WEBDirect Provides Redundant Communications to NTCIP Sign Controllers…
Intelligent Devices is pleased to announce a significant deployment of the IDI WEBDirect technology in the Intelligent Transportation System being deployed around Johannesburg in South Africa.
The ITS system includes approximately 60 signs, traffic sensors, ramp meters and cameras, over 100 miles of freeway based on a dedicated fiber backbone . During the initial pilot deployments, it became apparent that some unique challenges faced the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL), who is the client for this ITS system. The challenges include:
- Power outages: South Africa is being plagued with widespread frequent power outages. These outages can cause the fiber network to go down, or the Network Management Center to go dark. While battery back up and uninterruptible power supplies provide some reprieve, the experience has been that the duration of these power outages often outlast the battery capacity. This can leave the Dynamic Message Signs with power (as the power to the signs may come from an unaffected area)
- Cable theft: The theft of power and data cable out of the conduit in the ground has proved to be a big problem. The effect of this is to also leave the signs without a method of control.
he answer has been to fit the DMS signs with the WEBDirect technology from IDI. In addition to providing a normal NTCIP interface through the fiber network, the WEBDirect controllers also serve WEB pages over a GSM wireless network connection. This enables the signs to be monitored and controlled via a completely redundant communications network, which provides communications even when the fiber network and the control center are down.
SANRAL DMS with redundant communications using WEBDirect from IDI
Even more information about WebDirect can be found below:
Web Direct Technology (PDF) |
