CRMET CH2165, CH2160, CH2124 Datasheet

HIGH SPEED INTERNET MODEM FAMILY

CH2124 - Send/Retrieve Email. 2 I/O Ports 2400bps.
CH2160 - Send/Retrieve Email. 2 I/O Ports, V.90.

CH2165 - Send/Retrieve Email. Unlimited Email, V.90

2003 Cermetek Microelectronics, Inc. Page 1 Document No. 607-0017 Revision H2 (11/03)

FEATURES

• Replaces conventional modems using the world
wide web for communication.

• Transparent internet operations of Point-to-Point
Protocol (PPP), Password Authentication Protocol
(PAP) and Challenge Authentication Protocol
(CHAP) to connect to the Internet.

• Built-in TCP/IP and SMTP to send emails, TCP/IP
and POP3 to retrieve and/or delete emails.

• On Demand and I/O pin event driven email
transmission and retrieval.

• Send/Retrieve streaming email of unlimited length;
or pre-stored email up to 5M bytes in RAM
(CH2165).

• Retrieve multiple messages (CH2165) or select
individual message (CH2124/60).

• Once online CH2165 can stay online and send,
retrieve and/or delete email.

• Programmable using serial interface
(CH2124/60/65).

• Remote programming using PSTN (CH2124/60).

• Resident modem supports: V.90, V.34bis, V.34,

V.22bis, V.22A/B V.23, V.21, Bell 212A and 103,
(depending on model) and can be used in
conventional modem mode.

• Error correcting: V.42 LAPM, MNP 2-4 and MNP10.

• Automatic baud rate adaptability utilizing speed

sensing, flow control and data buffers.

• Serial interface, V.24 (EIA 232-E), 5 volts.

• NVRAM for stored modem (S-Registers) profiles.

• Cermetek @T

®

AT-like Commands.

• Built-in DAA with 1500 VAC RMS isolation 2122V
peak surge protection.

• UL 1950 and CSA C22.2 950 (Third Edition) Listed,
reference UL File E104957.

• FCC Part 68 Approved/DOT CSA CS-03 Part I
approvable.

• Pin-for-Pin compatible family.

• +5 Volt operation.

• Small size: 1.35” x 1.97” x 0.55” (nominal).

• Low Cost 2400bps version (CH2124).

• Use with any Non-proprietary commercial or private

ISP.

• Cermetek’s iModem Network ISP has 1000s of
local access numbers world wide.

• Failsafe back up 1-800 access number, auxiliary

and alternative telephone numbers available.

• Low cost iModem Network ISP providing email to
Voice, Fax, and email re-routing services.

• 90 day free trial subscription to iModem Network
ISP provided with each iModem.

INTRODUCTION

Direct machine-to-machine interaction represents the
next logical extension of the internet. Cermetek internet
modem (iModem) products are designed to exploit the
internet to facilitate the utilization of machine-to­machine interactions. Using email, information can
easily be transferred between systems and can be
transmitted/retrieved at will. Internet email provides low
cost, near real time multi-path communication.
Replacing conventional modems and long distance
telephone lines with local access internet connections
reduces fixed asset and maintenance costs, limits
communication expenses and saves money.

USER FRIENDLY INTERFACE LAYER

All Cermetek iModem products contain a user friendly
interface layer that provides the user transparent
access to the internet. This interface layer, consisting
of various @T

®

macro commands, has the look and feel

of conventional modem AT commands. With the @T

®

macro commands the user can direct the iModem to
compose, edit/modify, send, retrieve and delete email
messages. Internet and email activity status is reported
via the iModem’s V.24 (EIA 232-E) serial interface.

COMPARISON OF CH21XX iMODEM DEVICES

The CH2165 represents the next generation in internet
enabled devices. This product provides the user with
unsurpassed command and control capabilities. The
CH2165 communicates asynchronously with the host
controller (via the serial port) and the internet (via the
PSTN connection) simultaneously. Consequently, the
user can intersperse CH2165 specific management
commands with internet commands. Further,
commands can be queued. The CH2165 will also send
or retrieve email messages of virtually unlimited length
by using streaming email techniques. The CH2165 is
ideal for applications where larger data transfers are
required and/or where large amounts of data must be
stored locally on the iModem device.

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2003 Cermetek Microelectronics, Inc. Page 2 Document No. 607-0017 Revision H2 (11/03)

Figure 1. Conceptualized Block Diagram illustrating the Cermetek CH21XX iModem product family
performing the embedded internet application function.

The CH2124/60 products are the first generation
internet enabled devices. These products excel at
sending and retrieving modest amounts of data. Email
messages of approximately 125 ASCII characters in
length can be stored in internal Flash ROM for later
transmission.

The CH2124/60 products are ideal for very low cost
controller applications and in applications where limited
data transfer is required.

OVERVIEW OF THE CH21XX iMODEM

A conceptual representation of the iModem in an
embedded environment is presented in Figure 1. As
can be seen in this figure, the iModem requires the
input of various internet parameters to function
properly: user name, user ID, user password, ISP
telephone number, ISP mail server address/name, local
email address/name, destination email address and
user specified email message/input port status.

Cermetek’s iModem products provide the user with the
ability to assign a unique unit name to each iModem
thereby creating a customized identity for each system
containing an iModem product.

Each iModem device stores the user-supplied
parameters in internal memory. These parameters are
retained when power is removed. The user supplied
parameters are loaded into the iModem via the
iModem’s serial interface port utilizing either
Cermetek’s iNetWizard

®

telecommunications software

package or, alternatively, one of a variety of
commercially available terminal emulation software

packages. iNetWizard

®

is available free of charge and

runs on any standard PC operating Microsoft Windows.

Internet Connectivity. The CH21XX iModem uses the
user supplied parameters to establish an internet
connection and then send, retrieve and/or delete email.
After completion of the required internet activities, the
iModem terminates the internet connection.

Send, Retrieve and Delete Email: CH2165. The
CH2165 has the ability to send and retrieve emails of
virtually unlimited length by employing a technique
referred to as streaming email. Once in streaming
email mode, the user simply continues to supply data to
the CH2165’s serial port, and terminates the data
stream with a <CR>.<CR>. Alternatively, messages of
finite length can pre-stored locally on the CH2165 in
RAM memory and then sent when needed. The data
stream termination sequence for pre-stored messages
is the CTRL D characters.

The total CH2165 RAM memory available to the user is
approximately 5M bytes. For messages that need to be
stored semi-permanently, the user has access of up to
1M byte of Flash ROM for message storage.
Messages stored in ROM can also be sent when
needed.

When retrieving emails, the user continues to save the
data streaming out of the CH2165’s serial port until a
<CR>.<CR> is received.

Refer to Cermetek Application Note # 325, @T

®

Command Set Description and Usage For CH2165
iModem, for more details.

• User Name

• Password

• ISP Telephone Number

• Mail Server Address/Name

• Local Email Address

• Destination Email Address

• User Specified Email

Message/Input Port Status

• User ID

User Supplied Parameters

•

Send email

• Retrieve email

• Delete email

CH21XX
iModem
Product

Family

Internet

(PPP, SMTP, TCP/IP,

POP3)

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Send, Retrieve and Delete Email: CH2124/60. The
CH2124/60 products send and retrieve email of modest
length. The pre-stored message length is approximately
125 ASCII characters. Messages are stored in Flash
ROM. Streaming email is not supported in the
CH2124/60 iModem products.

Refer to Cermetek Application Note # 155, @T

®

Command Set Description and Usage For CH2124/60
iModems, for more details.

iModem Hardware Configuration. Each CH2160/65
(CH2124) iModem contains a fully functional 56kbps
(2400bps) modem and the hardware and firmware
needed to provide the internet capability. Because of
the unique architecture of Cermetek iModems, these
iModems have the ability to operate as either an
internet email transceiver or as a high reliability analog
modem. Additionally, the CH2124/60 products support
user remote access which can be used to reprogram or
reconfigure an iModem deployed in the field.

The iModem Family of products are pin compatible with
the CH179X and CH2056 modem products. Referring
to Figure 2, the CH21XX iModem Family consists of an
industrial grade high speed modem module and a µP
controller with associated internal logic. The µP
controller and the logic provide all the functions
required for internet communication via standard PSTN
telephones lines. The CH2165 contains an additional 8
Mbytes of RAM and 2 Mbytes of Flash ROM. All
CH21XX iModem products utilize TCP/IP, PPP, PAP,
CHAP, SMTP and POP3 internet protocols.

Required External Connections. The iModem
requires an external RJ-11C jack for the PSTN line
connection. An CCITT V.24 serial interface is required
when host processor control of the iModem is required
in the specific application. All retrieved emails are
presented to the host system for further processing
and/or retention via the serial interface.

Approvals. The CH21XX iModem Family is FCC Part
68 approved, UL 1950 and CSA C22.2 950 (Third
Edition) listed and Canadian DOT CSA CS-03
approvable.

Physical Dimensions. The modules are designed for
PCB through-hole mounting and are 1.35” x 1.97” x

0.55” in size.

iMODEM EVALUATION BOARD

Cermetek manufactures a companion evaluation board
that is designed to simplify the hardware connections
required to program the iModem as well as providing a
reliable platform to assist with system level debugging.
Contact Cermetek and ask for the CH21XX iModem
Evaluation Board.

iMODEM NETWORK ISP

A valid ISP account ID and password are required to
access the internet. As a convenience to our
customers, and to facilitate operational use of the
iModem, Cermetek supplies each iModem with a pre­programmed account on the Cermetek iModem
Network ISP. This account is provided on a 90 day
free trial offer basis. Cermetek established the iModem
Network ISP to provide embedded internet appliance
users with features and services tuned to the unique
demands of the internet appliance environment. In
addition to standard email service, the iModem
Network ISP can provide: email to FAX, email to Voice,
email to dynamic web page update, and email re­routing. Refer to Cermetek Application Note # 149,
Cermetek Internet Service (ISP) Description of
Features and Services, for more details.

The CH2165 can utilize any non-proprietary commercial
or private ISP for internet access as well as the
Cermetek iModem Network ISP. We recommend the
Cermetek iModem Network ISP because of its
machine friendly features and low cost $2.00 per month
access. Please see www.imodem.net

for more details.

iMODEM CONTROL METHODOLOGIES

The iModem receives @T® commands from the host
processor or receives an event status flag on the Send
Email Control Pin (Pin #6 – CH2124/60) and proceeds
to dial up the local POP, log on to the internet,
authenticate and verify the user ID and password, and
either sends or retrieves email depending on the
command/status flag received. For CH2124/60
products, see Table 1 for a summary of available @T

®

commands. For CH2165 products, see Table 2.

The iModem Family offers a variety of internet
communication features ranging from simple on
demand event triggered email transmission to full send
and retrieve email capability. User Control of the
internet communication activity of the iModem device
typically falls into one of the following basic control
strategies:

1. Fully Autonomous or event driven pin control
requiring no host processor intervention. A pre­stored message is sent on a pin transition
(CH2124/60).

2. Semiautonomous control, requiring one command to
be issued from the host processor. A pre-stored
message is sent on command.

3. Complete host intervention and supervision requiring
each command to be issued from the host.
Message is constructed and sent in real time.

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Figure 2. Functional Block Diagram of Cermetek CH21XX iModem Products. Note the additional RAM and ROM
provided in the CH2165 iModem product.

Fully Autonomous On Demand Event Driven
Control: CH2124/60. This is the simplest method of

operational control. Application of a 50ms TTL Low
going pulse or level to the Send Email Control pin (Pin
# 6) will cause the CH2124/60 iModem to send an
email using its internal internet configuration profile.
This profile is pre-programmed at the factory and can
be modified by the user as necessary. No host
processor intervention is required. The DTE serial
interface is not required for fully autonomous on
demand or event driven control. The CH2124/60
iModem will abort email related activities and return to
the idle state if a low going TTL pulse is presented to
the SEND Email Control Pin (Pin # 6) at any time during
or after initiation of email send.

Semi-Autonomous Control: CH2124/60. This method
requires a minimal amount of host processor
intervention and requires that the DTE serial port be
operational. Semi-autonomous control is a special
case of full Host Supervised Control and relies on the
preprogrammed default internet configuration profile
contained within the iModem. Initiation of an email
activity occurs with the issuance by the host processor
to the iModem the appropriate @T

®

command to

send/retrieve/delete email. PSTN dial-up, logon,

authentication and email transmission, retrieval, and/or
deletion are performed automatically by the iModem in
the same fashion as for the Fully Autonomous On­Demand control method described above.

Host Supervised Control: CH2124/60. This method is
the most flexible, but requires issuance by the host
processor of the necessary @T

®

commands in the
required order from the host processor. When
choosing an implementation scheme utilizing a host
processor, the host controls the iModem by using
Cermetek @T

®

commands. These commands are

similar to the standard Hayes AT command set.

Although the DTE serial port is required to be
operational for this method of control, an additional
feature of this method is the ability of the host to over­ride the preprogrammed parameters (including the
email message content) by simply entering the
applicable information using the appropriate @T

®

Command.

Delete Email: CH2124/60. The user may selectively
delete any email message (by specifying the message
number) or delete all messages cached on the POP3
server.

PSTN

Input 1

Input 2

SEND EMAIL
CONTROL
PIN

INPUT

SENSE

AND

OUTPUT

PINS

Interface

Circuitry

SERIAL

INTERFACE

V-24

EIA-232-E or

UART

MODEM

V.90 (CH2160/65)
V.22bis (CH2124)

MODEM INTERFACE

DAA

CH21XX

RXD
RTS

DCD
DSR

RI

CTS
TXD

DTR

TIP

Ring

EMAIL
ACCEPTED
INDICATOR
PIN

Flash ROM

32Kx8

(CH2124/60)

Network
Protocol

SMTP

TCP

IP

PPP

POP 3

µ

P

RST

SPK

+5V

GND

Flash ROM

2Mx8

(CH2165)

RAM

8Mx8

(CH2165)

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Email and Internet Activity Status: CH2124/60. The
CH2124/60 provides activity status messages on the
iModem’s serial port. These status messages consist
of a series of ASCII characters. Some examples are:
BAD MESSAGE NUMBER, CONNECT, HANGING UP,
MESSAGE ACCEPTED, MESSAGE DELETED. For a
more detailed discussion of CH2124/60 status
messages, refer to Cermetek Application Note # 155,

@T

®

Command Set Description and Usage For

CH2124/60 iModems.

Send Email: CH2165. To send email messages, the
user must explicitly open the TCP socket connection
using the @TCP command. This command
automatically dials the specified local access POP
phone number, performs user authentication,
establishes a PPP connection and obtains an IP
address.

Once connected to the internet, the user may use one
of two methods to send email messages: use pre­stored messages contained in resident memory or use
streaming messages obtained in real-time from the
CH2165’s DTE serial I/O port. In either case, multiple
email destination addresses are allowed.

For the case of pre-stored messages, each message is
associated with a user defined message name. The
user enters the @TD=msgname command (where
msgname is the message file name) and the CH2165
sends the email using the SMTP protocol.

For the case of streaming email, the user enters the
@TD=0 command (where 0 is a reserved name and
signals the CH2165 that streaming email is desired).
The CH2165 then sends the appropriate SMTP email
headers and prompts the user to supply the body of the
message. The user presents as many ASCII
characters as desired to the CH2165’s DTE serial port.
When finished, the user must end the streaming input
with a <CR>.<CR>. The CH2165 will then terminate
the SMTP message and close the SMTP connection. If
the SMTP inactivity timer limit is exceeded (currently
set at 90 seconds), the CH2165 will automatically
terminate the message and close the SMTP
connection. To end the internet session, the user must
explicitly close the TCP connection and terminate the
PSTN dial-up phone call by entering the @TCT
command.

When using pre-stored messages in resident memory,
the user is responsible for message memory
management and utilization. Exceeding the memory
limits will cause memory wrap around and messages
may become lost or corrupted.

Retrieve Email: CH2165. The CH2165 will retrieve
email from POP3 servers complying with applicable
internet governing RFCs. By executing the @TES
command, the user may obtain an inventory listing

containing Subject Line and Message Number of all
messages currently cached on the POP3 server. The
user may selectively down load individual messages
(by message number) or may retrieve all messages on
the server. Messages retrieved are provided to the
user on the iModem’s serial port and are not stored in
CH2165 resident memory.

Delete Email: CH2165. The user may selectively
delete any email message (by message number) or all
messages cached on the POP3 server.

Email and Internet Activity Status: CH2165.
Currently, the CH2165 provides two levels of internet
and email status information. Using the @TCS=PPP
command, the user can monitor all the internet PPP
communication. Additionally, the user can determine
internet connectivity status by issuing the @TCS=PING
command. The @TCS=PING command causes the
iModem to send four successive PING commands
directly to the internet host. Responses from the host
include Host IP address and connectivity information.

Back-up and Alternative POP access Phone
Numbers. Cermetek iModem products allow usage of

an alternative local access POP phone number or, if
available, a 1-800 number, should the iModem fail to
connect to the primary POP. The user can establish
the number of attempts made to the primary POP
before the back up POP is attempted.

DESCRIPTION OF FUNCTIONAL BLOCKS AND
DISCUSSION OF BASIC OPERATIONS

Each CH21XX iModem product consists of the following
functional blocks:

1. µP controller with Network Protocols and Flash

ROM.

2. Serial interface buffer.

3. Input/Output interface circuitry.

4. Internal modem (V.90 or V.22bis).

5. Modem interface circuitry.

6. DAA (Data Access Arrangement) PSTN interface.

7. Additional Flash ROM (CH2165 only).

8. Additional RAM (CH2165 only).

Figure 2 contains a schematic drawing illustrating the
interconnectivity of the various functional blocks
comprising the CH21XX iModem products.

Each iModem performs the following internet
connectivity functions automatically:

1. Dials local POP and Connects to ISP.

2. Authenticates user ID and logs onto the internet.

3. Sends (or Retrieves) email to (from) the server

address/name specified using the ISP’s SMTP
(POP3) Mail Server.

4. Terminates ISP session after all data is sent (or

retrieved) (CH2124/60 only).

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5. The CH2124/60 sends an ASCII MESSAGE
ACCEPTED activity response message and sends
a TTL LOW Pulse to Pin 8 indicating that the ISP
Mail Server has accepted the email message.

Control of the internet capabilities of the iModem can be
either event driven or initiated and controlled by a
system level host processor. Refer to Table 3 for a
complete set of pin descriptions.

When not utilized in the internet connectivity role, the
iModem will function as a standard analog modem.

KEY FEATURE

The user has complete control of the level of
autonomy the iModem exercises in the user’s
application. This is a unique feature of Cermetek’s
iModem products.

µP Controller. The µP controller performs the required
internet operations by interpreting each specific @T

®

command and executing the appropriate internet
commands. The necessary internet protocol firmware
is resident in flash ROM. The @T

®

commands function
as an extension to the industry standard Hayes AT
command set.

Internal Modem. The internal modem is used to
establish a data connection with the ISP. The
CH2160/65 contains a V.90 internal modem while the
CH2124 contains a V.22bis internal modem. The
internal modem can be controlled with Hayes AT
commands and is compatible with industry standard
communication software. Refer to Cermetek
publication, AT Commands and S-Registers

, for a more
detailed discussion of the Hayes AT commands
supported by the iModem product family.

When operating in standard analog modem mode, the
maximum Data Terminal Equipment (DTE)/Host system
communication speed is established by the maximum
speed available from the DTE/Host and is not limited by
the iModem product.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

AS DELIVERED FROM THE FACTORY, all @T®
command communication between the CH2160/65
(CH2124) iModem and the host processor is
conducted over the serial interface at 57.6/19.2kbps
(2400bps).

CH21XX DTE Speed. AS DELIVERED FROM THE
FACTORY, the CH2160/65 iModem will only
communicate with the DTE at 57.6/19.2 kbps and the

CH2124 at 2400bps. However, the user may modify
the DTE speed with the appropriate @T

®

commands.

Refer to Application Note # 155, @T

®

Command Set
Description and Usage For CH2124/60 or to Application
Note # 325, @T

®

Command Set Description and Usage
For CH2165. When the user changes the DTE
communication speed to any speed other than the
default value set of the factory, the user must ensure
that the DTE supports the speed selected. Failure to
do so could adversely affect communication with the
iModem device or, worst-case, disable communication
with the internal µP controller. Refer to Application
Note # 158, Cermetek iModem Caveats and Definitions

,

for a more detailed discussion of this issue.

Refer to Cermetek’s High Speed Modem and FAX
Family product data sheet for a complete Description of
the internal modem’s capabilities and functions.

Serial Host Interface Buffer. The iModem utilizes a
serial V.24 EIA 232-E 5V interface to communicate with
the internal modem and to communicate with the
internal µP.

Telephone Line Interface or DAA. The iModem
family includes a unique low distortion DAA designed
for optimal performance over all PSTN line conditions
thereby achieving the most reliable and best
performance PSTN connections.

The CH21XX iModem family is designed to meet North
American telephone standards as set by FCC Part 68

IMPORTANT NOTICE

If the user wants to change the DTE/Host
communication speed to any speed other than the
factory set speed of 57.6/19.2kbps for the CH2160/65
or 2400bps for the CH2124, the user must first
change the DTE speed of the iModem using the
appropriate all @T® commands before changing the
DTE/Host speed. Refer to Application Note # 158,
Cermetek iModem Caveats and Definitions, for a
more detailed discussion of this issue.

(USA) and CSA CS-03 Part I (Canada). Each iModem
product is shipped from the factory with an FCC label
indicating the FCC registration number and ringer
equivalent. The PSTN line interface is UL1950 and
CSA listed. Consequently, the iModem family of
products satisfies U.S. and Canadian requirements,
and will meet other international approval agency
requirements that specify these levels of isolation.