Products < PRECOP Technology

Mission Critical Solutions manufactures a variety of renewable energy solutions including renewable energy trailers, all terrain electric vehicles and custom designed sensor packages designed to work using renewable energy sources.  Currently, the company is developing a software solution that will automatically configure all PRECOP technology enabled devices in the network to make optimal use of current and projected power availability.

In addition to optimizing power usage based on mission requirements, the application suite also provides a GIS-based Common Operating Picture.  For those customers with existing Common Operating Picture applications, the component nature of PRECOP software and firmware allow for easy low-cost integration of PRECOP enabled devices. 
 
PRECOP is an integrated application suite that combines a variety of Microsoft technologies with our renewable energy powered vehicles, trailers, communication and sensor packages. The centerpiece of the suite is a GIS solution based on Microsoft's Virtual Earth product that provides a common operating picture of all deployed devices and sensors.  Using "business rules" embedded into the devices along with web based server components; the software provides improved situational awareness while making the most effective use of available power. 

PRECOP implementation consists of three types of software nodes; a server node, a device node and a manned node.  All PRECOP installations include at least one of each node.  In some implementations, manned nodes will be combined with unmanned in the same physical device with the device hardware executing the unmanned and manned software components simultaneously.

On “Designed for PRECOP” sensors and power platforms, device node software components executes on a real time operating system (RTOS) that runs on embedded hardware.  In most cases, the processor hardware is a component of an integrated FPGA based board design.  For devices that were not designed for PRECOP, Mission Critical Solutions provides a hardware/software adapter that allows for simple integration between the PRECOP system and the sensor device.

The device node software communicates with the server node and configures the device for optimal power usage and sensor data collection based on the mission criteria data provided by the sever node. Typically, the device nodes will send the following types of information to a PRECOP server node:

1. Power Usage, Generation and Storage information,
2. Device Status,
3. Preconfigured alerts,
4. Positional data; at a very low rate for relatively stationary devices, at a higher rate for mobile devices.
5. Sensor Information; varies depending on sensor including Visual Light Cameras, IR Cameras, Ground Radar, Passive Radar, Weather, Chemical Sensors, etc.)
6. Microsoft Platform

PRECOP server node software runs on the Windows 2008 Server platform using Microsoft’s SQL Server as its principal data storage. The server node software coordinates access to the devices by human operators, collects information from the devices nodes, and provides a centralized location for the collection and distribution of mission criteria to and from the device nodes. Server node software components will make extensive use of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 comprehensive spatial support to extend location-based data received from the device nodes to operators using the manned node software.

Most manned nodes on the network will consist of laptop or desktop computer running Microsoft Vista.   Principally, the manned node provides an operator with a “Common Operating Picture” of the sensor network in a GIS framework.  The manned node software components communicate with device nodes and the server node which provide the operator access to geographic imagery, sensor information, weather forecasts, device configurations and current mission criteria configuration.   Manned node component software also provides a direct interface to a variety of Microsoft Office products.  This interface provides a simplified automated interface for creating log files and provides the operator with an intuitive well understood tool for providing additional data analysis.

By combining data from multiple sources, the application also predicts power generation capability and requirements for all devices in the sensor network.  Initial versions of PRECOP will be focused on maritime port security and maritime domain awareness.  In the future, the application will be expanded to support more general emergency/first responder missions.

Product Benefits:

1. Cost Effective.  Effective use of renewable energy will alleviate the need to station personnel in remote sites and have very low ongoing costs.
2. Anytime, Anywhere. Users will be able to view and control the network from any location at any time. Devices supporting the software include desktop computers, laptop computers, PDA/Smart Phone and the integrated instrument display in our all-electric all terrain vehicles.
3. Effective.  By allowing the operator to customize system parameters, organization will be able to deploy limited resources effectively and predictably.
4. “Set it and Forget It.”  PRECOP technology combined with our reliable rugged hardware provides customers with a 24/7 monitoring capability. The network requires only a minimum of maintenance with no dependence on local infrastructure or fuel.  
5. Extensible.  PRECOP interfaces are based on Microsoft Component software development methodology allowing customer's to independently develop mission rule sets.  Device interfaces are standard and open so that new devices can be added to the system for minimal cost.
6. Efficient.  The PECOP software and firmware components work in harmony to make the most effective use of available renewable power energy generate and energy storage.  Based on user provided mission criteria, weather forecasts, and power availability, the software will autonomously and automatically configure the sensor hardware, power generation and storage equipment and communications hardware to most effectively meet mission objectives.
7. Microsoft Platform. PRECOP software is being developed in concert with the latest Microsoft Technology.  The software components are designed to run on the latest version of Microsoft's Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. The application database make use of Microft SQL Server organic ability to support spatial (geograhpic data and all the user interface components work seamlessly with Microsoft Visual Earth and Microsoft Office. The strength of the Microsoft platform helps ensure that PRECOP deployments are secure, stable and innovative.  By standing on the shoulders of Microsoft Technology, Mission Critical Solutions provides a core environment in which your operators are already familiar and productive.

Back to Products