• TermDescription
  • Energize

    To apply power.

  • Event

    A report of an action that takes place within the system, such as a door being opened, a person going through a portal, a time zone being active or the security system being armed.

  • Facility Code / Site Code

    In card access, a portion of the identifying characteristic of an access credential that is common to a group of users in secured facility.

  • Fail-safe

    An electric lock that automatically unlocks with any power interruptions.

  • Fail-secure

    An electric lock that requires power to unlock.

  • Fire door

    A door that has been certified as a fire and smoke barrier. Special rules govern fire doors, including permissible hardware that can be installed.

  • Form C contact

    A relay or switch mechanism that contains three terminals (normally open, common, and normally closed).

  • Ground

    A conducting connection between an electrical circuit and the earth or other large conducting body to serve as an electrical ground, thus making a complete electrical circuit.

  • ICM

    Compass Intelligent Controller Module

  • IIM

    Compass Intelligent Input Module

  • Input

    A device that provides information to a panel so it can make event or alarm decisions.

  • Input Supervision

    Detects if someone has tried to tamper with sensors/locks. These attempts can be detected by sensing multiple voltage levels at the door position switch. Inputs can be configured in up to 4 states. 2 state devices are like a light switch. On or off. 3 State devices with a resistor in series can determine whether an input is active, inactive, or not short circuited. 3 state devices with a resistor in parallel can determine whether an input is active, inactive, or the circuit is not open. 4 state devices have both parallel and series resistors and determine whether an input is active, inactive, and the wiring is open or shorted.

  • Inrush

    The initial surge of current through a load when power is first applied. Lamp loads, inductive motors, solenoids, and capacitive loads all have inrush or surge current. Resistive loads, such as heater elements, have no inrush.

  • Interlock

    A system of multiple doors with controlled interaction. Interlocks are also known as light- traps, air-traps, man-traps, and sally-ports (see security interlock).

  • IOM

    Compass Intelligent Output Module

  • IRM

    Compass Intelligent Reader Module

  • Keypad

    In access control, usually refers to a numeric input device used to identify a user by PIN (personal identification number).

  • Latch

    The locking of a circuit by means of a holding contact; used in relay logic when a momentary initiation is required.

  • Line voltage

    The voltage existing in a main cable or circuit, such as a wall outlet.

  • Lmhosts

    The Lmhosts file is a local text file that maps Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to NetBIOS names of remote servers with which you want to communicate over the TCP/IP protocol.