3e Technologies 250-01 Bluetooth to RS-232 Cordless Adaptor User Manual
3e Technologies International, Inc. Bluetooth to RS-232 Cordless Adaptor
User Manual
3e-250
Bluetooth to RS-232
Cordless Adaptor
User’s Guide
3e Technologies International
700 King Farm Blvd.
Rockville, MD 20850
(301) 670-6779
www.3eti.com
29000107.001 013003
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3e-250
Bluetooth to RS-232
Cordless Adaptor
User’s Guide
3e Technologies International
700 King Farm Blvd.
Rockville, MD 20850
(301) 670-6779
www.3eti.com
iii
Copyright © 2003 3e Technologies International, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this
documentation may be reproduced in any form or by any means or to make any derivative work
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International.
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program(s) described in this documentation at any time.
If there is any software or removable media described in this documentation, it is furnished under a
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or on the removable media in a readable le such as license.txt or the like. If you are unable to locate a
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If you are a United States Government agency, then this documentation and the product described
herein are provided to you subject to the following:
All technical data and computer software are commercial in nature and developed solely at private
expense. Software is delivered as “Commercial Computer Software” as dened in DFARS 252.227-
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only such rights as are provided in 3e Technologies International’s standard commercial license for
the software. Technical data is provided with limited rights only as provided in DFAR 252.227-7015
(Nov 1995) or FAR 52.227-14 (June 1987), whichever is applicable. You agree not to remove or deface
any portion of any legend provided on any licensed program or documentation contained in, or
delivered to you in conjunction with, this User Guide.
________________________________________________
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government authorization prior to export to another country.
iii
Table of Contents
Introduction ......................................................................................................................1
Installation ........................................................................................................................1
Initial Setup.......................................................................................................................2
Operation and Maintenance ..........................................................................................6
Transferring data from PC to PC .............................................................................6
Connecting to a Test Instrument..............................................................................7
Using the LEDs...........................................................................................................7
Maintaining Battery Life...........................................................................................8
Conguration Commands for the 3e-250 Adapter ...............................................8
Troubleshooting .............................................................................................................10
Manufacturer’s Statement ......................................................................................10
Advices and Warnings ............................................................................................10
REGULATORY COMPLIANCE..................................................................................11
FCC Part 15 Declaration of Conformity (DoC)....................................................11
FCC Radiation Exposure Statement......................................................................11
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1
Introduction
The 3e-250 Bluetooth to RS-232 Cordless Adapter is a Plug and Play
adapter that allows you to use your RS-232 (serial) port to communicate
wirelessly between multiple pieces of equipment.
In itself, the 3e-250 requires no installation of software or drivers on
the host machine. It doesn't initiate communications, but simply acts as a
substitute for a wired serial connection. As such, it allows direct commu-
nication between equipment such as data recorders, computers, handheld
devices, test electronics equipment, measurement devices and the like.
It enables users to connect measurement devices wirelessly to a cen-
tral analysis and recording area, eliminating the need to download infor-
mation from an unconnected measurement device.
The adapter incorporates a Bluetooth solution containing a BT 1.1
compliant transceiver operating in the 2.4 GHz range using frequency-
hopping at 1600 times/sec among the available frequency ranges.
The operating range of the 3e-250 is up to 30m or 100 feet. It provides
link control functionality and supports operation within a Bluetooth
piconet in a slave mode. It supports all Bluetooth data rates of up to 723
Kbits/sec.
Installation
The 3e-250 Cordless Adapter comes precongured with certain basic
parameters. No setup is required unless you wish to change these presets.
The pre-congured parameters are:
• Device Name
The default name is 3ETI Serial Device. This name will be pre-
sented to other devices which are trying to connect to it. (You
might want to change this name if you are going to use a number
of these Adapters.)
• RS-232 baud rate
The default baud rate is 9600, 8-N-1. (You might need to change
this default setup depending on the device that you will be attach-
ing it to.)
If any change to the conguration is required, or you plan to imple-
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3e-250 Bluetooth to RS-232 Cordless Adapter
3
User's Guide
ment more than a direct RS-232 cable replacement function, you will
need to install at least one remote Bluetooth master device on a PC.
The Bluetooth master, such as the 3e-240 Bluetooth USB Dongle, in-
stalls on a USB port on your laptop and comes with software that allows
you to manage up to 7 slaves. Some examples of possible congurations
are shown below.
Initial Setup
If some setup is required or you want to ensure the Adapter is work-
ing, move the power switch to the "on" position and attach the DB9 serial
port to a serial port on your computer.
To verify that the device is working, open a "Hyper Terminal" applica-
tion on your computer. You will usually nd this application by following
the path, Start àPrograms à Accessories à Communications.
With your 3e-250 Adapter on and attached to your COM port, the
Hyper Terminal window should prompt you to connect to, for instance,
Com 2 (if that is where your device is plugged in) as shown in the follow-
ing picture.
DB9 connector
Off On
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3e-250 Bluetooth to RS-232 Cordless Adapter
3
User's Guide
The New Connection wizard will ask you to name your session and
give you a choice of icons to associate with it. You can call it anything that
will readily identify it for you. We chose "port1."
Click OK to begin the Hyper Terminal session.
You will next see a "connect to" screen. Select the COM port to which
the 3e-250 is connected and click OK.
Set the "connect using" dropdown menu to the COM port you are us-
ing on your computer. This is usually COM1 or COM2.
Click OK to go to the COM2 Properties screen.
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3e-250 Bluetooth to RS-232 Cordless Adapter
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User's Guide
Initially, set the properties to 9600 8-N-1 with ow control at Hard-
ware.
If you will be using the 3e-250 Adapter with test equipment and you
know that it requires a different baud rate than 9600, you can change that
later, using the Hyper Terminal session. Normally, the only things that
you will need to change are the baud rate and the device name.
Click OK to save your settings and select Properties from the File
dropdown menu.
In the Properties window, select the Settings tab. In the Backspace
Key Sends section, select the "Ctrl+H, Space, Ctrl+H" radio button. And
click on the ASCII Setup button.
In the ASCII Setup window, make sure you check the selection for
"Send line end with line feeds" and "Echo typed characters locally."
Checking these options will provide feedback when you issue commands
in hyperterminal. (This is very useful as a means of checking that your
command has been accepted.
Important Note: If you are working in Windows XP, and your hyper-
terminal software will not access the Bluetooth device, you may have to
set the MODE switches to the ON position for both DSR and CTS.
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3e-250 Bluetooth to RS-232 Cordless Adapter
5
User's Guide
Then click OK and OK to close the Properties menu and return to the
main Hyper Terminal screen.
In the Hyper Terminal window, you can now type the command
help
and when you press the Enter key
on your computer, you will get a list of the commands available to the 3e-
250 device in the Hyperterminal session.
You may want to save the Hyperterminal setup on your desktop so
that you can use it to set up a number of the Adapters.
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3e-250 Bluetooth to RS-232 Cordless Adapter
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User's Guide
To save it, go to FileàSave and save to the Desktop. You will see an
icon similar to the following on your desktop.
After a Hyper Terminal session, you may also see two
other icons on your Desktop. These two les, which should
look similar to the two shown to the right, can be dropped in
the Recycle Bin.
Operation and Maintenance
Transferring data from PC to PC
The 3e-250 Bluetooth to RS-232 Cordless Adapter can be used, with
another Bluetooth device, installed on another computer, to transfer data
between the two machines. The other Bluetooth adapter can be the 3e-240
Bluetooth Dongle or any Bluetooth-certied RS-232, USB, or PCMCIA
product. Refer to the manual that came with the other Bluetooth device
for instructions on its installation and operation.
Once the other device is installed, let it discover all available devices.
(NOTE: If there is more than one Bluetooth device for it to discover,
you may want to use your Hyper Terminal session to rename your 3e-250
Adapter, using the devicename command. See the table of commands on
page 9 for more information.)
Select the 3e-250 Adapter from the list of discovered devices by its
name and double-click it to initiate the process of connecting to the
Adapter. The Adapter provides the service "serial port."
Double-click on the "serial port" service icon and the local device
will connect to the Adapter and set up the serial port service, using a lo-
cal COM port for the connection. Make a note of the COM port number
selected and open a Hyper Terminal session. Connect to the virtual COM
port you have just set up, using the procedure detailed in the section
Initial Setup. You can set the baud rate for this COM port to any value up
to 115200.
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3e-250 Bluetooth to RS-232 Cordless Adapter
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User's Guide
At this point, you have completed the communication setup between
the 3e-250 Adapter and the other Bluetooth device.
To verify the connection, type some characters in the Hyper Terminal
window on one of the computers. The same characters should be visible
in the Hyper Terminal window on the other computer. Whole les can be
transferred using the Transfer à Send File option in the Hyper Terminal
window.
Connecting to a Test Instrument
Connecting to a test instrument can be a bit more complex than con-
necting from PC to PC, because you will need to know the RS-232 signals
supported by the particular instrument. Each test instrument has its own
mechanism which that instrument uses for hardware ow control (RTS/
CTS and DTR/DSR).
Before installing the 3e-250 Adapter on a test device, research the
required settings for that test device in its documentation.
The 3e-250 Adapter has two dipswitch settings accessible on the back
(bottom) of the device.
The dipswitches allow you to congure for the particular device.
The DTR/DSR switch is set to the ON position by default. The RTS/CTS
switch is set OFF by default.
Once you have congured the dipswitches, connect the 3e-250 to
the DB9 connector on the test instrument. If there is not enough space to
directly connect to the DB9 connector, use a 9-pin straight cable with a
male connector at one end and a female connector at the other. (This is not
included in the install kit.)
You can now communicate to the 3e-250 from the Bluetooth device on
the host PC.
Using the LEDs
There are three LEDs on the 3e-250.
• Bluetooth Link Activity Indicator
• Battery Status Indicator
• Battery Charging Indicator
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3e-250 Bluetooth to RS-232 Cordless Adapter
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User's Guide
3e-250 LED Description Table
LED Activity Description
Bluetooth Link Activity
Indicator
Flashing Green
No light
Indicates link activity
Indicates OFF
Battery Status Indicator Green
Orange
Red
Battery is 75-100% charged
Battery is 25-75% charged
Battery charge less than
25%
Battery Charging Indicator Red
No light
Charging from external
power source
No external hookup or fully
charged
Bluetooth Link Actrivity
Battery Status Indicator
Battery Charging Indicator External Power Connector
The following chart gives the variables for the indicator lights.
Maintaining Battery Life
You can recharge the internal rechargeable batteries at any point. If
the Battery Status Indicator turns red, you should recharge at your earli-
est convenience. Plug in the 120V AC / 9V DC power adapter shipped
with the 3e-250 and charge fully (may require up to 3 hours). Recharging
should be done in conditions of less than 113 ° F (45 ° C) to ensure proper
charge.
There is an RS-232 Trickle-Charge on-off switch on the back of the
3e-250 which is provided as a discretionary battery power conserva-
tion device. The default position is OFF. And this switch should be left
in the off position if you are running the device connected to any piece
of test equipment that runs on battery power, as it will "steal" the power
from the parent device in order to "trickle-charge" the 3e-250 battery.
However, if you are running the 3e-250 on a host device that can spare
power, you can conserve battery power extensively by setting the RS-
232 Trickle-power switch to on. When the 3e-250 is charging from an AC
power outlet, the switch can be either on or off. It does not matter. See the
picture of the back of the device on the preceding page for the location of
the Trickle-Charge switch. Move the switch with a small point object like
a paper clip or pen point.
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3e-250 Bluetooth to RS-232 Cordless Adapter
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User's Guide
Conguration Commands for the 3e-250 Bluetooth RS-232 Adapter
Command Description
help • lists all the supported commands
version • displays the version of the software running on the device
cong • places the device in conguration mode. In this mode the Bluetooth
Radio function is inactive; no remote device can connect to it.
• the device will not be able to go into deep sleep in this mode
• syntax for this mode is "cong <start|end>". The "start" argument
places the device in conguration mode and the "end" command
exits the conguration mode.
• arguments for this command are not optional. An error message is
echoed to the host when no arguments are supplied with the command.
devicename • allows user to change default name (up to 50 characters).
• default device name is "3ETI Serial Device."
• command syntax is "devicename [new name for device]".
• arguments are optional. Using devicename without argument simply
displays current name.
• if new devicename is set, it will be echoed back to the host.
changebaud • allows change to baud rate. (Default baud rate is 9600; maximum
baud rate is 115200).
• command syntax is "changebaud <baud rate>".
• arguments are not optional. Failure to supply argument causes an
error message to echo back to the host. An example of correct use
would be: "changebaud 115200". Baud rate will change to 115200
bits/sec.
• once baud rate is changed, the host application will have to change
its baud rate and reset the device to effect the baud rate change.
deviceaddress • displays the 48bit Bluetooth device address for the device.
• no arguments are used with the command.
changepin • allows user to change the default PIN "3eti" to set authentication and
encryption between two Bluetooth devices. Usage of this PIN is
optional and will be executed only if the remote device requests
authentication and encryption of all communications on the link.
• command syntax is "changepin <user pin>". The use of the argument is
not optional. PIN name can be from 4 to 16 alphanumeric characters.
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3e-250 Bluetooth to RS-232 Cordless Adapter
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User's Guide
Conguration Commands for the 3e-250 Adapter
There are some conguration commands that can be useful in chang-
ing or adapting conguration settings on the 3e-250 Adapter. You can
access these commands by plugging the 3e-250 into a laptop and opening
a Hyper Terminal window (as described in the Setup section).
NOTE: The Adapter will only interpret these commands when there
is no Bluetooth connection between it and a remote Bluetooth device.
The chart on the following page contains a description of the currently
available commands. You can also access these commands by typing help
in the Hyper Terminal window.
Troubleshooting
Manufacturer’s Statement
The 3e-250 Bluetooth to RS-232 Cordless Adapter is provided with
warranty. It is not desired or expected that the user open the device. If
malfunction is experienced and all external causes are eliminated, the
user should return the unit to the manufacturer for service and replace it
with a functioning unit. If you are experiencing trouble with this unit, the
point of contact is:
support@3eti.com
or visit our website at
www.3eti.com
Advices and Warnings
Opening the case of the 3e-250 Adapter voids the warranty.
The internal batteries must be in place for the Adapter to work, even
in AC Power mode.
Return the device to the manufacturer for service.
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3e-250 Bluetooth to RS-232 Cordless Adapter
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User's Guide
REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
FCC Part 15 Declaration of Conformity (DoC)
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is sub-
ject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harm-
ful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Warning: This device has been tested and found to comply with
the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commissions Rules and Regulations. These limits are
designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference
when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This
equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and,
if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may
cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.
If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or televi-
sion reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off
and on, the user is encouraged to try and correct the interference by one
or more of the following measures:
• Relocate this device
• Increase the separation between the device and the receiver
• Connect the device into an outlet on a circuit different from that of
other electronics
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio technician for help.
FCC Radiation Exposure Statement
Important Note: To comply with FCC RF exposure compliance re-
quirement, the antenna used for this transmitter must be installed to pro-
vide a separation distance of at least 20cm from all persons and must not
be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other transmitter.
This transmitter must not be co-located or operating in conjunction
with any other antenna or transmitter.
Caution: Changes or modications not expressly approved by 3e
Technologies International could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
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3e-250 Bluetooth to RS-232 Cordless Adapter