New Intelligent Control Gateway "ICG" for the Next Generation of ATI's Mass Notification and Alert Systems

Acoustic Technology, Inc. (ATI Systems), the world leader in Mass Notification Systems (MNS) and intelligible voice systems, announced the release of an important component for the next generation of ATI products by introducing the Intelligent Control Gateway (ICG). The ICG utilizes the latest power-optimized, highly-integrated ARM microprocessors to provide higher efficiency, greater connectivity and a better user experience.

The new ICG enables ATI to create a new class of sophisticated, highly connected products. The feature-rich ARM microprocessor offers an unprecedented number of simultaneous connectivity options, as well as on-chip data encryption and an LCD controller. This saves significant board space, lowers power requirements and enables connected, advanced applications for MNS.

The additional CPU power and resources support a modern firmware base with the latest in IP stacks and networking protocols. “ATI continues to improve its industry proven line of MNS products by announcing important enhancements to IP networking capabilities of its units,” indicated Kevin Cassidy, Chief R&D Engineer at ATI. These networking enhancements include:

• Improved security
• Improved monitoring of remote units
• Improved configurability
• IPv6 support

The combination the new microprocessor and ATI’s specialized circuitry (capitalizing on many years of industry experience) provide a flexible mix of capabilities. This includes powerful networking and communication ports such as Ethernet, USB, CANbus, multiple RS232s and RS485. Options include a variety of digital wireless and analog radio or phone interfaces. The ICG also includes basic IO such as relays for signaling and control, digital inputs for triggering events and an on-board audio amplifier with flexible audio mixing and control.

Support for a compact VGA display (with touch screen) allows a clearer, more flexible user interface for local control of individual units, while the entire system can be monitored and controlled from a central location by ATI’s powerful MassAlert® software. This mix of capabilities allows ATI units to take full advantage of today’s network, cloud-based world while also working with simpler, non-IP based systems. In the coming months, ATI will be introducing a number of new products and applications which take advantage of the ICG’s unique capabilities to provide more powerful, flexible and user-friendly Mass Notification Systems.