Oil theft hurts the bottom line for oil producers, the most extreme case being Nigeria's staggering $4.2 billion annual losses. Theft in most other places has been largely eliminated through security monitoring. However, the installation of remote security monitoring systems is complicated by long lengths of power and Ethernet cable that are expensive, troublesome to install, and prone to degradation and damage. Standalone, solar-powered video surveillance systems with wireless network connections provide a powerful alternative for outdoor applications.

Our customer, a system integrator specializing in security and video surveillance, wanted to add a solar-powered surveillance system to better serve their clients, including automotive salvage yards, automobile dealers, oil and gas, traffic monitoring, mining, railway, and other outdoor applications across the US. These systems connect to their client's central surveillance center through a wireless network and provide real-time monitoring and alerts for intruders, vandalism, and natural disturbances.

To build a solar-powered video surveillance system, our customer needed a low power, compact, and rugged embedded system that can connect to PoE cameras and is compatible with a solar-powered power source.

Low-Power and Compact

Solar-powered systems have limited power generation and storage capacity. The embedded system must use the least power possible to ensure stored battery power is sufficient. Cabinets for embedded systems are also relatively small, so the more compact the embedded system, the better.

WWAN Connection

Real-time alerts and live camera views of the remote location at the surveillance center allow operators to take quick, decisive action in case of an incident. These functions require a data connection, but by eliminating cables, Ethernet is not an option, and even WiFi provides only a limited coverage area.

Withstanding Harsh Conditions

Outdoor installation places demand on the system beyond typical indoor operating parameters. The system must face a wide range of temperatures, from freezing cold to extreme heat, which could damage the fragile internal parts. Fans are often used to help cool the internals but have the risk of failure.

Small Form Factor and Low Power Draw

DI-1000 is a high-performance embedded system with a small footprint. Powered by an onboard Intel® Core™ mobile processor, from Core™ i3-6100U up to the Core™ i7-6600U, it has a low power 15W TDP. The small footprint and low power draw make the DI-1000 perfect for factory automation, machine vision, in-vehicle, and mobile surveillance applications.

4G LTE Connectivity

4G LTE offers the coverage needed for remote installation and is an ideal technology for today's small form factor PC employed in IoT applications. The two full-size Mini-PCIe slots support I/O expansion and wireless network, providing the 4G LTE connectivity required for real-time video streaming.

Rugged Design

Wide temperature and rugged design make DI-1000 capable of operating in temperatures from -40 to 70°C. There are no fans, so there are no fragile mechanical parts to fail, and there are no internal cables, so all internals are snug and secure. Finally, a supercapacitor provides a rechargeable, long-lasting upgrade to older CMOS batteries. All these make the DI-1000 a more reliable computer, even in the most challenging environments.