Case Study
Satellite-based SCADA System
Introduction Solution Provided
Supervisory systems have revolutionized the industrial automation SCADA systems consist of:
scenario all over the world. Almost all critical industrial infrastructure ! A central host computer server or servers (sometimes called a SCADA
and processes are managed remotely from central control rooms, master) located at the control center
using computers and communications networks. One such industrial ! Remote Terminal Units, or RTUs, converting sensor signals to digital
control system is SCADA; an acronym for Supervisory Control and Data data and sending digital data to the supervisory system control center
Acquisition. The flow of gas and oil through pipes, management of a ! A communications system used to transfer data between RTUs and
power grid, processing and distribution of water, operation of chemical the central supervisory system. The system can be radio, telephone,
plants, and the signaling network for railways, all use various forms of cable, satellite, etc., or any combination of these
SCADA technology.
The Customer
This case study highlights Mistral's expertise in designing the
The customer is a provider of satellite-based SCADA systems for power
software for a satellite-based SCADA system used for the control and distribution companies.
monitoring of sub-stations and power-grids.
The Requirement
The customer has developed a next-generation satellite communication
system, using newer and faster components; to monitor and manage
remote units. The main components of the system are the HUB, situated in
the Control Center, and USATs (Ultra Small Aperture Terminals) installed in
remote locations. The earlier generation of USATs used TI's multicore
processor TMS320C82; this was replaced with TMS320C6414 in the new
USATs. The customer's requirement was for Mistral to port the software to
run on the C64xx platform.
Existing Solution
The first and second generation of the SCADA HUBs consisted of a PC which
had a GUI application running on it. The PC interfaced with the Transmitter,
Receiver and Demodulator boards, housed in a VME chassis. The interface
between the embedded PC and the receiver board was SCSI. The SCADA
masters communicate with the HUB over Serial LAN
The first generation SCADA HUB supported only the CDC protocol, and
transmitted data at the rate of 0.6 kbps. The inbound data rates could be
Leveraged Mistral’s expertise in building either 0.6 kbps or 1.2 kbps.
In the second generation HUB, out-bound data rates of 0.6 kbps and 9.6 kbps
hybrid systems to re-engineer a satellite
were supported. The in-bound data rates could be 0.6, 1.2, 2.4, 4.8 or 9.6
based SCADA system kbps. The second generation HUB supported various protocols; viz. 0.6 CDC,
9.6 CDC, FCDC, DNP and OLM.
Satellite based SCADA System
Satellite
Serial USAT
LAN
SCADA
Interface HUB USAT
Computer (SIC)
USAT
RTU
RTU
SCADA
Master RTU
Solution Provided team reverse-engineered the entire system, to understand the existing
system/code, in order to make enhancements or add new features. This was
The third generation of USATs built by the customer have the latest DSP and done in a very short time-frame.
FPGA components. They have different sets of software to work with first and
second generation HUBs, and support all the modes. Key Achievements
Mistral successfully ported the different SCADA protocols to the third ! Successfully re-engineered the existing system, which is based on a multi-
generation USAT; while ensuring compatibility with the earlier generation core processor, to a faster single-core processor.
HUBs. The protocols include CDC, DNP and OLM. The new USATs are capable ! Implementation of various SCADA protocols, for e.g. CDC, DNP, OLM etc.
of receiving data in both 0.6 kbps and 9.6 kbps; and can transmit back at data
rates of 0.6, 1.2, 2.4, 4.8 and 9.6 kbps. Customer Benefits
! Leveraged Mistral's proven expertise in the design and development of
The Challenges
complex hybrid systems; to successfully reverse engineer the existing SCADA
! Since the USAT hardware was designed by a third-party, many of based system and get the software upgraded in a short time-frame
the software modules had to be re-designed keeping the hardware ! Provided customer with documentation for the existing and new system; to
constraints in mind; so that system functionality was not affected assist in future enhancements etc.
www.mistralsolutions.com
! The customer did not have documentation for the existing hardware and ! Successfully deployed next generation USATs at the customer's premises.
software; and even the old base code was not commented. The Mistral
Mistral Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Mistral Solutions Inc., Branch Offices:
No.60, 'Adarsh Regent', 43092 Christy Street INDIA
100 Feet Ring Road, Fremont, CA 94538
! Hyderabad
Domlur Extension, Bangalore - 560 071 USA
! New Delhi
Tel: +91-80-4562-1100 Tel: +1-408-705-2240
Fax: +91-80-2535-6444 E-mail:
[email protected] USA
E-mail:
[email protected] ! Dallas, Texas
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