Hardware

Pedigree Technologies brings you a wide variety of devices that allow you to choose the optimum balance between price and performance.

• Sensors and Instrumentation
• Gateways
• Telemetry/Telematics
• Smart equipment

These products typically answer one or more of these basic questions.

What is it?
Devices that identify parts, products, people and pieces of equipment:

• Bar codes
• RFID tags

Sophisticated devices that associate identity with other parameters, such as location and condition include:

• Telemetry devices
• Smart phones

Where is it?
There are several ways to collect the location of your equipment. As more devices continue to add GPS features, the ability to pinpoint location anywhere on the globe continues to get easier and more affordable. Data from these devices can easily be integrated with the OneView GIS module:

Ways to collect location data in OneView include:

• Dead reckoning or physical addresses
• Battery-powered satellite tracking tags
  

How is it doing?
The process of answering this question starts with basic sensing data, including things like:

• Temperature
• Pressure
• Humidity
• Speed

More sophisticated and conditional measurements include:

• Run-time
• Diagnostics
• Error codes
• Other machine health data that is collected by connecting directly to mechanical and mobile equipment

Machine-to-machine (M2M) Communication with OneView
After data is collected it needs to be sent to the application. To achieve this, it may be as simple as plugging in an Ethernet cable, or it could require multiple network topologies, protocols and technologies.

Because of the frequent need to deal with mobility, data is usually sent via cellular networks and Machine-to-Machine communications. This, too, has a wide spectrum of options:

• Simple transceivers
• Cellular modems
• Gateways
• Tablet PCs
• Smart phones

Because there is no single device or vendor that can provide the full range of options to the connected enterprise, OneView allows users to choose the best tool for the job without being tied down to any single hardware provider or platform.

• Pedigree is always updating its portfolio of supported hardware devices.
• We work with customers and leading suppliers to identify new products that extend the capabilities of OneView.

Networking
Your choice of network technology or topology should not limit the effectiveness or flexibility of OneView. The OneView platform is network agnostic, supporting both wired and wireless technologies in a variety of topologies. The result is a highly flexible and cost effective set of network options. Here is an overview of those the most frequently used network technologies and topologies:

Sensor and machine networking
Sensor and machine networking can utilize low level sensor and machine protocols, like modbus, that often connect equipment in a plant or commercial building, then add in wireless mesh-network systems like ZigBee to add more data from mobile or inaccessible sources. The options in this are increasing with the introduction and maturation of other field level technologies like Near Field Communications and Ultra Wideband (UWB).

Enterprise networking
Data gathered at the low level sensor and machine layer is typically brought into the OneView gateway where it is translated to the enterprise LAN or WAN using IP and digital communications like Ethernet. In cases where wireless is necessary the system utilizes standard-based technology like WiFi (ieee 802.11) to extend range and support local mobility.

Cellular and satellite networking
The majority of mobile devices today are connected via the cellular network. Choosing the right cellular network is typically a matter of hardware cost and network coverage. Pedigree supports both GSM as well as CDMA network connectivity, giving customers with a full range of choices in price, performance and coverage. As carriers migrate their networks to 4G, the speeds will allow higher bandwidth applications such as video and Pedigree will fully leverage those enhancements in its applications. Sometimes the issue is not one of speed but of coverage.

For companies that have trucks or equipment that operate in remote locations with spotty cellular coverage we also provide options for satellite network coverage. Although this frequently comes at a higher cost per bit, the increased coverage and certainty of communication for critical parts of the operations makes it a compelling option for some organizations.