SubscribeDetailed product description
Introduction
In general an airport is the business card of a country, state or city where people, from all over the world, come together. It gives passengers a first impression of the local environment and thus the airport should be a convenient place to be. The visitors of an airport are a mixture of people ranging from children and elderly people that have difficulties in finding their way in the noisy and busy terminal, as opposed to the more experienced business travellers.
For all these passengers flight information plays an essential role. Without this information they don’t know where to go and as a result the planes cannot fly on time. Therefore it is important that the displayed information is clear, up-to-date and displayed in a professional way.
In addition, the displaying of flight information is also of great importance to airlines. They want the information at their check-in and gate positions to optimally serve the information needs of their passengers. This information should be preferably displayed in their own corporate layout, including their high quality logos and/or promotional clips. Often the airline also wants to have a facility to influence what is displayed on the public display, to even better serve its passengers with e.g. paging or boarding information.
Finally there is the airport authority that wants to have a modern, easy-to-use, reliable display system against an attractive price. For them it is important to have a system that is flexible in every way.
Airport personnel want to have the flexibility to completely control at any time what information is displayed how, where and when. For instance they must be able to force all screens to follow the airport layout, to display advertising in combination with flight information or to immediately display evacuation information in case of an emergency.
From the airport authority’s point of view a good display system must also be capable of driving all types of public display devices spread across all areas of the airport, from the large split-flap board in the entrance hall and the VGA monitors at the check-in positions to the LEDs at the gate and the plasma displays with commercial information at the restaurant.
Net Display Systems, designer of standard, innovative software solutions for among others the aviation industry, has the solution for this: PADS.
Product description
PADS (Public Area Display System) is one of the most advanced and complete professional display software packages that are available today. Any airport – small, medium or large – can use it for presenting any type of information on any public display. Whether they want to display flight information at the check-ins, gates or baggage reclaims, paging or emergency information to inform their passengers or attractive multimedia advertisements, all this is possible with PADS.
In the airport industry one often uses terms like FIDS (Flight Information Display System), BIDS (Baggage Information Display System) and MUFIDS (Multi-user FIDS). PADS covers all these areas and much more, since with PADS almost any information you can possibly think of can be displayed.
PADS is a standard product, based on many years of experience in the airport industry. The system has been designed and developed by personnel with practical airport experience and in close co-operation with airports, to perform 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Overview of a typical PADS configuration
The product contains several applications to completely control the process of designing, scheduling and displaying presentations. The key applications are PADS Designer, PADS Manager, PADS Server and PADS Viewer. With the WYSIWYG-editor of the PADS Designer application, the information to be displayed can easily be designed without the need for programming. The PADS Manager application can be used to schedule the designed presentations for the display devices. The PADS Server software optimizes the distribution of the layout and the real-time data to the viewers. The PADS Viewer application controls the process of displaying the scheduled presentations.
The contents of the displayed information can vary from simple text and pictures (e.g. logos), to complex presentations containing web pages or complete multimedia presentations with videos and the use of macromedia flash. The system has a rich set of transition effects that can be applied to display code-sharing flights in a professional way. The built-in multilingual support allows you to display your information in any language.
The market speaks highly of PADS because of the easy way the product is installed, the advanced functionality, the attractive pricing and the advanced possibilities to extend the system to meet local requirements.
PADS supports all of the following display devices: TVs, VGA monitors or Plasma’s (4:3 as well as 16:9), LEDs, LCDs, Split-flap boards and even video walls.The system can easily be attached to an existing FIDS database or any relevant database of an airport as source for the information to be displayed. If no FIDS database is available, PADS can seamlessly be linked up with UFO for Airport, another product of Net Display Systems, to form a complete AODB (Airport Operation Database)/FIDS solution.
Benefits
PADS offers the following benefits:
- Standard product
- Low costs
- Short and easy implementation
- For small, medium and large airports
- Rich set of features
- Fully customisable through SDK
Each of these benefits will be described in more detail below.
Standard product
PADS is a Microsoft Windows based, standard off-the-shelf product with all advantages a standard product offers.
First of all the product with all its well-tested features is available today, including a standard, repeatable installation program and complete documentation. All these against a very competitive price, because no money-consuming projects are required to design, develop, install and configure the system.
Secondly, a standard product assures a customer it has a solution that is operational at multiple sites. This results in a more proven stability and usability of the system. It also guarantees that potential problems are fixed for all sites, as soon as they are detected by one of the customers.
Beside this, one can be assured that continuous development is done for the product, because this is the core business of Net Display Systems. The product will be enriched with more functionality, tools and add-ons and adjusted to new technologies that will be become available in the future. Customers can take full advantage of these new developments, simply by upgrading to newer versions of the product.
An often-mentioned disadvantage of a standard product is the fact that one is limited to the functionality as the product offers it. The impression is created that custom requirements cannot fully be fulfilled with a standard product.
PADS overcomes this disadvantage by offering a Software Development Kit for customisation. This subject will be discussed separately and in more detail below.
Low costs
Because the development costs of PADS as a standard product are spread across multiple customers, Net Display Systems can offer the product against a very attractive price. This makes the product affordable for any airport, small, medium or large.
With PADS one ‘knows’ exactly what is bought and against what price this is bought. The product is directly available and there are no surprises in additional costs, as this often is the case with project-based customized solutions. No exorbitant high prices need to be paid for bug fixing or new functionality. One can take a subscription to a software update & maintenance contract to always get the latest software updates.
Short and easy implementation
PADS is very easy to install and configure. Just a standard, well-documented installation and configuration will do the job. And - which can also be considered as an important benefit - one doesn’t have to wait for the software to get ready, but can start immediately, because the product is already available.
The installation of PADS contains a number of wizards that lead the user through the process of setting up an entire PADS system.
Afterwards the system is directly ready-to-use, because the PADS Viewers are automatically detected by the system.
All this results in a very short implementation period instead of a time and money-consuming installation project. Implementation is so
easy that a small airport can be up-and-running within a couple of hours and larger airports can be implemented within days.
Small, medium and large airport PADS is suitable for airports of any size in two ways: seen from the costs point of view as well as considering the design of the system.
The price of PADS is based on licenses. Smaller airports will have a smaller system, which requires fewer licenses. Therefore the price for such an airport will be lower, being in-line with the smaller budgets, these airports generally have.
The layered and component-based design of PADS makes the system fully scalable. One can set it up as a small system or as a large system by organizing the components in a different way and/or using different hardware.
Rich set of features
PADS is often praised for its rich set of features. Almost any situation on an airport of displaying some type of information can be handled in one or another way by PADS.
The PADS Designer application offers a large number of page elements to compose a presentation: text, pictures, lines, shapes, videos, scrolling texts, date/times fields, web pages, OLE objects, gradients, buttons and plug-ins. With all these elements one can easily display flight information in all possible layouts, but also online web information can be included or one can even display a TV or video channel in a window as part of a presentation.
One of the most powerful features of PADS is probably the database connection. Every page element varying from text fields and pictures to web pages, can be bound to a database field by which it will be fed with content. In this way the database can provide a presentation with real-time flight information or with commercials to be displayed. Of course this includes an entirely optimized mechanism of collecting the database information on the central PADS server and distributing this information to the individual viewers.
For these database-connected fields PADS also offers the important functionality of defining rules. With these rules one can perform certain layout changes when a certain condition is met. For instance it is possible to have a text start blinking when the flight is ‘boarding’.
The PADS Viewer application can be used for straightforward displaying presentations, but it can also act as a so-called kiosk Viewer that people can use to interactively navigate through the available information pages. In this setup the PADS Viewer can be applied as a fully dynamic Staff Viewer, that airport personnel can use to browse the staff pages.
Another important feature of the PADS Viewer is the automatic handling of network failures. If the Viewer detects a network problem, it automatically tries in the background to recover from this error or switches to the backup server if available.
This is just a fraction of the complete functionality PADS offers. It would be too much to give a complete list of all features. If you are interested in the complete functionality of PADS, we suggest to request for our evaluation package.
Customisable through SDK
Much effort has been put in creating a Software Development Kit (SDK) for PADS. This extremely important and powerful part of the PADS system offers the complete functionality of the PADS system as a facility to software developers. This can be a local IT professional or the Airport’s Information Technology department.
Software developers can use this SDK to create any airport specific solution on top of the PADS system. For instance they can create an application that automatically schedules a different screen when there is a gate change at the gate or they can develop a simple application for the people at the check-in desks to select the screen that must be displayed on the monitors of their check-in position.
The possibilities of the SDK are infinitely.
The applications of the PADS system itself like the PADS Manager and PADS Viewer application are also completely developed on top of the PADS SDK. This makes the SDK environment a well-tested, complete and reliable environment to use.
The PADS SDK is delivered with complete online documentation, explaining every element of the SDK in detail.
System architecture
A complete PADS system consists of hardware, a network infrastructure and the PADS software.
Hardware
The hardware of a typical PADS system consists of a PADS Server PC, one or more PADS Manager PCs and a number of PADS Viewer PCs. In accordance with the open concept of PADS there are no specific restrictions to the required hardware other than that the Server PC must be a Microsoft Windows 2000 or Windows XP PC and the Client PCs must be Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000 or XP. Optionally, additional hardware may be applied for backup and fallback facilities.
Network infrastructure
A good network infrastructure between the PADS Server PC and the PADS Viewer PCs is a must for the PADS software. The faster and more reliable the network connection between the viewers and the server, the better the system will respond. A full 100 Mbit network is desired. The network environment can be a LAN (Local Area Network) an Intranet or an Internet environment.
Software
The PADS software has been designed following the Windows DNA (Distributed Network Architecture) guidelines for developing N-tier applications.
The PADS software consists of a number of components, from which some run as a service (without a user interface) and other as an end-user application (with a user interface). The software can be split up in software that runs on a PADS Manager PC, software that runs centrally on the PADS Server PC and software that runs on one of the PADS Viewer PC’s.
PADS Manager software
The PADS Manager software consists of the following software components:
- PADS Designer application
- PADS Manager application
Each of these components will be described in more details below.
PADS Designer application
The PADS Designer application is a powerful editor to design presentations. A presentation can hold one or more pages. Each page can consist of text fields, pictures, videos, web pages and much more.
An important feature of the PADS Designer application is the database connection. The database connection allows the user to connect a page of a presentation to a corporate database or any other database. In this way one can display real-time data on the displays.
PADS Manager application
The PADS Manager application can be used to schedule the designed presentations for the display devices. Presentations can be scheduled for a specific period of time for a specific display device or group of display devices. The schedule as well as the design of each presentation can be adjusted at any time, even when the presentation is already displayed.
PADS Server software
The PADS Server software consists of the following software components:
- PADS Database
- PADS Layout Server software
- PADS Data Server software
- PADS Download Server software
- PADS Distribute Server software
- PADS Server Communication layer software
- PADS Agent application
- PADS License Wizard
Each of these components will be described in more details below.
PADS Database
The PADS Database is the Central Operational Database of the PADS system. In this database all information of the system is stored, varying from a list of the existing PADS Viewers to information about the scheduled presentations.
PADS Layout Server software
The PADS Layout Server software controls the retrieval and distribution of presentations. It manages the actual scheduling of presentations and the distribution of the presentations to the PADS Viewers.
PADS Data Server software
The PADS Data Server software controls the retrieval and distribution of ‘real-time’ information from external databases. If a presentation contains a database connection, the PADS Data Server optimizes the retrieval of data and provides the viewer with real-time data.
PADS Download Server software
If a presentation requires additional files (like pictures or videos) the PADS Download Server software handles the server part of the downloading process of these files from the central server to the viewers.
PADS Distribute Server software
If a newer version of the PADS Viewer software is available the PADS Distribute Server software will make this software available to all viewers for automatic installation.
PADS Server Communication layer software
The PADS Server Communication layer software is the service that handles all communication from the viewers to the server. It redirects calls from the viewers to the correct PADS Server components.
PADS Agent application
The PADS Agent software is an application that can be used by the system administrator to check how the system is functioning. It provides information about the Viewer connections, the currently displayed presentations and real-time data.
PADS License wizard
The PADS License wizard helps to install and/or update PADS licenses. PADS licenses are required to be able to use the system.
PADS Viewer software
The PADS Viewer software has the following software components:
- PADS Communication layer software
- PADS Viewer application
- PADS Download software
Each of these components will be described in more details below.
PADS Communication layer software
The PADS Communication layer software is responsible for the communication with the PADS components on the PADS Server PC. Network failures are automatically handled by the PADS Communication layer and solved as far as possible.
PADS Viewer application
The PADS Viewer software is the software that controls the process of receiving presentations from the PADS Server and displaying these presentations on the connected display device.
PADS Download software
When a presentation contains a picture, video or other page element that is not present locally, then the PADS Download software initiates the PADS Download Server software to download the required files from the PADS Server PC.
PADS Software Development Kit
The PADS SDK (Software Development Kit) is a complete ‘open’ set of programmable objects, methods and properties that client applications use to interface with the PADS system. This interface is used by the built-in PADS applications, but can be used as well by any IT developer to develop its own custom software solution around the PADS system. This SDK makes the PADS system a completely ‘open’ system and through its extensive documentation extremely easy-to-use for any IT developer.
The PADS SDK software consists of the following software components:
- PADS Designer SDK
- PADS Manager SDK
- PADS Viewer SDK
Each of these components will be described in more details below.
PADS Designer SDK
The PADS Designer SDK gives a developer the opportunity to access PADS presentations and make modifications to these presentations via coding.
PADS Manager SDK
The PADS Manager SDK offers the possibility to build your own solution for scheduling PADS presentations.
The following example demonstrates how simple it is to perform certain tasks with the Manager SDK:
Sample of scheduling a presentation for a viewer:
Public Sub ScheduleDirectScreen()
Dim ObjX As Object
On Error Resume Next
'connect to PADS Manager SDK
Set ObjX = CreateObject("NDSManager.Application")
'connect to PADS database
ObjX.Connect "C:\Apvs\Database\Pads25.mdb", "user1", "user1"
'send presentation to destination (monitor or monitor group)
ObjX.Schedule.AddDirect "MONITOR01", "C:\Apvs\Screen\Example.scn"
'disconnect from PADS database
ObjX.Disconnect
'disconnect from NDS Manager SDK
Set ObjX = Nothing
End Sub
PADS Viewer SDK
The PADS Viewer SDK provides the functionality of the PADS Viewer software so that one can build its own solution for displaying a PADS presentation.
Other configurations
Above the most common configuration of a PADS system has been described. However through the flexibility of the PADS components it is also possible to run PADS in other configurations.
Some components of the PADS system can be combined on one single PC. For instance it is quite usual to combine the PADS Manager software with the PADS Server software on one Server PC. Another less frequently used option is to combine the PADS Server and PADS Viewer software on one PC.
For really small environments (usually up to 3 viewers) the PADS Server software is optional. In this case, when you don’t use the PADS Server software, every PADS Viewer will directly access the PADS Database for retrieving presentations and any external database for the retrieval of real-time data. Please notice that this configuration will generate a significant larger amount of network traffic than the usual configuration.
Airport Operational Database (AODB)
PADS covers the distribution and display of flight information. It can be attached to an existing database of an airport as source for the information to be displayed. If no such database is available UFO for Airports (Universal FIDS Objects) can be used for this part.
UFO for Airports, another product of Net Display Systems, is one of the most advanced and complete AODB (Airport Operational Database) systems that are available today. Any airport – small, medium or large – can use it to store, manage and distribute all airport & flight related information. This includes timetable and operational flight schedules, resources, flight and resource allocations, resource restrictions and conflicts, geographical and time zone information, airline information and many, many more.
Much airport specific information can be handled like link- and pool flights, gate changes, master planning of important resources and online evaluation of the daily allocations.
The product contains several applications to manage the system and the stored data. The key applications are UFO Administrator and UFO Operator. The UFO Administrator application is intended for the system administrator to completely control the entire UFO system. This includes setting up and configuring the UFO environment as well as managing all data. The UFO Operator application is intended for the regular users at the airport to perform their daily tasks.
UFO has built-in support for IATA/ICAO standards, multiple languages and multiple airports. Beside flights it can hold information about busses, trains, taxis and more.
Remote Management
Once the airport has an information display system up-and-running, one wants to be able to completely control the system. Not only is it important to be able to change the information that is displayed by the viewers at any time, but also – and especially for the system administrator - it is important to know whether the system is still fully operational. Optimally, he or she wants to be able to check this from his/her own desktop PC.
With RMC (Remote Monitor Control), an additional software package of PADS, one can do just this. After making connection to the PADS system one can remotely control the server as well as all viewers of the system.
Once RMC has been installed it is no longer required to physically go to a monitor to see what is actually displayed or to attach a keyboard and/or mouse to a monitor to do maintenance activities like installing new software. With RMC all management activities that are relevant to PADS can be performed remotely.
The controlling of a PADS system can be done by using the RMC Explorer application, but one can also develop their own applications to control a PADS system by using the included RMC SDK (Software Development Kit).
For more information about RMC, please contact Net Display Systems.
Installation and maintenance
There are several aspects that play a role in the process of installing and maintaining a PADS system. Each of these aspects will be described in more detail below.
Installation activities
In general the dealer, system integrator or other person that is responsible for the implementation of a PADS system at an airport will have to deal with the following activities:
- Setting up a network
- Installation of hardware
- Installation of software
- Configuration of the system
- Integration with existing environment
Taking care of a reliable network topology as well as setting up the hardware is considered as a basic requirement for PADS. This includes the installation of the Microsoft Windows Operating system and the appropriate hardware drivers.
The installation of the software can be split-up into two categories: installation of third party software and installation of the PADS software. Third party software may include the installation of Microsoft Media Player, Microsoft Internet Explorer or Microsoft Access.
The installation of the PADS software consists of running the standard installation program on the server and other PCs that are involved with the PADS system.
After running the standard installation program of PADS one must complete the configuration of the system before it is fully operational.
For instance the PADS Manager application must ‘know’ where the central PADS Database is located. PADS has a number of built-in wizards that make configuring the system very easy-to-do.
At larger airports one will often have to deal with requirements to integrate the system with the existing environment. For instance the system must be able to drive the existing split-flap board or it must automatically schedule presentations on certain events. On can think of all kinds of these so-called custom requirements.
All these requirements can be fulfilled with the Software Development Kit (SDK) of PADS. However this requires the development of custom software solutions by (local) IT developers.
Licenses
The pricing and usage of PADS is based on licenses. Before one can install the PADS software it is important to have the disposal of the correct PADS licenses.
PADS knows two types of licenses:
- PADS Connection licenses
- PADS Server licenses
A PADS Connection license is required for each instance of the following PADS components:
- PADS Manager
- PADS Viewer
A PADS Server license is required for the following PADS component:
- PADS Server
When you want to use the PADS SDK (Software Development Kit) to access the system this also requires licenses. In this case in addition to the licenses described above, each running instance of the PADS SDK requires an extra PADS Connection license.
Updates and maintenance
Once the system has been installed and configured, it requires a minimum of maintenance. However there will always be some administrator tasks like extending the system or installing software updates.
For customers that always want to have the disposal of the latest software versions or that want to have direct e-mail contact with the developers of the product for support, Net Display Systems offers a software update and maintenance contract.
If you also want to have the costs of the system smoothly spread across a longer period of time, then the subscriptions facility of Net Display Systems may be the best solution for you.
If you are interested in the software update and maintenance contract or subscriptions, we can provide you with more information about these facilities.
More Information
Hopefully this document has given you a good explanation of what PADS stands for. In case you still have any questions about the product, please do not hesitate to contact us at:
Net Display Systems b.v.
Luchthavenweg 31
5657 EA Eindhoven
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 (0)40 2661177
Fax: +31 (0)40 2661178
E-mail: info@nds-nl.com
Web: www.fids.comor www.nds-nl.com
We can also provide you with a fully functional evaluation version of the product so you can evaluate the product for a limited period of time.
