How does telemetry work

Push sampled data. A network device sends sampled data to the collector based on the configurations delivered by the controller. The collector receives and stores the data. Read data. The analyzer reads the sampled data stored in the collector. Analyze data. The analyzer analyzes the sampled data and sends the analysis results to the controller for network management and optimization.

Telemetry systems are utilized in all kinds of industries, including transportation and meteorology. Handex utilizes these communication systems for two primary reasons:. First, on our more critical remediation systems, telemetry alerts us should the system experience an upset or an unplanned shutdown. This provides our customers a cost savings by giving us the ability to regularly monitor many types of systems remotely. Previously, we would have had to send a technician or crew to the site just to record operational data.

Advances in remote technology have allowed Handex to upgrade several systems that now allow us to not only monitor a system, but to make necessary changes.

This benefits the client by reducing costs and benefits the operator by giving them the ability to respond to a system much quicker than if we needed to travel to the site to make adjustments. The telemetry system allows us to reduce flows should a significant rain event occur. We can then resume normal pumping rates once the rain event has passed. All of this is done remotely with no one having to travel to the site.

This becomes even more beneficial when the rain event occurs during the overnight period, avoiding the need to send a crew out in the middle of the night just to adjust flow rates. Look at the extremes. If it has to work in sub-zero temperatures, then ensure that its specification guarantees it will work down there.

Compatible with sensors The input must be compatible with the sensor output. So what types of sensor output are there? Most fall into one of the three following categories Serial DigitalDigitalAnalog Analog is still used but is the least attractive option.

Sensors and other devices with serial digital outputs are superior and becoming common. Analog is the way the physical environment works. Things in nature are usually continuous — analog - not sorted into bins according to their size!

So why would we want to sort things into bins and call them digital? The information is far less likely to be corrupted. With digital, what you get is what was sent Analog signals are susceptible to corruption by things such as electrical noise and voltage drop in cables. The bottom lines The quality of information transferred digitally is mostly superior to analog Analog is inferior, so if you can avoid it, do.

Stream, store, or download Some wireless telemetry systems have multiple modes. They can stream real-time data continuously to the receiving end, or store it and download it later. If you want to stream data, you need to choose a system that can carry the data at least as fast as the rate at which you want to make the measurements.

A wireless telemetry system should monitor its own supply voltage. The quality of the information depends on it. Here are the most likely options However, there are some disadvantages You can reduce the risk by having your own battery, and just using the existing supply to trickle-charge it.

Create your own supply. This puts you in control , and allows you to supply uninterrupted power What are the options? Non-rechargeable battery. With non-rechargable batteries such as alkaline, the main disadvantage is maintenance. Weigh up the costs and inconvenience of using batteries that need to be replaced. Rechargable battery. How much? No battery. Energy to power the system can be slowly built up by charging a supercapacitor , which is a bit like a battery that can be charged and discharged over a shorter timescale.

Because they transmit infrequently, on average, their transmit power is low. Enough energy can sometimes be obtained from the environment. For example you can get solar energy from the sun or scavenge it from waste heat in a factory. Not need a radio license Want to be license free? If you can, choose a wireless telemetry system that uses a radio frequency of 2.

Some, but not all, countries are license-free for other bands too. Sufficient radio range The range is the maximum distance you can position the transmitter from the receiver, where the wireless telemetry system still works. It depends a lot on the application. A manufacturer can make recommendations, but has little control over where you place the transmitter and receiver, and what obstacles lie between them.

The product manufacturer may specify transmitter power and receiver sensitivity , in Watts and dB, but this means little to most people. Line of sight If you could see them, radio signals would look a bit like light and shade.

Objects between the transmitter and receiver may absorb some of the signal, or perhaps block it completely. Like light, RF can bend around some objects, often allowing enough to get to the receiver, for the information to be fully recovered from it.