Socket Mobile CHS1 User Guide
Cordless Hand Scanner Series 7
with Bluetooth® Wireless Technology
Featuring a Bluetooth enabled bar code scanner for wirelessly
adding bar code scanning to Bluetooth enabled mobile computers
running:
• Windows Mobile 2003, 2003SE or 5.0
• Palm OS 5.2 or later
• Windows XP or XP Tablet Edition
User’s Guide
4/2007 Document # 6410-00233 J
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Copyright © 2007 Socket Communications, Inc. dba Socket Mobile, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Socket, the Socket logo and Battery Friendly are registered trademarks of
Socket Communications, Inc. dba Socket Mobile, Inc. Cordless Hand
Scanner with Bluetooth Wireless Technology, SocketScan, Mobility
Friendly, Connect!Agent, and Error Proof Protocol are trademarks of
Socket Communications, Inc. dba Socket Mobile, Inc. Bluetooth and the
Bluetooth logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc.,
U.S.A. and licensed to Socket Mobile, Inc. All other brand and product
names are trademarks of their respective holders.
The Cordless Hand Scanner includes technology licensed under United
States Patent Numbers 5,902,991 and D526,320 S.
Reproduction of the contents of this manual without the permission of
Socket Mobile is expressly prohibited. Please be aware that the products
described in this manual may change without notice.
Feel free to contact Socket Mobile at:
Socket Mobile, Inc.
39700 Eureka Drive
Newark, CA 94560-4808
Other than the above, Socket Mobile can assume no responsibility for
anything resulting from the application of information contained in this
manual.
Please refrain from any applications of the Socket Cordless Hand Scanner
that are not described in this manual. Please refrain from disassembling the
Cordless Hand Scanner. Disassembly of this device will void the product
warranty.
You can track new product releases, software updates and technical
bulletins by visiting Socket’s website at:
www.socketmobile.com.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
COPYRIGHT NOTICE 2
1 | INTRODUCTION 5
SCANNER VERSIONS 5
BOUT THE SOFTWARE 5
A
A
BOUT COMBINING SCANNING WITH BLUETOOTH 6
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS 7
PACKAGE CONTENTS 7
PRODUCT REGISTRATION 8
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION 8
HARDWARE FEATURES 8
2 | HARDWARE PREPARATION 11
INSTALLING BATTERIES AND ATTACHING THE TETHER 11
CHARGING THE SCANNER 12
3 | SETUP FOR WINDOWS MOBILE 13
STEP 1: INSTALL THE SOFTWARE 14
STEP 2: CONFIGURE SCANNER SETTINGS 16
STEP 3: CONNECT CHS TO HOST DEVICE WITH BLUETOOTH 18
STEP 4: SCAN DATA INTO YOUR APPLICATION 20
SELECTING SYMBOLOGIES 23
CONFIGURING PREFIXES/SUFFIXES 24
CONFIGURING SOUNDS 25
RUNNING SCAN DEMO 26
USING THE CONNECT!AGENT UTILITY 27
4 | SETUP FOR PALM 29
STEP 1: INSTALL THE SOFTWARE 30
STEP 2: CONNECT CHS TO PDA WITH BLUETOOTH 31
STEP 3: SCAN DATA INTO YOUR APPLICATION 34
CONFIGURING SCAN SETTINGS 36
ELECTING SYMBOLOGIES 38
S
T
ESTING BAR CODES 39
5 | SETUP FOR WINDOWS XP 40
STEP 1: INSTALL THE SOFTWARE 41
2: CONFIGURE BLUETOOTH SETTINGS 43
STEP
STEP 3: CONFIGURE SCANNER SETTINGS 49
STEP
4: START SOCKETSCAN AND CONNECT TO CHS 51
STEP 5: SCAN DATA INTO YOUR APPLICATION 52
SSIGNING SOUND AND PREFIX/SUFFIX SETTINGS 54
A
CONFIGURING ADVANCED BLUETOOTH SETTINGS 55
A
SSIGNING A TRIGGER BUTTON 57
ELECTING SYMBOLOGIES 58
S
3
V
IEWING VERSION INFORMATION 59
APPENDICES:
A | SPECIFICATIONS 60
B | SAFETY AND USAGE TIPS 63
C | BAR CODE LABEL SPECIFICATIONS 65
D | ENABLING OR DISABLING SYMBOLOGIES 66
E | DECODE ZONE 69
F | TROUBLESHOOTING 71
G | TECHNICAL SUPPORT 75
LIMITED WARRANTY 76
REGULATORY COMPLIANCE 78
4
1 | INTRODUCTION
If you need to collect bar coded data but don't want to be tied to your mobile
or desktop computer, Socket's Cordless Hand Scanner (CHS) Series 7 with
Bluetooth wireless technology is just what you're looking for. This
innovative device combines the power of laser bar code scanning with the
convenience of Bluetooth wireless technology in a single compact,
lightweight device that is ergonomically designed to fit comfortably in the
palm of your hand.
Bar code scanning is the most efficient way to collect data from a mobile
computer. If the data to be entered is bar coded, using a laser scanner is 50
times faster and 10,000 times more accurate than manual data entry.
Bluetooth wireless technology transforms how devices connect with each
other, offering you new possibilities for using your mobile computer with
other devices. With Socket's Cordless Hand Scanner (CHS), you can scan
bar codes while connected to the PDA in your pocket or to your laptop,
tablet or desktop computer located up to 300 feet away — all without the
hassle of cables or the awkwardness of a protruding antenna.
SCANNER VERSIONS
The CHS Series 7 includes three versions of the scanner.
• The entry-level CHS 7E uses linear CMOS imaging technology.
• The mid-level CHS 7M has a Class 1 laser scanner.
• The performance level CHS 7P features a Class 2 laser scanner and a
ruggedized construction.
ABOUT THE SOFTWARE
SocketScan™ enters scanned data directly into any open
Windows or Palm OS program as if the data were manually
typed, so you can use the CHS with your favorite application.
Included is a utility that enables you to configure
Prefix/Suffixes, sounds, and other special settings for the CHS.
Connect!Agent™ for Windows Mobile and XP simplifies Bluetooth by
automatically setting up and managing the wireless connection.
Connect!Agent runs in the background, requiring no user interaction.
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 5
ABOUT COMBINING SCANNING WITH BLUETOOTH
The Cordless Hand Scanner represents an optimal combination of proven
laser bar code scanning and state-of-the-art Bluetooth connectivity. Because
of the problems inherent in the intermittent storage of scanned data in o nboard memory if the Bluetooth connection is lost, the CHS is designed to
operate only when connected to the host, with the powerful Class 1 radio
providing the maximum possible connection range.
The user is advised of the connection status with a single beep when the
CHS connects to the host and a double beep when the connection is closed
or lost. As with any wireless device, connectivity range can be affected by a
variety of environmental variables.
The most likely source of errors in any cordless scanning system is not in
the scanning and decoding process, but in the transmission of the data to the
host. For this reason, the Cordless Hand Scanner features Socket’s
exclusive Error Proof Protocol (patent pending), which ensures that
scanned data is correctly received by the host computer and allows for realtime validation of data and notifies the user in case of errors.
The beeper and green LED signals provided by the CHS confirm not only a
successful scan but also the successful transmission of the scanned data to
the host. Users familiar with bar code scanning may notice a slight delay
between the successful scan and shut off of the laser, and the beep and
green LED from the CHS confirming completed transmission of the data. In
most instances, this delay is less than 300 ms (milliseconds), but may be
slightly longer as the connectivity range limit is approached.
Because of the two-way transmission verification process, it is possible to
cause communication problems by scanning bar codes as fast as possible.
When this occurs, all transmissions will stop for several seconds before
scanning can be resumed. To prevent this from happening, the user should
6
wait until the confirming beep is received before scanning the next bar
code.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Windows Mobile devices should satisfy these minimum requirements:
• Windows Mobile 2003, 2003SE or 5.0
• Any of the following Bluetooth stacks:*
− Broadcom (Widcomm) v1.5 or greater for Windows Mobile 2003/2003SE
− Broadcom (Widcomm) v1.7 or greater for Windows Mobile 5.0
− Microsoft Bluetooth stack for Windows Mobile
− Socket Drakar v1.4 (from Socket SD/CF Connection Kits)
• Software installation requires either ActiveSync 4.0 or greater or
Windows Vista on a host computer.
Palm OS devices should satisfy these minimum requirements:
• Palm OS 5.2 or later
• Bluetooth wireless technology
• Software installation requires Palm Desktop Software on a host
computer.
Windows XP computers should satisfy these minimum requirements:
• Windows Mobile XP or XP Tablet Edition
• Any of the following Bluetooth stacks:*
− IVT BlueSoleil version 1.6.1.4 (from Socket CF/USB Connection Kits)
− Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 Bluetooth stack
− Toshiba Bluetooth stack 3.0 or greater
− Broadcom (Widcomm) Bluetooth stack
For information about using the CHS with Symbian smartphones or RIM
BlackBerry devices, please visit:
www.socketmobile.com/products/bar-code-scanning-datacollection/series7/default.asp?page=summary
*Other stacks may be compatible but have not been tested by Socket. For
Windows XP, only the IVT, Microsoft, and Toshiba Bluetooth stacks are
compatible with the optional Socket Connect!Agent software.
For software updates, please visit:
www.socketmobile.com/support/downloads/data-collection/series7/
PACKAGE CONTENTS
The Socket Cordless Hand Scanner package includes these items:
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 7
• Socket Cordless Hand Scanner with Bluetooth Wireless Technology
• AC charging adapter with international plugs
• 2 NiMH rechargeable AAA batteries
• Lanyard with retractable tether
• Software Installation CD
• Booklets with copyright, warranty, and regulatory compliance
information
PRODUCT REGISTRATION
Socket highly recommends that all customers register their Socket products.
Registered users receive the following benefits:
• Priority for technical support
• Special offers for future products and upgrades
• The latest new product information.
Register online at: www.socketmobile.com/support/support/new
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION
Besides this User’s Guide, Socket also supports the Cordless Hand Scanner
Series 7 with Quick Start Guides and Advanced Programming Guides,
available online at:
collection/series7/?page=Detail
www.socketmobile.com/support/downloads/data-
HARDWARE FEATURES
Rechargeable Batteries and AC Adapter
Charge the internal batteries by using the included AC adapter. The adapter
rating is 5V, 2A, positive pole center. A fully charged battery should
provide roughly 8 hours of normal operation.
WARNING: Charge ONLY NiMH batteries in the CHS. Damage may
result if other battery types are charged. Do not store the CHS for more
than 30 days with the batteries installed.
The red Battery Status LED will not function properly if standard AAA nonrechargeable batteries are being used.
Besides the included AC adapter, you can also recharge the CHS by using
any of the following:
• Socket’s Mobile Power Pack (available only in the Americas and Asia
Pacific regions). For more information, please visit:
www.socketmobile.com/products/accessories/mobile-power-pack/
8
• AC and DC adapters of most recent Pocket PCs from Socket Casio,
Dell, Fujitsu, HP, and Toshiba are also compatible.
Touch Screen Stylus
The CHS features a stylus tip in the tail of the CHS
that you can use Pocket PC and other device touch
screens. The stylus can be removed with small pliers
if desired. Visit the Socket website to purchase
replacement styli.
WARNING: Do not use the stylus if damaged. A
damaged stylus may scratch the display screen
of your computer.
The stylus does not work with XP Tablet computers using Active Matrix
displays.
Status Indicator LED
LED LED Activity Meaning
Bluetooth
Status
(Blue)
Good Read
(Green)
Battery
Status
(Red)
1 blink per second
1 blink per 5 seconds
Green
1 blink per second
Solid red Batteries are charging.
Off when connected
to charger
Bluetooth radio is on, but not
connected.
Bluetooth radio is on, connection
established.
Data successfully scanned and
transmitted to host device.
Less than 20% of battery life
remaining.
Batteries are fully charged.
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 9
Status Indicator Beeps
The scanner beeps to signal the Bluetooth connection status. You can also
have the scanner beep to indicate scanned data reaching the host device.
LED Beep Pattern Meaning
Bluetooth
Status
(Blue)
Good Read
(Green)
1 beep Connection to host device has begun.
2 beeps Connection to host device has ended.
1 beep
Data was successfully scanned and
transmitted to host device.
10
2 | HARDWARE PREPARATION
INSTALLING BATTERIES AND ATTACHING THE TETHER
1. Use a coin or screwdriver to unlock and remove the battery cover. Turn
the lock underneath the scanner to a horizontal position. Remove the
casing.
2. Install the batteries in opposite directions, as indicated by the positive
symbols.
WARNING: Do not install the batteries incorrectly.
Damage may result.
3. If desired, attach the tether. Wrap the string loop around the inside part
of the lock.
4. Replace the battery cover and lock it into place.
5. If desired , attach the tether to a lanyard or belt.
CHAPTER 2: SETUP FOR WINDOWS MOBILE 11
CHARGING THE SCANNER
Use the included AC adapter to charge the Cordless Hand Scanner. The
scanner’s NiMH batteries must be charged for at least 4 hours before the
first use. The Battery Status LED will emit a solid red light while charging,
and turn off when the batteries are fully charged.
WARNING: Do not attempt to charge alkaline batteries
— this may cause alkaline batteries to leak and damage
the CHS.
The red Battery Status LED will not function properly if
standard AAA alkaline batteries are being used.
12
3 | SETUP FOR WINDOWS MOBILE
This chapter explains how to install and use the
Cordless Hand Scanner (CHS) with a Bluetooth
enabled Pocket PC or other mobile computing device
running Windows Mobile 2003, 2003SE or 5.0.
Before you begin the instructions in this chapter,
make sure you have installed the batteries (and tether,
if desired), and charged the scanner, as described in
Chapter 2, “Hardware Preparation.”
SETUP SUMMARY
STEP 1: Install the software.
STEP 2: Configure scanner settings.
STEP 3: Connect scanner to host device with Bluetooth.
STEP 4: Scan data into your application.
Selecting symbologies
Configuring prefixes/suffixes
Configuring sounds
Running Scan Demo
Using the Connect!Agent Utility
CHAPTER 2: SETUP FOR WINDOWS MOBILE 13
STEP 1: INSTALL THE SOFTWARE
You must install both SocketScan and Connect!Agent.
ADVANCED USERS: Refer to the README file for CAB installation instructions.
1. Delete any bar code scanning software already installed in your device,
including software from other companies. Make sure the software is
closed. Tap Start | Settings | System tab | Remove Programs. Use the
utility to delete the software.
2. Use a serial/USB cable or cradle to make an active connection between
the mobile computer and a host PC.
• If your host PC runs Windows XP, use ActiveSync 4.0 or greater. You
can download ActiveSync free from:
www.socketmobile.com/activesync
• If your host PC runs Windows Vista, use the Windows Mobile Device
Center built into Windows Vista.
3. Insert the installation CD into your host PC.
4. Use My Computer or Windows Explorer to access your CD drive.
5. In the CD, open the SocketScanCE folder and click on Setup.exe.
6. The installation wizard will automatically begin. Follow the wizard to
install the software.
14
7. After installin g the software, a dialog on your Pocket PC will direct
you to soft reset. Tap ok.
8. Remove your device from the cable/cradle and perform a soft reset by
pressing the reset button. If you skip this step, some icons may not
appear correctly.
9. Install Connect!Agent by opening the Connect!Agent folder in the CD
and clicking on Connect!AgentSetup.exe. Follow the wizard to install the
software.
CHAPTER 2: SETUP FOR WINDOWS MOBILE 15
STEP 2: CONFIGURE SCANNER SETTINGS
1. Tap Start | Programs | SocketScan.
2. Go to the Today screen by tapping Start | Today.
3. Tap the SocketScan icon at the bottom of the screen. In the pop-up
menu, tap Settings.
4. The Scanner Settings utility will appear. Tap on the CS tab at the bottom
of the screen.
5. Check the box Enable Cordless Scanner support. IMPORTANT!!!
16
6. Tap on the CS HW tab.
Enter the following settings:
• Trigger: Select whether you would like the CHS to scan only when a
Bluetooth connection to the device is detected. If you require the
CHS to detect a Bluetooth connection before each scan, scanning
will be a few milliseconds slower.
• Good Read Indicator: Select how you would like the CHS to indicate
that it has successfully read data.
• Battery Level: No progress bar should appear since you are not
connected to the CHS.
• Disable Auto Power Off mode: The CHS automatically shuts off if
there is no Bluetooth connection for 20 minutes. Check to disable.
7. After enterin g settings, tap ok to save the changes.
CHAPTER 2: SETUP FOR WINDOWS MOBILE 17
STEP 3: CONNECT CHS TO HOST DEVICE WITH BLUETOOTH
SocketScan supports a generic Bluetooth COM port and may be able to
connect to Bluetooth stacks on mobile computers other than those listed.
1. Turn on the Cordless Hand Scanner. Press the small
power button for five seconds, until you see the LED
turn blue. The LED should blink blue once every second
to show that the Bluetooth radio is on but not connected.
If the LED begins blinking red, the battery needs to be
recharged.
2. Tap Start | Programs | SocketScan.
Disregard the icons for Socket Trigger RFID,
Socket Trigger Scan, and Socket Trigger Select.
3. Tap on the SocketScan icon
tap Connect CS.
at the bottom of the screen. In the menu,
Your mobile device cannot connect to the CHS if another device is set as
the default Bluetooth serial device.
If Connect CS does not appear, tap Settings in the menu, tap on the CS
tab, and enable cordless scanner support.
4. Connect!Agent will automatically turn on the Bluetooth radio and begin
to search for and connect to the CHS.
- If this is your first time connecting to a CHS or CRS (Cordless Ring
Scanner) from this device, Connect!Agent will begin searching for
any CHS or CRS in range.
18
- If you have previously connected to a CHS or CRS, Connect!Agent
will automatically begin searching for your favorite (default)
device.
5. If Con nect!Agent does not have a favorite scanner and finds multiple
CHS and/or CRS devices in range, select the one you want to connect to
and tap ok.
To help you identify the scanner, Connect!Agent reports the scanner’s
Bluetooth MAC address. The characters in brackets are the last six
characters of the address.
CHAPTER 2: SETUP FOR WINDOWS MOBILE 19
6. Connect!Agent will begin connecting to the CHS.
7. After you r mobile device connects to the CHS, the scanner will beep
once. The SocketScan icon at the bottom of the Today screen will
change into a scanner icon to indicate the connection.
Connect!Agent will save information about the CHS to automate future
connections to your specific unit.
To change which scanner is assigned as your favorite, you can also use
the Connect!Agent utility. (See instructions later in this chapter.)
STEP 4: SCAN DATA INTO YOUR APPLICATION
1. Start the Windows application that you want to receive the data (e.g.,
Excel, Notepad, etc.). Make sure a document or spreadsheet is open.
2. Place the cursor where you want data from the next scan to go.
20
3. Press the trigger button and scan the code.
When data is read and sent to the mobile computing device, the laser will
turn off. Depending on your scanner settings, the scanner may beep
and/or the Hand scanner’s LED may flash green to indicate a good
read.
If no data is read in a few seconds, the laser will turn off, and you must
try again.
4. After a successful scan, data should appear in your document. For
example, after you scan a bar code into a Pocket Excel spreadsheet, data
should appear in the first cell. The default “CR” (carriage return) suffix
will advance the cursor to the next cell, ready for the next scan.
Wait for the “Good Scan” indication before you scan another bar code.
If you try to scan too fast, the device can lock up un til you stop
scanning.
CHAPTER 2: SETUP FOR WINDOWS MOBILE 21
For information about third-party applications compatible with the CHS
for asset tracking, health care, and other vertical markets, visit:
www.socketmobile.com/solutions/vertical-markets/
Reconnecting
If your mobile device suspends or the CHS moves out of range, the
connection will end. After the mobile device turns on again or returns in
range, SocketScan will try to re-connect 3 times. If, after 3 attempts,
they have not re-connected, you will need to manually re-connect them.
Disconnecting
To disconnect, tap on the SocketScan icon at the bottom of the Today
screen and tap Disconnect. Your mobile device will disconnect from the
CHS, and Connect!Agent will turn off the Bluetooth radio of your
mobile device.
Turning off the CHS
To turn off the CHS, press the power button at least 2 seconds, until the
LED stops blinking.
22
SELECTING SYMBOLOGIES
The applet makes it quick and convenient to modify which symbologies
you want the scanner to recognize. By default, the scanner is set to
recognize nine of the most common symbologies.
1. Tap on the SocketScan icon. In the pop-up menu, tap Symbology Selector...
2. In the screen that appears, check the symbologies you wish to enable.
Uncheck those you wish to disable. For convenience, you can tap
Disable All to disable all the symbologies and select the ones you want.
Tap ok.
Symbologies not supported by the CHS will be gray.
Enabling all possible symbologies will make the decode
process slightly longer.
CHAPTER 2: SETUP FOR WINDOWS MOBILE 23
CONFIGURING PREFIXES/SUFFIXES
The SocketScan applet lets you specify prefix and/or suffix characters to be
added automatically to the data you scan. This helps to further eliminate
manual data entry.
1. Tap on the SocketScan icon. In the pop-up menu, tap Settings.
You can configure prefix/suffixes whether or not the CHS is
connected to your Pocket PC.
2. In the pop-up menu, select Settings...
3. In the screen that appears, enter the characters you want to be appended
to each scan (128 character maximum). Tap ok.
By default, SocketScan enters a carriage return after every data scan.
• Use \r for Carriage Return, \n for Linefeed, \t for Tab., \\ for a sing le \
character.
• Other characters can be typed or entered using the format \nnn, where
nnn = ASCII character 001 through 255.
24
CONFIGURING SOUNDS
The SocketScan applet lets you specify sounds used to indicate when the
CHS has successfully scanned data and transmitted it to the host device.
1. Tap on the SocketScan icon. In the pop-up menu, tap Settings.
You can configure sounds whether or not the CHS is connected
to your Pocket PC.
2. The Scanner Settings utility will appear, with the Prefix/Suffix tab open.
Tap on the Sound tab.
3. Select which sound you want your mobile computer to use to indicate a
good read.
If you select Play .wav file, tap on the … button to search for the .wav file
you want to use (the file must be located in the My Documents folder).
Tap ok.
CHAPTER 2: SETUP FOR WINDOWS MOBILE 25
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