Web Base I/O Controller

The Web Based I/O Controller was developed by Ciholas as a general purpose web enabled controller that could be used throughout our facilities for various tasks. The most notable of those tasks are a replacement of our Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) controller and a door access and alarm system.

Web Based I/O Board

The controller provides 24 switchable 1A 30VDC relays and 32 individually controllable I/O lines. The relays and I/O lines are handled by a Xilinx FPGA that interfaces with a Geode processor over a PCI bus. Onboard connectors provide support for both Compact Flash and laptop IDE filesystems. The Geode's x86 architecture allows the controller to easily support most operating systems. Ciholas has ported Embedded Gentoo Linux and RedHat Linux 7.3 to the controller. In addition to the I/O and relay banks the system includes a serial port, PS2 keyboard and mouse port, VGA video port, 10/100 Network Interface, audio inputs, audio outputs, and two USB ports.

The HVAC system at our facilities uses a series of relays to communicate with thermostats, control dampers, and switch between heating and cooling. In addition to the I/O controller we developed a smart thermostat using an Atmel AVR with an attached temperature and humidity sensor. Using the new Web Based I/O controller we are able to communicate with the smart thermostats using general purpose I/O, as well as control the basic functions of the HVAC system using the bank of relays. The combination of the new controller and smart thermostats enables us to intelligently control the environment as well as track heating and cooling trends. The system provides a web interface to set the temperature in a given area of our facilities and view heating and cooling trends.

Populated Web Based I/O Board

The Web Based I/O controller is also slated to be installed in our facilities as a door access and alarm system. Several RFID card readers will be installed at access points throughout the facilities. The I/O lines of the controller will be used to communicate with the card readers through a Weigand interface. Relays in the controller will be used to control electronic latches on the entrances to the building providing access to individuals with valid ID cards. The intelligence of the IO controller will allow us to monitor and log access to the facilities. A web interface has been written that tracks ID cards and makes it easy to restrict access for a given time of day, week, or month. The system will also read sensors attached to the entrances of the building and set off appropriate alarms, including text messaging building administrators to warn of any suspicious activity.

HVAC contol and alarm systems are just two of the many possible applications for the Web Based I/O Controller. Easy web based access to switchable relays and general purpose I/O coupled with the intelligence of the Geode processor have made the controller an extremely versatile unit. The system can be interfaced to any number of electronic devices making it useful for testing, monitoring, and control. The units ability to be accessed from anywhere on a network provides for speedy access to real time data and controls.

Ciholas will work with you to incorporate this technology into your project, or we can work with you to develop similar technology tailored specifically to your application. If you have a useful application for the Web Based I/O Controller or would like more information please feel free to inquire at Ciholas Inc.