V5 :

After theory, let’s move on to practice

TOPKAPI Version 5 was a major milestone in the life of our product.

We are already planning functional additions for autumn 2011, but rather than describing new items here, we would rather present or remind a few practical uses made possible with V5, which should allow you to make the best of your supervision applications.

Compatibility

We confirm that TOPKAPI is well supported by Windows 7 and Windows 2008 R2 Server, as well as the different virtualization environments in the market.

In addition to the native driver for BACnet (see below), the following drivers are available, or about to be validated:

SNMP agent

Sofrel: Front End FR1000, and support of spontaneous emissions in radio transmission

Perax: FTP protocol

SMS (Ijinus and ‘standard’ format)

SEBA Hydrometrie

BACnet

The BACnet protocol is becoming a reference standard for Building Management Systems. Its main advantages are the ability to transmit data in an event-based mode (relieving network load), and its capacities in terms of routing and segmentation into subnets.

TOPKAPI now features a native BACnet protocol driver, facilitating configuration and offering multiple possibilities:

Browse the objects exposed and direct integration with their attributes into supervision (SOFTLINK wizard), with filters and import customizing

BACnet object models integrated to TOPKAPI, easy customizing without programming

Acquisition in event-based or cyclic mode

Access to the exchange parameters such as Deadband, sampling frequency, etc.

Management of time-stamping at the source

Extended equipment addressing functions, watchdog, level of priority of the controls, etc.

SQL interface

In previous issues, we focused on the new SQL connector to manage historical storage, allowing to configure flexible and effective links between TOPKAPI and database management systems (DBMS), such as Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL…

This interface allows in standard (without writing queries) or by customizing SQL queries, to save the TOPKAPI log data into the selected DBMS, but also read data recorded by TOPKAPI or other tools.

But the SQL interface goes further: another connector named OWSQL enriches the exchange functions, as can be seen with the TOPKAPI application used by Etablissements LUCIEN.

This function allows to interface TOPKAPI’s real-time database with the DBMS to:

Read data from the DBMS and write it into the real-time database

Send values from the real-time database to the DBMS

Similarly to a report management function, but more sophisticated, the OWSQL function is used upon condition, and allows handling values based on expressions issued from the process. It is used to exchange data (scalar values or value arrays) or to run stored procedures.

The uses of this function are multiple, so do not hesitate to call us for more information.

Controller calendar management/
Multi-equipment calendar template

Following development with the ALTEREA Engineering Office to analyze the need, and the city of Angers used as a pilot site, AREAL now offers the possibility in standard* to use the Scheduler – time-based programme management interface in TOPKAPI – to write calendars for the controllers of different suppliers in the market.

To date, the following equipment is supported:

Energie Système, SAIA, Trend via the Modbus TCP protocol

Easy Wit, Acs Dominno, Sofrel via real-time proprietary protocol or PSTN

But also any device compatible with the BACnet protocol and supporting objects of the ‘Schedule/Calendar’ type.

Structured database objects are supplied for each type of device to ease the setting up. Just instantiate them in the application.

The functions offered are the following:

Management of 3 periods: occupation, non occupation, freeze protection

Calendar up to one year in advance

Management of derogations

Manual or automatic downloading of calendars according to hourly, daily or weekly references

Real-time operation or via PSTN /GSM link

Definition of typical days corresponding to the occupation periods allocated automatically to the annual calendar for periodical days.

For applications with a large number of calendars to manage, calendar templates can be used, avoiding repetitive entry tasks in each individual calendar. After configuring the template, the user selects the sites where it is to be propagated, then asks to update the complete calendar or only derogations or freeze protection periods. TOPKAPI handles the rest.

Use the reply coupon at the end of the document to request more details.

* Recipes Module required

We would like to thank all TOPKAPI users who trust us, and all those who have contributed to these articles at AySA (Aguas y Saneamientos Argentinos), SUEZ Environnement-DEGREMONT, ALLEZ, Etablissements LUCIEN, and more particularly Mr. Domingo TAVELLA, Eric FIEVEZ, Julien OGER, Pascal GONZALEZ, Olivier BENATAR, and Olivier MANTEAU.