2013 3rd International Conference on Computer Science and Network Technology

A Remote Monitoring System for Non-Cable SelfPositioning Seismographs

Jiang Xiaoxue , Lin Jun1,2, Gao Ning1,2, Zheng Fan1,2*, Zhao Yujiang1,2


College of Instrumentation and Electrical Engineering, Jilin University

Key Laboratory of Geo-Exploration and Instrumentation of Education Ministry, Jilin University
Changchun, China
jiangxx12@mails.jlu.edu.cn

wireless communication technology, realizes fault location

and command control. The remote monitoring system
provides a way to monitor status and harvest data of non-cable
self-positioning seismographs, and it also supports graphical
display of seismic data, the remote monitoring system assists
construction workers to investigate and process malfunctions
in the field.

AbstractFor the convenience of non-cable self-positioning

seismographs monitoring in complex terrain, a remote
monitoring system is designed and developed. The command
interaction and file interaction strategies are created for
connecting between the remote monitoring system and non-cable
self-positioning seismographs with wireless communication
technology, the applications are published on IOS devices which
realize status monitoring, command controlling, data harvesting
and waveform displaying of non-cable self-positioning
seismographs. Indoor tests and field experiments indicate that
the remote monitoring system is reliable, stable and operated
simply, it assists users to inspect and shoot troubles, and
guarantees the quality and efficiency of field exploration.

II. THE NON-CABLE SELF-POSITIONING SEISMOGRAPH

The non-cable self-positioning seismograph applies digital
storage and freestanding structure. With built-in mass Flash
memory and GPS high precision locating synchronization
technology, non-cable self-positioning seismographs realize
long-time storage and can acquire synchronously [4-10].
Simultaneously, low power integrated Wi-Fi modules make
non-cable self-positioning seismographs capable of wireless
communication, and provide a method to real-time monitor,
record and in-situ quality control. In addition, there are other
modules integrated in the non-cable self-positioning
seismograph, including ARM9 processor, 64MB SDRAM,
8GB CF card, 10/100M Ethernet interface, power module and
4-channel 24-bit data acquisition module. Fig. 1 shows the
hardware structure of the non-cable self-positioning
seismograph [1].

Keywordsnon-cable self-positioning seismograph; remote

monitor; interaction strategy

I.

INTRODUCTION

The integration of Wi-Fi technology makes it possible to

monitor the seismic data quality of non-cable seismographs in
the field, it also provides a convenient way for remote
monitoring terminals to get status and harvest data of noncable seismographs [1, 2]. In order to realize remote
monitoring, many companies customize specialized products,
for example, the French company Sercel has developed the
tablet devices for Unite system, which can monitor status and
harvest data of remote acquisition unites in the field, however,
those specialized products limit the versatility and scalability,
besides, its costly to use and maintain. On the other side, the
remote monitoring system is designed to assist technical staff
to process on exploration site, therefor it should be light,
convenient and accessible, in this way, the smartphones and
tablets running intelligent operating systems are good choices,
they provide public platforms for developing remote
monitoring applications. Apples IOS is a very popular
intelligent operating system, because of sandbox structure, its
development, release, deployment and application have
natural security and stability [3], the products based on IOS
like iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad are light and convenient,
they can support 2G, 3G and Wi-Fi communications, these
features meet the needs of developing of remote monitoring
terminals.

Fig. 1. Hardware structure of the non-cable self-positioning seismograph

The remote monitoring system monitors stations status in

order to insure sensor status, battery status, GPS status and
other parameters within a reasonable range during the
acquisition of non-cable self-positioning seismographs, so that

This paper designs and develops remote monitoring

applications based on IOS intelligent mobile terminals, using
*Corresponding author: Zheng Fan, Email: zhengfan@jlu.edu.cn.

978-1-4799-0561-4/13/$31.00 2013 IEEE

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Dalian, China

QA is implemented. Collection nodes receive the reflection

seismic signals inspired by source, transform them into digital
signals and store the digital signals in built-in CF cards, then
the monitoring system carries out valid data harvesting,
storage and display. Stable and reliable operation of the
remote monitoring system can promote the quality of
collected data.
III.

B. Interactive Strategies
Interactive strategies between the remote monitoring
system and non-cable self-positioning seismographs include
command interaction and file interaction.
1) Command interaction. In the process of field
exploration, it should be quick and efficient to monitor status,
receive trigger time and control non-cable self-positioning
seismographs. Considering efficiency and performance, the
command interaction between the remote monitoring system
and non-cable self-positioning seismographs applies UDP.
There are two kinds of command interaction modes:
a) Sending mode. The remote monitoring system sends
socket packets, non-cable self-positioning seismographs
receive packages and return the processed information. There
are three possible results in command interaction of sending
mode:
x The remote monitoring system analyzes the
information and updates the successfully verified
information to GUI.
x If non-cable self-positioning seismographs do not
return information within the prescribed time, the
remote monitoring system prompts the user that the
operation times out.
x If the information non-cable self-positioning
seismographs returned verified fails, then the remote
monitoring system prompts the user the error reason.
b) Listening mode. The remote monitoring system
listens to ports actively to receive the reported information
from non-cable self-positioning seismographs. There are three
kinds of reported information, status information reported
periodically, exception information, and real-time collected
data.
2) File interaction. Considering the importance of seismic
data, file transmission between the remote monitoring system
and non-cable self-positioning seismographs applies FTP.
Files generated by non-cable self-positioning seismographs
include acquired seismic data files, log files, GPS files and
system files, different format files are stored in different
directories and they are sorted by date and time. By building
an FTP server within the non-cable self-positioning
seismograph, the remote monitoring system logins in as the
identity of FTP client, searches and downloads seismic files
that meet the requirements of file name, file format and file
size, the remote monitoring system can also upload the task
files edited by the user to the system directories of non-cable
self-positioning seismographs.

SYSTEM DESIGN

A. Function Modules
Function modules of the remote monitoring system are
shown in Fig. 2, various modules cooperate with each other,
and realize non-cable self-positioning seismographs real-time
status monitoring and field quality control together.
Status Monitoring
Controlling
Parameter Configuration
Trigger Management

GUI
Task Configuration
Data Harvesting
Data Processing
Waveform Drawing

Fig. 2. Function mudules

1) The status monitoring module: The remote monitoring

system monitors status, such as station status, sensor status,
battery status, rate, gain, space, longitude, latitude and
elevation.
2) The controlling module: Users can control non-cable
self-positioning seismographs to test, delete files, sleep, wake,
shutdown and restart.
3) The parameter configuration module: Users can set
parameters, such as station name, station type, Wi-Fi mode,
rate and gain.
4) The trigger management module: The remote
monitoring system receives the source trigger time, provides
users to edit trigger length and distribute trigger information.
5) The task configuration module: Users can set tasks to
determine working hours.
6) The data harvesting module: Users can harvest valid
data according to required time interval.
7) The data processing module: The remote monitoring
system supports pretreatment of seismic data, including
reading data, snapshotting and normalization.
8) The waveform drawing module: The remote monitoring
system presents seismic data in waveforms to users, and users
can scan waveforms by stretching and dragging them.

C. Graphical Design
There are many views in the application of remote
monitoring system, such as search stations view, delete files
view, set tasks view, set parameters view, and main view. In
the search stations view, users can search and get online noncable self-positioning seismographs station names and IPs. In
the delete files view, users can delete seismic data files stored
in non-cable self-positioning seismographs according to
required time interval. In the set tasks view, users can set

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working hours for non-cable self-positioning seismographs

according to acquisition time interval. In the set parameters
view, users can set station names, gain, rate and other
parameters. Considering the screen sizes of iPhone and iPod
touch devices are small, one screen cant display all views at
the same time, switching between each view is implemented
by navigation controller. Fig. 3 shows the main view of the
remote monitoring system, the main view displays the status
of the non-cable self-positioning seismograph, including
station name, station status, Wi-Fi status, battery status, sensor
status, channel status, rate, gain, space, longitude, latitude,
elevation, and version, there is also a drawing area displaying
seismic data.

their status during acquisition, and harvest valid seismic data

according to required time interval.

Fig. 4. Construction schema

During indoor tests and field experiments, the monitoring

system runs stably, interacts with non-cable self-positioning
seismographs quickly, uploads task files and harvests seismic
data reliably, its friendly human-computer interaction makes it
easy to operate.
V.

This paper integrates remote monitoring system of noncable self-positioning seismographs into IOS intelligent
mobile terminals, uses wireless communication technology,
realizes fault location and command control, provides status
detection and seismic data harvesting, and supports the
graphical display of data information. The remote monitoring
system can be applied in seismograph debugging and field
exploration, through indoor tests and field experiments, the
remote monitoring system is reliable, stable, operated simply
with pellucid structure, and can be expanded easily. The
remote monitoring system facilitates non-cable selfpositioning seismographs to monitor in complex terrain,
assists construction workers to process malfunctions and it
also promotes the quality of collected data.

Fig. 3. Main view of the remote monitoring system

The drawing area can display real-time collected data and

seismic data files. After data processing module finishes
reading and processing, the waveform drawing module draws
seismic data into waveforms, it applies Quartz 2D graphics
API to draw frames, waveforms and coordinates. Gesture is
also involved during waveform drawing process, the remote
monitoring system supports the user to stretch and drag
waveforms, while the user operates, the data processing
module reprocesses seismic data, and delivers the processed
data to the waveform drawing module to redraw waveforms,
this helps the user browse seismic data in more detail.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This work was supported by the Chinese Government's
Executive Program Instrumentation development and field
experimentation (SinoProbe-09).
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IV.

CONCLUSION

INDOOR TESTS AND FIELD EXPERIMENTS

We deploy the remote monitoring application to iPhone,

iPod touch and iPad devices, and apply those remote
monitoring terminals in many situations.

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1) Testing in indoor by using the remote monitoring

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self-positioning seismographs, control them to test, monitor

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