User-definable software applied to a real-time ambient air quality monitoring system

摘要

Real-time sensor-based applications require the monitoring or regulating of a network of distributed sensor points.T he software for such an application must be capable of carrying out various functions throughout the network of points. However, these functions are dependent on the sensor or control point and use variables whose range of values are determined by the hardware located at the distributed points. The distributed hardware provides the analog and/or digital interface between the computer and the sensor. A characteristic of sensor-based applications is the need for a unique user interfacet o the computer system. One can think of the application program as having two basic parts: a configuration program and a monitoring program. The configuration program allows user selectiono f the desired functions, which are part of the monitoring program. It also permits the user to easily chain functions, thereby tailoring the monitoring program to the sensor hardware specifications. A typical configuration program supplies the following types of information: • Scanning frequency • Maximum and minimum scale readings • Monitoring units • Standards for alarm settings and printing summaries • Hardware addresses • Prioritizing of functions