HF RFID System User Manual MARS-1-2-4-6 Multiple Antenna Reader-Writer Systems Document Number : 64-70-017-DOC Last Changed : 04 October 2006 Copyright Magellan Technology 2006 Commercial in Confidence
Content 1. INTRODUCTION------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 1.1 REGULATION AND STANDARDS.......................................................................................................................................... 3 1.2 WARRANTY ................................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.
MARS-1-2-4-6 USER MANUAL 1 64-70-017-DOC ver.
Please read before proceeding Please read and understand this document before using Magellan’s Readers. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions about the User Manual please contact Magellan Technology. Important Information Installation Environment For indoor use only unless otherwise specified. Install Magellan’s Readers within the temperature and humidity range according to the product specification.
1.Introduction Thank you for your recent purchase of a Magellan RFID reader-writer. This User Manual will provide you with information to rapidly adopt Magellan’s PJM technology for your needs, to install the Reader hardware and ReaderManager software and get the Reader running. Refer to the ReaderManager Guide (40-01-006-DOC) for a description of the various tools and advanced options available in the ReaderManager software. Programming is covered in the Application Programmer’s Guide (40-01-000DOC). 1.
Other regulations EU AS/NZS ETSI EN 300 330-1 v.1.3.1 (2001-06) ETSI EN 300 330-2 v.1.2.1 (2004-11) ETSI EN 489-1 v.1.5.1 (2004-11) ETSI EN 489-3 v.1.4.1 (2002-08) EN 61000-3.2: 2002 EN 61000-3.3: 1995 Safety: IEC/EN 60950 CISPR 22: 2004 4268: 2003 Pending Pending ISO/IEC 18000 – 3 Mode 2 (Air Interface at 13.56 MHz) Compliance Magellan’s Readers fully complies with the ISO/IEC 18000 Part 3 Mode 2 (Information technology – Radio frequency identification for item management.
1.6Meaning of Alert Symbols and Signal Words Notes and Tips. Application Notes. ! ! CAUTION ! WARNING MARS-1-2-4-6 USER MANUAL This part of the Manual requires your attention. Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, will result in minor or moderate injury. Can cause property damage. Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, will result in minor or moderate injury, or may result in serious injury or death. Can cause significant property damage.
1.7Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations Antenna Antenna axis Antenna tuning Create axis group Configure axis group D/C DSB HDF HF GUI IT ItemTag tags (IT tags) LAN LED MDF MLC MRD Network Connections window OEM label PJM PJM ItemTag® PJM StackTag® P/N MARS-1-2-4-6 USER MANUAL A Reader antenna that emits radio waves and receives reply signals from tags. The Reader antenna can be internal which is integrated into the Reader and external which is connected to the Reader via a cable.
Power cycle the PC Power cycle the Reader Reader/s ReaderManager ReaderServer RFID RFID inlet RFID label RFID tag RFID reader-writer RMA Setup axis S/N ST StackTag tags (ST tags) MARS-1-2-4-6 USER MANUAL Shut up Windows and switch the PC off at the wall and wait for 30 seconds before powering the PC back up again. For laptops this means removing the battery and waiting for 30 seconds. This ensures that the USB host controller chips on the motherboard have had a chance to be fully reset.
2.Product Overview Intended use of Magellan’s RFID Reader is to read and write information to individual Magellan ItemTags and multiple Magellan StackTags. The communication protocol used by the Reader is compliant with ISO/IEC 18000 - 3 Mode 2 (Air Interface at 13.56 MHz). MARS-1-2-4-6 family of the Readers comprises MARS-1, MARS-2, MARS-4 and MARS-6 reader-writers. 2.1MARS-1 Multiple Antenna Reader System – 1 Operates with a single antenna 2 reply channels 2.
2.3MARS-4 Multiple Antenna Reader System – 4 Operates with up to 4 antennas 2 reply channels 2.4MARS-6 Multiple Antenna Reader System – 6 Operates with up to 6 antennas 2 reply channels MARS-1-2-4-6 USER MANUAL 9 64-70-017-DOC ver.
3.Before you begin 3.1Unpacking and Inspection When you receive your system, inspect it for any obvious damage that may have occurred during shipment. If there is damage, notify the shipping carrier and the supplier of the equipment or Magellan if purchase directly from Magellan. Until you have checked the system, save the shipping carton and packaging materials in the event the unit has to be returned.
Data Communication Cables Magellan supplies USB shielded cable (USB 2.0, 2 m long) ! USB cable should not be longer than 3m ! As shielded cables are generally required in order to comply with EMC emissions limits, the shielded cables recommended by Magellan Technology must be used. Unshielded cabled may be used where explicitly allowed in the Installation Requirements section of this User Manual. Ethernet cable is not included with the supply. Magellan recommends CAT5 Ethernet cable.
3.2Installation Environment Magellan’s Readers are designed to operate in indoor environments where temperature and humidity are controlled unless other conditions are specified for customised Readers. For standard Readers the temperature range is from +10oC to +45oC. The humidity range is from 10% to 80% (non-condensing humidity). Install the Readers within the temperature and humidity ranges according to the product specification.
3.4Installation Requirements Power supply requirements: Mains input: Low voltage input (MARS-1-2-4-6): 110 - 240 VAC @ 50/60 Hz 12 VDC @ 1.5 A MARS Readers require special installation and tuning of external antenna/s. Refer to the ReaderManager Guide (40-01-006-DOC) for the antenna matching, tuning and testing instructions using the Reader Setup Wizard tool. The MARS model number corresponds with the maximum number of external antennas that can be connected to the MARS Reader.
If metallic conveyor rollers are a part of an application it’s advised to replace them with plastic parts if possible or apply shielding techniques as required. The materials that antennas are mounted on/into should not be metallic or conductive. Materials such as wood, laminated MDF, HDF or plywood have a limited conductivity. If an antenna is mounted into these materials some drop in the read range is expected in comparison with the equipment specification.
How to shield antennas Antennas may be shielded by a purpose built ferrite sheet only. In special circumstances devices such as keyboards and computers may be placed under antennas where a purpose built ferrite antenna shield (64-50-001) is provide to protect the antenna. A ferrite shield consists of a sheet of aluminium with ferrite tiles, minimum thickness 5 mm.
3.5Antenna Maintenance (Tuning) Antennas may require periodic re-tuning and testing. Detuning of an antenna may occur if physical environment around the antenna is changed. For example when large metal objects are located near the antenna or electronic devices or cables are placed in close proximity with the antenna. The severity of detuning is dependent upon the size of the metal object and can only be determined by measurement.
Quality Assurance/ Quality Control If the maximum read distance is important for your application then the antennas have to be protected/shielded from the interference with a mounting material firstly and then tuned at maximum voltage. In case the maximum read distance is not an issue the antennas can work properly even at lower voltage but at a reduced read range. Method 1 To confirm optimum antenna operation measure the maximum read-write distance. 1.
3.6Working with Tags Do not stack ItemTags on top of each other. Only StackTags can be stacked, overlapped or touch each other. Single-axis Readers are tag orientation sensitive. Refer to the Tag-to-Reader/Tag-to-Antenna section of this document. Reading and writing speeds depend on readertag communication speeds, the number of receiver channels, amount of information to be read and/or written and the number of tags presented at a time.
How to check a tag configuration mode 1. In the ReaderManager go to Tools -> System -> Interrogate Command. 2. In Reply select Normal and click Send. 3. Then go to Tools -> System -> Table of Tag Messages to see the tag configuration in the Config column. The messages of all the tags currently in the reader antenna field can be seen. 2000 means that the tag has been reconfigured to ST ¼ normal power mode configuration. 6000 means that a tag is in ST normal power mode.
3.7Tag-to-Antenna Orientation Tags should always be presented face on to the external antenna surface. They may still work at some angle depending upon the distance between the tag and the external antenna. Correct orientation Incorrect orientation (90o angle) MARS-1-2-4-6 USER MANUAL 20 64-70-017-DOC ver.
4.Installation QUICK START GUIDE MARS Readers HF RFID Readers-Writers PJM® Technology ISO/IEC 18000-3 Mode 2 Connect external antenna/s to the Reader Install the ReaderManager software from the supplied CD-ROM Connect a power pack to the Reader Software Installation (4.2 User Manual) Hardware Installation (4.1 User Manual) Connect a communication cable (USB or Ethernet) to the Reader and host PC Connecting to a Reader using the ReaderManager (4.
4.1Hardware Installation Antenna Port OEM Label MARS-1 Antenna Interface and OEM label panel RJ45 (Ethernet port) USB host port USB device port Power port Power switch LEDs MARS User Interface panel RCA connector Adjustable tuning capacitor Round 60 mm antenna (63-10-005) MARS-1-2-4-6 USER MANUAL 22 64-70-017-DOC ver.
4.1.1Connecting to a power supply Step 1. Connect a low voltage power pack to the unit. The connection to the power source is realized via a low voltage power pack. The power cable is not supplied with the Reader and recommended to be purchased in the country of use. Step 2. Plug the power supply into AC power mains. LEDs will come on.
once the unit is in an operational mode the red LED will remain lit the green LED will flash every time a tag/tags is/are successfully read LEDs are controlled by the MARS Reader software 4.1.2Connecting a Reader to a Computer using USB Connect the MARS Reader to a host computer using the USB data communication cable by plugging the USB cable into the MARS USB device port and the host computer USB port. Only one Magellan Reader can be connected to the PC via USB at a time (limited by Windows).
MARS-1 with the Ethernet communication cable and power cable 4.1.4Connecting Multiple Readers to a local network Multiple Readers can be connected to a local network using an Ethernet hub/switch. Plug the Ethernet communication cable into the MARS’s RJ45 socket (Ethernet port) and Ethernet Hub. ! Always connect Ethernet cable before power is applied to the Reader. 4.1.5Connecting External Antennas Connect each external antenna to a Reader’s Antenna Axis/port via a supplied RCA connection cable.
4.1.6Antenna Matching, Tuning and Testing Before you start tuning and testing the antennas it’s required to install the ReaderManager software and connect to a Reader in the ReaderManager’s Connection menu. Refer to the ReaderManager Guide (40-01-006-DOC) for the antenna matching, tuning and testing instructions using the Wizard tool in Reader Setup. Follow the procedure, making sure that the Magellan Antenna Tuning Probe and voltmeter are used to measure when the tuning is correct.
4.2ReaderManager Software Installation The ReaderManager application software allows tag data to be viewed and programmed. The ReaderManager can only connect to one Reader at a time. The Connections menu allows the user to connect to other Readers by disconnecting from the currently connected Reader and then establishing a connection to a new Reader. It is possible to run many ReaderManagers on the same computer at the same time.
4.3Connecting to a Reader using ReaderManager Magellan’s Readers are complex and powerful network devices. As most network devices they should be handled by well trained network administrators. A Reader provides Ethernet and USB device interfaces to allow for client connection. The USB interface uses TCP/IP networking over USB as the protocol. This allows you to connect to a Reader as if it was a normal network. So all the usual services, such as telnet and FTP are available. Step 1.
To change a Reader network name: From the Tools menu, select System then Configuration System. The window shown below will be displayed. Click the column on the right of Customer ID and enter the name you would like the Reader to be identified as. This is the name that will appear on the Connection menu. Click the Save button on the right to save your changes to the reader, or click the Refresh button to restore the previously saved name. MARS-1-2-4-6 USER MANUAL 29 64-70-017-DOC ver.
To change the Reader’s network settings: Click the Network Configuration tab. If the Reader is to be assigned an IP address from a DHCP server click the Obtain an IP address automatically check box. To assign a static IP address, uncheck the check box and enter the IP address in the IP address text box. The box will turn red if the IP address is not valid. Care should be taken not to duplicate IP addresses on your network. If you are unsure what IP address to use consult your systems administrator.
Here is a general guide to the way reader network address assignment works: The Ethernet interface is either served an IP address via DHCP or is assigned a static IP address by the user. If the reader is set to use a DHCP assigned address and no DHCP server is available it will automatically use a link local address of 169.254.0.0/16. The reader must be powered up with the Ethernet connected to get a DHCP assigned IP address.
4.3.1Connecting to a Reader via USB for the first time Any device hardware when it’s first connected to a PC via USB requires a device driver. The device driver is provided by Microsoft. No USB device drivers are available instantly. They have to be installed and require a certain amount of configuration. The driver must be installed on the PC before Windows can use the connection. The device driver is installed on the PC via the ReaderManager.
If it says Disabled or Broken, then right click and select Repair or Enable to try and fix the connection. If this fails, disconnect the reader, reboot your PC and repeat from Step 1. The Reader can disconnect in situations where the Reader has been repeatedly plugged and unplugged before Windows has had a chance to properly and completely process the network connection.
4.3.2Upgrading software Magellan recommends to upgrade the ReaderManager software at least once a month and ReaderServer software on network based Readers every 3-4 months. You can download the latest version of the ReaderManager operating software from Magellan’s website. Contact Magellan or its representatives to receive a user name and password. Refer to the ReaderManager Guide (Upgrading Reader Software) for more information about how to upgrade the ReaderServer from the ReaderManager File menu.
4.4Communication Test Perform the tag reading test. From the Tools menu, select System -> Grid of tags sight count. Check some default settings in Tools -> System-> Reader Settings: Tag Type. Default is IFX_STACK. If you use ItemTags the default should be changed to IFX_ITEM. The Powering Field should be ticked.
5. Reporting a Problem If you are having a problem with a Magellan Reader, you will need to send a report to your support organisation.
If a Reader needs repairing after one year warranty period expires, your support organization or Magellan if you purchased directly from Magellan will first provide an estimate of repair charges. Then upon receiving approval from you the Reader can be sent for repair. Refer to above Warranty Repairs information for return procedures. MARS-1-2-4-6 USER MANUAL 37 64-70-017-DOC ver.
5.
The PC does not recognise the Reader at all The PC recognises the Reader, but claims that it is faulty in the Windows’ Device Manager and does not create a network connection The Reader is connected, and appears to be working correctly but the network connection drops out after a few seconds No network connection can be made to a Reader but the Network Connections window shows that the Reader is connected and all other network status information indicates that networking should be working The USB port on
5.
6.Contact Us Magellan Technology pty limited 65 Johnston St. Annandale NSW 2038 Australia Tel.: +61 2 9562 9800 Fax: +61 2 9518 7620 Email: info@magtech.com.au Website: www.magtech.com.au MARS-1-2-4-6 USER MANUAL 41 64-70-017-DOC ver.
7.Revision History Version Ver.1 Date 09.2006 MARS-1-2-4-6 USER MANUAL Person Olga Kolesnik Reason Initial User’s Guide (40-01-005-DOC) has been split into separate User Manuals for each reader. New user-friendly document layout/design, new logo, new sections added (Alert Symbols, Glossary, Product Overview, Service Form, Specifications, Revision History) 42 64-70-017-DOC ver.
8.Appendix 8.1Specification MARS-1-2-4-6 Multiple Antenna Reader Systems Read and write operations No user-serviceable parts ISO/IEC Compliance 18000-3 Mode 2 Operating Frequency 13.56 MHz Number of Reply Channels 2 Command Data Rate 424 kbit/s Reply Data Rate 106 kbit/s per channel Tag Type External Dimensions (L x W x H): PJM StackTag® and PJM ItemTag® 300 x 213 x 46 mm with fixed mounting brackets Net Weight 3 kg (without external antennas) Low Voltage Input 12 VDC @ 1.
8.2External Antenna Types These devices have been assigned to operate with the antennas listed below, and having maximum gain of 3.5 dB. Antennas not included in this list or having a gain greater than 3.5 dB are strictly prohibited for use with these devices. The required antenna impedance is 4 ohms. Part Number 61-10-002 Description Round, 30 mm inner antenna coil radius, thickness 0.8 mm, single axis 63-10-005 Round, 60 mm inner antenna coil radius, thickness 0.
64-10-004 Rectangular, inner antenna coil dimensions 202x352 mm, thickness 0.8 mm, single axis MARS-1-2-4-6 USER MANUAL 45 64-70-017-DOC ver.
8.3Reader-Tag Compatibility READER-WRITERS Maximum Read-Write Distance* (MRD), mm S T A C K T A G S I T E M T A G S MPR- 5050 MARS and round external antenna (60 mm radius) MSTRP5050 MDOCR2505 MDR1109 MTR1310 Rectangular, 76 x 45 mm, 5 turns 315 235 60 Rectangular, 76 x 45 mm, 2.
8.4Maximum Read-Write Distance Maximum Read-Write Distance: MARS with External Antennas Maximum Read-Write Distance* (MRD), mm StackTag tags 20x15 mm 28x16 mm 20 mm diameter 25 mm diameter 35 mm diameter 56x26 mm 76x45 mm, 2.
