1.1 Introduction
An Intercom is a short form for intercommunicating telephone. It is a stand-alone voice communications system for use within a building, small collection of buildings or portably within a small coverage area, which functions independently of the public telephone network (Lange, 2017). An intercom uses relating two-wire system, two for transmitting and two for reception (full duplex) and cannot be used on normal exchange lines. It is electronic communication system within a building or group of buildings. Intercom (i.e. wireless intercom) aims to be a high quality voice communication tool use on the internet or local area networks. Intercoms are generally composed of fine microphones/speaker units which connect to central control panel. A small home intercom might connect a few rooms in a house; large systems might connect all the rooms in a school or hospital to a central office.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Information and instructions are usually conveyed wither directly or indirectly by the chief executive or via his messenger. However, this method of information dissemination has its demerits. It wastes time and sometimes, the messenger conveys incorrect information. To reduce the time wasting experienced in the above method, one then appreciates the need to design and simulate a system that will help to eliminate the loss of time during information delivery.
The need for information at the press of a button particularly in a developing economy cannot be overemphasized since telecommunication has long become the backbone in the day-to-day running of most businesses and organizations. Hence, the need to finding new solutions to make it cheap and affordable must be sought.
Currently, digital technology is the backbone of the entire information industry. As part of this, the transformation of audio information into digital signals is now a routine process that is incorporated into our telephone, digital networks, televisions and music equipments.
This transmission is known as inter communication usually abbreviated as “Intercom”. This refers to communication by means of transmission medium between various individual situated at comparatively distance within a certain premises. These locations are called stations and this gave birth to the topic simulate a computer three way intercom system. This system. This system provides at least three way communication via the computer network stations controlled by software. Hence the function of the communication supervised by a package, to interface the computer//stations as intercom sets, enabling orders and instructions to be received and that they are clearly understood and fruitfully executed.
These intercom systems are used in offices, factories workshop and for the purpose of this project, in hotel as to eliminate the necessity of conveying message through messengers from one guest/attendant to another ir vise vaster. These improve work and enable quick decision by the supervisory staff/executive.
The system, make use of these equipment to achieve its goals.
- Speaker
- Microphone
- Computer system (full multi media)
More recently, complex digitized voice systems using the telephone line and AM and FM local area carrier systems via primary power line distribution wiring have been employed. Although advances have occurred in connection with the integration of FM communications circuits into small semiconductor packages, a need has remained unsolved for an improved full duplex telephone intercom system which may be configured to existing local telephone circuit wiring without tying up incoming telephone line pairs from the central office or requiring the installation of extra dedicated intercom pairs.
1.3 Statement of Problem
Investigation revealed that the main function of this study is to over come the problems encountered in manual organizational communication. From the interviews with some organizations, it was noted that the manual methods of information dissemination in an organization pose some problems Vis.
- Time wasting
- Incorrect information
- Poor security
Time Wasting: Consider the time interval between the moment the chief executive calls the messenger to this officer for a message and the time the message goes and come back for the feedback. From this, the fact that a lot of time has been wasted is an axiom and can consequently lead to delay in some works.
Incorrect Information: At times message can be forgotten, misunderstood or misinterpreted by the messenger or supervisors. This can case a very big havoc in the organization.
Poor Security: Some message may be vital and restricted to a group of people in the organization; this information need not be discussed outside the group for which it is interned. By the manual information method such information leaks.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of the Study
The aim of the study is to simulate a software package for the three-way computer intercom systems in order eradicate some problems encountered by the use of manual operation methods. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows to develop an application software that will:
- Modify the existing methods of information dissemination in an organization;
- Enhance efficiency in the information dissemination in an organization; and
- Discover the problems associated with the manual method of organizational communication.
1.5 Significance of Study
The significance of the proposed system will impact positively on education by allowing live participation without physically being present for a lecture. It will also make the best use of the available resources by expanding the learning opportunity and taking the resources to the learners. This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.6 Scope of Study
The scope of the research is focused on the Design and Simulate a Computer Intercom System. This study will cover only three-way intercommunication in an organization.
1.7 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).
1.8 Definition of Terms
Intercom: An intercom is a stand-alone voice communications system for use within a building, small collection of buildings or portably within a small coverage area, which functions independently of the public telephone network (Lange, 2017).
