CASE STUDY SNAPSHOT
Customer : A multinational industrial equipment manufacturer with global equipment monitoring system requirementsSize : > 200-1000
Project vertical : Industrial
Challenge : Design and implement a multi-channel communication platform for remote monitoring and control system with redundancy.
Solution : ARM-based Linux equipment monitoring system with intelligent routing protocol.
Services & Products Availed : Embedded Software Development, Protocol Design, System Architecture
Tools and Technologies :
- Hardware: PXA 270 based ARM-Linux platform
- Programming Language: C/C++, C#
- Framework: .NET
- Communication: Ethernet, GPRS, SMS
- Protocols: Custom routing protocol
INTRODUCTION
Our client, a leading industrial equipment manufacturer, required a sophisticated and robust solution for monitoring their equipment deployed across multiple countries. The challenge was to develop a centralized equipment monitoring system capable of maintaining continuous communication through various channels while ensuring data integrity and system reliability. The solution needed to be scalable, reliable, and capable of handling diverse industrial environments.
CHALLENGE
The primary challenges in the multi-channel communication platform development included:
- Ensuring uninterrupted communication through multiple channels with automatic failover mechanisms
- Supporting legacy systems while maintaining expandability for future technological advancements
- Providing robust local data storage for communication failure scenarios with data integrity protection
- Managing simultaneous connections from multiple monitoring points without performance degradation
- Ensuring system reliability in harsh industrial environments
- Implementing secure data transmission protocols across all communication channels
SOLUTION
Embien Technologies developed a comprehensive software architecture that addressed all critical requirements through an innovative approach:
At the heart of the system was the Intel PXA 270 powered system with enhanced Flash and RAM capabilities. The ARM Linux based system offered the best trade-off between the cost and performance requirements, while providing the necessary processing power for complex routing algorithms. Developed as a headless system, it is enabled with remote Firmware Over The Air upgrade (FOTA) feature so that the updates can be done remotely, ensuring system maintenance without physical access.
Remote Monitoring Units
Each remote unit featured the PXA ARM based system, engineered for industrial-grade reliability. Data to be monitored are acquired over the Data acquisition interface and sophisticated preprocessing algorithms are applied for noise reduction and signal conditioning. With legacy system compatibility, it could be interfaced even with the past generation of equipment, protecting existing investments. The continuous local parameter monitoring is augmented with local data storage capacity, featuring redundant storage mechanisms. The processing and storage had been provided with enough headroom as an expandable architecture for future enhancements, allowing for easy integration of additional sensors and monitoring capabilities. It also had a USB based interface to enable local configuration and control, facilitating on-site maintenance.
Communication Infrastructure
The multi-channel communication platform was designed with different communication channels to ensure seamless connectivity to the central remote monitoring and control system. The Ethernet connectivity served as the primary channel of communication due to the low cost and high bandwidth associated with it, capable of handling large volumes of real-time data. The GSM modem in-built to the system provided the secondary connectivity over the GPRS data connection, ensuring communication continuity in areas with limited network infrastructure. As the last approach, it also served as the tertiary channel via SMS based data transfer, guaranteeing minimal data transmission even in areas with poor connectivity.
Intelligent Routing Protocol
On the application level, we implemented a sophisticated routing protocol that continuously monitored channel quality through various performance metrics. Based on the quality parameters, it dynamically selected optimal communication paths and routed the data through the most efficient channel. With local storage backup for complete communication failure, we ensure that no data is lost, maintaining data integrity even in worst-case scenarios. The system prioritized channels based on availability, bandwidth, latency, and cost metrics, optimizing data transmission efficiency. Furthermore, it ensured seamless failover between communication modes, with automatic recovery mechanisms and data synchronization protocols. The intelligent routing system also implemented data compression and prioritization algorithms, ensuring critical data transmission even under bandwidth constraints.
Central Control System
At the customer premises, we developed a sophisticated central controller as a .NET-based software solution, serving as the cornerstone of our remote equipment monitoring system. This advanced control system established seamless bi-directional communication with each remote unit, offering comprehensive configuration capabilities and real-time monitoring functionalities. The system featured robust data logging mechanisms, storing critical operational parameters in a local database for detailed analysis and audit trails.
The architecture was meticulously designed to be highly scalable, capable of handling multiple simultaneous system connections without performance degradation. A notable feature was the implementation of an advanced data tunneling mechanism, enabling secure and efficient data transmission to remote controllers of end equipment through unified communication channels, significantly optimizing network resource utilization.
BENEFITS
The implemented multi-channel communication platform delivered several significant advantages:
- Reliable multi-channel communication with intelligent failover mechanisms
- Zero data loss through sophisticated local storage backup systems
- Seamless integration capabilities with existing infrastructure and legacy systems
- Highly scalable architecture supporting future technological expansions
- Substantially reduced maintenance overhead through remote monitoring capabilities
- Enhanced monitoring efficiency with real-time data analysis and reporting
- Robust security protocols ensuring data integrity across all communication channels
- Optimized resource utilization through intelligent routing algorithms
CONCLUSION
Leveraging our deep expertise in embedded systems and protocol design, Embien Technologies successfully delivered a sophisticated and robust equipment monitoring system. The solution's intelligent routing capabilities and redundant communication channels ensured uninterrupted operation in diverse industrial environments, while the flexible architecture provided seamless support for both legacy systems and future expansions.
The remote monitoring and control system development project showcased our proficiency in designing complex communication protocols and implementing reliable embedded software solutions while adhering to strict timeline requirements. The successful deployment of this remote equipment monitoring system across multiple international locations validated our innovative approach and earned exceptional recognition from our client. This achievement stands as a compelling testament to Embien's capabilities in delivering sophisticated embedded solutions for demanding industrial applications, reinforcing our position as a trusted partner in industrial IoT implementations.
