National innovation awardee touts features of self-designed security system
Local entrant to the home security field Lindon Falconer believes his Falcon B series remote monitoring and control device system, which was entered in the 2018 National Innovation awards in November and which won the Engineering and Manufacturing category, stands to enhance security in Jamaica.
His invention, which uses a SIM card attached to any local mobile network, allows users to recharge or top-up their account as they would cellphones. They also have the option of paying monthly on post-paid accounts.
Falconer, an electronics engineer, explains that his system has three main features — a GSM alarm system, remote monitoring, and remote control, and notes that it functions similar to a regular alarm system for domestic or commercial use.
“It monitors both wired and wireless alarm, and can communicate with up to 16 different zones,” he says.
Falconer explains that if the system is armed and a zone is triggered it will enable a siren, which can be placed on silent mode if needed. It will then send SMS text messages, and generate phone calls to the numbers programmed in the system.
The remote control feature, he says, enables clients to use their phones, via a mobile application or text messaging, to power up or shut down appliances. The user may also preset the date and time that they would like the system to power up.
Falcon B can also be armed and disarmed using a text message.
Another advantage of his system Falconer says, is the prompt alert in the event of a breach in security.
“With a camera-only-system if there is a security breach on the premises, the person might not be aware, as the camera only allows you to become aware after the fact,” he says.
Falconer concedes that his system is not the first of its kind, but points out that it is the first to have so many features.
To help make the point, he tells JIS News that Falcon B gives the user a number of functionalities that are not typically seen in GSM alarms. These include remote monitoring; monitoring of smoke and gas sensors, as well as water or fuel levels; temperature; and lighting. The system can also be customised to monitor various other sensors.
Critically, Falcon B is designed to alert users when the SIM card’s credit is about to expire, and also provides one’s account balance.
The system is not yet in stores, but interested customers may contact the inventor at lindon.falconer@gmail.com.