Configuring a Vocera TAP Adapter

Description of the settings that enable direct communication between the Vocera TAP Adapter and the Vocera Platform.

Select an empty field and begin typing, or select an existing value and type over it. To keep an existing value, do not edit that field.
  1. Access the Vocera Platform Web Console and navigate to the adapters.
  2. Select New Adapter in the Action menu, or select an adapter you wish to configure and then select Edit, to display the configuration fields. The configuration fields are the same for new and existing adapters.
  3. Navigate to the New Adapter option, or navigate to an existing adapter to edit. See Creating a New Adapter and Editing an Adapter for instruction as needed.
    The configuration fields are the same for new and existing adapters.
  4. Complete the configuration fields as described in the table.
    Configuration Field Description
    Component Name Click the Component Name field to display a list of the systems and devices that the Vocera Platform currently supports. Select the name of the adapter to create.
    Reference Name

    Enter a short descriptive name in the Reference Name field to uniquely identify an adapter instance. It may demonstrate the adapter function or other information; for example, Production adapter may differentiate a live adapter from a development or "sandbox" adapter.

    Likewise, unique reference names are important to distinguish multiple TAP adapters in one Vocera Platform. Good examples for Vocera TAP Adapter are "Digi 20" and "Digi 21", or "Responder 4, Zone 1" and "Responder 4, Zone 2". Similar names may vary based on the number and types of systems installed in a facility.

  5. Complete the Common Settings configuration fields as described in the table.
    Common Settings Configuration Field Description
    System Type

    Vocera Platform currently supports a variety of systems connecting via TAP.

    When integrating with one of the following supported vendors, select the correct nurse call system from the System Type drop-down list:

    • Rauland Borg
    • Simplex Grinnell
    • TekTone
    • GE Dukane
    • Masimo
    • Executone

    If you are integrating any other type system communicating via TAP, select Generic from the drop-down menu.

    TAP Password

    If required, enter the password for the nurse call or paging system, allowing Vocera Platform authentication to interact with the system. If a password is provided, it must be six alphanumeric characters.

    If no password is provided, this field can be left blank.

    Note: This option is not required and is not commonly configured for TAP.
  6. Complete the TAP Receiving configuration fields as described in the table.
    This section describes how to modify the Vocera Platform settings for receiving messages from TAP. These fields also specify the extent which received messages are accepted by Vocera Platform, as well as the application of filters for those messages.
    TAP Receiving Configuration Field Description
    Listen for Messages?

    Select the appropriate option from the drop-down list to configure the amount of data that Vocera Platform recognizes from messages through TAP. This field allows the choice of appropriate options for an individual facility's needs. In Vocera Platform, any message accepted is reported to the Audit Log for tracking and future reporting if necessary. If the message is not accepted, no logging occurs.

    The options available are explained here:

    • The Accept all messages option receives all data from TAP regardless of content. This choice also allows a facility to choose whether or not to send or forward specific messages later in the setup, knowing that Vocera Platform is receiving and storing all data in the Data Manager. This is the recommended setting.
    • The Accept messages that match the following pattern(s) option tells the adapter to listen only for messages that are sent for specific numbers. This filtering option is usually chosen when facilities need to send messages to multiple systems (Vocera Platform and at least one other system).
    • The Do not listen for messages option tells Vocera Platform to ignore all data sent via TAP.
    Receiving Filter List

    If the filtering option Accept messages that match the following pattern (described above) was chosen, enter all numbers in the Receiving Filter List field from which Vocera Platform receives messages. These are the only numbers the adapter listens for, and the only numbers to have data stored in the Data Manager. If the adapter is configured to listen for and accept messages, the receiving port must be specified. Additionally, the receiving host must be provided, unless the adapter is configured to listen as a TCP server.

    The most common filters are four, five, or ten digit strings. Filters can be numbers of digits, specific numbers, or a pattern composed of a range of numbers and wildcard symbols (X, the wildcard symbol for Filters) that work for any number, to accommodate multiple numbers in a single field. Enter each filter on a separate line in the Receiving Filter List field.

    Message Timeout

    Enter the expected length of time, in minutes, between TAP messages. If no messages are processed within this time, an audit event is reported. A message timeout value is required and displays 60 minutes by default.

    TCP Server

    Leave this checkbox de-selected to allow the Vocera TAP Adapter to be the client. In this default configuration, the digibox or TAP device is configured to make the TCP connection as a server and the Vocera TAP Adapter is configured to be the client. Vocera recommends this default configuration.

    Alternatively, you can select this checkbox to enable the Vocera TAP Adapter to make the TCP connection as a server, and configure the digibox or TAP device to make the connection as a client. Note that in this configuration the Receive Host field is not needed, and is removed from the display upon selecting the TCP Server checkbox.

    See Configuring a Serial Device to Work with Vocera Platform for additional information.

    Receive Host

    This field displays when the Vocera TAP Adapter is configured as a client. Enter the host of the digibox or TAP device that is configured as the server. Use either the hostname string or the IP address of the device. Note that when the Vocera TAP Adapter is configured as the server, the host is not required and this field does not display.

    See Configuring a Serial Device to Work with Vocera Platform for additional information.

    Receive Port

    Enter the port to use for TCP communication with the TAP device. This value is a value between 1 and 65535 and must uniquely identify each port for a shared host. If the Send Port is configured to act as a TCP server, each TCP server port must also be uniquely identified.

    See Configuring a Serial Device to Work with Vocera Platform for additional information.

  7. Complete the TAP Sending configuration fields as described in the table.

    This section details the modification of the Vocera Platform settings for sending messages from Vocera Platform. These fields control the amount of outbound traffic from the adapter, as well as the application of filters for those messages.

    Note: In order for messages to be forwarded, receiving must be set to Accept all messages or Accept messages that match the following pattern(s).
    TAP Sending Configuration Field Description
    Forward Filtered Messages?

    Select the appropriate option from the drop-down list to configure the amount of data that the adapter sends or forwards. This field allows the choice of appropriate options for an individual facility's needs.

    Note: To enable sending even if not forwarding, select the Forward All Messages option. This option hides the filter list field from the TAP Sending menu.

    The options are explained below:

    • The Do not forward option does not send any data or messages from TAP regardless of content. Select this option if you will not be sending any TAP messages.
    • The Forward messages that match the following pattern(s) option tells Vocera Platform to only forward messages that are sent from specific numbers. This is the only option for message forwarding which allows the use of filters. This option is usually chosen when facilities need to send messages to a single system because only one TAP destination is allowed.
    • The Forward all messages option tells Vocera Platform to forward all messages sent from the previously chosen message type.
    • The Forward all messages that are not accepted option tells Vocera Platform to forward any messages for which no message types match.
    Sending Filter List

    Vocera Platform will forward messages to another system when the message's recipients match what is contained within the Filter List. The most common filters are four, five, or ten digit strings. The numbers can be assorted mixtures of digits (0-9) and wildcard symbols (the letter X is the wildcard symbol) that work for any number to accommodate multiple numbers in a single field.

    TCP Server

    Leave this checkbox de-selected to allow the Vocera TAP Adapter to be the client. In this default configuration, the digibox or TAP device is configured to make the TCP connection as a server and the Vocera TAP Adapter is configured to be the client. Vocera recommends this default configuration.

    Alternatively, you can select this checkbox to enable the Vocera TAP Adapter to make the TCP connection as a server, and configure the digibox or TAP device to make the connection as a client. Note that in this configuration the Send Host field is not needed, and is removed from the display upon selecting the TCP Server checkbox.

    See Configuring a Serial Device to Work with Vocera Platform for additional information.

    Send Host

    This field displays when the Vocera TAP Adapter is configured as a client. Enter the host of the digibox or TAP device that is configured as the server. Use either the hostname string or the IP address of the device. Note that when the Vocera TAP Adapter is configured as the server, the host is not required and this field does not display.

    See Configuring a Serial Device to Work with Vocera Platform for additional information.

    Send Port

    Enter the port to use for TCP communication with the TAP device.

    See Configuring a Serial Device to Work with Vocera Platform for additional information.

  8. Complete the Message Type configuration fields as described in the table.

    Message Types are used to store message data within the Data Manager. Stored message data may trigger a Rule or be used at a later time for a display on a Workflow page, for filtering a View, be referenced in another Rule, or any other use of data permitted by Vocera Platform.

    This section describes how to configure the Regex strings and mappings that are used to decode the message data. The system matches message types in the order which they are defined. After the first message type has been successfully matched and processed, no further attempt is made to match any subsequent message type. If a message type is successfully matched, but there is an error in processing the data, the system will continue to the next message type. See Understanding Regular Expressions for an overview explanation and examples of Regex code and mappings.

    Select New Message Type in the Message Types section at the bottom of the configuration page, and complete the fields described below.

    Note: Multiple message types have to be created in order to accommodate every possibility for sent or received messages. The default new Message Type configuration fields display as shown below. Complete the fields in the Message Types page as described in the following sections.
    Message Type Configuration Field Description
    Reference Name

    Enter a descriptive name for the collection of settings specified in the new Message Type being created, such as Alerts, or Cancelled Alerts. Replace the default entry (New Message Type) in the Reference Name field.

    Active

    Select the Active checkbox to allow the Vocera Platform to use the new Message Type. The Vocera Platform will ignore the Message Type if this option is disabled.

    Starting Dataset

    Select the Starting Dataset from the drop-down list that will serve as a starting point for the attributes or attribute expressions included in the Regex mapping. See Understanding Regular Expressions for an overview explanation and examples of Regex code and mappings.

    Store Message Recipient

    Select the Store Message Recipient checkbox. It is recommended that this option be selected.

    Selecting the Store Message Recipient checkbox causes the Message Type fields expand to include a new Recipient Regex and Recipient Value field in the display.

    Recipient Regex

    Specify a regular expression that matches the key of the message; the recipient. If this field is empty, the regex default is the generic (.+) expression to provide backwards compatibility. For example, "([A-Z0-9]+)@*.*" will allow alphanumeric usernames such as User01@ext-inc.com to be used as the recipient.

    Note: To prevent high CPU loads, each regular expression used in the appliance is limited to run for five seconds. If the regular expression's processing time exceeds this threshold, an audit event is generated and the regex fails to match results. See Understanding Regular Expressions for an overview explanation and examples of Regex code and mappings.
    Recipient

    Specify the attribute path to the recipient of the incoming message in this field, when Store Message Recipient is selected above.

    This value is where Vocera Platform looks for data required to send messages. An example of an attribute path would be line.number.

    Note: Information below varies based on a facility's individual method for sorting patients as well as its organization of internal messages. The following examples are not to be taken as universal nor should they be used in place of otherwise needed changes.
     
    Recipient Value

    Specify a value that the recipient path will map to in Recipient Value. For example, if the regex (below) is "([A-Z0-9]+)@(*).(*)" and the recipient (above) is User01@ext-inc.com, then $2 can be used to store "ext-inc". If this field is empty, the first capture group will be captured; in this case, "User01".

    Regex

    Create a Regex string to parse the body of the incoming message into the value paths contained in the Regex Mapping below. The example given is a sample Regex string which shows where to find a patient with an alert in a facility that produces bed data.

    Each segment of this Regex code corresponds with a mapping in the following Regex Mapping field.

    The Regex string for this example is: (\d+\*(\d+)\*(1|2))\s+(.*)

    Regex Mapping

    Specify one or more attributes or attribute paths in the Regex Mapping field. Regex mapping values are displayed one per line. See Understanding Regular Expressions for an overview explanation and examples of Regex code and mappings.

    The following mappings are used for this example:

    • bed.pillow_number
    • bed.room.room_number
    • bed.bed_number
    • alert.type
    Note: There can only be one attribute per line that corresponds to a segment in the Regex Mapping code.
    Clone Message Type

    Select Clone to create a duplicate of the selected message type. The reference name of the cloned message type will automatically be unique, and will be set as inactive by default.

    Remove Message Type

    If one or more message type is created, the ability to remove a message type becomes active. Select Removeto delete the message type from the adapter configuration.

  9. Select one of the available options to exit the adapter configuration page. See Saving an Adapter for details.