sunguide sm software development project status meeting february 23, 2005 cdrl 1-8.3.15

SunGuideSunGuideSMSM Software Development Project Software Development Project

Status Meeting Status Meeting February 23, 2005February 23, 2005

CDRL 1-8.3.15CDRL 1-8.3.15

February 23, 2005SunGuide Status Meeting 2

AgendaAgenda

Time Item Lead

8:30 – 8:35 Introductions Liang Hsia

8:35 – 8:45 License Updates: TxDOT and FDOT MDX JPA WSDOT TOU Lee County Oracle Software Support Agreement

Liang Hsia

8:45 – 9:10 TMC and Software Deployment Schedule Updates D1 D2 D3D4 D5 D6D7 MDXTurnpike EnterpriseLee County

9:10 – 9:30 Project Status Report Steve Dellenback

9:30 – 10:00 Factory Testing Acceptance Testing Results Steve Dellenback

10:00 – 10:15 Break

10:15 – 10:45 New Requirement Discussion Steve Dellenback / John Bonds

10:45 – 11:30 C2C Communications:SunGuide C2C CapabilityCommunications AlternativesVideo Decoding: Hardware versus Software

Steve Dellenback / Walt Townsend/ Jim Mosser

11:30 – 11:50 Software Demonstration Steve Dellenback / Walt Townsend

11:50 – 12:00 Open Discussion / Action Item Summary All


Introductions


AgendaAgenda

Time Item Lead



Liang Hsia




10:00 – 10:15 Break







License UpdatesLicense Updates

SwRI / FDOT Sublicense– License executed on August 29, 2003 before the contract started.– License updated on September 5, 2003 covering distribution

source code to other Florida governmental entities.– TxDOT informed SwRI on January 22, 2004 that TransGuide

software was on “hold”.– License amended on April 12, 2004 (to support District 2 and

name change)– SwRI provided FDOT with draft language on September 10, 2004 to include other Florida government entities


License UpdatesLicense Updates

For a FDOT / TxDOT partnership to occur two things are needed:

– MOU and License:• FDOT provided TxDOT with comments and legal opinion on

March 2, 2004• TxDOT provided FDOT with draft MOU and License on March

16, 2004 • FDOT forwarded draft MOU & License to TxDOT on October

18, 2004• FDOT corresponded with TxDOT & SwRI in January 2005

– TxDOT Software License (solves TransGuide license issue)• TxDOT provided FDOT with a license on June 30, 2004

(included previous FDOT requests for content).• FDOT signed license on August 10, 2004.• TxDOT acknowledged the receiving of the FDOT signed

license on August 23, 2004.• TxDOT signed license on August 30, 2004 and sent to FDOT

on September 20, 2003.• FDOT Requested TransGuide software on October 4, 2004.• FDOT Received TransGuide software on October 19, 2004.


License Updates - continuedLicense Updates - continued

FDOT / WsDOT Term of Use (TOU):– WsDOT provided FDOT with standard TOU on February 11, 2004.– FDOT provided recommendation on to WsDOT on March 13, 2004.– FDOT provided comments to the WsDOT’s Office of General

Counsel’s August 21, 2004.– WsDOT began working on FDOT’s comments on August 26, 2004.– FDOT requested status on September 14, 2004, October 7, 2004

and November 5, 2004.– FDOT & WsDOT attorneys and project managers had

teleconference on November 30, 2004.

– New Option:• WsDOT would license to “Southwest Patents”• “Southwest Patents” would license to FDOT• This resolves the indemnification issue



FDOT / MDX Joint Program Agreement (JPA)

– FDOT provided MDX with preliminary JPA on December 3, 2003.

– MDX provided FDOT with draft final JPA on June 23, 2004.

– FDOT worked on Locally Funded Agreement and MDX JPA.

– FDOT forwarded updated JPA and sublicense to MDX on October 26, 2004

– FDOT developed a draft Software General and On-Site Support Agreement to address MDX’s software support concerns on February 11, 2005.



SwRI / FDOT / Lee County Sublicense

– Lee County provided FDOT with official letter for participation on July 27, 2004

– FDOT and SwRI started documentation preparation on July 30, 2004

– SwRI provided FDOT with draft language on September 10, 2004

– FDOT forwarded sublicense to Lee County on October 26, 2004

FDOT issued iFlorida Data Collection Process (DCP) notice to proceed on September 8, 2004.

GDT License:

– System Planning Office and Office of Information Systems are finalizing the license agreement on September 14, 2004.

– Kevin Thibault approved the $130,000 GDT Procurement on October 19, 2004


License Updates - License Updates - Oracle Oracle continuedcontinued

Transportation Management Center Date Required OIS Licensed Processor Current License Duration

District 1 Ft. Myers RTMC Sun 12/31/06 2

District 1 Sarasota RTMC Sat 12/31/11

District 2 Jacksonville RTMC Sun 12/31/06 2 10/3/03 to 10/3/08

District 3 Pensacola RTMC Mon 12/31/07

District 3 Tallahassee RTMC Wed 12/31/08

District 4 Ft. Lauderdale RTMC Mon 1/31/05 2 10/3/03 to 10/3/08

District 4 West Palm RTMC Mon 12/31/12

District 5 Orlando RTMC Mon 12/31/07 4

District 6 Miami RTMC Thu 6/30/05 2 10/3/03 to 10/3/08

District 7 Tampa RTMC Sun 4/30/06 2 10/3/03 to 10/3/08

Lee County RTMC Sat 12/31/05

Miami-Dade Expressway RTMC Thu 6/30/05 2

Statewide TMC & Testing Lab Tue 5/31/05 2 10/3/03 to 10/3/08

Turnpike Pompano RTMC Mon 12/31/12

Turnpike Turkey Lake RTMC Mon 12/31/12


License Updates – Support AgreementLicense Updates – Support Agreement

Software general and on-site support requirements were discussed on December 7, 2004

Draft final Software General and On-Site Support Agreement has been forwarded to SwRI on February 11, 2005


AgendaAgenda

Time Item Lead


8:35 – 8:45 License Updates: TxDOT and FDOT MDX JPA WSDOT TOU Lee County Oracle

Liang Hsia




10:00 – 10:15 Break







Reports by Deployment and Reports by Deployment and Possible Integration SchedulePossible Integration Schedule

District 4

District 6

MDX

District 7

District 1

Lee County

District 2

District 5

District 3

Turnpike Enterprise


District 4 ScheduleDistrict 4 Schedule

February 14, 2005: Video wall RFP, completion 120 days after NTP

April 22, 2005: 7 CCTV available

August 12, 2005: 45 CCTV available

October 2005: Complete I/95/I595 Video Monitor System


District 6 RTMCDistrict 6 RTMC

April 2005: Ramp metering subsystem testing and SunGuide Software Milestone Demonstration planned

August 28 2005: I-95 Package B project completion

1st Quarter 2006: Ramp Meters operations


MDX ScheduleMDX Schedule

April 7, 2003 MDX sent letter to ITS Office aboutparticipating in SunGuideSM Project

April 25, 2003 FDOT Responded, Welcoming MDX’s

participation

December 3, 2003 FDOT provided MDX with a draft Joint Program Agreement

August 2005 SunGuideSM Software Release 2 deployment at MDX

October 2005 MDX TMC Operational



November 2005 Building Construction FinishApril 2006 SunGuideSunGuideSM Software Deployment



FY 2004FY 2004 I-95 N ITS ImprovementI-95 N ITS ImprovementFY 2006FY 2006 SunGuideSunGuideSM Deployment (Tentative)Deployment (Tentative)


District 5 RTMCDistrict 5 RTMCFY 2004FY 2004 Orlando RTMC retrofit and upgrade Orlando RTMC retrofit and upgradeSeptember 8, 2004 -September 8, 2004 - iFlorida Data Collection Process iFlorida Data Collection ProcessDecember 2005 December 2005 FY 2004-2005FY 2004-2005 iFlorida C2C between Districts 2 and 5 iFlorida C2C between Districts 2 and 5


Turnpike RTMCTurnpike RTMC

March 2004: SunNav 1.1 Test

April 2004: SunNav 1.2 Development

June 2005 : Observe D 4, D 6, & MDX C2C Deployment


District 1District 1

May 2005 I-75 Safety Barrier System upgrade December 2006 SunGuideSM Deployment at Ft. Myers RTMC

FY 2011 (2005) Sarasota RTMC


District 3District 3

FY 2007 Pensacola RTMC FY 2007 Pensacola RTMC FY 2008 Tallahassee RTMCFY 2008 Tallahassee RTMC


Lee County Bridge Incident Lee County Bridge Incident ManagementManagement

July 27, 2004 Lee County Public Works sent letter to FDOT

indicating Lee County’s participation in

SunGuide Software Project

August 2005 SunGuide Software deployment


C2C ScheduleC2C Schedule

February 16, 2004 SunGuideSM and C2C Project Team completed Interface Control Document (ICD)

February 20, 2004 SunGuideSM and C2C Project Coordination Teleconference

March 9, 2004 SunGuideSM & C2C Project Coordination Meeting

June, 2005 C2C deployment among Districts 4, 6, and MDX


AgendaAgenda

Time Item Lead



Liang Hsia




10:00 – 10:15 Break







Project Web SiteProject Web Site

http://sunguide.datasys.swri.edu


Release-Oriented Release-Oriented Development ApproachDevelopment Approach


Status of Release 1 Development Status of Release 1 Development ActivitiesActivities

Release 1 development complete:– Financial status:

• Allocated: $3,850,778• Spent: $3,763,222• Remaining: $87,556

– Of the remaining funds, $47,252 will be needed for training and approximately $10,000 for PBF invoices not yet processed

Efforts remaining:– Training material:

• Classes were added (R2 classes were moved up to R1)

• Material will be ready prior to a deployment


Status of Release 2 ActivitiesStatus of Release 2 Activities

Ramp Metering:– Design completed– Development in complete– TSS driver complete– RM driver in process– Undergoing initial integration testing in

San Antonio

Emergency Evacuation:– Design initiated– Development initiated

Data Archive– Design Completed– Development Completed– Undergoing integration testing in San

Antonio

Web Server– Design mostly complete– Development in process

HAR– Design complete– Development in process

Center-to-Center– Design initiated– Development in process

RWIS– Design initiated– Development in process

Safety Barrier– ICD Complete– Design initiated

Inventory and Maintenance– Will be initiated soon

Optional Service:– iFlorida Data Collection Process

(DCP):• Waiting for acceptance

testing


Deliverable StatusDeliverable Status

SwRI waiting for FDOT comments:– Version Description Document

Future documents to be provided by SwRI:– Updated Training Plan– Training Material

All documents delivered to FDOT

are available on the project web site.

http://SunGuide.datasys.swri.edu


Cost Status (as of 1/21/05)Cost Status (as of 1/21/05)

Release 1:– Allocated: $3,850,778– Spent: $3,763,222– Remaining: $87,556

Release 2:– Allocated: $2,651,361– Spent: $673,901– Remaining: $1,977,819

Deployments:– Allocated: $397,292– Spent: $7,750

Support - on-site support and FDOT directed support (thru 6/2012):– Allocated: $1,175,558– Spent: $0 (costs started 2/1/05)


Spending CurvesSpending Curves


Spending Curves - continuedSpending Curves - continued


Schedule StatusSchedule Status

Current areas of concern:– Documents:

• None

– Software:• None

To be scheduled:– District 4 deployment– Milestone Demonstration– Trailblazer testing– Ramp Metering testing– District 6 deployment


Schedule Status – continuedSchedule Status – continuedLast Reporting PeriodLast Reporting Period


Schedule Status - continuedSchedule Status - continuedCurrent Reporting PeriodCurrent Reporting Period


Schedule Status - continuedSchedule Status - continued

Requirements refinement:– Additional requirements being evaluated by FDOT– Schedule will be updated once requirements are

complete

Future status meetings that need to be confirmed:– March (will be held during Florida ITS Working Group

meeting in Miami)– April 5, 2005– May 10, 2005– June 7, 2005

Future reviews that need to be scheduled:– Release 2 Software Design Review


AgendaAgenda

Time Item Lead



Liang Hsia




10:00 – 10:15 Break







Factory Acceptance TestingFactory Acceptance Testing

Tested Release 1.0.0

Testing performed on January 11, 12, and 13, 2005

Testing participants included– FDOT Central Office (and their contractors) FDOT

District 4 (and one of their contractors) and Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX)

Testing process:– Test steps contained in the SunGuideSM Software

Integration Case Procedures (SICP) document– SCIP was structured as a series of test cases with each

having one or more test steps


Example Test CaseExample Test Case


Testing ResultsTesting Results

51 test cases with 214 test steps The test steps were written against 229 requirements. Summary of the results:

– Total of 47 (out of 51 test cases) passed in their entirety– Issues arose with 12 test steps from 4 test cases:

• 2 failed (requirement SUB6.2.1 and SUB6.3.1): will be waived by FDOT because the available hardware will not support the FDOT requirement (the software issued the proper command but the hardware devices do not implement the feature)

• 4 failed (requirements SUB3.3.4 and SUB3.3.5): because a numeric “2” was displayed rather than “TWO” when response plans for incidents were generated

• 1 failed (requirement FEAT1.6.12): this was an umbrella test cases that could not be passed if any other failures were noted; once the above failures are addressed this test case should pass

• 5 were skipped (requirements 8.3.5, 8.3.6, 8.3.7, 8.3.8, 8.3.9 and 8.3.10) because the test steps were too low-level for accurate verification: the tests will run after FDOT modifies the requirements to include GUI level access to the required functionality


Testing Results - continuedTesting Results - continued

Of the 229 requirements tested, the above issues can be summarized with respect to the requirements as follows– 3 requirements failed (the “2” versus “TWO”)– 2 requirements will be waived because hardware

vendors do not support functionality (relating to camera presets and power on/off)

– 5 requirements were not tested (test cases skipped) because the level of detail was too extensive to evaluate


Moving ForwardMoving Forward

FDOT performed a variety of ad hoc tests to evaluate the system; summary:– Several software errors were identified (that were not

part of the testing) – SwRI has addressed these

– Significant rework of the IM GUI has been performed (NO changes to subsystems have been made)

– Conclusion was that the GUI as implemented did not provide an IM environment that was acceptable, FDOT to develop additional requirements to modify/enhance functionality

No deployment date yet selected until enhancements can be addressed


AgendaAgenda

Time Item Lead



Liang Hsia




10:00 – 10:15 Break







New Requirements IdentifiedNew Requirements Identified

Categories: (FDOT ITS Section has circulated these requirements for comments on February 2, 2005)

– Immediate needs:• IM and IM GUI• GUI/Map• CCTV Subsystem and CCTV GUI• TSS Subsystem and TSS GUI• DMS Subsystem and DMS GUI• Message Queuing

– Long term needs:• IM and IM GUI• GUI/Map• Driver Data and GUIs• DMS Subsystem• CCTV Subsystem and CCTV GUI• CCTV Keyboard• Status Logger• Executive Handler

Status:– Evaluated by SwRI and implementation pending FDOT direction


IM and IM GUIIM and IM GUI

Purpose:– IM Performance requirements being introduced to SunGuideSM

– Modify the SunGuideSM IM functionality to meet newly defined user needs

Proposed Requirements:

Status– IM GUI screens (no subsystem changes) have been made to greatly

facilitate data entry

TM009 From the time an operator confirms an incident, it shall be possible to create an incident record, verify the information listed below, set lane blockage indications, select appropriate Dynamic Message Signs, and place a message on up to 8 directly connected signs within 60 seconds. Required basic information consists of: Incident Description, Route, Direction, Cross Street, Lane Configuration

TM014R An incident record shall contain a text field for entry of Milepost location information.

TM005R1 The incident response plan shall suggest signs all signs within the incident search radius that face a direction of travel approaching the incident location.

TM001W When an incident is created from a congestion alert associated with a detector link, or when manually created by an operator clicking on a detector link, the following information in the incident form shall be filled in automatically: Route (main road), direction, cross street, lane configuration, Milepost

TM012 When a new incident is created, it shall automatically be assigned a sequential Incident ID number. This number shall appear along with the textual incident ID in every place that it appears.

TM001W1 When a data field in an incident form requires entry of a time and/or date, the current time and/or date shall appear as the default entry, if appropriate for the field.


GUI/MapGUI/Map

Purpose:– Modify the SunGuideSM Map/GUI functionality to meet

newly defined user needs Proposed Requirements:

ID001A The SunGuide system shall provide audible notification of congestion alerts for logged-on operators.

GS007 It shall be possible to relocate incident icons using a drag-and-drop methodology

DM006D Message Library entries shall be sorted in alphanumeric order within a library.

DM007D When choosing a message from a message library, the system shall accept letters typed by the operator, and scroll the message list to the first message matching these letters.

GS009 CCTV camera icons shall change color to indicate operational status.


CCTV Subsystem and CCTV GUICCTV Subsystem and CCTV GUI

Purpose:– Do not require a user to explicitly request a lock

Proposed Requirement:TV003S1 A “lock” shall be acquired when a camera is selected if no other user holds a “lock”.


TSS Subsystem and TSS GUITSS Subsystem and TSS GUI

Purpose:– Add detector stations to the map display

Proposed Requirement:

GS008 The map shall display icons at the location of each detector station. The icon shall change color to indicate the detector’s operational status. The status colors shall be configurable.


DMS Subsystem and DMS GUIDMS Subsystem and DMS GUI

Purpose:– Add additional status information requests to the DMS poll

process– Display additional data to the user in the GUI


DM003D1 The information requested in the regular periodic poll of DMS devices shall include basic error information from the device, including but not limited to Pixel, Lamp, Temperature and Fan errors. For NTCIP devices, this shall be accomplished by utilizing the "short error status" object.

DM003D2 If any errors (including but not limited to Pixel, Lamp, Temperature or Fan errors) are reported during the regular polling of a DMS device, the system shall: generate an operator alert, change the color of the icon for the DMS device on the map to a configurable color.

DM003D3 The DMS status form shall provide a way to request and display the following extended status information from the signs: fan status, pixel errors, sign temperatures, power supply status


Message QueuingMessage Queuing

Purpose:– Add additional queuing levels to SunGuideSM (the system

currently has two level)– Provide tools to manage the queue

Proposed requirements:DM004 The SunGuide system shall support a priority-based queue for messages.

DM005M The system shall support 256 message priority levels

DM006M If a message is placed in the queue with a higher priority than the currently active message, the higher-priority message shall be displayed on the device.

DM007M When a message is removed from the queue, the message with the next highest priority shall be activated.

DM007M1 If the queue for a device becomes empty, the device shall blank.

DM008M The system shall allow the operator to specify a priority level when activating a message manually.

DM009M The default priority level for manual message activation shall be the highest priority level

DM010M The default priority level for messages included in an automatic sequence shall be the lowest priority level.

TM007R The queue status screen shall provide the following: 1) a display of the contents of the message queue, including message, priority, and associated incident ID, if any, for each message in the queue. 2) the ability to remove individual messages from the message queue. 3) a “blank” button that removes all the messages from the queue


IM and IM GUIIM and IM GUI

Purpose:– Variety of IM (and GUI) modifications

Proposed requirements:DM011M The system shall provide a mechanism for prioritizing messages placed by the IM system based on distance from the incident, with

messages on signs closer to the incident being given higher priority.

TM010 When an incident is closed, the response plan associated with the incident shall be cancelled.

TM006R When a response plan is cancelled, all messages that were part of the response plan shall be removed from the queues of the Devices in which they were placed.

IM008 An incident shall have ownership characteristic in that the person who is managing the incident shall be identified as the owner of the incident and the owner shall be displayed when incident status is displayed.

TM011 See new requirements at end of document

IM001O Only the "owning" operator shall be able to make changes to an incident

IM002O Operators shall be able open incidents that they do not own with read-only access.

IM003O There shall be a "Take Ownership of Incident" privilege that allows an operator with this privilege to take ownership of any incident.

IM004O Ownership of each incident shall be displayed in the incident list.

IM005O It shall be possible to filter the incident list by owner

IM006O The system shall periodically sound an audible alarm at all logged-on workstations if there is any active incident without an owner.

IM006O1 The audible alarm shall sound for 5 seconds and then shut off for a programmable period of time from 5 seconds to 2 minutes.

IM007O The system shall provide a mechanism for the operator that owns an incident to hand it off to a different operator.


IM Sign Selection AlgorithmIM Sign Selection Algorithm

Algorithm is more complex due to the “generic” nature of SunGuideSM (i.e. work for an road network)

What algorithm should be deployed?

Assume Signs Deployed Across Region (hypothetical placement for discussion)

Incident on Northbound Lanes


IM Sign Selection Algorithm - IM Sign Selection Algorithm - continuedcontinued

SunGuideSM uses CHART rules and draws circles to select signs

Would signs on the corridor (same direction) be acceptable? – this is easy!


IM Sign Selection Algorithm - IM Sign Selection Algorithm - continuedcontinued

How should signs me selected on connecting corridors? Corridors immediately connected to the

corridor with the incident are fairly easy. How about the corridors that are at least one corridor

removed from the corridor in question?


Map/GUIMap/GUI

Purpose:– Restrict to a user only being logged into one workstation– List username on title bar– Support additional configuration of color preferences

Proposed requirements:

Status:– Username has been added to the map title bar

WS008 If a user is logged on at one workstation, any attempt to log on the same user ID at another location shall be rejected.

WS009 The system shall display the currently logged on username somewhere in the browser window or in the title bar of the window.

GS009C The colors associated with device status icons shall be configurable.

WS008 If any device control commands issued by the operator fails, the failure shall be indicated by a “error” warning message in the status message window, this include errors caused by authorization failures.

GS009C1 All color choices shall be made using a methodology similar to the standard Windows color selection dialog.

GS010 The operator workstation display shall be able to display a legend indicating the color chosen for each color-configurable item.


Driver Data and GUIsDriver Data and GUIs

Purpose:– The SunGuide requirements specify the collection of more

data at the driver level than display at the GUI level. This requirement would provide more data to the user.

Proposed requirement:

WS011 The GUI shall provide a way to display all data available from the device driver for each device.


DMSDMS

Purpose:– Mark IV device does not implicitly support a default page

time– When a sequence is configured in SunGuide, spelling

conflicts are performed at configuration time (and not when the sequence executed


Status:– Default page time has been added as a configuration

parameter to the Mark IV device driver

DM004D Each DMS device driver shall have configurable default page on and off times.

DM005D If the Dynamic Message Sign subsystem detects a word list conflict in a message being activated as part of a sequence, the system shall alert the operator of the conflict and prompt for a decision, just as if the message had been activated manually


CCTV Subsystem and CCTV GUICCTV Subsystem and CCTV GUI

Purpose:– Modify the camera locking scheme currently implemented– Provide access to menus on NTCIP capable cameras– Support user configuration of joystick buttons


TV003S2 Operator activation of any camera motion control shall automatically request a lock on the camera.

TV003S3 The automatically-requested camera lock shall automatically time out after a configurable amount of time.

TV003D1 The CCTV GUI shall support activating and operating camera menus for NTCIP CCTV devices.

TV001D1 The GUI shall allow user configuration of joystick button functions


CCTV KeyboardCCTV Keyboard

Purpose:– Provide an alternative CCTV control and video switch device

Requires user to work with “numeric ids” SwRI has deployed AD2088 support in Texas (Houston TranStar) Proposed requirements:

Specific model required

TV001D1 Support external CCTV keyboard/joystick device connected to serial port on workstations


Status LoggerStatus Logger

Purpose:– Centralized logging of error messages– Viewer that provides filtering capability to restrict data

displayed Proposed requirements:

EX004L Status log viewer shall support queries across multiple log files.

EX005L The system shall delete log files when they age beyond a configurable number of days.


Executive Handler (EH)Executive Handler (EH)

Purpose:– Performs process control– Performs health and status checks


Status:– Number of retries already added: when installing

SunGuideSM the administrator is prompted for the “retry” value.

EX003F It shall be possible to configure the maximum number of retries that the executive handler shall perform when attempting to restart a failed application. It shall also be possible to configure the number of minutes over which the retry counter is maintained. (for example, stop after 3 retries in 1 minute).

EX010 The executive handler application shall utilize windows credentials to verify rights to execute.


AgendaAgenda

Time Item Lead



Liang Hsia




10:00 – 10:15 Break







Center-to-Center (C2C) Center-to-Center (C2C) CommunicationsCommunications

Two types of C2C communications required:

– Data:

• Status information

• Command/control requests (includes CCTV control and video switching requests)

• Being implemented in Release 2 of SunGuideSM

– Video (motion):

• Transport of motion video a function of hardware and not SunGuideSM software

• Being addressed by “Florida ITS SunGuideSM C2C Network” project


SunGuideSunGuideSMSM C2C Capability C2C Capability

Status support:– Traffic data (network)– DMS– CCTV– Video snapshots– HAR– Incident– RWIS

Command/control support:– DMS– CCTV– HAR


Communication AlternativesCommunication Alternatives

Motivation:– Video exchange between centers facilitates traffic

management operations– “Border” video allows agencies to share costs of

common surveillance points– Statewide emergency operations desires video from

many agencies

Major problem:– How do you exchange motion video between centers

that have different “formats” (e.g. analog, digital, vendor differences, etc.)


Video Formats:Video Formats:MPEG-2 versus MPEG-4MPEG-2 versus MPEG-4


Possible SolutionPossible Solution

Following participants met and have worked on a proposed solution:– FDOT C2C Project Team (PBF)– FDOT SunGuideSM Team (SwRI, ITS-Siemens)– FDOT Central and District Offices’ review

Optimal solution’s characteristics:– Utilize the existing FDOT wide area network (microwave

based) – capacity constrained– Develop a “DMARK” between a center and the C2C

infrastructure that is technology “neutral” (analog was the choice) – this is termed “trans-coding”

– Enable SunGuideSM software to initiate switching requests


Proposed C2C InfrastructureProposed C2C Infrastructure


General CommentsGeneral Comments

Barco Video Wall:– Utilizes a custom hardware card (which has a lot of

custom software installed) to decode multiple vendor’s video streams

– Each card supports up to 4 simultaneous MPEG-2 video streams

– Each card supports up to 3 simultaneous MPEG-4 video streams

– SwRI requested if Barco could provide a “software version” of their Argus card – the answer was they could not provide.


SwRI Observations:SwRI Observations:IP Video Codec CompatibilityIP Video Codec Compatibility

1. VBrick 4200 Encoder Primary Destination Packet Payload Size set to 1316.2. VBrick 4200 Encoder Secondary Destination Stream Type set to

Elementary Stream and Packet Payload Size set to 1472.3. VBrick 5200 Decoder Network Packet Ordering set to Disabled.4. Coretec VCX4200E Encoder Stream Type set to Transport.5. Coretec VCX4200E Encoder Stream Type set to Elementary.6. Coretec VCX4200E Encoder Stream Type set to Program (the default).


Decoding: Hardware versus SoftwareDecoding: Hardware versus Software

Hardware decoding:– Dedicated video decoder– Monitor (typically analog connected) to decoder– SunGuideSM supports switching of a limited set of IP Video

decoders– Issue: compatibility of codecs– Cost: dedicated decoder and monitor

Software decoding:– Utilize Windows application to decode video– SwRI evaluated software decoding: works great with vendor

specific tools – cross vendor support is weak– Issues:

• Compatibility of video streams• Performance impact on host computer• “Remote” (e.g. SunGuideSM) control is not typically

supported– Cost: computer (sustain 2-3 simultaneous video streams)


Decoding: Hardware versus Decoding: Hardware versus Software - continuedSoftware - continued

SunGuideSM could support a switching decoding application (VBrick has one that could work for some encoders with minor modification but the source code is proprietary)

SwRI believes that a MPEG-4 solution would be easier and more cost effective (more native Windows support is available)

Specific requirements need to be identified


AgendaAgenda

Time Item Lead



Liang Hsia




10:00 – 10:15 Break







Software DemonstrationSoftware Demonstration


Example Screen ChangesExample Screen Changes

Better utilize “multiple monitor” workstations Utilize native HTML to improve performance (lose

some visual capabilities provided by SVG) Work in progress


AgendaAgenda

Time Item Lead



Liang Hsia




10:00 – 10:15 Break







Action Item RecapAction Item Recap

Number Person Action

57

58

59

60

61

sunguide sm software development project status meeting february 23, 2005 cdrl 1-8.3.15

Documents

txdot software license

fdot txdot partnership

transguide software

transguide license issue

sunguide status meeting

txdot swri

draft mou license

previous fdot requests