Interactive Highway Network

Presentation:

The educational system Interactive Highway Network is based on a real-world system for monitoring and managing highways.

The real Agora system is used to manage and organize road traffic safety. It informs and guides motorists by broadcasting information and traffic conditions.

The teaching system uses the architecture of the 3-layer hierarchical network, field bus (Modbus) and computer bus (Ethernet, Internet). It integrates the "business" server (Modbus master) communicating with two virtual operating parts (weather station and display panel) and the "TCP/IP" server connected to the client workstations (TCP/IP).

Technical solutions addressed:

RS232 / RS485 field bus with converters

Ethernet / Internet computer bus

Master / Slave communication

Client/server communication

Virtual operating parts: weather station and display panel

Educational activities for the 2021 Bac S SI:

The educational sequences provided implement the following skills: Analyze, Model and Solve, Experiment and Simulate, Innovate

Sequence 1:

• Skills developed: Analyzing the need, material and functional organization of a product through a systems engineering approach
  
• Related knowledge: SysML language with functional diagrams, definition of requirements and associated criteria, use cases, structural analysis

Sequences 2 and 3:

• Skills developed: Analyzing the main protocols for a communication network and hardware media
• Related knowledge: Modbus and client/server protocols, frames, encapsulation, wired media (RS 485 multipoint field network and Ethernet)

Sequence 4:

• Skills developed: Characterize information exchanges & Identify the characteristic parameters of a communication protocol
• Related knowledge: Types and characteristics of signals, data, communication media, protocol, frame, effective data rate(ASCII serial transmission simulation, information encoding, transmission time calculations) & Characteristics of signals, protocol, frame Maximum data rate, useful data rate (record with an oscilloscope, analyze and interpret RS232 communication bus signals and data)

Sequence 5:

• Skills developed: Analyze and characterize a system's information exchanges with a communication network
• Related knowledge: Client/server architecture, communication network architecture, transmission speed/rate (reading electrical signals from RS485 Modbus protocol frames. Information flow: amount of data and transmission speed during client/server/master/slave cycles)

Sequences 6 and 7:

• Skills developed: Implementing communication between so-called smart objects
• Related knowledge: Network configuration parameters (Master/Slave architecture, Modbus protocol, Client/Server architecture, TCPIP protocol, Process supervision)

Projects:

• Innovate by creating a solution for the weather station and/or display panel.

Strengths:

Fits perfectly into the theme of "smart territories and products, mobility of people and goods" of the future SSI Baccalaureate

Interactive teaching system and communication for the acquisition of skills related to network architecture and communication between computers and peripherals.

Software structured in two learning levels: Acquisition and Consolidation

Physical measurement points allowing RS232 and RS485 signals to be viewed with an oscilloscope.

Can be used as a project support with the integration and/or creation of a weather station and/or a real display panel.

Technical file (real system and educational system), as well as all the resources needed for implementation with practical work

Educational file with practical work sheets, practical work instructions, answer keys, and formalization sheets

References:

S2I/300: Interactive Highway Network

Composition:

• A set of software modules in the institutional version
• Two virtual operating parts: Weather Station and Display Panel
• Two USB/RS232 converters
• Three USB/RS485 converters
• Connection accessories
• Complete accompanying documentation.
• Computers can be supplied as an option.

S2I/310: Project Supplement - Display Panel (variable message panel) - File and equipment