VistaZ Power Activation
This page describes the end-to-end activation process for VistaZ Power — covering both the physical hardware activation and how a deployed unit is automatically identified for missing assignments. The process is designed so that field installers can simply deliver and mount a cabinet without requiring any technical steps on-site.
Overview
VistaZ Power is typically installed in a factory or warehouse before the cabinet is shipped to its final retail destination. Because the device may sit in transit or storage for weeks or months before reaching a store, the activation process is split into two distinct phases:
| Phase | Where | Who | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Factory Association | Manufacturing facility | Factory technician | Record camera-to-cabinet pairing |
| 2. Field Activation | Store / deployment site | Automatic (no manual step) | Cellular pings begin on power-up; backend assigns outlet |
Phase 1 — Factory Association (Camera-to-Cabinet Pairing)
Before a cabinet leaves the factory, the VistaZ Power unit installed in it must be associated with the cabinet's serial number in the CoolR system. This ensures that, when the device eventually comes online in the field, it can be matched to the correct asset record.
Why this matters
Without a factory association, the backend has no way to know which cabinet a device belongs to when it first connects. The association must be recorded at the factory because:
- The device is physically accessible and can be scanned.
- The cabinet serial number and camera serial number are both present at the same outlet.
- Once shipped, re-pairing requires a manual field visit.
Association Options
There are three ways a factory technician can record the camera-to-cabinet association. Choose the option that best fits the factory's tools and connectivity.
Option 1 — Associate Only (Mobile App)
Best for: Factory environments where a smartphone or tablet is available and no Bluetooth connectivity to the device is required. This is the most user-friendly option for factory-line personnel.
Factory Install screen in the CoolR Mobile App
How it works:
- Open the CoolR Mobile App on a smartphone or tablet.
- Navigate to More → Factory Install.
- Select the Cooler Model from the dropdown list.
- Enter or scan the Asset Serial number of the cabinet (barcode or QR code).
- Enter or scan the Camera Serial number of the VistaZ Power unit.
- Tap Next. The app validates the information, creates the asset record, and links the camera to the cabinet.
What happens next:
The asset record is created in the CoolR backend. No Bluetooth or cellular connectivity to the device is required at this point — the device does not need to be powered on.
For full details on each screen element and field, see the Factory Install guide in the Mobile App documentation.
| Capability | Status |
|---|---|
| Available in Mobile App | ✅ Yes |
| Available in Web App | ❌ No |
| Automatically creates asset | ✅ Yes |
| Requires connectivity to device | ❌ No |
| Validates device functionality | ❌ No |
| Recommended for Factory Install | ✅ Recommended |
| Recommended for Warehouse Install | ⚡ Optional |
Option 2 — Associate & Validate (Mobile App)
Best for: Warehouse environments where you want to confirm the device is working correctly before dispatch, and cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity is available at the device.
How it works:
- Open the CoolR Mobile App on a smartphone or tablet.
- Navigate to Install → New Device.
- Scan the Camera Serial Number (QR code on the device label).
- Scan the Cabinet Serial Number (barcode or QR on the cabinet).
- The app communicates with the device over Bluetooth to validate:
- Camera image capture
- Sensor readings (temperature, accelerometer)
- Connectivity status
- Once validated, confirm the pairing. The asset record is created and the device is marked as validated.
What happens next:
The asset record is created and the device is confirmed functional. This is the most thorough pre-deployment check.
| Capability | Status |
|---|---|
| Available in Web App | ❌ No |
| Available in Mobile App | ✅ Yes |
| Automatically creates asset | ✅ Yes |
| Requires connectivity to device | ✅ Yes (Bluetooth) |
| Validates device functionality | ✅ Yes |
| Recommended for Factory Install | ⚡ Optional |
| Recommended for Warehouse Install | ✅ Recommended |
Option 3 — Custom Method (Bulk / File-Based)
Best for: Large-scale factory operations where cameras and cabinets are paired on an assembly line using barcodes or RFID, and a manual app-based process is impractical.
How it works:
- The factory captures camera serial numbers and cabinet serial numbers during the assembly process using scanners, conveyors, or RFID readers.
- The pairings are exported to a CSV or spreadsheet file in the CoolR-specified format.
- The file is uploaded to CoolR via the Web App bulk import or shared directly with the CoolR operations team for processing.
- CoolR creates asset records for each pairing in bulk.
What happens next:
Asset records are created in bulk. No device connectivity is required. Validation of device functionality is not performed through this method and should be handled separately if required.
| Capability | Status |
|---|---|
| Available in Web App | ✅ Via file upload |
| Available in Mobile App | ❌ No |
| Automatically creates asset | ❌ Requires CoolR processing |
| Requires connectivity to device | ❌ No |
| Validates device functionality | ❌ No |
| Recommended for Factory Install | ⚡ Acceptable |
| Recommended for Warehouse Install | ❌ Not Recommended |
Phase 2 — Field Activation (Automatic)
Unlike battery-operated VistaZ units, VistaZ Power does not require a separate cellular activation step before dispatch. The device is designed to activate automatically when it receives DC power in the field.
How it works
Standby Pings on Power-Up
When the cabinet is plugged in at a store (or anywhere with power), the VistaZ Power unit:
- Detects DC power on the input line.
- Enables cellular communication and begins sending periodic pings to the CoolR backend.
- Remains in a low-power standby mode — no images are captured, and no unnecessary data is transmitted.
This design means:
- ✅ Cellular is only active when the cabinet has mains power — no battery drain during shipping or storage.
- ✅ Remote commands (firmware updates, configuration changes, diagnostics) can be sent as soon as the device is powered on.
- ✅ No field technician action is required to "turn on" the device.
Backend: Location Detection on First Ping
When the backend receives a ping from a VistaZ Power device, it attempts to determine the device's location using the onboard GNSS module and/or cellular tower triangulation. The following logic is applied:
1. Ping received from device
2. Backend attempts to geolocate the device
└── Geolocation FAILS (no GPS fix, poor signal)?
→ Log the ping; retry on next ping cycle. No alert raised.
3. Is the device within the customer's assigned country?
├── NO → Do nothing (device is still in transit or foreign warehouse)
└── YES → Is the location a known warehouse?
├── YES → Do nothing (device is in staging, not yet deployed)
└── NO → Raise "Location Mismatch" alert
→ Client / rep assigns outlet in Playbook
Warehouse Outlets
Warehouses should be pre-registered in the CoolR system as a known outlet of type "Warehouse". This prevents false alerts when cabinets are received at a distribution centre before being dispatched to stores.
To register a warehouse:
- Open Playbook and navigate to Configurations → Outlets.
- Add a new outlet (or open an existing one).
- Set the Outlet Type as Warehouse.
Once the outlet is saved as a warehouse, the backend will recognise pings from that outlet and suppress unnecessary alerts.
End-to-End Lifecycle Example
The following example illustrates the full journey of a VistaZ Power unit from manufacture to store deployment.
| Date | Event | Action |
|---|---|---|
| January | Factory installs VistaZ Power in cabinet (India) | Factory technician uses Option 1, 2, or 3 to record camera-cabinet association (Option 2 is optional at factory; recommended at warehouse) |
| January | Cabinet ships to Greece via ocean freight | No action required — device is powered off in transit |
| May | Cabinet arrives at warehouse in Greece | Backend receives no pings (no mains power) — no alerts |
| May–June | Cabinet sits in warehouse | If tested and powered, backend detects known warehouse → no alert |
| June / July | Cabinet is delivered to store and connected to mains power | Device powers on → cellular ping sent → backend detects location → "Location Mismatch" alert raised |
| June / July | Client / rep receives alert in Playbook | Rep assigns outlet and POG in Playbook |
| June / July | Asset goes online | Images captured, telemetry active, asset visible in StoreAware |
Handling the Outlet Assignment via Location Mismatch alert and Planogram assignment via No Planogram alert
When the backend detects that a VistaZ Power unit has powered on at a new (non-warehouse) location, a "Location Mismatch" alert is raised in Playbook. This is the same alert used for other CoolR cabinet types.
Steps to resolve "Location mismatch" alert
- Open Playbook → Tasks → Alert Overview.
- Filter for "Location Mismatch" alerts.
- Locate the asset by serial number.
- Review the device's reported location and any available images.
- Select the correct outlet from the list of Nearby Outlets (sorted by distance) or search by outlet name / code.
- Confirm the assignment. Installation and “Take Picture” commands will be requested immediately for the same VistaZ Power unit, after which the alert will close automatically.
ℹ️ If no appropriate outlet is found in the list, the alert remains open. Contact your CoolR Account Director to add missing outlet locations to the system.
Steps to resolve the “No Planogram” alert (based on the new image, the alert will be generated).
- Assign or approve a Planogram (POG) for the asset when a No Planogram alert is triggered.
- Filter for No Planogram alerts.
- Select the correct planogram from the list; you can search for it by name.
- If an appropriate planogram is not available, you can create one by clicking Create.
- Confirm the assignment from the No Planogram alert. The alert will close automatically once the planogram is assigned for same asset.
Summary
| Step | Who | When | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Associate camera to cabinet | Factory technician | At manufacture | Option 1 (Mobile App), Option 2 (Mobile App + Validate), or Option 3 (Custom) |
| Register warehouses | Customer ops | Before shipments begin | Playbook → Configurations → Outlets → mark as Warehouse |
| Power on at store | Store staff / installer | At field deployment | Plug into DC mains — no further action needed |
| Assign store location | Client / rep | On alert notification | Playbook → Tasks → Alerts → Location mismatch |
| Approve POG | Client / rep | After outlet assigned | Playbook → Tasks → Alerts → No planogram |