Once upon a time (Wavetronix engineer Peter Taylor loves stories that begin that way), there was a traffic cabinet stuffed to the DIN rails with equipment: controllers, rack cards, processors, communicators, and more cabling than anyone could imagine. It wasn’t a particularly large cabinet, but it was an important cabinet, and the engineers and technicians tasked with operating it were at their wits’ end. How were they supposed to maintain such chaos? And more importantly, how could they take advantage of new innovations when there was no more room in the cabinet?
In a world that grows increasingly dependent upon shared data, the plight of the traffic engineer is far too real, especially at intersections, where packed-to-the-rails cabinets are responsible for maintaining both safety and efficiency. The amount of data that passes through these cabinets in any given day is mind-boggling, and it increases exponentially as intersection applications grow more complex.
The Click 650 from Wavetronix is designed specifically to address these problems. Since its release in 2014, the 650 has managed an enormous amount of data from Wavetronix SmartSensors at installations throughout the US, but takes up very little room in the cabinet. Now, a new release of the 650 firmware offers a variety of new features and usability improvements, all designed to give traffic engineers the data they need to significantly change the way they manage their intersections.
The Click 650 is a cabinet interface device that bridges the gap between SmartSensor Advance or SmartSensor Matrix and the controllers that manage operations at most modern intersections. This connection allows the controllers to base critical intersection functions on accurate, real-time data.
Typically, Advance and Matrix connect to a cabinet’s controller through a series of intermediary devices, from power sources and surge protectors to communication devices such as Ethernet ports. Sensor data is sent to a cabinet rack containing anywhere from two to 10 rack cards, depending on the application; these rack cards then pass the data on to the controller as contact closures.
It can be a complicated setup, and the more advanced the applications, the more crowded and confusing the cabinet becomes.
“Traffic engineers often complain that their cabinets are already crowded,” says Peter Taylor, one of the Wavetronix engineers responsible for the development of the Click 650. “They keep trying to add new devices, and it’s often impossible for them to take advantage of new technologies because there is literally no more room in the cabinet.”
The Click 650 solves this problem by offering all the intermediary technologies needed to connect SmartSensors with the controller in a slim, all-in-one package. Measuring just 30.4 square inches (77.2 square cm), the device includes power supply and surge protection; it allows up to 64 channels of data output, effectively replacing up to 32 rack cards; and it includes a variety of communication options: USB, serial and T-bus, in addition to an SDLC port that allows the 650 to communicate directly with the controller. Communication ports are easily accessible on the front of the device, and an OLED panel allows for many common communication and configuration functions to be performed without the need for a laptop.
“With the Click 650, the connections to the sensors and to the controller are simpler to make, and it takes less hardware to make those connections,” Taylor says. “And you can access all your sensors through a single port, either on-site or from a remote location.”
Remote access is one of the key benefits of the 650. “One of the things I like most about this device is that it gives you remote access to your intersections,” Taylor says. “You can sit in the warmth of your office and check on your sensors, see the volumes of vehicles going through that intersection, and get an idea of how that intersection is performing.”
“With the Click 650, the connections to the sensors and to the controller are simpler to make, and it takes less hardware to make those connections.”–PETER TAYLOR, WAVETRONIX ENGINEER
This has been particularly beneficial for Oregon Department of Transportation’s Region Two, according to Tim Janes, a representative of Advanced Traffic Products (Everett, WA). ATP is an authorized Wavetronix channel partner. Janes says the ODOT Region Two office has a distant intersection it regularly monitors remotely. “They are much happier that they don’t have to drive a long way to monitor any issues at that intersection,” Janes says.
Wavetronix has released a new version of the Click 650 firmware that adds even more functionality to this clever device. Version 1.1 features the ability to download performance metrics in one of three graph formats, as well as increased storage capabilities and the ability to create, save and import backup configuration files.
“Performance metrics are becoming more and more critical to our customers,” says Ryan Lindsey, director of the product office at Wavetronix. “We wanted to provide customers with some general metrics, which would allow them to get more out of their system, and make it as easy for them to access as possible.”
The three available graphs take advantage of SmartSensor data to provide vital information about intersection performance — everything from event counts and arrival trends to troubleshooting and maintenance.
“By accessing this data remotely, traffic engineers can know an intersection’s performance status before they ever arrive in the field,” Lindsey says. “But if the devices are not networked, the 650 stores sensor data for up to one full week, and it can be accessed onsite from the device’s local storage.”
Additionally, the 650 can save configuration files as a backup, which can be restored if necessary or used as a template for other devices. “Users can even copy one BIU configuration over to another BIU on the same device,” Peter Taylor says. “This makes configuring 650s in the field very easy for the customer.”
Taylor calls the Click 650 “a natural evolution” of Wavetronix’ SmartSensor support products. “The 650 firmware version 1.1 demonstrates Wavetronix’ desire to consistently offer unique solutions to our customers in the traffic industry,” he says.
Wavetronix continues to research and develop new ways to solve difficult problems, and Taylor believes the 650 will continue to evolve in response to changing industry needs. For example, another version of this device, the Click 656, offers the same functionality but can collect data from up to six SmartSensors, compared to the 650’s four-sensor data. The 656 is currently in beta testing.
Ryan Lindsey agrees, and adds that customer feedback helps push products like the Click 650 to market. “The 650 exists because of customer requests and our own desire to continually update and improve our products,” Lindsey says. “Wavetronix is committed to investigating what its customers need and delivering something even better than they imagined. The 650 is evidence of our dedication to our customers and our commitment to providing them the tools they need to solve their problems a little more easily than they could before.”
