Rabus Call Button System Software
Rabus Call Button Server is the central instance for administering the Call Buttons (monitoring, configuration and firmware updates). It monitors the functioning of the Call Buttons and is able to raise an alarm, when a Call Button is malfunctioning.
Additionally, Rabus Server contains a communication server component for proprietary applications. Rabus buffers the communication between application and Call Button units and distributes the information. Alternatively, the Call Buttons can communicate directly to a standard webserver over the HTTP protocol.
Two case studies show the communication alternatives of the application with the Call Buttons.
2) Communication with a standard webserver via HTTP
further topics:
Case 1: Communication via Rabus
Rabus Server for Windows operates as communication and administration server for the Call Buttons. Any transaction of the Call Buttons directs Rabus Server. The events are buffered and forwarded to the connected application. The application communicates with Rabus Server over a proprietary protocol (Rabus protocol via TCP/IP). The Call Buttons are anytime accessible for the application - state changes are buffered in Rabus and forwarded to the Call Buttons during the frequent wakeup events.
Rabus Server is the interface between the Call Buttons (hardware) and the application. It carries out the direct communication with the Call Buttons and performs following tasks:
- - safe handling of the communication
- - centrale interface for the application
- - monitoring of the Call Button functioning
- - administration of the Call Buttons:
- o central configuration
- o automatic firmware update
- o warning when battery low, communication breakdown, etc.
- o monitoring / logging of the Call Buttons and the transactions
- - minimizing the power-on time of the Call Buttons in order to achieve a maximum operation life time
- - minimizing the network load
Case 2: Communication with webserver over HTTP protocol
A Call Button event (e.g. push-button pressed) establishes a direct HTTP connection to a webserver and requests a page through a configurable URL, which in turn is displayed. Subsequently, the connection is released.
In frequent intervals the Call Buttons connect to Rabus Administrationsserver for monitoring purposes. Rabus then checks the current configuration and firmware version and is able to perform configuration modifications and firmware updates. Rabus can raise an alarm for the administrator when the system is not working properly (battery low, Call Button does not communicate anymore, ).
Version 1.5 of Rabus is released. The new version 2 will be available in spring 2005 and supports the new small part replenishment CallButtons.
The server components (Rabus CallButton Server) require the following operating systems:
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003 (empfohlen)
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Workstation
The administration console programs (Rabus Admin and Rabus Monitor) runs also under:
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6
- Microsoft Windows ME
- Microsoft Windows 98 SE
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