A Systems Integration Tool for Oil Companies and Retail Automation Vendors

Overview

The Enabler provides open interfaces that allow control of forecourt devices such as pumps (dispensers) and tank gauges. These interfaces provide application developers with an API that can be used with a range of different equipment and protocols, and are designed for easy integration into new or existing site systems.

A single Enabler card supports multiple Point of Sale (POS) terminals or other applications on a site.

It is built upon industry standard PC format hardware and Windows 2000/XP/Vista based software, and integrates into a Host system through an ActiveX/COM API, which can be used from most Windows software development tools, including .NET tools using standard .NET wrappers, and Java using third-party ActiveX bridges.

The Enabler provides simple, high level integration for system vendors, and removes much of the need for specialist knowledge of the forecourt environment.

Key features include:

• PCI format card
• Windows 2000/XP/Vista drivers
• ActiveX controls
• Comprehensive developer's documentation set
• IFSF support built in
• Supports wide range of international forecourt protocols
• Cost effective for small and large systems
• ODBC support for database set-ups
• OEM specified
• Fully isolated circuitry
• High reliability SMT manufacture
• One card per SITE, NOT per POS terminal

Forecourt Control

For those unfamiliar with the retail oil industry, the term Forecourt Control can be confusing (and is used to refer to many things). In it's most basic form Forecourt Control refers to controlling pumps (dispensers) on the forecourt:

• Communication with pumps to provide live indication of the activity at each fuelling position
• Remote authorisation to begin delivering fuel
• Stopping one (or all) delivering pumps
• Retrieval of the details of each fuel delivery
• Retrieval of electronic hose totalisers (where supported by the pump)
• Sending price changes to each pump
• Setting limits and product restrictions for individual deliveries

Experience

The Enabler is built using the substantial, practical industry experience of the people from Integration Technologies Limited (ITL). This experience has been built up over many years in Australasia, South America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. All of this is built into the hardware and software of The Enabler.

Hardware Design

The hardware provides five individual channels for the forecourt. One is dedicated to IFSF LON. The other channels support various different pumps and other devices using a variety of Forecourt Distribution Modules (FDMs). Each of these channels can use a different protocol, thus supporting up to 5 different protocols from a single PC/Enabler Card.

SMT (Surface Mount Technology) construction has been used extensively to ensure that the comprehensive functionality of the card can be supported in a single PCB.

PCI Specification

The Enabler PCI card is a 32 bit, 33MHz, 5v only PCI card, designed for PCI v2.2 and earlier. This includes the majority of PCI slots in desktop computers. It is not compatible with 64 bit PCI, PCI-X or PCI-Express, or with motherboards that enforce PCI v2.3 or 3.0, which do not support cards keyed for 5V as the Enabler is. In future we will be developing a PCI-Express version.

Dimensions

The Enabler PCI card is a full-height, half-length card. The current (version 3) PCB measures 158mm L x 95mm H (6.2" x 3.75"). It will not fit in low-profile or "half-height" PCI slots.

EMC standards

Complies with the following International EMC standards:

• EN55022 class A
• EN55024 class A
• CISPR 22 class A
• AS/NZS 3548 class A
• Complies with CE Mark and FCC requirements

Environmental

The Enabler is designed to operate in a normal PC environment. Thus, the PC must be cooled to normal operational temperatures; in high temperature or humidity climates this may involve active cooling and/or air conditioning. The Enabler card itself generates little heat and does not require any active cooling.

Enabler PCI is ROHS compliant (lead free for European markets).

Power

The Enabler uses approximately 1 amp maximum (500ma typical) from the standard PCI 5V supply pins. No extra power is required.

IFSF Support

The design of The Enabler provides a dedicated channel supporting the International Forecourt Standards Forum specifications. Using this channel, IFSF dispensers, tank gauges and price signs can be connected.

The IFSF channel is built using the special microprocessor and Echelon LONWorks software necessary to communicate with IFSF LON based devices. For more discussion, see Why Use Enabler for IFSF?

Software Integration

The Enabler comes with Windows 2000/XP/Vista (32 bit) software that includes a driver, Windows service, and ActiveX controls that simplify the integration into a host system. See our Operating Systems FAQ for more information.

The software provides vendor applications with complete state information in real time on all forecourt activity and supported errors that may occur in forecourt equipment.

The applications provided as part of The Enabler provide real-time configuration of the forecourt and reports on past activity.

International Protocol Support

The Enabler provides hardware and software support for a number of international forecourt interfaces. The list of pump brands currently supported includes:

We continue to develop support for new protocols and devices. Please contact sales if you are interested in protocols or devices not listed above.

We provide more details about connecting devices to registered customers.

Software Design

The software is designed for the Microsoft Windows 2000/XP/Vista series of operating systems and provides SQL Database and ActiveX level integration for system developers. MSDE (Microsoft Database Engine) is included as standard.

The software on The Enabler PCI card takes care of the routing of messages to different physical channels and also acts as the "postmaster" for messaging back to the Windows subsystem of The Enabler.

The MSDE database can be expanded and used for other purposes, so long as the Enabler database structure is preserved. Our Database Dictionary contains more information on using the database.

Software Developers Kit

System developers purchase a comprehensive Software Developers Kit on CD-ROM from Integration Technologies.

The Software Development Kit CD includes all documentation, development software including demonstration POS source code (in Visual Basic, Visual Fox Pro, Delphi and C++ versions) and a software-based pump simulator for integration testing.

The kit also includes a standard Enabler PCI card and a pre-wired test cable for using the software pump simulator.