What is Realsens?

RealSens is an automated remote meter reading (AMR) system, or more precisely, because of it’s fully two-way, remote meter reading capability, an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system.

There are many different technologies for AMR/AMI system, to name a few:

1.    Fixed Radio         Frequency (RF)     Mesh Network

2.    High Power Licensed     Radio Frequency     (RF) Tower System     (similar to telemetry)

3.    Power Line Carrier     (PLC)

4.    GSM / GPRS

5.    Proximity         Transponder Devices     (Walk-by or drive-by     systems) RealSens is     a fixed radio         frequency (RF) mesh     network system.     There are two

main sub-categories     of technology for     fixed RF networks,     namely:

1.    Fully two-way         communication or     one-way         communication

2.    High-powered licensed bandwidth transmissions or ultra low-powered License-free (ISM) bandwidth transmission

RealSens is an ultra low-powered system that transmits in the license-free industrial/scientific/medical (ISM) bandwidths. These bandwidths are agreed by

worldwide protocols as 433 MHz, 868 MHz and 915 MHz. Because of the ultra

low-powered transmission requirement, RealSens is battery-driven by long-life

lithium-ion-chloride batteries with a lifespan upwards of 10 years and in South Africa, it is set to operate in the 868 MHz bandwidth.

The RealSens system consists of 3 hardware components that make up the RF

mesh network, data probes and data cables that connect to the utility gauging device and firmware plus server software, that configure and operate the system.

The three hardware components are:

1.    The meter interface unit (MIU)connects to the utility gauging device (meter) with a data cable and data probe. The function of the MIU is to “read” data from the utility gauging

device and to store the data until it is ready for transmission to a central server and database. Transmission of data takes place via a small antenna that is fixed to the printed-circuit board in the MIU.

2.    The Repeater (or range extender) passes the data signals from the MIU’s to other repeaters (up to 5 deep) and after that to the Gateway device. The sole purpose of the Repeaters is to extend the fixed RF mesh network in a cost-effective manner. Repeaters are also battery driven, have longer antennas and are typically mounted on high places for line-of-sight transmission.

3.    The Gateway device receives (or transmits) in the ISM bandwidth to connect to the RF mesh network on one side, and connects to GSM or other third-party communication providers on the other side. In other words, the Gateway device acts just like a router, that is, it links one type of communication system with another. The Gateway device is powered by mains power or solar panels (in remote locations) and has a standby on-board battery to cater for power outages. The Gateway device has to be installed indoors or inside a protective housing, such as mini-subs. The system software (RSBase)operates on a proprietary data and communications protocol, GUMP (Global Utility Metering Protocol). The software has four main functions, i.e.:

(i)    to centrally and automatically configure and synchronise the installed system after field installations have been completed by low-skilled labour;

(ii)     to operate the system, i.e. to collect the stored data at regular intervals and to populate the open source MySQL database;

(iii)     to monitor the system for outages and other anomalies and to “restore” or “reset” the system so that it is continuously in operation; and

(iv)    to remotely communicate with endpoints in order to request data on demand, or to reset endpoints to collect data at shorter or longer intervals or to signal switching or control devices in the field. This last function is especially important to ensure that the Gateway

device is “reset” when the GSM networks go down. In SA, this happens up to 100 times per day!

What can Realsens

Do for you?

To understand how RealSens can help you, it is best to refer to our RealSens brochure for different client categories, namely:

(i)    utility providers; (ii)    sub-metering for residential consumers;

(iii)    commercial users such as shopping malls and office buildings; and

(iv)    industry and mining.

What makes realsens your system of choice?

1. RealSens is the lowest-costAMI system on the market that has been field-proven

for more than 4 years in many different environments.

2. RealSens, unlike all other technologies, does not require an electrical power source to drive the MIU’s and the RF mesh network. Only the Gateway device (router) requires an electrical power source.

3.    RealSens can communicate with any AMR-compliant utility device across all utilities i.e. water, electricity and gas. It can receive data from electronic pulse outputs, ASCII data strings from “smart meters” and analogue 4-20 mAmp output from level, pressure and temperature gauges.

4.    RealSens is completely manufacturer agnostic, i.e. you will never be locked into one particular meter / device supplier or have to install multiple communication and data storage systems to communicate with all of your utility gauging devices.

5.    Unlike PLC and licensed bandwidth high-powered communications systems, RealSens is easy to scale at very low cost. In other words, to extend the fixed RF mesh network, does not require major additions of infrastructure. It is simply a matter of hooking up the MIU’s to the gauging devices and installing some more Repeaters to extend the network and maybe another Gateway for every 500 to 1,000 additional MIU’s. (There is no theoretical limit as to how many MIU’s can connect to a Repeater or to a Gateway device).

6.    RealSens is the lowest-cost system to operate and maintain. This was

achieved through rigorous field-testing and by incorporating every conceivable “field challenge” into the product R&D and field installation program. We have done this because we are users of our own system!

7. RealSens comes with a comprehensive back-up and value-add service developed by utility specialists who can also add value in the form of various service offerings. In other words, when you buy RealSens, you buy much more value than just an AMI system. You also buy the expertise that will help you to extract maximum value for your utility business out of the RealSens AMI system.

This includes, but is not limited to:

(i) developing customised automated reporting;

(ii) providing a web interface with secure access.