers Set by User

Each user can load between 1 and 5 fingerprints on the biometric terminal.  The database can accommodate the enrolment of up to 10 fingers and can be set to check that similar fingers do not exist in the database thereby eliminating “ghost employees”.

·         Registration and Authentication Levels Set by User

Each user can be enrolled and thereafter verified using custom registration and verification levels which have been individually configured to match the conditions of their fingers and the security needs of the organisation.

·         Transaction Options Set by User

Each user can have their transaction methods individually assigned; i.e. finger only, pin and finger, card or finger, card and finger, template on a card, etc.  There are over 10 combinations.

·         Push technology

In order to minimise network traffic and provide real-time update of transactions, the devices will “push” their transactions to the server as they occur.  While templates are being sent to the Virdi devices, users can continue to transact.

·         Optical Sensor (Patented)

The optical sensor has a patent on the angle of the prism which gives the optimal level of distortion for image capture.  This means that the biometric image scanned on a Virdi Optical Sensor has a higher image quality than competitive products; furthermore the surface of the sensor is hardened and coated which makes it resistant to wear and tear including use in harsh environments.  This has been field proven in a multitude of installation in Africa where some of the harshest environments exit and where abuse of technology is rife.

·         Interfaces

The Virdi Biometric Terminals are intelligent and available with a multitude of communication and interface ports.  As standard they have TCP/IP for template and data management, Wiegand 26 and 34 bit In and Out ports to connect third party RFID readers or connect to access control controllers, onboard relays with normally-open/normally-closed terminals and motorised lock control, door status monitor, alarm panel I/F and RS232/485 ports.

·         Applications

The Virdi Biometric Terminals can either operate as standalone or networked/server managed devices and incorporate the functionality required for Time and Access management and Canteen Control.  Alternatively, they can simply emulate a card reader for interfaces to legacy systems.

How To Assign Your CENTURION G-SWITCH To Your Profile

In retrospect, it almost seems that when the celebrated sci-fi author Isaac Asimov said “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”, he had the G-SWITCH-22 in mind. 
This multi-faceted GSM-module took the world by storm when it was first introduced to an eager public in 2011, and it continues to impress by putting unsurpassed convenience quite literally at the user's fingertips.  Historically laborious tasks such as arming alarms or switching on pool pumps became, with the advent of the G-SWITCH-22, as easy as initiating a missed call from your mobile phone or land line, while the unit's dual inputs allow for the monitoring of any number of electrical devices.  We daresay the airwaves will never be the same!

CENTURION has always had a reputation for taking the very concepts of security and convenience to the next level and, for exactly that reason, the G-WEB interface was created; using the might of the Internet to make the adding, editing and deleting of users and modules even simpler than before.  G-WEB is password-protected and allows for the uploading of detailed transaction logs for improved security.

What follows below is a brief tutorial on how to load G-SWITCH modules to your profile as well as how to add users to a module using G-WEB.

1.       Register

Before you can assign a G-SWITCH module to your profile, you need to register on the Centurion Systems website www.centsys.co.za.

To do this, simply navigate your browser to our Home Page, and click on the Log in tab at the far right of the screen.  A dropdown menu will then appear prompting you to either register or log in.  Select Register here and fill in all the required fields. 

Once you have completed this simple registration process, your profile will be registered on our website.

2.       Log onto G-WEB

After registering, you can immediately log onto the G-WEB interface which will take you to the Members Home screen pictured below. 

3.       Access the online user interface

On the Members Home screen, three options will be displayed.  Click on the second option, which will be access the online user interface.  This action will take you to the G-SWITCH main screen.  A grey field will be displayed with the text “No modules associated with this user”.

4.       Enter the G-SWITCH and IMEI numbers

Fill in the required fields for the G-SWITCH mobile number as well as the unique IMEI number of the unit.  The mobile number will be the number of the SIM card presently inserted in the G-SWITCH module, while the IMEI number is generally displayed on a sticker found on the onboard GSM module (which will be silver in colour).  If you don’t know the IMEI number offhand, simply send the command string p.xxxx.co.imei (where xxxx is the G-SWITCH password) to the module using a standard text message. 

Click on the Next button.

USEFUL TIP:  Remember to enter the G-SWITCH mobile number in the international format!

5.       Select your mobile operator

You will now be asked whether the correct mobile operator (for e.g. Cell C or Vodacom) has been detected.  If it has, select Yes.  If not, click on No and select the applicable country and mobile operator using the dropdown menu provided.

6.       Finish

A text-box will appear prompting you to either finish assigning the module or to first update changes.  If you haven’t made any additional changes, click on the Finish button.

The website now needs to synchronise with the module using Over-the-Air protocol.  If the connection is successful, the module will appear in a grey block towards the top of the screen.  If the website fails to connect, refer to the troubleshooting guide at the end of this tutorial.

Bonus

Did you know...?

You can purchase G-WEB SMS bundles from any of our branches!  The website uses these SMSs to synchronise with associated G-SWITCH modules, and we give you 10 free SMSs for every module that you assign to your profile.  But, should you ever run out, simply drop in to your nearest CENTURION branch and pick up a bundle voucher.  They are cost-effective and we will even load them for you! 

You can also use the airtime on the G-SWITCH module's SIM card for synchronisation - just SMS the word "connect" to the module from any mobile phone and voila!, you're back in business.

Diagnostics

Symptom	Error message	Possible cause	Solution
Unable to assign a module	The G-Switch has not responded in 90 seconds	·         Incorrect mobile number  or IMEI number has been entered ·         The module is not powered up ·         The module has poor signal strength	·         Ensure that the correct mobile number has been entered in the international format, as well as the correct IMEI number.  The IMEI number can be requested by sending the command string p.xxxx.co.IMEI to the module ·         Check that the module has power ·         Check the signal strength of the module by referring to the signal strength LEDs or sending the command string p.xxxx.co.ss to the module
	Please enter a valid cell phone number in international format	·         A valid cellphone number has not been entered, or the number entered does not follow the international format	·         Ensure that the number entered is a valid mobile number, and that it follows the international format, i.e. the country code followed by the number and dropping any leading zeros.  NOTE: The + sign normally preceding the number is not used in this instance
	Please enter a valid IMEI number	·         A valid IMEI number has not been entered	·         Enter a valid 15-digit IMEI number
Unable to synchronise	G-Switch has not responded	·         Module is not powered up ·         Poor signal strength	·         Ensure that the G-SWITCH-22 module has power ·         Check that the module has sufficient signal strength

The Changing Face of Access Control

There’s no denying the fact that access control has come a long way since the days of punch cards and other, similarly archaic systems.  Like most things in this modern age, the trend in access control seems to lean towards the sleek and the compact, while still offering superior security, usability and functionality.   Modern access control systems also need to be multi-faceted, providing an all-encompassing topology that can be shaped to suit the unique requirements of different sites.

However, security should still be at the core of an efficient access control infrastructure as this is an area where technology can truly be used to create a formidable barrier and can almost be viewed as a safety net, protecting people, information and assets.  There have been remarkable advances in this ever-expanding field, with everything from network integration to data logging forming part of a very exciting microcosm the potential of which has yet to be fully exploited.

In recent years, keypad access control has taken the world of security by storm – the obvious benefit being that authorised entrants don’t have to carry anything with them that could potentially be lost or stolen – all the information they need to gain access is stored safely in their heads.  Some keypads, such as the CENTURION SMARTGUARD and its wireless sibling, the SMARTGUARDair, can be interfaced with a host of peripheral devices such as gate motors, electric locks and alarm panels for a fully comprehensive access control system.  Furthermore, introducing facilities such as free-exit and panic pushbuttons to keypad access control systems further enhances the overall security of the installation.

While keypad access control is undeniably powerful, there is still much to be said for proximity readers; especially when it comes to functionality and expandability.  The CENTURION Lattice proximity access system, for instance, can start out as a single reader and be seamlessly expanded to a networked system consisting of up to 32 readers.  In addition, the system can be interfaced with a PC via a simple RS-458 connection and, using the unique LatticeWARE software, the user can upload transaction logs, selectively add and delete users as well as edit all functionality associated with particular readers.  This is one system that still packs a very powerful punch when it comes to expandable, user-friendly and fully comprehensive access control.

SMARTGUARD, SMARTGUARDair and Lattice are all available from Centurion Systems and leading security outlets.

Make Your Property Virtually Impenetrable!

It’s a well-known fact that traffic barriers offer formidable vehicle access control, and for that reason they are favoured by property managers who need to control the traffic entering and leaving the premises.  For the longest time barriers have been used to guard the entrances and exits to shopping centres, office parks and secure housing estates and are usually activated by means of ticket readers, free-exit loops, pushbuttons or other access control devices (such as keypads). 

But how comprehensive are traffic barriers?  Certainly a determined car thief might hightail it straight through a boom pole, and there is always the possibility that a hoodlum on foot might circumvent the system.

The SECTOR high-volume traffic barrier has been designed specifically for sites with heavy traffic flow requiring an extremely high duty cycle, with recorded daily operations in excess of 3000.  Add to that a rapid raising and lowering speed, reliable battery backup and an intelligent controller chock a block with features and functionality, and you’ve got an access control system that won’t let you down. 

But, believe it or not, there are accessories that can make this already impressive system even more formidable, and even more effective.  We’re talking about things like...

CLAWS

There is a certain comic book character that has steel claws extending from his knuckles, which he uses as weapons, but even he would think twice about taking on these CENTURIONs.  CLAWS – our very own range of roadway spikes - can be interfaced seamlessly with the SECTOR, or be used in a stand-alone configuration – but either way, criminals and tailgaters won’t be going anywhere while they’re raised.  A lowering boom pole provides the CLAWS with the only motivation they need to stand at the ready, the mighty stainless steel maw eagerly awaiting the first vehicle that dares not stop when it’s meant to.

TRAPEX

As we mentioned in the introduction, pedestrian access control has been a thorn in the collective side of property owners and building managers since time immemorial.  Yes, vehicle barriers do provide an effective means of controlling vehicular traffic, but a criminal on foot is able to do equally as much damage and arguably more, since he can do said damage without attracting too much attention.

TRAPEX is a barrier fence that literally covers all bases.  Robust and exceptionally easy to install, TRAPEX forms a comprehensive barrier and prevents pedestrians from circumventing the access control system.  Not only will would-be intruders not be able to use the barrier as their own personal limbo pole and gain access by entering underneath the boom, but the vertical poles extend above the boom pole, making it impossible to traverse.

BREAKAWAY COUPLING

Let’s consider for one moment – and we can’t stress enough how unlikely this is – that a particularly determined criminal has made it far enough to break your boom pole before being stopped dead in his tracks by the CLAWS’s powerful bite.  Normally, the damage would be considerable and the barrier would be out of commission for quite some time, but fitting a SECTOR breakaway coupling allows the pole to hinge away from the housing when hit, thereby deflecting the impact and saving you loads of time and money.

So there you have it, three things you can add to your SECTOR to make sure that access is truly controlled.