Chiron Iris IP Digital Communicator

IRIS 800 sets up TCP/IP connection to IRIS Polling Engine and sends its identification (account number)
IRIS Polling Engine issues a random ‘challenge’ to authenticate the caller
IRIS 800 encrypts the challenge using its preloaded security key and sends the result back to Polling Engine. Status of all local comms lines also reported to Polling Engine
Polling Engine checks result and matches what it gets when it encrypts the challenge with its local copy of the keyIf OK, Polling Engine downloads any new parameters (e.g. poll period) to the remote unit and reports any comms status changes to ARC. Overdue polls reported to ARC

Alarm dialler goes off hook, receives local dial-tone from the IRIS 800 and dials IP address of IRIS Receiver
IRIS 800 makes TCP/IP connection to IRIS Receiver and is authenticated, as with Polling
IRIS 800 issues ‘Handshake’ tone to alarm dialler and collects alarm signal. Alarm protocol (FF, CID or SIA) is auto-detected
Alarm signal is encrypted and sent to IRIS Receiver where it is forwarded to the ARC
IRIS Receiver confirms receipt to IRIS 800 which sends ‘Kiss-off’ to the alarm dialler

IRIS Polling Engine does not need to know IP address of IRIS 800 – An alarm system can operate through Fire Walls, NAT Servers, Public/Private Gateways and over GPRS
High level of security – authentication and encryption using MD5 and RC4 algorithms – Security key itself is not transmitted
Each transaction has a random element so will appear different to interceptors
Every IRIS 800 has its own security key of up to 256 bits
Alarm signals passed transparently from dialler to ARC

Any interruption of transmission causes dialler to retry