AR400 RFID Reader Integrator Guide 72E-71810-01 Revision .
© 2005 by Symbol Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form, or by any electrical or mechanical means, without permission in writing from Symbol. This includes electronic or mechanical means, such as photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval systems. The material in this manual is subject to change without notice. The software is provided strictly on an “as is” basis.
Contents About This Guide Introduction ......................................................................................................................... ix Chapter Descriptions ........................................................................................................... ix Notational Conventions ....................................................................................................... ix Related Documents and Software.......................................................
Chapter 3. Administrator Console Managing the AR400 ....................................................................................................... 3-3 Using the Setup Wizard.................................................................................................... 3-4 Status................................................................................................................................ 3-5 Scan Control .........................................................................
About This Guide Introduction ......................................................................................................................... ix Chapter Descriptions ........................................................................................................... ix Notational Conventions ....................................................................................................... ix Related Documents and Software................................................................
Introduction This Integrator Guide provides information about installing, configuring, and using the AR400 RFID Reader. The AR400 is a multi-protocol RFID reader providing real-time, seamless tag processing for all EPC-compliant tags: Class 0 (Read Only), Class 0 (Read/Write, also known as Class 0+), and Class 1 (Read/Write).
• DC200 Integrator Guide, p/n 72E-71772-01 • RFID API Programmer Guide, p/n 72E-71803-xx • TagVis User Guide, p/n 72E-71804-xx • ReaderComm5DLL Developer Guide, p/n 72E-71805-xx For the latest version of this guide and all guides, go to: http://www.symbol.com/manuals. Service Information If you have a problem with the equipment, contact the Sym for your region. See Sym for contact information. Before calling, have the model number, serial number and several bar code symbols at hand.
Denmark/Danmark Symbol Technologies AS Dr.
Sweden/Sverige “Letter” address: Symbol Technologies AB Box 1354 S-171 26 SOLNA Sweden Visit/shipping address: Symbol Technologies AB Solna StrandvŠg 78 S-171 54 SOLNA Sweden Switchboard: 08 445 29 00 (domestic) Call Center: +46 8 445 29 29 (international) Support E-Mail: Sweden.Support@se.symbol.com If you purchased your Symbol product from a Symbol Business Partner, contact that Business Partner for service.
1 Getting Started Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1-3 RFID Technology.............................................................................................................. 1-3 RFID Components ..................................................................................................... 1-3 The AR400 RFID Reader ..................................................................................
Introduction The AR400 Reader is a ready-to-connect network element that offers a variety of options for connecting to corporate networks via Ethernet or serial connections. A Setup Wizard facilitates reader configuration. RFID Technology Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is an advanced automatic identification (Auto ID) technology that uses radio frequency signals to identify “tagged” items.
• • Active Tags: typically powered by light-weight batteries and have limited life. Passive Tags: powered by the reader’s RF field. Passive tags are much lighter, less expensive, and have a much longer life than active tags. Antennas Antennas transmit and receive radio frequency signals under the control of a reader. Antennas do not perform processing. A read point is the RF range of an antenna.
Flexible Read Point Configurations Connect up to eight antennas (four transmit and four receive) to a single AR400. This decreases the per-read-point cost. Logically combine antennas to create a single, “wide” read point with a much greater range than that of a single antenna. Configuration and Upgrading The AR400 is easy to reconfigure for an application via the Setup Wizard. The AR400 can also accept new firmware and configuration under host control.
Device Management Quick Backup and Recovery To back up and restore reader configuration, use any Web browser to download the configuration XML file, then download the file to the reader using the Administrator Console. SNMP Integration The AR400 can send real-time notification of specific events and failures to the SNMP server. Security Trusted Hosts The AR400 allows specifying the IP addresses of hosts that are allowed to connect to the reader.
2 Installation and Communication AR400 Physical Connections .......................................................................................... 2-3 Installing the AR400.......................................................................................................... 2-3 Mounting Tips............................................................................................................. 2-3 Mounting the AR400 ...............................................................................
AR400 Physical LEDs 10/100BaseT Ethernet Antenna/Read Points Connections Control I/O Port RS232 RS422/485 RF Conductors Figure 2-1. AR400 Parts Use only the parts provided with the AR400 reader or recommended by Symbol. Substituting other cables or parts can degrade system performance, damage the AR400, and/or void the warranty.
When installing the antenna, ensure a minimum separation distance of 9.1 in (23 cm) between the antenna and human beings.
Mounting the AR400 1. Position the AR400 on the wall or shelf, ensuring 5 inches (12.7 cm) of clearance on all sides. 2. Using the pre-drilled holes at the corners of the AR400 as a guide, drill four holes in the wall or shelf for mounting the AR400. 3. Secure the AR400 to the wall or shelf using four 1-inch long #10 screws. Connecting Antennas to the AR400 Power off the AR400 before connecting the antennas.
To power on (and off) the AR400: 1. Connect the provided 24 VDC power supply to the AR400’s power port. 2. Plug the power supply into a 24 V power outlet. The green Power LED on the AR400 lights to indicate the AR400 is powered on. 3. To power off the AR400, unplug the power supply from the power outlet. The green Power LED turns off to indicate that the device is powered off and the system is not operational. Do not power off the AR400 until the yellow LED is off, indicating that reads are not in process.
Ethernet Connection The AR400 communicates to the host via a 10/100Base-T Ethernet cable and receives power via a Symbol AC power supply. Ethernet connection allows access to the AR400’s Administrator Console, used to change AR400 settings. To connect the AR400 via Ethernet: 1. Connect the RJ45 Ethernet cable to the 10/100Base-T Ethernet port on the AR400. See AR400 Parts . Ensure the Ethernet cable is terminated according to Table A-2 on page A-5. 2.
• no hardware compression 4. After establishing a connection with the AR400, type AdvancedReaderConsole on the host computer and press Enter. 5. Enter admin as the username and change as the password. These are the default settings. You cannot change the password from the serial console. To change the password (or create a new user account) use the Web-based Administrator Console.
Reading Tags To read tags while communicating with the host serially, connect the AR400’s RS-422/485 interface to a serial port on the host computer. Symbol provides an RS485-to-USB SeaLevel converter box and cable which connects the AR400 to the host's USB port for serial communication. To connect the AR400 to a host computer and read tags in real time, connect through TCP/IP and use a real-time application such as TagVis.
Event Notification............................................................................................................ 3-27 Visibility Events ........................................................................................................ 3-27 Threshold Event ....................................................................................................... 3-27 Network Status Event...............................................................................................
Managing the AR400 The AR400 includes an Administrator Console used to manage and configure the AR400. Use a Web browser on a host computer to access the AR400’s Administrator Console. 1. To access the Administrator Console, enter the IP address of the AR400 in a web browser. The default address is 192.168.127.254. The Console’s login window appears. Figure 3-1. Console Login 2. If this is the first visit to the Console, enter admin in the User Name: field and change in the Password: field.
Using the Setup Wizard The Setup Wizard provides a simple means of setting up and configuring the AR400 for the first time. Click Help for assistance when using the wizard. To use the wizard for initial configuration, click Setup Wizard (the first item in the menu). Figure 3-3. Initial Setup Wizard Window The Wizard provides windows used to configure the AR400 quickly and easily. To configure specific AR400 settings without using the Wizard, see the following sections.
Status Click Status on the Console main menu to view the Reader Status window, which displays information about the AR400 and read points (antennas). Figure 3-4. Reader Status Window Reader Status Window Elements describes the elements in the Reader Status window. Table 3-1. Reader Status Window Elements Item Value Format Description Device Status Summary of the Reader Total Number Number of readers and read points (antennas) connected.
Parent Disabled Number Devices dependent on a non-operational parent device are marked Parent Disabled. For example, when a reader is systemdisabled, its read points are marked parent disabled. System Clock [Weekday] [Month] [Day of the Month] [Hour:Minute:Second] [Year] Time of the reader system clock. Click on this to change the time of the reader system clock.
scheduled. Figure 3-5. Scan Control Window To initiate a scan for on-demand read points click Initiate Scan. To enable polling for polled read points click Enable Polling.
Scheduling a Periodic Scan Read Point To schedule a periodic scan for a read point, modify the read point class setting: 1. Click Read Point Class. Figure 3-6. Read Point Classes Window 2. Enter a name for the read point class in the Class Name: field. 3. Select the antenna type from the Type: drop-down list.
8. Select a filter from the Tag Selection: drop-down list to specify which tags to read. See Query for information on creating filters. 9. In the Write Gain: drop-down list select the gain (a percentage) to designate the antenna’s power setting for writing RFID tags. 10. Click Add Class. The new class appears in the Class List. 11. Click Commit / Revert. See Committing / Discarding Changes . 12. Click Configuration. The Configuration window displays a list of antennas. Figure 3-7.
point. Figure 3-8. Read Point Configuration Window 14. Select the new read point class from the Class: drop-down list. This associates the read point with the new read point class, scheduled to perform a scan every 5 minutes. 15. Click Modify Read Point, then Commit/Revert to apply the changes. See Committing / Discarding Changes.
16. Click Scan Control to open the Scan Control window. This window indicates when the next periodic scan is scheduled. Figure 3-9.
Query Use the query feature to read tags and get their status information. The AR400 replies with one of the following tag status indications: • • • The tag is not known to the system. (The tag was never seen or imported.) The tag is not visible to the system. (The tag is known to the system, but is currently not visible to any read point.) The tag is visible at one or more read points. (A list of read points where the tag can be seen displays.
4. Open the Administrator Console and click Query. Figure 3-11. Tag Query Window 5. Enter the type and ID from Step 3 in the Type: and Id: fields. 6. Click Submit Query. The AR400 responds with the read point of the antenna that is reading the tag.
Writing a Tag Use the Write a Tag option to perform the following with a re-writable (R/W) tag: • • • • Write, Erase and/or Lock Tag ID. Write, Erase and/or Lock User Data. Write / Lock kill code. Kill A Tag To write a tag: 1. Click Write a Tag. Figure 3-12. Write an RFID Tag Window 2. Enter the ID to write on the tag in the Tag ID field. If the tag already contains an ID, select the Erase and Write checkboxes next to this field to overwrite it.
Writing Tips Before writing to tags consider the following tips: • • • Locking a tag ID and/or user data prevents further erasing and writing the tag ID and user data on this tag. After writing and locking the kill code, the kill code is required to kill the tag. Killing a tag voids it for all read and write operations, rendering it useless for future operations.
Filtering The AR400 allows setting filters based on rules and then associating the filters with a specific read point. This prevents the AR400 from reporting specific tags. Filtering out tags involves the following steps: • • • • Creating a filter rule Creating a filter and associating it with the rule Associating a filter to a read point class Associating a read point class to an antenna. The following sections describe these processes. Creating a Filter Rule To create a filter rule: 1.
2. Click Create A New Rule. Figure 3-14. Tag Filter Rule Window 3. Choose the values for specific bits on which to base the filter. 4. Enter a name for the rule in the Filter Rule Name: field. 5. Select an option from the Test Method drop-down list. Inclusive indicates that all tags matching the rule are reported. Exclusive indicates that all tags matching the rule are not reported. 6. Click Add Tag Filter Rule to return to the Tag Selection Filter window. The new rule appears in the Tag Filter Rule List.
8. Click Create a New Filter. Figure 3-15. Tag Filter Window 9. Select the new rule from the Available Rules list and click <<. The rule moves to the Selected Rules list, adding it to the filter. 10. Click Add/Modify Tag Filter. The Tag Selection Filter window appears with the new filter in the Tag Filter List. 11. Click Commit/Revert to apply the changes. See Committing / Discarding Changes.
12. Click on Read Point Class. Figure 3-16. Read Point Classes Window 13. Enter a class name in the Class Name: field. 14. Select settings for the class from the drop-down lists. See Scheduling a Periodic Scan Read Point for field descriptions. 15. Select the new filter from the Tag Selection drop-down list. 16. Click Add/Modify Class. 17. Click Commit/Revert to apply the changes. See Committing / Discarding Changes.
18. Click Configuration. Figure 3-17. Selecting a Read Point 19. Select the read point with which to associate the new filter.
Figure 3-18. Modifying Read Point Configuration 20. Select the new class which contains the new filter from the Class drop-down list. 21. Click Modify Read Point. The Reader Configuration window displays the new read point class associated with the selected antenna. The selected read point of the AR400 now reports tags as per the selected rule.
Read Point Classes Read point classes are a set of configuration parameters assigned to one or more read points (antennas). Create a read point class in one of two ways: • • Create a new read point class by defining the class. Use an existing read point class as a template, copy it, change its settings, and save the new class with a different name. The AR400 includes several read point classes to use as templates. To create a new class based on one of the existing classes: 1. Click Read Point Class.
Read Point Zones Read point zones provide a logical way of grouping one or more read points on the same reader or across readers. A read point zone facilitates arbitrary user aggregations of read points. Read Point Zone 1 Tag 1 Read Point 3 Read Point 2 Read Point 1 Tag 2 Tag 3 Read Range of Read Point Zone 1 Tag 4 Read Range of Antenna 3 Figure 3-20. Read Point Zone Diagram In Read Point Zone Diagram Read Point 1 and 2 are logically grouped using Read Point Zone 1.
Adding and Modifying Read Point Zones To create a zone: 1. Click Read Point Zone. Figure 3-21. Read Point Zone Diagram 2. Manage read point zones as follows: • To add a zone, enter a name for the zone in the Zone Name: field and click Add Zone. • To change the name of a zone, select the zone name from the Zone List and click Select Zone. Enter a new name for the zone in the Zone Name: field and click Modify Zone to update the Zone List. • To delete the zone being modified, click Delete Zone.
Renaming, Enabling, and Disabling the AR400 Assign a new name and description to the AR400 to use later to identify AR400s on the network. If desired, disable the AR400 for all future operations. To rename or disable an AR400: 1. Click Configuration. Figure 3-22.
2. Select the AR400 to modify. Figure 3-23. Modify Reader Configuration Window 3. To modify the name and description of the AR400, enter this information in the Name: and Description: fields. Note that the serial number cannot be modified. 4. Select the Read Tag User Data checkbox to ensure the AR400 reads user data along with tag IDs. 5. To disable the AR400, select the Disable Reader checkbox. 6. To use the motion detector, select the Use Motion Detector checkbox. 7. Click Modify Reader.
Configuring Individual Read Points The Reader Configuration window also allows configuring and managing read points connected to the AR400. To manage an antenna: 1. Select the specific read point from the Reader Configuration window, shown in Reader Configuration Window . Figure 3-24. Modify Read Point Configuration Window 2. If desired, enter a new name and description in the Name: and Description: fields. 3.
Event Notification The AR400 reader provides notification when particular events occur. Select whether to receive event notifications, and select from three different types of events: • • • Visibility events Threshold events Network status events. The Event Notification window provides the following parameters: • • Host Notification: Web-based notifications of events are sent to this link.
Selecting Event Notification Options To select the event notifications to receive: 1. Select Notifications. Figure 3-25. Event Notifications Window 2. Click on the appropriate Notify option for each event type. Figure 3-26.
3. In the Notify Option: drop-down list, select one of the following options: • Never: do not provide notification for the event type. • Immediate: provide notification when the event occurs, provided the event is not filtered out. • Moderated: retest this condition every minute up to the timeout value. If the condition still exists and an intervening event has not occurred, provide notification for this event type, if the event is not filtered out 4.
Committing / Discarding Changes To apply reader configuration modifications made using the Administrator Console, click Commit/Revert to save these changes and notify the AR400 to update its configuration file, which updates the AR400 configuration. While a successful update can take several seconds, the system continues to operate with only a one or two-second period where no polling occurs. To save changes when using the Administrator Console: 1. Click Commit/Revert. Figure 3-28. Commit/Revert Window 2.
Managing Trusted Hosts Trusted hosts are authorized computers with which the AR400 is allowed to communicate. Enable this feature to allow only computers listed in the trusted host list to access the Administrator Console. This allows administrators to restrict unauthorized hosts from accessing the AR400 even if they are on the same network as the AR400. When disabled (the default), the AR400 logs the IP addresses of any computers that attempt to access the AR400 to provide a history of attempted accesses.
Managing Users To add or modify users in order to grant rights and permissions: 1. Click Manage Users. Figure 3-30. Manage Users Window 2. Enter the name of the new user in the User Name: field. 3. Enter a password to assign to the user in the Password: field. 4. Select an option from the Access Level: drop-down list for the new user: • View: Allows the user to connect to the Administrator Console and view AR400 settings.
User Maintenance To modify the access level or other account parameters and settings for an existing user: 1. Click Manage Users. Figure 3-31. Modifying Users Window 2. To assign the default password (change) to a user, select the user from the User List, select the Clear Password radio button, and click Modify User. 3. To delete the user, select the user from the User List, select the Delete User radio button, and click Modify User. 4.
4 Maintenance and Troubleshooting Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 4-3 Reader Maintenance - Changing Communication Settings ............................................. 4-3 Setting Date and Time...................................................................................................... 4-5 Getting Firmware Version Number ..............................................................................
Introduction Use the maintenance section of the Administrator Console to perform low-level reader maintenance tasks. Reader Maintenance - Changing Communication Settings The AR400 provides typical configuration settings that make the reader a plug-and-play device. The Administrator Console allows customizing these communication parameters. For example, it enables changing the default IP address of the reader when the network does not have a DHCP server. To change the reader’s communication settings: 1.
6. Change communication-related settings as desired by entering information in the text boxes or using the drop-down lists. See Troubleshooting for descriptions of available options. 7. Click Set TCP/IP Properties or Set Serial Port Properties depending on the configuration. 8. Click Main to return to the Administrator Console main window. 9. Click Commit / Revert to save or discard the changes. See Committing / Discarding Changes on page 3-29. Table 4-1.
Setting Date and Time To set the reader’s date and time: 1. Click Maintenance in the main Administrator Console window. 2. Click Date/Time. Figure 4-2. System Time Management Window 3. To synchronize the reader’s clock with a particular SNTP server, enter the server’s address in the SNTP Server Address: field and click Set SNTP Parameters. To set the reader’s system time manually, use the drop-down lists to select units of time, then click Set Date and Time.
Getting Firmware Version Number The Version Control window displays the current firmware version and allows upgrading to new firmware. To view this window, click Version. Figure 4-3. Version Control Window See Version Control Fields for descriptions of fields. Table 4-2. Version Control Fields Access Level Setting Description Radio Frequency Regulation Region Select a Radio Frequency Regulation region for the AR400. Image The current image is marked Active.
Load Time Indicates when the image was loaded into the reader. Source Indicates the channel from which this image is loaded.
Updating Firmware Before downloading the latest firmware from the Symbol FTP Website, perform the following: • • Obtain a valid Default Gateway for the reader, and ensure the reader can access the Internet. Use the Ping Command against the URL ftp2.matrics.com and note the IP address of the server which contains the firmware. To download the firmware from the Symbol Web site: 1. Click Maintenance from the main menu. 2. Click Version. See Version Control Window for the Version Control window. 3.
Backing Up the Configuration The reader supports the following backup configuration functions: • • • Rolling back maintenance errors and restoring the reader to a particular date and time. Pushing reader-specific changes made to the config.xml file to multiple readers, simplifying multi-reader management. General configuration backup that can be restored when required, such as hardware replacement. To back up the reader's configuration: 1.
Restoring a Configuration The restore feature restores a backed-up configuration file to enable quick configuration parameter recovery. This section describes how to restore the backup file on the reader from which it was backed up. For restoring a reader’s backup to another reader, see Restoring Backup Across Readers. Config.xml contains reader-specific configuration parameters such as IP address and port number.
4. 5. 6. 7. In the FTP Link field, enter the FTP URL of the server. Enter the username of a user account on the server in the FTP User Name field. Enter the password in the FTP Password field. Click Download New Firmware. A message indicates the XML file is loading. After several minutes, refer to the FTP server log to confirm the download was successful. Backup / Restore Example Following is an example of backing up and restoring a reader’s configuration: 1. Configure the reader.
server. Figure 4-7. Sample Config.xml File 3. Restore the backup Config.xml file. See Restoring a Configuration . The Administrator Console indicates that the reader successfully restored the previous configuration. Logging Out from the Console Before closing the browser, log out of the console. Click Logout from either the maintenance menu or the main menu. If you forget to log out or leave your browser idle, the session automatically logs out.
Troubleshooting Table 4-3. Troubleshooting Problem Possible Causes Possible Solutions AR400 error LED lights after the reader The CPU cannot communicate has been in operation. with the DSP and cannot reload the DSP firmware to it. Refer to the system log for error messages. Cannot connect to the reader. Username and password is unknown. The default username is admin and the default password is change. To change the username and password, see Connecting the AR400 for Communication on page 2-5.
If problems still occur, contact the distributor or call the local Symbol Support Center. See page x for the telephone numbers.
A Specifications Technical Specifications .................................................................................................. A-3 Cable Pinouts ................................................................................................................... A-5 Ethernet Connections................................................................................................. A-5 RS232 Port Connections........................................................................................
Technical Specifications The following table summarizes the mobile computer’s intended operating environment and general technical hardware specifications. Table A-1. Technical Specifications Feature Description Physical Specifications Dimensions 8.75" H x 11.75" W x 2" D (22.23 cm H x 29.85 cm W x 5.08 cm D) Weight ~ 6 lbs (2722 g) Base Material Aluminum, Silver; Die-cast LEDs Power (Green), Activity (Yellow), Error (Red) Power +24 vDC @ 1.
Safety EMI/RF Emissions Regulatory Region 1, FCC Part 90 Exposure To satisfy FCC RF exposure requirements, a mobile transmitting device must operate with a minimum separation distance of 99 cm or more from a person’s body. Operational Specifications Frequency UHF band, 909.75-921.75 MHz Method Fixed Frequency within the 909.75 to 921.
mix) RS422/RS485 Connector Connect to host PC 1.0/2.3 DIN Jack Antenna Connectors Connect to external antennas (4 Transmit and 4 Receive.) Cable Pinouts Ethernet Connections Table A-2. Ethernet Connector: RJ45 10Pin Pin Description Pin 1 Reserved/Do not use Pin 2 TXD (+) Pin 3 TXD (-) Pin 4 RXD (+) Pin 5 Reserved/Do not use Pin 6 Reserved/Do not use Pin 7 RXD (-) Pin 8 Reserved/Do not use Pin 9 Reserved/Do not use Pin 10 Reserved/Do not Use RS232 Port Connections Table A-3.
Pin 7 CTS (input) Pin 8 Not Used Pin 9 TXD (output) Pin 10 Not Used
RS485 Port Connections Table A-4. RS485 Connector: 10-Pin Pin Description Pin 1 RS-485 (+) Pin 2 RS-485 (+) Pin 3 Reserved Pin 4 Reserved Pin 5 USB PWR Pin 6 USB - Pin 7 USB + Pin 8 RS-485 (-) Pin 9 GND Pin 10 RS-485 (-) Power Amplifier The Symbol technologies RFID part 90-power amplifier is a single stage class AB amplifier with a nominal static drain current bias of 150mA. With the application of full RF input power, the drain current will increase to 3.0A nominally.
Harmonics @P1dB GCP Including filter Spurious Signals Operating Voltage Supply Current @ Pout=25 watts (Idcq = 200 mA) -70 dBc -70 24 3 -60 25.2 dBc Volts Amps Min 0 -40 95 Typ Max +50 +85 Units C 0 C % -400 30,000 Airborne 22.8 Environmental Specifications Parameter Operating Case Temperature Storage Temperature Relative Humidity w/o condensation Altitude Shock & Vibration 0 feet Mechanical Specifications Parameter Value Units Dimensions Weight RF Connectors DC Connectors incl.
Block Diagram of AR400 with power amplifier: System Block Diagram AR400 (RFID Reader) Tx Rx 6 dB pad PA 20 Ft Cable Filter 20 Ft Cable CP Antenna (R) CP Antenna (L)
