ThingMagic Autonomous Configuration Tool User Manual
Autonomous Configuration Tool
User Guide
Version 1.0 - Supported Hardware:
• Micro (firmware v1.5 and later)
875-0076-01 RevA
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©2014 ThingMagic – a division of Trimble Navigation Limited. ThingMagic and The
Engine in RFID are registered trademarks of Trimble Navigation Limited. Other marks
may be protected by their respective owners. All Rights Reserved.d
ThingMagic, A Division of Trimble
1 Merrill St.
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01 Revision A
December, 2014
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Contents
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Autonomous Reading Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Read On Boot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Read On GPI Trigger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
USB I/O Specific Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
TTL/UART I/O Specific Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Usage Workflow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Installing ACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Required Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Download, Install and Run ACT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Starting ACT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Main Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Connect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Finding the assigned COM port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Baud Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Connecting to a Reader Already in Autonomous Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Configure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Read & Write Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Performance Tuning Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Display Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Firmware Update. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
About. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Read . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Tag Results Grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
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Processing Data from the Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Sample Response Processing Code. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Reader Data Packet Format. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Message Types Sent By Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
CCITT CRC-16 Calculation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Collecting Diagnostic Data for ThingMagic Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
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Introduction
Note
This document explains how to use the Autonomous Configuration Tool (ACT), version
1.0 and later, to configure the Micro module for autonomous operation. This provides the
ability to setup the module to read and output tag results without a host MercuryAPI
application by enabling hardware read triggers and savable configuration settings in the
module.
ACT is written using the high level MercuryAPI in Java. For more information on the
MercuryAPI see the MercuryAPI Programmers Guide and the MercuryAPI SDK, available
on the ThingMagic website http://www.thingmagic.com.
Autonomous Configuration
Tool v1.0
User Guide
This document assume you have read the corresponding Hardware Guide for the Micro
module being connected to and understand how the reader is connected.
Currently, autonomous operation can only be configured using ACT. Future
releases of the MercuryAPI will support saving the full configuration, including
autonomous read triggers to enable creation of custom auto-config utilities and
scripts.
Supported Hardware
Micro module with firmware v1.5 or later.
Autonomous Configuration Tool v1.0 User Guide 5
Autonomous Reading Overview
Note
Note
Autonomous operation allows the reader to be configured for two basic behaviors:
Read On Boot
When Read & Write Settings | Autonomous Read = enabled and Auto-read on GPI =
disabled the reader will start reading within 150ms of powering up. As tags are read it will
stream the results in the .Reader Data Packet Format
To stop reading you must shut down the reader (cut power or use the moduleʼs
SHUTDOWN line).
When using SHUTDOWN line to start/stop reads, the time from setting
SHUTDOWN=HIGH to first tag read is ~150ms.
Autonomous Reading Overview
This mode is recommended when maximum power savings is a high priority and
the small delay of 150ms from power on to read can be tolerated.
Read On GPI Trigger
When Read & Write Settings | Autonomous Read = enabled and Auto-read on GPI =
enabled the reader will start reading as soon as the specified GPI is set HIGH. As tags
are read it will stream the results in the Reader Data Packet Format
When GPI is low, a Temperature Status Message
250ms (this will vary based on the Region setting used as it depends on the internal
frequency hopping algorithm which is dependent on the region of operation).
This mode allows for very fast read response to GPI triggers: less than 15ms from set
GPI=High to first tag read.
This mode will draw up to 3.2W (at 30dBm power setting) while idle (GPI=LOW). Idle
power consumption decreases with lower RF power settings.
GPI Trigger mode is only recommended when very fast response time to a read
trigger event is required due to the high idle power consumption.
.
will be returned approximately every
Autonomous Configuration Tool v1.0 User Guide 6
USB I/O Specific Notes
When connected via the USB interface the reader will buffer tag reads if the USB
connection is lost or not established. This will eventually cause the buffer to fill
and the reader to throttle reading until a USB connection is made and tags can
be offloaded and reading started again.
TTL/UART I/O Specific Notes
When connected via the TTL/UART interface the reader cannot detect whether a
connection exists or not. This means data does not get buffered due to detecting
a missing connection as they do with the USB interface. As a result if a
connection is lost or none is established the reader will continue reading and
streaming results, which will be lost.
Autonomous Reading Overview
Autonomous Configuration Tool v1.0 User Guide 7
Usage Workflow
Once ACT is installed, see Installing ACT section for details, this document will step
through the required steps in order to setup and save the desired configuration to the
reader and how to process the output. At a high level the steps required, and
corresponding document sections, are as follows:
1. Starting ACT - This section provides an overview of the main components of the
ACT application displayed immediately upon startup.
Usage Workflow
2. Connect
must first be connected to. This section provides details on connecting to the
reader in ACT.
3. Configure
be configured. This section describes all the options available in addition to how
to upgrade the readerʼs firmware to a version that supports autonomous
operation.
4. Read
applied to a reader ACT can be used to display the tags being streamed from
the reader. This section describes using ACT to display results.
5. Processing Data from the Reader
outside of ACT the structure of the messages from the reader must be
understood. This section describes the packet format in addition to pointers to
reference code in C, C# and Java that can be used to process the results.
6. Troubleshooting
will help diagnose and resolve the issue.
- In order to configure a reader for autonomous operation the reader
- Once connected the desired settings for autonmous operation must
- Once the autonomous mode configuration has been selected and
- In order to handle tag results from the reader
- If any of the previously defined steps donʼt work this section
Autonomous Configuration Tool v1.0 User Guide 8
Installing ACT
WARNING!
Installing ACT
The Autonomous Configuration Tool is available for 32-bit and 64-bit Linux and Windows.
The executables for all are available in the Auto-config zip package available on the
ThingMagic website http://rfid.thingmagic.com/devkit.
Required Software
ACT requires Java runtime engine (JRE) version 1.8 or later.
There is a JRE regr ession (https:// bugs.openjdk.java.net/browse/JDK-8055875)
introduced in Java 1.8.20 (currently not fixed as of version 1.8.25) which can
cause ACT to crash.
Until it is fixed, for stable operation we recommend using Java version 1.8.11.
Download, Install and Run ACT
Follow these steps to download and install ACT:
1. Use a web browser to navigate to http://rfid.thingmagic.com/devkit
2. Find the Autonomous Configuration Tool link under Micro | Software and click on
it. This will download autoread-1.25.0.xx.zip
3. Once downloaded, extract the zip archive to the desired location.
4. Follow the steps for your OS:
Windows
1. Go to the directory created from extracting the zip archive.
2. Double-click the appropriate AutonomousConfigurationToolWin[32|64].exe to
invoke the installer.
3. Follow the installer steps.
4. Once complete there will be an entry in the Windows Start menu for ThingMagic
| AutonomousConfigurationTool
Autonomous Configuration Tool v1.0 User Guide 9
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