Smart City: Energy Infrastructures Metering with MTX Modems

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One of the basic pillars of Smart Cities is sustainability and using resources in a smart way to improve the citizens quality of life, to save resources and have less negative impact in the environment. The new technologies of communication allow a new level of real-time reception of information and its storage, for a greater eficiency and precision in the decision making process.

In this context, the control and detailed study of the consumption of energy and resources like water or electricity, has an increased importace. Having access to real-time information regarding electric or gas expenses without the need to send technicians to each physical location, decreases expenses that are by-product of facilities maintenance. This also allows to make decisions based on detailed information, which improves energy and environmental sustainability. It is a model of the city of the future.

To face these needs, MTX modems offer many metering solutions. These devices have a great ability to gather and send big data in real time, which allows access to lots of information about consumer trends, innappropriate use of resources, device malfunction and leak alerts, and anticipation of future bills. All this allows an improvement of the decision making process. We would use an MTX-65i with 2G connectivity and RS485 port because of its features (reduced size, long autonomy, ultra low power, RS485 port, reduced data flow). Although we could also use the MTX-3G-Java-IoT, with bigger capacity, which would allow us to also meet all the needs described before, as well as more programming, coverage and transmission speed options. Thanks to the MTX-Tunnel-Software, all data gathered via RS485 por would be transmitted transparently to the management applications in the central offices or energy supplier offices, and the Cervello Device Manager would manage and monitor the meter boxes from the cloud.

Those functionalities will allow to meet objectives like improving the energy management contributing to the environment, responding immediately to possible malfunctions or leaks, and reducing costs. All of these will contribute to a general improvement of the services thanks to:

  • Real-time consumer metering via RS232/RS485 ports, and transmission via 2G/3G or GSM connectivity.
  • Creation of consumer patterns and guidelines to understand better the use of resources of the city.
  • Immediate detection of possible malfunctions or leaks.
  • Remote control of devices allowing to turn devices on or off and control consumption.

Contact us for more information about products and possible IoT and Smart City applications.

Products: MTX-3G-Java-IoT | MTX-65i-485

Firmware: MTX-Tunnel-Software | Cervello Device Manager

Remote Management of Vending Machines with MTX Modems

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In a world that is becoming more competitive every day, reducing cost, real-time information, and responding immediately and efficiently in the business world is essential for the growing strategy of any company. In this context of quick changes, the vending sector faces a new challenge since it is no longer enough to get the best locations and products, but there is a new necessity of greater efficiency in the management of the devices used, both from the central offices as well as in the field by the technicians.

Thanks to technological advances in IoT communications and modems with 2G/3G connectivity, the main needs of the vending sector can be easily solved by immediately knowing all the information related to each vending spot, interacting remotely with the devices, receiving mulfunctioning alerts to be able to respond efficiently and even offer a solution so the field technician can see all the information of a vending machine on a tablet via Bluetooth, without WiFi or the need of physically connecting to the machine. This way, the company management has access to all the pertinent information and the response capacity needed to plan the supplies, to act remotely, and to save aditional maintenance costs.

To cover this need, MTX modems can help when it comes to offering a solution to connect different vending machines with the central offices via 2G/3G, and with the field technician in charge of the maintenance via Bluetooth. The connectivity between the vending machine and the modem can be done via RS232 or RS485 port.

For a project of this magnitude we can use a MTX-3G-Java-IoT modem with RS485 or RS232 port and a Bluetooth module, even though we could also use other MTX modem versions like the MTX-3G-Java. Due to its small size, this product is ideal for solutions requiring the equipment to fit into a confined space. Thanks to the MTX-Tunnel-Software, all the data gathered via serial ports would be transparently sent to the management applications located in the cental offices (via 2G or 3G) or to the mobile devices (via Bluetooth). In order to control if there is available stock, Matrix has a complete set of pressure sensors, and the Cervello Device Manager provides the best IoT solution in the cloud to manage and monitor them.

The objectives achieved through this solution are:

  • Real-time data reception from vending machines: transmission of data related to the available stock, sales and prices of every product. It allows greater accuracy in sales strategies and more information of sales trends.
  • Alert reception: alert creation based on criteria like temperature, stock shortage, or electronic/mechanic malfunction, sending them automatically via SMS or directly to the company’s management platform. It allows quick and efficient problem-solving.
  • Remote manipulation of vending machines through orders sent from the management platform: it allows price updates, turning off machines preventively in case of malfunction, among many other possibilities.
  • Interaction between mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) and vending machines, on the field without the need of WiFi or physically connecting to the machine. It allows the field technicians to connect to the machine to make status diagnosis and maintenance without the need of cables.

For more information about our products and suggested IoT applications, contact us.

Producto: MTX-3G-Java-IoT | MTX-4G-Java-IoT | MTX-3G-Java-485 | Pressure sensors

Firmware: MTX-Tunnel-Software | Cervello Device Manager