Network AIS Multiplexer (a.k.a. AISMUX)
Why Do I Need a Network AIS Multiplexer (MUX)?
If you are a government agency, port authority, cruise line, or marine cargo transport operator, you care about the real-time location of marine vessels. With AIS transponders already installed on all larger vessels, the information is out there – in the air – just waiting for you to put it to use. If the vessels you care about are already broadcasting their locations every few seconds, why is it so hard to get access to those signals?
Because AIS is a VHF radio technology, the signal can only be received within a relatively short distance of the vessel’s transponder (roughly 25 to 500 nm, depending on interference). So, in order to track vessels over any distance, you need a way to listen on a large number of geographically distributed receivers simultaneously.
Several global AIS networks have sprung up in recent years to help you with that challenge. Perhaps a subscription to one of those services will meet your needs. If not, you will find yourself in a pickle. Why? Because while it is relatively easy to deploy a single AIS receiver at a single location and hook it up to a PC-based chart plotter, no readily-available commercial solution allows you to deploy your own distributed AIS receiver network or hook into an existing network. The problem lies in the complexity of tying the multiple signals together into one data feed – an operation known as multiplexing (or MUXing).
To help you with that challenge, I have developed AISMUX, a specialized piece of server software that allows you to connect any number of AIS receivers to form your own distributed AIS receiver network. Moreover, AISMUX allows you to augment the signals of your own receivers with those of other agencies or AIS network operators. You can also intelligently filter the output, making multiple feeds available, each containing signals from the receivers you choose. And AISMUX is fully compliant with NMEA standards, removing any proprietary garbage it finds in AIS receiver signals.
Because AISMUX is written in Java, it runs on any server operating system; you can deploy to Windows or Linux with equally good results. And due to AISMUX’s modular design, you can easily integrate it with your other web-based systems. Any system administrator or IT technician should have no difficulty installing, configuring, and operating AISMUX.
For more information about AISMUX, or to obtain a free evaluation license, please contact me at aismux@gregoryhancock.com. I also selectively offer consulting services on projects where I can make a dramatic impact.
If you need assistance with decoding AIS data streams, take a look at the AIS Parser SDK available from Brian C. Lane at http://www.aisparser.com/.
AISMUX can be used to feed Coastal Explorer navigation software, available from Rose Point Navigation Systems at http://www.rosepointnav.com/.
For high-sensitivity AIS Receivers to deploy in your AIS network, check out Shine Micro’s offerings at http://www.shinemicro.com/.