Embedded System Based Industrial Process Automation and
Remote Data Logging Using GSM with Web Technology
1
S.V. Tresa Sangeetha, 2Dr. S. Ravi and 3Dr. S. Radha Rammohan
1 Lecturer- Department of Electrical Power, Al Musanna College of Technology, Ministry of Manpower, Sultanate of Oman
2.HOD- Department of ECE, Dr.MGR University, Chennai, India.
3. Assistant Professor - IT Department, Ministry of Higher Education, Sultanate of
Oman.
level of success in terms of implementation, cost effectiveness
and reliability.
The aim of this paper is to propose a simple and cost effective
Abstract
Embedded
ARM system implementation of Remote Industrial
This paper proposes a wireless Automation system for
Process
Monitoring,
Controlling and Logging system using
minimum human intervention industrial critical process, in
GSM
and
Web
Technology.
Using this concept, the analog
which automation of process control need to be remotely
monitored and reconfigured by the plant operator using GSM/ parameters can be efficiently logged in the local memory and
SMS communication. The system proposed here makes the file uploaded at regular intervals to a common server
Automation process more flexible by having an option for the through GPRS commands. The data uploaded can be accesses
at anytime and from anywhere through internet. To deliver
operator to take runtime decision to override the set values in
Automation. The system uses GSM/SMS between the data direct from field sites to a web server, the GSM
Automation Process and the Operator thereby extending the technology utilizes the GSM cell phone network. The
mobility of the operator. This system utilizes the Analog technology may prove very cost effective and practical in areas
sensors, STM32V ARM development board with SD Card and served by cell phone data services. To eliminate the need for
GSM900 A Modem with GPRS activated. An SD card linked complex radio based telemetry networks and in-field data
with the STM32V enables logging and uploading of plant recorders, here we have used the GPRS technology. PC is
parameters in a server for later reference and study. Thus a turned into a 'virtual' data recorder whenever data is sent direct
ubiquitous system using GSM and GPRS based Web from field sites to the internet.
Technology is suggested for continuous monitoring and
control of Industrial process.
2. Literature Review
Keywords: ARM processor, GSM Modem, GPRS, Remote The system proposed in [1]monitors and controls the humidity
from the remote location and whenever it crosses the set limit
Monitoring and Control, SD Card File system.
the LPC2148 ARM processor used for implementation will
send an SMS to a concerned plant authority(s) mobile phone
1. Introduction
With the growth and widespread reach of cellular network and via GSM network. The concerned authority can control the
Web Technology, its application has extended to process plant system through his mobile phone by sending AT Commands to
control. Industrial Automation is an ideal solution for cost GSM MODEM and in turn to processor. Also the system
effective Process Parameter monitoring and control since it provides password security against operator misuse/abuse. The
requires minimum human presence in the vicinity of the system uses GSM technology for informing critical condition.
process set up. But there are instances where critical human he system in [4] proposes a light controller and remote
decision is required to control the process and also logging of monitoring system is based on GSM-Bluetooth. This system
data required for later reference. This paper suggests a control has simple features designed with the objective of minimum
system that addresses these requirements in which GSM/SMS power consumption using infrared sensor for controlling lights,
is used for data reading and control and GPRS is used for fans and other appliances which are controlled using a GSM
remote data logging, thus giving the flexibility for the operator module via SMS. The main microcontroller chip interfaced
to be available anywhere away from the vicinity of the process. with a Bluetooth module. If the application is in a limited
This system suggested in this paper which can be a supplement range (some meters) then this Bluetooth module removes the
or even alternative to SCADA is tested for reading usage charges by communicating with the appliances by means
Temperature and Pressure which are common analog of Bluetooth. The system will inform to the user about any
abnormal conditions like intrusion detection by means of SMS
parameters in process Industry.
Mobile phone usage has grown exponentially over the last from the GSM module or by Bluetooth module to the user’s
2 decades. To support the increasing demands of the users, the mobile and actions are taken accordingly by the user. The
infrastructure is set up to reach remote rural areas.GSM is the project in [3] develops network utilities which are required to
dominant global mobile phone network which allows exchange effectively monitor a LAN network by developing an
integrated software solution that allows a network
of short text messages economically.
administrator to remotely monitor a LAN by his cell. In a
In Remote Monitoring and Control application, various
concern, the computers which are grouped together to form a
methods have been employed and each method has its own
network are easy to manage and control while the
administrator is in office. This paper[3] proposes a system to
monitor and control a network using a cell away from office.
one can always have our cell phone Instead of depending on
third party information . This project[3] provides maximum
details about the network to the administrator on their mobile
phone, when administrator is away from office/goes out
station.
The system proposed in [2] designs a home automation
and security system using Android ADK. The implementation
is based on a standalone embedded system board Android
ADK (Accessory Development Kit) at home. Home appliances
are connected to the ADK and communication is established
between the ADK and Android mobile device or tablet. The
home appliances are connected to the input/output ports of the
embedded system board and their status is passed to the ADK.
An authentication system is also developed for authorized
person to access home appliances. The device with low cost
and scalable to less modification to the core is much important.
This paper[2] presents the design and implementation of
automation system that can monitor and control home
appliances via android phone or tablet.
The Entire system Block Diagram is shown in fig. 1. The
Block diagram consists of Temperature Sensor, STM32V
ARM Processor (shown in Fig. 2), GSM/GPRS MODEM
SIM900A (shown in Fig. 3), Plant Control circuit, SD card and
Mobile phone. The system proposed in this paper ensures that
the Industrial Plant Parameters are within the safe operating
limits by sending SMS text message by the plant operator and
also the read plant parameters are stored in the SD card
interfaced with the ARM board.
Fig. 2: HY-Mini STM32V development board and
SIM900-TTL MODEM.
3. Proposed System
The system proposed in this paper uses the GSM technology 4.
Hardware Implementation and Description The
for remote monitoring as in [1],[4] and uses GPRS based web Interface Diagram of Temperature and Pressure sensors with
technology for logging the monitored data.
STM32 core is shown in Fig. 3.
The features of the proposed system are:
 No need of human operator in the vicinity of process
plant.
 System can be made scalable and reconfigurable
using ARM modules.
 Data communication done by low cost SMS.
 Usage of existing GSM network reduces initial set up
cost.
 Mobility of the operator is not restricted as the GSM
technology works for mobile handsets.
 No need for a dedicated PC in the vicinity of the plant
as the data is logged in remote server through GPRS.
Fig. 3: Interface between HY-Mini STM and peripherals.
5.
Software Implementation and Description The
software is developed in Embedded C for the system using
Keil and the program is cross compiled and embedded in the
STM32V ARM processor board. The flowchart depicting
Monitoring, Control and Logging of Plant Parameters are
shown with subroutine description in Fig. 5 and the Block
diagram for GPRS based web access by field sensor is shown
in Fig. 4.
Fig. 1: Block Diagram of STM32V based Remote
Monitoring system.
Algorithm
1. Read the Analog value from sensor.
2. Convert Analog to Digital value.
3. If the value is more than the Threshold
Send signal to Actuator control Send SMS to the operator
mobile.
Save values in SD card. Go to step 1.
4.
If the value is less than Threshold, Check if any
SMS received from operator.
If SMS not received go to step1.
If SMS received,
Read AT Commands from GSM Modem
Decode the AT Commands
Send Control action to Actuator, Go to step1.
Start
Initialise STM32V
processor, Flush I/O ports
Call LCD_Initializtion
Subroutines to configure the
ports connected to LCD Display
Call USART1_Configuration
Subroutines to set Ports (PA3, PA4),
Baudrate (11500), and Parity
information for serial data transfer
between processor and GSM Modem.
Steps to Set up TCP Connection using GPRS Network
Call ADC_Configuration
and ActuatorConfig Subroutines
to configure PC1 to read Analog
Parameter data and PC2 to
control Actuator
Call ADC_ Software
StartConvCmd to start Reading
the Analog input voltage from
PC1
Call
ADC_GetConversionValue () to
convert the read analog voltage
into digital value.
Fig. 4: Establishing TCP Connection using GPRS.
Step 1.Query GPRS network by sending AT Commands
AT+CREG AT+CGATT to GSM/ GPRS
Network.
Step 2.Acknowledgement received if modem is attached
to GPRS Service.
Step 3.Send AT Command (AT+CIPSTART,”TCP”, IP
Address of Server”, Port Address).
Step 4.TCP Connection is established between the SIM
900 Module and server. Step 5.Open file from SD card
Step 6 Read a string of data.
Step 7 Send AT Command to GSM Modem to send the
packets to Server.
Call GUIText() to
Display value read. Call
GUI_ADCColor(Val,red) to
display value as bar graph.
Y
ES
Is Value>
Theshold
N0
Call datalog() subroutine
that appends value to the
file in SD Card with
Control Action Taken
Call sendSMS subroutine
that sends ATCommands
(for sending SMS) to GSM
Modem in the USART1
PA3(TXD)
Fig. 5: Flowchart depicting sending and receiving SMS
YES
Is there any
SMSInterrupt from
GSM Modem
NO
Call ReadSMS() Subroutine to
read and deccode ATCommands
received as ASCII from
PA4(RXD) from GSM Modem.
Call ActuatorControl()
Subroutine to send control signal
to the actuator according to the
command
6. Results and Discussion
In this section, the proposed system results have been
discussed. Fig. 6 shows the measurement and display of Plant
Parameters’ Instantaneous values in the bar diagram.
Call ActuatorControl()
subroutine to reduce
control signal to PC4
connected to actuator
Fig. 8: SMS received from GSM Modem to operator mobile.
Fig. 6: STM32V with GUI Display of Analog input.
The system is designed to send control signals to the actuator
when process value reaches a set threshold using SMS. The
system is designed to inform the operator the Plant Parameter
status when it crosses the threshold value by sending SMS and
execute appropriate command sent by operator through SMS.
Message sent and received from GSM Modem is
simulated in HyperTerminal of a computer in the plant
premises and shown in Fig. 8 and 9 and the SMS sent and
received in the operator Mobile phone is shown in Fig. 7 and
10.
Fig. 7: Message sent from Computer to operator
Mobile Phone through Hyperterminal.
Fig. 9: SMS sent from operator to take necessary
control action.
Fig. 10: Message Received from operator mobile to
computer in plant through HyperTerminal.
The Process value is also logged in the SD Card available
in the STM32V development board and can be uploaded at
regular interval in the common server Which are shown in Fig.
11, Figure12, and Fig. 13.
of the cellular network that reduces the initial set up time and
cost (iii)Extending the mobility of the operator as the GSM
Network is accessible even to remote locations.(iv)SMS cost
has reduced drastically and thus system can be operated with
less communication cost. The concern in this system is the
unpredictable delay in message transfer between the operator
and the control unit. Voice call can be used in such conditions
and thus this becomes a more feasible, simple, flexible solution
for Industrial Process automation with remote human
intervention.
Fig. 11: Starting of Server.
Fig. 12: Pinging the server.
Fig. 13: Server webpage showing analog Parameters.
7. Conclusion
The proposed system is tested as a standalone embedded
system using STM32V ARM Processor board, GSM module,
Sensors and actuators for Industrial process control. This is a
low cost, wireless control system which can be customized and
extended for different Analog sensors and actuators. The
advantages of this system is (i) Enabling run time change of
control commands for critical situations by an operator in an
automation process(ii)Establishing wireless link between the
control unit and the operator using the existing infrastructure
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