Zebra WherePort III User Manual
User Guide
WherePort III User Guide
______________________________________________________________________________________ 1
WherePort III User Guide D948 Rev C
©2010 Zebra Enterprise Solutions. WherePort and all product names and numbers are Zebra Enterprise Solutions trademarks.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ZES Confidential
Typographical Conventions
_________
____________
____________
User Guide
Warnings call attention to a procedure or
practice that could result in personal injury if
not correctly performed. Do not proceed until
you fully understand and meet the required
conditions.
____________
CAUTION
____________
_________
Note
Cautions call attention to an operation
procedure or practice that could damage the
product if not correctly performed. Do not
proceed until understanding and meeting these
required conditions.
Notes provide information that can be helpful in
understanding the operation of the product.
______________________________________________________________________________________
WherePort III User Guide D948 Rev C
©2010 Zebra Enterprise Solutions. WherePort and all product names and numbers are Zebra Enterprise Solutions trademarks.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ZES Confidential
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User Guide
Document Revision History
Revision Change Description
A Release per ECO C01013 2/23/06 G.Phillips
B Updated per ECO C02336 12/07/10 D. Bowman
Date Initials
______________________________________________________________________________________
WherePort III User Guide D948 Rev C
©2010 Zebra Enterprise Solutions. WherePort and all product names and numbers are Zebra Enterprise Solutions trademarks.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ZES Confidential
3
User Guide
Contents
WherePort III User Guide .................................................................................... 1
1 Regulatory Information ............................................................................... 6
1.1 FCC and IC Requirements ........................................................................ 6
1.2 EU Compliance Information (WPT-3200) ................................................. 6
1.3 Regulatory - Other ..................................................................................... 7
CMIIT ID: 2007DJ4325The WherePort ............................................................... 7
The WherePort .................................................................................................... 8
1.4 This Guide ................................................................................................. 9
1.5 The WherePort........................................................................................... 9
1.6 Health Tag ................................................................................................ 10
1.7 WherePort Mounting ............................................................................... 10
2 The WhereTag ............................................................................................ 12
2.1 WhereTag Responses ............................................................................. 12
2.2 Using the WherePort ID .......................................................................... 15
3 Magnetic Communication Basics ............................................................. 16
3.1 Magnetic Fields ....................................................................................... 16
3.2 Coverage Areas ....................................................................................... 18
3.3 Power Level ............................................................................................. 20
3.4 Phases ..................................................................................................... 22
3.5 Sequencing .............................................................................................. 23
3.6 Dual WherePorts ..................................................................................... 24
3.7 Interference ............................................................................................. 25
3.8 The Field Meter ........................................................................................ 26
3.9 The WherePort LED ................................................................................ 26
3.10 Capture Area Simulator ....................................................................... 27
4 WherePort in the Field ............................................................................... 27
4.1 Zones ....................................................................................................... 28
4.2 Area Coverage ......................................................................................... 28
4.3 Portals ...................................................................................................... 28
4.4 Multi-Floor Installations .......................................................................... 31
4.5 Locked WherePorts ................................................................................ 31
4.6 Multiple WherePorts ............................................................................... 32
4.7 Sequenced WherePorts .......................................................................... 35
4.8 Summary .................................................................................................. 36
5 Working through an Application .............................................................. 38
5.1 Warehouse and Shipping Facility .......................................................... 38
5.2 Positioning the WherePorts ................................................................... 40
6 Using the Simulator ................................................................................... 42
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WherePort III User Guide D948 Rev C
©2010 Zebra Enterprise Solutions. WherePort and all product names and numbers are Zebra Enterprise Solutions trademarks.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ZES Confidential
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User Guide
6.1 Simulator Controls and Features ........................................................... 42
6.2 WherePort Configuration ....................................................................... 43
6.3 Sample Graphs ........................................................................................ 46
6.4 Adjacent WherePorts .............................................................................. 49
7 Command Summary .................................................................................. 50
7.1 Initial Power Up ....................................................................................... 50
7.2 Passwords ............................................................................................... 50
7.3 Command Execution .............................................................................. 51
7.4 Tag Responses to Commands ............................................................... 51
7.5 Commands .............................................................................................. 52
7.5.1 Message Length .......................................................................................... 52
7.5.2 Power .......................................................................................................... 52
7.5.3 Phase ........................................................................................................... 52
7.5.4 WherePort ID .............................................................................................. 53
7.5.5 Tag Id .......................................................................................................... 53
7.5.6 Response ..................................................................................................... 53
7.5.7 Count ........................................................................................................... 54
7.5.8 Interval ........................................................................................................ 54
7.5.9 Trigger......................................................................................................... 54
7.5.10 Data ............................................................................................................. 54
7.5.11 EXE ............................................................................................................. 55
7.5.12 Sequence Mode ........................................................................................... 55
7.5.13 Sequence Mode Message Number .............................................................. 55
7.5.14 Version ........................................................................................................ 56
7.5.15 XPW ............................................................................................................ 56
7.5.16 HWT (1) ...................................................................................................... 56
7.5.17 Loader ......................................................................................................... 56
7.5.18 GQ ............................................................................................................... 56
8 Installation .................................................................................................. 60
8.1 WherePort Parts ...................................................................................... 60
8.2 Also Required (not included) ................................................................. 61
8.3 Installation Procedure ............................................................................ 62
______________________________________________________________________________________
WherePort III User Guide D948 Rev C
©2010 Zebra Enterprise Solutions. WherePort and all product names and numbers are Zebra Enterprise Solutions trademarks.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ZES Confidential
5
User Guide
1 REGULATORY INFORMATION
1.1 FCC and IC Requirements
This device complies with Part 15 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. The user is
cautioned that any changes or modifications not expressly
approved by Zebra Enterprise Solutions could void the user’s
authority to operate the equipment.
See the FCC registration label, located on the bottom of the equipment for
the FCC registration and identity.
Canadian DOC Compliance Statement
This device complies with Industry Canada licence‐exempt RSS standard(s).
Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not
cause interference,and (2) this device must accept any interference, including
interferencethatmaycauseundesiredoperationofthedevice.
LeprésentappareilestconformeauxCNRd'IndustrieCanadaapplicablesaux
appareilsradioexemptsdelicence.L'exploitationestautoriséeauxdeux
conditionssuivantes:(1)l'appareilnedoitpasproduiredebrouillage,et(2)
l'utilisateurdel'appareildoitacceptertoutbrouillageradioélectriquesubi,
mêmesilebrouillageestsusceptibled'encompromettre
lefonctionnement.
1.2 EU Compliance Information (WPT-3200)
Table 1EU Compliance - Approved for use in the following countries
AT BE BG CY CZ DK EE
FI FR DE GR HU IE IT
LV LT LU MT NL PL PT
RO SK SI ES SE GB
IS LI NO CH
WherePort III User Guide D948 Rev B
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All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ZES Confidential
User Guide
1.3 Regulatory - Other
CMIIT ID: 2007DJ4325
WherePort III User Guide D948 Rev B
©2010 Zebra Enterprise Solutions. WherePort and all product names and numbers are Zebra Enterprise Solutions trademarks.
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User Guide
THE WHEREPORT
The WherePort III is a location indicator that is part of the Zebra Enterprise Solutions
(ZES) Real Time Locating System (Figure 1). The WherePort transmits a localized
magnetic field. Since the field is confined (programmable from approximately 3 feet to
25 feet) it is a reliable indicator of the location of key sites in the facility. When
WhereTags pass through the WherePort field they transmit the ID of the WherePort. The
WhereTag response can be programmed to indicate needed information about the status
of the asset or object to which the tag is attached.
WherePorts are mounted to fixed locations such as gates, loading docks, or cells
along an assembly line so that information required about the movement of assets
through the facility will be gathered by the RTLS. As tagged assets pass through the
fields the tag transmits the WherePort ID that pinged it and any other programmed status
information.
Status LED
Figure 1 WherePort
The VSS system is programmed with the location of each WherePort and their ID. When
a WhereTag transmits a message that includes the ID of the WherePort field that it is in,
the system knows where the WhereTag is. This is particularly important when locating
transitions is important or where the layout of the site makes it difficult to have enough
sensors to accurately locate the tag using RTLS.
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User Guide
1.4 This Guide
This guide presents the basic principles of WherePort communication and the major
issues for placing them on a site. It is intended to support both the planning for and the
implementation of an RTLS application using WherePorts.
It describes the WherePort, the WhereTag and its responses, the characteristics of
the magnetic field, and how the WherePort is used in a variety of applications. For more
detailed information about the WhereTag see the WhereTag Users Guide.
Also included is a description of the simulator program and how it is used to
determine effective WherePort site placement and configuration.
1.5 The WherePort
The WherePort is a round, dome shaped device, (9 inches in diameter and 5.25 inches
high). It is powered by either 24 VAC or 36 VDC. A mobile version is available that
uses only DC power (12-36 VDC; 1.5A). The complete specifications are shown in Table
2. The wiring schematic is shown in Figure 2.
The WherePort is configured using commands sent through the RS-232 interface.
These commands are described in Appendix B.
Table 2 WherePort Specifications
Size 9.0 x 5.25 in. (229 x 133 mm)
Weight 2.3 lbs (1.0 Kg)
Voltage 24 VAC or 36 VDC Voltage (standard)
12-36VDC (AC Voltage is not allowed) (mobile)
Current 250 mAmp max (standard) 1.67A Max. (mobile)
PwrDiss 4.2 Watts (max)
Operating Temperature -40 to +55 ºC
Storage Temperature -40 to +70 ºC
Humidity 0 to 100% Non-condensing
AC/DC Power
Connection
Phase Synchronization 2 wires from previous WherePort (green/orange)
Configuration Interface
2 wires (black and white)
For mobile versions, positive input is connected to white
wire and negative input is connected to black wire.
2 wires to following WherePort (red/blue)
12 pin round, weather tight connector (provided by Zebra
Enterprise Solutions) with custom cable (com port)
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Power
Black & White
24 VAC
Transformer
Figure 2 Wiring Schematic for Power and Synchronization
Unused: Do Not
Terminate
Output Sync:
Red and Blue
Each 24 VAC transformer supports no more than two
WherePorts.
24 VAC
Transformer
Input Sync:
Green and Orange
1.6 Health Tag
A WhereTag that is programmed to blink when there is no signal from the WherePort
may be mounted to each WherePort. This optional tag is called a health tag because a
signal from this tag indicates that there is something wrong with the WherePort that has
caused it to stop signaling.
1.7 WherePort Mounting
The WherePort is mounted using a bracket (Figure 3). It can be mounted from the back,
the top, or the bottom. For details on installing the WherePort see the Installation
Instructions. A ruggedized mounting bracket is also available (Figure 4).
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Mounting Bracket
Figure 3 WherePort Mounting Bracket
Figure 4 Ruggedized Mounting Bracket
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2 THE WHERETAG
The WhereTag (Figure 5) is pinged by the WherePort and responds by transmitting a
data message to the RTLS. The WhereTag is a small device with a magnetic pick up coil
and a RF transmitter. It is mounted to movable assets such as trailers, vehicle assemblies,
or storage bins. It transmits a programmable blink signal. When operating without the
WherePort, the blink is received by at least three sensors which enable the system to
locate the tag accurately on the site.
The WherePort signal is received by a pick up coil in the WhereTag. In the
WhereTag III the coil is oriented along the length of the tag. In WhereTag II it is rotated
30º away from the length of the tag.
Coil Orientation
Figure 5 The WhereTag III and WhereTag III ST
The solid line shows the orientation of the pick up coil for both
WhereTags.
2.1 WhereTag Responses
The tag can be programmed to respond in a variety ways when it detects a WherePort
signal. There are three defined modes (see Figure 6).
Mode 1 The tag enters the field, blinks and then blinks again if it is still in
the field after the retrigger time out.
Mode 2 The tag enter the field, blinks and then does not blink again until it
leaves the field and the retrigger time out expires.
Mode 3 The tag enters the field, blinks and then blinks again after it has left
the field and the retrigger time out expires.
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Figure 6 The WhereTag in a WherePort Capture Area
In mode 1, the re-trigger is set for a time interval after the WherePort blink. When this
interval elapses, the tag will transmit a blink if the tag is still in the same WherePort field.
Without the re-trigger interval being set, the tag will continue blinking in response to the
WherePort signal.
If the tag enters a new field, it will transmit a blink, even if the set interval has not
elapsed (see Figure 2).
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Figure 7 Retrigger Mode 1 and a New Capture Area
In mode 2 the tag must both leave the WherePort field and the specified interval
elapse before a WherePort blink will occur. If the tag enters a new WherePort field it will
immediately transmit a blink (Figure 2).
Figure 8 Retrigger Mode 2 and a New Capture Area
In mode 3, the set interval must elapse and the tag leave the field, and then the tag
will transmit a blink to indicate that it has left the field. If the tag enters a new field, the
tag transmits a blink when it enters the field. If the re-trigger time out is reached before a
new field is entered a blink is transmitted which indicates the tag is out of the field.
Figure 9 Retrigger Mode 3 and a New Capture Area
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2.2 Using the WherePort ID
The tag response can also be changed by the WherePort. Ports with ids from 0 to 255 are
used only when the alternate blink mode is required. These reserved ids are split evenly
between IDs (128 – 255) to mark the entrance of tag into the field and ids (0 - 127) to
mark the exit of a tag from the field. The significance of other tag IDs is shown in Table
3.
WherePorts can turn tags on and off as they enter and leave a site. As an example,
WhereTags can be permanently mounted to trailers. These trailers need to be tracked
while they are on the site, but not after they leave. There is no need for the tag to continue
to blink while it is off site. WherePorts positioned at entry and exit gates can turn the tags
on when the trailers enter the yard, and off when they leave.
Table 3 WherePort IDs
ID Range Tag Response
Standard WP
Response
0 - 127 Yes Exit Alternate Blink Mode
128 - 255 Yes Enter Alternate Blink Mode
256 - 32,767 Yes
32,768 - 65,534 Yes (ID - 32,768 reported)
65,535 Yes + Response is data register
Added Function
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3 MAGNETIC COMMUNICATION BASICS
The WherePort signal is carried by a magnetic field. The field’s shape and size is
determined by the orientation of the coil and the power level. It is not possible to aim the
field. One of the characteristics of a magnetic field is that it drops off rapidly. This
produces a well-defined, localized field. These characteristics make the WherePort an
excellent device for monitoring tagged assets
3.1 Magnetic Fields
The magnetic field of the WherePort extends nearly equally in all directions creating an
elliptical field (Figure 10). The field has a direction that is determined by the position of
the coil that creates it.
Field Lines
WherePort Coil
Figure 10 WherePort Field
The field extends in all directions around the WherePort. The
direction of the field is suggested by the way the field lines are
drawn from the coil.
The field is detected and the signal received by a coil in the WhereTag. The orientation of
the WherePort’s coil in relation to the orientation of the tag’s coil affects its ability to
detect the signal. The optimum orientation is when the WherePort coil and the WhereTag
coil are parallel to each other. The worst orientation is when the coils are perpendicular to
each other. As the coils move from optimum to worst the ability of the Tag to detect the
WherePort signal decreases (Figure 11).
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Parallel Coils
Perpendicular
Coils
Figure 11 Orientation
When the coil in the tag and the port are parallel the range is the
greatest. When the coils are perpendicular the range is the
shortest.
The relative positions of the two coils, WherePort transmitting and WhereTag receiving,
determine the range in which the tag will receive the signal. This range is the coverage
area, or guaranteed capture area (Figure 12). The guaranteed capture area is different for
each orientation of the tag and the power level of the WherePort.
Guaranteed
Capture Area
Tag Orientation 2
Uncertainty Area
Figure 12 Capture Area
The capture area is shown by the dark shaded area. This shape
varies with the orientation of the tag and the power level of the
WherePort. The lightly shaded area is the uncertainty area.
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3.2 Coverage Areas
The size of the coverage area is significant as well as its location or placement. It is
important that the tag be released from a field when it is no longer in the area being
monitored by the WherePort.
There are three areas that are described for the field.
Guaranteed Capture All WhereTags at a given orientation will always be
pinged in this area.
Uncertainty A WhereTag may or may not be pinged in this area.
Guaranteed Release A WhereTag will never be pinged beyond this
range.
Since a tag may or may not be pinged in the uncertainty area, this area presents the most
challenge for a planner. If a single WherePort is installed, a tag that needs to be pinged
may not be and a tag that needs to be released may not be. These coverage areas must be
well understood to be able to set up a site. In the examples that follow these principles
will be translated into real applications.
A WhereTag moving through a WherePort field will typically change its orientation with
respect to the WherePort. As the orientation changes the effective range of the WherePort
will change.
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Figure 13 Orientation and Capture Area
Two maps are shown for two different WherePort mountings,
horizontal (left) and vertical (right). The two maps show two
different tag orientations for each of the mountings.
Figure 13 shows the effects of WherePort and Tag orientation on the guaranteed capture
area. These maps are taken from the Simulation software.
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3.3 Power Level
The size of the field is determined by the power setting for the WherePort. There are nine
power levels for the WherePort III. Setting the power level to 0 turns off the WherePort
magnetic field. Table 4 shows the approximate capture and release ranges for each of the
power levels when the tag’s orientation is random and when it is fixed as it moves
through the field.
Table 4 Power Levels, Random and Optimum Fixed Tag Orientations
Power Level Capture Range Release Range
Random Optimum
Fixed
0 Off Off Off Off
1 1.0 2.5 4.0 4.0
2 2.o 3.8 6.0 6.0
3 3.0 6 9.0 9.0
4 4.0 8 12.0 12.0
5 6.0 11 17.0 17.0
6 8.0 14 21.0 21.0
7 10.0 19 30.0 30.0
8 12.0 25 37.5 37.5
Random Optimum
Fixed
Random orientation means that the tag may take any of the possible positions relative to
the WherePort. Fixed tag orientation means that the motion of the object to which the tag
is attached will always present the tag in the same position relative to the WherePort. A
major difference between the random and the fixed orientation is the size of the
uncertainty area. It is significantly reduced when the tag has both a fixed and an optimum
orientation in the field.
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