The ByteSnap project is related to the previously released Plogg Blu, designed by the firm for U.K.-based Energy Optimizers Ltd. The Plogg Blu (right) -- further details of which appear later in this story -- is a box designed to be placed between a wall outlet and the appliance that's being monitored. It is touted as combining "highly accurate kilowatt-hour (kWh) measurement with a powerful data logging capability."
The Plogg Blu can operate autonomously, logging power consumption data at preselected intervals of between one minute and one month, according to Energy Optimizers. It can also be connected via Bluetooth to a Windows Mobile device, as pictured below, or a Windows-based personal computer.
Plogg Mobile Manager monitors instantaneous power consumption (left), can control multiple devices (middle), and permits selecting data to be logged (right)
(Click any to enlarge)According to ByteSnap, its newly designed Plogg Network Controller, which will also be marketed by Energy Optimizers, can:
- monitor more than 1,000 Plogg Blu devices in real time
- monitor consumption over an extended period
- and even control consumption remotely from anywhere in a building or via the Internet
ByteSnap says the Plogg Network Controller is based on a DirectInsight
SwiftModule (below). The module runs
Windows CE 6.0 R2 on an 800MHz Marvell
PXA320 processor. The open-source
SQLite database is used to storage logs from multiple Plogg devices to either internal or external flash storage, while an integral web server provides remote access to the data, according to the company.
DirectInsight's SwiftModuleAccording to ByteSnap, the open-source
SQLite database is used to store logs from multiple Plogg devices to either internal or external flash storage, while an integral web server provides remote access to the data. Thanks to custom ASP pages, Java, and Visual Basic scripting, the Plogg Network Controller's user interface may be redesigned for different customers, without any changes to the controller firmware or supporting software, the company adds.
Background
Energy Optimizers says that once its Plogg Blu meters have been linked to external devices, they can transmit logged data in .CSV (comma separated values) format for analysis. Power consumption can also be monitored in realtime by Plogg Mobile Manager software, available in editions for Windows Mobile, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
Plogg Mobile Manager, shown earlier in this story in its Windows Mobile version, can monitor multiple Plogg Blu units simultaneously, as long as they are within typical Bluetooth range, according to Energy Optimizers. The software provides features such as:
- Measuring electrical parameters including Volts, Amps, Watts, kWh,
kVARh, and phase angle
- Downloading logged data in .CSV format
- Entering the price of energy, then monitoring an appliance's cost in realtime
- Turning off power on any Plogg Blu-controlled outlet instantaneously
- Setting timed power-on or power-off of any Plogg Blu device
Unfortunately for would-be U.S. purchasers, current versions of the Plogg Blu support only monitoring and control of Euro-style power, with a nominal voltage of 230VAC. The device is available with U.K., Schuko, French, Swiss, and Australian plugs.
Additional hardware specifications cited by Energy Optimizers Ltd. include the following:
- Teridian meter system chip, with accuracy better than 0.5 percent
- Cambridge Silicon Research BlueCore BC4 Bluetooth chip
- 64KB of RAM
- Four-quadrant metering
- Accepts 40-70Hz line input frequencies
- Acceptable input voltage fluctuation -- +/- 10 percent
- 22-bit delta-sigma ADC
- Temperature sensor
- Rechargeable battery backup for RTC and data
- Maximum current through device -- 13 Amps
- Operating temperature -- 5 to 40 deg. C
Intrinsyc works on a user interface ...
In a related development, Intrinsyc Software announced today that it is working on a user interface (UI) system for a "leading producer of DC power systems." The UI system will be an adjunct to "advanced digital controllers for DC power system monitoring and control," allowing users to access a management website from a broad range of web browsers and screen types, the company says.
According to Intrinsyc, its customer currently offers a web server that supports only Internet Explorer 7 and a single monitor resolution. The digital controllers, meanwhile, have only two-inch monochrome screens with a resolution of 160 x 160 pixels, the company adds.
Upgrading to the Windows CE-based user interface will permit the customer's devices to have 3.5-inch color touchscreen displays and remotely-manageable software, according to Intrinsyc. It's said end users will benefit from having a wide choice of web browser and screen display options.
Intrinsyc's announcement represents a welcome return to the fold by the Vancouver, Canada-based provider of software solutions for mobile and embedded devices. The company has long been associated with Windows CE, most notably via its Soleus software stack, but has recently placed more emphasis on Google's Linux based Android operating system.
Further information
More information on Plogg products can be found on the Energy Optimizers website, here. Some details of the Plogg Network Controller may be found on the ByteSnap website, here.
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