iMCA: intelligent Monitoring Control and Automation.
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iMCA Application Modules: iMCA Software Modules offered commercially.
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iMCA Software: A specialized computer application that enables you to monitor, control and automate virtually anything from anywhere, seamlessly integrating with different automation technologies, switching, remote terminal, power/energy metering and sensing units and devices as well as Distributed Control Systems (DCS) and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC). In more elaborate language, it can be described as a universal, rapidly deployable, scalable, service oriented, cross platform middleware framework with a powerful Graphic User Interface for enabling IP-based monitoring, control and automation of all types of environments - residential, commercial, industrial and scientific.
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iMCA System™: iMCA Controller plus all switching/sensing/remote terminal units and sensor devices integrated with the iMCA controller. iMCA System always includes an iMCA Controller.
iMCA Controller™: iMCA Server running on physical, Intel based hardware - standard, server or embedded class computer.
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iMCA Server: Consists of Windows or Unix/Linux operating system, iMCA Application Modules and all necessary, properly configured services of the operating system required for the iMCA Software.
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iMCA PRODUCT: iMCA Software in commercially available packages which includes but is not limited to:
1) TURNKEY BOX: "ready to go, plug and play" iMCA Controller. In this case the iMCA Server is installed on an embedded computer in a very small footprint mini enclosure.
2) VMWARE IMAGE: software implementation of an iMCA Server for VMware Player. When this VMware Image is run on a computer configured with VMware Player, the computer become an iMCA Controller.
3) COMPACT FLASH: iMCA Server on a bootable flash card. When this is run on a customer's own PC, the computer becomes an iMCA Controller.
4) DOWNLOADABLE SOFTWARE: iMCA Application Modules. Only sufficiently skilled personnel will be able to create an iMCA controller with just the iMCA application modules. Usually offered to established system integrators with proper IT skills. Switching/Sensing Units (or controllers) typically come in three "flavours":
1) Sensing only with one or more sensor ports
2) Switching only with one or more switching ports
3) Combined switching/sensing with at least one sensor port and one switching port
Sensing means that via its sensor port(s) the unit can (depending on the unit), read analog data (numeric or textual information) from attached sensor(s) or digital state (on/off) of attached sensor(s), or both.
Switching means that the unit has one or more relays built in, which can (depending on the unit), switch low voltage or high voltage, with the relay contacts being either 'normally open' or 'normally closed'. Also relays themselves can either by electromechanical or SSR (solid state relay, with no moving parts).iMCA DGUI: Default graphic user interface of the iMCA System. Based on the license chosen, the look and feel of the iMCA DGUI can be customized to your requirements.
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iMCA User: The iMCA System considers a "User" to be not only a person who can physically login to the system from a variety of access devices, but also a single access device (such as a permanently connected touch screen terminal).
iMCA Site: A logical grouping of assets you wish to monitor, control or automate, together with the users allowed to access them. This could comprise equipment in multiple physical premises or locations (for example your apartment in the city and holiday house) or even a group of functions within a physical premise (for example management of power, temperature, humidity and lighting of 'computer/LAN room')
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iMCA IP Device - an entity:
a) which provides data input to iMCA Server. This could be a physical IP sensor, a switch (which transmits open or closed state of doors, windows etc) or public information portal (which for example transmits environmental information such as a temperature, humidity etc).
b) whose ports or channels are used to actuate the equipment you wish to control or automate. iMCA IP Device element/port - the communication point of the IP Device, which could either be a port or a channel used to connect end point devices - technology adapters, motor controllers, remote controls, lighting switches, etc...
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iMCA IP Sensor - stand alone IP device, IP Device Element within the IP Device, public information portal containing numeric, textual or state information which can be used independently or logically connected to an IP Switch to actuate peripheral equipment.
A sensor may be a physical device on premises, installed remotely and accessed via computer network, or a piece of information from a public portal (temperature, humidity, precipitation etc.) iMCA IP Switch - stand alone IP device or IP Device Element/Port containing relay based functionality capable of generating persistent state of ON or OFF and controllable via IP network.
A switch is always a physical device on premises, accessible by iMCA on premises, or remotely via computer network.iMCA Automation Scenario - a complete user-defined procedure consisting of instructions specifying what should happen when certain events occur. iMCA does not impose any limit on the number of instructions in an Automation Scenario
iMCA Automation Trigger - an event which causes and iMCA Automation Scenario to be executed.
Sensor Automation Trigger - a type of iMCA Automation Trigger where information from a sensor executes the iMCA Automation Scenario.
Time Automation Trigger - a type of iMCA Automation Trigger where user-defined time thresholds execute the iMCA Automation Scenario