1.

CONCEPT OF BURGLAR ALARMS:  Burglar alarms have become standard equipment

in stores and other businesses, and they're becoming increasingly common in private
homes as well.  This area is generally a road less travelled for an engineer, but it should
not be so.  If you've ever shopped for a home security system, then you know there are
a wide variety of options available.  But, most alarm systems are actually built around
the same basic design concepts.
2. 3. Steps involved: These things take place in a sequence. BREAKING DETECTION
SOUNDING THE OF MOTION THE ALARM CIRCUIT
3. 4. BREAKING THE CIRCUIT:  In any circuit, to turn the electricity on or off, you open or
close part of the circuit using a switch.  In a burglar alarm, the switch detects the act of
intrusion  These sorts of alarms are divided into two categories: 1.closed-circuit
system(if somebody opens the door, the circuit is opened, and electricity can't flow. This
triggers an alarm) 2.open-circuit system (opening the door closes the circuit, so electricity
begins to flow and the alarm is triggered) Closed circuits are normally a better choice
than open circuits because an intruder can deactivate the open circuit by simply cutting
the connected wires.
4. 5. A BASIC MAGNETIC SENSOR  A magnetic sensor in a closed circuit consists of a
few simple components. For the most basic design, you need: (1)a battery powering a
circuit (2)a spring-driven metal switch built into a door frame (3)a magnet embedded in
the door, lined up with the switch (4)a separately-powered buzzer with a relay-driven
switch. This is a fairly simple circuit.
5. 6. CONTROL BOX:  But, the burglar only needs to close the door again to turn the
buzzer off. That's why most modern burglar alarms incorporate another piece into the
circuit -- the control box.  The control box is hooked up to one or more alarm circuits,
but it also has its own power supply.  It monitors the circuits and sounds the alarm when
they are closed or opened (depending on the design).  But once the alarm is triggered,
the control box won't cut it off until somebody enters a security code at a connected
keypad.  For added security, the control box is usually positioned in an out-of-the-way
spot, so the intruder can't find it and attempt to destroy it.
6. 7. DETECTION OF MOTION:  The intruder's actions are highly unpredictable once he is
inside -- you don't know where they'll go or what they'll touch. A specific "trigger" isn't
very effective. To detect an intruder who's already in the house, you need a motion
detector.  An automatic door opener is an example of a radar-based motion detector 
The motion detector emits radio energy into a room and monitors the reflection pattern. 
Another simple design is photo-sensor motion detectors. Photo- sensors have two
components: (1)a source of focused light (often a laser beam) (2)a light sensor
7. 8. Passive infrared (PIR) motion detectors •In a home security system, you aim the beam
at the light sensor, across a passageway in your house. •When somebody walks
between the light source and the sensor, the path of the beam is blocked briefly. •The
sensor registers a drop in light levels and sends a signal to the control box. •PIR
detectors are designed to trigger the alarm when infrared energy levels change very
rapidly. •All these motion detector designs can be combined in a photo-sensor motion
house to offer complete detectors coverage.
8. 9. TIME DELAY:  In a typical security system, the control box will not sound the alarm
immediately when the motion detectors are triggered.  There is a short delay to give the
homeowner time to enter a security code that turns the system off.  If the security code
is not entered, however, the control box will activate various alarms.
9. 10. SOUNDING THE ALARM:  In an advanced system, the control box will be wired to
several different components. . Typically, it will activate: (1)A siren or other loud alarm
noise (2)Flashing outdoor lights (3)A telephone auto-dialer  The siren and lights serve
three functions:  They alert occupants and neighbors that someone has broken into the
house.  They drive the intruder away.  They signal to police which house has been
broken into.  The telephone auto-dialer can: Dial the police directly, and play a pre-
recorded message giving the address of the house and any other relevant information
10. 11. BASIC CIRCUITRY:  I n this basic circuit, the alarm will be switched on under the
following four different conditions: 1. When light falls on LDR1 (at the entry to the
premises). 2. When light falling on LDR2 is obstructed. 3. When door switches are
opened or a wire is broken. 4. When a handle is touched. (CLICK ON THE CIRCUIT
FOR A HYPERLINK TO THE SLIDE CONTAINING THE CIRCUIT)
11. 12. (CLICK ON THE CIRCUIT FOR A HYPERLINK TO THE SLIDE CONTAINING THE
CIRCUIT)  The light dependent resistor LDR1 should be placed in darkness near the
door lock or handle etc.  If an intruder flashes his torch, its light will fall on LDR1,
reducing the voltage drop across it and so also the voltage applied to trigger 1 (pin 6) of
IC1.  Thus transistor T2 will get forward biased and relay RL1 energize and operate the
alarm.  Sensitivity of LDR1 can be adjusted by varying preset VR1. LDR2 may be
placed on one side of a corridor such that the beam of light from a light source always
falls on it.  When an intruder passes through the corridor, his shadow falls on LDR2. 
As a result voltage drop across LDR2 increases and pin 8 of IC1 goes low while output
pin 9 of IC1 goes high  Transistor T2 gets switched on and the relay operates to set the
alarm. The sensitivity of LDR2 can be adjusted by varying potentiometer VR2.