Agrident GmbH, Steinklippenstrasse 10, D-30890 Barsinghausen Phone +49 5105 582573-10 - Fax +49 5105 582573-17 APR500 - Classic Mode Operational Manual V16/10/14 For Firmware Version 4.
APR500 – Classic Mode © Copyright 2014 by Agrident GmbH All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or other, without the prior written permission of Agrident GmbH. Agrident GmbH reserves the right to make changes to any and all parts of this documentation without obligation to notify any person or entity of such changes.
APR500 – Classic Mode Contents 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Features .......................................................................................................... 5 1.2 APR500 Kit ...................................................................................................... 6 2. Optional accessories..................................................................................
APR500 – Classic Mode 9. Warranty ........................................................................................................... 41 10. International approvals ...................................................................................... 42 11. Annex A – Online mode output formats ............................................................ 44 12. Glossary ............................................................................................................ 45 13.
APR500 – Classic Mode 1. Introduction This manual describes the basic functions, the advanced features and the menu structure of the Agrident Portable Reader APR500. Please read the manual carefully in order to get access to all features of the reader. 1.1 Features Fully compatible with ISO standards 11784/11785 Reads FDX-B and HDX transponders 16.10.2014 Up to 6000 datasets including transponder ID, time stamp, ALIAS, ACTION CODE and ACTION CODE PLUS can be stored.
APR500 – Classic Mode 1.2 In the SPEED MODE the APR500 reads continuously without pressing the according Hotkey again after a tag was read. This allows the fast reading of larger groups of animals within a short time (see chapter 5.5). The RACE MODE enables the APR to operate as a data collector for Agrident Stationary Readers (see chapter 5.6). The EIDs from the stationary readers are received via RS232 or Bluetooth, displayed and stored in the APRs memory.
APR500 – Classic Mode 2. Optional accessories The APR500 reader can be purchased with a wide range of optional accessories: 2.1 APC510 RS232 cable The APC510 is an RS232 interface cable for the APR500 reader. It has to be connected to the top-mounted plug on the APR side and to an RS232 port with a male 9pin D-Sub connector on the other side. It allows the communication between the reader and other devices with RS232 interface like computers or electronic weighing scales. 2.
APR500 – Classic Mode 3. Security Advice Caution! Dispose of exhausted rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries must be compliant with your local laws. To ensure proper compliance is entirely the responsibility of the owner and / or user of the reader. 4. Basic Operations of the APR500 This chapter introduces the basic operations of the APR500. 4.1 Keys of Operation The APR500 has an ergonomic mobile phone style alphanumeric keyboard with 21 buttons for easy operation.
APR500 – Classic Mode 4.2 Getting Started Press the button in order to activate the APR500. The display will show the APR firmware version briefly… …before the main screen appears. In order to save battery capacity, the APR will switch off after a certain time – this is called “Switch off time”. The default setting is 10 seconds but you can change this value in the “Switch off time” submenu (please see chapter 6.5.1). 4.2.
APR500 – Classic Mode 4.2.2 Transponder Orientation The APR is using a ferrite antenna. Accordingly the flux lines of the electromagnetic field have the following characteristics: As a result of the flux line characteristics, there is a best reading orientation and a worst reading orientation: The reading range does not only depend on the transponder orientation but also on the type of transponder. Transponders with a good performance have a better reading distance than low performance tags.
APR500 – Classic Mode 4.3 Main Screen and Acoustic Signals The APR500 has a large backlit graphic display and a buzzer for acoustical signals which can give a multitude of different information. 4.3.1 Main Screen If you switch on the APR500 by pushing the button, the display will switch to the main screen automatically. It displays the current date, time and the configuration of the Hotkeys. It also informs the user about the battery status and the Bluetooth status. Chapter 6.5.
APR500 – Classic Mode 4.4 Navigating through the menus Button Description Switches the APR500 on and off, changes from a submenu to the next higher menu item and leaves settings in the lowest menu level unaltered. Enters the APRs menu. Scrolls up in the menu, increases numeric values in particular submenus. Changes to capital letters in text input fields. Scrolls down in the menu, decreases numeric values in particular submenus. Changes to lower case letters in text input fields.
APR500 – Classic Mode 4.5 Communication interfaces of the APR500 If you want to download collected data from the APR to your PC or upload lists to the reader, you have to connect the APR to the PC via an interface. The APR500 has an USB and an RS232 interface at the top plug, available via the APC500 USB cable or the APC510 RS232 cable. At the bottom of the APR there are contact pins for connecting via the ADS500 docking station.
APR500 – Classic Mode If you want to disconnect the APC from the reader, please do not pull the cable. Take hold of the outer ring of the connector and you can remove the APC cable easily. In order to ensure the readers protection class in the field, push the protection-cap back into place. When you connect the APR500 to a particular PC via USB the first time, Windows will detect the new device automatically and ask for a driver. Please choose to install the device manually and use the APR500.
APR500 – Classic Mode 4.6 Battery management When charging for the first time after long-term storage, the battery capacity might be decreased. Restore such batteries to original performance by repeated cycles of charging and discharging. When the APR is connected to a power source via USB (e.g. a PC, APS500, ACC500), the Agrident supplied rechargeable batteries are internally charged automatically. Fast charging will take up to 6h.
APR500 – Classic Mode 5. Advanced Features of the APR500 The APR500 can do much more than just simply reading transponders and saving the ID. This chapter explains the additional information that can be linked to the electronic ID. With the Hotkeys A and B you can access functions like Alias, Action Code and Weight from Scale fast and easy. The configuration of the Hotkeys can be changed in the APRs menu (see chapter 6.1.1) or using the APR PC-Demo Software. Presets (see chapter 6.1.
APR500 – Classic Mode 5.1.3 Assignment with the APR using Null-Tags You can also assign the Alias in the field after reading a transponder with the APR using the Assign Ask mode or the Assign Ask Save mode. For this application you also have to create a Tag List on the PC first but you have to leave the ID blank, this is done by creating a Tag List with so called “Null-Tags”.
APR500 – Classic Mode If you select a specific assigned Alias within the User Tag list by pressing , you can undo the user assignment by pressing . This Alias can be reassigned to any unassigned transponder again as described in chapter 5.1.3. 5.2 Action Codes Action Codes are used to link a predefined action (e.g. weight, fed, sick, examined) to a scanned transponder and thus to the animal. An Action Code is an alphanumeric string of up to 14 characters.
APR500 – Classic Mode 5.2.2 AC Ask Plus mode The same like AC Ask but additionally to the Action Code you have to enter a numeric value: Use the alphanumeric keys in order to enter the value, use Confirm your input by pressing . in order to delete one digit If the AC Plus format is set to “On” (see chapter 6.5.8.6) you can assign values of up to 65535, “Off” only allows values up to 255. 5.2.
APR500 – Classic Mode 5.2.5 Cancelling the data record If you have read the transponder and you do not want to link an Action Code or Action Code Plus to this ID, you can cancel this record by pressing . The APR displays: If you select continue input, you skip back to the according Action Code Ask or Action Code Auto Mode. Cancel operation will abort the entire process and discard the read EID. Skip input will store the EID normally but without an Action Code. 5.
APR500 – Classic Mode 5.4 Group Separator In order to divide stored transponder data sets into groups, you may insert separators. This can help you to distinguish between different herds of animals, e.g. for different locations. The group separator can also be used as a comment field if you want to add one and the same remark for several animals. Per default the first group will be named Group 1, the next Group 2 etc., but the user can rename it with an alphanumeric string of up to 14 characters.
APR500 – Classic Mode 6. The APR500 main menu Press the button in order to enter the APRs main menu. Scroll through the menu using the / buttons. The main menu is divided into the categories Operation, Speed Mode, Race Mode, Data, Setup and Bluetooth. The Operation menu provides access to some of the advanced features as described in chapter 5. The Speed Mode menu enters the APR500 continuous reading mode.
APR500 – Classic Mode 6.1 Operation menu The Operation menu is mainly used for the configuration of the two Hotkeys. The Hotkeys can be programmed for performing more complex operations than just reading the EID. You can assign Aliases, Action Codes and weights from a scale to the EID after reading if the Hotkeys are set up correspondingly. Move through the operation menu with the / buttons. Press in order to enter a submenu, press in order to leave a submenu and return to the operation menu. 6.1.
APR500 – Classic Mode 16.10.2014 o AC ask: After reading a transponder, the APR will ask for an Action Code that can be selected from a previously uploaded list. If no Action Code List has been uploaded, you can only select an Action Code number. In the AC Ask mode, the reader will always open the Action Code List and you have to select an action manually using the / buttons for scrolling. Confirm your choice with . The corresponding Hotkey configuration info in the main screen is “AC ?”.
APR500 – Classic Mode 6.1.1.2 Hotkey B The Hotkey B menu works according to Hotkey A but the settings apply to Hotkey B. 6.1.2 Presets Presets offer the possibility to change multiple settings in one step according to previously defined setups. These presets should be defined by the corresponding distributor depending on the needs of his customers. They also offer a kind of fallback plan in case of unintended change of single settings.
APR500 – Classic Mode 6.1.3 No Tag Mode menu If the No Tag mode is activated, it is possible to enter data manually if a reading attempt failed, e.g. in case of a lost or broken transponder or a transponder being out of reading range. The No Tag mode has the following options: x Off: The “Off” setting does not allow any data input after a failed reading attempt. x Auto: The APR asks immediately for data input via keypad after a failed read attempt. x Key input: You have to press failed.
APR500 – Classic Mode 6.2 Speed Mode menu x Start Speed Mode: The Speed Mode will be started and the Speed Mode window will be displayed automatically. You can return to the Speed Mode menu by pressing the button. x New Group: Inserts a new group separator into the current Speed Mode session. You can either confirm the default name by pressing or enter your own name via the APRs keypad and confirm. By pressing the button twice, you cancel the group entry and skip back to the Speed Mode.
APR500 – Classic Mode 6.4 Data menu The Data menu gives you access to the stored data and lists. You can watch the collected data and the Tag List, clear single lists or the complete memory, send the memory content directly to another device via the serial port and look for the remaining memory capacity. 6.4.1 Memory space menu The Memory space menu shows the current amount of used memory and still available memory in the different categories: Data, Action Codes and Tag Lists.
APR500 – Classic Mode When you select an entry via the button you can see the number within the list, the Alias, the assigned EID (unassigned Alias will display 000000000000000) and whether the assignment of Alias and EID was made prior to the Tag List upload (‘PC assigned’), assigned via the Hotkeys (‘User assigned’) or if it is still unassigned. You can exit the information window for the Show tag list menu by pressing any button, except the Hotkeys which would activate the configured Hotkey function.
APR500 – Classic Mode 6.4.6 Clear data sets menu The Clear data sets menu deletes the complete content of the data memory; this means all collected transponder data. 6.4.7 Clear all menu This item deletes all lists and collected data in the APRs memory. 6.4.8 Send data sets menu The Send data sets menu instructs the APR to send the complete content of the data memory, the collected IDs, to an interface.
APR500 – Classic Mode 6.5 Setup Menu The Setup menu basically contains all settings concerning hardware. Here you will find configuration options for interface, display, time and date and the RFID module. 6.5.1 Display menu In this submenu various display settings can be adjusted. x Language: This menu shows which character set (Latin, Greek, Cyrillic) is active. You can also see which language file is uploaded into the APR and reset the language to English here.
APR500 – Classic Mode 6.5.2 Date/Time menu In this submenu you can change time, time format, date and date format. This affects the time and date on the display and the timestamp that is added to the EID. x Set date and time: Change the date and the time value via the numeric keys. x Set time format: Decide whether you want an AM/PM or a 24 hour format. x Set date format: Selects between European (dd.mm.yy) or US (mm.dd.yy) date standard. 6.5.3 Volume menu The APR emits acoustical signals.
APR500 – Classic Mode 6.5.5 Battery info menu The Battery info menu displays the status of the APRs battery. You can see the batteries voltage, the charge current (only while charging) and the batteries temperature. You can also see the batteries charge status: fast charge, trickle charge or no charge. All batteries are called “disposable”, except Agrident supplied NiMH batteries. Only these can be charged internally (see chapter 4.6). 6.5.
APR500 – Classic Mode 6.5.8.1 RFID settings In the RFID submenu you can adjust all functions for reading a transponder. x Read length: The read length determines the time for one reading attempt in seconds. The values range from 1 to 10 seconds. x Transponder types: With the transponder type setting, you can choose which type of transponders the APR can read. If you enable H4002 only, no ISO tags can be read. H4002 is a non ISO format and is incompatible with Wireless Sync.
APR500 – Classic Mode 6.5.8.3 Online Mode menu The Online mode allows sending an ID to other devices (e.g. a PC, PDA, scale) over the serial port immediately after it was saved. A PC or PDA requires corresponding software which is able to collect incoming data on the serial port. The “Online window” of the APR PC-Demo Software can be used for testing purposes. There are several formats available, the ID can be sent in: x Off: The APR will not send the ID after reading a transponder.
APR500 – Classic Mode 6.5.8.4 Display format menu In this submenu you can choose how the EID is displayed and saved. x ID Format: Here you can determine how the transponder ID is displayed, either in ISO-mode, which decodes the EID according to ISO 11784 or in HEX-mode where the ID is displayed as a hexadecimal string. x Country Code: Decides whether the country code will be displayed numeric or alphanumeric according to ISO3166. A manufacturer’s code will always be displayed numeric.
APR500 – Classic Mode 6.5.8.6 AC Plus Format menu In the AC Plus Format menu you can enable the extended format (16 bit) for the Action Code Plus which allows using values of up to 65535. If it is turned off (8 bit), the dataset will be compatible to the APR300 and the APR400 with Action Code Plus values of up to 255 only. 6.6 Bluetooth Menu The Bluetooth menu contains all options concerning the internal Bluetooth module of the APR500.
APR500 – Classic Mode 6.7 Menu Structure and Factory Defaults For a detailed description of the menus, see the corresponding chapters 6.1 - 6.6.
APR500 – Classic Mode Factory Default Advanced Setup RFID Settings Read Length Transponder Types Wireless Sync Sync Level Double Read 7 seconds FDX+HDX Off 1600 mV No double check 9600 Data short ID Format Country Code Animal Tag Flag ISO Mode Action Code Format ISO Show numeric Warn if not set Standard Show alphanumeric Display Alias Ignore adv. ISO Show Alias On Off (AC+=8Bit) Baud Rate Online Mode Display format Taglist Options AC Plus Format Bluetooth Bluetooth Mode Ext.
APR500 – Classic Mode 7. Technical Data Frequency 134.2 kHz Transponder types HDX (ISO 11784/5) FDX-B (ISO 11784/5) Optional H4002 and compatible Reading range Approx. 25 cm with HDX transponder of a 30 mm Up to 20 cm with FDX-B transponder 30 mm Interfaces USB with the APC500 or the optional docking station ADS500 RS232 using the optional APC510 cable Plug for external antenna Bluetooth Class 1 module, according to Bluetooth standard 2.
APR500 – Classic Mode 8. Safety and Care The manufacturer accepts no liability for damage resulting from improper use or use not consistent with that described in these operating instructions. x The APR500 Reader contains no parts that can be repaired by the user. For this reason the Reader Electronic may only be repaired by authorized customer service personnel. x In both operation and storage of the reader please secure to comply with the environment conditions specified in the technical data.
APR500 – Classic Mode 10. International approvals CE marking Hereby, Agrident BV declares that this equipment, if used according to the instructions, is in compliance with the essential requirements and other relevant provisions of the RTTE Directive 1999/5/EC. For use in all countries of the EU. To obtain a copy, contact Agrident GmbH and request the “Declaration of Conformity” document. mail@agrident.com In case of alteration of the product, not agreed to by us, this declaration will lose its validity.
APR500 – Classic Mode FCC § 15.105 Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
APR500 – Classic Mode 11. Annex A – Online mode output formats This annex shows the Online mode output formats in detail. Data short 3-digit country code followed by the 12-digit ID and Example: 980 123456789012 x x x x x x x x Data long Number of the dataset in the memory Date Time Transponder type Action Code (numeric=alphanumeric) Action Code Plus value 3-digit country code and 12-digit ID Alias Example: 20 ,03.09.
APR500 – Classic Mode 12. Glossary 16.10.2014 x Action Code (AC) An Action Code is a string of up to 14 alphanumeric characters. Action Codes allow to assign events like sale, movement, disease or treatment to animal IDs. An Action Code can be combined with the transponder ID after reading. It can only be assembled and uploaded to the APR using appropriate software. The Action Code Plus allows assigning a numeric value in addition to the Action Code, e.g. the weight of an animal.
APR500 – Classic Mode 13. Index x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 16.10.2014 AC Ask ........................................ 23 AC Ask Plus ................................ 23 AC Auto ................................. 23, 26 AC Auto Plus ......................... 23, 26 AC Plus format ...................... 18, 36 Accessories ............................... 5, 6 Acoustic Signals .................... 10, 31 Action Code.................
