Method for programming a programmable logic controller

A method for programming a programmable logic controller (PLC) for a secured facility, the method comprising:

• entering customer information including security devices and functions of a system for the secured facility to be automated into an electronic spreadsheet,
• reading the customer information from the electronic spreadsheet,
• storing the customer information from the electronic spreadsheet in a database,
• analyzing the database, and
• generating a software program based on the customer information in the database.

A method for programming a programmable logic controller (PLC) for automating and controlling a security system, the method comprising:

• identifying customer information including devices of the security system, a location of each device of the security system, and a quantity of each device of the security system,
• creating an electronic spreadsheet including the customer information,
• checking the electronic spreadsheet,
• storing customer information from the electronic spreadsheet in a database,
• analyzing the customer information in the database,
• displaying a user interface with results of the analysis of the customer information,
• modifying at least one of customer information and the database via the user interface to create modified results,
• transferring the modified results to a subroutine, and
• writing PLC software configured to automate and control the security system based on the customer information.

A computer system for programming a programmable logic controller (PLC) for use with a secured facility, the computer system comprising:

• a processing unit, and
• a memory electrically coupled to the processing unit, the memory having stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the processing unit to
• (i) transfer customer-entered information from an electronic spreadsheet to a database for storage of the customer-entered information,
• (ii) analyze the customer-entered information, and
• (ii) write PLC logic to control the secured facility based on the customer-entered information.

A method for programming a programmable logic controller (PLC) for controlling a security facility, the method comprising:

• writing at least one of the following door ladders:
• an autorelock ladder to automatically lock doors that are unlocked, an unlock ladder to selectively unlock a door, a door-violation ladder to inform an operator that a door in the facility has been opened by a means other than the PLC, and an emergency release ladder to selectively unlock an emergency release group of doors,
• determining whether the security facility has one or more sliding or overhead doors,
• writing at least one of the following ladders if the security facility has one or more sliding or overhead doors:
• a sliding-overhead ladder to control an amount of time power is applied to one or more of the sliding or overhead doors to control a duration of the travel of the one or more sliding or overhead doors, and a stop command ladder to selectively stop the operation of the one or more sliding or overhead doors,
• determining whether the security facility has one or more intercoms,
• writing at least one of the following ladders if the security facility has one or more intercoms:
• an intercom ladder to control operation of the one or more intercoms, and a pending ladder to monitor the one or more intercoms if a call button of the one or more intercoms has been pressed prior to connection of the one or more intercoms for communication,
• writing a pulsed-door ladder to unlock one or more full-cycle locks of the security facility,
• determining whether the security facility requires a door isolation function,
• writing a door isolation ladder if the security facility requires a door isolation function to isolate select doors and prohibit the select doors from normally being opened,
• determining whether the security facility requires an intercom isolation function,
• writing an intercom isolation ladder if the security facility requires an intercom isolation function to selectively deactivate one or more intercoms to prevent audible incoming calls from being received from those intercoms which have been deactivated,
• determining whether the security facility has one or more video cameras,
• writing a video ladder if the security facility has one or more video cameras to control the one or more video cameras within the security facility,
• determining whether the security facility requires a communication feature,
• writing a quick-comm ladder if the security facility requires the communication feature to establish audio communications from a control panel when a user presses a communications button of an intercom within the facility,
• writing an interlock ladder to control the operation of one or more hardware sets where two or more doors form a sallyport,
• determining whether the security facility has one or more utilities,
• writing a utilities ladder if the security facility has one or more utilities to control the functions of the one or more utilities,
• determining whether the security facility has one or more alarms,
• writing an alarms ladder if the security facility has one or more alarms to control the functions of the one or more alarms,
• determining whether the security facility has one or more predetermined groups of devices designated for at least one of the door and intercom systems,
• writing a group ladder if the security facility has one or more groups of devices designated to selectively control the functions of the one or more predetermined groups of devices,
• determining whether the security facility has one or more watchtour stations,
• writing a watchtour ladder if the security facility has the one or more watchtour stations to monitor an activation of the one or more watchtour stations by an officer patrolling the facility,
• determining whether the security facility has one or more access devices,
• writing an access ladder if the security facility has the one or more access devices to monitor and process door unlock requests,
• writing an inputs ladder to control the number of times a bit is turned on within the PLC and to de-bounce a switch within the PLC for security facility functions controlled by the PLC which bounce before reaching a steady state position,
• writing a timer ladder to turn bits on and off in the PLC,
• writing an SMS ladder to interface with software of a security management server of the facility to translate data in the PLC to a form that is readable by the user, and
• electronically storing the ladders after they are written.