User's Manual

Chapter 4 Operation

Once the MMI is unpacked and the external components are properly connected, the route

disk may be inserted. Once the MMI is powered on, it performs several internal self-

checks. The indication and results of these tests are displayed on the hand-held terminal.

Some self-check problems will require the operator to press a key to acknowledge the

error before continuing. Please consult the trouble-shooting section of this manual if

errors occur during testing which prevent normal usage of the MMI. Once the self-check

has been completed, the MMI will read in a new route from the floppy disk (if the MMI is

not resuming a interrupted route). From here, the reading mode is automatically entered,

and meter reading may begin. Initially, MMI operating parameters are determined by the

settings contained in the Guide file. Many of these parameters may be overridden using

the system setup menu contained within the tools menu, discussed in the command mode

operating section.

All MMI operations fall into one of two basic modes, the Reading mode, and the

Command mode. The Reading mode is entered as soon as the MMI has been initialized.

The Command mode is used to analyze system data and parameters, alter operational

parameters, and perform miscellaneous tasks. The Command mode exists as a group of

five main commands. Each main command has various sub-menus that are supported.

The Reading mode does not require any operator input, and therefore has no menu

structure. There are two operations available in the Reading mode, the mode of reading

may be changed with the back space key, or the Reading mode may be exited by pressing

any other key. Pressing any of the yellow keys on the handheld terminal will invoke the

particular menu associated with that key.

Reading Mode

During normal operation of the MMI, the Latitude/Longitude (Lat/Lon or L/L) or GEO

mode of interrogation is used, and only transponders in the interrogation window are

interrogated. The interrogation window is an imaginary area surrounding the MMI that is

used to determine which transponders should be interrogated. This is simply a means in

which only certain transponders are selected for interrogation. Correspondingly, the

route may be driven in any order, since the MMI is constantly computing which

transponders are available for interrogation. A transponder will typically respond within

distances less than 2000 feet. The window size typically never needs to be changed, but it

may be necessary to reduce it, for example, when there are many transponders in a small

area. The smaller window size will allow for a smaller group of transponders to be

placed in the interrogation window, allowing them to be polled more quickly. The

window size may also be increased if there is some inaccuracies in the stored position of

a transponder, and you want to be sure that it is interrogated. If the window size is too

small, the MMI may never interrogate a particular transponder, which if interrogated,

would probably respond. Likewise, if the window size is set too large, then too many

transponders may be located in the window, which will slow down the interrogation for

each one.