OWNER_____________________________ VESSEL_____________________________ RADIO CALL SIGN_____________________ Technical Users Guide Float Free 406 S-VDR Memory Capsule Product No. 2515 Cat. 1 RLB-35MC Y1-03-0202 Rev. E FCC Type Accepted Patent Pending ACR Electronics, Inc. 5757 Ravenswood Road Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 Tel : +1 (954) 981-3333 Fax: +1 (954) 983-5087 www.acrartex.com Email: info@acrartex.
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Table of Contents 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1 2. Specifications ............................................................................................................................. 1 3. Power-Over-Ethernet ............................................................................................................... 2 4. Connecting for Evaluation ....................................
13. Change IP Address and Subnet Mask Command Structure ............................................ 29 13.1. Header .............................................................................................................................. 29 13.2. Operation Command ........................................................................................................ 29 13.3. Operation Subcommand................................................................................................... 29 13.
1. Introduction The ACR Electronics RLB-35MC is an EPIRB containing a module with nonvolatile memory (FLASH) intended to store ship parameters from an S-VDR in real time. The storage memory will continually store the last 12 hours or more of received data. The interface between the S-VDR (Simplified Voyage Data Recorder) and the memory capsule is with standard CAT-5 Ethernet cable. Protocol is the standard TCP over IP or TCP/IP.
3. Power-Over-Ethernet PoE technology brings power, as well as data transfer, to the RLB-35MC via a standard twisted-pair Ethernet cable. In effect, PoE provides a new standards-based way for a computer to provide power to a wide variety of remote equipment in areas where it is physically or financially prohibitive to offer normal power.
4. Connecting for Evaluation Connect the RLB-35MC to a PC using the following illustration: PC Testing Computer DATA RLB-35MC Power Supply DATA + PWR 100-250 VAC 50/60 Cycle Either the cable between the PC and power supply or the RLB-35MC and power supply will need to be a CAT-5 “cross-over” cable. The supplied “green” cable included in the kit is a cross-over cable which can be used. On the test PC, set the NIC TCP/IP address to 192.168.2.19. 3 Y1-03-0202 Rev.
5. Evaluation Software Program 5.1. Purpose The RLB-35MC demo software is for evaluating the RLB-35MC only and is not meant for use in actual VDR or S-VDR systems. 5.2. Version Compatibility TCP_REC demo software versions 1.20 and higher have an option to reset the capsule IP address and/or subnet mask; only RLB-35MC Memory Board Software Version B and higher have this ability.
the Microsoft .NET Framework so it may be necessary to download this software from the Microsoft website if the test PC does not already have the Framework software installed. Please note that our demo software has not been tested on Windows Vista. 5.4. Test To begin, click the “Ping Test Start” button and confirm a successful ping test in the Logging window. If the ping results display a fail message, communications between the testing PC and the RLB-35MC has not been established.
Next continue with the ‘Test’ and the ‘Status’ buttons and note the results displayed in the logging text box where the ping results were listed. 5.5. Data Upload Mode Two options are available on the demonstration software for writing to the Main Memory area. Select an upload option before connecting to the port and writing a file into memory. Select menu item “Data Upload Mode” and note the two options. When selected a check mark appears to the left of the option. 6 Y1-03-0202 Rev.
Force RLB-35MC Pointer Reset. This option will reset the current write location to the beginning of Main Memory. Note: To read back the data just written, choose the ‘Download from beginning of memory to current write location’ option from the ‘RLB35MC Data Receive Setup’ window, then click the ‘Receive Data’ button. See the Demo Data Download Mode Section below. Enter Data Burst Mode This mode writes a file to the Main Memory area starting at the current write location.
Download from the beginning of memory to current write location This option reads the Main Memory area starting at the first address in the partition and ending at the current write location. This can be used to read back a compete file when used in conjunction with the data upload option ‘Force RLB-35MC Pointer Reset’. Download the complete memory from start to end This option also reads all of the Main Memory area but starts at the first address in the partition and ends at the last address.
Disconnecting Port 7100 The port is automatically closed by the RLB-35MC after a read. 5.7. Ship Configuration For evaluation, only a small amount of data is stored in the Configuration Memory area. To access this area, click menu item ‘Ship Configuration’ to open the following dialog window. To store the three items, click on the ‘Store Configuration’ button. The data in the windows can be modified if desired. Click the ‘Retrieve Configuration’ button to read back what was written. 9 Y1-03-0202 Rev.
5.8. IP Address and Subnet Mask Setting a New IP Address and Subnet Mask To change the IP address or subnet mask, click menu item ‘File’ then click ‘Configure Capsule IP Address and Subnet Mask’ to open the following dialog window. Change the IP address and/or subnet mask and click the ‘Save’ button. The IP address and subnet mask displayed in the lower right corner of the demo software screen will display the new values. Cycle the power to the RLB-35MC Memory Board for the new values to take effect.
Forcing the IP Address and Subnet Mask Back to the Default Values To force the RLB-35MC Memory Board back to its default state with no user set values in effect and with the default IP address of 192.168.2.100 and subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 reinstated, do the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Remove power from the Memory Board. Remove the CFC from its holder. Apply power to the Memory Board with the CFC still removed. Wait 10 seconds. Remove power from the Memory Board. Re-engage the CFC in its holder.
Bytes 0 – 6, 10, and 11 are part of the command string sent by the user to the RLB-35MC Memory Board. Bytes 7 – 9 and 12 – 14 are returned by the RLB-35MC Memory Board with the echoed command string in response to a ‘Test’ command (‘E’ command and ‘0’ subcommand); only bytes 12 and 13 are returned with the command string in response to a ‘Status’ command (‘S’ command). 6.2. Header The first four (4) bytes are a fixed value header with hexadecimal values of AC, 53, CA, 35. 6.3.
6.5. Reset Write Pointer Decimal Number Hex Value 0 0x00 Do not reset the current write address pointer of the specified memory partition. 1 0x01 Reset the current write address pointer of the specified memory partition to the first address in the partition. Definition 6.6. CFC Size Bytes 7 and 8 indicate the CFC size in gigabytes or megabytes as a decimal number. 6.7.
6.10. Software Version Byte 14 is in ASCII format and indicates the RLB-35MC Memory Board’s software version. 7. Valid Commands The possible valid combinations during normal VDR operations are as follows: Operation Command Operation Subcommand Reset Write Pointer CFC Size MSB CFC Size LSB CFC Size Magnitude Read Offset MSB Read Offset LSB Status Flags MSB Status Flags LSB Software Version 7.1.
When reading (dumping) all of Main Memory data out of the RLB-35MC two commands are available. The ‘D’ command with a 16-bit offset value represents the number of megabytes ahead of the current writing position to start reading. For example, if the read offset is 7 MB and the current write address is 0x2110, the data dump would begin at 0x2117. All of Main Memory’s data would be read ending with the last read at address 0x2116.
When requesting the RLB-35MC Memory Board status, two commands are available; both the ‘S’ and ‘E’’0’ command return the command with the error flags set as necessary, additionally the ‘E’’0’ command returns the CFC size and software version. 8. TCP/IP Communications Data Flow Once the command is sent to the RLB-35MC, confirmation will be returned back to the client as an “echo” of the initial 16 byte command.
9. TCP/IP Communications Data Write Example Start All write commands are on port 7000. Open socket Connection on Port 7000 Write data into main data partition. AC,53,CA,35,57,31,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00 Send write command to RLB-35MC Command echoed back? No Yes Send data packet to RLB-35MC No End of data? Yes Close socket connection End See section 5.3 for how to execute this sequence using our demo software. 17 Y1-03-0202 Rev.
10. TCP/IP Communications Data Read Examples 10.1. Data Read All with Read Offset Example Start All read commands are on port 7100.
Data read all download with offset example (continued) Write Pointer Read Pointer 5Mb Offset New Data Snapshot of the Read Pointer Address is captured. Old Data Pointer Advancement Write Pointer Read Pointer New Data Old Data Pointers advanced during a read and write condition. Pointer Advancement Write Pointer Read Pointer New Data Old Data New Data Pointers “wrap around” when reaching top of memory.. New Data Read pointer is equal to the snapshot address at the begin of read.
10.2. Data Read All without Read Offset Example Start All read commands are on port 7100. Open socket Connection on Port 7100 Read ALL data from main data partition from begin to end. AC,53,CA,35,46,31,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00 Send command to RLB-35MC Command echoed back? No Yes Read data packet from RLB-35MC No Close socket connection RLB-35MC closed socket? Yes End Note that this is the ‘Download the complete memory from start to end’ option in the ‘RLB-35MC Data Receive Setup’ window.
10.3. Data Read Example Start All read commands are on port 7100. Open socket Connection on Port 7100 Read back 330MB of data from main data partition. AC,53,CA,35,53,31,00,00,00,00,01,4A,00,00,00,00 Note: 330 = 0x14A Send command to RLB-35MC Command echoed back? No Yes Read data packet from RLB-35MC No Close socket connection Socket closed? Yes End Note that this is the ‘Download Megabytes’ option in the RLB-35MC Data Receive Setup window, with 330 MB entered as the number of megabytes to read.
10.4. Read Status Memory Example Start All read commands are on port 7100 Open socket Connection on Port 7100 Read Status Memory. AC,53,CA,35,52,33,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00 Send command to RLB-35MC Command echoed back? No Yes Read data packet from RLB-35MC No Close socket connection Socket closed? Yes End Note that our demo software does not demonstrate this option. 22 Y1-03-0202 Rev.
11. Ship Configuration 11.1. Data An area of data defining the configuration of the S-VDR and the sensors is written into the final recording medium during commissioning of the S-VDR. This configuration data is permanently retained in the final recording and protected from modification other than by a duly authorized person. Changes to the configuration data block does not affect the normal recording of the mandatory items.
11.3. Write Ship Configuration Example Start All write commands are on port 7000. Open socket Connection on Port 7000 Write data into ship configuration partition. AC,53,CA,35,57,32,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00 Send write command to RLB-35MC Command echoed back? No Yes Send data packet to RLB-35MC No End of data? Yes Close socket connection End Note that this is the ‘Store Configuration’ option on our demo software’s ‘Ship Configuration Setup’ menu. 24 Y1-03-0202 Rev.
11.4. Read Ship Configuration Example Start All read commands are on port 7100 Open socket Connection on Port 7100 Read Ship Configuration Memory. AC,53,CA,35,52,32,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00 Send command to RLB-35MC Command echoed back? No Yes Read data packet from RLB-35MC No Close socket connection Socket closed? Yes End Note that this is the ‘Retrieve Configuration’ option on our demo software’s ‘Ship Configuration Setup’ menu. 25 Y1-03-0202 Rev.
12. Data Integrity Flags 12.1. Bit Definitions Bytes within the command string at offset location 12 and 13 make up a 16 bit status flag. This 16 bit word can be monitored to determine if there are any failures or data integrity problems within the RLB-35MC capsule. If the flag word is at 0x0000, no fail reports have been detected. A non-zero flag word would mean a failure has been detected.
12.2. Status Request for Error Flag Word Example Start Status request is on port 7200 Open socket Connection on Port 7200 Read Error Flag Word only. AC,53,CA,35,53,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00 Send Status Request command to RLB-35MC No Command echoed back? Yes Read data packet from RLB-35MC Flag Word = 0? Yes No RLB-35MC Fail Close socket connection End Note that the ‘Status’ button of the demo software demonstrates this command. The error flags are returned in response to this command.
12.3. Test Request for Error Flags, CFC Size, and Software Version Example Start Test request is on port 7200 Open socket Connection on Port 7200 Read Error Flag Word, CFC Size, and Software Version. AC,53,CA,35,45,30,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00 Send Test Request command to RLB-35MC No Command echoed back? Yes Read data packet from RLB-35MC Flag Word = 0? Yes No RLB-35MC Fail Close socket connection End Note that the ‘Test’ button of the demo software demonstrates this command.
13. Change IP Address and Subnet Mask Command Structure The RLB-35MC’s IP address and subnet mask can be changed from the factory set default values of 192.168.2.100 and 255.255.255.0, respectively, in RLB-35MC Memory Board Software Version B and higher. The command string is sixteen (16) bytes in length and has the same fixed command header as the communications command string.
13.5. New Subnet Mask Bytes 10 – 13 are the new subnet mask arranged so the MSB of the 4byte subnet mask is in byte 10 and the LSB is in byte 13. Below is an example of a new subnet mask of 255.255.255.252: Byte Position 10 Decimal Notation Hex Notation 255 0xFF 11 255 0xFF 12 255 0xFF 13 252 0xFC Note that the subnet mask should be sent with the IP address even if only the IP address is being changed. 30 Y1-03-0202 Rev.
13.6. Setting a New IP Address and Subnet Mask Example Start Set IP Address & Subnet Mask request is on port 7200 Open socket Connection on Port 7200 Set IP Address & Subnet Mask. AC,53,CA,35,49,50,C0,A8,02,4B,FF,FF,FF,00,00,00 Send Set IP Address & Subnet Mask request to RLB-35MC Command echoed back? The above example is for an IP Address of 192.168.2.75 and a Subnet Mask of 255.255.255.0.
