Intercomaction is a platform that allows supported equipment to be managed and communicate with other supported equipment or a user. The software facilitates the communication, interaction, scheduling, analysis, management, and operation of numerous hardware and service components. Intercomaction is able to fulfill the role of numerous past and present technologies such as Machine to Machine (M2M) communication, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), Edge Computing, and Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT). Intercomaction typically acts as an Edge Computing device.
For example, if a factory has one piece of equipment that handles a particular task that needs to provide information to or control another piece of equipment elsewhere in the factory, Intercomaction will handle the job nicely. It is possible for the Intercomaction platform to handle anywhere from one piece of equipment to hundreds. Intercomaction runs on its own hardware which may range from a single board computer to a cluster of servers, depending upon the work load. Multiple equipment may be controlled by a single Intercomaction controller or each piece of equipment controlled by its own Intercomaction controller.
Often, Intercomaction does not interfere with the tools provided by the equipment’s manufacturer, so that may continued to be used if required. The Intercomaction platform is extensible, so if it currently does not support a piece of equipment, a component may be coded either by Computer Innovations or in-house to communicate with it.
Intercomaction supports quite a number of connection types and protocols with additional ones being added all the time. Numerous data exchange formats are also supported with additional ones also being added all the time. All communications and data remains strictly on the Intercomaction platform unless it is set up to be sent to another computer to be further processed. There is no external server or cloud the platform must communicate with.
Configuration and monitoring of the platform is typically done with a modern web browser via the Intercomaction dashboard though it may also be done via the command line. Currently, over 150 components are available in a number of categories including Administrative, Appliances, Audio/Visual, Common Alerting Protocol equipment, Computer Peripherals, Industrial equipment, Medical equipment, agricultural equipment, Location, Internet Services, Sensors, Telephony, Transportation, Utility, and Weather.
Each customer will have a customized installation with a support contract. If support is no longer required, it may be dropped and the platform maintained by the customer or retired from service.
Security
All data processed by the platform remains on the platform unless specifically directed elsewhere such as a customer managed cloud for handling data off line. Connection to equipment outside the customer site is not required. Unless unsupported, all data transferred or stored is encrypted and communication is authenticated.
Scheduling & Task Management
Intercomaction provides advanced abilities to schedule tasks to control connected equipment.
Triggers & Reactions
When one piece of equipment provides a notification that some state has changed, another piece of equipment is able to react to whatever the state changed to.
Alerts & Logging
Every communication with a piece of equipment is logged and if necessary, an alert may be broadcasted to via numerous ways to other equipment or users.