Advantech Co PWS 430 User Manual

Preface

About This Manual

This manual explains how to install, operate and maintain the PWS-430 Handheld Device. No
part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form, or by any electrical or
mechanical means, without permission in writing from the manufacturer. This includes
electronic or mechanical means, such as photocopying, recording, or information storage and
retrieval systems. The material in this manual is subject to change without notice.
© Copyright 2012 Advantech Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.
Bluetooth is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG. Microsoft, Windows and ActiveSync are
either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Other product names
mentioned in this manual may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective
companies and are hereby acknowledged.

Regulatory Compliance Statements

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Statement

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:

(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause
undesired operation.

RF Exposure Information

This device meets the government’s requirements for exposure to radio waves.

This device is designed and manufactured not to exceed the emission limits for

exposure to radio frequency (RF) energy set by the Federal Communications

Commission of the U.S. Government.

This device complies with FCC radiation exposure limits set forth for an

uncontrolled environment.

FCC Radio Frequency Interference Statement

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.

If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception,

which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is

encouraged to try and correct the interference by one or more of the following

measures: • Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. • Increase the distance

between the equipment and the receiver. • Connect the equipment to an outlet on a

circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. • Consult the dealer or

an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for

compliance could void the user‘s authority to operate the equipment.

Europe-European Union Notice

Radio products with the CE alert marking comply with the R&TTE Directive (1999/5/EC)
issued by the Commission of the European Community. Compliance with this directive implies
conformity to the following European Norms (in brackets are the equivalent international
standards).

• EN 60950-1 (IEC60950-1) - Product Safety

• EN 300 328 Technical requirement for radio equipment

• ETS 301 489 General EMC requirements for radio equipment.

Products that contain the radio transmitter are labeled with CE alert marking and may also
carry the CE logo.

Safety

Use the following safety guidelines to help protect yourself and the PWS-430.

• Do not attempt to service the PWS-430 yourself. Always follow installation instructions
closely.

• Be sure that nothing rests on the AC adapter's power cable and that the cable is not
located where it can be tripped over or stepped on.

• Do not cover the AC adapter with papers or other items that will reduce cooling; also, do
not use the AC adapter while it is inside a carrying case.

• Use only the AC adapter, power cord, and batteries that are approved for use with this
PWS-430. Use of another type of battery or AC adapter may cause risk of fire or explosion.

• If you use an extension cable with the AC adapter, ensure that the total ampere rating of
the products plugged in to the extension cable does not exceed the ampere rating of the
extension cable.

• When you move the PWS-430 between environments with very different temperature

and/or humidity ranges, condensation may form on or within the PWS-430. To avoid
damaging the PWS-430, allow sufficient time for the moisture to evaporate before using the
PWS-430.

• When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector or on its strain relief loop, not on the
cable itself. As you pull out the connector, keep it evenly aligned to avoid bending any
connector pins. Also, before you connect a cable make sure both connectors are correctly
oriented and aligned.

Battery Safety

• There is a risk of explosion if the battery is replaced by an incorrect type.

• Dispose of used batteries according to the instructions.

• Do not dispose of batteries in a fire. They may explode. Check with local authorities for

disposal instructions.

Notices

This unit is equipped with a battery pack and backup battery. It is possible that the PWS-430
may not power-on due to battery discharge as a result of storage.
In the above situation, insert the PWS-430 into the cradle and connect the AC adapter to the
cradle. Recharge the unit for 3 hours in order to fully charge its battery.
The backup battery will recharge from external power when the AC adapter is connected.

Battery charge notice

It is important to consider the environment temperature whenever you are charging the
Lithium-Ion battery pack. The process is most efficient at normal room temperature or slightly
cooler. It is essential that you charge batteries within the stated range of 0°C to 50°C.
Charging batteries outside of the specified range could damage the batteries and shorten their
charging life cycle.

Storage and safety notice

Although charged Lithium-Ion batteries may be left unused for several months, their capacity
may be depleted due to build up of internal resistance. If this happens they will require
recharging prior to use. Lithium-Ion batteries may be stored at temperatures between-20°C to
50°C, however they may be depleted more rapidly at the high end of this range. It is
recommended to store batteries within normal room temperature ranges.

Table of Contents

Preface

About This Manual....................................................................

Regulatory Compliance Statements........................................

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Statement........

FCC Radio Frequency Interference Notice.....................

Canada-Industry Canada (IC)...........................................

Europe-European Union Notice.........................................

Safety........................................................................................

Battery Safety....................................................................

Notices......................................................................................

Battery charge notice........................................................

Storage and safety notice.................................................

Chapter 1

Introducing the PWS-430

Features.....................................................................................

Package Contents....................................................................

A Tour of the PWS-430...................................................................

Front View..........................................`...............................

Right View.........................................................................

Left View......................................................................

Bottom View............................................................................

Back View........................................................................

Cradle (Optional).............................................................

Chapter 2

Getting Started

Connecting the PWS-430.............................................................

Installing the Battery........................................................

Charging the Battery........................................................

Charging the Battery with the External Battery Charger......

LED status................................

Connecting the PWS-430 to a PC.........................................

Turning on for the First Time................................................

Calibrating the PWS-430 Screen...........................................

Setting the Time and Date...............................................

Adjusting the Screen Brightness.....................................

Chapter 3

Using the Hardware

Keypads and Function Buttons............................................

Entering Characters with the Keypad..............................

Using the Stylus.....................................................................

Adjusting the Double-Tap Rate.......................................

Inserting a Micro SD Memory Card...............................................

Removing a Storage Card...............................................

Using the Camera..........................................................

Chapter 4

Getting Connected

Installing Microsoft ActiveSync............................................

Connecting to Your Computer.........................................

Connecting with Bluetooth....................................................

Connecting to a WLAN (Wi-Fi)................................................

Add a New Network.........................................................

Connect to an Existing Network......................................

Changing the Advanced Settings....................................

View Wireless Networking Log Information.....................

Connecting GPS.....................................................................

Using the Barcode Scanner...................................................

Activating the Barcode Scanner......................................

Scanning Performance....................................................

Chapter 5

Advance Settings

Checking the Battery Status..................................................

Extending Battery Life...........................................................

Changing the Automatic Power Settings.........................

Adjusting Backlight Settings............................................

Performing a Reset.................................................................

Performing a Warm Boot.................................................

Chapter 1

Introducing the PWS-430

Thank you for purchasing the PWS-430 Handheld Device.
The PWS-430 is an ultra rugged and compact handheld computer with a powerful Marvell
PXA310 806MHz CPU and Microsoft Windows CE 6.0, this handy terminal creates the most
performance and reliability to save your TCO (Total Cost of Ownership). The PWS-430
incorporates a transflective LCD with touch screen, keypad, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth
communication capability. Options provide extra functions and those options are GPS,
Barcode. To reduce TCO and enhance industrial applications, the PWS-430 is sealed to meet
IP65 standards and has undergone multiple 5 feet drop tests to prevent downtime.

Features

With powerful wireless communication and data capture functionality, the PWS-430 is a smart
configurable handheld terminal with applications in several target markets including:

• Government & Law Enforcement

• Transportation & Logistics

• Retail & Warehousing

• Industrial & Manufacturing

• Emergency services and construction

• Health care

The PWS-430 comes with the following features:

Powerful system

• Microsoft Windows CE 6.0 operating system

• Marvell PXA310 at 806MHz

System memory

• 256MB DDR RAM on board

• 1GB Flash ROM on board

Display

• 3.5-inch transflective TFT LCD, QVGA resolution (320 X 240)

Communication

• 802.11b/g WLAN module built-in

• Bluetooth class 2, V1.2 built-in

• GPS

Data capture

• BARCODE

Audio

• AC-97 codec

• Internal speaker x2

• Internal microphone

Expansion slot

• Micro SD

Battery life

• Normal usage: 8 hours continuous use

• Charging time: 3 hours

User-friendly interface

• Resistive touch panel

• Power on/suspend button x1

• QWERTY keys + Numeric keys

• Barcode scan button (right side)

• Volume control buttons

• LCD light switch button

Package Contents

After opening the box, ensure the following accessories for the PWS-430 are present:

• PWS-430 device

• Stylus

• Rechargeable Li-ion battery

• AC adapter and power cord

• External power charger and USB convertor cable

A Tour of the PWS-430

The following sections describe the main components and features of the PWS-430.

Front View

Component

Description

Power button

• If the device is off, press this button to turn
it on.

• When the unit is on, press this button for 3
seconds to turn the PWS-430 off.

LCD Touch Screen

Displays the applications and data stored on
your device. It is touch-sensitive and
responds to the stylus or finger.

QWERTY keys

Keypad interface for controlling the
PWS-430.
See Keypads and Function Buttons on
page ? for more information.

Power LED

Indicates the battery charging power status.
Green - Battery is fully charged or the device
is running on battery power.
When LED flashes, the battery charge is at
13%. Recharge the battery immediately.

Amber - Battery is charging.

Right View

Component

Description

Barcode scan button

Press to activate the barcode scanner.

LCD light switch button

Press to turn on/off the LCD light.

Component

Description

Volume control button

Press to turn up/down the volume.

Left View

Back View

Component

Description

Stylus

Enables you to interact with the operating
system. Remove the stylus from the
holder and hold and use it the same way you
would a pen or pencil.

5 Mega Pixel Camera

Displays

LED

Speaker

Enables you to hear audio from the
PWS-430.

Battery pack compartment

Houses the removable and rechargeable
battery pack.
See Installing the Battery on page ?.

Internal card slots

Accommodates Micro SD memory card. See
Inserting a Micro SD Memory Card on
page ?.

Bottom View

Component

Description

Cradle connector

Connects the PWS-430 to the cradle,
enabling you to charge the battery, connects
the PWS-430 to a computer to synchronize
data, and connects USB devices.

Chapter 2

Getting Started

This chapter explains how to install and charge the battery, how to check battery status, how to
turn on the PWS-430, and how to calibrate the screen.

Connecting the PWS-430

Installing the Battery

This section explains how to install the battery.

pack is handled improperly. DO NOT disassemble, crush, puncture, short external contacts, or
dispose the battery pack in fire or water. DO NOT attempt to open or service the battery pack.
Dispose of used batteries according to local recycling guidelines in your area.

A backup battery cell is embedded into your device to prevent data loss in instances when the
removable battery pack is removed or completely discharged. This backup battery cell will only

WARNING! There is a risk of fire and burns if the battery

support the system for a maximum of 3 minutes.

1. Remove the stylus from the holder.

2. Push the latch to remove the battery compartment cover from the chassis.

3. Align the battery contacts with the contacts in the compartment and place the battery in the
compartment as shown in the following illustration.

4. Replace the battery compartment cover.

Charging the Battery

Before using the PWS-430 for the first time, you need to charge it for about 3 hours. Charge
the PWS-430 using the charger or the docking station.

NOTE: When the battery power is below 10%, the PWS-430 will enter suspend mode.

Charging the Battery with the External Battery Charger

1. Plug the external battery charger clip into the connector at the bottom.

LED

Status

Meaning

Right

Off

Power Off.

Solid Green

Power On

2. Plug the AC adapter cable into the other end of the external battery charger.

3. Plug the power cable connector into the AC adapter.

4. Plug the AC adapter into an electrical outlet.

The charging LED (right) on the PWS-430 flashes.

LED Status

Blinking Green

Battery very low (<13%)

Blinking Amber

Charging

Solid Amber

Charging complete.

Left

TBD

For Customization

Connecting the PWS-430 to a PC

Use the USB convertor cable to connect the PWS-430 to a PC with Active-Sync utility.
Refer to See Installing Microsoft ActiveSync on page ?.

Turning on for the First Time

After you have initially charged your device for about 3 hours the device is ready to be used.
You can now start up your device where you’ll calibrate the display, learn some basic stylus
usage, and set up the system time zone, date and time.
Turn on your device by pressing the red power button on the top of the front panel.

Calibrating the PWS-430 Screen

The calibrate screen automatically appears when the unit is powered on for the first time or
after the system is reset.

1. Tap the center cross hair firmly and accurately with the stylus. The cross hair moves to the
next location.