Host Terminal

The Messenger Host Terminal is the focal point of any Messenger System. It is simple to install and use with a variety of useful features to enable quick response to alarm conditions detected at remote sites. Hardware requirements are as follows:

  • Pentium PC running Windows 95/98/NT/XP/2000
  • The Messenger Host Application software (from NHDS)
  • GSM modem(s) and/or PSTN (telephone line) modem(s).

The Host Application is a bespoke software program written in C++ which provides the user friendly intuitive MMI for the Messenger System. The Host Application offers the following main facilities:

Remote Site Monitoring Features

  • Alarm Screen listing sites with current alarmsNHDS Remote Site Monitoring Features
  • Events Display with date/time listing of all events reported from remote sites
  • Site Display showing the status of equipment monitored by individual Messenger units
  • Archived alarms and event data with a variety of on screen search criteria

Meter Reading Features

  • Display Status of all meters at a site (32 bit counters)
  • Logging of actual meter reading on each contact with the site
  • Poll site on demand for latest meter values
  • Reports including usage by week/month/quarter/year
  • Reports of usage per site and group of sites
  • Report comparing usage against the average
  • Meter Reset function at the Host

General Features

  • Can monitor any number of remote Messenger units
  • Can simultaneously communicate with up to 16 remote Messengers
  • Stores database records for Messenger site locations and operational settings
  • Flexibility to customise the alarms screens and database fields
  • Host Terminal Status screen
  • Alarm forwarding to mobile phones as text messages
  • Alarm forwarding as e-mail messages

Host terminals are available for Messenger / Waste Watcher / Agri-Trak / PD2 / PD3 and PD4 remote site monitors. The Host Station consists of the Host Application running on a standard PC and communications hardware as required (PSTN landline modems, GSM modems).

Users have access to numerous display screens for alarm lists, historical data and site management tools. Location information for each site is stored in standard database format and includes text names for the sites, location information, custom fields, individual site inputs, text descriptions, etc.

Host Terminal Scaleability

The host terminal system for monitoring the Messenger / Waste Watcher / Agri-Trak / PD2 / PD3 and PD4 remote monitoring devices ranges from a single stand-alone PC with a single PSTN modem displaying status information, through to a full client/ server system with a central industry standard data storage system (such as Oracle, Sybase SQL Server) with multiple communication gateway terminals, each equipped with up to 16 modems or suitable communication devices (Kilostream, Trunked Radio, GSM Terminal) and multiple client terminals for displaying information to the user.

The actual status display software is available in a variety of formats for displaying information in a format that most suits a particular customer's needs. Each terminal is highly configurable to tailor the facilities to specific user requirements and, in large systems with multiple client terminals, individual terminals can be configured to monitor and report on specific sections of the monitored system. Most client terminal types have the ability to view an historical archive of reported events and the ability to configure the database information fields stored for each monitored unit to suit the user's requirements.

Additional software packages are available as part of the host terminal system (when operating in a client / server configuration) to provide other facilities such as generation of statistics (e.g. Customer Minutes Lost figure when the system is used to monitor the electricity distribution network) or to interface to other systems that a customer may have in operation.

A mixture of Messenger Units can be monitored from a single system.

To view the following documents in PDF format please click the title you are interested in:

:: Host Scalability and Integration   :: Messenger System Overview (2.3MB)