CTI Products EXB-IP Ethernet System Extender - Manual (Page 6)

CTI Products, Inc. EXB-IP User Guide
Introduction 6
2. I
NTRODUCTION
W HAT IS AN EXB M ODULE ?
The EXB System Extender Modules are members of the Monitoring and Control Network (MCN™) family of
control products. They are used to connect multiple MCN networks together or to extend the length of an MCN
network beyond 4000 feet. Therefore, multiple remote comparators can be controlled from a central site.
The EXB System Extender Modules allow simultaneous monitoring and control of Master and Slave
comparators in wide-area voting systems. Multiple EXB modules can connect multiple MCN networks in real
time, spanning distances from a mile to worldwide. Data transfer between distant networks is "live", delayed
only by the transit time through the EXB modules and the data rate across the link.
The EXB-IP System Extender Module uses any 10Base-T copper-based Ethernet channel. (Other EXB models
are available that utilize other long-distance media, such as analog or digital phone lines and microwave
channels.)
The EXB-IP module utilizes the IP protocol over an Ethernet media and both can coexist on a wide-area IP
network with other IP devices such as workstations, servers, and IP routers. Additionally, they can exist on
dedicated Ethernet IP networks, where the only devices on the network are EXB-IP modules and (optionally)
physical layer hubs.
Basic Application
Figure 1 shows a comparator system that is located in a different building than the console equipment. Standard
MCN CIB modules connect to the comparators and IIB modules connect to the console. The length of the
MCN network is normally limited to 4000 feet. As shown in this diagram, a pair of EXB System Extender
Modules can greatly extend the MCN network using Ethernet channels.
CA-80672-100
COMPARATORS
CIB
CIB
II B
II B
CO NSO LE
ELECTRO NICS
1
T
P /S
T
CO NSO LE
P /S
EXB
T T
BUILDING 1 BUILDING 2
EXB
2
ETHERNET
CHANNEL
Figure 1 Extending Comparator Status & Control Signals to a Console with EXB Modules
For monitoring, the CIB Comparator Interface Modules in Building 2 accept the logic level comparator status
indications (Vote, Receive, Disable, and Fail) and send status messages over the MCN network. The EXB
System Extender Module at Building 2 passes the status messages over the Ethernet channel to the EXB System
Extender Module at Building 1. The EXB module at Building 1 passes the status information to the IIB
modules over the local MCN Network. The IIB modules then convert the status messages to logic outputs for
use by the console.
For controlling, the Force-Vote and Disable control functions from the console in Building 1 are passed through
the IIB modules, through the pair of EXB modules, and to the CIB modules in Building 2. The CIB modules
convert the control messages to logic levels to control the comparator.