Abbreviations and acronyms

This article contains a list of abbreviations and acronyms used in relation to Zenitel products.

• ACDP (AlphaCom Data Protocol) - A proprietary protocol used for communication between ICX-AlphaCom (or AlphaCom) servers, as well as for integration to 3rd party systems.

• AGC (Automatic Gain Control) - Brings the microphone signal to an appropriate level when speaking with a low voice or at a distance.

• AEC (Acoustic Echo Cancellation) - AEC is needed when a far end signal (voice originating at the other end of the communication) is played over a loudspeaker into a reverberant acoustic space and is picked up by a microphone. If the AEC algorithm were not implemented, an echo corresponding to the delay for the sound to travel from the speaker to the microphone, as well as any reverberation, would be returned to the far end. In addition to sounding unnatural and being unpleasant to listen to, the artifacts substantially reduce speech intelligibility.

• AMC (AlphaCom Module Controller) - The main CPU card in an analog AlphaCom system

• AMC-IP (AlphaCom Module Controller, IP support) - The main CPU card in the hybrid AlphaCom XE system or in an ESC Exigo Controller

• AMS (Asset Management System) - provides a portal for partners/installers for license activation and license installation on ICX-AlphaCom systems.

• ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) - Feature to remove background noise from the microphone signal of an intercom station

• ANS (Ambient Noise Sensor) - Type of noise sensor used by Vipedia public address system

• API (Application Programming Interface) - is a way for two or more computer programs to communicate with each other. It is a type of software interface, offering a service to other pieces of software.

• ASLT (AlphaCom Subscriber Line Touchline compatible) - is the line card used in AlphaCom systems, supporting 6 analog intercom stations.

• AVC (Automatic Volume Control) - A feature that automatically adjusts the volume according to the background noise level

• BOA (Break Out Adapter) - Board used in Vipedia public address system for connection of field wiring

• BGM (BackGround Music) - Music playing in the background. In Zenitel context it is music played over a Public Address (PA) system

• CCoIP (Critical Communication over IP) - The proprietary Zenitel CCoIP protocols allow for a wide set of call modes and services that provide solutions to critical communication requirements.

• DANS (Dynamic Ambient Noise Sensor) - Type of noise sensor used by Vipedia public address system

• DAVC (Distributed Automatic Volume Control) - is an algorithm which is using one or more microphones ("AVC Source") to measure the ambient audio/noise level, and adjust the loudspeaker output level of the PA amplifier ("AVC Receiver") according to the ambient audio level.

• dBFS (Decibels relative to full scale) - is a unit of measurement for amplitude levels in digital systems which have a defined maximum peak level.

• DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) - is a network management protocol used on IP networks for automatically assigning IP addresses and other communication parameters to devices connected to the network using a client–server architecture.

• DIP (Display-data over IP) - A proprietary control protocol used between Zenitel IP stations/devices and ICX-AlphaCom/AlphaCom XE servers. It is used for all data communication with the IP stations, such as call control, LED settings and display text to the station, as well as key presses and inputs from the station.

• DNS (Domain Name System) - is a hierarchical and distributed naming system for computers, services, and other resources in the Internet or other Internet Protocol (IP) networks. An often-used analogy to explain the DNS is that it serves as the phone book for the Internet by translating human-friendly computer hostnames into IP addresses. For example, the hostname www.example.com within the domain name example.com translates to the address 93.184.216.34.

• DRC (Dynamic Range Compression) - is an audio signal processing function that helps even out the loud and quiet parts. Lower signals will get gain applied, but not more than there is headroom for up to digital full scale.

• DSP Can be either Digital Signal Processing or Digital Signal Processor - Digital Signal Processing is the mathematical manipulation of signals, including audio signals. A Digital Signal Processor is a processor specifically build for these tasks.

• DTMF (Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency signaling) is a telecommunication signaling system using the voice-frequency band over analog telephone lines between telephone equipment and other communications devices and switching centers. Implementations of the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) commonly use three methods for signaling digits between user agent servers and user agent clients:
  • DTMF signaling through RTP channel (aka. telephone-event) according to RFC-2833
  • DTMF signaling through signaling channel using INFO request
  • DTMF as tones (in-band)

• DVA (Digital Voice Announcement) - Prerecorded audio message in Vipedia public address system

• EINS (Exigo Intelligent Noise Sensor) - The EINS-1 Industrial Ambient Noise Sensor is a rugged device, designed to measure ambient noise levels in open areas such as railway platforms, tunnels, oil platforms, etc.

• EMS (Emergency Microphone Station) - Type of microphone station used in Vipedia public address. Typically for emergency services

• EMT (Exigo Management Tool) - is a Windows based software tool for managing the Exigo system from Zenitel. It is used as commissioning and maintenance tool.

• ENA (Exigo Network Amplifier) - is a range of native IP network amplifiers from Zenitel

• EN54 - The EN54 Fire detection and fire alarm systems is a series of European standards that includes product standards and application guidelines for fire detection and fire alarm systems as well as voice alarm systems.

• EOL (End Of Line) - Device at the end of a speaker line in a public address system. Used for monitoring the integrity of the line.

• EQ Equalization - Adjusting the volume of different frequency bands to optimize audio quality.

• FCDC - (Flowire) - is an ethernet to 2-wire converter from Zenitel. Current model is FCDC-3.

• FESS (Far End Signal Squelch) - is an audio signal processing feature that mutes the loudspeaker of the device when the incoming audio signal is very low.

• FPS (Frames per Second) - is the frequency (rate) in a video stream at which consecutive images (frames) are captured or displayed

• FXO (Foreign exchange office) - An FXO device is any device that, from the point of view of a telephone exchange, appears to be a telephone. As such, it should be able to accept ringing signals, go on-hook and off-hook, and send and receive voice frequency signals. It may use loop start or ground start signaling.

• FXS (Foreign exchange station) - An FXS device is any device that, from the point of view of a telephone, appears to be a telephone exchange. An FXS interface utilizes a line protocol, most commonly loop start, to detect when the terminating device (telephone) goes on-hook or off-hook, and can send and receive voice signals.

• GPIO (General Purpose Input Output) - Inputs and outputs are used to connect things like switches (input) and lights (output).

• HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) - is an application layer protocol in the Internet protocol suite model for distributed, collaborative, hypermedia information systems. HTTP is the foundation of data communication for the World Wide Web, where hypertext documents include hyperlinks to other resources that the user can easily access, for example by a mouse click or by tapping the screen in a web browser.

• HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) - is an extension of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). It uses encryption for secure communication over a computer network, and is widely used on the Internet. In HTTPS, the communication protocol is encrypted using Transport Layer Security (TLS) or, formerly, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). The protocol is therefore also referred to as HTTP over TLS, or HTTP over SSL.

• IMT (Intercom Management Tool) - is a Windows based software tool for managing Zenitel IP devices. It is used as commissioning and maintenance tool involving a large number of IP intercoms. Key product features are discovery and identification of intercom devices, software upgrade and configuration.

• INCA - is a "IP-phone system-on-a-chip ", a semiconductor from Infineon. The first generation of Zenitel IP stations was based on the INCA chip.

• IK rating (Impact protection) - IK rating is an international numeric classification for the degrees of protection provided by enclosures for electrical equipment against external mechanical impacts.

• IO (Input Output) - See GPIO

• IP (Internet Protocol) - is the network layer communications protocol in the Internet protocol suite for relaying datagrams across network boundaries. Its routing function enables internetworking, and essentially establishes the Internet.

• IPBX (Internet Protocol Private Branch Exchange) - is a private IP (VoIP) based telephone exchange

• IP rating - (Ingress Protection Rating or International Protection Rating) is a way of showing the effectiveness of electrical enclosures in blocking foreign bodies such as dust, moisture, liquids, and accidental contact.

• LED (Light Emitting Diode) - is a semiconductor device that emits light when an electric current flows through it. Based on the semiconductor material used and the amount of doping, a LED will emit colored light at a particular spectral wavelength.

• LET (Line End Transponder) - is a device (e.g. the ELTSI-1 from Zenitel) that ensures reliable surveillance of a loudspeaker line.

• MAC (Media Access Control address) - Hardware address for network-enabled devices that is set by the manufacturer of the device and cannot normally be changed. Thus, enabling globally distinct identification of the device.

• MEMS (MicroElectroMechanical Systems) microphones are micro-scale devices that provide high fidelity acoustic sensing and are small enough to be included in a tightly-integrated electronic product.

• MJPEG (Motion JPEG) - A video format consisting of sending individual JPEG images at a specified FPS

• MPS (Microphone Paging Station) - Type of microphone station used in Vipedia public address. Typically at receptions or guard stations for operational messages

• MTBF (Mean time between failures) - is the predicted elapsed time between inherent failures of a mechanical or electronic system during normal system operation.

• MTTR (Mean time to repair) - is a basic measure of the maintainability of repairable items. It represents the average time required to repair a failed component or device.

• NAT (Network Address Translation) - is a method used in computer networking to map multiple private IP addresses to a single public IP address (or a few public IP addresses) before data is transferred to another network, typically the internet. NAT helps conserve public IP addresses and adds a layer of security by hiding internal IP addresses from external networks. NAT is commonly used in home and office networks where multiple devices share a single public IP address provided by an ISP.

• OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) - is a type of LED used in displays. The intercom models TCIx-4/5/6 from Zenitel are using OLED displays.

• ONVIF (Open Network Video Interface Forum) - is a global and open industry forum with the goal of facilitating the development and use of a global open standard for the interface of physical IP-based security products. ONVIF creates a standard for how IP products within video surveillance and other physical security areas can communicate with each other.

• OPC (Open Platform Communications) - is a series of standards and specifications for industrial telecommunication. ICX-AlphaCom uses OPC for integration to 3rd party systems (e.g. SCADA).

• PAGA (Public address and General Alarm) - System used to play operational messages and alarm tones in larger areas

• PAS (Permanent Audio Stream) - is a feature in Zenitel Devices enabling transmission of RTP audio streams outside a call.

• PAVA (Public Address and Voice Alarm) - System used to play operational and spoken evacuation messages in larger areas

• PBX (Private Branch Exchange) - is a private, analog telephone exchange

• PCB (Printed Circuit Board) - A printed circuit board is a non-conductive material with conductive lines printed or etched. Electronic components are mounted on the board and the traces connect the components together to form a working circuit or assembly.

• PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) - is an industrial computer that has been ruggedized and adapted for the control of manufacturing processes, such as assembly lines, machines, robotic devices, or any activity that requires high reliability, ease of programming, and process fault diagnosis.

• PoE (Power over Ethernet) - describes any of several standards or ad hoc systems that pass electric power along with data on twisted-pair Ethernet cabling. This allows a single cable to provide both a data connection and enough electricity to power devices such as intercom devices, wireless access points (WAPs), IP cameras and VoIP phones. Up to 12,95W can be delivered by PoE ((802.3at Type 1).

• PoE+ (Power over Ethernet plus) - Allows a single cable to provide both a data connection and enough electricity to power devices such as intercom devices, wireless access points (WAPs), IP cameras and VoIP phones. Up to 25.50W can be delivered by PoE+ ((802.3at Type 2).

• POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) - refers to the traditional, analog voice transmission phone system implemented over physical copper wires (twisted pair). Simply put, POTS is the basic telephone call service that individuals and businesses have been using since the 1880s.

• PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) - refers to a telecommunications network which allows subscribers at different sites to communicate by voice. The term plain old telephone service (POTS) is also frequently used.

• PTT (Push To Talk) - is a method of having conversations or talking on half-duplex communication lines, using a momentary button to switch from voice reception mode to transmit mode. On Zenitel intercom stations the M-key works as a PTT button during a call.

• RSTP (Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol) - RSTP is a set of rules by which switches on the network determine the best way to route data on the network without redundancy. When it is enabled on a network, an algorithm determines the configuration of the spanning tree automatically.

• RTCP (RTP Control Protocol) - is a sister protocol of the Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP). Its basic functionality and packet structure is defined in RFC 3550. RTCP provides out-of-band statistics and control information for an RTP session. It partners with RTP in the delivery and packaging of multimedia data but does not transport any media data itself.

• RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol) - is a network protocol for delivering audio and video over IP networks. RTP is used in communication and entertainment systems that involve streaming media, such as telephony, video teleconference applications including WebRTC, television services and web-based push-to-talk features. RTP typically runs over User Datagram Protocol (UDP). RTP is used in conjunction with the RTP Control Protocol (RTCP)

• RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol) - is an application-level network protocol designed for multiplexing and packetizing multimedia transport streams (such as interactive media, video and audio) over a suitable transport protocol. RTSP is used in entertainment and communications systems to control streaming media servers. The protocol is used for establishing and controlling media sessions between endpoints.

• SAP (Station Announcement Point) - Type of microphone station used in Vipedia public address. Typically located on train station platforms.

• SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) - is a control system architecture comprising computers, networked data communications and graphical user interfaces for high-level supervision of machines and processes. It also covers sensors and other devices, such as programmable logic controllers, which interface with process plant or machinery.

• SD (Sound Detection) - also known as voice activity detection (VAD) or speech activity detection, is the detection of the presence or absence of human speech

• SDK (Software Development Kit) - is a collection of software development tools in one installable package. The SDK for ICX-AlphaCom allows for a very close integration between the ICX-AlphaCom intercom servers and security management systems.

• SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) - A signaling protocol used for initiating, maintaining, and terminating communication sessions that include voice, video and messaging applications. SIP is used in Internet telephony, in private intercom and IP telephone systems, as well as mobile phone calling over LTE (VoLTE).

• SIPS (Secure SIP) - To overcome the security flaws of SIP and RTP and safely make secure calls via the internet, encrypted versions of both protocols have been developed. SIPS is SIP, extended with TLS (Transport Layer Security). With this TLS, a secure connection between IP PBX and VoIP telephone can be established using a handshake approach.

• SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) - is an Internet Standard protocol for collecting and organizing information about managed devices on IP networks and for modifying that information to change device behavior. Devices that typically support SNMP include cable modems, routers, switches, servers, workstations, printers, intercoms and more.

• SPL (Sound Pressure Level) - is a measurement in decibels (dB), commonly referred to as loudspeaker efficiency and sensitivity. This parameter represents how loud a speaker is. A higher SPL equates to a louder speaker.

• SRTP (Secure Real-time Transport Protocol) - To overcome the security flaws of SIP and RTP and safely make secure calls via the internet, encrypted versions of both protocols have been developed. SRTP encodes the voice into encrypted IP packages and transport those via the internet from the transmitter (IP phone system) to the receiver (IP phone or softphone), once SIPS has initiated a secure connection. To allow the receiver to decrypt the packages, a key is sent via SIPS, while the connection is initiated in the previous step.

• SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) - is standard technology for securing an internet connection by encrypting data sent between a website and a browser (or between two servers). It prevents hackers from seeing or stealing any information transferred, including personal or financial data.

• STIPA (Speech Transmission Index for Public Address Systems) - is a measure of speech transmission quality. STIPA is a version of the STI using a simplified method and test signal. Although initially designed for Public Address systems (and similar installations, such as Voice Evacuation Systems and Mass Notification Systems), STIPA can also be used for a variety of other applications.

• STUN (Session Traversal Utilities for NAT) is a protocol used in network communication to help devices behind a Network Address Translation (NAT) firewall or router determine their public IP address and the type of NAT they are behind. It assists in establishing peer-to-peer connections, typically for real-time voice, video, or messaging applications. STUN is essential in enabling devices behind NAT to communicate directly with each other by discovering their external address and port.

• TCAS (Turbine Compact Analog Station) - A group of analog intercom stations in the Turbine Compact range.

• TCIS (Turbine Compact IP Station) - A group of IP intercom stations in the Turbine Compact range.

• TCIV (Turbine Compact IP Video) - A group of intercom stations in the Turbine Compact range equipped with a camera.

• TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) - is a communications standard that enables application programs and computing devices to exchange messages over a network. It is designed to send packets across the internet and ensure the successful delivery of data and messages over networks.

• TEIV (Turbine Extended IP Video) - A group of door intercom stations in the Turbine Extended range equipped with a camera.

• TFIE (Turbine Full-size Industrial Extended) - A range of intercom stations designed for rough industrial environment

• TFIX (Turbine Full-size Industrial Ex) - A range of ATEX (Explosion) approved intercom stations

• TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol) - is a simple File Transfer Protocol which allows a client to get a file from or put a file onto a remote host.

• TKIE (Turbine Kit IP Extended) - is a VoIP kit from Zenitel offering a wide range of features for various applications.

• TKIS (Turbine Kit IP Station) - is a VoIP kit from Zenitel offering a wide range of features for various applications.

• TLS (Transport Layer Security) - is a cryptographic protocol designed to provide communications security over a computer network. The protocol is widely used in applications such as email, instant messaging, and voice over IP, but its use in securing HTTPS remains the most publicly visible.

• TMIS (Turbine Mini IP Station) - A range of compact IP intercoms

• TMIV (Turbine Mini IP with Video) - A compact IP intercom with camera

• TURN (Traversal Using Relays around NAT) is a protocol used to help devices behind Network Address Translators (NATs) or firewalls connect with each other by relaying traffic through a server when direct peer-to-peer communication is not possible. It’s commonly used in applications like video conferencing and VoIP to ensure data transmission when a direct connection can't be established. TURN is often used alongside STUN (Session Traversal Utilities for NAT) in WebRTC, where TURN acts as a fallback when STUN fails to establish a direct connection.

• UDP (User Datagram Protocol) - is a communications protocol that is primarily used to establish low-latency and loss-tolerating connections between applications on a network. UDP speeds up transmissions by enabling the transfer of data before an agreement is provided by the receiving party. As a result, UDP is beneficial in time-sensitive communications, including voice over IP (VoIP) and video or audio playback. UDP is an alternative to Transmission Control Protocol (TCP).

• VAD (Voice Activity Detection) - also known as speech activity detection or speech detection (SD), is the detection of the presence or absence of human speech

• VM (Virtual Machine) - is a compute resource that uses software instead of a physical computer to run programs and deploy apps. One or more virtual “guest” machines run on a physical “host” machine. Each virtual machine runs its own operating system and functions separately from the other VMs, even when they are all running on the same host.

• VMS (Video Management System) - is software that helps monitor, record, and manage video footage from multiple cameras. It's commonly used for security and surveillance, allowing users to store, view, and organize video data, often with features like live streaming, playback, motion detection, and alerts. It also integrates with hardware like CCTV cameras and other security systems.

• VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) - also called IP telephony, is a method and group of technologies for voice calls for the delivery of voice communication sessions over Internet Protocol (IP) networks, such as the Internet.

• VPA (VPA-400) - is a range of PA amplifiers from Zenitel

• VPN (Virtual Private Network) - describes the opportunity to establish a protected network connection when using public networks. VPNs encrypt your internet traffic and disguise your online identity. This makes it more difficult for third parties to track your activities online and steal data.

• VSIS (Vingtor-Stentofon Intercom Suit) - A collection of firmware for Zenitel IP devices.

• VR3G (Vandal Resistant 3-Gang) - A group of vandal resistant intercom stations.

• WMC (Wall Mount Controller) - Device for Vipedia public address to change background music

• ZMK (Zenitel Multipurpose Kit) - A VoIP kit from Zenitel with support for camera and touch display