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Portable Data Collection System (PDCS)

CEOS WGISS MeetingChiang Mai, September 15-19, 2003

R. Suresh suresh@mayurtech.com

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Background Information

• US National Weather Service CSSA Project has 15,000 Weather Data Collection sites• Volunteers collect weather data such as temperature, relative humidity, rain, snow….• This data is aggregated through local and regional offices and distributed through National Climate Data Center• Data Collection by Observers is a manual process• Geo-location and digital image data are two important elements of this system• Portable Data Collection System is an effort to improve the quality and process of field data collection by using new technology

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Portable Data Collection System

(Patent pending)

• Portable device such as Palm, Pocket PC, or equivalent system

• Integrated with GPS device which automatically gives the geo-location (latitude and longitude) of the data collection point

• Integrated with digital camera

• Provides “Weather Buddie ™” software utilities

• PDCS will help in Data Collection, Verification, Validation and Seamless data integration

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PDCS Features

• Ability to enter, edit, and update data

• Automatic registration of Location, Time, Date, and Lat/Long

• Provides Map interface that shows location information

• Users can find addresses, points of interest and other features on the map • Provides navigation capability

• Provides database connectivity

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PDCS Features

• Ability to capture digital image data in multiple resolutions; Provides features such as zoom, adding annotation, and slide show

• Ability to record low resolution video with audio for several minutes

• Ability to work with external devices (e.g., Bar code scanner)

•Re-configurable user interface

• Software interface works with Pocket PC 2003

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Sample Observation Data

RWIS data is available 24/7 and includes all of the major parameters of an ASOS surface observation including visibility.

There are equivalent systems in over 30 states.

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PDCS Types And Components

PDCS – DPDA + GPS + Digital Camera

PDCS will collect data or metadata including digital camera pictures. A user will go to office and upload the information to a PC and submit it through on-line.

PDCS – WPDA+GPS+Wireless

PDCS with wireless connection will enable users to collect and submit data or metadata directly from the field.

PDCS – BPDA + GPS + Barcode scanner

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PDCS Components

Comparison of features of PDA Components

•PDAs – Palm and Pocket PC

•GPS

•Digital Camera

•Wireless

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PDA comparison Chart

Dell Axim X5 (Advanced) 400MHz XScale64 mb I, CF, SD 5.00" x 3.2" x 0.70" 6.9 oz

16-bit ColorLithium $299

Compaq iPAQ 3970400MHz XScale

64 mb I, SD, B 5.3" x 3.3" x 0.6" 6.5 oz16-bit Color

Lithium $749

HP Jornada 568 206MHz StrongARM

64 mb I, CF 5.2" x 3.01" x 0.68" 6.1 oz 16-bit Color Lithium $599

Toshiba e750400MHz XScale

64 mb I, CF, SD, WF 4.9" x 3.1" x 0.6" 6.1 oz16-bit Color

Lithium $579

HP Jornada 548 133MHz SH3 32 mb I, CF 5.2" x 3.1" x 0.60" 9.1 oz12-bit Color

Lithium $299

Compaq iPAQ 3670206MHz

StrongARM64 mb I 5.11" x 3.28" x 0.62" 6.3 oz 12-bit Color Lithium $486

Palm Tungsten W 33MHz DragonBall

8/16 mbI, SD, W 4.8" x 3.1" x 0.65" 6.5 oz

16-bit ColorLithium $549

Palm Zire 71144MHz TI OMAP

16 mb I, SD 4.5" x 2.9" x 0.67" 5.3 oz 16-bit Color Color

Lithium $299

Handspring Visor Platinum

33MHz DragonBall

8 mb I 4.8" x 3.0" x 0.70" 5.4 oz 16 Gray AAA $299

Sony CLIE NR-70 66MHz DragonBall

16 mb I, M 5.5" x 2.9" x 0.69" 7.0 oz16-bit Color

Lithium $499

Sony NZ90200MHz XScale

16 mb I, CF, M, B 5.63" x 3.00" x 0.9" 10.3 oz16-bit Color

Lithium $799

Sharp Zaurus 5500 206MHz MIPS 64 mb I, CF, SD 5.4" x 2.9" x 0.7" 6.6 oz16-bit Color

Lithium $399

I: IrDA - CF: Compact Flash - SD: Secure Digital - M: Memory Stick - W: Wireless (GSM, GPRS, CDMA) - WF: WiFi (802.11b) - B: Bluetooth

Device Processor Memory Comm. Size Weight Colors Batt Cost

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Standard features of GPS receivers for Palm devices

•12 parallel channels

•Fast acquisition and reacquisition

•Receiver Frequency: 1575.42 MHz (L1 band)

•Antenna Type: Helix Antenna

•Update rate: Initial, every second.Typically every 2 seconds once fix established

•Output Message: NMEA 0183 version 2.20, GPGGA, GPGSA, GPRMC and GPGSV

•Acquisition time:Hot Start: 8 seconds typical Warm Start: 38 seconds Cold Start: 45 seconds typical

Accuracy: Horizontal: 5.0 meters typical, 10.0 meters [95% probable]

GPS for PDA’s comparison

Standard features of CF-type GPS for Pocket PC devices

•12 parallel channels

•Integrated patch Built-in antenna

• Fast acquisition and reacquisition

• NMEA-0183 data protocol

• Acquisition time:

Cold start: 60sec Warm start: 45 sec Hot start: 8 sec

•Operation modes: 2D/3D automatic selection

•Reacquisition time : 0.1 sec

•Position update: 1Hz

•Accuracy: 15m 2D-RMS, (95%)

Serial type GPS interfaces are also available for Pocket PC devices

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Digital cameras for PDA comparison chart

Resolution Image standard

Operating system to Hotsync photos

Type

640x480 digital resolution

24 bit full color 

JPEG Microsoft Windows 98/ME/2000/XP

Secure Digital slot (SD)(Palm m125, m130, m500, m505,

m515, i705, Tungsten)

640 x 480 color bitmap BMP Microsoft Windows 98/ME/2000/XP

Secure Digital slot (SD)(Palm m125, m130, m500, m505,

m515, i705, Tungsten)

640x480, 320x240, 160x120 (VGA)

JPEG Microsoft Windows 98/ME/2000/XP

Built in camera(Palm Zire71)

2 Mega pixel JPEG Microsoft Windows 98/ME/2000/XP

Built in camera(Sony PEG N-Z90 Clie)

2 X digital zoom

Palm OS handhelds

                                                         

                                                                         

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Pocket PC PDA cameras

Resolution Image standar

d

Operating system to Activesync photos

Type

350K pixels, maximum

resolution 640x480

 

JPEG, BMP, GIF

Microsoft Windows 98/ME/2000/XP

FlyCAM CF Digital Camera Type I or II CompactFlash slot

[All pocket pc handhelds]

350K pixels,640x480, 320x240,

160x120 JPEG

Microsoft Windows 98/ME/2000/XP

VGA CompactCamera Type I CompactFlash slot

{Dell Axim, iPAQ, Jornada}

JPEGMicrosoft Windows

98/ME/2000/XPHP Jornada Pocket PC camera

Type I CompactFlash slot

All cameras come with digital zoom capabilities

350K pixels,

640x480

                                                         

                                                                         

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Wireless receivers for Palm and Pocket PC devices

Palm Tungsten W- Built in wireless antennaPocket PC devices (iPAQ, Dell Axim, Jornada, Toshiba)

Compact flash type Built in antennaMaximum Data Transmissions: Average speeds of 40 to 60 kbps with maximumspeed of up to 144 kbps.

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MONTHLY SERVICE CHARGE $29.99 $39.99 $59.99 $74.99 $99.99

Included Megabytes (MB) 10 MB 20 MB 40 MB 60 MB 100 MB

Additional Data per Kilobyte (KB) $0.0030 $0.0020 $0.0015 $0.0013 $0.0010

U.S./Canada Roaming per KB $0.0127

AT&T MONTHLY PRICING FOR PALM AND POCKET PC DEVICES

Plans    Mobile             Mobile Annual

Monthly Service Fee $19.99  $39.99   $34.99

Kilobytes included in monthly service fee   100 KB   1MB (1,000K)    1MB (1,000K)

PALM.NET PRICING AND SERVICE PLANS

Mobile Plus

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Status of Wireless CoveragePALM.NET COVERAGE FOR

PALM DEVICES

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Wireless Coverage for Pocket PC systemsAT&T coverage for POCKET PC/PALM devices

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Mobile Data Capture System (MDCS)

• There are many instruments used the field data collection today Data loggers, Rain gauges, Thermometers

• Wireless technologies such as Blue tooth and IEEE 802.11 can assist in data transfers from the instruments directly

• None of the field instruments are equipped with network capability

• MDCS will enable communication between data loggers and the Mobile Data Capture System directly

Future Work

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Autonomous Data Collection Systems

• Autonomous Data Collection Systems will enable automatic data collection, relay and transmission from the field

- Water quality measurements are relayed through GOES satellite

These are single entities that don’t have the communication capability

Integrating GPS, Wireless and mobile devises with network capabilities will enable such systems