Implementation of an Internet‐Based Data Acquisition System Prototype for Drugs Storage

Abstract

This study presents an Internet‐based data acquisition system (IDAS) prototype for monitoring the storage temperature and humidity of drugs. It allows direct real‐time TCP/IP protocol interface of any serial‐interfaced and parallel‐interfaced device to an Ethernet, even the Internet, providing a non‐proprietary communication link between virtually any type of host, with both passive and active connection capabilities. The main advantages of IDAS are easy implementation, low cost, rapid measurement, anti‐virus capabilities, and the avoidance of new dedicated wiring tangles by use of existing telephone, Ethernet or Internet linkage. IDAS theory and practical implementation are presented, as well as experimental verification for a variety of conditions. It is found that actual performance is limited by server PC performance, specifically, PC interruptions resulting from computer viruses, operational errors by unauthorized users, automatic updating of the PC operating system, etc. Both system set‐up and operational costs are far lower than in traditional systems using individual PCs to connect remote sensors to the Internet.