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The following figure shows how the integration has to be done.
The communication between the Protel and the NETx Server is based on TCP/IP. In detail, the Protel side acts as a TCP server and the NETx Server acts a TCP client. The protocol itself is based on a communication standard called FIAS.
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The driver is implement as a plugin. Therefore, it has to be installed via the Extension Manager. To do so, stop the server, and start the Extension Manager within the menu "Extensions" within the Core Studio. Select the "Protel" interface and press install as shown in the following screenshot:
After having installed the interface, restart the server.
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To start, open the BMS Studio. First, configure the IP address and port number that you have enter within the web service URL.This can be done by selecting "Driver Configuration" within the menu "Modules" -> "Protel". If this information is not known, please ask the Protel integrator.
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In addition the IP address and the port number, there are several configuration options which depend on the IFC settings at the Protel side. Normally, you can leave the default options. If the communication is not working correctly, please ask the Protel integrator whether "LRC" or "Use Ack" option have to be used. |
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- BuildingNumber
- String, read only
- Specified within Room Definitions within NETx Server
- LevelNumber
- String, read only
- Specified within Room Definitions within NETx Server
- RoomNumber
- String, read only
- Specified within Room Definitions within NETx Server. Must be identically with the room number used within Protel
- Description
- String, read only
- Specified within Room Definitions within NETx Server
- GuestsCount
- UINT8, read only
- Amount of guest that are checked in for this room
- GuestName
- String, read only
- Guest name that is received from Protel
- GuestLanguage
- String, read only
- Language code that is received from Protel . E.g. de, en, es, ...
- GuestVIP
- UINT8, read only
- VIP status that is received from Protel
- RoomCheckedForecast (only available if enabled in "Driver configuration...")
- Boolean, read only
- True if there is a forecast check in for this room – False if room not
- RoomChecked
- Boolean, read only
- True if at least 1 guest is check in this room – False if room is free
- ClassOfService (read only)
- UINT8, read only
- Received from Protel . 0 (Barred/hotel internal only), 1 (local), 2 (national), 3 (no restrictions)
- DoNotDisturb
- Boolean, read only
- True if DND is received from Protel – False otherwise
- RoomStatus
- UINT8, read and writable
- See table below
- ClearText
- String, read and writable
- GuestArrivalDate
- DateTime, read only
- Arrival data and time of guest. Normally this is equal to the checkin data and time. Please keep in mind that Protel is not providing an arrival date before the checkin signal
- GuestDepartureDate
- DateTime, read only
- Scheduled depature data and time of guest.
- PrinterPort
- UINT8, read only
- MessageCount
- UINT8, read only
- Amount of messages that are available for this room
- NextMessage
- Boolean, write only
- If set to true, the next message that is queued within the server is shown within the server item "MessageText"
- MessageText
- String, read only
- Last message that was received from Protel
- GetMessage
- Boolean, write only
- If set to true, all available messages are fetched from Protel and stored within the server. Using the item "NextMessage", these messages can be shown within the item "MessageText"
- SendMessage
- String, read and writable
- Used to send a message to Protel for this room
- MessageLightStatus
- Boolean, write only
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These are the predefined room states that are available within Protel . However, it is possible to specify additional room states for additional functionality. For example, further states for "Do not disturb" or "Make up room" can be defined. Using this additional room states, it is possible to send additional information from the BMS to the Protel system. A typical use case is to add a KNX switch for DND that sends a user-defined room status (e.g. 7 "DND) to the Protel system. These additional room states have to configured within Protel by the Protel integrator.
Forecast check in
Protel provides the possibility to get the check in signal before the hotel guest does the real check in at the hotel reception. If the time interval for this "forecast check in" is set to for example 6 hours, this "forecast check in" can be used to enable the HVAC system for the dedicated room in advance. This has the advantage that there is already a comfort room temperature when the guest arrives at his or her room.
In order to use this functionality, it has to be enabled within the Protel software. For more information, please contact the Protel technical team.
If the "forecast check in" is enabled at the Protel side, you can also enable it with the NETx Server.
Adding control functionality
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