External Control System Api - Tech Works MC-IP Series Manual

External Control System API

An API can be used when Systems Integrators want to use a separate touch screen control
console that is also used for things like door control, lighting, and cameras. If external control
is to be used, it is highly recommended that a router be used to isolate the MC-IP network
from any other network. Only the necessary ports and traffic should be allowed to pass
through the router as needed. If a router is used, it should NOT be configured as a DHCP
server. The LAN IP settings of the router should be the following:
IP: 172.30.100.1
MASK: 255:255:255:0
Subnet: 172.30.100.1
The HOST is able to be controlled through ASCII based commands sent via TCP at IP
address 172.30.100.2 on port 60000. Commands are structured in the format of [command
source destination \r\n]. HOST response commands are structured similar but have a
response designation at the start of the message [response] [original command].
Commands received by the HOST will be responded to in the following ways. Any command
that is an invalid command will be returned with a Fail response. Any command that is a valid
command will be returned with an Ackd response. The one exception is that a valid
command can be sent to the Host and it could return a Busy response. This would happen
if the command sent is not possible to be acted upon. An example of this, is that if a 116 has
a Station in communication and I want to talk to it, I would get back a Busy response as the
Host is unable to connect the call. These return responses are followed by the original
command.
Example:
If a command of Hello 0 0 \r\n is sent, the return response would be Fail Hello 0 0 \r\n.
If a command of Ical 0 9 \r\n is sent, then the return response would be either Ackd Ical 0 9
\r\n or Busy Ical 0 9 \\r\n, depending on the "busy" state of the ODC and the Station.
If a command of Ical 9 \r\n is sent, then the return response would be Fail Ical 9 \r\n , since
the value 2 is missing.
Specific API commands from the MC-IP-HOST will be sent to the control system indicating
what is going on with the Intercom. The control system will send specific API commands to
tell the MC-IP-HOST what to do. Each command is followed by an ODC-ID (O), Station-ID
(S), and/or PageGroup (P) and a carriage return (\r) and line feed (\n). The commands are
structured as [Command] space [Source] space [Destination] space [\r\n]
"Ical" – Intercom Call - When an ODC wants to talk to a Station.
Command: Ical O S \r\n // Connect comms O to S
Response: Ackd Ical O S, Icom O S (If the call is connected)
Example: lcal 2 47\r\n
This would be where Operator ODC #2 tries to connect to Station #47
1/24/2021 Tech Works MC-IP-Series System Planning & Installation Manual Page 26 of 32