Glossary
Baseline Comparison
A baseline comparison highlights the difference between a trended variable for the “current” time period versus a prior, “baseline” time range. The difference, or “delta” , shows the net of current minus baseline values, providing an insight to changes in performance over time.
Circular Gauge
The Circular Gauge provides a “speedometer” style display to monitor the real-time value of any variable.
Column Chart
The Column Chart Viewlet can be used to plot the aggregate value for multiple variables over time.
Conditioned Floor Area (CFA)
Conditioned floor area (CFA) is the total floor area (in square units) of enclosed conditioned space on all floors of a building, as measured at the floor level of the exterior surfaces of exterior walls enclosing the conditioned space.
Dashboard
The “dashboard” refers to a user’s custom Periscope window, complete with viewlets.
Dashboard Options Menu
The dashboard options menu is located in the upper-right corner of the Periscope browser window, and allows the user to access the kiosk mode, as well as several other options related to the entire dashboard.
Demand Duration
The Demand Duration Viewlet enables the display of the amount of time a variable is above a specific level during the selected interval.
Drilldown
To drill down means to view and underlying level of data, usually initiated with a double-click.
Drilldown Column Chart
The Drilldown Column Chart Viewlet is an interactive column chart which has the ability to show multiple levels of comparisons. Once configured properly, double-clicking on a column will ‘drill down’ to separate, underlying charts nested within the larger one.
Drilldown Pie Chart
The Drilldown Pie Chart Viewlet is an interactive pie chart which has the ability to show multiple levels of comparisons. Once configured properly, double-clicking on a single slice of the pie will ‘drill down’ to separate, underlying charts nested within the larger one.
Dual Axis
A dual axis enables the evaluation of two different historic variables by charting each on a separate Y-axis.
Guest Profile
A guest profile, which is set up in Niagara’s Workbench tool under User Services, will restrict all configuration options for the assigned user. All configurations for the user’s dashboard should be completed before assigning said user to a guest profile.
FIN Builder and FIN Files
FIN Builder is a product of J2Innovations of Chino, California. This tool enables improved efficiencies in the creation of custom graphics over the traditional Niagara Workbench graphical toolset. Graphics built with this tool are called “FIN files” and are able to be natively archived, recalled, shared and displayed with the FIN Viewlet in Periscope.
History ColorGrid
A history ColorGrid displays variations in the values of data by colorizing the range of values from dark blue (lowest value) to bright red (highest value).
InfoPopup
InfoPopups are informational pop-ups that can be configured for any viewlet. Accessible through the light bulb icon, or the viewlet options menu, they can be presented before each viewlet is displayed in kiosk mode.
JACE
JACE (Java Application Control Engine) controllers are embedded computers running the Niagara Framework software. JACEs are distributed throughout the customer’s network and they provide connectivity to the many different physical systems within a building. JACEs connect to common building automation systems, metering, and other smart devices using protocols such as LonWorks, BACnet, Modbus, and many proprietary protocols. The JACE provides control logic, trending, scheduling and alarming and allows real time point data to be brought into Periscope.
Kiosk Mode
When the kiosk mode is enabled, Periscope automatically cycles through the user’s dashboard, maximizing each viewlet within a single tab for a brief period. This mode gives users the ability to showcase their facility’s performance to the masses.
Line Chart
The Line Chart Viewlet can be used to plot the value for multiple similar variables over time. For each interval over the selected time period, the Viewlet can plot the maximum, minimum, average, or sum of the variable.
Normalize
Normalize means to average data such as energy consumption based upon common units of measure such as square footage. This feature, available within certain viewlet configuration windows, will help a user make a more informed decision on energy usage by eliminating the size difference of locations in side-by- side comparisons. The user must be certain to enter a location’s conditioned square footage area within the Periscope configuration menu for the normalize option to function.
periscopeconfig
periscopeconfig is one of two browsers a user will need to operate Periscope. Requiring super user status to enter, periscopeconfig allows users to set up locations, map and configure data into Periscope, manage user accounts, and more. periscopeconfig is located at http://(IP address of the WS or JACE)/periscopeconfig.
Pie Chart
The Pie Chart Viewlet can be used to show the relative value of multiple variables over time. For each interval over the selected time period, the Viewlet can plot the maximum, minimum, average, or sum of the variable.
Points
Points refer to live, real-time data within the Niagara network. The user is allowed to map numeric and boolean points into Periscope.
Point Table
The Point Table provides a tool to configure and view real-time values of any variable in the network.
Preferred Guest Profile
A preferred guest profile, which is set up in Niagara’s Workbench tool under User Services, will not restrict configuration options for the assigned user, however, any changes a user makes will not persist once they log out of Periscope. The preset dashboard setup which a preferred guest is presented with upon login should therefore be completed before assigning the user to a preferred guest profile.
Profile
A profile is a setting applicable to each user in the UserService of Niagara. Different profile settings can affect individual user’s configuration and/or viewing options (see guest profile and preferred guest profile).
PX Viewlet
The PX Viewlet enables the user to add any Niagara PX page or view (e.g. Alarm Console, etc.) to a viewlet tab.
Ranking Chart
The Ranking Chart enables the user to display comparative values for similar variables, ranked in either increasing or decreasing order. If appropriate, values may be normalized based on certain criteria, such as conditioned area (SF).
Resource Consumption
The Resource Consumption Viewlet can be used to display the monthly or daily consumption of a utility resource (e.g. Electric, Water, Gas, etc.) for one or multiple locations over time.
Rollup
Rollup refers to the user’s ability to select multiple time intervals when summarizing large data sets for display. In most cases the user can choose to display the minimum, maximum, average, and sum of the units at hand. The time rollup lets Periscope know how often to pull those values from the Niagara database for charting purposes.
Utility Performance Index
The Utility Performance Index enables the user to create an analysis of two variables to display inter-relationships. It is an effective way to show relative efficiencies among different locations.
Network Health
The Network Health Viewlet provides a mechanism to view the hierarchy of a network. This viewlet is frequently used to portray the components and health of the Niagara network.
Tabs
Tabs are horizontally aligned organizational tools used to house a user’s separate display windows within Periscope. They can be added, deleted, and renamed at the user’s discretion.
Trends
Trends refer to values that contain historic information. History viewlets are used for displaying trends.
Utility Accounting
The Utility Accounting Viewlet allows the user to import their utility bills and display monthly electricity, gas, and water usage statistics in several different displays.
Viewlet
A Viewlet is a customizable applet that allows users to visualize and configure their data in a variety of ways. Users can populate their dashboard with viewlets by adding them from the viewlet library.
Viewlet Library
The viewlet library contains all of the viewlets available in Periscope. The library can be accessed by selecting the plus tab at the top of the dashboard window. The library presents the user with a brief description and thumbnail image of each viewlet, and also notifies the user which, if any viewlets are not licensed.
Viewlet Options Menu
The viewlet options menu is located under the gear icon in the upper-left corner of each viewlet. The user can choose between a variety of options relating to the individual viewlet. Users can also right-click on the title bar of the viewlet to expose a menu of viewlet options.
Web Supervisor
The Web Supervisor is a desktop server or PC running the Niagara FrameworkTM. The Supervisor is designed to manage a network of JACEs or to monitor points from third party servers. It reduces the costs of managing and controlling multiple buildings and allows centralized engineering, alarming, scheduling and trending of remote equipment. The Web Supervisor supports multiple client workstations, and has an extensive security/ password model to protect user information. A Web Supervisor is often the best location for Periscope because long term trends are generally stored here.
Web Viewlet
The Web Viewlet enables the user to subscribe to any internet or intranet web site and display the page in a Viewlet window.
Workbench
This term refers to the user interface of Tridium’s WorkPlaceAX software. This software is used when first installing Periscope, and again for certain viewlets which require it.
Year-Over-Year-Viewlet
The Year-Over-Year Viewlet provides a side-by-side comparison of the monthly value of up to two variables over multiple years for one or more selected months. This is useful for a quick analysis of performance over time.