Dolphin® 7300 Hand Held Computer User’s Guide
Patents The IMAGETEAM 4250 image engine is covered by one or more of the following U.S.
Table of Contents Chapter 1 Introduction ............................................................... 1 Safety ..................................................................................................2 Required Safety Labels .........................................................2 FCC Compliance ...................................................................2 Regulatory and Safety Agency Approvals ......................................3 Batteries.........................................
Managing Battery Power ................................................................21 Setting Critical and Low Battery Points ...........................22 Using the Power Control Panel ..........................................22 Servicing the Battery Pack .................................................23 Storing Batteries ..................................................................24 Chapter 4 Learning to Operate Dolphin® 7300....................... 25 Entering Data.........................
Charging Batteries In The QuadCharger .....................................53 Setting Up The QuadCharger ............................................53 Supplying Power To The QuadCharger............................53 Inserting and Removing Battery Packs.............................53 Servicing The Battery Pack ................................................54 Storing Batteries ..................................................................55 Troubleshooting...............................................
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1 Introduction Congratulations on the purchase of your new Dolphin® 7300 hand held computer. You have made a wise choice in selecting the Dolphin, a device known worldwide for its ergonomic shape, light weight and single-handed data collection features.
Safety The Dolphin 7300 hand held computer meets or exceeds the requirements of all applicable standards organizations for safe operation. However, as with any electrical equipment, the best way to ensure safe operation is to know the possible risks. The following safety guidelines are designed to protect both you and others around you. Please read them carefully before using your Dolphin terminal.
Regulatory and Safety Agency Approvals Parameter Specification U.S.A. FCC Part 15, Class B Canada IEC 0003 Europe EN 55022 (CISPR22) Class B ETS 300 826 Type Certified Others EMC 89/336/EEC EN 50082-1:1997, EN55024 The CE mark on the product indicates that the system has been tested to and conforms with the provisions noted within the 89/336/EEC Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive and the 73/23/EEC Low Voltage Directive. For further information please contact, Hand Held Products (UK) Ltd.
• Never throw a used battery in the trash. It contains heavy metals and should be recycled according to local guidelines. • Don’t short-circuit a battery or throw it into a fire. It can explode and cause severe personal injury. • Excessive discharge damages a battery. Recharge the battery when your Dolphin indicates low battery power. • Although your battery can be recharged many times, it will eventually be • depleted.
2 Getting Started The Dolphin 7300 is a hand held computer/imager designed for easy, single-handed data collection. The terminal is equipped with a StrongARM® 206MHz RISC processor built to run the Windows® CE operating system. Dolphin 7300 hand helds are available with different types of 2D imagers and memory configurations to meet most any automated data collection requirement.
Dolphin Mobile IntelliBase™ Dolphin terminal charging and communication cradle for mobile data communication. Dolphin Quad Battery Charger™ Charges four batteries in under three hours and conditions in under eight hours. Dolphin HomeBase™ Power Adapter Replacement power adapter for Dolphin HomeBase. Note: Use only power adapters approved for use by HHP. Failure to do so may result in improper operation or damage to the unit and will void the warranty.
Using Dolphin 7300 for the First Time Follow these steps to begin using your Dolphin 7300 terminal. 1. Unpack and check the terminal and documentation. 2. Charge and condition the main battery pack. 3. Turn the Dolphin on. 4. Set the date/time and user information. 5. Verify that your Dolphin 7300 terminal is working properly.
power and the back-up battery is required. The back-up battery maintains the RAM and clock when the NiMH main battery pack is discharged or removed from the terminal. Inserting the Battery Pack Follow these steps to install the Dolphin 7300 battery pack. 1. The Dolphin 7300 ships with the handstrap installed. Hold the terminal with the front panel (keyboard) facing down. Push the clip of the handstrap down and away from the terminal to unhook it; move the strap up and away from the battery compartment. 2.
Dolphin 7300 Splash Screen Waking the Dolphin From Sleep Mode The Dolphin 7300 terminal is never actually turned off. To conserve power, the Dolphin suspends operation, or goes into “sleep mode” when it is inactive for a programmed period of time, as defined by your application. The screen is blank when the Dolphin is in “sleep mode.” Press the ON/SCAN key to wake the Dolphin terminal from sleep mode and you can start working where you left off.
4 Calibrating the Screen and Setting the Date/Time Calibrating the Screen If your Dolphin 7300 is equipped with a touchscreen, you need to calibrate the screen after a cold boot. After the Welcome Splash Screen appears, you will be prompted to calibrate the screen. Follow the directions on the screen to calibrate the screen. After calibrating the screen, you will be prompted to set the date and time on the terminal. The Dolphin 7300 Demo Program main menu appears after you set the date and time.
Full view of Date/Time Properties Screen Date/Time Properties Screen • • • • • 11 •
5 Verifying that Dolphin 7300 is Working Properly After the main battery pack is charged and installed and you have set the time and date, the Dolphin 7300 terminal is ready to use. Choose the IMAGING DEMO or DECODE DEMO to verify that the terminal is operating properly. To take an image: 1. Using the Cursor keys, navigate down to the IMAGE DEMO button and press an key. 2. Press F1 (red key + Q) to view the set-up utility for the IMAGE DEMO. 3.
Resetting the Dolphin (Cold Boot) Under some conditions, you may need to reset the Dolphin 7300 terminal with a cold boot. These may include: • Resetting a locked up operating system or terminal • Resetting the terminal back to factory defaults • Resetting the terminal after a bootloader, keyboard, and kernel upgrade. To perform a cold boot: 1. Press and hold the Control (CTRL) and the Escape (ESC) keys for about 10 seconds, then release. 2. Release the keys and the terminal will reset.
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3 Dolphin® 7300 Overview System Features Processor The Dolphin® 7300 terminal is equipped with a StrongARM® 206MHz RISC microprocessor that runs on a 100 MHz BUS and is the most powerful Windows® CE platform on the market. Operating System Microsoft® Windows® CE is a compact, highly efficient, scalable operating system. Its open architecture and minimal memory requirements facilitates the development of applications for energyefficient data collection devices like the Dolphin 7300 terminal.
Front Panel Features This section describes features on the Dolphin 7300 terminal front panel. Scan LED Decode LED 1/8 VGA Display Cursor Keys ON/SCAN Key Keypad with epoxy-coated keys LEDs The red light emitting diode (LED) located at the upper right corner of the LCD display is SCAN LED. This LED illuminates when the user presses the ON/SCAN key and activates the scan engine. The green LED located at the upper left corner of the LCD display is DECODE LED.
automatically turn off after a prescribed amount of time. The contrast may be adjusted with the contrast keys. The Dolphin 7300 display may be equipped with a touch screen that can be activated with a stylus or finger. ON/SCAN Key The ON/SCAN key is centrally located for easy use with the right or the left hand. Cursor Key The centrally located cursor key allows full Windows® navigation.
43-key alpha/numeric keyboard • • • 18 • • • 35-key numeric/alpha keyboard 56-key alpha/numeric keyboard
Back Panel Features This section describes features on the Dolphin 7300 back panel. All versions of the 7300 terminal have similar back panels except for the safety labels specific to how the the terminal is equipped. Image Engine Battery Well Hand Strap Battery RS-232 Port Battery Charging Contact Battery Charging Contact IrDA Port Imaging Engine Dolphin 7300 terminals are equipped with an imaging engine that reads and decodes linear, stacked linear (PDF417) and 2D matrix bar code symbologies.
Battery Well The Battery well is a recessed area on the back of the Dolphin that holds the 2700 mAh NiMH battery pack. Hand Strap The integrated elastic hand strap provides the user with a comfortable, secure grip on the terminal. If desired, the strap may be removed. Battery Charging Contacts When the Dolphin is placed in the main well of the Dolphin HomeBase, the Dolphin’s battery pack is charged through gold-plated battery charging contacts.
Internal NiHM Backup Battery The Dolphin’s internal backup battery prevents the terminal from being reset if you need to remove and replace the main battery pack. The battery retains RAM data and allows the real-time clock to remain operational for up to 30 minutes when the battery pack is removed. For the initial charging cycle, it is recommended that the terminal be charged for approximately 8 hours to allow adequate charging time for the back-up battery.
If the main battery is low and the terminal is in sleep mode, pressing the ON/ SCAN button will not wake up the Dolphin terminal; you must replace the spent pack with a fully charged battery. Setting Critical and Low Battery Points The Dolphin 7300 may be programmed to display warnings when the battery reaches critical and low battery points. There are two entries defined in the registry. The specific settings are: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power] "CriticalBatt"=dword:a "LowBatt"
4. Use the Cursor keys to navigate to Power and then press Enter to open Power Properties. 5. Use the Cursor and Tab keys to navigate between the Battery and Power Off tabs and to select your preferences. 6. Return to the Control Panel. 7. Press ALT to open the File menu and use the Cursor key to navigate to Close. 8. Press Enter to close the Control Panel. Servicing the Battery Pack For maximum battery life, you must service, or deep cycle, the battery twice before initial use.
Charging the Battery Pack You can charge the Dolphin’s main battery pack using one of the following methods: • • • Place the battery pack in the Dolphin 7300 terminal and then place the terminal in the terminal well of a charging/communication cradle. Place the battery pack in the Dolphin Quad Battery Charger. Place the battery pack in the Auxiliary Battery Well of the IntelliBase+.
4 Learning to Operate Dolphin® 7300 Entering Data Data can be entered into the Dolphin 7300 in a variety of ways, including the touch screen, keyboard or image engine. Via the Touch screen Input If so equipped, you can use the Dolphin 7300 terminal’s touch screen to operate the terminal and enter data. To enter data, use a stylus to select menu options, functions, etc. Note: For touchscreen input, only use a stylus or your finger.
Reading A Bar code 1. Press the ON/SCAN button on the 7300 to project the scanner’s bright red aiming beam. The aiming beam should be oriented in line with the bar code to achieve the quickest read. A range of 4-10 inches (10-25 cm) is recommended. 2. Center the aiming beam over the bar code. The red SCAN LED illuminates when the user presses the ON/KEY key and the green DECODE LED illuminates when a bar code is successfully decoded and the terminal beeps.
1. To aim, point the display end of the 7300 horizontally at a 45° angle approximately 2 to 9 inches (5 to 20 cm) away from the target. You may have to adjust the angle at which you hold the Dolphin if there is glare on the screen. 2. Press the ON/SCAN button to take an image. Use the live video image on the terminal screen as a guide for positioning and aiming the terminal at the target. You may find it helpful to start by moving the terminal further away and then in closer to the target.
Using the Keyboard Using the Special Keys The Dolphin 7300’s keyboard has special keys and key combinations that you use to type characters or perform functions. See the chart in Appendix A for key combinations for keyboard functions and special characters that use these keys.
Using the Cursor Keys Use the cursor keys to navigate around an application screen. The use of these keys can vary depending on the application. Cursor Keys Cursor Keys To Use This Cursor Key Press Arrow up Description Moves cursor up one row or line. Arrow down Moves cursor down one row or line. Arrow right Moves cursor one character to the right. Arrow left Moves cursor one character to the left.
Using the Modifier Keys Modifier Keys All three versions of the Dolphin 7300 keyboard feature the standard PC keyboard modifier keys, Alt, Ctl and Shift. For single-handed operation, the Shift key only modifies the next key pressed; it must be pressed and released before each key you wish to modify lower case. Functions of the Alt and Ctl keys are dependent on the software application in use. There are two additional modifier keys located on the bottom row of the keyboard.
Light The Light key toggles the LCD and keyboard backlights on and off. Number Lock (NUM) The Number Lock key toggles between the alphabetic and numeric modes. Delete (DEL) Delete is a shifted function on the 43-key keyboard version. Key Combinations There are some keyboard functions and special characters not defined on the Dolphin 7300 keyboard. See the charts in Appendix A for the key combinations used to access these functions and special characters on your terminal.
Navigating the Keyboard The Dolphin 7300 terminal has a mouse utility to simplify navigating around the screen, especially for non-touchscreen equipped terminals. Note: Exit the mouse utility before adjusting the contrast. To activate the mouse utility at any time in any window, double-tap the blue modifier key and the mouse pointer will appear in the middle of the screen as shown in the screen shot below. To deactivate the mouse, double-tap the blue modifier key again and the mouse pointer will disappear.
5 Dolphin® Charging/Communication Cradles Hub of the System As the hub of your Dolphin system, Dolphin Charging/Communication cradles perform three important functions – power conditioning, communications and storage.
Convenient Storage Dolphin charging/communication peripherals provide a safe and convenient storage receptacle for your Dolphin terminal. Dolphin Charging/Communication Cradle Parts & Functions Front Panel HomeBase/IntelliBase/USB HomeBase Terminal Well COMM LED DOCK LED Front View of HomeBase/IntelliBase/USB HomeBase Dolphin Terminal Well Place the Dolphin in this well to communicate with a host device and to charge the Dolphin’s battery.
1. Dock LED Turns solid green when the Dolphin Terminal is properly seated into the Dolphin HomeBase. 2. COMM LED Indicates the status of data transfer between the Host Device and the Dolphin Terminal as described below: Table 1: Comm LED Description Red LED Data is being sent from the Host Device to the Dolphin HomeBase. Green LED Data is being sent from the Dolphin HomeBase to the Host Device. Orange LED Data is being sent at high data rates.
Dolphin Terminal Well Place the Dolphin in this well to communicate with a host device and to charge the Dolphin’s battery. LEDs There are three LEDs on the front panel of the IntelliBase+. 1. Dock LED Turns solid green when the Dolphin Terminal is properly seated into the Dolphin HomeBase. 2. AUX Battery Indicates charging/calibration status of battery as described below: AUX Battery LED Description Orange LED Solid indicates that battery pack is being charged.
Back Panel HomeBase/IntelliBase I RS-232 Connector Power Supply Connector Rear View of Dolphin HomeBase/IntelliBase There is a 5V DC power supply connector and an RS-232 connector: Power supply connector Use this connector to attach a power supply to the HomeBase. The power supply provides 5V DC input for communications and battery charging. RS-232 Communications Port Use a standard serial cable to connect this port to a host RS-232 device.
IntelliBase+ Condition Button Auxiliary Battery Well RS-232 Connector Power Supply Connector Rear View of Dolphin IntelliBase+ Power supply connector Use this connector to attach a power supply to the HomeBase. The power supply provides 5V DC input for communications and battery charging. RS-232 Communications Port Use a standard serial cable to connect this port to a host RS-232 device. Auxiliary Battery Well Insert a battery into the well to charge or condition and calibrate a battery pack.
USB HomeBase USB Connector Power Supply Connector Rear View of Dolphin USB HomeBase There is a 5V DC power supply connector and a USB connector: Power supply connector Use this connector to attach a power supply to the HomeBase. The power supply provides 5V DC input for communications and battery charging. USB Communications Port Use a USB full-speed detachable cable to connect this downstream device port to an upstream USB Host or Hub. The USB HomeBase is USB 1.3 compliant.
Bottom Panel of HomeBase/IntelliBase/IntelliBase+ A Baud Rate switch used to select the communication baud rate is located on the bottom of the HomeBase, IntelliBase and IntelliBase+. The Baud Rate Switch on the HomeBase is a three-position switch; four-position on the IntelliBase and IntelliBase+. Switch position and the corresponding baud rates are shown in the charts below. The USB HomeBase does not require a baud rate switch.
Table 3: IntelliBase Switch Settings Baud Rate Switch 1 Switch 2 Switch 3 Switch 4 115200 OFF ON ON N/A 57600 ON OFF OFF N/A 38400 ON OFF ON N/A 19200 ON ON OFF N/A 9600 ON ON ON N/A Powering the Dolphin Terminal Dolphin charging/communication cradles provide power to the intelligent battery charging system incorporated into Dolphin terminals. This charging method protects the battery from being damaged by overcharging.
Deep-Cycling Batteries For maximum battery life, HHP recommends that you deep-cycle (service) the battery twice before initial use and then once a month thereafter. The IntelliBase+ is the only Dolphin charging/communication cradle with deep cycling capabilities. Since the Dolphin HomeBase, Intellibase, and USB HomeBase do not have deep-cycling capabilities, it is recommended that you use the Battery Conditioning Utility software when using those peripherals or use the Dolphin Quad Battery Charger.
Set the Dolphin HomeBase/IntelliBase/IntelliBase+ on a dry, stable surface, such as a desktop near an electrical outlet. Be sure to provide enough workspace with good lighting for the user to view and operate the Dolphin terminal while it is in the HomeBase/IntelliBase/IntelliBase+. Connecting the Cables Connect the HomeBase/IntelliBase/IntelliBase+ to the host computer or other device by plugging an RS-232 serial cable into the RS-232 Communications Port on the rear of the HomeBase.
Set the baud rate switch to the communication mode you are going to use. Refer to Table 2 for HomeBase switch settings or Table 3 for IntelliBase/IntelliBase+ switch settings. Configuring the Dolphin Terminal The Communications Properties must be configured on the Dolphin 7300 in order for the terminal to communicate with a Dolphin charging/communication cradles. To set Communications Properties: 1. Select Start>Settings>Control Panel>Communication Settings. 2. Select the PC Connection tab.
3. Select Change Connection and choose the desired option for connecting to the desktop computer. Choose Direct if you are using a serial connection; choose Infrared for a HomeBase connection; and IrDA for IntelliBase/IntelliBase+ connection or USB HomeBase IrDA connection and click OK. 4. Place the Dolphin in the cradle. On the Dolphin 7300 desktop, double-tap on ActiveSync.
In the "Locate Drive Files" dialog, check the CD-ROM drives checkbox and insert the driver CD provided into the CD tray on your PC. There are sub-directories in this directory for each type of Windows OS supported. Select stirusb.sys file in the correct sub-directory for your PC: • w2k - Windows® 2000 • win98 - Windows® 98 • winme - Windows® Me At this point, the hardware is installed and operating. You may need to reset your PC to complete the installation process.
ActiveSync Connection Settings To configure the Dolphin terminal for communications, see the previous section on Configuring the Dolphin Terminal. Communicating with the Dolphin Terminal To communicate with the Dolphin and any other devices connected to the Dolphin Charging/Communication cradle: 1. Insert the Dolphin into the terminal well of the charging/communication cradle. If the Dolphin is in sleep mode, it will awaken into active state. 2. The DOCK LED on the cradle will illuminate.
Mounting the HomeBase/IntelliBase/USB HomeBase The HomeBase, IntelliBase, and USB HomeBase may be desk or wall-mounted for convenience and storage. The IntelliBase+ may be desk-mounted as long as room is allowed for accessibility to the auxiliary battery well. Desk Mounting: Dolphin charging/communication cradles have a DIN rail (7.5 X 35 mm) slot on the bottom to allow for secure desk attachment of the unit if desired.
Wall Mounting: The HomeBase/IntelliBase/USB HomeBase also has two DIN rail (7.5 X 35mm) slots on the back to allow for secure wall mounting of the unit if desired. The IntelliBase+ cannot be wall-mounted. When using right-angle style RS-232 connector cable, the DIN rails may be mounted directly to the wall. When using standard RS-232 connector cables, it is recommended that the rails be mounted to the wall using a 25mm (1 in.) spacer to allow for appropriate strain relief of the cables.
In either case, after wall mounting, it is recommended that the cables be secured to the DIN rail through use of a wire tie to prevent damage to the HomeBase/ IntelliBase/USB HomeBase unit in case accidental or excessive force is applied to the cables.
