4/4/2019 USER GUIDE UBS-200L LF BASE STATION 001.006.03 v1.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Preface Revision History This is the 1st edition of this document. Rev 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Date 3-24-16 12-20-16 11-14-17 4-4-19 Description of Change Original Document 1st Revision 2nd Revision 3rd Revision Originator Jason D. Warschauer Jason D. Warschauer Jason D. Warschauer Jason D. Warschauer UI Devices reserves the right to make changes to its products or services or to discontinue any product or service at any time without notice.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 About This Document Purpose The purpose of this document is to describe in detail the procedures for operating the UI Devices UBS200L LF Base Station. Audience This document is designed for use by anyone responsible for installing, operating, and maintaining the UI Devices UBS-200L LF Base Station. Product Line Descriptions and references to the following products are included in this document.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Conventions The following pictograms and representations are used throughout this document. WARNING: A WARNING IS USED WHERE CARE MUST BE TAKEN, OR A CERTAIN PROCEDURE MUST BE FOLLOWED IN ORDER TO PREVENT INJURY OR HARM TO YOUR HEALTH . Caution: A caution indicates information on conditions which must be met, or a procedure which must be followed, which if not heeded could cause permanent damage to the system.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Safety Notice UI Devices shall not be held liable for damages caused by improper use, abuse, or manipulations outside of those recommended in this manual. The UBS-200L should only be opened by qualified UI Devices personnel. Any attempt by untrained personnel to open the housing may result in personal injury and/or damage to the unit, and will void the warranty.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Document Overview Table of Contents Preface ........................................................................................................................................................... i Revision History ......................................................................................................................................... i About This Document ..............................................................................
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Establishing a Connection to the UBS-200L .......................................................................................... 7 Reading a Transponder in “Continuous Read” Mode ........................................................................... 9 Reading a Transponder in “Standby” Mode ......................................................................................... 9 Reading a Transponder in “Keyboard Wedge” Mode....................
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Change Input Delimiters “UID IDLM” .................................................................................................. 20 Change Output Delimiters “UID ODLM” ............................................................................................. 20 Change Keyboard Wedge Delimiters “UID KWDLM” .......................................................................... 20 Change Keyboard Wedge Separator Keystroke “UID KWSPR” ..........
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Reserved LF Module Settings .................................................................................................................. 34 Default Host Serial Port Settings ............................................................................................................. 34 Common Response/Error Codes .............................................................................................................
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Chapter 1 – Introduction to the UBS-200L LF Base Station The UBS-200L Is a versatile Low-Frequency Base Station designed to read and encode the UI Devices Series of transponders for use within animal identification, logistics, and asset tracking applications. The UBS-200L operates as a USB appliance, tethered to a host PC. Elements of the UBS-200L Base Station Display Figure 1. UBS-200L Front View.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 UBS-200L Modes of Operation The UBS-200L supports two basic modes of operation; Standby and Continuous Read. Standby In this mode, the UBS-200L awaits a command from the host PC. Only when a command is received does the UBS-200L perform an action. Continuous Read In this mode, the UBS-200L is constantly searching for a transponder.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Chapter 2 – Getting Started with the UBS-200L Installing USB Drivers It is strongly recommend that the drivers be installed BEFORE plugging the unit into the USB port for the first time. Contact UI Devices for access to the appropriate drivers and for assistance with driver installation. Note: Install the appropriate USB drivers BEFORE plugging the UBS-200L into the USB port of the PC or handheld device.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Connecting an External LF Antenna Connect an external antenna or “wand” to antenna port 1 on the UBS-200L. If the UBS-200L has more than one antenna port, port 1 is that closest to the edge of the unit. 1. Line up the pins of the antenna connector with those of the antenna port. 2. Rotate the entire antenna connector until it seats itself in the antenna port. 3. Gently tighten the outer ring to hold antenna cable securely in place. Figure 4.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Reading a Transponder Present a UI Devices transponder to the antenna, following best practices described in Setting “CCB” to 1 causes the UBS-200L to automatically select the beginning block of the user-data based on the transponder type. This overrides the “SDB” setting, and may be useful where UI Devices TTF and “Classic” transponders are intermixed. Information: Setting “CCB” to 1 overrides the “SDB” setting.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Unified Information Devices | Chapter 2 – Getting Started with the UBS-200L 6
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Chapter 4 – Tips and Tricks for Optimum Performance. The unit beeps once, and the transponder ID appears on the LCD display. Congratulations! A transponder has been read! Information: If the ID does not appear when a UI Devices transponder is presented to the antenna, it is likely that the UBS-200L has been pre-configured in “Standby” mode. Continue with “Connecting to Host PC” to complete set-up and begin reading transponders.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Determining COM Port number using “Device Manager” (Host Mode) Use the procedure below to determine the COM port number assigned to the UBS-200L if operating in Host mode: 1. Open “Device Manager.” One method is to click the “Start” button, and type “Device Manager” into the Search box. 2. Click the triangle next to “Ports (COM & LPT)” to expand this section. 3. Find the most recently added “UID-LF-BaseStation” and note the COM number.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Testing Communications using Terminal Software Communications with the UBS-200L can be confirmed using any standard TTY terminal software. “PuTTY”, a free terminal program which can be downloaded from the internet, is used in the examples below. See Appendix 4 - Test Virtual COM Port using Tera Term for a similar example using Tera Term, another popular terminal program available for free download. Establishing a Connection to the UBS-200L 1.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 3. It may be useful to enable “Echo” and “Line Feed” in the terminal software. 4. Click “Open” to open the terminal window. 5. Type “VER” and press when the terminal window appears, to verify communications with the UBS-200L. The LF Module firmware version will appear, and may be different from that shown below. 6.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Reading a Transponder in “Continuous Read” Mode Present a transponder to the UBS-200L antenna. The transponder ID and any pre-programmed data displayed on the LCD should also appear over the VCOM port. Reading a Transponder in “Standby” Mode 1. Type “MD 2” to ensure the unit is operating in “standby” mode. 2. Type “GT” into the terminal window and press .
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Information: The read distance varies depending upon the size and type of transponder being read. See Setting “CCB” to 1 causes the UBS-200L to automatically select the beginning block of the user-data based on the transponder type. This overrides the “SDB” setting, and may be usef where UI Devices TTF and “Classic” transponders are intermixed. Information: Setting “CCB” to 1 overrides the “SDB” setting.
April 4, 2019 13 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Chapter 2 – Getting Started with the UBS-200L | Unified Information Devices v1.3 001.006.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Chapter 3 – Operating and Configuring the UBS-200L This chapter describes the protocol for communicating with and operating the UBS-200L over the virtual serial port. These commands can easily be issued using properly configured terminal software, as described in Chapter 2 – Getting Started with the UBS-200L.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Reading/Writing Transponders Get Transponder “GT” The “GT” (Get Transponder) command causes the UBS-200L to return the ID of a transponder that is in range. In the above example, the UBS-200L returns “XXXXXXXX” when no transponder is present, and “11467227” (the transponder ID) when a transponder is present. The “GT” command is used when the UBS-200L is in “Standby” mode.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Continuous ID Read Mode “MD 0”, “MD 2” It may be desirable read the ID from multiple transponders in succession. Entering “MD 0” puts the UBS-200L into “Continuous Read” mode. In this mode, the UBS-200L enters a new read cycle at the completion of the previous one. If no transponder is read during a read cycle, “XXXXXXXX” is returned, and a new read cycle begins. If a transponder is read, the transponder ID is returned, and a new read cycle begins.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Continuous Custom Read Mode “MD 4” It may be desirable to get custom data from multiple transponders in succession. The “MD 4” command puts the UBS-200L into “Continuous Read” mode, using two additional parameters similar to those of the “GTC” command. In this mode, the UBS-200L enters a new read cycle at the completion of the previous one. If no transponder is read during a read cycle, “XXXXXXXX” is returned, and a new read cycle begins.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Advanced Data-Manipulation Commands Reading Transponder Data “RD” Transponder data blocks can only be read in Standby mode. Issue the “MD 2” command to ensure the LF Module is in Standby mode. User data is stored in blocks 7-13. Each block contains 4 bytes of data. (8 hexadecimal characters.) To read data from a data block, issue the “RD” command followed by a space, followed by the number of the data block to be read. See examples in Figure 11.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Information: In older “Classic” tags, blocks 3, 5, and 6 can also contain user data. Information: By converting ASCII text to hexadecimal data, 28 ASCII characters can be stored in the transponder memory. (40 ASCII characters for older “Classic” tags. “54455854” in the example above translates to “TEXT” when converted to ASCII text. 19 Chapter 3 – Operating and Configuring the UBS-200L | Unified Information Devices 001.006.03 v1.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 User-Level Configuration Commands View Settings “VS” Issuing the “VS” command causes the UBS-200L to display all current parameter values.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Caution: Some Module parameter values are factory set, and changing them may result in undesired behavior. Symptom Possible Cause Transponder Communications Antenna is Unit returns “#10” improperly during attempted connected. transponder Antenna positioned communications too close to metal. Transponder too far away Unit returns Transponder “XXXXXXXX” while incorrectly oriented searching for a transponder Transponder communications blocked by metal.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Appendix 1 – Default Settings and Response/Error Codes summarizes which Module parameters are safe to change and which should be left unchanged. Advanced Configuration Commands Commands and parameters listed in this section are only adjustable after a successful log-in using the “UID USRLOG” command. Advanced Log-in “UID USRLOG” Issue the “UID USRLOG” command followed by the User Log-in Password to enter the UBS-200L Advanced Configuration mode.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Change Sound Pitch “UID PTCH” With multiple units operating within a confined space, it may be desirable to adjust the pitch of each unit’s sound emission in order to more easily discern from which unit a sound is emitted. Issuing the “UID PTCH” command, followed by a number between 31 and 9999 sets the frequency or “pitch” at which the transponder confirmation tone sounds. The default value is 4096.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Symptom Possible Cause Transponder Communications Antenna is improperly Unit returns “#10” during connected. attempted transponder Antenna positioned too communications close to metal. Transponder too far away Unit returns “XXXXXXXX” while searching for a transponder Cannot read data blocks Cannot write data blocks Transponder incorrectly oriented Transponder communications blocked by metal. Incorrect data block read attempted.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Appendix 1 – Default Settings and Response/Error Codes. Change LF Module Baud Rate “UID LFBD” The “UID LFBD” command sets the internal baud rate at which the UBS-200L communicates with the internal LF module. This command should only be adjusted if the internal LF Module has been set below its maximum baud rate for timing purposes. Note: Changing the LFBD value can disconnect communications between the UBS-200L and the internal LF Module.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 LCD On/Off “UID LCD” The “UID LCD” command can be used to toggle the LCD display on or off. If the LCD display is not required, turning it off can improve overall system read performance. Issue “UID LCD 0” to turn off the LCD display, and “UID LCD 1” to turn it back on. Information: Turning the LCD Display function OFF when not being used can enhance system read performance.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER UID ECHO The “UID Echo” command offers an easy way to test output to the LCD, Keyboard Wedge, and VCOM port. Issue “UID Echo” followed by a space. The first 20 characters of text following the space will be echoed to the top line of the LCD, and the entire text will be echoed to the Keyboard Wedge and the VCOM ports. Information: The Keyboard Wedge function and LCD Display must be set to ON in order for the text following the ECHO command to appear.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 assistance in using the UID KWSPR command. Available keystrokes are summarized in Table 12 of the “Universal Serial Bus (USB) HID Usage Tables.” LF Module Configuration Commands Suppress Multiple Reads “CID” To suppress multiple reads of the same transponder from being transmitted to the host, send the “CID 1” command.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Time-Show Code “TSC” value expires. Sending the command “CID 0” returns the UBS-200L to its default setting, where the transponder ID is sent every time it is read. Suppress “XXXXXXXX” No-Read Message “CN” To prevent the “XXXXXXXX” message from being sent to the host, send the “CN 1” command.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Time-Show Code “TSC” With both “CID” and “CN” set to 1 in “MD0” continuous read mode, it may be desirable to allow a transponder to be re-read after a certain amount of time, in case the transponder data was missed by the host. The “TSC” command allows the re-transmission of the same transponder ID if the transponder remains in the field or re-enters the field after a given delay.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Symptom Possible Cause Transponder Communications Antenna is improperly Unit returns “#10” during connected. attempted transponder Antenna positioned too communications close to metal. Transponder too far away Unit returns “XXXXXXXX” while searching for a transponder Cannot read data blocks Cannot write data blocks 31 Transponder incorrectly oriented Transponder communications blocked by metal. Incorrect data block read attempted.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Appendix 1 – Default Settings and Response/Error Codes. Note: The “BD” command does NOT affect the baud rate between the UBS-200L and the Host PC. If it is desired to change the baud rate between the UBS-200L and the Host PC, please use the Change Host Baud Rate “UID BD” command. Note: Changing the BD value can disconnect communications between the UBS-200L and the internal LF Module.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Echo “EC X” The “EC” command causes the LF Module to echo received commands back to the host, prior to executing them. This can occasionally be useful, if the terminal software does not support a “Local Echo” function. Sending the command “EC 1” will turn on this feature. Sending the command “EC 0” will turn off the Echo feature. The feature is off by default.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Append Prefix “AP” Up to 6 ASCII Characters can be prepended to the UBS-200L output data stream. Issuing “AP” followed by the hexadecimal values of the 6 ASCII characters causes the characters to be pre-pended to the data stream. There is no delimiter between the prefix and the remaining data stream. If a delimiter is required, it must be specified as one of the 6 ASCII characters. All 6 characters must be specified.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Transmit Device Serial Number “TDSN” Setting the TDSN to 1 causes the UBS 200L to prepend the output data stream with the last 6 digits of the device serial number, along with a delimiting comma. This can be useful when data is coming in from multiple readers over a single port, or if data is being aggregated into a single file. Sending the command “TDSN 1” will turn on this feature. Sending the command “TDSN 0” will turn off the feature off.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Unified Information Devices | Chapter 3 – Operating and Configuring the UBS-200L 36
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Chapter 4 – Tips and Tricks for Optimum Performance Read Range and Read Field Metal vs. Non-Metal Metal interferes with the transmission and receiving of RF signals. As such, the UBS-200L performs best when operated with the antenna away from metal objects. Placing the antenna on a metal surface may reduce the read distance. Placing a metal object between the antenna and transponder may interfere with or block communications completely.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Figure 14. Optimum Read Positions for a Glass Transponder. Disc transponders can best be read flat in the center of the antenna, or on edge at the edge of the antenna, as shown in Figure 15. Figure 15. Optimum Read Positions for a Disc Transponder.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Maintenance Follow these simple maintenance procedures to maximize the lifespan of the UBS-200L. Cables Keep the USB and antenna cables free of tension and kinks, and inspect periodically for damage. Should a cable become damaged, contact UI Devices for a replacement. Cleaning Periodically clean the housing of the UBS-200L using a moist cloth. Never use harsh chemicals or solvents, as they may damage the housing. Do not submerge the unit in water.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Troubleshooting Use the following table as a guide to remedy issues encountered when using the UBS-200L. Sympto m Power Possible Cause Power supply Unit does disconne not cted power No up, power at Power source LED does Power not switch illuminat not fully e. depresse d. Host Communications Remedy Ensure power supply is properly connected, both at the “DC in” connector and at the source. See Connecting Power. Ensure there is power at source.
April 4, 2019 COM Port Incorrect Incorrect Baud Rate Other COM Settings Incorrect COM Port not open, or improper ly closed during previous session. DoubleCharacte rs returned over COM port. 41 Echo is on USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Ensure correct COM port is selected. See Determining COM Port number using “Device Manager”. 1. Ensure correct Baud Rate is selected. 2. Test all Baud Rates. See Advanced-Level Adjustable Settings for available Baud Rates.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Symptom Possible Cause Transponder Communications Antenna is improperly Unit returns “#10” during connected. attempted transponder Antenna positioned too communications close to metal. Transponder too far away Unit returns “XXXXXXXX” while searching for a transponder Cannot read data blocks Cannot write data blocks Transponder incorrectly oriented Transponder communications blocked by metal. Incorrect data block read attempted.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Appendix 1 – Default Settings and Response/Error Codes LF Module Adjustable Settings The following settings are available for adjustment by the user to improve compatibility, performance, and desirable operation. Default values are in BOLD.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Advanced-Level Adjustable Settings The following settings are available for adjustment after the Advanced User Log-in Password has been entered. Default values are in BOLD.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Reserved LF Module Settings The following settings are programmed at the factory to ensure proper operation, and should not be changed by the user. The factory default settings are listed below. In case a parameter is inadvertently changed, it can be restored using the values in the table. Contact UI Devices for assistance in restoring default settings.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Appendix 2 – Technical Specifications Parameter Electrical Characteristics Input Voltage Power Supply Interface RF Frequency Value 12V DC 12V, 1A (Switching) USB 134.2 KHz Physical Characteristics Dimensions L x W x H Housing Material 5.5 in x 5.5 in x 4.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Appendix 3 – Connecting to Third-Party Systems Configuring Instem Provantis COM Port Settings 1. From the “Start” menu on the PC, navigate to and select the “Instrument Comms Interface”: Start -> Programs -> Provantis -> Administration -> Instrument Comms Interface 2. The “Generic Interface Setup” Screen appears. 3. Populate the fields according to the values the table below.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 6. Present a UI Devices transponder to the UBS-200L antenna within 5 seconds. The 8-character Transponder ID should display perfectly just below the text “Last string received from the instrument” and should be formatted correctly in the “Result Value” box. If the read-cycle times-out prior to the transponder being presented, “XXXXXXXX” will be displayed. 7.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER 1. Testing Communications using Terminal Software. 2. Send the following commands to configure the UBS-200L for “Continuous Read Mode.” CID 1 TOR 0 CN 1 MD 0 VSAVE The terminal session should appear as below: 3. Set-up is complete! The UBS-200L is now in Continuous Read mode! Configuring Instem Provantis for Continuous Read Mode 1.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 2. The “Generic Interface Setup” Screen appears. 3. Populate the fields according to the values the table below.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER Appendix 4 - Test Virtual COM Port using Tera Term 1. Download and install “Tera Term” terminal software. 2. Launch the application by double-clicking the “Tera Term” icon. 3. Click the “Serial” Radio button, and then change to the correct assigned COM port number as determined in the Device Manager. (See Chapter 2 – Getting Started with the UBS-200L) Click “OK.” 4. Choose “Serial port…” from the “Setup” drop-down menu.
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 5. Set the “Baud rate” to 38400, and click “OK.” 7. Choose “Terminal…” from the “Setup” drop-down menu.
April 4, 2019 USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER 8. Enable “Receive: CR+LF” and “Local echo” in the terminal software. 6. Type “VER” and press to request the firmware version number from the UBS-200L. The exact response from the UBS-200L may be different from that in the below example. 7. Congratulations! COM port communications have been verified! 8. Now type “GT” into the terminal window and press .
USER GUIDE: UBS-200L LF DESKTOP READER April 4, 2019 Appendix 5 – ASCII Table Unified Information Devices | Appendix 5 – ASCII Table 54
