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CommTech Systems Inc. |
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Systems Engineering and Traffic Services |
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System Engineering Services |
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We provide these services to a number of customers such as: US Navy Space and Warfare Command (SPAWAR) Pacific, the California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS), to Science Applications International (SAIC), and to BAE Systems. |
Systems Engineering Overview: |
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Systems Engineering is a process, it determines how elements work together as part of a greater whole. It is a way of looking at a problem and then developing the requirements, or what you need to do, to solve a problem. It is also the process where by resources: material, technology, tools, and labor are brought to together to solve the problem.
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Systems Engineering Example: CALTRANS (California Department of Transportation) Traffic Data Collection |
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CommTech Systems provides the California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS) Systems Engineer services. This diagram shows the System Engineering process in terms of collecting traffic data. The System Engineering process can be used to break complex operations into steps, or segments, in order to organize the elements that make up the system. It is a way to study the flow of data as it is collected, and then processed, and then displayed as information for the traveler. How this process is broken-down depends on the goal or the objective of the study. The same process can be viewed in many different ways, there is no one best way to view any system.
Segment I, not show, is the actual sensor that collects traffic data: count, the number of vehicles by time frame; occupancy, or length of time in milliseconds a vehicle is “on a sensor”; speed of a vehicle; and length (In dual loop sensor system the “Vehicle length is computed by dividing the total time a vehicle is over the loop by the speed of that vehicle. Vehicle speed is determined by the difference in time taken for the vehicle to be detected by the first loop and the second loop”. US DOT-FHWA Traffic Monitoring Guide - May 1, 2001)
Segment II, the Sensor Data Collection, the capture of data from the sensor devices: loops, cameras, radar. The data is collected from these sensors, the raw data is processed. The time and counts of vehicles is converted to a total count or number of vehicles with in a time frame, with each vehicle assigned a time stamped ID associated with the computed vehicle: occupancy, speed, and length.
Segment III, the Data Transport, once collect the data needs to go to the Traffic Management Center (TMC), to the traffic census center, or to some other system; such as a traffic warning system. The data transportation is accomplished through a wireless or wired network; or through a telephone modem, and in some cases an individual will physically drive to the site and manually download the data. Based on the means of data transport this can be the most expensive, and unreliable element of the system.
Segment IV, the Applications, data is sent to the TMC, the traffic flow is monitored, if traffic beings to slow down in unexpectedly, the TMC will evaluate the situation and try to mitigate the effect of the traffic slow down. They may send the Police to investigate, a tow truck to remove a stalled car, run a traffic break to remove an obstruction. In addition traffic data is collected by all States in order to qualify for Federal Highway Funds, as paid for by the Federal fuel tax. In some case when the data is networked it is transported to traffic changeable message signs. The signs will then automatically update and are used to alert travelers.
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Systems Engineering Example: DHS (Department of Homeland Security) ACSD (Advance Conveyance Security Device) |
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CommTech Systems provides the US Navy Space and Warfare Command (SPAWAR) Pacific, Systems Engineering services. SPAWAR is developing the requirements for DHS container and cargo security, the ACSD (Advanced Conveyance Security Device). The system is built on commercial open standards (802.15.4). It will set the DHS standard for: identifying, tracking, monitoring, and for providing alerts for shipping containers and air cargo. The systems is built around the commercial 802.15.4 wireless network protocol. This is an architecture that has been used for SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) applications in the Utilities and in process control for some time. It is a bi-directional RF network, that is low powered, and is long range capable in RF impaired environments (a container shipping yard) The ACSD will provide Rich Data fields of time stamped data for: door opening/closing, inventory control, violations to security, location of container and cargo, environmental monitoring (heat, humidity, shock, vibration), and will have Secure and Non-Secure data sets for DHS and Commercial Applications.
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For shippers to ship their cargo directly through US Ports of entry, they will need to have an ACSD Device. The ACSD will help ensure the integrity of the conveyance, it will provide DHS an indication of the risk for a conveyance. The DHS ACSD is designed to address the requirements and the realities of commercial shipping:
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● Low Cost, rugged, low powered device, open interface for commercial add-on applications. ● Retrofit for existing conveyances, low maintenance - operations costs ● Common bi-directional wireless network standard, suitable for international commerce |
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The Wikipedia Definition:
Systems engineering is an interdisciplinary field of engineering that focuses on how complex engineering projects should be designed and managed. Issues such as logistics, the coordination of different teams, and automatic control of machinery become more difficult when dealing with large, complex projects. Systems engineering deals with work-processes and tools to handle such projects, and it overlaps with both technical and human-centered disciplines such as control engineering and project management. |
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Systems Engineering Example: DHS (Department of Homeland Security) ACSD (Advance Conveyance Security Device) |
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CommTech Systems is providing SPAWAR-Pacific, Systems Engineering services for the installation of an autonomous monitoring system. In addition to Identification, Tracking, and Monitoring shipping conveyances. The ACSD is being used to monitor fixed sites. The ACSD’s open sensor interface allows the use any standard sensor. The sensor then, depending on the business rules, transmit alerts when a threshold has been reached, or it can store and record the data for transmission. In this installation the goal is to replace physical inspections by installing a sensor suite with the ACSD acting as the monitoring device, and as the transport interface. |
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The ACSD with the 802.15.4 wireless network is able to provide continuous monitoring without the cost of a hardwired system. The sensors are set to thresholds and an alert is sent to the Command Center; once the thresholds are reached. In addition, the sensor can record data sets on a 24 hour basis. |
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Containers are tracked via satellite, the data is shipped to the traffic management control center. |
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By using wireless the containers can be moved, without a loss of coverage. The mesh network architecture allows for containers, or any entity, to be added or deleted from the network. This allows devices to come and go as needed, with disrupting the network. It allows for tracking of containers as they are moved from one location to another. |
