AC Inductance: Interference from electrical wiring or devices. This is usually manifested by 60 cycle buzz when the open voice intercom stations or wiring are located too closely to AC wiring. Take proper precautions to avoid interference.

All Call: On systems with this feature, All Call allows a one-way announcement to all stations on the system.

All Call Adaptor: Adaptor that adds All Call to an Aiphone system. An All Call Adaptor may also add chime and background music input features.

Apartment / Office Station: Intercom station used to communicate with the visitor, and equipped with a door release button to allow the visitor entry into the building.

Audio Monitoring: The ability to “listen in” to a door or sub station without that station being aware that they are being listened to.

Audio Only Door Station: An intercom unit designed for outdoor use, able to call and communicate with an intercom station inside.

Auxiliary Light Control: The ability to turn on and off an outside light that will illuminate the area surrounding a door station.

Back Box: An enclosure recessed into a wall, into which a flush mount unit is installed.

Background Music: Music (AM/FM Radio, or music from an external source) heard through the inside intercom stations. Available as a feature on the Master Sentry System (LEF-C) with specified equipment. (BGM is a common abbreviation for background music.)

Bridging: A device that filters data traffic at a network boundary; bridges inspect incoming traffic and decide whether to forward or discard traffic.

Call Button: A button for placing a call to the master station. This can either be built into the intercom station or it can be a remote device, depending on the system and the remote station requirements.

Call Reset Switch: A switch allowing a call from the remote station to be canceled at the calling location, rather than at the master station only.

Call Tone: Mono electronic tone heard when a sub calls a master station. This tone can also be heard when a master calls a sub by depressing the designated buttons for calling by tone.

CAT5e/6 Cable: The cable used for AX, IS, IX and JP structured wired systems. Also used for IS, JKW-IP, and IPW-1A network based intercom systems.

CCTV Camera Call Up: Ability to activate a CCTV camera at the same time that an intercom remote station is selected.

CCD: Charged Couple Device.

Chime Tone (Door Chime): A multi-stroke chime heard through the system as it is designed. This feature is standard on some systems, and an option on other systems.

Chime Extension: Hearing the chime when a person calls from a door at a remote inside location.

Common Area Call Station: Station for use where bathroom pull cord stations are required, but no patient station is installed. Equipped with two corridor lamps.

Composite Video Output: Standard 1 volt peak-to-peak 75Ω video signal. Compatible with CCTV systems.

Concierge Station (Security Guard Station): Intercom station allowing calling and answering communication with each Entry Panel in the system, as well as selective calling and answering capability with all Apartment/Office stations in the system.

Daisy Chain Wiring: The wiring method where the wire path is in and out of each station from the first to the last location. Most Aiphone systems are designed to be wired in a daisy-chained fashion, unless otherwise specified.

Desk Mount: An intercom unit that can be placed on a desk or counter.

DHCP: Dynamic host configuration protocol; automatically assigns a device a network IP address.

Door / Gate Station: Weather resistant sub station. Designed to be used at doors, gates, or any outside area. Pressing call button activates a tone and/or LED at the master station(s). When the master answers, communication is hands free at door, controlled by the master.

Door Release: Activating an electric door strike or a magnetic lock from the inside intercom system. Aiphone systems are designed to activate an electric strike, with a relay required on some systems. Activation of a magnetic lock can be done by using a different type of relay contact.

Door Release Relay: Relay to interface an electric door strike to an intercom system. Required on some systems.

DNS: Domain name system; a means of transferring readable host names into IP addresses that networks can use.

Dry Contact Closure: A closure where no voltage is present. Commonly used for door release contacts, either directly out of a unit or the relay being used for interface between the intercom and door strike.

DSP: Digital Signal Processing

DMZ: Demilitarized zone; removes a router’s firewall protection to allow the device to be “seen” by the internet. It is a method that only allows unauthorized viewers to “see” the device, and it prevents outsiders from gaining access to a device.

Entry Panel: Device used at the entry of a building, usually providing selective calling and communication to offices, condominiums, or apartments inside the building.

Ethernet: De-facto standard for local networks, developed by Xerox and advanced together by Xerox, Intel, and DEC. Ethernet uses a bandwidth of 10 Mbit/sec. and can be used in multiple access with conflict detecting.

Ethernet Network Switch: A product that provides additional network connections for increased network access. An unmanaged switch provides simple plug-and-play connectivity; managed switches offer advanced features for higher levels of network configuration.

External Signaling Device: A supplemental sounding device tied in with an intercom system for remote or louder indication of a call being received. (Requires additional equipment.)

External Signaling Relay: The relay required to activate an external signaling device. Choose the relay specifically designed for that purpose on the system being installed.

Firewall: Software or hardware that prevents hackers, viruses, worms, and other intruders from reaching a network computer/device.

Flush Mount: Mounting the intercom station into a backbox or opening in the wall, where the majority of the unit is in the wall. The faceplate and call button will be on the surface of the wall, having a low profile.

Gigabit: Unit of digital data equal to 1,024 megabits.

Hands-free Reply: Respond without touching the intercom station when called by a master station.

Handheld Call Switch: A call button on a cord, usually for healthcare applications. Cord either plugs into a wall jack or the intercom station, depending on the system.

Handset Master: Intercom master station equipped with a handset. Pick up handset to communicate with remote station. (Some systems also provide a push-to-talk button, in which case either method can be used to communicate with the remote station.)

Handset Communication: Using a telephone style handset to talk to another person, who is using a similar handset or an open voice door station.

Handset Sub: A unit designed to be used as a sub station. Used like a telephone, but communicates with the intercom master station.

Homerun Wiring: Wires from stations all run to a designated unit or location. Use this method only for stations and systems that specify homerun wiring.

IP (Internet Protocol): Network layer protocol used on the Internet and other computer networks. Provides transmission packets without the organization of connections and delivery guarantees.

IP Address: Internet protocol address; the numeric designation of a device that resides on a network.

IP Intercom: An intercom which uses TCP/IP network to transmit data, voice, and sometimes video between two or more locations.

Instant On: When a call is placed from a door station, the inside stations will automatically turn on and allow audio and video monitoring.

LAN/WAN: Local Area Network / Wide Area Network. A local area network (LAN) supplies networking capability to a group of computers in close proximity to each other such as an office building, a school, or a home. A WAN spans a large geographic area, such as a state, province, or country.

LED Call Indicator: When a call is placed from a door or sub station, the corresponding LED station light will light up on the master(s) for approximately 20 seconds. The lights will not light up when a master calls another master. The station LED light will come on when a master depresses a station selector button.

Locator LED: An LED that is always lit to show the location of a door station. (Lights up when the system is powered.)

Low Capacitance Cable: Cable with capacitance rating of 17pF per foot or lower.

MAC Address: Media access control address; a unique address a manufacture assigns to each networking device.

Master Station: Station where communication is initiated and controlled. The features of a master station may include selective calling, All Call button, Privacy, Occupied light, Monitoring Capability, Door Release and other features provided from components included in a system. (All Call for the LEF system requires additional equipment.)

Master to Master Communication: Communication between master stations. Calling master presses TALK button. Responding station speaks hands free.

Megabit: Unit of digital data equal to 1,048,576 bits.

Mid Capacitance Cable: Cable with capacitance rating of 24pF per foot or lower.

Monitor (Video): The video monitor unit used in conjunction with the intercom to provide audio/video door answering.

Multi-Conductor Cable with Overall Shield: Cable that has multiple wires in a single jacket. Every wire will be a different color, and they are not paired. Shielding is an aluminum covering over all wires just inside the outer jacket along with a bare metal stranded wire (called a drain wire). If the lines indicating wires are parallel on the wiring diagram, that indicates the use of a multi-conductor cable.

Normally Closed Contact: A contact for door release that is in the closed position when not activated, and opens when the door release button is pressed. This type of contact is typically required to activate a magnetic lock device.

Normally Open Contact: A contact for door release that is in the open position when not activated, and closes when the door release button is pressed. This type of contact is typically required to activate an electric door strike.

Open Voice Communication: Speaker type communication without having to pick up a handset. Open voice communication normally requires the person initiating a call from a master station to press and hold a talk button while speaking, then releasing to listen. The responding person simply speaks toward the intercom station without touching it.

Pan Tilt & Zoom (PTZ): A wide angle camera with a viewing range of 170° that can zoom in and out, pan left and right, and tilt up and down.

Pedestal Stand: A mounting device that allows the intercom to be installed at the proper height for ease of use.

Picture Memory: Stations equipped with picture memory will take a snapshot of the visitor when the call button at the door is pushed. The snapshot is stored in memory and can be reviewed by the user at a later date.

Power-Over-Ethernet (PoE): Power over Ethernet or PoE technology describes any system to transmit electrical power, along with data, to remote devices over standard twisted-pair cable in an Ethernet network. This technology is useful for powering IP telephones, wireless LAN access points, webcams, Ethernet hubs, computers, and other appliances where it would be inconvenient or unfeasible to supply power separately.

Privacy: With the privacy button depressed, station can receive communication, but the response back to the calling station is blocked. To speak from a station in privacy mode, momentarily depress the talk or call button to open up communication both ways. LEF master stations have this feature, as well as LE-series sub stations with an “N” at the end of the model number.

Remote Control: Remote activation or deactivation of devices from an intercom station. Lights can be turned on, alarm contacts disarmed, surveillance cameras activated, video monitors turned on, and door releases activated. Any function controlled with N/O or N/C contact can be done with this feature on specified Aiphone systems.

Residential Station: Handset intercom station used to communicate with the visitor, and equipped with a door release button to allow the visitor entry into the building.

Selective Calling: Call a specific station in the system by depressing that station’s selector button at a master station. Communication at the calling master is push to talk, release to listen. At the called station, communication is hands free.

Semi-flush Mount: Part of the intercom unit is recessed into the wall, but part of it is outside of the wall as well.

Structured Wiring: Uses homerun CAT-5e/6 cabling to connect sub and master stations to a central control unit. Structured wired systems do not usually connect to an Ethernet, but may have components that connect for programming or for an IP intercom feature.

Sub Station: Receives a call from a master station, and can place a call to master(s) by tone and/or light. In open voice systems, the communication is hands free at the sub station, controlled by the master. In handset systems, the communication is simultaneous through the handset.

Sub-master Station: Station used to receive calls from a master, make an All Call, and/or answer a call from a door station. (Available as part of the LEF-C system only.)

Surface Mount: Mounting the intercom station to the surface of a wall, not having any part of the unit recessed into the wall.

Talkpath: Circuits on which communication takes place. The number of talkpaths, also called communication paths, is generally one unless otherwise specified.

TCP/IP: Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP) are two distinct network protocols, technically speaking. TCP and IP are so commonly used together, however, that TCP/IP has become standard terminology to refer to either or both of the protocols.

TFT LCD: Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Diode. The latest technology in color video monitors and the type of monitors typically used in laptop computers.

Twisted Pair Cable: A type of cable where there are individually twisted pairs of wires within a single jacket. This type of cable is only recommended on a few of Aiphone’s systems, and will be indicated on the wiring diagrams by illustrating twisted wires.

Vandal Resistant: A unit made from steel, able to stand up to a more harsh environment than standard units. A stainless steel call button is used, and additional protection is provided for the speaker.

Video Entry Station: A unit that includes both a video camera and audio intercom, allowing both audio and video communication from an entry area and an inside monitor/intercom location.

Video Monitoring: The ability to activate a video door station camera from an inside location to see the area around the camera.

Volatile Memory: Items stored in memory will be lost if power is removed from the unit.

VOX Communication: Communication is activated using a voice sensing circuit. Communication is sent (transmitted) when voice or noise is detected above a pre-set threshold. When voice or noise falls below that threshold, communication is received from the other station in the system. This creates a hands free 2-way communication system where each person talks without pressing buttons or using a handset.

Wall Mount: An intercom unit that is designed to be mounted vertically on a wall.

White LED Illuminator: Built LED’s that project white light to illuminate a caller at a color video door station.

Zone Paging: Paging through an overhead speaker system, divided into areas or groups. Most systems allow multiple zones of paging.

10/100 Base-T: Most commonly used for Ethernet and Fast Ethernet standards with cables based on two twisted wire pairs. The number “10/100” indicates the carrying capacity of 10/100 Mbit/sec.