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A typical Telemanagement Solution comprises of a number of components as shown in the following graphic:
Herewith a brief definition of each type of device or component in the Solution:
Field Monitoring Device (FMD) or Field Hardware is a hardware device that is mounted in a remote location such as a vehicle or plant, or in certain circumstances on a person, which hardware device is designed to be permanently connected to certain input and output parameters that can either collect data for management purposes, or receive data for executing tasks;
Gateway or Communications Portal or Switching Software is a suite of software applications that is designed to handle communications from a variety of different Field Monitoring Devices simultaneously, interpreting different protocols and managing data flow efficiently, to allow data from such differing FMD’s to be processed reliably and with high performance into a Master Control Application;
Handheld Device is an optional part of the system that can either receive messages (called Notifications) from the system or be used to send inputs to the system via the Network.
Control Centre or Master Control Application is an application that is specifically designed according to a Client’s requirements and according to the abilities of the Field Monitoring Devices in use by the Client, allowing Telemanagement data to be acquired, FMD settings to be managed, and MIS to be extracted.
Network is the publicly available and independently managed network infrastructure which is utilized to carry the data from the FMD to the Master Control via the Communications Portal. The GSM Network is used in most solutions, but satellite and other public radio networks are also often utilized. FMD’s are typically designed or adapted to communicate with the Network, i.e. a GSM-type FMD would contain a slot to insert a SIM card similar to that of a cellular phone.
Web Access is an optional version of the Master Control Application that has the characteristics of being less powerful but accessible via the internet, thus allowing users of the system access while not in close proximity of the Command Center.
Other terms often used:
Telemetry is a term implying the bi-directional acquisition of data by a Field Monitoring Device, passing of such data by either wireless or wired communications infrastructure to a computer-based software application, for purposes of setting and managing parameters and mining of data for management information purposes;
Telemanagement is a term coined by Infotech that describes the nature of our type of solution as being a Telemetry solution that is used for realtime management of remote assets and/or people;