On-Ramp Wireless System Releases Smart Grid Solution Ultra-Link Processing System 1.2
On-Ramp Wireless today announced the availability of its Ultra-Link ProcessingTM (ULP) System Release 1.2, the first global device monitoring system uniquely developed for Smart Grid, and other low power, critical infrastructure monitoring applications. A significant development of On-Ramp’s award-winning wireless system, the ULP System Release 1.2 delivers expanded features. The upgrades enable secure, wide-area, low cost and industry leading coverage and capacity, even for hard-to-reach powered or battery-operated meters and sensors connecting to utility and other industrial applications.
Currently deployed in the U.S. and in large International field trials in Smart Grid and industrial automation applications, the ULP 1.2 system introduces a fully featured network back-end. The system provides industry standard interfaces for back-office integration and network management. It includes an advanced infrastructure head-end application and element management system enabling data visualization, reporting and analytics, while providing flexible and seamless data integration into the utilities or enterprise core operation systems.
The system upgrade is “utility-grade” – meeting or exceeding all critical infrastructure communication requirements, including those recommended by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). These requirements include specific security features and guarantees, reliable data delivery, redundancy and availability, remote upgradeability, logging and event alarms, a greater-than 20 year battery life for certain applications, and complete network management capabilities.
Utilities and enterprises benefit from the system’s ability to securely and reliably communicate with and deliver sensor data from any field area network device (urban, rural, basement, below ground, etc.) to their core operational systems. On-Ramp’s expanding partner ecosystem can easily incorporate ULP wireless technology via standard sensor interfaces. With the ability for each ULP Access Point to support up to 64,000 devices over an area of up to 5,000 sq. miles, the system provides a true low-cost, multi-application network for the hard-to-reach environments typical of utility and critical infrastructure monitoring.
“Utilizing our bi-directional, star topology, the ULP 1.2 System Release can be deployed to provide coverage in previously impossible to reach locations,” said Joaquin Silva, president and CEO of On-Ramp. “The system now features a comprehensive application suite for network and security management, and for extremely flexible system integration. We are very excited about the system’s possibilities in Smart Grid, water, gas and other condition and device monitoring solutions.”