Identec Solutions ICARD-NA User Manual

i-CARD

Reference Manual

The product, and product features as described in this document are subject to change
without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of IDENTEC
Solutions, Inc. The software described in this document is furnished under a license
agreement.

Limitation of Liability. In no event shall Identec or its suppliers be liable for any
damages whatsoever, including damages for loss of business profits, business
interruption, loss of business information or any other loss arising out of the use of
or inability to use this product, or the provision or failure to provide support
services. IDENTEC’s entire liability shall be limited to the replacement cost of this
product.

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 FCC Rules. These limits
are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when
the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment
generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and
used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference
to radio communication. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is
likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to
correct the interference at his own expense.

Warning: Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the
party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.

FCC ID: O2E-ICARD-NA
CANADA: XXXXXXXXXXXX
MODEL: i-CARD
TYPE: NA

This Class A digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian
Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.

Cet appareil numérique de la classe A respecte toutes les exigencies du Règlement
sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada.

This User Manual is copyright © 2000 by IDENTEC Solutions, Inc.

1 Contents

1 CONTENTS 3
2 INTRODUCTION 3

2.1 GENERAL 3

2.2 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION 4

3 I-CARD CONNECTORS — SYSTEM INPUTS AND OUTPUTS 5
4 EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY REQUIREMENTS 7
5 INSTALLATION 8

5.1 PHYSICAL INSTALLATION 8

5.2 ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION 8

6 I-CARD ANTENNAS 8
7 I-Q TAGS 9
8 SOFTWARE 10
9 PRODUCT SUPPORT 11

9.1 TO REACH IDENTEC SUPPORT 11

9.1.1 Online support 11

9.1.2 E-mail support 11

9.1.3 Telephone and Fax Support 11

9.1.4 Support numbers 11

9.1.5 Order Desk 12

9.1.6 Warranty Service 12

9.1.7 Additional Tools and Training 12

2 Introduction

2.1 General

This document provides information for the installation and
operation of the IDENTEC i-CARD, a PC Card type RFID
interrogator.

Other documentation that may be applicable includes the
Application Developers Guide To Programming For The ILR
Library, the i-COM User Manual, the i-CARD Installation &
Configuration Sheet, and the i-Q Tag Technical Sheet.

2.2 Product Description

The i-CARD is a PC Card type RFID device for communicating with
the i-Q series of active tags. It will plug into PCMCIA slots of
portable devices like handheld scanners, etc. It must be powered by a
5V source, capable of supplying 150mA.
The i-CARD is configurable via firmware to provide application
developers with both a PCMCIA, as well as a serial interface for
advanced automatic data capture applications using ILR technology.

The operating system in the hosting device can be Windows 98®,
Windows NT® or Windows CE®, providing the interface to the i­CARD Application programs developed to run on the i-CARD use
calls to the IDENTEC i-PORT software library to access the RF
functions on the i-CARD.

The i-CARD enclosure is a PC Card type II tin can. Three status
LEDs can be viewed from the front edge; they are Carrier Detect
(green), Transmit (red) and Receive (green). The front also hosts the
MMCX 50Ù coax RF connector for the antenna.

In addition, the front edge holds a 15-pin PC Card I/O connector for
serial (RS-232) access and card programming.

The i-CARD contains a Configurable Processor System Unit (CPSU)
with internal non-volatile memory. The CPSU chip is programmed
by IDENTEC and contains the firmware code.
The i-CARD contains the RF circuitry for the wireless
communication with IDENTEC tags. The application software
running on the i-PORT, or other host computer, sends commands to
the CPSU to communicate with the tags. The CPSU on the i-CARD
controls all functions of the board. The normal mode (power-up and
standby) of the i-CARD is ‘Receive Mode’, as opposed to the time­limited ‘Transmit Mode’, which has to be initiated by the controlling
host computer.

Note: The i-CARD used in the i-PORT is in a PC Card Type II housing
but it is not configured with a PCMCIA interface. The i-CARD in the i­PORT has a serial interface and can only be used in the assigned card
slot on the i-PORT.
i-CARDs with PCMCIA interface code are suitable for any other
standard portable equipment.
Each i-CARD is marked with an interface type, either PCMCIA or
serial. Do not use an i-CARD with a PCMCIA interface in the i-PORT.
Vice versa, do not use an i-CARD with a serial interface in any other
portable device with PCMCIA slot.