The job of the BCM-7800 Base Control Module™ is to operate as the control unit of the system at the remote location: managing the system as a whole and the SCM and SensorNodes individually. Through SensorCloud™ web access, the user is able to remotely access, control, update, reconfigure and manage the system from anywhere the web is available.

The BCM 7800 functions include:

• monitoring the health of all sensors and devices
• handling non-responsive units
• sending commands and receiving data from the SCMs/sensors
• receiving user updates from a Central Unit
• performing high-level data analysis, including signal processing, time stamp synchronization, and MSDF
• performing system wide updates
• performing power management
• node discovery and intelligent discovery of UP addresses
• synchronize clocks and manage watch-dog timer-based events
• processes algorithms to trigger real-time alarms/alerts
• manage memory
• manage backend communications
  

The BMC has open and flexible interface to ensure that it can accommodate a wide range communications technologies. The BCM has the knowledge of different communication interfaces for transmitting the sensor data to the central monitoring unit. Depending on resources in the area of deployment, it will have the option of using a wireless cellular interface, a wire-line communications (modem), a satellite communications, or the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) network. The module architecture of the BMS will allow the backend communications module can be a swappable.

Backend data communications can perform on a pre-defined scheduled (near real-time) and/or event-based communications (real-time). In schedule mode, each BCM can be programmed to transmit data at a given time; however, if a critical fault is observed, it will generate a high priority alarm for immediate transmission to the central database for further processing through the Decision Support System (DSS). Data on the BCM is encrypted.

The customized embedded software running on the BCM is capable of running on a number of different Linux-based microprocessors, depending on the best fit for the application.