The Ranges feature in DataTalk provides a flexible way to define and manage value groups and their associated behaviors. These ranges can be used to trigger alarms, animations, or other system functionalities where limits or intervals play a key role. We recommend creating range templates first so that you can quickly use them all over the project without the need to specify it for each particular tag. Ranges work sort of as a template.

Key Features:

1. Limits Tab:

• Assign either dynamic values (read from a tag) or static values to specific limits.
• Customize default colors for each limit to enhance visual representation.
• Use the “help” dial to graphically preview and verify the limits you’ve set.

2. Interval Tab:

• Define intervals using a from/to approach, which can be:
  • Dynamic: Based on a connection tag.
  • Static: Set manually by the user.

3. Value-to-Text Mapping Tab:

• Map static values to corresponding text descriptions.
• Activate or deactivate alarm notifications using the bell icon.

4. Binary Mapping Tab:

• Translate binary data into readable text by mapping individual bits to specific textual values.

Hysteresis explanation:

Value Hysteresis:
The alarm has two threshold values:
Activation threshold (High Limit or Low Limit)
Deactivation threshold (Return Limit)
The alarm activates only when the monitored value crosses the activation threshold.
The alarm deactivates only when the value returns past the return limit.

Example:
High limit: 80
Return limit: 75
If the value rises above 80, the alarm is triggered.
The alarm stays active until the value drops below 75, avoiding unnecessary toggling if the value hovers around 80.

Time Hysteresis (Delay):
The alarm does not trigger immediately when the threshold is crossed.
It must remain above (or below) the threshold for a defined time delay before activation.
Similarly, deactivation occurs only if the value remains within the return limit for a defined time period.

Example:
Activation threshold: 80
Time delay: 5 seconds
The value must stay above 80 continuously for 5 seconds before the alarm is triggered.
If it drops below 80 before 5 seconds pass, the alarm does not activate.

When the Alarm is Activated and Deactivated
Activation:
When the monitored value exceeds the activation threshold and stays above it for the set time delay.
Deactivation:
When the monitored value returns past the return limit and stays within the safe range for the set time delay.

This mechanism ensures that minor fluctuations do not trigger false alarms and that alarms remain meaningful and actionable.

Benefits:

• Enhanced Control: Enables detailed management of system behaviors tied to specific tag values.
• Customization: Offers a variety of options, from dynamic limits to user-defined intervals, ensuring flexibility.
• Ease of Use: Features like graphical previews and color customization simplify the process of managing ranges.

Ranges are then used/chosen for the alarms in the tags database or in the animations.

Did you know?

You can use dynamic limits by selecting a tag or equation instead of statical values

You can use placeholders such as {tag.label} in the alarm description, which will be replaced by the tag inherited data (Of the tag) from the tags database.