R F Technologies SKRCF01 Hand-Held Seeker Tag Locator User Manual 0510 1006
R F Technologies Inc Hand-Held Seeker Tag Locator 0510 1006
User Manual
User Guide
P/N: XXXXx
Released: 07/05/04
Mobile Locating System
User Guide
Users must read this Guide before using the product
Copyright 2005 by RF Technologies, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or copied in any form or by
any means without written permission from RF Technologies, Inc.
Contents
System Overview................................................................................4
Seeker Installation.............................................................................6
Using the Seeker Software...............................................................15
Integrating with MRM....................................................................17
Troubleshooting............................................................................. 20
Specifications..................................................................................22
Specifications
Pocket PC
Operating System: Pocket PC 2003
Recommended Processor: 400MHz (or higher)
Recommended Memory: 64MB Main Memory (or higher)
Must have at least one Compact Flash slot
Operating Time (Battery Life): See Pocket PC Manual
RF Transceiver Card
Interface: CompactFlash
Read Range: 0-500 Feet
Frequency: 433 MHz
Compliance: FCC Part 15
Capacity: 240 Dept. & 240 Tags
Total Capacity: 57,600 Tags
Software
PinPoint Seeker Application
Integrates with PinPoint Mobile Resource Manager Software version 3.5 or higher.
Tag
Dimensions: 1.9" x 1.38" x 0.7"
Battery Life: 2 Years
Power Source: 3.6V Lithium Battery
Frequency: 433 MHz
Compliance: FCC Part 15
Water Resistant
Federal Communication Commission (FCC) Compliance
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.
This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential
area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required
to correct the interference at his own expense. Changes or modifications not
expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance voids the user’s
authority to operate the equipment.
FCC Radiation Exposure Statement
This equipment complies with FCC radiation exposure limits set forth for an
uncontrolled environment. This transmitter must not be co-located or operating in
conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.
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3
Important Warnings
It is important for your facility to implement and enforce the following warnings in
order to keep all equipment functioning properly.
WARNING: User Training
It is the responsibility of the facility to implement structured training procedures
for all employees using the system. Only users who have received adequate
training on the use of the system should use the system.
Failure to adequately train employees may cause system failure due to user error.
In addition, incorrect use of the equipment may also result in system failure.
WARNING: System Maintenance and Testing
It is the responsibility of the facility to establish and facilitate a regular
maintenance schedule of your (Safe Place® and Code Alert®) system. This
includes regular inspection, testing, and cleaning.
Failure to provide regular maintenance and testing of these products may result
in equipment and/or system failure.
WARNING: Installation and Configuration
It is the responsibility of the facility to follow the installation instructions
carefully and to use the components and supplies specified by RF Technologies,
Inc. for all (Safe Place® and Code Alert®) installations.
Failure to use the components and supplies specified by RF Technologies, Inc.
may result in equipment and/or system failure.
WARNING: Failure to follow the Warnings and Cautions in this guide
voids any or all Product Warranties.
WARNING: If you do not already have procedures in place, you must
establish procedures for your staff to follow in the event of Infant
System alarms. Existing procedures may require modification to
incorporate the Infant System alarms. Failure to create or modify these
procedures can result in unnecessary patient agitation.
If the application starts reacting slowly?
* The history table may be too large to provide adequate performance. Check
the number of entries in the history table by opening the Settings window. If
the number of entries is over 10,000 entries you may want to Clear History.
Getting the tag to sound or flash
* The beeper and light are controlled by checkboxes on the Find Tags window.
Make sure the correct selections are made before performing a search.
Tags appear and disappear during consecutive searches from the same area
* Certain tags may be just outside of the consistent read range of the mobile
reader. The environment may also affect the consistency of searches. Metal
walls and other construction materials can adversely affect the read range of
searches.
Viewing and analyzing data on another machine
* The history table can be exported to a Comma Separated Values (CSV) file.
This file can then be viewed by spreadsheet applications such as Microsoft
Excel. To export a CSV file open the Settings window. Click Export History.
A save file dialog will appear. Save the file to a known location. Retrieve
the file through the sync cradle and Microsoft Active-Sync application
explorer. See the Pocket PC documentation for details on using Active-Sync.
Selecting the correct communications port
* In most cases the Seeker application will detect the Plug and Play ID of the
Receiver Card and configure it for the correct communications port. If the
application can not find the Receiver Card it is possible to manually configure
the communications port. Open the Settings window. In the Communication
Port box, select a comm port ID. Attempt to perform a Find operation from the
Find Tags window. Check the status of the Receiver Card LED to determine if
the application is communicating with the card. Repeat until the correct port
is identified.
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Preface
About this Guide
The Seeeker User Guide is intended for users who apply, clean, and care for Infant
Transmitters. It includes detailed information about the Infant Transmitters and
minimizing false alarms
Contact Information
For more information about RF Technologies, Inc. products go to www.rft.com. For technical
support, contact (800) 669-9946 or (262) 790-1771. For questions or comments about
PinPoint Seeker documentation, contact the RF Technologies Technical Publications team at
techpubs@rft.com.
This guide explains the basic features of Seeker System. This guide is intended for
audiences who are using the Seeker System in their facilities for a basic understaing
of the the Seeker System functionality.
Product Warranty
Product Warranty information can be found on the with your original system proposal and
invoice.
Introduction
Seeker Software Information
This information is located on the About Tab in the Setting window. It displays the
application version and operating system version.
To display Seeker software information
1 Tap Settings from the Main Window.
2 Select the About Tab.
HELPFUL HINTS
Be sure to have this information
available when contactingthe RF
Technologies Customer Support
Team.
Troubleshooting
Use the following Troubleshooting tips.
If the Pocket PC application no longer responds:
* Reboot the Pocket PC with a hard-reset. Typically a hard-reset can be
performed by pressing a recessed reset button on the Pocket PC. Consult
the Pocket PC user manual for the location of the reset button.
* It is also possible that the battery is nearing expiration in the mobile reader.
Consult the Pocket PC user Manual for details on replacing or recharging
the battery.
* The receiver card may have come loose in the socket. Remove and reinsert
the receiver card in the compact flash socket.
If the Pocket PC does not communicate with the MRM Services
* Make sure that the host name and port are properly entered on the Settings
Services tab. Make sure that the services are running on their respective
host machines.
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The Seeker Mobile Locating System is an asset tracking system utilizing a
mobile reader to allow remote reading of RFID tags. The Seeker mobile reader
consists of a Pocket PC with a custom receiver card installed. The mobile reader is
used to “search” an area for “tags” which are attached to various resources. The
reader can find an individual tag, or search for all tags with a specific department id.
When a tag is within range of the mobile reader an audible beep and light can be
generated by the tag so a user can locate the equipment within the area being
searched. The beep and light features can be disabled if desired.
A local database in the mobile reader creates associations between the
resources and the tags. When a tag is found the mobile reader will display the
department id, tag id, resource name, description and the signal strength which
provides an estimated distance from reader to tag.
A picture of the resource can also be associated with the tag
information.The Seeker Mobile Locating System can be combined with the PinPoint
Mobile Resource Manager software to provide extended visibility to the data
captured through the reader. Information from the mobile reader can be uploaded to
the PinPoint databases and then viewed by PinPoint applications. Additionally,
utilization and location reports can be generated using captured data from the
mobile reader.
System Overview
Additional Settings
You can specify the polling threshold value, the communications port, and the
locations ruleset from this window.
Threshold – Indicates the minimum signal strength required for a tag to be displayed
in the tag list.
Demo – When in demo mode each
Find operation will return a tag in the
tag list. This can be used for training
and demonstration purposes. Tags
returned are always in department
one.
Comm Port – In cases were the
application does not automatically
discover the compact flash receiver
card the comm port can be manually
selected.
Ruleset – Select the ruleset to be
used to retrieve locations from the
PinPoint Configurator Service. Once
selected the user must perform
another download to retrieve the
locations.
Use Resource Name – When
selected the Find Tags window will
display the Resource name box instead of the department and tag boxes. Resource
Names come from the local offline tags database created by the tag Entry window.
Clear History – Clears the local storage History table by deleting all of its entries.
Should be performed when record retrieval becomes slow during history views.
Export History – Creates a CSV file of the current history data. Displays a File
Save Dialog window.
Uses for the System include
* Locate misplaced equipment
* Remotely identify inventory
* Find equipment scheduled for maintenance
* Remote inventory of valuable assets
Special Features include
* User-programmable RFID tags
* Compact size
* 0-100ft range through walls, up to 500ft in “clear air”
* Tag beeper and light helps physically locate equipment
* Down-loadable data to host using sync cradle
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5
System Components
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The following components comprise the Seeker system.
Tags
Tags are small in size and can be attached to resources
using the included adhesive tape. When a tag is found
by the mobile reader it responds with its unique id and
a status message indicating its battery condition. Tags
can be instructed to beep and flash a light when found
allowing users to gain a rough indication of where the
tag is located.
Receiver Card
The CompactFlash receiver card includes the receiver
circuitry and the microprocessor for decoding the tag
signals to obtain the department id, tag id and the status
of the tag. The information is then transferred to the Pocket PC.
Pocket PC
The Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) includes the Microsoft
Pocket PC Operating System. The PDA supports the
CompactFlash standard CF+/Type II for the addition of the
receiver card.
Software
The software and documentation are provided on a CD-ROM.
Downloading Data from MRM
All the tables required for operation of online mode are retrieved from the Configurator
Service. A dialog is displayed that shows the
status of each table as it is downloaded.
To download data from MRM
1 Be sure the Seeker is in WorkingOnline
mode.
2 Tap Download from the Main Window.
Uploading Data from MRM
Each time a Tag is received, a record is created in the History table in the Seeker database.
This record includes a timestamp, tag id, and location (if online) and other relevant
information. To make this information visible to the entire PinPoint system the information
must be uploaded to the PinPoint Recorder Service. The Recorder Service will then store it
in the PPDataLog database table.
To upload data to MRM
1. Be sure the application is in Working
Online mode.
2. Tap Upload from the Main Window.
The PinPoint Services host name and
port must be entered in the Settings
Services tab.
HELPFUL HINTS
The PinPoint Services host name and
port must be entered in the Settings
Services tab.
HELPFUL HINTS
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To install the Seeker Software
Seeker Installation
Be sure the card is fit properly in the compact flash
connector.
The Receiver Card does not require a custom driver
and should communicate directly with the Seeker
Installing Software
1. Using your sync cable or cradle, connect your Pocket PC to the computer.
For additional information, see the documentation that arrived with the Pocket
PC.
2. Insert the software and documentation CD into the drive on the computer.
3. Using Microsoft Windows Explore or My Computer, navigate to x:\, where x is
the CD drive letter.
4. Double-click setup.exe.
5. Follow the instruction on the screen to finish the installation.
The Seeker application will be uploaded to the Pocket PC through the sync
cradle.
Installing the Receiver Card
To Install the Receiver Card
• Insert the Receiver card into the compact flash slot on
the Pocket PC.
application.
You can easily integrate the Seeker database with the PinPoint Mobile Resource
Manager software. This is a feature option that comes with the Seeker. For more
information, contact RF Technologies, Inc. at (800) 669-9946 or (262)790-1771.
Service Settings
The PinPoint Services are required when
integrating with the MRM database. The
Services Tab in the Seeker application emables
you to configure the host name and port for
the PinPoint Services. A network connection
is created when the Pocket PC is placed in the
sync cradle. When download or upload is
selected from the main window, the Pocket PC
communicates through the network
connection and retrieves the data. To find the correct Configurator and Recorder host
names and port, see your PinPoint MRM Administrator.
To enter a host name and port
1 Tap Settings.
2 Tap Services
3 In the Host box, type the machine
name of the computer hosting the
service.
4 In the Port box, type the port
number used by the service.
Integrating with MRM
Mounting Tags
The Seeker Tag can be attached using an adhesive pad that can be purchased with the
Tag. The following section provides detailed steps about applying the Tag using the
adhesive.
To apply the adhesive pad to the Tag
1. Remove an adhesive pad from the strip of paper.
2. Turn the Tag onto its front.
3. Line the adhesive pad up with the back of the Tag.
4. Apply the adhesive pad.
5. Verify that the pad is applied correctly and is not
hanging over the sides of the Tag.
To attach a Tag to a resource using an adhesive pad
1. Obtain the asset to which you want to apply the tag.
2. Remove the adhesive plastic guard.
3. Firmly attach the tag to the asset.
4. Press firmly on the tag to verify that it adhered to the
asset
Mounting Suggestions
•The front of the tag should face the expected position from which searches will be
performed.
•Do not place the tag inside of a metal container because the signal will be blocked.
•Test for Tag reception by performing a search after you mount the Tag.
•Do not block the sounder hole on the Tag or tag volume is decreased.
•Perform a search to verify that the audible tone is loud enough and that the light is
visible.
You can use other ways to attach a tag to a resource. For
example, a loop mount zip tie.
NOTE: Before mounting the tags be sure to program them to reflect the correct
department and tag IDs. See Programming Tags for more information.
It is much easier to search for a resource if we can associate it with its attached tag.
The Tag Entry window performs the association between the tag and its resource.
To associate a tag with a resource
1. In the Tag Entry list, select an item
to edit.
2. Click Edit.
The Edit Tag window appears.
3. In the Resource box, type the name
for this resource.
4. In the Description box, type a
description for this resource.
5. Click … to open the Save Dialog
window.
6. Select the bitmap to be used to
represent the resource.
7. Click OK, to save the changes.
Editing Tags
Deleting Tags
To delete a tag resource association
1. In the Tag Entry list, select an item to delete.
2. Click Delete.
The item disappears from the list.
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Using the Seeker Software
This section provides detailed information about using the Seeker Software to
Find Tags, Add Tags, etc.
To start the Seeker Software
1. On the Pocket PC, tap Start->Programs->Seeker.
If this is the first time the you have
used the Seeker application on this
Pocket PC, a progress bar is displayed
becaduring the creation of the database
and tables.
Once the database and tables have been
created the Seeker Main window will
appear.
During start-up the application will
search for the receiver card and select
the appropriate communication port for
its operation. If the card can not be
found it may be necessary to use the
Settings window to select and try each
of the available communication ports
until the correct one is found.
The Main Window
This window is the main navigation area.
Find Tags – Window to select department and tag
ids or resource name to search for.
Work Online/Offline – Determines if the mode of
operation for the application. This determines which
database is used.
Write Tags – Writes and erases the dept and tag ids
in a tag.
View History – Records of each find are stored in
the Pocket PC. This utility is used to review these
archival records. Main Window Offline
Programs
Adding Tags
It is much easier to search for a resource if we can associate it with its attached tag.
The Tag Entry window performs the association between the tag and its resource.
To associate a tag with a resource
1. Click Add.
The Add Tag window appears.
2. In the Department box, select a
department ID.
3. In the Tag box, select a tag id.
4. In the Resource box, type the name for this
resource.
5. In the Description box, type a description
for this resource.
6. Click … to open the Save Dialog window.
7. Select the bitmap to be used to represent
the resource.
8. Click OK, to save the tag association.
Add Tag
Tag Entry
Audible Beeper and Light
Remote Programming of Department and Tag ID
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Settings – Changes settings such as threshold,
ruleset selection, clearing the history, and
exporting the history to a CSV file.
Main Window Online
Working in Online and Offline Mode
•In the offline mode the Tag Entry
selection is made available. The Tag Entry
window makes the association between a
tag and its resource.
•In the online mode two additional
selections will appear: Download and
Upload. These selections assist in staying
synchronized with a PinPoint Mobile
Resource Manager software system.
Finding Resources
The Find Tags window appears in one of three modes.
Working offline using Resource Names
You must select a resource to search for by selecting its resource name from Resource
box. Department searches can not be performed when using the resource names.
To operate in this mode select the Use Resource Names checkbox in the Settings
window.
Working online using PinPoint Data
You select the location they are currently occupying and the tag to find. When tags
are received they are matched to a record in the local database. The database
information is used to provide additional details about the tag and asset. Department
searches can not be performed when working online.
Working offline using Dept and Tag
Select a department and a tag. In offline mode the user can select a department and
then “any” tag or a specific tag in the tag combo.
NOTE: In online mode the locations and resources are retrieved from the
PinPoint Mobile Resource Manager. Consult the section Integrating with
Mobile Resource Manager for details.
Programming Tags
To assist in categorizing assets and performing efficient searches
the tags can be grouped by programming a department id into
each tag. A tag must be blank before a new department and tag id
can be programmed into them. Any tag that is blank and receives
the write message will have the new ids set into them.
To erase a tag
1. On the Main window, tap Write Tags.
2 In the Department drop -down, select
a department ID number.
2. In the Tag box, select a tag id.
3. Click Erase.
4. Tag should beep indicating it has been
erased.
To write to a blank tag
1. In the Department box, select a new
department id.
2. In the Tag box, select a new tag id.
3. Click Write.
4. Tag should beep indicating it has
accepted the new values.
HELPFUL HINTS
Be sure to attach a label to the Tag that indicates its new department
and Tag ID.
The initial Tag ID can be determined by looking at the serial number
label.
DO NOT program two Tags with the same department and Tag ID.
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Selecting a Tag to Find
In offline mode the user can select a department and then “any” or a specific tag
in the Tag box.
To find a tag
1. In the Department box, select a
department id.
2. In the Tag box, select a tag id.
3. Select the Beep check box, to hear
the tag beep. Select the Light check
box to see the tag flash.
4. Move the Power Output slider to
the right to increase the output
range.
Adjusting the Power Output
increases and decreases the range at
which tags respond. A lower
output setting decreases the
number of tags that respond to
search.
5. Click Find to start searching for
tags.
During a search a progress bar is
displayed. The tag count in the lower left
corner will be incremented as tags are
received. Once all the tags are received
the progress bar will indicate “Complete”
and the tag list will be filled with the tags
received.
•When using resource names select the
resource name from the Resource box
then click Find.
NOTE: Only one mobile reader at a time should perform a search.
Viewing Tag History
Each time a tag is received a record is created in the History table in the SQL CE
Server Seeker database. The historical records can be viewed through the View
History screen. Each record is presented with a timestamp of when the tag was
found and the resource name or department/tag id.
The historical records can be filtered using the Date Time Picker. Sequences of
records from a start to an end date can be displayed.
To select a start and end date
1. Click Start Date arrow to display the
Date Picker.
View History
Select a Date Range
HELPFUL HINTS
If searches become slow you can clear
the histroy table from the Settings
window.
The resource name is displayed if it is
available.
View History window defaults to
today’s date for both start and end.
2. Select Start Date from the Date Picker.
3. Click End Date arrow to display a
second Date Picker.
4. Select End Date from the Date Picker.
5. History List will update with the new
range of values.
6. The number of records returned by the
date range is displayed in the lower left
corner.
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Find Results
Each Tag received is displayed with its
tag id, dept id, battery status and the
radio signal strength indication (RSSI) at
which it was received. The RSSI
indicates a relative distance from the
reader. If the tag has a low battery an icon
will appear above the signal strength bar.
Low Battery Indicator
Radio Signal Strength
Indicator (RSSI)
Tag Details Offline
Find Tags Online
Using MRM Data
If a resource name and description is
available the first line of the tag list entry
will contain the resource name and the
second line will contain the description of
the resource.
Selecting a tag in the tag list displays
further details about the tag.
Find Tags Offline
Tag Details Online
Viewing Tag Details
Selecting a tag in the list displays the Tag
Details window.
The Tag Details window provides
additional information about the tag and
allows the specific tag to be found again.
In offline mode the tag id, department id,
manufacturing date, low battery status, and
the signal strength are displayed. If
available the resource name, description,
and resource image will be displayed.
In online mode the tag id, resource,
manufacturing date, low battery status,
signal strength and description are
displayed. The resource and description
come from the database.
To further determine the location of a Tag
1. Click Find to search for this specific tag.
2. The RSSI bar graph will be
updated with a new signal strength
value.
The tag will beep and light based
on the checkbox selections from
the previous find.
NOTE: If the tag is not found again
during a Find the signal strength bar
will turn light gray.
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