The Point of Care version Secure Network Interface has been exclusively designed to support a wide spectrum of OEM applications. This solution connects remote POC instruments to a central POC data management system, via the enterprise network, eliminating the need for additional connection hardware such as terminal servers. This innovative design adds processing power and intelligence at the instrument level enabling local service of the instruments' serial communication protocol, instead of from a remote location on the network.

Connection of POC instrumentation to an LIS is a two-step problem:

1. The need to establish reliable connection of the remote instruments to a central POC Data Management System.
2. Provide connectivity of the Data Management System to the Lab Information System.

Historically, these problems have been addressed by connecting POC instruments to the central DMS using terminal servers or modems. As hospitals upgrade their IT infrastructure, direct network connectivity is available, and is the preferred method of connecting remote instruments. The new SNI-POC is designed to leverage this technology and provide superior connections at a lower cost.

The SNI-POC from Dawning Technologies quickly and easily solves your connectivity problems thanks to its high-level design and our expertise in providing "Smart Connections" to over 2000 clients worldwide.

The SNI-POC provides a dedicated CPU to each remote instrument connection allowing local processing of instrument data records, removing substantial processing demand from the central DMS, improving overall efficiency. By automatically delivering data files to the DMS using an FTP based protocol as opposed to terminal servers, which merely packetize serial data streams, the SNI-POC can decrease network traffic and enhance system reliability.

With the number and complexity of POC instruments increasing you need a solution that can address any of them yet keep routine operation uniform and simple. The SNI-POC provides the power to control communication with any remote POC device, serving the serial protocol close to the analyzer and handling any required front end processing. We hard code most of the configuration for use with a specific analyzer to minimize onsite setup requirements. This simplifies the configuration process, as users only need to deal with a single configuration screen.

The intent is to allow instrument field service personnel or customers to install the SNI-POC with no assistance. The units can be flash updated from a remote workstation at any time to handle reconfiguration. Dawning's experienced programming staff can provide a configuration for any instrument you require.

The new SNI-POC can operate either with a fixed IP address or in a DHCP environment, at the preference of the customer. The addition of a small software utility on the DMS end allows communication via DHCP.

The SNI-POC like the original Secure Network Interface is a web-enabled device that provides access to configuration and diagnostic features via a standard web browser from any authorized remote workstation.

Capable of much more than its basic function of capturing all appropriate result data records produced by the instrument and delivering them to the POC DMS; the SNI-POC offers the option of implementing advanced functionality such as bi-directional communication with the analyzer to handle instrument diagnostic, usage and maintenance information, which offers a more robust and competitive POC solution.

The SNI-POC is less than 6" square, providing all the functionality typically found in a PC based interface in the space of a mini-hub - and at a price comparable to single port terminal servers.

With 21 years demonstrated expertise in hardware, software, network and Web based development; Dawning Technologies can design a configuration of the SNI-POC (or other products) to fit within the frame of a new or existing instrument. Such an embedded solution would provide all the above-described capability at lower cost, presenting an intelligent network port to the outside world. Contact Dawning at 1-800-332-0499, or sales@dawning.com to determine how this might be accomplished for your instrumentation projects.