ADVANCES IN REMOTE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY AND TECHNIQUES

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ADVANCES IN REMOTE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY AND
TECHNIQUES
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Digital Revolution
Remote Facility Control - ?
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Past progress
Hours of Programming
Hardwired Connections
Alarms
Action
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Advanced Remote Facility control - Roadmap

• Connectivity
• Communication
• Portability

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Connectivity Remote device/Equipment interface

• Communication between the device and the
  equipment
• Basic connections hardwired I/O
• Advanced Programming Interface for serial
  communications
• IP connectivity Ping, SNMP, SMTP
• Future developments

SNMP traps and ???????
Ping, SNMP data and commands
Data and commands
Traditional hardwired I/O
IP Connection
IP Connection
RS-232
Control unit
Internet
Controlled equipment
Distant equipment
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Communication Human/Remote device interface

• Communication between the device and the user
• Advanced IP communication
• PPP, GSM, POTS line with advanced Voice/DTMF
• Improvements in configuration
• Graphic programming interface
• Intelligence in the control device

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Portability Remote control functions in other
equipment

• A Facility control device can be integrated into
  other equipment
• Save space, energy and
• Act on specialized information and control unique
  functions

Control Function
Abnormal RF reading
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Connectivity
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Traditional I/O

• Hardwired connections
• One wire (or pair) per parameter

Power reading
Temp reading
TX ON control
TX OFF control
Voltage Reading
VSWR Alarm
Alarm Reset
PWR Raise
Etc. Etc. Etc.
Controlled equipment
Control unit
10
Connectivity

• INTERFACING with EQUIPMENT and GATHERING DATA
• Traditional IO (digital inputs, relays, analog
  inputs)
• for status, levels and control actions
• Using RS232 serial ports (RS422, RS485 on demand)
• to access console, integrate protocols with API
• Using Ethernet ports
• Management of equipment using SNMP (Get and Set
  commands)
• Ping other network devices to confirm connection
• SNMP Concentrator (2009)

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Serial communications

• One RS-232 connection
• Tunneling console communication
• Advanced serial communication (API)

RS-232
PC
TUNNELING
Data
Data
TCP-IP
RS-232
Data
Controlled equipment
Control unit
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Advanced Programming Interface

• One RS-232 connection for all parameters and
  control
• Capable of binary, ASCII, hexadecimal
  communications
• Open architecture Javascript programming
• Pre-written interfaces (Harris Z series, Nautel,
  BE)
• User can create programming
• Configuration of API Scriptlet
• Set COM port parameters
• Define parameters to be measured and thresholds
• Define control commands to be sent
• Upload scriptlet to unit and test
• Incorporate scriptlet elements into overall
  control script
• Design viewer panel(s) to display information

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Traditional I/O
Power reading
Temp reading
TX ON control
TX OFF control
Voltage Reading
VSWR Alarm
Alarm Reset
PWR Raise
Etc. Etc. Etc.
Controlled equipment
Control unit
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Advanced serial communications with A.P.I.

• Advanced Programming Interface
• One RS-232 connection for all parameters and
  control

Data
RS-232
Hundreds of Measurement and control parameters
Control
Controlled equipment
Control unit
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A.P.I. Scriptlet

• Define serial port parameters

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A.P.I. Scriptlet

• Define parameters to be used

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A.P.I. Scriptlet

• Define thresholds and test

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A.P.I. Scriptlet

• Incorporate API elements into overall control
  script

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A.P.I. Scriptlet

• Design view / control panel to display
  information

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ADVANCED IP CONNECTIVITY
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Advanced IP connectivity

• IP from control point to control unit

• IP from control unit to controlled equipment
• Ping to test connection

PC
TCP-IP
TCP-IP
Controlled equipment
Control unit
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IP Ping command

• Ping sends simple data packet to another network
  address
• Check that the target unit is on line
• Send alarm if no response to ping

PC
PING!
PING!
PING!
PING!
PING!
PING!
PONG!
PONG!
PONG!
TCP-IP
ALARM!
ALARM!
TCP-IP
Controlled equipment
Control unit
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SNMP

• Simple Network Management Protocol
• Standardized protocol for computerized equipment
• Based on Management Information Base MIB
• Object Identifiers (OID) define each specific
  parameter

MIB table
Object Identifier (OID)
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IP SNMP functions

• SNMP GET Command requests data from equipment
• Check data against predefined limits
• Send alarm if data is out of tolerance

• SNMP SET Function
• to control equipment

PC
GET
GET
SET
SET
GET
SET
DATA
DATA
DATA
TCP-IP
ALARM!
ALARM!
TCP-IP
Controlled equipment
Control unit
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Many paths, many possibilities

• Using advanced connections IP and serial
• One unit can control nearby equipment with
  traditional IO
• Other equipment with API over a serial connection
• Can also control distant equipment over a network

Data
Network
Traditional I/O
Data
Control
Control
Control unit
RS-232
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Communication
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Past progress
Limited IP
Hardwired
Phone Line
STL/SCA
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Control by network
PPP network connection over POTS line
Wireless/ Satellite IP
Ethernet
POTS line
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Advantages of the Network
Higher Bandwidth
Control and configure remotely
Faster, more accurate information
New Communication Possibilities
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Intelligent Facility Control
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Automatic actions

• Autonomous operation
• Scripting
• Limited capability in older designs
• Current hardware and software more
  intelligence
• More capability brings more complexity
• Programming intelligence the old way
  challenging
• One solution graphic user interface (GUI)

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Graphic Scripting
I/O ELEMENTS
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Graphic Scripting
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Graphic Scripting
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Graphic Scripting
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Graphic Scripting
Audio configuration
Software buttons
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Graphic Scripting
Adjust analog thresholds
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Graphic Scripting
Scheduler
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Graphic Scripting
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Viewing the data
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Scripteasy Creator
Play mode
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Scripteasy View Creator
Script elements that can be placed in the view
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Scripteasy View Creator
Analog Elements
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Masterview Viewing software
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Facility Control Functions in other equipment
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Many paths, many possibilities

• Facility control device can be integrated into
  other equipment
• Save space, energy and
• Act on specialized information and control unique
  functions
• Can still use advanced serial and network
  connections

Data
Network
RF Monitor
Data
Control
Control
Traditional I/O
RS-232
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CONCLUSION
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Advanced Remote Control - Conclusion

• New connectivity serial, network, API, SNMP
• Maintain capability to use traditional I/O
• New intelligence in the unit
• Advanced software for easy configuration
• New communication IP, Satellite, GSM
• Maintain plain telephone (POTS) service
• Create views to present information to users
• Open architecture for future developments
• More autonomous actions less operator time
  needed
• Faster, easier, smarter BETTER!

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Thank you

• Tony Peterle
• Technical Support Manager
• Audemat, Inc. Miami FL
• [phone]
• peterle_at_audemat.com
• Thanks also to Jeff Bennett
• Clear Channel, Dayton OH
• For portions of the scripts shown