Applied Wireless Identifications Group M26EA RFID Reader 2.6e Module User Manual
Applied Wireless Identifications Group Inc. RFID Reader 2.6e Module Users Manual
Users Manual
2.6 EA - 1 - Doc# 041320
AWID PROPRIETARY
SENTINEL-SENSE 2.6 EA
Installation & Operation Manual-041320
2.6 EA - 2 - Doc# 041320
AWID PROPRIETARY
COPYRIGHT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The contents of this document are the property of Applied Wireless Identifications Group, Inc.
(AWID) and are copyrighted. All rights reserved. Any reproduction, in whole or in part, is
strictly prohibited. For additional copies of this document please contact:
AWID
18300 Sutter Blvd
Morgan Hill, CA 95037
www.sales-ast@AWID.com
The information contained herein has been carefully checked and is believed to be accurate,
no responsibility is assumed for inaccuracies. AWID reserves the right to make changes
without prior notice. This document is not covered by any warranty either expressed or
implied. Any comments, corrections or additions to the contents of this document should be
directed to AWID at the above address.
Copyright 2006 AWID, Printed in USA.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
FCC COMPLIANCE
This equipment has been tested and found to be in compliance with the limits for FCC Part 15,
Class A digital device. 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 instruction manual, may cause harmful interference with radio
communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful
interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own
expense.
The users are prohibited from making any change or modification to this product, any
modification to this product shall voids the users authority to operate under FCC Part 15
Subpart A Section 15.21 regulations.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference and, (2) this device must
accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired
operation.
INDUSTRY C ANADA C OMPLIANCE
Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause
interference and (2) this device must accept any interference, including interference that
may cause undesired operation of the device.
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AWID PROPRIETARY
C AUTION:
Reader should be positioned so that personnel in the area for prolonged periods may
safely remain at least 23 cm (9 in) in an uncontrolled environment from the readers surface.
Observe FCC OET Bulletin 56 Hazards of radio frequency and electromagnetic fields and
Bulletin 65 Human exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields.
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AWID PROPRIETARY
Table of Contents
1INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................5
1.1 General Description & Theory of Operation .......................................................5
1.2 Special Features ................................................................................................7
2SPECIFICATIONS ....................................................................................................8
2.1 Channel Frequency Table..................................................................................8
2.2 Input and Output Interfaces & Connector Pin Assignment.................................8
2.3 Measuring Read Distance..................................................................................9
3INSTALLATION & OPERATION GUIDELINES .....................................................10
3.1 General Wiring Requirements..........................................................................10
3.2 Wiring Diagrams ..............................................................................................10
4INSTALLATION PROCEDURE ..............................................................................11
4.1 Parts List.......................................................................................................... 11
4.2 Preparation for Installation ...............................................................................11
4.2.1 Bench Top Verification..............................................................................11
5SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING AND SYSTEM OPERATION NOTES...................12
5.1 System Operation ............................................................................................12
5.1.1 Running a Custom Software Application or the AWID Demo Program.....12
5.1.2 Operating Modes ......................................................................................12
5.2 Users Note....................................................................................................... 12
6MPR SERIAL COMMUNICATION PROTOCOL.....................................................13
NOTE: READ AND USE THIS MANUAL.
NOTE: FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE INSTALLATION GUIDE MAY RESULT IN
POOR PERFORMANCE OR EVEN CAUSE PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE
READER, THUS VOIDS THE PRODUCT WARRANTY.
2.6 EA - 5 - Doc# 041320
AWID PROPRIETARY
1 INTRODUCTION
AWID's Sentinel-Sense 2.6 EA is a long-range (12 to 15 feet) Radio Frequency
IDentification (RFID) reader module with RS-232 I/O interface that works with most
leading passive UHF passive tags. The reader module comes with a unique combination
of long read range, small size, and low power consumption. The reader module has an
internal power converter, allowing it to work with a wide range of supply inputs without
affecting its performance. Its primary applications are asset management and tracking,
and fleet management applications.
qThe 2.6 EA reader modules are delivered with firmware version 2.xxM
In order to operate an 2.6 EA you will need the following:
qPC running Windows1 98 or higher, CD-ROM drive and one RS-232 serial port.
qHost software (AWIDs demo software or your own custom software)
1.1 GENERAL DESCRIPTION & THEORY OF OPERATION
This reader module uses radio frequency to identify, locate and track pallets and/or
items that carry the appropriate RFID transponders. It works in non-line-of-sight
situations and in darkness, bright sun-light, or through dirt, grime and smudges.
A typical RFID system consists of three components a reader (interrogator), a
transponder (card or tag), and a data processing controller. The reader consists of a
module such as 2.6 EA (that has an internal micro-controller section, a transmitter
section, a receiver section) and a circular polarized transmit/receive antenna. Passive
transponders (tags or labels) consist of an antenna and an RFID ASIC (Application
Specific Integrated Circuits). During operation, the transmitter sends out an
electromagnetic wave to establish a zone of surveillance. When a transponder enters
this zone, the electromagnetic energy from the reader begins to energize the IC in the
transponder. Once the IC is energized, it goes through an initialization process and is
ready to accept further commands. Upon receiving a command that queries its identity,
the RFID ASIC begins to broadcast its identity through a low-energy back-scattering
process, which selectively reflects or back-scatters the electromagnetic energy to the
interrogator. The receiving circuits in the reader sense and decode this back-scattered
signal and determine the identity of the transponder.
Passive tags are beam powered, which is the electromagnetic energy radiated by the
transmitter section of the reader. Upon receiving a legitimated command, the tags will
cause the matching of the tags antenna to vary from match to mismatch, thereby
causing the tags to either absorb the RF energy or to reflect the RF energy. This
absorption or reflection sequence is commanded by the tags internal memory and this
is how the tags internal data are conveyed to the reader. The reader in turn monitors
·
1 Though 2.6 EA can also be controlled from a non-Windows programming platform, AWID demo and FW
upgrade programs are applications to run in Windows.
2.6 EA - 6 - Doc# 041320
AWID PROPRIETARY
the perturbation of the RF energy field, and thereby receives the varying degree of
signal reflected from the tags.
One of the unique design features for an RFID reader is that it must simultaneously
transmit a strong CW signal and at the same time, receive a weak reflected signal with
little frequency separation. In a traditional design, such functions are implemented
through the use of a circulator. As shown in Figure 1, there is a 3-port device between
the Coupler and the band pass filter, which is called a circulator. A circulator is
physically constructed by a permanent magnet, a Y junction on a high-dielectric
ferromagnetic substrate, and a ferromagnetic enclosure to complete the flux field. A
circulator permits flow of RF energy in one direction only, e.g. from port 1 to 2, 2 to 3,
and 3 to 1. When one of the ports is terminated (matched condition), the other two are
isolated in the reverse direction. Many fixed-site RFID readers use circulators to ensure
that the power amplifier output flows from the amplifier (port 1) to the antenna (port 2),
and the received signal flows from the antenna (port 2) to the receiver (port 3). When
properly matched, a circulator can provide typically 15 to 18 dB of isolation between the
power amplifier output (port 1) and the receiver input (port 3), thereby reducing any in-
band interference from transmitter output to receiver input. AWIDs reader consisting of
2.6 EA uses a similar circuit to accomplish the same function, but in a much smaller
physical size.
Figure 1 Block Diagram, Single-Antenna RFID Reader
It should be noted that some fixed-site reader designs use separate transmit and receive
antennas to resolve this T/R signal isolation problem. Figure 2 is a block diagram of a
dual-antenna RFID reader. On the surface, this design has the advantage of allowing a
low-level design on the receive chain, which means lower compression point for mixers,
lower saturation point for amplifiers, and the possibility of using a front-end amplifier to
enhance receiver sensitivity. Such dual-antenna design becomes problematic in a
mobile environment, where signal strength is not easily controlled. A well-designed dual-
antenna reader can usually provide 25 to 30 dB of isolation between the two signal
FREQUENCY
SYNTHESIZER
1.1.3
1.1.4
I/Q
DEMOD
Driver
AMP
Power
AMP
COUPLER
XMIT/
RCVE
A/D
CPUI/O
XMTR
CIRCULATOR
BPF
RCV
IQ
RF
I
Q
I
Q
FREQ AMPL
1 2
3
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AWID PROPRIETARY
paths, reducing the unwanted signal in the receive chain to 20 dBm. However, when
the RFID reader antenna is facing a tag placed on a large metallic object at a distance of
12 inches, the reflected transmitter signal at the receiver input can be as high as 13dBm,
thereby eliminating any advantage of the dual-antenna design.
In actual circuit implementation, AWID developed a proprietary circuit to duplicate the
functions of the circulator, with improved directivity and isolation.
Figure 2 Block Diagram, Dual-Antenna RFID Reader
1.2 SPECIAL FEATURES
· Multi-Protocol: ISO-18000-6 Type B, EPC Class 12 Gen 1 & 2, EM Micro, EPC
Class 03, EPC V1.19 Rev.2
· Thin passive tags with long-range performance
· RS-232 outputs
·
2 Both 64- and 96-bit
3 Both 64- and 96-bit
RCVE
XMIT
RF
Q
Q
RCVR
FREQUENCY
SYNTHESIZER
Driver
AMP
Power
AMP
COUPLER
BPF
BPF
A/D
CPU
I/O
I
I/Q DEMOD
IQ
I
FREQ AMPL
XMTR
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AWID PROPRIETARY
2 SPECIFICATIONS
Input voltage +7.0 VDC to +15 VDC
Input current 1.0 A (7.0 V) to 0.40 A (15 V) typical
Protocol language ISO Type B, EPC Class 1 Gen 1 & 2, EM Micro,
EPC Class 0, EPC V1.19 Rev.2
Read range Depends on type & size of labels used
Output power +30 dBm max
Transmit frequency 903.14-927.26 MHz
Receiver frequency 903.14-927.26 MHz (Amplitude Modulated)
Hopping channels 50 Channels
Channel spacing 500 kHz
Hopping sequence Pseudo random
Operating temperature range -30° C to +65° C (-22° F to 149° F)
Output data formats RS-232
I/O Connector DB-9 connector
Dimension x5x0.25
2.1 CHANNEL FREQUENCY TABLE
Frequency range: 903.14 ~ 927.26 MHz
Minimum number of frequency channels: 50
CH 902~928 MHz CH 902~928 MHz CH 902~928 MHz CH 902~928 MHz CH 902~928 MHz
0 903.14 MHz 20 908.06 MHz 40 912.98 MHz 60 917.91 MHz 80 922.83 MHz
2 903.63 MHz 22 908.55 MHz 42 913.48 MHz 62 918.40 MHz 82 923.32 MHz
4 904.12 MHz 24 909.05 MHz 44 913.97 MHz 64 918.89 MHz 84 923.82 MHz
6 904.62 MHz 26 909.54 MHz 46 914.46 MHz 66 919.38 MHz 86 924.31 MHz
8 905.11 MHz 28 910.03 MHz 48 914.95 MHz 68 919.88 MHz 88 924.80 MHz
10 905.60 MHz 30 910.52 MHz 50 915.45 MHz 70 920.37 MHz 90 925.29 MHz
12 906.09 MHz 32 911.02 MHz 52 915.94 MHz 72 920.86 MHz 92 925.78 MHz
14 906.58 MHz 34 911.51 MHz 54 916.43 MHz 74 921.35 MHz 94 926.28 MHz
16 907.08 MHz 36 912.00 MHz 56 916.92 MHz 76 921.85 MHz 96 926.77 MHz
18 907.57 MHz 38 912.49 MHz 58 917.42 MHz 78 922.34 MHz 98 927.26 MHz
Table 1 Channel Frequency Table for 2.6 EA
2.2 INPUT AND OUTPUT INTERFACES & CONNECTOR PIN
ASSIGNMENT
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AWID PROPRIETARY
Pin Function Pin Function
1 Ground 6 +7V/+15V
2 RS232 Tx 7 +7V/+15V
3 RS232 Rx 8 Data 0
4 Enable RFID 9 Data 1
5 Ground 10 Ext Data in
2.3 MEASURING READ DISTANCE
Make sure you know the tag types. For certain readers and tags, user must also be
mindful of the tags orientation and the readers antenna orientation, what mounting
surface the tags are designed for and how the tags are supposed to be mounted. Any
departure from its intended purpose will drastically affect the readers ability to energize
the tag and its read range.
When measuring the readers read range, make sure that the tag is properly oriented to
the reader antenna, and for optimum performance, be sure the operators finger is not
within three (3) inches of the tags antenna surface.
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AWID PROPRIETARY
3 INSTALLATION & OPERATION GUIDELINES
3.1 GENERAL WIRING REQUIREMENTS
All the MPR reader wiring should be continuously shielded. AWID recommends using
#24 AWG up to #22 AWG, longer distances and higher current consumption on the
power supply line will require larger gauge wires.
TABLE 3.4-1: Data Lines Wiring Requirement
WIRE SIZE #22 AWG (0.6 mm Dia.) #24 AWG (0.5 mm Dia.)
RS-232 50 ft (15 meters) 50 ft (15 meters)
3.2 WIRING DIAGRAMS
See section 2.1 for pin assignment for the RS-232 connector of a 2.6 EA.
The MPR RS-232 interface is a short distance serial interface, a full command set for
the standard serial interface is not necessary, therefore only transmit, receive and
ground wires are used. Sense input is an enable input, which is traditionally used to
activate the RF energy of the reader and to start the read functions.
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AWID PROPRIETARY
4 INSTALLATION PROCEDURE
This section provides installation and operation information for 2.6 EA reader modules.
4.1 PARTS LIST
Verify that all items listed below are present before starting the installation.
o Sentinel-Sense 2.6 EA Qty=1
o Documentation and command demo program CD Qty=1
4.2 PREPARATION FOR INSTALLATION
Familiarize yourself with the connectors and pin out assignment of each I/O connectors.
4.2.1 Bench Top Verification
It is always a good idea to verify system operation before committing to a full-scale
installation. The following are the necessary steps to test the readers operation in a
static environment.
qConnect 2.6 EA to the RS-232 port of a PC
qConnect the power jack from the wall plug power supply to reader module
qPower up PC
qInstall demo software on PC
qActivate demo software and verify performance of the reader.
qSelect COM port 1 on top page then click Connect. Follow with some system
commands.
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AWID PROPRIETARY
5 SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING AND SYSTEM OPERATION NOTES
5.1 SYSTEM OPERATION
5.1.1 Running a Custom Software Application or the AWID Demo Program
If AWID Demo Program is not used, it is expected user will launch a Custom Software
Application developed using the MPR Serial Communication Protocol to issue
commands to the MPR reader/module as specified.
5.1.2 Operating Modes
Typical operating modes for MPR readers can be grouped into the following modes:
Search Mode
This mode is used when operator or user is not certain what family of tags is placed on
the items to be tracked. Since most tags are deterministic in nature, MPR reader must
cycle through each and every protocol, issue a protocol specific inquiry, to hail and to
wait for a response from tags of that specific protocol. Therefore, if there are many
different protocols, for an untrained observer, the reader response will appear sluggish.
Mixed Mode
This mode assumes the user is aware of the types of protocol in use, and furthermore, the
user made a determined effort to operate the reader in a mixed protocol mode. In this
mode, the user can decide how many and which specific protocols to be selected. Once
Mix Protocol Mode is selected, the reader will routinely cycle through each protocol, dwell
long enough for the reader to wait for a response and then move on to the next protocol. It
should be noted that in a mixed protocol mode, the tag must have sufficient time to
respond to the reader, and therefore, it can only be used on a conveyor belt arrangement,
with specific speed restrictions.
Single Protocol Mode
Single protocol is the normal mode of operation, where the protocol type is known and
many tags are expected to pass through the readers.
5.2 USERS NOTE
For System Integrators and/or Software Developers
System Integrators and/or software developers should get familiar with the MPR Serial
Communication Protocol specifications for developing applications that control a 2.6 EA.
For Custom System Users
For custom system user, please refer to your host software user guide for information
regarding system and software operations
For Demo Software Users
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AWID PROPRIETARY
If you are using the AWID RFID demonstration software application which is .NET based
with easy-to-follow GUI operations, simply select the COM port for which the 2.6 EA is
configured then click Connect should get you started.
6 MPR SERIAL COMMUNICATION PROTOCOL
See MPR Serial Communication Protocol Manual - 041304