NTCIP - Intelligent Transportation Society of Georgia

NTCIP Dan Vanada Econolite Control Products, Inc. September 16, 2013

An Overview

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NTCIP

Intelligent Transportation Systems

National Transportation Communications for ITS Protocol

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What is NTCIP? • Family of standards for electronic communication

protocols for the transportation industry • Two major areas of coverage

• Center to Field Devices (C2F) • Many device types covered

• Center to Center (C2C)

• Protocols for communication—not definition of product functionality

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US National ITS Architecture

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Where did NTCIP come from? • NEMA published hardware standards

• TS1 in 1975; TS2 in 1992

• FHWA sponsored Traffic Signal Manufacturers Symposium in 1993

• NTCIP Joint Committee established around 1995 • Three SDOs: NEMA, ITE and AASHTO

• FHWA provided funding • Participation by

• Public sector • Manufacturers • Consultants

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What can NTCIP do for me? • Provide a choice of vendors • Phased procurement and deployment • Enable interagency coordination • Share communication channels • Framework for specifying communications

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Center to Field Device Standards

• 1202 – Actuated Signal Controllers • 1203 – Dynamic Message Signs • 1204 – Environmental Sensor Station • 1205 – CCTV • 1206 – Data Collection • 1207 – Ramp Meter Control • 1210 – Signal System Masters • 1211 – Signal Control Prioritization • 1201 – Global Objects

• Common objects across devices • Time, Scheduling, Logging, etc.

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Center to Center Standards • 2304 – Datex • 2305 – Corba • 2306 – XML and SOAP

• Data elements define by TMDD group (not NTCIP)

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How does NTCIP work?

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(Grammar)

(Words)

1. HOW to talk

2. WHAT to talk about

It defines two things:

Borrows network protocols like TCP/IP and serial protocols like HDLC.

Borrows SNMP from the networking world. Provides for a “dictionary” of data elements or “objects”.

NTCIP Framework

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HO

W t

o T

alk

WH

AT

SNMP and MIB Objects • “Simple Network Management Protocol” • Simple method to get and set data values • Can be used to

• Configure: Set and read desired values or parameters • Monitor: Read desired values • Control: Set values that cause action

• The set of known data values or elements is call a Managed Information Base or “MIB”

• Each MIB object is defined and uniquely named/identified

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SNMP MIB Object Definition

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Object Name Type of Data

Read or Write

Unique name or address (Object Identifier) Object Identifier: iso.org.dod.internet.private.enterprises.nema 1 . 3 . 6 . 1 . 4 . 1 . 1206 = 1.3.6.1.4.1.1206

phaseMinimumGreen = 1.3.6.1.4.1.1206.4.2.1.1.2.1.4

SNMP Messages All this to request one byte of data

And all this to return one byte of data

Object Identifier

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STMP Protocol • “Simple Transportation Management Protocol” (STMP) • Created for more efficient use of comm bandwidth • Primarily used by Signal Controllers • Two ends agree on a set of pre-defined, numbered

groups of data objects, called “Dynamic Objects” • Central can do a get or set on these Dynamic Objects by

specifying only the number • Requires setup of the Dynamic Objects before use

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Dynamic Object #

Included MIB Objects

1 A, B, F, K 2 C 3 A, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S … …

STMP Protocol 1. Central sends definition of Dynamic Objects to field

devices using SNMP 2. Usually at powerup or after loss of comms 3. Then Central can request all the predefined data in a

Dynamic Object by simply sending that object’s number 4. Response is compact data (unlike SNMP)

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SNMP Compared to STMP

Get request: 30 2C 02 01 00 04 07 70 72 69 76 61 74 65 A0 1E 02 01 01 02 01 00 02 01 00 30 13 30 11 06 0D 2B 06 01 04 01 94 78 01 02 07 03 02 00 05 00 Response: 30 2C 02 01 00 04 07 70 72 69 76 61 74 65 A2 1E 02 01 01 02 01 00 02 01 00 30 13 30 11 06 0D 2B 06 01 04 01 94 78 01 02 07 03 02 00 02 01 04

SNMP to Retrieve One Byte of Data:

STMP to Retrieve Same Byte of Data: Get request: 85 Response: C5 04

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Flexibility of SNMP/STMP Approach

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Centracs Polling Packet Definition

How do I specify NTCIP? • Along with specifying functional requirements for a

project, you should specify communications requirements • Not usually sufficient to just state, “Must be NTCIP

compliant”, or even to list the required standards as in “Must be compliant with NTCIP 1201, 1202, and 2202”

• Standards include tools to assist in specifications

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How do I specify NTCIP? • Original versions defined “Conformance Groups”

• List of mandatory data objects for a set of functionality

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How do I specify NTCIP? • Some now include PRL (Protocol Requirements List)

• List of requirements and specific objects that support them • Check off which requirements/objects are mandatory or optional • Allows specification of value ranges

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How do I specify NTCIP? • NTCIP also includes standards that provide guidance for

testing • NTCIP 9012

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How well does NTCIP work? • Significant acceptance and implementation in US • Growing interest from international

• Brazil, Middle East, China

• Does NTCIP overstep boundaries of a comm protocol?

• Does NTCIP (or any standard) stifle innovation?

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How well does NTCIP work? • Full interchangeability not generally achieved

• Vendors create unique functionality through manufacturer-specific MIBs that prevent full interchangeability

• Block objects in 1202 for Actuated Signals not interchangeable • Differences in interpretation of standards create incompatibilties

• But common protocols brings many benefits • Easier to add or replace equipment even if development is required • More possibilities for interagency cooperation • Common language provides for writing more consistent and

complete specifications

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Interchangeability • Basic functionality is usually interchangeable for DMS

• Monitoring and control largely interchangeable for Signals

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Interchangeability in Centracs

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What’s next for NTCIP? • Relatively mature set of widely-accepted standards • Good coverage of needed protocols • Significant decrease in funding • Minimal activity in past couple of years • Funding coming for update of 1202 – Actuated Signals • Funding for Connected Vehicle data elements likely

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For more info: www.ntcip.org

NTCIP Guide

Docs and Standards

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Dan Vanada Director of Product Management Econolite Control Products, Inc. 3360 E. La Palma Avenue Anaheim, CA 92806 (800) 225-6480 [email protected]

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