User's Manual

PAC Configuration Manual
Wireless Matrix Corporation #102, 1530 - 27 Avenue NE Page 8 of 62
Document # xxx-xxx-xxx Calgary, AB, Canada T2E 7S6
2002.02.01 Ph. 403.250.3949 Fax 403.250.8163 www.wrx-ca.com
1 INTRODUCTION
The terrestrial processor assisted connector (TPAC) is a device that is an interface between
an end-device and the Wireless Matrix IP Anywhere service. A terrestrial communications
medium is an integral part of the TPAC. The term “terrestrial” is used to differentiate the
communication network from a “space” (satellite) network. Examples of terrestrial networks
are the public switched telephone network (PSTN), public cell-based wireless packet data
networks (DataTAC, Mobitex, GPRS, CDPD), public wired packet data networks (Datapac,
the Internet) and private wired and wireless networks.
The TPAC collects data from an end-device such as an RTU or PLC and passes the data to IP
Anywhere using the terrestrial data network. The TPAC can communicate with numerous
end-devices in the device’s native protocol via an RS-232 or RS-485 serial communication
link. RS-422 and other physical layers are supported with converters. The TPAC provides
timed reports, reports by exception and reports on demand.
An I/O point is a measured or stored value in an end-device. The TPAC can read an I/O
point using the device communications protocol. An I/O point can also be internal to the
TPAC or signals on the general-purpose I/O lines on the TPAC. The TPAC stores a list of
I/O points that it needs to access.
1.1 TPAC Features
The TPAC can communicate with an end device using its native protocol.
The TPAC has an integral RIM DataTAC transceiver for communications.
The TPAC can report data on a scheduled interval, real time events or on demand.
The TPAC responds to a remote “DEMAND POLL” request by reading the current
I/O values from the remote site and sending updated values to the GDN.
The I/O points and alarm set points can be edited remotely over the communications
network.
The TPAC can store I/O points in multiple poll sets. Each poll set has its own report
time and interval and can be adjusted remotely.
The TPAC can minimize power consumption by entering a low power “sleep” mode.
The TPAC can poll RS-232 and RS485 serial end-devices for I/O points.
The TPAC can interface directly to transmitters (1-5 volts, 4-20 mA, digital) for I/O.
During a poll operation the TPAC read the I/O points from a specified poll-set. The
unit will send a report to IP Anywhere if:
A report is scheduled
An analog I/O value crosses the preset alarm limits
An analog I/O value changes by more than a preset dead band
A discrete value either changes state or transitions to a specific state