Touch-screen interface for BMS
April 1st 2004

Designed to meet the needs of both the controls engineer and the less technically minded, Trends IQView features a high-contrast, touch-screen operated display, available in colour or monochrome, that is simple to use and suited to plantroom or office environments. It can give full access to any BMS based on Trend IQ controllers, including the recently launched IQ3xcite. The IQView comes in two forms. One has a B&W display and connects directly to an IQ controller via RS232. The other is designed for linking to either an Ethernet or Trend network, as well as offering the RS232 option.Both have a 1/4 VGA LCD screen (320 x 240 pixels) that is backlit. Two types of enclosure are available, allowing the unit to be mounted on the front of a control panel or on a wall (solid or cavity). The IQView can be tailored to the different needs of individuals. For instance, the access rights of a building caretaker or security guard could be limited to just a few simple adjustments, relating say to the heating and/or lighting, while other might be restricted simply to viewing monitored data. In contrast, engineering and maintenance staff could be allowed to change any control settings. Because it is self configuring, the IQView learns the structure of the Trend BMS to which it is connected. Thus, once it has been provided with power, it can be made fully operational within minutes. Setting up user privileges is speedily accomplished as well. A systems IQ controllers can be engineered so that data is grouped in the most user friendly way. This means that information relating to a particular item of plant or area of a building can be brought together on the same display. Historic data can be shown in graph form and there is also the facility to display and log alarms. On small systems, an IQView could serve as the sole, on-site operator interface. On a larger BMS where the main interface would normally be a Trend 963, PC-based supervisor it could provide one or more secondary points of access.