User's Manual
Table Of Contents
- 1. XTend RF Module
- 2. RF Module Operation
- 3. RF Module Configuration
- Programming Examples
- Command Reference Table
- Command Descriptions
- %V (Board Voltage) Command
- AM (Auto-set MY) Command
- AP (API Enable) Command
- AT (Guard Time After) Command
- BD (Interface Data Rate) Command
- BR (RF Data Rate) Command
- BT (Guard Time Before) Command
- CC (Command Sequence Character) Command
- CD (GPO2 Configuration) Command
- CF (Number Base) Command
- CN (Exit AT Command Mode) Command
- CS (GPO1 Configuration) Command
- CT (Command Mode Timeout) Command
- DB (Received Signal Strength) Command
- DT (Destination Address) Command
- E0 (Echo Off) Command
- E1 (Echo On) Command
- ER (Receive Error Count) Command
- FH (Force Wake-up Initializer) Command
- FL (Software Flow Control) Command
- FS (Forced Synch Time) Command
- FT (Flow Control Threshold) Command
- GD (Receive Good Count) Command
- HP (Hopping Channel) Command
- HT (Time before Wake-up Initializer) Command
- HV (Hardware Version) Command
- ID (Modem VID) Command
- KY (AES Encryption Key) Command
- LH (Wake-up Initializer Timer) Command
- MD (RF Mode) Command
- MK (Address Mask) Command
- MT (Multi-transmit) Command
- MY (Source Address) Command
- NB (Parity) Command
- PB (Polling Begin Address) Command
- PD (Minimum Polling Delay) Command
- PE (Polling End Address) Command
- PK (Maximum RF Packet Size) Command
- PL (TX Power Level) Command
- PW (Pin Wake-up) Command
- RB (Packetization Threshold) Command
- RC (Ambient Power - Single Channel) Command
- RE (Restore Defaults) Command
- RM (Ambient Power - All Channels) Command
- RN (Delay Slots) Command
- RO (Packetization Timeout) Command
- RP (RSSI PWM Timer) Command
- RR (Retries) Command
- RT (GPI1 Configuration) Command
- SB (Stop Bits) Command
- SH (Serial Number High) Command
- SL (Serial Number Low) Command
- SM (Sleep Mode) Command
- ST (Time before Sleep) Command
- TP (Board Temperature) Command
- TR (Transmit Error Count) Command
- TT (Streaming Limit) Command
- TX (Transmit Only) Command
- VL (Firmware Version - Verbose)
- VR (Firmware Version - Short) Command
- WA (Active Warning Numbers) Command
- WN (Warning Data) Command
- WR (Write) Command
- WS (Sticky Warning Numbers) Command
- API Operation
- 4. RF Communication Modes
- Appendix A: Agency Certifications
- Appendix B: Development Guide
- Appendix C: Additional Information
XTend™RFModule‐ProductManual
©2013DigiInternatonal,Inc. 49
Repeater Network Configuration
A network may consist of End Nodes (EN), End/Repeater Nodes (ERN) and a Base Node (BN). The
base node initiates all communications.
A repeater network can be configured to operate using Basic Broadcast or Basic Addressed
communications. The addressing capabilities of the module allow integrators to send a packet as a
global packet (DT = 0xFFFF) and shift out of every module in the network (Basic Broadcast).
Alternatively, the packet can be sent with a specific DT (Destination Address) parameter so that it
is only accepted by a specific remote node (Basic Addressed).
Configuration Instruction (Basic Broadcast Communications)
The configuration instructions above reflect configuration for a Basic Broadcast Repeater system.
To configure a Basic Addressed Repeater system, use the DT (Destination Address) parameter to
assign unique addresses to each module in the network.
Algorithm Details
• Packet ID (PID) is composed of TX (transmitting) module MY address and packet sequence
number.
• Incoming packets with a PID already found in the PID buffer will be ignored.
• Each module maintains a PID buffer 4 deep of previously received packets (managed as
FIFO).
Packets may be shifted out the serial port and/or repeated depending on the DT parameter
contained in the RF packet.
Repeat Delay Based on RSSI
A transmitted packet may be received by more that one repeater at the same time. In order to
reduce the probability that the repeaters will transmit at the same instant, resulting in a collision
and possible data loss; an algorithm has been developed that will allow a variable back-off prior to
retransmission of the packet by a repeater. The algorithm allows radios that receive the packet
with a stronger RF signal (RSSI) to have the first opportunity to retransmit the packet.
The RN (Delay Slots) parameter is used to configure this delay. Set RN=0 (no delays) for small
networks with few repeaters or repeaters that are not within range of each other. Set RN=1 for
systems with 2 to 5 repeaters that may be within range of each other.
The actual length of the delay is computed by the formula:
Delay (ms) = L * DS
DS = (-41-RSSI)/10*RN)+RandomInt(0,RN)
Where L is the length of the transmitted packet in milliseconds, DS is the number of delay slots to
wait, RSSI is the received signal strength in dBm, RN is the value of the RN register and
RandomInt(A,B) is a function that returns a random integer from A to B-0
Response Packet Delay
Assign each module a unique MY (source) address. (The AM (Auto-set MY) command will con-
figure a unique source address that is based on module serial number.)
Enable Basic Broadcast Communications (DT = 0xFFFF) or Addressed Broadcast Communica-
tions (DT specifies a specific destination)
Configure PK, RO and RB to ensure that RF packet aligns with protocol packet. (ex. PK=0x100,
RB=0x100, RO depends on baud rate).
Configure one or more repeaters in the system (MD = 5).
Configure remote nodes as destinations (MD = 6). This will ensure that the remote node waits
for the repeater traffic to subside before it transmits a response.
Table4‐02. DT(DestinationAddress)parametertruth
table
Address Match Send out serial port? Repeat?
Global Yes Yes
Local Yes No
None No Yes