AI1401 Reader User Guide TransCore, Inc.
© 2004 TC IP, Ltd. All rights reserved. TRANSCORE and AMTECH are registered trademarks of TC IP, Ltd., and are used under license. All other trademarks listed are the property of their respective owners. Contents are subject to change. Printed in the U.S.A. Products covered by this document are protected by one or more of the following U.S. patents 4,739,328; 4,864,158; 4,999,636; and foreign equivalent patents. Other patents pending.
WARNING TO USERS IN THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (FCC) RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE STATEMENT 47 CFR §15.105(a) NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment.
Contents
Contents 1 Before You Begin Purpose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 Intended Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 Guide Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 Typographical Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
AI1401 Reader User Guide 4 Firmware Command Groups and Parameters Command Syntax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3 Command Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Command Group 1 — Communication Port Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Command Group 2 — Real-Time Clock Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Command Group 3 — ID Data Format . . . .
1 Before You Begin
Chapter 1 Before You Begin The AI1401 Reader User Guide provides information necessary for interfacing the AI1401 Reader with a portable reader system. Purpose This guide provides the information necessary for TransCore-certified personnel to connect and operate the AI1401 Reader.
AI1401 Reader User Guide Typographical Conventions Table 1-2 lists the conventions used in this manual: Table 1-2 Typographical Conventions Convention Indication This procedure might cause harm to the equipment and/or the user. Concerns about a procedure. 1-4 Code Code, including keywords and variables within text and as separate paragraphs, and user-defined program elements within text appear in courier typeface. Dialog Box Title Title of a dialog box as it appears on screen.
2 Overview
Chapter 2 Overview This chapter provides an overview of the AI1401 Reader and the system and technology it supports. Introduction The microprocessor-controlled, single output channel AI1401 Reader is an independent unit that combines a reader and a radio frequency (RF) source. The reader provides RF identification (RFID) and data storage within a single, compact unit (Figure 2-1). Due to its size and battery-powered operation, the AI1401 Reader is an invaluable component of any portable reader system.
AI1401 Reader User Guide System Configuration The AI1401 Reader is designed to interface with a range of user-supplied handheld antennas and other equipment for portable applications. A typical portable reader system consists of a tag that operates within the 915 MHz frequency band, an antenna/ actuator, a direct current (DC) power source, the AI1401 Reader, a host computer, and communications hardware, for example, RF modems (Figure 2-2).
Overview Note: The host computer requires software to interpret tag data and to process the data for storage, retrieval, database manipulation, and records maintenance.Communications (terminal) programs usually do not provide the adequate data processing capability. Software written specifically for the host computer can be customized to provide the required capabilities.
AI1401 Reader User Guide Memory The reader's standard 32-Kbyte static random access memory (SRAM) memory holds approximately 1,000 ID codes. Note that transmitting data to a host computer does not erase it from the data buffer. A separate command is used to erase all contents of the buffer, which then turns off the buffer signal. Tag Compatibility The AI1401 Reader reads all standard full-frame TransCore 915 MHz band tags, including read-write tags that have an ATA frame, such as the IT2101 Tag.
Overview Table 2-1 AI1401 Reader System Specifications (continued) RF power 1.6W +0.2W at ambient temperature Typical working rangea Battery tag: 80 ft (24.4 m) Beam tag: 25 ft (7.6 m) Buffer size 32 Kbytes (battery backed) Data buffer capacity 1,000 tag reads of 128 bits (with appended data) Communications port RS–232C 110 to 19,200 Baud Other features Real-time calendar clock Power-saving algorithm 40-ms startup option a.
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3 AI1401 Reader Interface Capabilities
Chapter 3 AI1401 Reader Interface Capabilities The AI1401 Reader is designed to interface with a variety of user antennas and other equipment. This chapter outlines the AI1401 Reader connectors and identifies their primary functions. AI1401 Connectors Because the AI1401 Reader combines the system reader and radio frequency (RF) module into a single unit, the only connections that must be made to the system are the antenna, actuator, and host computer connectors.
AI1401 Reader User Guide The RS–232C connector can also be used during system operation, if real-time communications are required.
AI1401 Reader Interface Capabilities Figure 3-3 illustrates the pin-outs for the I/O interface DB9 connector. Figure 3-3 I/O Interface DB9 Connector Pin-out The output signals on the I/O interface DB9 connector indicate operation status of the AI1401 Reader. These signals can be used to operate LED devices. The AI1401 Reader supports the following signals. Power (PWR) The power signal lights when power is applied to the reader unit via the user's RF actuator switch (trigger).
AI1401 Reader User Guide Valid Tag (VAL/TAG) After successful acquisition of a tag ID, the valid tag signal is active continuously while the antenna signal is active. When the antenna signal is deactivated and after a power-on time out, all signals are off. The power-on time out factory setting is 10 seconds.
A Firmware Command Groups and Parameters
Appendix A Firmware Command Groups and Parameters This chapter discusses the firmware command codes, which allow the user to configure the reader for communications with a personal computer (PC) or other host computer. Command Syntax Command codes enable you to use the features of the AI1401 Reader and to develop host computer programs for controlling the functions of the AI1401 Reader.
AI1401 Reader User Guide • Group 7 — Buffer Control • Group 8 — This command group not used by AI1401 Reader Command Group 1 — Communication Port Control Group 1 commands configure the communications parameters used by the serial communication port. The user can set baud rate, stop bits, parity, and end-of-line delay using Command Group 1 commands.
Firmware Command Groups and Parameters !Done or !Error Note: The new stop bits setting takes effect after the host computer receives the !Done response from the reader. All subsequent communications will be at the new stop bits setting. Parity Select !102x where x = 0 to 2 0 = disable parity (factory setting) 1 = enable even parity 2 = enable odd parity Response !Done or !Error Note: The new parity select setting takes effect after the host computer receives the !Done response from the reader.
AI1401 Reader User Guide Response !Done or !Error Set the Date in the Real-time Clock !21MM/DD/YY where MM = months (01-12) DD = days (01-31) YY = years (00-99) Note: Enter the date exactly as shown with no spaces between characters. Use forward slashes (/) as delimiters. All entries use decimal characters 0 through 9. Response !Done or !Error Display Time and Date !22 Response !hh:mm:ss.
Firmware Command Groups and Parameters Command Group 3 — ID Data Format Group 3 commands append useful information to reader transmissions such as IDs and times and dates. Group 3 commands also switch on and off host computer transmissions. The reader is set at the factory not to append time and date to data.
AI1401 Reader User Guide Response !Done or !Error Enables Real-Time Transmission to Host !305 (factory setting) When a tag is acquired via the RF source, its ID is immediately sent out on the RS– 232C port. The tag ID is not stored in the data buffer. Previously stored data, while in the non-transmission mode (command !304), is retained and not cleared from the data buffer.
Firmware Command Groups and Parameters Command Group 6 — Interrogator Control Group 6 commands enable basic protocol or enable transmitter or hardware flow control.
AI1401 Reader User Guide The reader displays the next line of data from its data buffer. The data pointer then advances to the next location of data. The data is not erased and continues to be available for display. Response or !Error — if there is no more valid data to be displayed Display the Remaining Contents of the Data Buffer !71 The reader starts with the current location of the data pointer and displays all data until the last valid data entry.
Firmware Command Groups and Parameters Response !xxxx where xxxx = four-digit decimal number, in the range of 0000 to 1000 Note: This number does not give an indication of the position of the display data pointer. or !Error Set Reader Power-off Time-out to 10 Seconds !750 (factory setting) This time-out is the amount of idle time that elapses before the reader discontinues operation. Activity on the RS–232C port or activating the trigger signal restarts the timer.
AI1401 Reader User Guide 0 = feature disabled (operates continuous RF mode) 1 = 50 ms 2 = 100 ms 3 = 200 ms 4 = 300 ms 5 = 400 ms 6 = 500 ms 7 = 600 ms 8 = 700 ms 9 = 800 ms A = 900 ms B = 1 s (factory setting) C = 2s D = 3s E = 4s F = 5s Response !Done or !Error A-12
B AI1401 Character Conversion
Appendix B AI1401 Character Conversion TransCore Character Conversion Table Table B-1 lists the TransCore 6-bits per character conversion from the standard ASCII character set.
AI1401 Reader User Guide B-4
