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Alarm System

By William Deutsch, About.com

Definition: A set of interrelated devices that detect and report unauthorized entry or movement. The three functions of an alarm system are
  • Sense
  • Decide
  • Act
In the Sense stage, the system detects activity such as the opening of a door or movement in a room. In the Decide stage, the system’s CPU will determine if the activity is authorized. If unauthorized activity is detected, the system will Act. The Act stage most often includes sounding audible alarms and transmitting information to a responder.
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