Remote system

Remote video monitoring system for utilities

WIPAT increases security and provides a virtual patrol for remote facilities

Satel-West has announced its WIPAT Remote Patrol and Monitoring System for utilities such as electric power companies, oil and natural gas pipelines, and water & wastewater treatment plants. The system provides constant monitoring of remote utilities and public infrastructure without land-based vulnerabilities or reliance on telecommunications carriers.

WIPAT is a long-range, drop-in-place, wireless video monitoring system that provides video clips, still images, event logging, access control, multiple digital sensor inputs, output contacts for control of devices, and a suite of event logging tools. Advanced configuration allows for large networks, integration with common industrial control hardware and software, integration with common security hardware and software, satellite connection and redundancy.

Operating on wireless public safety channels with options for satellite connection and solar power, WIPAT allows industry and public services to monitor critical areas without relying on vulnerable ground connections, such as phone lines, fiber optic cable or hardwired networks. WIPAT delivers a unique combination of Satel wireless and satellite technology integrated with Longwatch remote video hardware and software to deliver cost effective security and surveillance systems for remote locations and assets.

Longwatch components include a Video Engine at each remote site to acquire and archive live video from multiple cameras, and interface to Satel wireless components. The Satel system transmits video via wireless to a utility’s control room, where a Longwatch Video Control Center takes incoming video data from the remote sites, stores it on a local disk, and presents it on the utility’s HMI/SCADA system. The Satel/Longwatch system can interface with all leading SCADA and distributed control systems (DCSes), making it a drop-in-place monitoring system for all existing utility control systems.

This system not only provides live and archived video for security purposes, the video can also be used by operators to monitor and diagnose control or operational problems at remote sites. An operator at an HMI can select a live feed from any camera at any remote site to investigate problems at remote pumping stations, compressor stations, switching systems, substations or power generating plants. The operator can also “go back in time” to see archived video from 10 seconds to 10 days before an event occurred.

“Longwatch provides a robust and flexible complement to our long range products and we are very excited about our technologies and resources coming together to enhance public security,” said Sergio Tacci, President of Satel-West. “The ability to see, document, record, and respond to events anywhere was not enough. We wanted to have a product completely removed from land-based service providers, yet simple and affordable enough for small as well as large utilities.”

“Longwatch is pleased to provide the Longwatch Video Surveillance software and appliances for the new WIPAT system. When combined with SATEL-West radios, Longwatch surveillance systems provide utilities unique capabilities to view live video or video clips related to events and alarms. Delivering video to the central control center enables operators to make better and more timely decisions when responding to remote events,” stated Steve Rubin, President & CEO of Longwatch, Inc. “In addition, the distributed architecture of the Longwatch Video System provides operators with secure storage of high resolution video for use in investigations or prosecution.”

See also 25 Years of PC-Based Control for the inside story of Longwatch!