DALI User Manual: Getting Started

DALI Internet-Enabled Remote Control Software

DALI is a software system that enables real-time remote data acquisition and control over a TCP/IP network. It is composed of a server which is installed on the embedded system, an open protocol which is used to communicate with that server over the Internet, and client software which can be used to build components such as web browser controls or remote data collection tools. It is designed to run on a CPU embedded into the equipment to be controlled.

Typical applications include remote monitoring and diagnostics; patient monitoring; security and access control; and building, factory, and home automation. For flexibility, DALI provides multiple methods of user access to the system under control, including desktop applications and web pages served by the integrated web server to any suitable browser. Custom control panel screens may be easily designed using common software technologies, including MFC, ActiveX, Java, and PHP. A control panel may even provide access to multiple DALI systems simultaneously.

DALI Features

DALI Access Methods

This diagram shows the conceptual architecture of DALI and three types of DALI clients. The DALI-enabled system contains a CPU with built-in data acquisition (DAQ) running Linux, QNX, or Windows. It communicates with the various clients using the SOAP protocol. The Apache server runs along with the DALI server to serve web pages and browser applications including Java applets and ActiveX controls.

In the Browser Client example, a web page containing ActiveX controls or Java applets is downloaded over the Internet to provide a real-time GUI interface to the embedded system in a browser window. DALI includes working ActiveX controls, and the optional DALI Java Development Kit adds support for building Java applets which will run on any platform.

In the Standalone Client example, a control panel application is installed on a client PC and communicates with the DALI host via the Internet.The application can be written in C/C++, MFC, or Java.

In the Local Program example, a C/C++ program is running on the same embedded CPU running DALI.It interacts with the I/O through DALI using the SOAP protocol.