OTIS Control

Telemetry Equipment Control Software

OTIS-Control is a Windows-based application to setup, monitor, and control various telemetry equipment remotely using IEEE-488 interfaces. OTIS-Control supports a variety of equipment currently on the market. New devices not currently supported can be added based upon customer demand.

The OTIS-Control software currently supports a variety of devices, including:

• Box - and Board-Level Telemetry Receivers
• Box - and Board-Level Telemetry Combiners
• Data Recording Devices
• Antenna Controllers
• Bit Synchronizers
• Miscellaneous Test Equipment

OTIS-Control Features

The OTIS-Control software system is unique in its ability to support a wide variety of hardware devices in both an off-line and a Real-Time mode of operation. Some of the unique features of OTIS-Control are presented below:

• As a member of OTIS family of products, OTIS-Control is tightly coupled to the Telemetry Attributes Transfer Standard (TMATS) defined in the IRIG 106 Telemetry Standard.
• OTIS-Control provides an interactive mechanism for the operator to define and maintain his hardware system configuration.
• OTIS-Control provides for the definition of Mission Configuration Files which define the initial setup of configured devices from files stored on disk. These files are created in an off-line mode of operation which can occur long before the Real-Time mission.
• OTIS-Control allows the operator to define a Real-Time display (Operate Screen) of selected mission information.
• OTIS-Control requires the operator to identify critical mission information before beginning Real-Time mission activities, thereby minimizing the probability of false starts and untraceable mission data.
• OTIS-Control maintains a log of important mission events and provides a printed output of all critical mission information upon request.
• OTIS-Control provides for the generation and protection of important Real-Time mission files to prevent the inadvertent overwriting or deletion of such files as the Mission and AGC logs. This file naming convention provides for built in configuration management to support automated tracking of mission activities.
• OTIS-Control supports devices interfaced with IEEE-488, and IEEE-488 to RS-232 converters.
• OTIS-Control provides, in Real-Time Mode, complete control of configured hardware interactively.
• OTIS-Control antenna positioning capabilities include initial target acquisition, antenna adjustment for pre-defined Target coordinates, and maintenance of antenna position locations for boresight calibration points, flight-line, and runway start points.
• OTIS-Control provides a Mission Log capability which includes date and time tagged events including:
  • General Mission Information
  • Device Configuration
  • Device setup information
  • Mission start and stop times
  • Acquisition and Loss of Signal events
  • Alteration of mission-critical parameters
• OTIS-Control provides an Automatic Gain Control (AGC) log for each mission containing time tagged azimuth, elevation, and AGC level readings at a user-specified sampling rate. This file is created as a delimeted ASCII file, which can be imported into many popular applications for further processing.
• OTIS-Control provides a variety of report generation capabilities including Mission Log and AGC Log (text and graphics) along with Mission Configuration.

The OTIS-Control software, coupled with the OTIS TMATS support products, provides a complete setup and control environment for the telemetry data acquisition, processing, and display system.

The OTIS-Control software consists of two (2) primary components:

1. The OTIS-Control Setup and Configuration Manager which provides file management of the setup information for all configured devices, device configuration control, on-line and off-line setup, and a variety of report generation features, and;
2. Device windows which provide the direct interface to the device which is under control.

Due to this design structure, OTIS-Control can be offered in either a "Stand Alone" or "Integrated" format. The differences between these offerings is described below.

Stand Alone The stand alone device window provides the user with a convenient "Window" containing a graphical representation of the setup information required for the individual hardware component. Through this graphical interface, the user may control the device interactively using the mouse and keyboard and be presented with the current status of the device. These stand alone interfaces do not maintain historical setup information, however they provide the user with control over all devices individually from a common PC interface.

Integrated Each OTIS-Control stand alone window is also offered as an integrated module with the OTIS-Control System Software. This provides the user with a fully integrated and configurable software system to maintain setup for multiple devices. In addition, an OTIS-Control file system maintains the individual module's setup information. This information can then be retrieved and used for similar missions. In the integrated form, each device module still provides a fully interactive setup of its associated device.

OTIS-Control Supported Devices The following devices which are currently supported by the OTIS-Control software system:

Antenna Controllers:

• EMP ACU-6
• EMP ACU-21
• TCS ACU-M
• Datron
• Microdyne ACU-2000

Bit Synchronizers:

• Acroamatics 2430V
• Aydin A3335
• Aydin AVME335 (VME)
• Lockheed-Martin MBS-720

Combiners:

• Microdyne 1620
• Microdyne 1670
• Microdyne 3200
• Microdyne 3220
• Microdyne VMC-2000

Decommutators:

• General Data Products (GDP) FSD001 (VME)

Demultiplexers:

• Metraplex DFD

GPS Receivers:

• Datum TFP001 (VME)

Receivers:

• Microdyne 700-MR
• Microdyne 700-WB (Wide Band)
• Microdyne 1200-MR
• Microdyne 1200-MRCA
• Microdyne 1400-MRA
• Microdyne 1400-WB (Wide Band)
• Microdyne 2800
• Microdyne VMR-2000

Signal Generators:

• Microdyne TSS-2000

Strip Chart Recorders:

• Gould TA5000

Switches:

• Universal Switching Corp (USC) Model 11276 32x32 Switching Array
• Universal Switching Corp (USC) Model S2560 256x256 Switching Array

Tape Recorders:

• Datatape 3700J
• Honeywell 101

This list of supported modules continues to grow as demands from customers require new devices. Current pricing can be viewed from our price list.