PCATS Device Integration Committee Sets Agenda for the 2009 Annual Conference

The Petroleum Convenience Alliance for Technology Standards (PCATS) announced today that the Device Integration Standards Committee will be meeting at the 2009 PCATS Annual Conference to be held the week of January 26, 2009, in Orlando, Florida.

In making the announcement, Ken Ringeman, chair of the Device Integration Committee, stated, "At the 2009 PCATS Annual Conference, our goal is to prepare the Open Site Architecture and complete device specifications for full certification.  This will allow vendors to certify that their products are PCATS compliant and interoperable within the Open Site Architecture framework.  The committee will be reviewing certification needs for the autosafe and the electronic sign specifications.  Certification is an important goal for retailers who expect plug-and-play devices as well as interoperability among their various deployed systems."

Mr. Ringeman added that, "In addition to certification, the committee will be looking at completing the specification for the tank gauge as well as initiating work on carwash and building facilities management such as HVAC and refrigerator control.  The addition of these specifications will provide a complete interoperable network within a convenience store."

Scott Wood, Director of Standards at PCATS, stated, "The Open Site Architecture is one of the most important projects in which PCATS has been involved.  This framework will finally allow retailers to be able to choose best of breed products for their site operations.  In addition, it opens up additional markets for vendors that may have previously been unattainable due to the high cost of development for these specific platforms."

Mr. Wood stressed that, "For any of the PCATS standards to be successful, input from the retailer community is vital.  For this reason we encourage all retailers regardless of membership status to attend this committee meeting to ensure that their needs are being addressed."

The complete committee agenda and other 2009 Annual Conference news are available by calling +1-703-836-0919 or by visiting the PCATS Website at http://www.pcats2009.org.