Trailer Tracking Interface Standard Overview
The design of TMC's TTIS is as a client and server system, where the dispatch system primarily acts as the client (in requesting data and/or commanding configuration changes) and the trailer tracking system acts as the server (in responding to data and/or configuration requests). To minimize redundant/repeated requests, the server can be configured to automatically direct data to the client without requiring an immediately prior client request (for instance, to spontaneously stream received vehicle data to the dispatch system upon receipt).
RP 2203 does not specify the mechanism to be used for communications between the client and the server. It can use the Internet Protocol (IP) suite, but can equally use a batch, shared directory/file approach (i.e., where the client dumps files with requests and/or data to a specified directory location and where that file is detected and processed by the server).
RP 2203 makes no assumptions about the specific system architectures for either the dispatch systems or the trailer tracking systems and is intended to support nearly any configuration. The following diagrams depict several scenarios. Note that these diagrams are not intended to represent all possibilities, but rather to depict a range of potential configurations.
Fig 1 depicts an arrangement where separate Trailer Tracking and Dispatch systems are installed in a customer site. The Trailer Tracking system maintains its own link to the real-time data, likely utilizing a proprietary interface. The interface between the Trailer Tracking and Dispatch systems utilizes a shared-drive, file exchange scheme whereby each system places its requests and/or responses into a specified location to be ultimately picked-up and processed by the destination system.
Fig 2 depicts an arrangement similar to that shown in Fig 1 except that a direct network connection is maintained between the two systems.
Lastly, Fig 3 depicts an arrangement whereby no Trailer Tracking system equipment is maintained at the customer site. In this arrangement, the data exchange occurs between the trailer tracking data service and the dispatch system using a direct network connection, typically the internet, but could equivalently be via a dedicated or dialup connection.