FAQ

What is OPC?

What is DDE?

What is SMS?

What is GSM?


	*What is OPC?* OPC (Object Linking and Embedding for Process Control) is a open standard that has been developed to simplify data communication between field devices, such as PLC’s, SCADA systems, and other field devices, with PC-based HMI software packages, custom developed applications, or specialty software applications, such as U.C.ME. Prior to the OPC standard, If U.C.ME wanted to communicate with “Brand X” PLC, a specific software driver would have to be developed to permit communication between U.C.ME and “Brand X” PLC. In turn, as U.C.ME needed to communicate with other brand devices, additional “unique “ drivers would have to be developed. It is obvious that as software applications grew in number, as well as primary devices increased, the number of unique drivers grew enormous. OPC created a standard whereby “Brand X” PLC would make available a software application, known as an OPC Server. Software applications, such as U.C.ME, would build into its application code, software that would establish it is as an OPC Compliant Client application. In very simple terms, the OPC Server/Client relationship acts as a sort of “universal” communications translator, which permits any OPC Server to seamlessly communicate with any OPC Client application, without the use of proprietary communication drivers. For more detailed information on OPC visit: www.opcfoundation.com.

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	*What is DDE?* DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) is a communication system built into the Windows Operating system that allows multiple applications to share the same data. Although DDE is gradually being replaced by OPC in newer industrial applications, it is still a viable alternative where OPC capability is not available. An example is where U.C.ME is used as a client to an HMI application used as the DDE server. Once the relationship has been configured, the HMI server application will continuously update data within U.C.ME. Typically the data would consist of Tag Values representing the condition of Alarm Tags. If an Alarm Tag in the HMI goes from zero to one, (indicating an alarm condition), the corresponding Tag in U.C.ME will update, and the corresponding response within U.C.ME will be initiated.

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What is SMS?

Short Message Service (SMS) is a service available on most digital mobile phones (and other mobile devices, e.g. a Pocket PC, or occasionally even desktop computers) that permits the sending of short messages (also known as text messages, or more colloquially SMSes, texts or even txts) between mobile phones, other handheld devices and even landline telephones.

The term text messaging and its variants are more commonly used in North America, the UK, and the Philippines, while most other countries prefer the term SMS. Text messages are often used to interact with automated systems, such as ordering products and services for mobile phones, or participating in contests. There are also many services available on the Internet that allow users to send text messages free of charge.




		Sample U.C.ME Text Message


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*What is GSM?* The Global System for Mobile Communications, GSM (original acronym: Groupe Spécial Mobile) is the most popular standard for mobile phones in the world. GSM service is used by over 2 billion people across more than 212 countries and territories [1] [2]. The ubiquity of the GSM standard makes international roaming very common between mobile phone operators, enabling subscribers to use their phones in many parts of the world. GSM differs significantly from its predecessors in that both signaling and speech channels are Digital call quality, which means that it is considered a second generation (2G) mobile phone system. This fact has also meant that data communication was built into the system from the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). The GSM logo is used to identify compatible handsets and equipment. From the point of view of the consumers, the key advantage of GSM systems has been higher digital voice quality and low cost alternatives to making calls such as text messaging. The advantage for network operators has been the ability to deploy equipment from different vendors because the open standard allows easy inter-operability. Like other cellular standards GSM allows network operators to offer roaming services which mean subscribers can use their phones all over the world..

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