System Overview

Telemetric’s end-to-end solution is comprised of three main elements: intelligent field devices; commercial cellular data service and network management; and PowerVista™ software applications. Together these elements provide a powerful solution for monitoring and control of electric distribution assets, users and communications. The Telemetric system is built on industry standard systems and protocols such as IP-based communications and DNP3.0 SCADA interfaces. Telemetric SCADA-Xchange™ provides a powerful, open-standards based interface that supports all popular SCADA system suppliers.

Wireless Communication Link

Telemetric products enable two-way communications using the commercial cellular networks. Products use digital General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) technology on the AT&T nationwide GSM network, or control channel technology on the Aeris.net network. Aeris.net aggregates service from more than 20 different cellular carriers in North America.

Telemetric IP-based digital products operate at data rates of up to 85kbps using the AT&T nationwide GSM cellular network, the worldwide standard. Telemetric’s PowerVista applications (hosted or local) coordinate secure, reliable links between remote devices and customer applications. Telemetric intelligent remote devices support a variety of data modes to optimize speed, efficiency, and minimize cost, including:

• Report by exception
  
• Flexible time scheduled reporting
  
• Query on demand
  

Communications from remote devices to the PowerVista applications are authenticated and encrypted for security.

Telemetric end-to-end solutions provide several significant advantages over other communication methods.

• Nationwide Coverage: The combination of GPRS and control channel technologies provide excellent coverage throughout North America. The solutions operate anywhere GPRS (Cingular) or digital/analog control channels are available and do not require individual cellular accounts for each device.
  
• Cost Effective: Users are spared the significant cost of building, maintaining and deploying a communications infrastructure by using the commercial cellular networks. Application and data service fees begin at below $5 per month making it a very affordable solution.
  
• Two-way Communication: Data is bi-directional. Remote units can communicate alarms or receive commands with acknowledgement of the action. This creates a very reliable system.
  
• Real-Time Connectivity: Data packets require only seconds to transmit from a remote device to the customer.

The system is very reliable. This stems from five areas:

• Both technologies send all digital messages, minimizing the potential for corrupted data.
  
• Telemetric industrial radios always broadcast at the maximum power allowed by the cellular tower.
  
• Devices can use much weaker signals than typical cell phones with the addition of higher gain antennas. Thus, they work in areas where traditional voice calls will not work.
  
• Multiple retries and recovery logic are used to ensure messages get through.
  
• Standard cellular security is augmented by Telemetric to maximize security and prevent unauthorized access.

PowerVista™ Hosted Applications
Telemetric PowerVista is a powerful and flexible suite of applications and tools for managing distribution system assets that are monitored and controlled with Telemetric intelligent field devices. PowerVista applications enable real-time access to distribution equipment from any PC by logging onto a secure account created and maintained for each customer. Customers access their accounts via the Telemetric web site www.telemetric.net. PowerVista provides tools to manage:

• Distribution Equipment
  
• User Accounts and Access
  
• Communications System Status

PowerVista is an ideal tool for distribution engineers, system planners and asset managers. Using the PowerVista application, personnel can quickly identify equipment or system issues from any office or remote PC. This same information is available to field crews equipped with mobile PC’s. PowerVista can be setup to send automatic alarms or notices via e-mail, text message or pagers to field personnel. PowerVista is entirely web based and does not require any local application except a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. PowerVista is offered as a hosted application, or can be installed at the customer’s operations center.

The intelligent field devices internal cellular radio provides two-way communication through the fully automated Telemetric Network Operations Center (NOC) and the hosted PowerVista applications. After installing the hardware, the user can log onto their PowerVista account using a unique user name and password to:

• View the status of equipment
  
• Initiate a change
  
• Configure selected events to trigger a control action

In addition, the following tools are available:

• View recent critical events
  
• Setup customized rules that will trigger a notification or control action
  
• Review current status of equipment
  
• Customize data display
  
• Create groups of devices that can be addressed with a single command
  
• Export data via Email or CSV
  
• Create additional users and manage user security
  
• Save common device profiles/labels to quickly apply to multiple units
  
• Review cellular communications with devices including number of calls and signal strength

PowerVista complements distribution SCADA systems by providing additional features for engineering, planning and operations. For customers without distribution SCADA systems PowerVista is a powerful application for managing their equipment.

For additional information about PowerVista, please click here.

SCADA-Xchange™

Utilities often desire to manage distribution equipment using their existing SCADA system and consoles as the primary interface. SCADA-Xchange is a powerful way to integrate Telemetric's control and data acquisition functionality into existing SCADA systems. It allows a SCADA system to poll any Telemetric device as if it were connected directly to the system. SCADA-Xchange makes it easy to integrate Telemetric remote telemetry devices into SCADA using open, industry-standard protocols such as DNP3.

Benefits and Features:

• Integration is fast, easy and inexpensive
  
• Supports virtually every utility protocol
  
• No SCADA protocol development or special interface required
  
• Provides a reliable, secure and cost effective communication system to extend SCADA beyond the substation
  
• Functions as a DNP3 slave responding to the SCADA system
  
• Data passes through SCADA-Xchange in three situations:
  1. Report-by-exception event occurs
  2. Time scheduled report sent
  3. User initiates direct query or command to the device

For additional information about the SCADA-XCHANGE, please click here.

Intelligent Field Devices
Telemetric intelligent field devices are specifically designed for monitoring and control of electric distribution systems and assets from substation to meter. All Telemetric devices include local intelligence and integrated digital cellular radios designed for specific applications. Unlike simple modems, Telemetric devices use local intelligence to deliver more powerful control and monitoring applications that maximize performance while minimizing data usage costs. Local intelligence gives customers more powerful control and monitoring solutions. Telemetric offers four product families designed for specific applications;

• The Remote Telemetry Module (RTM) enables wireless, remote communication with products such as reclosers, switches, voltage regulators, capacitor banks, meters and other devices. It is available with industry standard DNP 3.0 protocol as well as Cooper 2179 (PG&E) and ANSI C12.18/19 for metering applications.
  
• The T646 MicroRTU is a cost effective solution for wireless monitoring, control and automation of equipment. The device provides status monitoring of six digital inputs and four analog inputs; six digital outputs are available for control.
  
• The TVM provides automatic notification for outages and over/under voltage conditions on single and three-phase applications.
  
• The TC012 monitors and controls fixed or switched capacitor banks

Information about general monitoring and control solutions can be found by clicking here.