This article details how to read the raw signals presented to Manitou and how they process through the Signal Handling process. It also details the basics of common signaling formats. For more information about specific signals, please see the receiver documentation.
Types of Signals
Every signal contains some basic format details that our developers wrote, what are called “drivers,” for the FEP (Front End Processor), to do basic translations and present that information to the Signal Handler for further processing.
What are Intelligent versus Non-intelligent signals?
Intelligent signals are events that have enough information within their raw signal to provide the “what” type of an alarm or restore, event it is. Examples of intelligent signal formats are: (See Image 1 on the next page)
- Ademco Contact ID (Also known as Contact ID)
- SIA
- DMP
Non-intelligent signals just have enough information to tell you something happened in a zone and require customized signal translations on the customer or transmitter type. (See Image 2 on the next page.)
Image 1
Image 2
What are RAW signals?
Raw signals are the base signals presented to the alarm automation system from the receiver from the signaling control panel before processing by the drivers and Signal Handler. These are sent in the format provided by the control panel. Raw Signals may be viewed within the details of the customer alarm activity log, or from within the Raw Data Log. The Raw Data Log is a key resource for troubleshooting signal failures.
How signals process through Manitou
The Manitou Signal Handler is responsible for processing signals. Here are a couple of images of how signals are processed through Manitou. Remember, the Front End Processor (FEP) acknowledges (“thanks”) the receiver for the event and passes it to the Signal Handler. First, we have the flow of how signals present events to Manitou.
Next, the system needs to know what Action Pattern to apply. That is found in the Event Actions Programming on the Customer, Transmitter, or on the Event codes themselves. Here are some images that demonstrate the decisions and how they flow.
