CIMAlert is a server application that adds automatic message delivery to CIMScan. All CIMScan packages have the ability to create a user-defined text message containing the current values from the real-time database. CIMAlert can transmit these messages to one or more recipients via Telephone, E-Mail, Pager, or over a PA System. Spoken messages are first converted to high quality, intelligible speech before they are delivered. A typical use would be to transmit a message when a database point reached an alarm limit. The message could include variables, like the name of the database point, the data value, the units of measure, alarm limits, plus any pre-defined text you wish.

Overview

The basic message and the action that triggers sending it are set up in CIMScan. The recipients and the methods for contacting them are set up in CIMAlert, along with a master schedule that determines how and if the message will be sent. When you define the message in CIMScan, you choose which recipients you want to receive it by simply selecting the names from a list.

CIMAlert also contains a Text-to-Speech option that converts the message from a text string to high quality speech that can be played through the telephone (if you have the telephony option) or announced over a PA system. The telephony option also allows the recipient to request additional data by entering a code from a touch tone phone.

Standards-Based System

CIMAlert communicates with telephone hardware using the standard TAPI interface. A wide number of e-mail systems are supported including…

Microsoft Mail (MAPI)
Microsoft Exchange & Outlook (MAPI)
Lotus Notes (VIM)
Lotus cc:Mail (VIM)
Novell GroupWise (MAPI+)
Internet Mail (SMTP/POP)

Message text is converted to intelligible speech and stored in a standard WAV file which can be played through virtually any sound card.

System Configuration

Before using the messaging capabilities of CIMAlert, the software must be installed. CIMAlert does not install when you install the CIMScan program. Browse the provided CD for the Setup.exe file in the CIMAlert directory, then proceed with a normal Windows installation. When you are prompted for a serial number during the installation, enter the CD Key that came with the CD.

Install CIMAlert as you would any other Windows application, then start the application and click the Settings menu to display the following possible selections. (Note: Only those options that are licensed for your system will be activated. Unlicensed options will be grayed out and unavailable.)

	System =	A few system settings such as timeouts, logging options, time and date formats, etc.
	Speech =	Text-to-speech conversion settings such as voice to use, speech rate, etc.
	Constants =	Message segments, such as an introduction and conclusion, which are added to each message before it is sent.
	Recipients =	A list of recipients, their phone numbers, pager I.D’s, and e-mail addresses. Every recipient will have a unique tag that will be used for identification in CIMScan. In addition, master schedules specifying how and if the message should be sent are set up here.
	Portals =	Configuration settings for each of the four message portals (pager, telephone, LAN e-mail, and Internet e-mail). These settings include physical port selections, mail server URLs, timeouts, etc.

Note: All the selections for the Settings menu are described in detail in the CIMAlert Manual.

To test these settings, click Test in the main menu, then send a message to any recipient selected from a dropdown list.

The final step is to start the CIMScan program and link the CIMScan messages to the CIMAlert recipients. In CIMScan, access the Messages Setup dialog under Settings on the main menu. Choose the desired recipient(s) for each message by selecting them from the list of recipient tags, which is accessed by double clicking the List field on the dialog's grid. (Note: this field was called Links in older versions of CIMScan.)

Whenever a message is played to a telephone recipient, the recipient may request a response message with additional data. The response will contain a user-defined text string followed by the contents of one or more CIMScan database points. Each database point may contain the name, group ID, the current value, and the units of measure. The response can be configured to either say or spell the group ID or the units of measure.

To configure the response messages, click the Options button on the Message Display Setup dialog in CIMScan and select the Phone Responses tab. Double click on the field to select the database points to associate with each response.

Delivery Options

CIMAlert can be configured to deliver a message to one or more recipients. In the case of an e-mail and pager, the message is simply sent to all of the recipients. Telephone messages, on the other hand, can be configured to be sent to all of the recipients in the list or to have the system stop calling when the first person is contacted. Contacted parties must enter a valid response code on the telephone's touch-tone pad to confirm that they have received and understand the message.

Scheduled Delivery

Each message can be configured to have one or more recipients and each recipient can have a schedule of exactly how the message should be delivered based on the time of day and date the message was sent. In other words, a recipient may be scheduled to receive messages to his office e-mail address during working hours and at home via telephone during the evening. The system could also be configured to route messages to another person on the weekend or during the recipient's vacation period.

Hardware Requirements

CIMAlert requires a TAPI compliant telephone interface card for telephone and numeric pager support. The single line PhoneRider card from Mediaphonics or the two line products from Dialogic are popular choices. These products are available from CIMTechniques.

For an alpha/numeric pager and Internet e-mail support, a modem must be installed and configured on the computer running CIMAlert.

A sound card with the appropriate Windows drivers must be installed to be able to play messages to a PA system or through local speakers.

A local area network interface is required for LAN-based e-mail.