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Products Of InfoTimes Technologies |
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Abstract:
We started project with a concept of research on security aspects with the help of computer application for those organizations where the execution of cash transaction occurs daily. Then after a few months of research and analysis, we decided what would be feasible and possible, and with this in mind made a decision to develop an ElectroGuard application for the same.
This document includes the detailed description of the entire process of features, implementation and testing of the product. This report documents the entire development process followed during project, which includes various aspects of Software Engineering. |
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Introduction
Background
Computerized systems have come a long way, since the days of manual systems. Today, many organizations worldwide have completely automated their processes. The software applications for security purpose could also be found widely throughout the world. Common security software includes, finger print identification, swap machines, smoke detectors, automated sirens, data encryption, anti-virus, fire-wall, etc. These are few software applications which automate the security divisions, but since the requirement of security occurs at the time of emergency, the requirement of security resources is always unlimited.
Problem Statements
Security is the most important source of activity for any kind of organization. There are many companies where cash transaction occurs daily. In such organizations, critical situation like robbery is always possible in case of lack of security resources. In such organizations, heavy security resources have been invested but still sometimes the critical situation like robbery takes place successfully.
How it happened? Why it happened? Why the security divisions failed for rescue? These are the most commonly asked question after robbery takes place but the answer is always uncertain. The reason is, none of the security divisions is 100% accurate. These kinds of accidents happens when the security divisions fails at the mean time. More over for preventing critical situation like robbery, calling to external security force like police is also recommended. But it could hardly happen due to problem of human nervousness on those kinds of environments like, forgetting to call security divisions, forgetting phone number of security resources, being unable to speak on phone for sending information, not being allowed to call, etc. Top |
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Objective
The main objective of ElectroGuard software application is to provide security for preventing robbery especially for those organizations where cash transaction occurs daily. This software application has been developed in IVR (Interactive Voice Response) technology. In simple explanation, this software application dials the phone number(s) stored in the software database and plays back the recorded voice. This is the automated process; similar to human being does by dialing phone number wait for receiver to receive the phone and speaks up. The functions stored in software application could be more applicable in comparison to the activity that human being does because; the process done by human being is slower and less accurate, where as the activity does by the application is faster and accurate. More over the software application could dial unlimited destination addresses (receivers) one after another automatically.
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Introduction to IVR
IVR (Interactive Voice Response) is a software application that accepts a combination of voice telephone input and touch-tone keypad selection and provides appropriate responses in the form of voice, fax, callback, e-mail and perhaps other media. IVR is usually part of larger applications that includes database access as well. An IVR provides pre-recorded voice responses for appropriate situations, keypad signal logics, access to relevant data and potentially the ability to record voice input for later handling using Computer Telephony Integration (CTI). IVR can handoff a call to a human being who can view data related to the caller at a display.
IVR refers to systems of interfaces that react to the human voice and use it as an input device. These systems translate human speech to recognizable system commands and then react accordingly. This is most frequently seen with telephone systems that ask you to 'speak' your choices or give commands. It is also becoming more common in mobile phones and other mobile technology, where other input methods can be more limited. Top
Common IVR includes
-Bank and stock account balance and transfers
-Survey and polls
-Call center forwarding
-Selective information lookup (movie schedule, etc)
Top
Who will be benefited with this software?
Since this application is utility software, it will be useful to any institutions that have daily monetary transaction. It could be most secured medium to call security at the time of critical situations such as robbery. It could be termed as "secured medium" because this software application will work on back-end. That means nobody could notice what is happening behind the face. Top
How the software will work?
The main function of software application is to dial the phone to security and speak pre-recorded voice automatically to receiver to send information about whatever happening. The software application consists of three modules.
a. Server Application:
Server Application consists of all the features of the software. It can keep pre-recorded voice to dial and playback voice for destination phone address. It is designed in such a way that it will dial to security such as POLICE just on mouse click on a particular button of the software. Moreover it is also sensitive to receive signals from other means such as client-application and EPABX systems.
b. Client Application:
Client Application consists of feature just for sending signal to Server-Application at the time of critical situation. Viewing upon the principles of user-computer interaction and user-friendliness, the client application is designed in such a way that the software could execute automatically on the windows startup placing the software icon on the system tray. At the time of emergency, the user just has to click on icon of the same.
Settings Panel: Client application consists of settings panel where different custom settings could be performed. Custom settings in this panel are as the following.
i. Server Path: This setting allows user to set the path, computer name, IP (Internet Protocol) address, etc of the server application. After saving the settings, there is no need of setting the same time and again.
ii. Auto Run in Windows Startup: This setting allows user to enable or disable to run client application automatically in windows startup.
iii. Auto Connect to Server: For sending signal to server application to start working its functioning, client application has to connect to the server. This setting allows user to enable or disable auto connection to the server application. Top
c. EPABX Systems: EPABX systems can also send signal to Server-Application however it does not mean that EPABX systems can send signals automatically. For sending signal to server-application, any phone extension on a particular EPABX network, the person should know the extension number of the Server. After dialing the extension number of the server, eg. "801", the Server-Application will ask password to dial for sending signal to server, eg. 1234 using DTMF keypads touch tone. After dialing the password, the server verifies the password. Once the password is verified, the Server-Application will receive signal and starts in functions. Top
Software project constraints
1.Pre-Recorded Voice Files
2.Custom Settings
3.Customizing Destination Address (Receiver) [Add/ Edit/ Delete]
4.Dial & Play Back
5.Auto Function Execution on Signal from Client Application
6.Auto Function Execution on Signal from EPABX
7.Log Report
8.Custom Voice Recorder Top
Pre-Recorded Voice Files: |
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The software application includes list of voice files which can be set for playback at the time of dialing. User can test voice by clicking desired list of voice by clicking on Play, Pause and Stop buttons. Top
Custom Settings: |
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Before starting the application, this setting panel has to be set according to your requirements. The features and functioning in nut shelled descriptions are as follows.
Settings panel could be accessed by clicking SETTINGS button. This panel allows following functioning.
1. Auto Run in Windows Startup: If checked this option, the application will run automatically in windows startup. 2. Make Calling Property Multiple: If checked this option, the application will dial more than one destination addresses (If the number of destination address is more than one) one after another. If not the application will dial only first record of destination address database. 3. Display Always on Top: If checked this option, the application will be displayed on the top of all other application even if the control of mouse has been focused to other application. 4. Enable EPABX: If checked this option, the text area will be enabled where dial tone access code could be stored for getting dial tone from EPABX. 5. Choose Device: At the time of dialing phone number, the software application should know the name of the modem device. This option allows selecting modem device. 6. Allow Signal from Telephony Systems: If checked this option, the text area for “Wait for Rings” and “Password” will be enabled. With this function, any extension in a particular EPABX network can send signal to server by dialing extension number of the server. The system will ask for password after number of rings saved in "Wait for Rings" for preventing accidental execution of the function. The password could be saved only in numeric format. 7. Allow Routine TEST CALL: If checked this option, the text area for Routine TEST CALL will get enabled. This option allows user to make Routine TEST CALL daily. This option will be useful to make sure that hardware and software settings of the computer are working or not. WE, core members of the project strongly recommend making Routine TEST CALL daily. If "Allow Signal from Telephony Systems" has been checked, then password for Routine TEST CALL will be compulsory to enter since the telephony activity for Routine TEST CALL will also be activated automatically as such. Top
Customizing Destination Address (Receiver) [Add/ Edit/ Delete] |
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Dialing and playing back pre-recorded voice is the real-time of the software. On that time, software could only dial and play back which are stored in database. For storing the list of receivers, this application provides three fields of records; ID No, Destination and phone number respectively. At the time of dialing, the software can only understand ID No and Phone fields. The Destination field is provided to let user understand the phone number of the receiver. The software is designed in such a way that it makes a calling loop one after another automatically on a single signal. This loop is executed based on serial of ID No. That means, the software will dial the address having smallest ID No. eg: “1”. After getting success in dialing and sending pre-recorded voice, it will dial the following receiver address having ID No greater than current ID No. This action takes place after the call being hanged off by receiver. Until and unless the call is being hanged off by receiver, the software keeps on play back loop to the receiver. Top What if the receiver does not pick up the phone or the line gets busy?
On that situation, the software will automatically bypass the call and dials the next receiver stored in the database. Dial and Playback |
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By clicking on DIAL button, the software application will pop up a message box asking “Warning: This Will Dial and Playback Voice to Call Destination List. Are You Sure to Continue?” Once the user of the application clicks on “Yes”, the software application starts working its functions. Top
Auto Function Execution on Signal from Client Application
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To send signal from Client-Application, the user has to double click on the icon of the client-application displayed on system tray. On this command, the system will pop up a message box asking “Warning: This Will Dial and Playback Voice to Call Destination List. Are You Sure to Continue?” Once the user of the application clicks on “Yes”, the client-application sends signal to server-application to start working its functions. While the software keeps on working, the above interface will be displayed to make alert to user explaining the “Software-On-Work”. Top
Auto Function Executions on Signal from EPABX
EPABX systems can also send signal to Server-Application however it does not mean that EPABX systems can send signals automatically. For sending signal to server-application, any phone extension on a particular EPABX network, the person should know the extension number of the Server. After dialing the extension number of the server, eg. “801”, the Server-Application will ask password to dial for sending signal to server, eg. 1234 using DTMF keypads touch tone. After dialing the password, the server verifies the password. Once the password is verified, the Server-Application will receive signal and starts in functions. Top
Log Report |
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This interface displays the log of dialed events. This interface displays the identity of the computer such as Login Name, Host, IP Address, Date, Time, etc. When the signal is received to dial destinations, this log database will be updated automatically.
Sometimes, in a large organization where the number of computers and EPABX extensions are large, it will be difficult to find the person who has sent the signal. Finding the person who has sent the signal will be necessity when the server gets the signal and starts working on unnecessary time. For these kinds of evidence, this log report could be useful. Top
Custom Voice Recorder |
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This application allows user to record pre-recorded custom voice. Before Start Recording, the sound card device must be selected from the drop down menu of list of multimedia devices, else the software will popup an error message for the event. The user can store voice on hard disk as well as software database by typing voice file name to be stored and clicking on START button. User has to record voice through microphone. File can be saved by click on STOP button. During recording, this interface cannot be exited. Top
System Requirements:
• Operating System: Win 98, ME, 2000, XP.
• MS-Office 97 or higher: The back-end (Database) of the software is MS-Access. The setup file of the application is designed in such a way that it will install the runtime files of MS-Access automatically. That means MS-Access database could be executed even in the absence of MS-Office. But sometimes virus threats could destroy such runtime files. So, in the prevention point of view, installation of MS-Office package is recommended.
• Processor: Minimum 200 Mhz of speed.
• Disk Space: Minimum 30 MB of free hard disk space.
• Sound Card: This software application includes multimedia interface for playing voice files. On the absence of sound card, the server-application cannot be executed. It will popup message box explaining that the software cannot be loaded on the absence of sound card for preventing conflict of the software application. Installation of sound card is compulsory at least on the computer in which server-application has been installed.
• RAM (Random Access Memory): Minimum 65 MB.
• Modem (Modulator De-modulator): This is the most sensitive hardware required for the software execution. At the time of dialing, a phone line should be available on the modem. This is the hardware through which the software dials the receiver and plays back the pre-recorded voice. Modems could be stored in different modes. Eg: Data Mode, Fax Mode, Speakerphone Mode, Voice Mode, Data- Fax Mode, Data- Fax- Voice Mode, etc. For the functioning of the Electro Guard software application, the installation of Modem driver in Voice Mode or Data-Fax-Voice Mode is compulsory. If not, the software could only dial the phone number but cannot play back voice since the driver of the modem blocks the voice in other modes rather than voice mode. Top
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