One way to optimize the work of security personnel, making their tasks simpler, faster, and more efficient, is through the centralization of all technologies used to protect our facilities into a single platform. This way, having video, intrusion detection, fire detection, and even access control on a single platform that not only integrates but interrelates these different systems can make our facilities better protected and can provide us with additional functionalities that we had not considered until now.
Another technology that is part of security systems and is sometimes greatly overlooked is audio. Intercom and public address systems, if incorporated into the centralization system, offer new possibilities to enhance the security not only of our facilities, for example, by informing the intruder through loudspeakers that they are being watched and that the police are on their way, but also for the safety of the personnel who may be working in our facilities. For example, if the integration system receives a signal from a fire detector or a toxic gas level meter in an area, this same centralized system could play a generalized audio message indicating to the operators that it is necessary to evacuate the facilities.
For this reason, at SGSE we have worked on integrating the family of SIP devices under the management of Grandstream’s IP PBX systems into Milestone, so that intercom, IP telephony, and basic public address functions operating under the SIP protocol are also integrated into Milestone as a centralization platform, regardless of the manufacturer of the IP speakers, video phones, or video intercoms.
Central Models
Some of the most notable models:
UCM 6300 Audio series: UCM6300A, UCM6302A, UCM6304A, UCM6308A.
Management of Pre-recorded Messages and Live Announcements in Groups of Speakers and/or Intercoms
The functionalities incorporated by the plugin are:
- Direct connection between Milestone and the GrandStream UCM IP PBX.
- Simple configuration of the central unit.
- Automatic import into Milestone of the groups and extensions configured in the PBX.
- Visualization of grouped lists of public address groups (“Pre-recorded Message Groups” and “Live Message Groups”).
- Playback of pre-recorded messages and live announcements from the pre-recorded message group list, from the map, and from the «Pre-recorded Messages and Live Announcements» tab.
- Conducting «live announcements» from an extension.
- Configuration of the default calling extension in the GrandStream UCM IP PBX systems.
- Configuration of extension types (SIP phone, softphone, intercom, or speaker).
- Configuration of user events.
- Visualization of events.
- Monitoring of extension statuses.
- Generation of «Unavailable» events.
GrandStream Configuration
For the plugin to function as intended, the correct configuration of each GrandStream device to be integrated into Milestone is necessary. One of the required settings is shown in the following screen:
The previous screen describes an example of simulated configuration, meaning that this configuration will need to be adjusted for each environment. It allows for the creation of groups for playback of pre-recorded messages and/or live announcements.
The settings to be adjusted are as follows:
- Group name.
- Type: Select the «Intercom-2 Way» option.
- Extension associated with the group.
- Maximum call duration:
- Pre-recorded message group: Indicate the audio duration.
- Live announcement group: Indicate 0.
- IVR notification:
- Pre-recorded message group: Indicate the audio file with the pre-recorded message.
- Live announcement group: N/A.
- Member assignment (select the extensions that make up the group).
Each «paging group» configured in the IP PBX corresponds within Milestone to a public address group for broadcasting pre-recorded messages and/or live announcements.
The following screen shows an example of a pre-recorded message group configuration.
The following screen shows an example of a live announcement group configuration.
Assign an extension
From the plugin, it is possible to assign a default extension. This extension number (for example, in the previous screen, the field «Default Calling Extension» takes the value of 1005) will be used by various events as the default value when there is no calling extension associated with a Paging Group extension.
Configuring an extension
The plugin allows the configuration of each extension in order to assign a type of device. Currently, the available options are:
SIP Phone
Softphone
Intercom
Speaker
Each of them has a representative icon on the «Smart Client» map.
- SIP Phone
- SoftPhone
- Intercom
- Speaker
Setting up an event
The plugin allows the registration of various GrandStream devices in the Milestone «Smart Client» interface, which enables interaction with users, allowing the visualization of events and alarms, as well as the device from which they originated.
Additionally, the creation of new events integrated with existing ones and forming a structural part of the Milestone environment allows us to maximize the potential offered by this manufacturer through its XProtect platform.
Thanks to the specific events that the plugin incorporates into Milestone (PlayAudio), we can integrate the status of intercom, public address, and IP phone devices under the SIP protocol into the logic of XProtect’s rules and alarms.
Rule creation
The «PlayAudio» event, which is preconfigured in the GrandStream plugin, allows for the playback of pre-recorded messages as well as live announcements:
Configuring User Events
After pressing the «Test Event» button, in this case, a live announcement will be triggered and can be viewed from the «Smart Client».
Thus, from the «Smart Client» itself, we can access the functionality to play pre-recorded messages as well as to make live announcements. In both cases, it is possible to perform the described actions from:
- The tree located at the bottom left.
- The group icon, through a menu that appears with a right-click and selecting the «Play Audio» option.
- The «Pre-recorded Messages and Live Announcements» tab.
The next screen shows the tab «Pre-recorded messages and live talk» with two trees that enable the display of the groups depending on their configuration. On the left are the pre-recorded message playback groups and on the right are the live talk groups.
The design of this functionality as a hierarchical tree-like organisation is fully integrated into the Milestone environment. So, for example, you allow the change of the graphic line, as shown on the following two screens:
Live talk from an extension
Thus, from the «Smart Client» itself, we can access the functionality that allows live talk from a certain extension. It is possible to perform the described action from:
- The extension icon, through a menu that is displayed with right-click and select the option «Call extension».
Monitoring extension statuses
From the «Smart Client» itself it is possible to display the status changes in the extensions depending on the type of extension that is configured. The statuses are:
| Statuses | |||||
| Extension type | Available | In use | Busy | Calling | Unavailable |
| SIP Phone |  |  |  |  |  |
| SoftPhone |  |  |  |  |  |
| Intercom |  |  |  |  |  |
| Speaker |  |  |  |  |  |
Currently, the status check of each of the extensions in the GrandStream is performed every five seconds.
Generation of "Unavailable" events
The following «Smart Client» screenshots show the “Unavailable» status of the extensions and the «Extension Offline” event log. This event occurs in any extension as soon as its initial status is «Available», «in Use», «Busy» or «Calling» and should be changed to “Unavailable».
Demo video
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