Control Microsystems
Application
is becoming
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Remote Video Surveillance with ClearSCADA Products ■
ClearSCADA
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Longwatch Video System
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Axis IP Cameras
Communications ■
Ethernet
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Spread Spectrum Radio
RS232/485 Modbus to SCADA System
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The Application The need for remote video surveillance in this challenging world is becoming a necessity, and in some industries, a mandated requirement of any comprehensive SCADA system. The ability to visually monitor remote processes and assets as well as detect and/or prevent threats, theft, or mischievous behavior protects valuable assets and critical processes. The integration of Control Microsystems’ ClearSCADA Host Platform with the Longwatch Video Control Center and Video Historian provides this ability to SCADA users in mission and infrastructure-critical industries.
The Challenges Continuous video monitoring is a bandwidth-intensive task, requiring anywhere from 250MB to 1GB per hour data transfer rates and storage capability. Connection pathways to remote locations, on the other hand, are limited and typically low-bandwidth – often still 9600baud serial channels. This connection path is used for communications to the RTUs and/or PLCs monitoring the equipment and processes at the remote location(s). Any video surveillance solution deployed must often share this bandwidth-limited pathway without affecting communications to existing field equipment. Under these conditions, continuous tranfer of video is impractical and unnecessary. What is required is the detection and recording of abnormal events occurring at the remote location, notification to the operator that something unusual is occurring, and the ability to quickly upload, review, and determine what happened in order to formulate and deploy an appropriate response.
The Solution The integration of the Longwatch video platform with the ClearSCADA host system, along with surveillance cameras such as Axis IP cameras provide such a solution. Event-based video alarming and recording is the key since remote transfer of continuous video data is impossible due to the bandwidth-limited nature of typical communication pathways. The Axis IP cameras are capable of detecting motion in the camera’s field of view. When motion is detected, the cameras can record both image snapshots and video clips during the period of motion detection. The cameras also signal that motion detection has occurred. The Longwatch video platform is designed to manage, monitor, and control multiple cameras installed at remote field locations. On serial field communication channels, the Longwatch Video Control Center (VCC) achieves monitoring, control, and video upload using Modbus protocol, allowing the video system to share the same communication pathways as the RTUs in
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Remote Video Surveillance the field. This is achieved by deploying a Remote Video Engine (RVE) or Micro Video Engine (MVE) at the remote location. This is a mini or micro computer that connects via ethernet to the cameras and records continuous 24-hour video, motiongenerated video event clips, and jpeg snapshots. On the host side, the Local Video Engine (LVE) monitors all cameras for a motion detection signal. When motion is detected from a given camera, the LVE raises an alarm and uploads the video clip recorded by the remote camera during the motion detection event. The LVE is also capable of pan, tilt, and zoom (PTZ) control of cameras that have this capability, as well as directing the cameras to move to preset positions. Communications between the LVE and RVE/MVEs can be either ethernet IP or Modbus over serial. The Longwatch video platform interfaces to ClearSCADA primarily via OPC, with Longwatch acting as the OPC server and ClearSCADA the OPC client. Video alarms, camera status, and camera control can then be achieved from ClearSCADA via the OPC interface.
Application
The Results The integration of ClearSCADA, Longwatch, and Axis cameras provide a simple, effective solution to address remote video monitoring requirements to locations where high-bandwidth connectivity is impractical or impossible. The implementation of video monitoring and control via Modbus with Longwatch allows this to be achieved without the often prohibitive expense of adding a
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separate communications infrastructure for the video system. The combination of ClearSCADA and Longwatch provides users a unified HMI and seamless integration of both process monitoring and control as well as video monitoring of field assets and critical infrastructure. For more information, contact Control Microsystems or your local representative.
Control Microsystems is becoming
CONTROL MICROSYSTEMS Within Nor th America: (888) 267-2232
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September 2010
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