Integration of Video Analytics System and PACS

Some time ago, we launched a video analytics system that can recognize license plates and human faces. During the development of the system, we solved the problem of how to open barriers or doors upon the recognition of an object.

We started by studying the access control solutions already existing on the market and the protocols for integration with them. In the process of studying, we saw that the protocols are all very different, and it would be a very long and problematic process to integrate our recognition module with all the existing systems. In addition, many PACS do not use an API familiar to modern developers as they still suggest using unsupported libraries that are copied into the project. We wanted to find a universal solution that would allow integrating the recognition module with any access control system. The solution was prompted by the PACS installed in our office

At the entrance to our office building, an intercom call panel is installed, which has a relay “dry contact”. The moment the secretary presses the unlock button on the intercom, the relay is triggered and the entrance to the PACS controller is closed, which, in turn, unlocks the door for the visitor.

In our office, employee access is managed by face recognition. To implement this control, we have integrated our system with the Sigur PACS. However, we didn’t like the fact that the PACS server is another link in making the decision about who can be granted access through the door. If the server for some reason does not respond, then the employee is forced to use a proximity card to get inside, and because of this, we wanted to get rid of the PACS server.

We conducted an experiment: instead of sending an unlock command to the PACS server, we sent it directly to the door station and the relay, which is used to open the door via the intercom. The office uses the Beward DS06AP IP door phone outdoor panel. We asked the manufacturer of the panel for their API, where we found the required command:

/cgi-bin/io/port.cgi?action=O0:/

Then we added the code to our integration module and connected the optional relay control of the Beward outdoor panel. Now, our office PACS is integrated with the recognition module and bypasses the PACS server.

We examined other PACS controllers and saw that each of them has an input for connecting the “Exit” buttons, or turnstile consoles, and by closing it you can unlock the access point. The principle of operation for a universal integration solution then became completely clear to us.

Now we are on our way to implementing this solution. We are adapting our firmware for the cameras (IRIS) with an output relay so that the camera becomes the source of the signal that will be sent to any PACS controller to control the door. Thus, it will be possible to integrate our recognition system with PACS without unnecessary software integrations - it will be enough just to forward the contact pair from our camera to the controller input.