JADAK a business unit of Novanta MERCURY6EN Part 15.247 Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum User Manual

Trimble Navigation Limited Part 15.247 Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum

User Manual Nano Design Guide v01RevA.pdf

A DIVISION OF TRIMBLE1875-0077-01 RevAThingMagic Nano Design Guide For ThingMagic Nano with Firmware Ver. 1.3.1 and later
A DIVISION OF TRIMBLE2Government Limited Rights Notice: All documentation and manuals were developed at private expense and no part of it was developed using Government funds.The U.S. Government’s rights to use, modify, reproduce, release, perform, display, ordisclose the technical data contained herein are restricted by paragraph (b)(3) of theRights in Technical Data — Noncommercial Items clause (DFARS 252.227-7013(b)(3)),as amended from time-to-time. Any reproduction of technical data or portions thereofmarked with this legend must also reproduce the markings. Any person, other than theU.S. Government, who has been provided access to such data must promptly notifyThingMagic.ThingMagic, Mercury, Reads Any Tag, and the ThingMagic logo are trademarks orregistered trademarks of ThingMagic, A Division of Trimble. Other product names mentioned herein may be trademarks or registered trademarks ofTrimble or other companies.©2015 ThingMagic – a division of Trimble Navigation Limited. ThingMagic and The Engine in RFID are registered trademarks of Trimble Navigation Limited. Other marks may be protected by their respective owners. All Rights Reserved.dThingMagic, A Division of Trimble1 Merrill StreetWoburn, MA 0180101 Revision AMarch, 2015
A DIVISION OF TRIMBLE3Revision TableDate Version Description3/2015 01 Draft 1 First Draft for early-access release4/2015 01 REV A First Release
A DIVISION OF TRIMBLE4
Communication Regulation InformationA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE5Communication Regulation InformationCAUTION!!!Please contact ThingMagic support - support@thingmagic.com - beforebeginning the process of getting regulatory approval for a finished prod-uct using the ThingMagic Nano.ThingMagic Nano Regulatory InformationFederal Communication Commission Interference StatementThis equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, 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 television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one of the following measures:Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.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.FCC Caution: Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate this equipment.
ThingMagic Nano Regulatory InformationA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE6WARNING!Operation of the ThingMagic Nano module requires professional installation to correctly set the TX power for the RF cable and antenna selected.This transmitter module is authorized to be used in other devices only by OEM integrators under the following conditions:1. The antenna(s) must be installed such that a minimum separation distance of 21cmis maintained between the radiator (antenna) & user’s/nearby people’s body at all times.2. The transmitter module must not be co-located with any other antenna or transmitter. As long as the two conditions above are met, further transmitter testing will not be required. However, the OEM integrator is still responsible for testing their end-product for any additional compliance requirements required with this module installed (for example, digital device emissions, PC peripheral requirements, etc.).NoteIn the event that these conditions can not be met (for certain configurations or co-location with another transmitter), then the FCC authorization is no longer considered valid and the FCC ID can not be used on the final product. In these circumstances, the OEM integrator will be responsible for re-evaluating the end product (including the transmitter) and obtaining a separate FCC authorization.The OEM integrator has to be aware not to provide information to the end user regarding how to install or remove this RF module in the user manual of the end product.User Manual RequirementThe user manual for the end product must include the following information in a prominent location;“To comply with FCC’s RF radiation exposure requirements, the antenna(s) used for this transmitter must be installed such that a minimum separation distance of 21cm is maintained between the radiator (antenna) & user’s/nearby people’s body at all times and must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.”AND“The transmitting portion of this device carries with it the following two warnings:“This device complies with Part 15....”
ThingMagic Nano Regulatory InformationA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE7AND“Any changes or modifications to the transmitting module not expressly approved by ThingMagic Inc. could void the user’s authority to operate this equipment” “End Product LabelingThe final end product must be labeled in a visible area with the following:“Contains Transmitter Module FCC ID: QV5MERCURY6EN” or“Contains FCC ID: QV5MERCURY6EN.” Industry CanadaUnder Industry Canada regulations, this radio transmitter may only operate using an antenna of a type and maximum (or lesser) gain approved for the transmitter by Industry Canada. To reduce potential radio interference to other users, the antenna type and its gain should be so chosen that the equivalent isotropic radiated power (e.i.r.p.) is not more than that necessary for successful communication.This radio transmitter (identify the device by certification number, or model number if Category II) has been approved by Industry Canada to operate with the antenna types listed below with the maximum permissible gain and required antenna impedance for each antenna type indicated. Antenna types not included in this list, having a gain greater than the maximum gain indicated for that type, are strictly prohibited for use with this deviceOperation 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.To reduce potential radio interference to other users, the antenna type and its gain should be so chosen that the equivalent isotropic ally radiated power (e.i.r.p.) is not more than that permitted for successful communication.This device has been designed to operate with the antennas listed in Shock and Vibrationtable. Antennas not included in these lists are strictly prohibited for use with this device.To comply with IC RF exposure limits for general population/uncontrolled exposure, the antenna(s) used for this transmitter must be installed to provide a separation distance of at least 21 cm from all persons and must not be collocated or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.
ThingMagic Nano Regulatory InformationA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE8End Product LabelingThe final end product must be labeled in a visible area with the following:“Contains ThingMagic Inc. ThingMagic Nano (or appropriate model number you’re filing with IC) transmitting module FCC ID: QV5MERCURY6EN (IC: 5407A-MERCURY6EN)”Industrie CanadaConformément à la réglementation d'Industrie Canada, le présent émetteur radio peut fonctionner avec une antenne d'un type et d'un gain maximal (ou inférieur) approuvé pour l'émetteur par Industrie Canada. Dans le but de réduire les risques de brouillage radioélectrique à l'intention des autres utilisateurs, il faut choisir le type d'antenne et son gain de sorte que la puissance isotrope rayonnée équivalente (p.i.r.e.) ne dépasse pas l'intensité nécessaire à l'établissement d'une communication satisfaisante.Le présent émetteur radio (identifier le dispositif par son numéro de certification ou son numéro de modèle s'il fait partie du matériel de catégorie I) a été approuvé par Industrie Canada pour fonctionner avec les types d'antenne énumérés ci-dessous et ayant un gain admissible maximal et l'impédance requise pour chaque type d'antenne. Les types d'antenne non inclus dans cette liste, ou dont le gain est supérieur au gain maximal indiqué, sont strictement interdits pour l'exploitation de l'émetteurLe fonctionnement de l’ appareil est soumis aux deux conditions suivantes:1. Cet appareil ne doit pas perturber les communications radio, et2. cet appareil doit supporter toute perturbation, y compris les perturbations qui pourraient provoquer son dysfonctionnement.Pour réduire le risque d'interférence aux autres utilisateurs, le type d'antenne et son gain doivent être choisis de façon que la puissance isotrope rayonnée équivalente (PIRE) ne dépasse pas celle nécessaire pour une communication réussie. L’ appareil a été conçu pour fonctionner avec les antennes énumérés dans les tables Antennes Autorisées. Il est strictement interdit de l’ utiliser l’ appareil avec des antennes qui ne sont pas inclus dans ces listes.Au but de conformer aux limites d'exposition RF pour la population générale (exposition non-contrôlée), les antennes utilisés doivent être installés à une distance d'au moins 21cm de toute personne et ne doivent pas être installé en proximité ou utilisé en conjonction avec un autre antenne ou transmetteur.Marquage sur l’ étiquette du produit complet dans un endroit visible: "Contient ThingMagic transmetteur, FCC ID: QV5MERCURY6EN (IC:5407A-MERCURY6EN)"
ThingMagic Nano Regulatory InformationA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE9Authorized AntennasThis device has been designed to operate with the antennas listed in Authorized Antennas.Antennas not included in this list are strictly prohibited for use with this device.
ThingMagic Nano Regulatory InformationA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE10
Contents 11 A DIVISION OF TRIMBLEContentsCommunication Regulation Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5ThingMagic Nano Regulatory Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Federal Communication Commission Interference Statement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Industry Canada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Industrie Canada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Authorized Antennas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Specifications Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Hardware Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Hardware Interfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Module Pin-out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Antenna Connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Antenna Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Antenna Detection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Digital/Power Interfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Control Signal Specification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27ENABLE Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28DC Power Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29RF Power Output Impact on DC Input Current and Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29Power Supply Ripple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Idle DC Power Consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33RF Characteristics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34RF Output Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Receive Sensitivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
A DIVISION OF TRIMBLE12 ContentsReceiver Adjacent Channel Rejection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Environmental Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Thermal Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Thermal Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) Specification. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Shock and Vibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Authorized Antennas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40FCC Modular Certification Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40Physical Dimensions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42Tape-and-Reel Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43SMT Reflow Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46Hardware Integration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Host Board Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48Landing Pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48ThingMagic Nano Carrier Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52Carrier Board Heat Sinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58Firmware Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Boot Loader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Application Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61Programming the ThingMagic Nano. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61Upgrading the ThingMagic Nano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61Verifying Application Firmware Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61Custom On-Reader Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Communication Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63Serial Communication Protocol. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64Host-to-Reader Communication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64Reader-to-Host Communication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65CCITT CRC-16 Calculation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65User Programming Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66Functionality of the ThingMagic Nano. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67Regulatory Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68Supported Regions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68Frequency Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70Frequency Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
A DIVISION OF TRIMBLEContents 13Frequency Hop Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Protocol Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73ISO 18000-6C (Gen2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73Gen2 Protocol Configuration Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73Unsupported Gen2 Functionality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74Unsupported Custom Gen2 Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74Unsupported Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76Antenna Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77Using a Multiplexer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77Port Power and Settling Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79Tag Handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80Tag Buffer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80Tag Streaming/Continuous Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80Tag Read Meta Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82Power Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83Power Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83Performance Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84Event Response Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84Appendix A: Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85Common Error Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85FAULT_MSG_WRONG_NUMBER_OF_DATA – (100h) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85FAULT_INVALID_OPCODE – (101h). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86FAULT_UNIMPLEMENTED_OPCODE – 102h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86FAULT_MSG_POWER_TOO_HIGH – 103h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86FAULT_MSG_INVALID_FREQ_RECEIVED (104h). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87FAULT_MSG_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE - (105h). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87FAULT_MSG_POWER_TOO_LOW - (106h) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87FAULT_UNIMPLEMENTED_FEATURE - (109h) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88FAULT_INVALID_BAUD_RATE - (10Ah) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88Bootloader Faults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89FAULT_BL_INVALID_IMAGE_CRC – 200h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89FAULT_BL_INVALID_APP_END_ADDR – 201h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89Flash Faults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90FAULT_FLASH_BAD_ERASE_PASSWORD – 300h. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90FAULT_FLASH_BAD_WRITE_PASSWORD – 301h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90FAULT_FLASH_UNDEFINED_ERROR – 302h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91FAULT_FLASH_ILLEGAL_SECTOR – 303h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
A DIVISION OF TRIMBLE14 ContentsFAULT_FLASH_WRITE_TO_NON_ERASED_AREA – 304h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91FAULT_FLASH_WRITE_TO_ILLEGAL_SECTOR – 305h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91FAULT_FLASH_VERIFY_FAILED – 306h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92Protocol Faults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93FAULT_NO_TAGS_FOUND – (400h). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94FAULT_NO_PROTOCOL_DEFINED – 401h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94FAULT_INVALID_PROTOCOL_SPECIFIED – 402h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94FAULT_WRITE_PASSED_LOCK_FAILED – 403h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95FAULT_PROTOCOL_NO_DATA_READ – 404h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95FAULT_AFE_NOT_ON – 405h. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95FAULT_PROTOCOL_WRITE_FAILED – 406h. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96FAULT_NOT_IMPLEMENTED_FOR_THIS_PROTOCOL – 407h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96FAULT_PROTOCOL_INVALID_WRITE_DATA – 408h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96FAULT_PROTOCOL_INVALID_ADDRESS – 409h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96FAULT_GENERAL_TAG_ERROR – 40Ah. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97FAULT_DATA_TOO_LARGE – 40Bh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97FAULT_PROTOCOL_INVALID_KILL_PASSWORD – 40Ch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97FAULT_PROTOCOL_KILL_FAILED - 40Eh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97FAULT_PROTOCOL_BIT_DECODING_FAILED - 40Fh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98FAULT_PROTOCOL_INVALID_EPC – 410h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98FAULT_PROTOCOL_INVALID_NUM_DATA – 411h. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98FAULT_GEN2 PROTOCOL_OTHER_ERROR - 420h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98FAULT_GEN2_PROTOCOL_MEMORY_OVERRUN_BAD_PC - 423h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99FAULT_GEN2 PROTOCOL_MEMORY_LOCKED - 424h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99FAULT_GEN2 PROTOCOL_INSUFFICIENT_POWER - 42Bh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99FAULT_GEN2 PROTOCOL_NON_SPECIFIC_ERROR - 42Fh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100FAULT_GEN2 PROTOCOL_UNKNOWN_ERROR - 430h. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100Analog Hardware Abstraction Layer Faults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101FAULT_AHAL_INVALID_FREQ – 500h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101FAULT_AHAL_CHANNEL_OCCUPIED – 501h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101FAULT_AHAL_TRANSMITTER_ON – 502h. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101FAULT_ANTENNA_NOT_CONNECTED – 503h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101FAULT_TEMPERATURE_EXCEED_LIMITS – 504h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102FAULT_POOR_RETURN_LOSS – 505h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102FAULT_AHAL_INVALID_ANTENA_CONFIG – 507h. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102Tag ID Buffer Faults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104FAULT_TAG_ID_BUFFER_NOT_ENOUGH_TAGS_AVAILABLE – 600h. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104FAULT_TAG_ID_BUFFER_FULL – 601h. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104FAULT_TAG_ID_BUFFER_REPEATED_TAG_ID – 602h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105FAULT_TAG_ID_BUFFER_NUM_TAG_TOO_LARGE – 603h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
A DIVISION OF TRIMBLEContents 15System Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106FAULT_SYSTEM_UNKNOWN_ERROR – 7F00h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106FAULT_TM_ASSERT_FAILED – 7F01h. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106Appendix B: Getting Started - Dev Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107Dev Kit Hardware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107Included Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107Setting up the Dev Kit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108Connecting the Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108Powering up and Connecting to a PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108Dev Kit USB Interfaces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110USB/RS232. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110Dev kit Jumpers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111Dev Kit Schematics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112Demo Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113Notice on Restricted Use of the Dev Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114Appendix C: Environmental Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115ElectroStatic Discharge (ESD) Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116ESD Damage Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116Identifying ESD as the Cause of Damaged Readers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117Common Installation Best Practices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118Raising the ESD Threshold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118Further ESD Protection for Reduced RF Power Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119Variables Affecting Performance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120Tag Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120Multiple Readers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
A DIVISION OF TRIMBLE16 Contents
A DIVISION OF TRIMBLEIntroduction 17IntroductionThe ThingMagic® Nano® embedded module is an RFID engine that you can integrate with other systems to create RFID-enabled products. Applications to control the ThingMagic Nano modules and derivative products can be written using the high level MercuryAPI. The MercuryAPI supports Java, “.NET” and C programming environments. The MercuryAPI Software Development Kit (SDK) contains sample applications and source code to help developers get started demoing and developing functionality. For more information on the MercuryAPI see the MercuryAPI Programmers Guide and the MercuryAPI SDK, available on the ThingMagic website.This document is for hardware designers and software developers. It describes the hardware specifications and firmware functionality and provides guidance on how to incorporate the ThingMagic Nano module within a third-party host system. The rest of the document is broken down into the following sections:Hardware Overview - This section provides detailed specifications of the ThingMagic Nano hardware. This section should be read in its entirety before designing hardware or attempting to operate the ThingMagic Nano module in hardware other than the ThingMagic Dev Kit.Hardware Integration - This section describes the ideal attributes of a main board which incorporates the ThingMagic Nano module.Firmware Overview - This section provides a detailed description of the ThingMagic Nano firmware components including the bootloader and application firmware.Communication Protocol - This section provides an overview of the low level serial communications protocol used by the ThingMagic Nano.Functionality of the ThingMagic Nano - This section provides detailed descriptions of the ThingMagic Nano features and functionality that are supported through the use of the MercuryAPI.Appendix A: Error Messages - This appendix lists and provides causes and suggested solutions for ThingMagic Nano Error Codes.Appendix B: Getting Started - Dev Kit - Quick Start guide to getting connected to the ThingMagic Nano Developer’s Kit and using the Demo Applications included with the MercuryAPI SDK.Appendix C: Environmental Considerations - Details about environmental factors that should be considered relating to reader performance and survivability.
Specifications SummaryA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE18 IntroductionSpecifications SummaryThe table below summarizes the specifications of the ThingMagic Nano module. Many of these specifications are discussed in detail in the Hardware Overview chapter.PhysicalDimensions22 mm L x 26 mm W x 3.0 mm H(.866 in L x 1.024 in W x 0.118 in H)Tag / Transponder ProtocolsRFID ProtocolSupportEPCglobal Gen 2 (ISO 18000-6C) with nominal backscatter rate of 250 kbpsRF InterfaceAntennas Single 50 ё connection (board-edge)RF Power Output Separate read and write levels, command-adjustable from 0 dBm to 27 dBm in 0.01 dB steps
Specifications SummaryA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEIntroduction 19RegulatoryPre-configured for the following regions:ඵ FCC (NA, SA) 917.4-927.2 MHzඵ ETSI (EU) 865.6-867.6 MHzඵ TRAI (India) 865-867 MHzඵ KCC (Korea) 917-923.5 MHzඵ MIC (Japan) 916.8 – 923.4 MHz ඵ ACMA (Australia) 920-926 MHz ඵ SRRC-MII (P.R.China) 920.1-924.9 MHzඵ ‘Open’ (Customizable channel plan; 859-873 MHz and 915-930 MHz)Data/Control InterfacePhysical 41 board-edge connections providing access to RF, DC power, communication, and GPIO signalsControl/Data Interfacesඵ UART; 3.3V logic levelsඵ 9.6 to 921.6 kbps data rateඵ Enable controlGPIO Sensors and IndicatorsFour 3.3V bidirectional ports; Configurable as input (sensor) or output (indicator)API support .NET, Java, and Embedded “C” APIsPower
Specifications SummaryA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE20 IntroductionDC PowerRequiredDC Voltage: 3.3 to 5.5 V for +25 dBm out 3.7 to 5.5 V for +27 dBm outNominal DC power consumption when reading: 3.6 W@ 5 VDC for +27 dBm out 3.3 W@ 5 VDC for +25 dBm out 1.5 W@ 5 VDC for 0 dBm outIdle PowerConsumptionඵ 0.84 W in ready modeඵ 0.015 W in sleep modeඵ 0.00025 W in shutdown modeEnvironmentCertificationඵ FCC 47 CFR Ch. 1 Part 15 ඵ Industrie Canada RSS-21 0ඵ ETSI EN 302 208 v1.4.1Operating Temp. -20C to +60C (case temperature)Storage Temp. -40C to +85CShock andVibrationSurvives 1 meter drop during handlingPerformanceBoot time ඵ Less than 150 msec for initial boot after firmware download ඵ Less than 30 msec for subsequent boots.Read/Write Performanceඵ Up to 150 tags/sec to read 96-bit EPCඵ 80 msec typical for standard write of 96-bit EPC
A DIVISION OF TRIMBLEHardware Overview 21Hardware OverviewThe following section provides detailed specifications of the ThingMagic Nano hardware including:Hardware InterfacesDC Power RequirementsRF CharacteristicsEnvironmental SpecificationsAuthorized AntennasPhysical DimensionsTape-and-Reel Dimensions
Hardware InterfacesA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE22 Hardware OverviewHardware InterfacesModule Pin-outConnections are made to the module using 41 edge pads (“vias”) that allow the module to be surface mounted to a main board. Here is a bottom view of the module, showing the numerical interfaces of the module:The sections that follow explain in detail how these connections are used.Antenna ConnectionsThe ThingMagic Nano supports one monostatic bidirectional RF antenna through edge vias. See Hardware Integration for antenna edge via locations and layout guidelines.The maximum RF power that can be delivered to a 50 ohm load from each port is 0.5 Watts, or +27 dBm (regulatory requirements permitting).
Hardware InterfacesA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEHardware Overview 23Antenna RequirementsThe performance of the ThingMagic Nano is affected by antenna quality. Antennas that provide good 50 ohm match at the operating frequency band perform best. Specified performance is achieved with antennas providing 17 dB return loss (VSWR of 1.33) or better across the operating band. Damage to the module will not occur for any return loss of 1 dB or greater. Damage may occur if antennas are disconnected during operation or if the module sees an open or short circuit at its antenna port. Antenna DetectionCAUTION!!!Like the Micro module, but unlike the M6e and M5e modules, the Thing-Magic Nano DOES NOT support automatic antenna detection. When writ-ing applications to control the ThingMagic Nano you MUST explicitlyspecify the antenna to operate on. Using the MercuryAPI this requirescreation of a “SimpleReadPlan” object with the list of antennas set andthat object set as the active /reader/read/plan. For more information seethe MercuryAPI Programmers Guide | Level 2 API | Advanced Reading |“ReadPlan” section.
Hardware InterfacesA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE24 Hardware OverviewDigital/Power InterfacesThe edge via connections provides power, serial communications signals, an enable control, and access to the GPIO lines to the ThingMagic Nano module. See Hardware Integration for pinout details of both connections and layout guidelines
Hardware InterfacesA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEHardware Overview 25ThingMagic Nano Digital Connector Signal DefinitionEdge Via Pin # SignalSignalDirection(In/Out of ThingMagicNano)Notes1-9, 18-19 GND Signal Return Must connect all GND pins to ground as they also serve to remove heat from the module10 Vout DC Power Output 3.4V DC output. Maximum load 5 mA. Turns off when ENABLE is pulled low. Leave unconnected if not used.11 ENABLE Enable/Shut-down TTL input that turns the module off and reduces its power consumption to nearly zero. Hi=Enable, Low=Shutdown moduleIf left unconnected, module will stay in ENABLE state.12 GPIO1 BidirectionalGPIO Each line configurable as input or out-put interface (by default it is an input with internal pull-down).13 GPIO2 BidirectionalGPIO14 GPIO3 BidirectionalGPIO15 GPIO4 BidirectionalGPIO16,17 Vin Power Supply Input 3.3 to 5.5VDC. Pins 16 and 17 are internally connected. Connect the DC power source to both pins to ensure sufficient current carrying capacity.20 UART_TX In UART Serial input, 3V logic21 UART_RX Out UART Serial output, 3V logic22-28 RFU Reserved Reserved for future use - leave uncon-nected39 RF RF Transmit and Receive Interface to antenna38-39, 40-41 GND RF Ground Must connect all GND pins to ground as they also serve to remove heat from the module
Hardware InterfacesA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE26 Hardware OverviewThe following table gives the Voltage and Current limits for all communication and control interfaces:Control Signal SpecificationThe module communicates to a host processor via a TTL logic level UART serial port, accessed on the edge vias. The TTL logic level UART supports complete functionality. The USB port supports complete functionality except the lowest power operational mode. Specification LimitsInput Low-level Voltage 1.0 V max to indicate low state; no lower than 0.3 V below ground to prevent damageInput High-level Voltage 1.9 V min to indicate high state; 3.7 V max when module is powered up, no more than 0.3 V higher than Vout when module is turned off to prevent damage.Output Low-level Voltage 0.3 V typ, 0.7 V maxOutput High-level Voltage 3.0 V typ, 2.7 V minOutput Low-level Current 10 mA maxOutput High-level Current 7 mA max
Hardware InterfacesA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEHardware Overview 27TTL Level UART InterfaceA level converter is necessary to interface to other devices that use standard 12V RS232. Only three pins are required for serial communication (TX, RX, and GND). Hardware handshaking is not supported. The connected host processor’s receiver must have the capability to receive up to 256 bytes of data at a time without overflowing.Baud rates supported:– 9600– 19200– 38400– 115200– 230400– 460800– 921600NoteUpon initial power up, the default baud rate of 115200 will be used. If that baud rate is changed and saved in the application mode, the new saved baud rate will be used the next time the module is powered up.General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO)The four GPIO connections, provided through the ThingMagic Nano Digital Connector Signal Definition, may be configured as inputs or outputs using the MercuryAPI. The GPIO pins should connect through 1 kOhm resistors to the module to ensure the input Voltage limits are maintained even if the module is shut off.Module power consumption can be adversely affected by incorrect GPIO configuration. Similarly, the power consumption of external equipment connected to the GPIOs can also be adversely affected. The following instructions will yield specification compliant operation.On power up, the ThingMagic Nano module configures its GPIOs as inputs to avoid contention from user equipment that may be driving those lines. The input configuration is a 3.3 volt logic CMOS input and is internally pulled down with a resistance value of between 20 and 60 kOhms (40 kOhms nominal). GPIOs may be reconfigured individually after power up to become outputs. Lines configured as outputs consume no excess power if the output is left open.
Hardware InterfacesA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE28 Hardware OverviewConfiguring GPIO SettingsThe GPIO lines are configured as inputs or outputs through the MercuryAPI by setting the reader configuration parameters /reader/gpio/inputList and /reader/gpio/outputList. Once configured as inputs or outputs the state of the lines can be Get or Set using the gpiGet() and gpoSet() methods, respectively. See the language specific reference guide for more details.ENABLE LineCAUTION!!!The polarity of the ENABLE line is opposite from the 4-port M6e module.The ENABLE line (referred to as the SHUTDOWN line in the M6e) must be set HIGH (Vin level) or Open Circuit to ENABLE module. In order to shut down the module, the line can be set LOW or pulled to Ground. Switching from high to low to high is equivalent to performing a power cycle of the module. All internal components are powered down when set low.
DC Power RequirementsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEHardware Overview 29DC Power RequirementsThe module is specified to operate with DC input levels of between 3.3 and 5.5 V. All specifications are maintained as long as the total input current is below 1 A. At 1 A, the internal Voltage regulator’s protection circuit allows no more current to be taken in. This 1A current limit will be reached slightly sooner if current is drawn out the Vout line, and the GPIO lines are supplying current to external circuits. The most obvious impact of this 1A limit is that the module cannot be operated below 3.7 Volts when the RF power output level is set to 27 dBm. This limit is fully explained in the next section.The module will still operate if the DC input Voltage level falls below 3.3 V, but its specifications are not guaranteed. If the DC input Voltage falls below 3 VDC, a “brown-out” self-protection function in the processor will gracefully turn the module off so that the module will not be in an undeterminate state once the voltage is restored. RF Power Output Impact on DC Input Current and PowerThe ThingMagic Nano supports separate read and write power level which are command adjustable via the MercuryAPI. Power levels must be between:– Minimum RF Power = 0 dBm– Maximum RF Power = +27 dBm
DC Power RequirementsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE30 Hardware OverviewNoteMaximum power may have to be reduced to meet regulatory limits, which specify the combined effect of the module, antenna, cable and enclosure shielding of the integrated product. As shown in the chart, the current draw when the RF output level is set to +27 dBm reaches the limit of 1A when the DC input voltage is below 3.7 V. Below the 3.7 VDC input level, the RF level will no longer reach 27 dBm, although no error message will be returned. The input Voltage should be maintained above 3.7 Volts if the RF output power setting is above +25 dBm. 3.5 V is adequate for an RF output power level of +26 dBm, and 3.3 V is adequate for an RF output power level of +25 dBm and below. The chart
DC Power RequirementsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEHardware Overview 31below shows the impact of the input DC Voltage on the RF output level for +25 dBm and +27 dBm RF power levels.The power drawn by the module is fairly constant, rising slightly as the DC Input Voltage is lowered. Once the 1A input current limit is reached, the input power appears to
DC Power RequirementsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE32 Hardware Overviewdecrease, but this is because the RF output level is no longer reflecting the desired setting. This chart shows these dependencies:Note: Power consumption is defined for operation into a 17 dB return loss load (VSWR of 1.33) or better. Power consumption may increase, up to 4 W, during operation into return losses worse than 17 dB and high ambient temperatures. Power consumption will also vary based on Supported Regions in use.Power Supply RippleThe following are the minimum requirements to avoid module damage and to insure performance and regulatory specifications are met. Certain local regulatory specifications may require tighter specifications.
DC Power RequirementsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEHardware Overview 333.5 to 5.5 VDCLess than 25 mV pk-pk ripple all frequencies,Less than 11 mV pk-pk ripple for frequencies less than 100 kHz,No spectral spike greater than 5 mV pk-pk in any 1 kHz band.Idle DC Power ConsumptionWhen not actively transmitting, the ThingMagic Nano module falls back into one of 3 idle states, called “power modes”. There are 5 enumerated idle power modes defined in the API, but the Nano module only supports 3 options, so three of the settings behave identically. Each successive power mode turns off more of the module’s circuits, which have to be restored when a command is executed, imposing a slight delay. The following table gives the power consumption levels and the delay to respond to a command for each. See Idle DC Power Consumption for details. These nominal values should be used to calculate metrics such as battery life. To determine the absolute maximum DC power that would be required under any condition, one must consider temperature, channel of operation, and antenna return loss.ThingMagic Nano Power ConsumptionOperation DC Power Consumedat 5 VDCTime to Respond to a Read CommandPower Mode = “FULL” 0.85 W Less than 5 msecPower Mode = “MINSAVE”, “MEDSAVE”, or “MAXSAVE” 0.04 W Less than 20 msecPower Mode = “SLEEP” 0.02 W Less than 20 msecENABLE Line disabled .00015 W Module reboots when Enable line brought high
RF CharacteristicsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE34 Hardware OverviewRF CharacteristicsRF Output PowerThe output power is may be configured to a separate value for read and write operations (for many tags, more power is required to write to read). The range of values is from 0 dBm to +27 dBm, in 0.01 dB increments. (For example, 27 dBm will be configured as “2700” in units of centi-dBm.) The modules are calibrated when they are manufactured in 0.5 dB increments and linear interpolation is used to set values with greater granularity than this.The granularity of the RF output power setting should not be confused with its accuracy. The accuracy of the output level is specified to be +/- 1 dBm for each regional setting. Additional variation may be experienced if the DC input Voltage and temperature changes while the module is operational. This chart shows the typical transmit output variation over frequency. The typical variation is less than +/-0.5 dBm for all transmit levels, across the entire frequency band.DC Input Voltage also affects the transmit output level accuracy. The typical variation is less than +/- 0.20 dBm except at high output levels for low DC input voltages, as has been
RF CharacteristicsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEHardware Overview 35discussed in the RF Power Output Impact on DC Input Current and Power section.The output accuracy over temperature is typically +/1 0.75 dBm, with most variation occurring at lower transmit output power levels.
RF CharacteristicsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE36 Hardware OverviewReceive SensitivityThe receiver sensitivity is influenced by both user-defined settings and by external environmental factors. These factors are:Transmit LevelGen2 “M” settingRegion of OperationReceive sensitivity is strongly influenced by the amount of interference caused by the reader’s own transmit signal. This interference can be reduced by reducing the transmit level. ThingMagic always quotes the receive sensitivity at the highest transmit level (+27 dBm for the Nano), but 1 dB of sensitivity is typically gained for every dB that the transmitter output level is reduced.The Gen2 “M” setting influences how data is encoded when sent from the tag to the reader. Higher “M” values send data at lower rates and are more noise immune, increasing the module’s sensitivity. Lower “M” values send data at higher rates, decreasing the sensitivity somewhat. The region of operation is also a factor. The Nano has slightly better receive sensitivity in the EU and India regions (865 to 868 MHz) than in the North American region and
RF CharacteristicsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEHardware Overview 37subsets of that region adopted by countries around the world (917 to 928 MHz). The following table gives the sensitivity for these factors for a transmit output level of +27 dBm.The following table shows the impact of “M” value and frequency range on the sensitivity.TReceiver Adjacent Channel RejectionThe ThingMagic Nano receives signals that are centered at +250 kHz from its own carrier. The width of the receive filter is adjusted to match the “M” value of the signal being sent by the tag. An M value of 2 require the widest filter and an M value of 8 requires the narrowest filter. If operating in an environment where many readers are present, observe the performance of one reader as the other readers are turned on and off. If the performance improves when the other readers are turned off, then the system may be experiencing reader-to-reader interference. This reader-to-reader interference will be minimized by using the highest “M” value that is consistent with the tag read rates required by the application.Region “M” Value SensitivityNorth America and subsets of 917 to 928 MHz band8 -57 dBm4 -57 dBm2 -49 dBmEU and India (865 to 868 MHz8 -61 dBm4 -61 dBm2 -53 dBm
Environmental SpecificationsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE38 Hardware OverviewEnvironmental SpecificationsThermal ConsiderationsThe module will operate within its stated specifications over a temperature range o f-20 to +60 degrees C, measured at the ground plan that the ThingMagic Nano module is soldered to.It may be safely stored in temperatures ranging from -40 degrees C to +85 degrees C.Thermal ManagementHeat-sinkingFor high duty cycles, it is essential to use a surface mount configuration where all edge vias are soldered to a carrier or mother board, with a large area of ground plane, that will either radiate heat or conduct the heat to a larger heat-sink. A high density of PCB vias from the top to bottom of the board will efficiently conduct heat to a bottom mount heat-sink. Often the weak link in thermal management design is not the thermal interface from the ThingMagic Nano to the heat-sink, but rather the thermal interface from the heat-sink to the outside world.Duty CycleIf overheating occurs it is recommended to first try reducing the duty cycle of operation. This involves modifying the RF On/Off (API parameter settings /reader/read/asyncOnTime and asyncOffTime) values. A good place to start is 50% duty cycle using 250ms/250ms On/Off. If your performance requirements can be met, a low enough duty cycle can result in no heat sinking required. Or with adequate heat sinking you can run continuously at 100% duty cycle.
Environmental SpecificationsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEHardware Overview 39Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) SpecificationIEC-61000-4-2 and MIL-883 3015.7 discharges direct to operational antenna port tolerates max 1 KV pulse. It will tolerate a 4 kV air discharge on the I/O and power lines. It is recommended that protective diodes be placed on the I/O lines as shown in the carrier board schematic diagram (see Hardware Integration).NoteSurvival level varies with antenna return loss and antenna characteristics. See ElectroStatic Discharge (ESD) Considerations for methods to increase ESD tolerances.WARNING!The ThingMagic Nano antenna port may be susceptible to damage from Electrostatic Discharge (ESD). Equipment failure can result if the antenna or communication ports are subjected to ESD. Standard ESD precautions should be taken during installation and operation to avoid static discharge when handling or making connections to the ThingMagic Nano reader antenna or communication ports. Environmental analysis should also be performed to ensure static is not building up on and around the antennas, possibly causing discharges during operation.Shock and VibrationThe ThingMagic Nano module is specified to survive a 1 meter drop onto a hard surface. It will also survive the following vibration limits:4.02 Grms random, mounted on a non-resonant hard carrierFive shipments by air, MIL-STD-810G METHOD 514.6 ANNEX C, Figure 514.6C-5 General Exposure pg 514.6C-16, and Table 514.6C-VII, General Exposure. 5 minutes each of three axes.
Authorized AntennasA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE40 Hardware OverviewAuthorized AntennasThis device has been designed to operate with the antennas listed below, and having a maxi-mum gain of 8.15¬dBiL. Antennas not included in this list or having a gain greater than 8.15 dBiL¬arestrictly prohibited for use with this device without regulatory approval. The required antenna impedance is 50 ohms.ThingMagic Nano Authorized AntennasFCC Modular Certification ConsiderationsTrimble has obtained FCC modular certification for the ThingMagic Nano module. This means that the module can be installed in different end-use products by another equipment manufacturer with limited or no additional testing or equipment authorization for the transmitter function provided by that specific module. Specifically:No additional transmitter-compliance testing is required if the module is operated with one of the antennas listed in the FCC filingNo additional transmitter-compliance testing is required if the module is operated with the same type of antenna as listed in the FCC filing as long as it has equal or lower gain than the antenna listed. Equivalent antennas must be of the same general type (e.g. dipole, circularly polarized patch, etc.), must be of equal or less gain than an antenna previously authorized under the same FCC ID, and must have similar in Vendor Model Type PolarizationFrequencyRange CircularGain(dBiC)Max Linear Gain (dBi)MTIWirelessMT-263020 Patch Circular 902-928 MHz11 min 8Laird S9025P Patch Circular 902-928 MHz5.5 4.3Laird S8658WPL Patch Circular 865-960 MHz8.5 6.0MTIWirelessMTI-262013 Patch Circular 902-928 MHz7 min, 7.5 max6.0MTIWirelessMTI-242043 Patch Circular 865-956 MHz7.5 in EU band, 8.5 in NA band6.0Laird FG9026 Dipole Linear 902-928 MHz[NotApplicable]8.15Note: Most of these are circularly polarized antennas, but since most tag antennas are linearly polarized, the equivalent linear gain, as provided, of the antenna should be used for all calculations.
Authorized AntennasA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEHardware Overview 41band and out of band characteristics (consult specification sheet for cutoff frequencies).If the antenna is of a different type or higher gain than those listed in the module’s FCC filing, see ThingMagic Nano Authorized Antennas, a class II permissive change must be requested from the FCC. Contact us at support@thingmagic.com and we can help you though this process.A host using a module component that has a modular grant can: 1. Be marketed and sold with the module built inside that does not have to be end-user accessible/replaceable, or 2. Be end-user plug-and- play replaceable.In addition, a host product is required to comply with all applicable FCC equipment authorizations, regulations, requirements and equipment functions not associated with the RFID module portion. For example, compliance must be demonstrated to regulations for other transmitter components within the host product; to requirements for unintentional radiators (Part 15B), and to additional authorization requirements for the non-transmitter functions on the transmitter module (for example, incidental transmissions while in receive mode or radiation due to digital logic functions).To ensure compliance with all non-transmitter functions the host manufacturer is responsible for ensuring compliance with the module(s) installed and fully operational. For example, if a host was previously authorized as an unintentional radiator under the Declaration of Conformity procedure without a transmitter certified module and a module is added, the host manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that the after the module is installed and operational the host continues to be compliant with Part 15B unintentional radiator requirements. Since this may depend on the details of how the module is integrated with the host, we shall provide guidance to the host manufacturer for compliance with Part 15B requirements.
Physical DimensionsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE42 Hardware OverviewPhysical DimensionsThe dimensions of the ThingMagic Nano module are provided in the following diagram and table:Attribute Value Width 22 +/-0.2 mmLength 26 +/-0.2 mmHeight (includes PCB, shield, mask and labels) 3.0 maximumMass 3.2 gms
Physical DimensionsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEHardware Overview 43Tape-and-Reel Dimensions
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Physical DimensionsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEHardware Overview 45The Nano is delivered in a tape-and-reel package. The reel measures 13 inches by 4 inches.
SMT Reflow ProfileA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE46 Hardware OverviewSMT Reflow ProfileShort profiles are recommended for reflow soldering processes. Peak zone temperature should be adjusted high enough to ensure proper wetting and optimized forming of solder joints.Generally speaking, unnecessary long exposure and exposure to more than 245C should be avoided. To not overstress the assembly, the complete reflow profile should be as short as possible. Here an optimization considering all components on the application must be performed. The optimization of a reflow profile is a gradual process. It needs to be performed for every paste, equipment and product combination. The presented profiles are only samples and valid for the used pastes, reflow machines and test application boards. Therefore a "ready to use" reflow profile can not be given.There must be only be one reflow cycle, maximum.
A DIVISION OF TRIMBLEHardware Integration 47Hardware IntegrationThe ThingMagic® Nano® embedded module is an RFID engine that you can integrate with other systems to create RFID-enabled products. This chapter discusses topics relating to this, including requirements for a host board design and characteristics of the Nano Carrier Board that ThingMagic offers for use in Development Kits and for applications where a module with standard connectors is required.Host Board DesignThingMagic Nano Carrier Board
Host Board DesignA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE48 Hardware IntegrationHost Board DesignLanding PadsThe position of each of the pads is given in the following table. The dimensioning origin is at the center of the module edge that includes the RF pad. The tolerances of these positions should be maintained to within +/-0.2mm. All pads are 2.0 mm long by 0.75 mm wide.
Host Board DesignA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEHardware Integration 49PinNumberXPosition(mm)YPosition(mm)1 -10.5 -22 -10.5 -3.253 -10.5 -4.54 -10.5 -5.755 -10.5 -76 -10.5 -8.257 -10.5 -9.58 -10.5 -10.759 -10.5 -1210 -10.5 -13.2511 -10.5 -14.512 -10.5 -15.7513 -10.5 -1714 -10.5 -18.2515 10.5 -19.516 10.5 -20.7517 10.5 -2218 10.5 -23.2519 10.5 -23.2520 10.5 -2221 10.5 -20.7522 10.5 -19.523 10.5 -18.2524 10.5 -1725 10.5 -15.7526 10.5 -14.527 10.5 -13.2528 10.5 -1229 10.5 -10.7530 10.5 -9.531 10.5 -8.2532 10.5 -733 2.5 -5.7534 1.25 -4.535 0 -3.2536 -1.25 -237 7.5 -0.538 6.25 -0.539 5 -0.5
Host Board DesignA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE50 Hardware IntegrationPeripheral pads as shown on the footprint are what the ThingMagic Nano module will mount to. These peripheral pads are at a pitch of 1.25 mm. The intention for the ThingMagic Nano module is to use routed-through via connections with 0.7 mm diameter edge vias. The pads of the ThingMagic Nano module underside should align with the copper pads of the footprint, with a pad exposure extending outside the M6e-Nano edge be a nominal 0.5 mm. A 0.5 mm keep-out shall surround any non-ground pad. The 40 3.75 -0.541 2.5 -0.5
Host Board DesignA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEHardware Integration 51module pad positional tolerance shall be not more than +/-0.2 mm to support contact alignment during fixturing.The circuitry feeding the RF pad of the M6e-Nano shall be optimized for connecting to a coplanar wave guide with ground plane beneath. The CPW-G will have dimensions as shown in the following diagram.The area beneath the module should be kept clear of traces and copper.In addition to the design and process recommendations, the following should be considered:There is the potential for 24MHz harmonics radiating from pins 22 through 28 of the ThingMagic Nano. If emissions testing shows such harmonics the easiest fix is to put bypass capacitors (typically 39 to 100pf) directly at the ¬offending pins on the carrier board. Note that higher values are not necessarily better. The ideal capacitor value will have series resonance near the most offending frequency. 39pF has been good for around 900 MHz in sample board layouts.
ThingMagic Nano Carrier BoardA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE52 Hardware IntegrationThingMagic Nano Carrier BoardThingMagic has created a Carrier Board for the ThingMagic Nano module, as an example of a host board for this module and to make it compatible with the standard Development Kit main board. It has the size and dimensions of the M6e module (69 mm x 43 mm), and uses the same connector for power and control (Molex 53261-1571 - 1.25mm pin centers,
ThingMagic Nano Carrier BoardA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEHardware Integration 531 amp per pin rating. which mates with Molex housing p/n 51021-1500 with crimps p/n 63811-0300).The pin definitions are the same as for the M6e, for the functions that are supported by both, with one exception: The “SHUTDOWN” line of the M6e has reversed polarity and is the “ENABLE” line in the ThingMagic Nano.The UART RX and UART TX lines are buffered on the carrier board. This makes the inputs 5V tolerant and increases the output current driving capability from around 10 mA to around 15 mA.Diodes are also added on all I/O lines to increase the ESD protection.Pin Number Signal Signal Direction with respect to Carrier Board Notes1,2 GND Power and Signal Return Must connect both pins to ground.3.4 DC Power in Input 3.3 to 5.5 VDC; must connect both pins to the supply.5 GPIO1 Bidirectional Same Specifications as Nano itself.6 GPIO2 Bidirectional Same Specifications as Nano itself.7 GPIO3 Bidirectional Same Specifications as Nano itself.8 GPIO4 Bidirectional Same Specifications as Nano itself.9 UART RX Input10 UART TX Output11-13 RFU Not Internally Con-nected14 ENABLE Input Internally Pulled high, in ENABLE state, if not connected15 Unused
ThingMagic Nano Carrier BoardA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE54 Hardware IntegrationWARNING!The buffer on the Nano Carrier Board is driven by the Vout pin on the ThingMagic Nano. Current supplied to this buffer will count toward the 1A total current that the ThingMagic Nano draws from its power source.
ThingMagic Nano Carrier BoardA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEHardware Integration 55The following page provides a schematic diagram for the Nano Carrier Board.Contact support@thingmagic.com to obtain this in a PDF file.
ThingMagic Nano Carrier BoardA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE56 Hardware Integration
ThingMagic Nano Carrier BoardA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEHardware Integration 575544332211D DC CB BA ARF_OUTSPI_MOSI__USBDMSPI_CLK__USBDPSPI_CSN__SCLSPI_MISO__SDASWDIOSWCLKRESETNV3R3VIN RS232_RXRS232_TXSHUTDOWN_NGPIO1GPIO2GPIO3GPIO4__VSENSESWCLKSWDIOV3R3RESETNGNDGNDGNDUSB+5GPIO4__VSENSESPI_MOSI__USBDMSPI_CLK__USBDPVIN GNDGNDGNDSPI_MOSI__USBDMSPI_CLK__USBDPVINGPIO1GPIO2GPIO3GPIO4__VSENSEVINUSB+5RS232_RX_EXTRS232_TX_EXTSHUTDOWN_NGNDGNDSHUTDOWN_NUSB+5VINV3R3RS232_RX_EXTRS232_TX_EXTVIN VINV3R3 SHUTDOWN_NRS232_RX_EXTRS232_TX_EXTGPIO1GPIO2GPIO3GPIO4__VSENSEUSB+5SPI_MISO__SDASPI_MOSI__USBDMSPI_CLK__USBDPSPI_CSN__SCLSWDIOSWCLKRFU11RFU12TitleSize Document Number RevDate: Sheet of435-0070-01 X3NANO CARRIER WITH M6E FOOTPRINTB11Monday, March 16, 2015TitleSize Document Number RevDate: Sheet of435-0070-01 X3NANO CARRIER WITH M6E FOOTPRINTB11Monday, March 16, 2015TitleSize Document Number RevDate: Sheet of435-0070-01 X3NANO CARRIER WITH M6E FOOTPRINTB11Monday, March 16, 2015This tuning gives 0.21 dB IL -29 dB RLGPIO or USB-5V SenseDAC_CAPABLEADC_CAPABLEHI=RUN, LOW=SHUTDOWNJTAG HeaderOptional ESD ProtectionM6e Interface PinoutPin 1 GNDPin 2 GNDPin 3 +5VPin 4 +5VPin 5 GPIO1Pin 6 GPIO2Pin 7 GPIO3Pin 8 GPIO4Pin 9 RS-232_RX_TTLPin 10 RS-232_TX_TTLPin 11 USB_DMPin 12 USB_DPPin 13 USB_5VSENSEPin 14 SHUTDOWNPin 15 RESETJump Pin 1-2 for ShutdownLeave open for normal operationJump Pin 1-2 for USB poweredLeave open for normal operationCHANGE LOG X3:1) Change C5, L1 from 22P, 4.7N to 20P, 3.9N.1) Add PCB1R51.00KR51.00KU1TM-NANOU1TM-NANOGND41 41GND40 40RF 39GND38 38GND37 37PIN11PIN22PIN33PIN44PIN55PIN66PIN77PIN88PIN99PIN1010PIN1111PIN1212PIN1313PIN1414PIN1515PIN1616PIN1717PIN1818 PIN19 19PIN20 20PIN21 21PIN22 22PIN23 23PIN24 24PIN25 25PIN26 26PIN27 27PIN28 28PIN29 29PIN30 30PIN31 31PIN32 32PIN33 33PIN34 34PIN35 35PIN36 36MH4MH411R9150NHR9150NHJ5DNPJ5DNP123J920021521-00020MATES_WITH = 20021444-00020T4LFJ920021521-00020MATES_WITH = 20021444-00020T4LF2468101214161820 191715131197531MH7MH711R81.00KR81.00KJ1MMCXJ1MMCX12 3D2TVS-4D2TVS-412345MH9MH91174LVC2G17U274LVC2G17U21A1GND22A32Y 4VCC 51Y 6J653261-1571J653261-1571M2M1123456789101112131415C2DNPC2DNPC4100PC4100PMH2MH211L13.9NL13.9NJ4DNPJ4DNPVBUS 1DN 2DP 3ID 4GND 5GND6 6GND7 7R10 DNPR10 DNPMH1MH111R4100KR4100KC3100PC3100PT2TP SMTT2TP SMTJ3DNPJ3DNP123MH8MH811R61.00KR61.00KJ2CON10AJ2CON10A1 23 45 67 8910T1TP SMTT1TP SMTR2DNPR2DNPR71.00KR71.00KL3FB 100 OHML3FB 100 OHMD1TVS-4D1TVS-412345R11 DNPR11 DNPC520PC520PR3100KR3100KR1DNPR1DNPL2FB 100 OHML2FB 100 OHMC60.1UC60.1UMH3MH311PCB1450-0070-01_RevX3PCB1450-0070-01_RevX3D3TVS-4D3TVS-412345
ThingMagic Nano Carrier BoardA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE58 Hardware IntegrationCarrier Board Heat SinkingThe ThingMagic Nano can run at full RF power at room temperature on stand-offs in the Dev Kit. If you wish to test the ThingMagic Nano under extreme temperature conditions, you may want to mount it on the heat spreader that is supplied with the Micro modules for the xPRESS Sensor Hub. Make sure it is assembled as shown in these pictures so no live signals are shorted to ground.NoteThe Sensor Hub firmware does not support the Nano module at this time.
A DIVISION OF TRIMBLEFirmware Overview 59Firmware OverviewThe following section provides detailed description of the ThingMagic Nano firmware components, including: Boot LoaderApplication FirmwareCustom On-Reader Applications
Boot LoaderA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE60 Firmware OverviewBoot Loader The boot loader provides low-level functionality. This program provides the low level hardware support for configuring communication settings, loading Application Firmwareand storing and retrieving data to/from flash. When a module is powered up or reset, the boot loader code is automatically loaded and executed.NoteUnlike previous ThingMagic modules (M4e and M5e) the ThingMagic Nano bootloader should effectively be invisible to the user. The ThingMagic Nano is by default configured to auto-boot into application firmware and for any operations that require the module be in bootloader mode the MercuryAPI will handle the switching automatically.
Application FirmwareA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEFirmware Overview 61Application Firmware The application firmware contains the tag protocol code along with all the command interfaces to set and get system parameters and perform tag operations. The application firmware is, by default, started automatically upon power up. Programming the ThingMagic NanoApplications to control the ThingMagic Nano module and derivative products are written using the high level MercuryAPI. The MercuryAPI supports Java, “.NET” and C programming environments. The MercuryAPI Software Development Kit (SDK) contains sample applications and source code to help developers get started demoing and developing functionality. For more information on the MercuryAPI see the MercuryAPI Programmers Guide and the MercuryAPI SDK, available on the ThingMagic website.Upgrading the ThingMagic NanoNew features developed for the ThingMagic Nano are made available to existing modules through an Application Firmware upgrade, along with corresponding updates to the MercuryAPI to make use of the new features. Firmware upgrades can be applied using the MercuryAPI to build the functionality into custom applications or using the MercuryAPI SDK demo utilities. Verifying Application Firmware ImageThe application firmware has an image level Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) embedded in it to protect against corrupted firmware during an upgrade process. (If the upgrade is unsuccessful, the CRC will not match the contents in flash.) When the boot loader starts the application FW, it first verifies that the image CRC is correct. If this check fails, then the boot loader does not start the application firmware and an error is returned.
Custom On-Reader ApplicationsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE62 Firmware OverviewCustom On-Reader ApplicationsThe ThingMagic Nano does not support installing customer applications on the module. All reader configuration and control is performed using the documented MercuryAPI methods in applications running on a host processor.
A DIVISION OF TRIMBLECommunication Protocol 63Communication ProtocolThe following section provides an overview of the low level serial communications protocol used by the ThingMagic Nano. Topics include:Serial Communication ProtocolUser Programming Interface
Serial Communication ProtocolA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE64 Communication ProtocolSerial Communication ProtocolThe serial communication between a computer (host) and the ThingMagic Nano is based on a synchronized command-response/master-slave mechanism. Whenever the host sends a message to the reader, it cannot send another message until after it receives a response. The reader never initiates a communication session; only the host initiates a communication session. This protocol allows for each command to have its own time-out because some commands require more time to execute than others. The host must manage retries, if necessary. The host must keep track of the state of the intended reader if it reissues a command.Host-to-Reader CommunicationHost-to-reader communication is packetized according to the following diagram. The reader can only accept one command at a time, and commands are executed serially, so the host waits for a reader-to-host response before issuing another host-to-reader command packet. Header Data Length Command Data CRC-16ChecksumHdr Len Cmd ---------------- CRC Hi / CRC LO1 byte 1 byte 1 byte 0 to 250 bytes 2 bytes
Serial Communication ProtocolA DIVISION OF TRIMBLECommunication Protocol 65Reader-to-Host CommunicationThe following diagram defines the format of the generic Response Packet sent from the reader to the host. The Response Packet is different in format from the Request Packet.CCITT CRC-16 CalculationThe same CRC calculation is performed on all serial communications between the host and the reader. The CRC is calculated on the Data Length, Command, Status Word, and Data bytes. The header is not included in the CRC.Header Data Length Command Status Word Data CRC-16ChecksumHdr Len Cmd Status Word ---------------- CRC Hi / CRC LO1 byte 1 byte 1 byte 2 bytes 0 to 248 bytes 2 bytes
User Programming InterfaceA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE66 Communication ProtocolUser Programming InterfaceThe ThingMagic Nano does not support programming to the serial protocol directly. All user interaction with the ThingMagic Nano must be performed using the MercuryAPI. The MercuryAPI supports Java, “.NET” and C programming environments. The MercuryAPI Software Development Kit (SDK) contains sample applications and source code to help developers get started demoing and developing functionality. For more information on the MercuryAPI see the MercuryAPI Programmers Guide and the MercuryAPI SDK, available on the ThingMagic website.
A DIVISION OF TRIMBLEFunctionality of the ThingMagic Nano 67Functionality of the ThingMagic NanoThe following section provides detailed descriptions of the ThingMagic Nano features and functionality that are supported through the use of the MercuryAPI.
Regulatory SupportA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE68 Functionality of the ThingMagic NanoRegulatory SupportCAUTION!!!Please contact ThingMagic support - support@thingmagic.com - beforebeginning the process of getting regulatory approval for a finished prod-uct using the ThingMagic Nano.Supported RegionsThe ThingMagic Nano has differing levels of support for operation and use under the laws and guidelines of several regions. The regional support is shown in the following table.Region Regulatory Support NotesNarrow Band North America(NA_REDUCED_FCC)FCC 47 CFG Ch. 1 Part 15Industrie Canada RSS-210 Complies with all FCC regulations but uses a narrow frequency range: 917,400 kHz to 927,200 kHzEuropean Union (EU3) Revised ETSI EN 302 208Note: The EU and EU2 regions are for legacy applications using old ETSI regulations. These should not be used.By default EU3 will use four channels. EU3 region can also be used in a single channel mode. These two modes of operation are defined as:Single Channel Mode• Set by manually setting the frequency hop table to a single frequency. In this mode the module will occupy the set channel for up to four seconds, after which it will be quiet for 100ms before transmitting on the same channel again.Multi Channel Mode• Set by leaving the default or manually setting more than one frequency in the hop table. In this mode the module will occupy one of the configured channels for up to four seconds, after which it may switch to another channel and immediately occupy that channel for up to four seconds. This mode allows for continuous operation.
Regulatory SupportA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEFunctionality of the ThingMagic Nano 69The regional functionality is set using the MercuryAPI. Setting the region of operation configures the regional default settings including:Loads the Frequency Hop Table with the appropriate table for the selected region.Korea (KR2) KCC (2009) The first frequency channel (917,300kHz) of the KR2 region is derated to +22dBm to meet the regulatory requirements. All other channels operate up to +27dBm. In the worst case sce-nario, each time the derated channel is used it will stay on that channel for 400ms. The fastest it will move to the next channel, in the case where no tags are found using that frequency, it will move to the next channel after 10 empty query rounds, approximately 120ms.India (IN) Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), 2005 regula-tionsPeople’s Republic of China (PRC) SRRC, MII The PRC specifications limits channels 920 to 920.5MHz and 924.5 to 925.0MHz to transmit-ting at 100mW or below. The default hop table uses only the center channels which allow 2W ERP, 1W conducted, power output. If the hop table is modified to use the outer, lower power channels the RF level will be limited to the outer channels limit, 100mW or +20dBmAustralia (AU) ACMA LIPD Class Licence Variation 2011 (No. 1)New Zealand (NZ) Radiocommunications Regula-tions (General User Radio Licence for Short Range Devices) Notice 2011This region is included for testing purposes. Compliance to New Zealand regulatory require-ments has not been confirmed.Japan (JP) Japan MIC “36dBm EIRP blanket license radio station with LBT” Full power operation restricts the channel range from 916.8Mhz to 920.8MHz and all default channels are within this range.Per the regulations, this region supports Listen-before-talk at the required level of -74 dBm.Open Region No regulatory compliance enforced This region allows the module to be manually configured within the full capabilities supported by the hardware, see Regional Frequency Specifications table. The Open region should be used for laboratory testing only as it does not meet any regulatory requirements for any one region.
Regulatory SupportA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE70 Functionality of the ThingMagic NanoSets the PLL Frequency Setting to the first entry in the hop table, even if the RF is off.Selects the transmit filter, if applicable.Frequency SettingThe modules have a PLL synthesizer that sets the modulation frequency to the desired value. Whenever the frequency is changed, the module must first power off the modulation, change the frequency, and then turn on the modulation again. Since this can take several milliseconds, it is possible that tags are powered off during a frequency hop. In addition to setting the default regional settings, the ThingMagic Nano has commands that allow the transmit frequency to be set manually. Frequency UnitsAll frequencies in the ThingMagic Nano are expressed in kHz using unsigned 32-bit integers. For instance, a carrier frequency of 918 MHz is expressed as 918000 kHz. The PLL is set automatically to the closest frequency - based on the minimum frequency quantization for the current region - that matches the specified value. The ThingMagic Nano has an absolute minimum quantization of 100 kHz. Each region also has a minimum quantization based on regulatory specifications, which may be greater. The following table details the frequency quantization in kHz for each region setting. CAUTION!!!Use these commands with extreme caution.It is possible to change the module’s com-pliance with the regional regulations.
Regulatory SupportA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEFunctionality of the ThingMagic Nano 71Regional Frequency SpecificationsWhen manually setting frequencies the module will round down for any value that is not an even multiple of the supported frequency quantization. For example: In the NA region, setting a frequency of 917,599 kHz results in a setting of 917,400 kHz.When setting the frequency of the module, any frequencies outside of the valid range for the specified region are rejected. Frequency Hop TableThe frequency hop table determines the frequencies used by the ThingMagic Nano when transmitting. The hop table characteristics are:Contains up to 62 entries. Must be within the frequency range for the region currently selected.Changes are not stored in flash, thus changes made are not retained after a power cycle, including when the ENABLE line is activated after having been in the shutdown state.Individual entries cannot be changed without reloading the entire table. Region FrequencyQuantization(kHz)MinimumFrequency(kHz)MaximumFrequency(kHz)Number of Channels in Default Hop TableNA2 (Reduced FCC) 200 917,400 kHz 927,200 kHz 50EU3 (ETSI) 100 865,600 kHz 867,600 kHz 4IN (India) 100 865,000 kHz 867,000 kHz 5KR2 (Korea) 100 917,000 kHz 923,500 kHz 6PRC 125 920,125 kHz 924,875 kHz 16AU (Australia) 250 920,000 kHz 926,000 kHz 10NZ (New Zealand) 250 922,000 kHz 927,000 kHz 11JP (Japan) 100 916,900 kHz 923,400 kHz 6Open 100 859,000 kHz915,000 kHz 873,000 kHz930,000 kHz 1516
Regulatory SupportA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE72 Functionality of the ThingMagic NanoFrequencies are used in the order of entries in the table, so if a random order is required, the frequencies must be pre-randomized before entering.If necessary for a region, the hop table are randomized to create a pseudo-random sequence of frequencies to use. This is done automatically using the default hop tables provided for each region.
Protocol SupportA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEFunctionality of the ThingMagic Nano 73Protocol SupportUnlike the M6e and Micro modules, the ThingMagic Nano does not have the ability to support tag protocols other then ISO 18000-6B (gen2). Future support for ISO 18000-63 (Gen2V2) is likely, however.ISO 18000-6C (Gen2)Gen2 Protocol Configuration OptionsThe ThingMagic Nano supports limited ISO-18000-6C profiles, with only the Backscatter Link Frequency (BLF) and “M” value as configurable options. The protocol options are set in the MercuryAPI Reader Configuration Parameters (/reader/gen2/*). The following table shows the supported combinations:NoteIt is important that the /reader/baudRate is greater than the BLF divided by the “M” value when reading continuously. If it’s not then the reader could be reading data faster than the transport can process it, and the reader’s buffer might fill up.BackscatterLink Frequency (kHz) Encoding Tari (usec) ModulationScheme Notes250 Miller (M=8) 25 PR-ASK Up to 85 tags per sec-ond read rate250 Miller (M=4) 25 PR-ASK Default; Up to 170 tags per second read rate.250 Miller (M=2) 25 PR-ASK Up to 240 tags per second read rate.
Protocol SupportA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE74 Functionality of the ThingMagic NanoUnsupported Gen2 FunctionalityThe ThingMagic Nano module firmware can perform some Gen2 functions as a stand-alone command, but cannot do so as part of an embedded TagOps command: Here is the list of supported standard Gen2 functions:Additionally, some functions are not supported simply because the Nano hardware only supports one antenna, such as:Unsupported Custom Gen2 FunctionsThe ThingMagic Nano module does not support many of the custom commands which are supported in the other module families. Functionality NOT supported includes:Higgs 2 FullLoadImageHiggs 2 PartialLoadImageHiggs 3 FastLoadImageHiggs 3 LoadImageHiggs 3 BlockReadLockNXP G2X and G2i Set/Reset ReadProtectFunction As Embedded TagOPs As Stand-alone TagOPsGen2 Read Data Yes YesGen2 Write Tag No YesGen2 Write Data No YesGen2 Lock Tag No YesGen2 Kill Tag No YesGen2 Block Write No YesGen2 Block Erase No YesGen2 Block Perma-lock No YesSecure Read Data No No
Protocol SupportA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEFunctionality of the ThingMagic Nano 75NXP G2X and G2i Change EAS and AlarmNXP G2X and G2i CalibrateNXP G2i ChangeConfigMonza 4QT ReadWriteAMS/IDS SL900A Sensor Tag Commands
Unsupported FeaturesA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE76 Functionality of the ThingMagic NanoUnsupported FeaturesUnlike other ThingMagic modules, the ThingMagic Nano module currently does not support gathering reader statistics independent of the meta data that can be gathered with tag reads. The statistics not supported include:RF On-timeNoise Floor,Noise Floor with Transmit OnFrequencyTemperatureAntenna PortsCurrent ProtocolThe ThingMagic Nano module currently does not support Save and Restore of settings.“User Mode”, which is a little-used feature of older modules, is not supported.Any commands that involve multiple antennas are not supported.Antenna detection is not supported (The M6e module supports this, the nano and Micro modules do not).
Antenna PortA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEFunctionality of the ThingMagic Nano 77Antenna PortThe ThingMagic Nano has one monostatic antenna port. This port is capable of both transmitting and receiving. The module also supports Using a Multiplexer, allowing up to 8 total logical antenna ports, controlled using two GPIO lines. NoteThe ThingMagic Nano does not support bistatic (separate transmit and receive port) operation.Using a MultiplexerMultiplexer switching is controlled through the use of one or two of the General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) lines. In order to enable automatic multiplexer port switching the module must be configured to use Use GPIO as Antenna Switch in /reader/antenna/portSwitchGpos.Once the GPIO line(s) usage has been enabled the following control line states are applied when the different Logical Antenna settings are used. The tables below show the mapping that results using GPIO 1 and 2 for multiplexer control (as is used by the ThingMagic 1 to 4 multiplexer) allowing for 4 logical antenna ports. NoteThe Logical Antenna values are static labels indicating the available control line states. The specific physical antenna port they map to depends on the control line to antenna port map of the multiplexer in use. The translation from Logical Antenna label to physical port must be maintained by the control software.
Antenna PortA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE78 Functionality of the ThingMagic NanoGPIO 1 & 2 Used for Antenna SwitchingIf only one GPIO Output line is used for antenna control, the combinations of the available output control line states (the GPIO line in use and the module port) result in a subset of logical antenna settings which can be used. ONLY GPIO 1 Used for Antenna SwitchingNoteThe “missing” logical antenna settings are still usable when only one GPIO line is used for antenna control and simply results in redundant logical antenna settings. For example, using only GPIO 1, logical setting 1 and 3 both result from GPIO1=Low. ONLY GPIO 2 Used for Antenna SwitchingGPIOOutput 1 StateGPIOOutput 2 StateLogical Antenna SettingLow Low 1Low High 2High Low 3High High 4GPIOOutput 1 StateLogical Antenna SettingLow 1 or 2High 3 or 4GPIOOutput 2 StateLogical Antenna SettingLow 1 or 3High 2 or 4
Antenna PortA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEFunctionality of the ThingMagic Nano 79Port Power and Settling TimeThe ThingMagic Nano allows the power and settling time for each logical antenna to be set using the reader configuration parameters /reader/radio/portReadPowerListand /reader/antenna/settlingTimeList, respectively. The order the antennas settings are defined does not affect search order.NoteSettling time is the time between the control lines switching to the next antenna setting and RF turning on for operations on that port. This allows time for external multiplexer’s to fully switch to the new port before a signal is sent, if necessary. Default value is 0.
Tag HandlingA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE80 Functionality of the ThingMagic NanoTag HandlingWhen the ThingMagic Nano performs inventory operations (MercuryAPI Read commands) data is stored in a Tag Buffer until retrieved by the client application, or streamed directly to the client if operating in Tag Streaming/Continuous Reading mode. Tag BufferThe ThingMagic Nano uses a dynamic buffer that depends on EPC length and quantity of data read. As a rule of thumb it can store a maximum of 48 96-bit EPC tags in the Tag Buffer at a time. Since the ThingMagic Nano supports streaming of read results the buffer limit is, typically, not an issue. Each tag entry consists of a variable number of bytes and consists of the following fields:The Tag buffer acts as a First In First Out (FIFO) — the first Tag found by the reader is the first one to be read out. Tag Streaming/Continuous ReadingWhen reading tags during asynchronous inventory operations (MercuryAPI Reader.StartReading()) using an /reader/read/asyncOffTime=0 the ThingMagic Nano “streams” the tag results back to the host processor. This means that tags are pushed out of the buffer as soon as they are processed by the ThingMagic Nano and put into the buffer. The buffer is put into a circular mode that keeps the buffer from filling. This allows for the ThingMagic Nano to perform continuous search operations without the need to periodically stop reading and fetch the contents of the buffer. Aside from not seeing “down time” when performing a read operation this behavior is essentially invisible to the user as all tag handling is done by the MercuryAPI. Total Entry Size Field Size Description68 bytes (Max EPC Length = 496bits)EPCLength 2 bytes Indicates the actual EPC length of the tag read.PC Word 2 bytes Contains the Protocol Control bits for the tag.EPC 62 bytes Contains the tag’s EPC value.Tag CRC 2 bytes The tag’s CRC.Tag Read Meta Data
Tag HandlingA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEFunctionality of the ThingMagic Nano 81NoteWhen the TTL Level UART Interface is used it is not possible for the module to detect a broken communications interface connection and stop streaming the tag results.
Tag Read Meta DataA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE82 Functionality of the ThingMagic NanoTag Read Meta DataIn addition to the tag EPC ID resulting from ThingMagic Nano inventory operation each TagReadData (see MercuryAPI for code details) contains meta data about how, where and when the tag was read. The specific meta data available for each tag read is as follows:Meta Data Field DescriptionAntenna ID The antenna on with the tag was read. When Using a Multi-plexer, if appropriately configured, the Antenna ID entry will contain the logical antenna port of the tag read. If the same tag is read on more than one antenna there will be a tag buffer entry for each antenna on which the tag was read. Read Count The number of times the tag was read on [Antenna ID]. Timestamp The time the tag was read, relative to the time the command to read was issued, in milliseconds. If the Tag Read Meta Data is not retrieved from the Tag Buffer between read commands there will be no way to distinguish order of tags read with dif-ferent read command invocations. Tag Data When reading an embedded TagOp is specified for a Read-Plan the TagReadData will contain the first 128 words of data returned for each tag. Note: Tags with the same TagID but different Tag Data can be considered unique and each get a Tag Buffer entry if set in the reader configuration parameter /reader/tagReadData/uniqueByData. By default it is not.Frequency The frequency on which the tag was readTag Phase Not supported in ThingMagic NanoLQI/RSSI The receive signal strength of the tag response in dBm.GPIO Status The signal status (High or Low) of all GPIO pins when tag was read.
Power ManagementA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEFunctionality of the ThingMagic Nano 83Power ManagementThe ThingMagic Nano is designed for power efficiency and offers several different power management modes. The following power management modes affect the power consumption during different periods of ThingMagic Nano usage and impact performance in different ways. The available power management modes are:Power Modes - set in /reader/powerMode - Controls the power savings when the ThingMagic Nano is idle. Power ModesThe Power Mode setting (set in /reader/powerMode) allows the user to trade off increased RF operation startup time for additional power savings. Our terminology can be a little confusing. “MINSAVE” refers to the minimum amount of power saving applied, which results in a higher idle power level than “MAXSAVE”. The details of the amount of power consumed in each mode is shown in the table under Idle DC Power Consumption. The behavior of each mode and impact on RF command latency is as follows:PowerMode.FULL – In this mode, the unit operates at full power to attain the best performance possible. This mode is only intended for use in cases where power consumption is not an issue. This is the default Power Mode at startup.PowerMode.MINSAVE – This mode may add up to 20 ms of delay from idle to RF on when initiating an RF operation. It performs more aggressive power savings, such as automatically shutting down the analog section between commands, and then restarting it whenever a tag command is issued. MEDSAVE and MAXSAVE are the same as MINSAVEPowerMode.SLEEP – This mode essentially shuts down the digital and analog boards, except to power the bare minimum logic required to wake the processor.This mode may add up to 20 ms of delay from idle to RF on when initiating an RF operation. (There is no known disadvantage to using SLEEP mode rather than any of the M**SAVE modes, since their wake-up times are nearly identical.)NoteSee additional latency specifications under Event Response Times.
Performance CharacteristicsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE84 Functionality of the ThingMagic NanoPerformance CharacteristicsEvent Response TimesThe following table provides some metrics on how long common ThingMagic Nano operations take. An event response time is defined as the maximum time from the end of a command (end of the last bit in the serial stream) or event (e.g. power up) to the response event the command or event causes. Event Response TimesStart Command/Event End Event Typical Time (msec) NotesPower Up Application Active (with CRC check) 140 This longer power up period should only occur for the first boot with new firm-ware.Power Up Application Active 28 Once the firmware CRC has been veri-fied subsequent power ups do not require the CRC check be performed, saving time.Tag Read RF On 8 When in Power Mode = FULLTag Read RF On 20 When in Power Mode = MINSAVETag Read RF On 20 When in Power Mode = SLEEP
Common Error MessagesA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEAppendix A: Error Messages 85Appendix A: Error MessagesThis appendix discusses error messages that you might see in API transport logs or passed up by the API to the host program. Categories of messages include:Common Error MessagesBootloader FaultsFlash FaultsProtocol FaultsAnalog Hardware Abstraction Layer FaultsTag ID Buffer FaultsSystem ErrorsCommon Error MessagesThe following table lists the common faults discussed in this section.FAULT_MSG_WRONG_NUMBER_OF_DATA – (100h)CauseIf the data length in any of the Host-to-M5e/M5e-Compact messages is less than or more than the number of arguments in the message, the reader returns this message.Fault Message CodeFAULT_MSG_WRONG_NUMBER_OF_DATA – (100h) 100hFAULT_INVALID_OPCODE – (101h) 101hFAULT_UNIMPLEMENTED_OPCODE – 102h 102hFAULT_MSG_POWER_TOO_HIGH – 103h 103hFAULT_MSG_INVALID_FREQ_RECEIVED (104h) 104hFAULT_MSG_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE - (105h) 105hFAULT_MSG_POWER_TOO_LOW - (106h) 106hFAULT_UNIMPLEMENTED_FEATURE - (109h) 109hFAULT_INVALID_BAUD_RATE - (10Ah) 10Ah
Common Error MessagesA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE86 Appendix A: Error MessagesSolutionMake sure the number of arguments matches the data length.FAULT_INVALID_OPCODE – (101h)CauseThe opCode received is invalid or not supported in the currently running program (bootloader or main application) or is not supported in the current version of code.SolutionCheck the following:Make sure the command is supported in the currently running program.Check the documentation for the opCode the host sent and make sure it is correct and supported.Check the previous module responses for an assert (0x7F0X) which will reset the module into the bootloader.FAULT_UNIMPLEMENTED_OPCODE – 102hCauseSome of the reserved commands might return this error code. This does not mean that they always will do this since ThingMagic reserves the right to modify those commands at anytime. SolutionCheck the documentation for the opCode the host sent to the reader and make sure it is supported.FAULT_MSG_POWER_TOO_HIGH – 103hCauseA message was sent to set the read or write power to a level that is higher than the current HW supports.
Common Error MessagesA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEAppendix A: Error Messages 87SolutionCheck the HW specifications for the supported powers and insure that the level is not exceeded.The M5e 1 Watt units support power from 5 dBm to 30 dBm.The M5e-Compact units support power from 10 dBm to 23 dBm.FAULT_MSG_INVALID_FREQ_RECEIVED (104h)CauseA message was received by the reader to set the frequency outside the supported rangeSolutionMake sure the host does not set the frequency outside this range or any other locally supported ranges.FAULT_MSG_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE - (105h)CauseThe reader received a valid command with an unsupported or invalid value within this command.For example, currently the module supports four antennas. If the module receives a message with an antenna value other than 1 to 4, it returns this error.SolutionMake sure the host sets all the values in a command according to the values published in this document.FAULT_MSG_POWER_TOO_LOW - (106h)CauseA message was received to set the read or write power to a level that is lower than the current HW supports.
Common Error MessagesA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE88 Appendix A: Error MessagesSolutionCheck the HW specifications for the supported powers and insure that level is not exceeded. The ThingMagic Nano supports powers between 5 and 30 dBm. FAULT_UNIMPLEMENTED_FEATURE - (109h)CauseAttempting to invoke a command not supported on this firmware or hardware.SolutionCheck the command being invoked against the documentation.FAULT_INVALID_BAUD_RATE - (10Ah)CauseWhen the baud rate is set to a rate that is not specified in the Baud Rate table, this error message is returned. SolutionCheck the table of specific baud rates and select a baud rate.
Bootloader FaultsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEAppendix A: Error Messages 89Bootloader FaultsThe following table lists the common faults discussed in this section.FAULT_BL_INVALID_IMAGE_CRC – 200hCauseWhen the application firmware is loaded the reader checks the image stored in flash and returns this error if the calculated CRC is different than the one stored in flash.SolutionThe exact reason for the corruption could be that the image loaded in flash was corrupted during the transfer or corrupted for some other reason. To fix this problem, reload the application code in flash.FAULT_BL_INVALID_APP_END_ADDR – 201hCauseWhen the application firmware is loaded the reader checks the image stored in flash and returns this error if the last word stored in flash does not have the correct address value.SolutionThe exact reason for the corruption could be that the image loaded in flash got corrupted during the transfer or, corrupted for some other reason. To fix this problem, reload the application code in flash.Fault Message CodeFAULT_BL_INVALID_IMAGE_CRC 200hFAULT_BL_INVALID_APP_END_ADDR 201h
Flash FaultsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE90 Appendix A: Error MessagesFlash FaultsThe following table lists the common faults discussed in this section.FAULT_FLASH_BAD_ERASE_PASSWORD – 300hCauseA command was received to erase some part of the flash but the password supplied with the command was incorrect.SolutionWhen this occurs make note of the operations you were executing, save FULL error response and send a test case reproducing the behavior to support@thingmagic.com.FAULT_FLASH_BAD_WRITE_PASSWORD – 301hCauseA command was received to write some part of the flash but the password supplied with the command was not correct.SolutionWhen this occurs make note of the operations you were executing, save FULL error response and send a test case reproducing the behavior to support@thingmagic.com.Fault Message CodeFAULT_FLASH_BAD_ERASE_PASSWORD – 300h 300hFAULT_FLASH_BAD_WRITE_PASSWORD – 301h 301hFAULT_FLASH_UNDEFINED_ERROR – 302h 302hFAULT_FLASH_ILLEGAL_SECTOR – 303h 303hFAULT_FLASH_WRITE_TO_NON_ERASED_AREA – 304h 304hFAULT_FLASH_WRITE_TO_ILLEGAL_SECTOR – 305h 305hFAULT_FLASH_VERIFY_FAILED – 306h 306h
Flash FaultsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEAppendix A: Error Messages 91FAULT_FLASH_UNDEFINED_ERROR – 302hCauseThis is an internal error and it is caused by a software problem in module.SolutionWhen this occurs make note of the operations you were executing, save FULL error response and send a test case reproducing the behavior to support@thingmagic.com.FAULT_FLASH_ILLEGAL_SECTOR – 303hCauseAn erase or write flash command was received with the sector value and password not matching.SolutionWhen this occurs make note of the operations you were executing, save FULL error response and send a test case reproducing the behavior to support@thingmagic.com.FAULT_FLASH_WRITE_TO_NON_ERASED_AREA – 304hCauseThe module received a write flash command to an area of flash that was not previously erased.SolutionWhen this occurs make note of the operations you were executing, save FULL error response and send a test case reproducing the behavior to support@thingmagic.com.FAULT_FLASH_WRITE_TO_ILLEGAL_SECTOR – 305hCauseThe module received a write flash command to write across a sector boundary that is prohibited.
Flash FaultsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE92 Appendix A: Error MessagesSolutionWhen this occurs make note of the operations you were executing, save FULL error response and send a test case reproducing the behavior to support@thingmagic.com.FAULT_FLASH_VERIFY_FAILED – 306hCauseThe module received a write flash command that was unsuccessful because data being written to flash contained an uneven number of bytes.SolutionWhen this occurs make note of the operations you were executing, save FULL error response and send a test case reproducing the behavior to support@thingmagic.com.
Protocol FaultsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEAppendix A: Error Messages 93Protocol FaultsThe following table lists the common faults discussed in this section.Fault Message CodeFAULT_NO_TAGS_FOUND – (400h) 400hFAULT_NO_PROTOCOL_DEFINED – 401h 401hFAULT_INVALID_PROTOCOL_SPECIFIED – 402h 402hFAULT_WRITE_PASSED_LOCK_FAILED – 403h 403hFAULT_PROTOCOL_NO_DATA_READ – 404h 404hFAULT_AFE_NOT_ON – 405h 405hFAULT_PROTOCOL_WRITE_FAILED – 406h 406hFAULT_NOT_IMPLEMENTED_FOR_THIS_PROTOCOL – 407h 407hFAULT_PROTOCOL_INVALID_WRITE_DATA – 408h 408hFAULT_PROTOCOL_INVALID_ADDRESS – 409h 409hFAULT_GENERAL_TAG_ERROR – 40Ah 40AhFAULT_DATA_TOO_LARGE – 40Bh 40BhFAULT_PROTOCOL_INVALID_KILL_PASSWORD – 40Ch 40ChFAULT_PROTOCOL_KILL_FAILED - 40Eh 40EhFAULT_PROTOCOL_BIT_DECODING_FAILED - 40Fh 40FhFAULT_PROTOCOL_INVALID_EPC – 410h 410hFAULT_PROTOCOL_INVALID_NUM_DATA – 411h 411hFAULT_GEN2 PROTOCOL_OTHER_ERROR - 420h 420hFAULT_GEN2_PROTOCOL_MEMORY_OVERRUN_BAD_PC - 423h423hFAULT_GEN2 PROTOCOL_MEMORY_LOCKED - 424h 424hFAULT_GEN2 PROTOCOL_INSUFFICIENT_POWER - 42Bh 42BhFAULT_GEN2 PROTOCOL_NON_SPECIFIC_ERROR - 42Fh 42FhFAULT_GEN2 PROTOCOL_UNKNOWN_ERROR - 430h 430h
Protocol FaultsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE94 Appendix A: Error MessagesFAULT_NO_TAGS_FOUND – (400h)CauseA command was received (such as like read, write, or lock) but the operation failed. There are many reasons that can cause this error to occur. Here is a list of possible reasons that could be causing this error: No tag in the RF fieldRead/write power too lowAntenna not connectedTag is weak or deadSolutionMake sure there is a good tag in the field and all parameters are set up correctly. The best way to check this is to try few tags of the same type to rule out a weak tag. If none passed, then it could be SW configuration such as protocol value, antenna, and so forth, or a placement configuration like a tag location.FAULT_NO_PROTOCOL_DEFINED – 401hCauseA command was received to perform a protocol command but no protocol was initially set. The reader powers up with no protocols set.SolutionA protocol must be set before the reader can begin RF operations.FAULT_INVALID_PROTOCOL_SPECIFIED – 402hCauseThe protocol value was set to a protocol that is not supported with the current version of SW.
Protocol FaultsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEAppendix A: Error Messages 95SolutionThis value is invalid or this version of SW does not support the protocol value. Check the documentation for the correct values for the protocols in use and that you are licensed for it.FAULT_WRITE_PASSED_LOCK_FAILED – 403hCauseDuring a Write Tag Data for ISO18000-6B or UCODE, if the lock fails, this error is returned. The write command passed but the lock did not. This could be a bad tag.SolutionTry to write a few other tags and make sure that they are placed in the RF field.FAULT_PROTOCOL_NO_DATA_READ – 404hCauseA command was sent but did not succeed.SolutionThe tag used has failed or does not have the correct CRC. Try to read a few other tags to check the HW/SW configuration.FAULT_AFE_NOT_ON – 405hCauseA command was received for an operation, like read or write, but the AFE was in the off state.SolutionMake sure the region and tag protocol have been set to supported values.
Protocol FaultsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE96 Appendix A: Error MessagesFAULT_PROTOCOL_WRITE_FAILED – 406hCauseAn attempt to modify the contents of a tag failed. There are many reasons for failure.SolutionCheck that the tag is good and try another operation on a few more tags.FAULT_NOT_IMPLEMENTED_FOR_THIS_PROTOCOL – 407hCauseA command was received which is not supported by a protocol.SolutionCheck the documentation for the supported commands and protocols.FAULT_PROTOCOL_INVALID_WRITE_DATA – 408hCauseAn ID write was attempted with an unsupported/incorrect ID length.SolutionVerify the Tag ID length being written.FAULT_PROTOCOL_INVALID_ADDRESS – 409hCauseA command was received attempting to access an invalid address in the tag data address space.SolutionMake sure that the address specified is within the scope of the tag data address space and available for the specific operation. The protocol specifications contain information about the supported addresses.
Protocol FaultsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEAppendix A: Error Messages 97FAULT_GENERAL_TAG_ERROR – 40AhCauseThis error is used by the GEN2 module. This fault can occur if the read, write, lock, or kill command fails. This error can be internal or functional.SolutionMake a note of the operations you were performing and contact ThingMagic at http://support.thingmagic.comFAULT_DATA_TOO_LARGE – 40BhCauseA command was received to Read Tag Data with a data value larger than expected or it is not the correct size.SolutionCheck the size of the data value in the message sent to the reader.FAULT_PROTOCOL_INVALID_KILL_PASSWORD – 40ChCauseAn incorrect kill password was received as part of the Kill command. SolutionCheck the password.FAULT_PROTOCOL_KILL_FAILED - 40EhCauseAttempt to kill a tag failed for an unknown reasonSolutionCheck tag is in RF field and the kill password.
Protocol FaultsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE98 Appendix A: Error MessagesFAULT_PROTOCOL_BIT_DECODING_FAILED - 40FhCauseAttempt to operate on a tag with an EPC length greater than the Maximum EPC length setting.SolutionCheck the EPC length being written.FAULT_PROTOCOL_INVALID_EPC – 410hCauseThis error is used by the GEN2 module indicating an invalid EPC value has been specified for an operation. This fault can occur if the read, write, lock, or kill command fails.SolutionCheck the EPC value that is being passed in the command resulting in this error.FAULT_PROTOCOL_INVALID_NUM_DATA – 411hCauseThis error is used by the GEN2 module indicating invalid data has been specified for an operation. This fault can occur if the read, write, lock, or kill command fails. SolutionCheck the data that is being passed in the command resulting in this error.FAULT_GEN2 PROTOCOL_OTHER_ERROR - 420hCauseThis is an error returned by Gen2 tags. Its a catch-all for error not covered by other codes.
Protocol FaultsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEAppendix A: Error Messages 99SolutionCheck the data that is being passed in the command resulting in this error. Try with a different tag.FAULT_GEN2_PROTOCOL_MEMORY_OVERRUN_BAD_PC - 423hCauseThis is an error returned by Gen2 tags. The specified memory location does not exist or the PC value is not supported by the Tag. SolutionCheck the data that is being written and where its being written to in the command resulting in this error.FAULT_GEN2 PROTOCOL_MEMORY_LOCKED - 424hCauseThis is an error returned by Gen2 tags.The specified memory location is locked and/or permalocked and is either not writable or not readable.SolutionCheck the data that is being written and where its being written to in the command resulting in this error. Check the access password being sent.FAULT_GEN2 PROTOCOL_INSUFFICIENT_POWER - 42BhCauseThis is an error returned by Gen2 tags. The tag has insufficient power to perform the memory-write operation.SolutionTry moving the tag closer to the antenna. Try with a different tag.
Protocol FaultsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE100 Appendix A: Error MessagesFAULT_GEN2 PROTOCOL_NON_SPECIFIC_ERROR - 42FhCauseThis is an error returned by Gen2 tags. The tag does not support error specific codes. SolutionCheck the data that is being written and where its being written to in the command resulting in this error. Try with a different tag.FAULT_GEN2 PROTOCOL_UNKNOWN_ERROR - 430hCauseThis is an error returned by ThingMagic Nano when no more error information is available about why the operation failed.SolutionCheck the data that is being written and where its being written to in the command resulting in this error. Try with a different tag.
Analog Hardware Abstraction Layer FaultsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEAppendix A: Error Messages 101Analog Hardware Abstraction Layer FaultsFAULT_AHAL_INVALID_FREQ – 500hCauseA command was received to set a frequency outside the specified range.SolutionCheck the values you are trying to set and be sure that they fall within the range of the set region of operation.FAULT_AHAL_CHANNEL_OCCUPIED – 501hCauseWith LBT enabled an attempt was made to set the frequency to an occupied channel.SolutionTry a different channel. If supported by the region of operation turn LBT off.FAULT_AHAL_TRANSMITTER_ON – 502hCauseChecking antenna status while CW is on is not allowed.SolutionDo not perform antenna checking when CW is turned on.FAULT_ANTENNA_NOT_CONNECTED – 503hCauseAn attempt was made to transmit on an antenna which did not pass the antenna detection when antenna detection was turned on.
Analog Hardware Abstraction Layer FaultsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE102 Appendix A: Error MessagesSolutionConnect a detectable antenna. (Antenna must have some DC resistance.) (Does not apply to Micro or ThingMagic Nano as they do not detect antennas.)FAULT_TEMPERATURE_EXCEED_LIMITS – 504hCauseThe module has exceeded the maximum or minimum operating temperature and will not allow an RF operation until it is back in range.SolutionTake steps to resolve thermal issues with module:Reduce duty cycleAdd heat sink FAULT_POOR_RETURN_LOSS – 505hCauseThe module has detected a poor return loss and has ended RF operation to avoid module damage.SolutionTake steps to resolve high return loss on receiver:Make sure antenna VSWR is within module specificationsMake sure antennas are correctly attached before transmittingCheck environment to ensure no occurrences of high signal reflection back at antennas.FAULT_AHAL_INVALID_ANTENA_CONFIG – 507hCauseAn attempt to set an antenna configuration that is not valid.
Analog Hardware Abstraction Layer FaultsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEAppendix A: Error Messages 103SolutionUse the correct antenna setting or change the reader configuration.
Tag ID Buffer FaultsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE104 Appendix A: Error MessagesTag ID Buffer FaultsThe following table lists the common faults discussed in this section.FAULT_TAG_ID_BUFFER_NOT_ENOUGH_TAGS_AVAILABLE – 600hCauseA command was received to get a certain number of tag ids from the tag id buffer. The reader contains less tag ids stored in its tag id buffer than the number the host is sending.SolutionSend a test case reproducing the behavior to support@thingmagic.com.FAULT_TAG_ID_BUFFER_FULL – 601hCauseThe tag id buffer is full.SolutionMake sure the baud rate is set to a higher frequency that the /reader/gen2/BLF frequency. Send a test case reproducing the behavior to support@thingmagic.com.Fault Message CodeFAULT_TAG_ID_BUFFER_NOT_ENOUGH_TAGS_AVAILABLE – 600h 600hFAULT_TAG_ID_BUFFER_FULL – 601h 601hFAULT_TAG_ID_BUFFER_REPEATED_TAG_ID – 602h 602hFAULT_TAG_ID_BUFFER_NUM_TAG_TOO_LARGE – 603h 603h
Tag ID Buffer FaultsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEAppendix A: Error Messages 105FAULT_TAG_ID_BUFFER_REPEATED_TAG_ID – 602hCauseThe module has an internal error. One of the protocols is trying to add an existing TagID to the buffer.SolutionSend a test case reproducing the behavior to support@thingmagic.com.FAULT_TAG_ID_BUFFER_NUM_TAG_TOO_LARGE – 603hCauseThe module received a request to retrieve more tags than is supported by the current version of the software.SolutionSend a test case reproducing the behavior to support@thingmagic.com.
System ErrorsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE106 Appendix A: Error MessagesSystem ErrorsFAULT_SYSTEM_UNKNOWN_ERROR – 7F00hCauseThe error is internal.SolutionSend a test case reproducing the behavior to support@thingmagic.com.FAULT_TM_ASSERT_FAILED – 7F01hCauseAn unexpected Internal Error has occurred.SolutionThe error will cause the module to switch back to Bootloader mode. When this occurs make note of the operations you were executing, save FULL error response and send a test case reproducing the behavior to support@thingmagic.com.
Appendix B: Getting Started - Dev Kit 107 A DIVISION OF TRIMBLEAppendix B: Getting Started - Dev KitThis appendix provides instructions on the use of the ThingMagic Nano Development Kit: Dev Kit HardwareDemo ApplicationNotice on Restricted Use of the Dev KitDev Kit HardwareIncluded ComponentsWith the dev kit, you will receive the following components:The ThingMagic Nano module soldered onto carrier boardPower/interface developers boardOne USB cableOne antenna One coax cableOne 9V power supplyInternational power adapter kit
Dev Kit HardwareA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE108 Appendix B: Getting Started - Dev KitSample tagsOne paper insert:– QuickStart Guide - Details on which documents and software to download to get up and running quickly, along with details on how to register for and contact support.Setting up the Dev KitWhen setting up the Dev Kit, use the following procedures:Connecting the AntennaPowering up and Connecting to a PCWARNING!Never mount the carrier board so that it is resting flat against the metal plate of the Dev Kit main board unless a heat sink has been attached to the bottom of the Carrier Board as shown in this picture:Connecting the AntennaThingMagic supplies one antenna that can read tags from 20’ away with most of the provided tags. The antenna is monstatic. Use the following procedure to connect the antenna to the Dev Kit.1. Connect one end of the coax cable to the antenna.2. Connect the other end of the cable to the antenna port 1 connector on the Dev Kit.Powering up and Connecting to a PCAfter connecting the antenna you can power up the Dev Kit and establish a host connection.
Dev Kit HardwareA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEAppendix B: Getting Started - Dev Kit 1091. Connect the USB cable (use only the black connector) from a PC to the developer’s kit. There are two Dev Kit USB Interfaces options.2. Plug the power supply into the Dev Kit’s DC power input connector. 3. The LED next to the DC input jack, labeled DS1, should light up. If it doesn’t light up check jumper J17 to make sure the jumper is connecting pins 2 and 34. Follow the steps based on the Dev Kit USB Interfaces used and make note of the COM port or /dev device file, as appropriate for your operating system the USB interface is assigned.5. To start reading tags start the Demo Application (Universal Reader Assistant).WARNING!While the module is powered up, do not touch components. Doing so may be damage the dev kit and ThingMagic Nano module.
Dev Kit HardwareA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE110 Appendix B: Getting Started - Dev KitDev Kit USB InterfacesUSB/RS232The USB interface (connector labeled USB/RS232) closest to the power plug is to the RS232 interface of the ThingMagic Nano through an FTDI USB to serial converter. The drivers for it are available athttp://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htmPlease follow the instructions in the installation guide appropriate for your operating system.The ThingMagic Nano does not support a native USB port, so this port on the Dev Kit is inoperable.A COM port should now be assigned to the ThingMagic Nano. If you aren’t sure what COM port is assigned you can find it using the Windows Device Manager:a. Open the Device Manager (located in Control Panel | System).b. Select the Hardware tab and click Device Manager.c. Select View | Devices by Type | Ports (COM & LPT) The device appears as USB Serial Port (COM#).
Dev Kit HardwareA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEAppendix B: Getting Started - Dev Kit 111Dev kit JumpersJ8Jumpers to connect ThingMagic Nano I/O lines to dev kit. (4)For added safety, you should remove all 3 jumpers for USB connections and the AUTO_BT connection to the module. These lines are not supported, but are connected to the ThingMagic Nano module for test purposes, so should be left unconnected for all applications. J19The jumper at J19 that connects Shutdown to ground must be REMOVED. With this jumper removed, the module is always operational. ¬The shutdown switch has no affect on the ThingMagic Nano.¬ To put the ThingMagic Nano into shutdown mode is to reinstall the jumper at J19. See ThingMagic Nano Digital Connector Signal Definition for details on the ENABLE Line. AUTO_BOOT controls ENABLE Line.J9Header for alternate power supply. Make sure DC plug (J1) is not connected if using J9.
Dev Kit HardwareA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE112 Appendix B: Getting Started - Dev KitJ10, J11Jump pins OUT to GPIO# to connect ThingMagic Nano GPIO lines to output LEDs. Jump pins IN to GPIO# to connect ThingMagic Nano GPIO to corresponding input switches SW[3,4]GPIO#. Make sure GPIO lines are correspondingly configured as input or outputs (see Configuring GPIO Settings).J13, J15Not used.J14Can be used to connect GPIO lines to external circuits. If used jumpers should be removed from J10, J11.J16Jump pins 1 and 2 or 2 and 3 to reset dev kit power supply. Same as using switch SW1 except allows for control by external circuit.J17Jump pins 1 and 2 to use the 5V INPUT and GND inputs to provide power. Jump pins 2 and 3 to use the Dev Kit’s DC power jack and power brick power.Dev Kit SchematicsAvailable upon request from support@thingmagic.com.
Demo ApplicationA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEAppendix B: Getting Started - Dev Kit 113Demo ApplicationA demo application which supports multi-protocol reading and writing is provided in the MercuryAPI SDK package. The executable for this example is included in the MercuryAPI SDK package under /cs/samples/exe/Universal-Reader-Assistant.exe and is also available for direct download from rfid.thingmagic.com/dev kit. Note: The Universal Reader Assistant included in the MercuryAPI SDK maybe an older revision than the one available for standalone download. See the Readme.txt in /cs/samples/Universal-Reader-Assistant/Universal-Reader-Assistant for usage details. See the MercuryAPI Programming Guide for details on using the MercuryAPI.
Notice on Restricted Use of the Dev KitA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE114 Appendix B: Getting Started - Dev KitNotice on Restricted Use of the Dev KitThe Mercury6e Developers Kit (Dev Kit) is intended for use solely by professional engineers for the purpose of evaluating the feasibility of applications.The user’s evaluation must be limited to use within a laboratory setting. This Dev Kit has not been certified for use by the FCC in accordance with Part 15 of the FCC regulations, ETSI, KCC or any other regulatory bodies and may not be sold or given for public use.Distribution and sale of the Dev Kit is intended solely for use in future development of devices which may be subject to regional regulatory authorities governing radio emission. This Dev Kit may not be resold by users for any purpose. Accordingly, operation of the Dev Kit in the development of future devices is deemed within the discretion of the user and the user shall have all responsibility for any compliance with any regional regulatory authority governing radio emission of such development or use, including without limitation reducing electrical interference to legally acceptable levels. All products developed by user must be approved by the appropriate regional regulatory authority governing radio emission prior to marketing or sale of such products and user bears all responsibility for obtaining the prior appropriate regulatory approval, or approval as needed from any other authority governing radio emission.
Appendix C: Environmental Considerations 115 A DIVISION OF TRIMBLEAppendix C: Environmental ConsiderationsThis Appendix details environmental factors that should be considered relating to reader performance and survivability. Topics include:ElectroStatic Discharge (ESD) ConsiderationsVariables Affecting Performance
ElectroStatic Discharge (ESD) ConsiderationsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE116 Appendix C: Environmental ConsiderationsElectroStatic Discharge (ESD) ConsiderationsWARNING!The ThingMagic Nano antenna port may be susceptible to damage from Electrostatic Discharge (ESD). Equipment failure can result if the antenna or communication ports are subjected to ESD. Standard ESD precautions should be taken during installation to avoid static discharge when handling or making connections to the ThingMagic Nano reader antenna or communication ports. Environmental analysis should also be performed to ensure static is not building up on and around the antennas, possibly causing discharges during operation.ESD Damage OverviewIn ThingMagic Nano-based reader installations where readers have failed without known cause, based on anecdotal information ESD has been found to be the most common cause. Failures due to ESD tend to be in the ThingMagic Nano power amplifier section (PA). PA failures typically manifest themselves at the software interface in the following ways:RF operations (read, write, etc.) respond with Assert - 7F01 - indicating a a fatal error. This is typically due to the module not being able to reach the target power level due to PA damage.RF operations (read, write, etc.) respond with No Antenna Connected/Detected even when a known good antenna is attached. Unexpected Invalid Command errors, indicating command not supported, when that command had worked just fine shortly before. The reason a command becomes suddenly not supported is that the reader, in the course of its self protection routines, has returned to the bootloader to prevent any further damage. This jump to boot loader caused by power amp damage occurs at the start of any read tag commands. Ultimately determining that ESD is the root cause of failures is difficult because it relies on negative result experiments, i.e. it is the lack of failure after a configuration change, rather than a positive flag wave that says “I’m ESD”. Such flag waves are sometimes, but only sometimes, available at the un-packaged transistor level under high power microscopy. The remoteness of microscopic examination from the installed field failures is indicative of the high cost of using such analysis methods for chasing down ESD issues. Therefore
ElectroStatic Discharge (ESD) ConsiderationsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEAppendix C: Environmental Considerations 117most ESD issue resolutions will be using the negative result experiments to determine success.ESD discharges come with a range of values, and like many things in life there is the “matter of degree”. For many installations, the ThingMagic Nano has been successfully deployed and operates happily. For these, there is no failure issue, ESD or otherwise. For a different installation that with bare ThingMagic Nano, has a failure problem from ESD, there will be some distribution of ESD intensities occurring. Without knowledge of a limit in the statistics of those intensities, there may always be the bigger zap waiting in the wings. For the bare ThingMagic Nano equipped with the mitigation methods described below, there will always be the rouge ESD discharge that exceeds any given mitigation, and results in failure. Fortunately, many installations will have some upper bound on the value of ESD events given the geometry of that installation.Several sequential steps are recommended for a) determining the ESD is the likely cause of a given group of failures, and b) enhancing the ThingMagic Nano’s environment to eliminate ESD failures. The steps vary depending on the required ThingMagic Nano output power in any given application.Identifying ESD as the Cause of Damaged ReadersThe following are some suggested methods to determine if ESD is a cause of reader failures, i.e. ESD diagnostics. Please remember- some of these suggestions have the negative result experiment problem.Return failed units for analysis. Analysis should be able to say if it is the power amplifier that has in fact failed, but won’t be able to definitively identify that the cause is ESD. However, ESD is one of the more common causes of PA failure.Measure ambient static levels with static meter. AlphaLabs SVM2 is such a meter, but there are others. You may be surprised at the static potentials floating detected. However, high static doesn’t necessarily mean discharges, but should be considered cause for further investigation. High levels that keep changing are highly indicative of discharges.Touch some things around the antenna, and operating area. If you feel static discharges, that qualitatively says quite a bit about what is in front of the antenna. What actually gets to the ThingMagic Nano is also strongly influenced by the antenna installation, cabling, and grounding discussed above.Use the mean operating time statistic before and after one or more of the changes listed below to quantitatively determine if the change has resulted in an improvement. Be sure to restart your statistics after the change.
ElectroStatic Discharge (ESD) ConsiderationsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE118 Appendix C: Environmental ConsiderationsCommon Installation Best PracticesThe following are common installation best practices which will ensure the readers isn’t being unnecessarily exposed to ESD in even low risk environments. These should be applied to all installations, full power or partial power, ESD or not:Insure that ThingMagic Nano, ThingMagic Nano reader housing, and antenna ground connection are all grounded to a common low impedance ground. Verify R-TNC knurled threaded nuts are tight and stay tight. Don’t use a thread locking compound that would compromise the grounding connection of the thread to thread mate. If there is any indication that field vibration might cause the R-TNC to loosen, apply RTV or other adhesive externally.Use antenna cables with double shield outer conductors, or even full metallic shield semirigid cables. ThingMagic specified cables are double shielded and adequate for most applications. ESD discharge currents flowing ostensibly on the outer surface of a single shield coaxial cable have been seen to couple to the inside of coaxial cables, causing ESD failure. Avoid RG-58. Prefer RG-223.Minimize ground loops in coaxial cable runs to antennas. Having the ThingMagic Nano and antenna both tied to ground (per item 1) leads to the possibility of ground currents flowing along antenna cables. The tendency of these currents to flow is related to the area of the conceptual surface marked out by the antenna cable and the nearest continuous ground surface. When this conceptual surface has minimum area, these ground loop current are minimized. Routing antenna cables against grounded metallic chassis parts helps minimize ground loop currents.Keep the antenna radome in place. It provides significant ESD protection for the metallic parts of the antenna, and protects the antenna from performance changes due to environmental accumulation.Keep careful track of serial numbers, operating life times, numbers of units operating. You need this information to know that your mean operating life time is. Only with this number will you be able to know if you have a failure problem in the first place, ESD or otherwise. And then after any given change, whether things have improvement or not. Or if the failures are confined to one instantiation, or distributed across your population.Raising the ESD ThresholdFor applications where full ThingMagic Nano power is needed for maximum tag read range and ESD is suspected the following components are recommended additions to the installation to raise the level of ESD the reader can tolerate: Select or change to an antenna with all radiating elements grounded for DC. The MTI MT-262031-T(L,R)H-A is such an antenna. The Laird IF900-SF00 and CAF95956 are not such antennas. The grounding of the antenna elements dissipates static
ElectroStatic Discharge (ESD) ConsiderationsA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEAppendix C: Environmental Considerations 119charge leakage, and provides a high pass characteristic that attenuates discharge events. (This also makes the antenna compatible with the ThingMagic Nano antenna detect methods.)Install a Minicircuits SHP600+ high pass filter in the cable run at the ThingMagic Nano (or Vega or other finished reader) end. This additional component will reduce transmit power by 0.4 dB which may affect read range in some critical applications. However the filter will significantly attenuate discharges and improve the ThingMagic Nano ESD survival level. NoteThe SHP600+ is not rated for the full +31.5 dBm output of the ThingMagic Nano reader at +85 degree C. Operation at reduced temperature has been anecdotally observed to be OK, but has not been fully qualified by ThingMagic.90 V Lightning Arrestors, such as the Terrawave Solutions Model TW-LP-RPTNC-P-BHJ have been shown to be effective in suppressing ESD. This model contains a gas discharge tube which must be replaced periodically. Install a Diode Clamp* circuit immediately outboard from the SHP600 filter. This will reduce transmit power by an additional 0.4 dB, but in combination with the SHP600 will further improve the ThingMagic Nano ESD survival level. (Needs DC power, contact support@thingmagic.com for availability.)Further ESD Protection for Reduced RF Power ApplicationsIn addition to the protective measures recommended above, for applications where reduced ThingMagic Nano RF power is acceptable and ESD is suspected the following protective measures can also be applied:Install a one watt attenuator with a decibel value of +30 dBm minus the dBm value needed for tag power up. Then run the reader at +30 dBm instead of reduced transmit power. This will attenuate inbound ESD pulses by the installed decibel value, while keeping the tag operation generally unchanged. Attenuators of 6 dB have been shown to not adversely effect read sensitivity. Position the attenuator as close to the ThingMagic Nano as feasible.As described above add the SHP600 filter immediately adjacent to the attenuator, on the antenna side.Add Diode Clamp, if required, adjacent to the SHP600, on the antenna side.
Variables Affecting PerformanceA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE120 Appendix C: Environmental ConsiderationsVariables Affecting PerformanceReader performance may be affected by the following variables, depending on the site where your Reader is being deployed:EnvironmentalTag ConsiderationsMultiple ReadersEnvironmentalReader performance may be affected by the following environmental conditions:Metal surfaces such as desks, filing cabinets, bookshelves, and wastebaskets may enhance or degrade Reader performance.Antennas should be mounted far away from metal surfaces that may adversely affect the system performance.Devices that operate at 900 MHz, such as cordless phones and wireless LANs, can degrade Reader performance. The Reader may also adversely affect the performance of these 900 MHz devices.Moving machinery can interfere the Reader performance. Test Reader performance with moving machinery turned off.Fluorescent lighting fixtures are a source of strong electromagnetic interference and if possible should be replaced. If fluorescent lights cannot be replaced, then keep the Reader cables and antennas away from them.Coaxial cables leading from the Reader to antennas can be a strong source of electromagnetic radiation. These cables should be laid flat and not coiled up.Tag ConsiderationsThere are several variables associated with tags that can affect Reader performance:Application Surface: Some materials, including metal and moisture, interfere with tag performance. Tags applied to items made from or containing these materials may not perform as expected.
Variables Affecting PerformanceA DIVISION OF TRIMBLEAppendix C: Environmental Considerations 121Tag Orientation: Reader performance is affected by the orientation of the tag in the antenna field. The ThingMagic antenna is circularly polarized, so it reads face-to but not edge-to.Tag Model: Many tag models are available. Each model has its own performance characteristics.Multiple ReadersThe Reader adversely affect performance of 900 MHz devices. These devices also may degrade performance of the Reader.Antennas on other Readers operating in close proximity may interfere with one another, thus degrading performance of the Readers.Interference from other antennas may be eliminated or reduced by using either one or both of the following strategies:w Affected antennas may be synchronized by a separate user application using a time-multiplexing strategy.w Antenna power can be reduced by reconfiguring the RF Transmit Power setting for the Reader.NotePerformance tests conducted under typical operating conditions at your site are recommended to help you optimize system performance.
Variables Affecting PerformanceA DIVISION OF TRIMBLE122 Appendix C: Environmental Considerations

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