Telespazio is a world leader in satellite services. It operates a global network of four space centres and 25 sites, including the world’s largest satellite telecommunications centre in the world for civilian use.
In response to growing homeland security concerns, the local public transportation authority in Rome commissioned Telespazio to implement a public transportation safety system.
The key project requirements were as follows:
• Low cost, low power consumption, high reliable communication system
• Metropolitan infrastructure capable of sustaining a high resilience network
• Capability to manage video, voice and data in a single communication channel
• Handling of multi-users on the same RF bandwidth,
• Secure connection via satellite to one or more gateway centers
• Ability to operate without human intervention to protect public and personnel life
Telespazio sought to implement a cost-effective ad hoc wireless system that automatically establishes a network as soon as any single element enter within a proper range with respect to another element. Such connection could then be established with fixed (bus stop, traffic light poles, etc.) and/or mobile (other bus, police car or person, etc.) elements. The network needs to be able to deliver the information by terrestrial and/or existing satellite communication network to a Command and Control centre.
With these requirements in mind, Telespazio chose MaxTech's mobile mesh network technology as the communications platform for this project. Sensors are placed on busses to warn of fire, accident, robbery, other emergency situation. The information collected by the various sensors is transferred to a central mesh router controller box located next to the driver.
The sensors communicate among themselves and to the driver's mesh router controller box using mesh. When the bus arrives at the central terminal, it connects to the main system via GSM for data upload/download. Emergency vehicles (e.g., police) can also communicate with the mesh router controller box on each bus over GSM.
"MaxTech offers a unique mobile mesh technology that met our specific needs for a very reliable and robust system, enabling voice, video and data communications over a single channel," stated NAME, TITLE at Telespazio. "In addition, full interoperability of MaxTech’s technology with GSM facilitated system integration and reduced project costs."