Transform 3rd-party Events and Alarms into Milestone XProtect Events and Alarms
BTX (Bridge to Milestone XProtect) is a middleware application. It monitors real-time event and alarm data streams from third-party systems such as Video Analytics, Access Control, Security and Building Automation.
BTX analyzes incoming data, then based on user-defined rules and schedules, transforms that data into XProtect to ...
Generate Alarms with Video Bookmarks.
Generate Events with Video Bookmarks.
Trigger User-defined Alarms. (for Text and Email Notifications, Relays and Digital Outputs, and other functions)
Trigger Smart Client Matrix Views.
Trigger PTZ Commands. (for any camera, even for those from which a given event did not originate)
BTX stores and tags the originating event and alarm data into the XProtect database. As such, Smart Client users can search and filter reports by Event and Alarm Keywords, external / third-party Device Name, originating Date and Time, and even the raw Incoming Message String.
Counters - to debounce high event and alarm rates, and reduce false-positives.
Timers - to throttle over-frequent event alarm rates, and reduce false-positives.
Schedules - to define specific time periods within which incoming events and alarms should be processed.
BTX "double-knock" configuration options include:
Groups - combine events and alarms for any combination of devices, to produce a single event or alarm.
(Instead of generating many single events.)
(This function is important, because it facilitates validation of any single alarm, and eliminates false alarms.)
Double-knock Timers - to specify time periods within which all devices in a given group must generate an alarm in order to produce a single master alarm.
Types of systems include: Perimeter and asset protection; Building safety and security; Access control.
Alarms are also accepted from Video and audio analytics systems.
BTX bridges OPTEX, Inovonics and XProtect
BTX is fully integrated with Optex Redwall scanners and their "Redwall Event Codes".
BTX is also integrated with the Inovonics gateways which provide the monitoring functions for a variety of Optex sensors,
as well as for all of the Inovonics sensors.
Smart Client Presents BTX Alarms from Multiple Perspectives
The results of BTX processing can be shown on a single Smart Client view.
These results include: Alarm and Event records; PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) camera movement; triggered Matrix cells;
icons blinking (in alarm state) on a map; red text as an alert to an operator; and audible tone as an alert to an operator.
BTX consolidates alarms into double-knock and n-knock groups
BTX consolidates alarms into double-knock and n-knock groups.
That is, any number of devices may be grouped and monitored in tandem, so that an alarm
is not presented to XProtect until all members of the group are in an alarm state.
This is known as double-knock (for two members in a group) or n-knock (for any number of members in a group).
System Integrations to XProtect that are Facilitated by BTX
Bridge to XProtect ("BTX") is a middleware application which acts as an analytics, automation, security and sensor middleware application.
It receives events and alarms from third-party systems and devices and integrates them into Milestone XProtect,
creating Alarms and Events according to user-defined settings.
A few of the real-world event types typically handled by BTX are listed here:
Where an intrusion zone has been defined by the user and this zone is highlighted in a different color. If a body or activity enters that defined zone for a split-second, it is then flagged as an intrusion, triggering a flag and causing an alarm or event to be logged.
Detection of person or object traveling across a user-defined line in a specified direction. Examples include monitoring traffic of people entering a designated door.
Where objects or bodies are detected, gathering along a line in a predetermined direction and exceeding a specified number. This is more of a retail function, where users want to know if at a check-out counter, they have three or more bodies along a virtual line for a given space and in a designated direction - then the software creates an alert so another clerk can be sent there to help with checking out customers
At a school, possibly, when a group of students increasingly congregating might be an indicator of a potential fight. The systems detects a specified number of bodies collecting and flags or creates an event in the system.
... and more!
Scalable, flexible and easily deployed
BTX can simultaneously accept connections from many systems and devices. These include:
Security and Perimter Sensors from OPTEX
Inovonics Security Gateways (which monitor many types of sensors)
Video Analytics Systems such as AI NVR from IronYun
Video Analytics Cameras pushing analytics metadata into XProtect
Access Control Systems such Pure Access from ISONAS and Cobalt from Blue Access Technologies
Audio Analytics Systems (gunshot and aggression detection) from Louroe and Sound Intelligence
Installation of BTX is relatively simple. It involves a few basic steps.
BTX is very lightweight. It consumes very little disk space, and consumes very little memory.
It is typically installed directly on the XProtect Management Server in order to reduce latency and network traffic between it and XProtect.
Technically, it may installed anywhere on the network that has access to the XProtect Management Server,
and anywhere that is accessible by third-party devices and systems that will be sending events and alarms.
Although trial licenses are available, the typical installation process is outlined below.
Purchase the BTX License.
Download the installer.
Run installer on a system that has access to the XProtect system with which the integration is being associated.
set the port and credentials with which BTX will login to XProtect
