MDS700 System Architecture
Introduction
MDS700 is Thorcom's wide area packet switched mobile data and automatic vehicle location network which operates on conventional PMR radio. The system is optimised to make maximum utilisation of a single radio channel and provide a high performance, reliable communications system which out-performs conventional speech systems.
MDS700 permits up to 4000 mobiles to communicate with central resources (host computers) as well as each other (mobile-to-mobile) and transfer data messages in a "transaction orientated" form. In addition the system supports full feature automatic vehicle location (AVL) sub-system.
MDS700 is optimised for mobile data and vehicle location data and employs a number of advanced techniques including forward-error correction and diversity reception to achieve high throughputs and transmission reliability on a single PMR radio channel dedicated to data use.
System Features
MDS700 system users can take advantage of the following features:
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Up to 4000 mobiles on one system |
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Mobile to host, host to mobile and mobile to mobile communications |
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Status Message (1-16) |
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Extended Status Message (0-65535) |
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Long data transmission (1-1024 bytes) |
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Transaction orientated data transmission |
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Robust & reliable communications |
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Coverage where voice comms cannot reach |
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Operation on a single RF channel |
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Radio Modem Interface Protocol communications protocol to user equipment |
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High performance automatic vehicle location (AVL) sub-system |
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High availability |
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Confidence: system audit trails on all messages transmitted and received |
Network Configuration
The MDS700 system consists of a number of hilltop sited basestation transceivers connected to a central Unix-based communications processor, referred to as the "Gateway/Router", which routes data into and out of the appropriate hilltop transmitters and host computers.
The hilltop radio sites and central Gateway/Router operate as a distributed system to provide the facilities and features of the system.
MDS700 is aimed at Emergency Services (Police, Fire and Ambulance) and Public Utilities (Gas, Electricity, Water, etc.) who have exclusive use of radio channels and wish to implement a high performance and low cost mobile data system.
Technical specifications
More detailed information on MDS700 networks can be found here.
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