Technology > Connectivity

Six Ways to Connect Your Device

Tibbo hardware and software products make it cheap and easy to network-enable your smart device and connect it to AggreGate. There are six ways to make an existing or new device work with AggreGate.

The first five ways below describe how to connect devices in so-called "Intelligent Mode". In this mode, AggreGate is used to store and process data collected from the devices, and control and monitor them. AggreGate "understands" device settings, operations and events and therefore provides comprehensive control, configuration, monitoring and management capabilities.

(1) Connecting Device Using Standard Protocol

If your device supports one of the standard communication protocols (e.g. SNMP, Modbus, BACnet, or OPC), it may be directly connected to AggreGate since the system is bundled with many device drivers. Just set up all necessary physical connections and your device is ready to communicate with AggreGate Server.

Check list of standard device drivers and supported protocols here.

(2) Connecting An Existing Device With AggreGate Agent

Using this method, you embed a Tibbo module, such as the EM1206, into your device. This module runs a special application called AggreGate Agent. You modify the source for the Agent application so that it interfaces with your device ("understands" its communication protocol). It is then used as a transparent interface between AggreGate and your device, allowing you to access all device settings, operations and events from within AggreGate.

Note that if for some reason you are unable to embed a device into your existing circuit, you can always use an external programmable controller (such as the DS1206) running the Agent application.

(3) Creating A Software Device Driver

You could also tackle the problem from a strictly software angle. A device driver is a software component allowing AggreGate to "understand" the protocol for an existing device. By coding a driver for your device, you could then just connect it to AggreGate without making any modifications to the device itself. Tibbo provides a driver development service for customers who do not wish to develop their own drivers in-house.

(4) Designing A New Device Based On Programmable Module

Tibbo module, such as the EM1000, is powerful enough to serve as the central processor for your application. You can connect it directly to the various sensors and circuits of your device, and use it as the main CPU, locally controlling your device's operation. In effect, you will be connecting the Agent as a library to your main application. You would be saving the cost of a CPU for your device, and still be able to connect to AggreGate and enjoy all of its benefits.

(5) Designing A New Device Using The AggreGate Communication Protocol

AggreGate's communication protocol is open and well-documented. For some large-volume applications, it may sometimes be economical to write a complete implementation of this protocol for the microcontroller you are already using. The microcontroller would then connect to AggreGate just like a device running Agent does. From the system's point of view, there would be no difference, and the device would work smoothly as a part of the system.

(6) Using AggreGate To Transfer Raw Data (Without Processing It)

You might want to use AggreGate to just route data between your devices and/or computers running some device-specific client software. In this case, AggreGate doesn't have to "understand" the data that being transferred, and does not store or process it. The Device Servers are used to convert data from the format supported by the device (RS232, USB etc.) into IP network traffic and route it to and from the AggreGate Server.

This mode doesn't use the full power of AggreGate's data processing functions, but can be useful in several situations:

• When devices are located in different LANs protected by firewalls and thus cannot connect to each other. In this case AggreGate Server acts as a middle-man and routes data between these devices.
• When devices don't have static IP addresses. In this case they can be registered in DNS by the AggreGate Server and can be accessed by their host names instead of IP addresses.
• Sometimes devices located in protected networks have embedded web-servers. These web-servers cannot be accessed directly, but AggreGate Server provides an HTTP proxy service that allows to establish a secure HTTP connection with the server instead of connecting to the device directly. AggreGate Server forwards this connection to the device.

See Device Server Management for more information.

Summary

The system shines in its ability to provide complete control over a wide range of devices in any environment. It can be quickly adapted to work with a huge range of devices, thus making them "smart".