Gateway and networks

In 2011, TOPKAPI has been enriched with the SNMP Agent and Modbus Slave protocols. With its real-time database configurable in the form of a spreadsheet, and its client-server architecture, TOPKAPI is particularly indicated to act as a communication gateway between heterogeneous networked applications.

It ensures:

Data acquisition through its multiple communication drivers, with industrial controllers, but also "computer hardware" (SNMP manager), dataloggers (SMS, FTP), etc.
Real time data reprocessing and its availability to other applications, with its functions such as OPC server, SNMP agent (flexible MIB creation) or Modbus slave.
Networked data routing through client / server links between two TOPKAPI applications.
SQL data logging in shared databases, more particularly when time-stamping at the source is to be considered.

Practical application

It is by leveraging these qualities that TELERAD designed its last generation TCVL systems and was awarded a major bid for tender by the DSNA (Direction des Services de la Navigation Aérienne) for controlling air-ground radio links for airliners.

Over 250 systems interconnected throughout the French territory broadcast radio frequency data and relay commands to the field. Flexibility in TOPKAPI parameter setting allowed TCVL to substitute very easily to former equipment, without requiring any modification in the third party equipment connected, although very diversified.

In a rack integrating all equipment and a compact industrial Panel PC, TOPKAPI provides communication with TELERAD equipment, and the user interface for their reconfiguration.

Under reservation of interconnections and access control implemented, each unit can virtually take over control of the other equipment through client-server links between TOPKAPI applications.

As each station has a built-in web server, it is also possible to take over control from any computer.

As TOPKAPI is not demanding in terms of machine power, it was hosted with its web server on touch screen Panel PCs by IPO Technologie offering an excellent quality/price ratio, with an ATOM N270 processor running at 1.6 GHz and the Windows XP OS.