Circuit Cellar Home Control System II

• Supervisory Controller: Main system controller
• RBUF-Term: Relay Buffer-Terminator board
• HCS-BUFIO / HCS-BUF50: Direct I/O expansion boards
• HCS-PLIX: Two-way X-10 power line network module
• MCIR-Link: Two-way infrared network module
• HCS-DTMF: Telephone interface expansion board
• HCS-Voice: Text-to-speech synthesizer expansion board
• Answer MAN - HCS: Network Data Acquisition Interface module
• XPRESS: HCS II programming language
• XPRESS Manual
• Y2K Update for Host (Application Download)

www.cc-concepts.com/products/hcs

Overview

The Circuit Cellar HCS II is an expandable, network-based, intelligent-node, industrial-oriented supervisory control system intended for demanding home control applications. The HCS incorporates direct and remote digital inputs and outputs, direct and remote analog inputs and outputs, real-time or Boolean decision event triggering, X-10 transmission and reception, infrared remote control transmission and reception, remote LCD displays, and a master console.

Now you can control lights, appliances, fans, stereo, television, VCR, warning chimes, alarm horns, indicator lights, status displays, and so forth, with a single distributed control system.

The HCS system architecture consists of a central supervisory controller connected to up to 31 other functional modules (called COMM-Links) using a simple twisted-pair cable. The HCS is unique: it can function independently as well as accommodate considerable expansion.

The user-programmable Supervisory Controller is quite literally the brains of the system. All other subsystem links rely upon the Supervisory Controller for timing, control commands, and overall system coordination. The supervisory controller is a 9-MHz single board computer with two serial ports; battery-backed memory; an 8-channel, 8-bit A/D converter; a real-time clock/calendar; and 24 bits of direct parallel I/O (additional direct parallel I/O can be optionally added). When connected to an HCS Relay-Buffer Terminator (RBUF-Term) board, these parallel I/O bits can accept contact closure or ±30-V input signals and switch loads of up to 3 A. Depending upon your process control application, the Supervisory Controller may provide all the control I/O functions you need.

The HCS Supervisory Controller is communication central. One serial port functions as a dedicated 9600-bps serial RS-485 connection to the various network links that may be located up to 4000 feet away. The second port connects to a PC which functions as the master console. The master console acts as an on-line real-time display of all control activity in the system.

Using network modules that contain both sensing and activation lines, the HCS effects direct monitoring and control of remote machinery, security devices, and environmental systems thousands of feet from a centrally located Supervisory Controller. Using HCS, you can directly monitor temperatures, currents, voltages, and limit-switch settings, and can set analog outputs, actuate solenoids, activate alarms, turn on lights, and send display messages.

Control programs and event sequences are written in a unique user-friendly control language called XPRESS. Composed using a simple word processor or editor, XPRESS control programs are compiled into fast, efficient code which is downloaded to the Supervisory Controller's nonvolatile memory. When these downloading or display functions are not required, the master console (IBM PC or compatible) can be turned off to reduce system power consumption.

Additional Support for HCSII can be found on our newsgroups. (local.cci.hcs2)