M6e-30dBm Hardware Guide For: M6e (Firmware Ver. 1.
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Revision Table Date Version Description 4/2010 01 RevA First Draft for Beta release 8/2010 01 Rev1 • Updated GPIO content • Added FCC regulation info section 10/2010 02 Rev 2 • updated FCC info 3
Contents Communication Regulation Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Federal Communication Commission Interference Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Industry Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Authorized Antennas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Application Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Programming the M6e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Upgrading the M6e. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Save and Restore Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Appendix A: Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Common Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
FAULT_PROTOCOL_INVALID_EPC – 410h 62 FAULT_PROTOCOL_INVALID_NUM_DATA – 411h 62 FAULT_GEN2 PROTOCOL_OTHER_ERROR - 420h 62 FAULT_GEN2_PROTOCOL_MEMORY_OVERRUN_BAD_PC - 423h 63 FAULT_GEN2 PROTOCOL_MEMORY_LOCKED - 424h 63 FAULT_GEN2 PROTOCOL_INSUFFICIENT_POWER - 42Bh 63 FAULT_GEN2 PROTOCOL_NON_SPECIFIC_ERROR - 42Fh 64 FAULT_GEN2 PROTOCOL_UNKNOWN_ERROR - 430h 64 Analog Hardware Abstraction Layer Faults. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Communication Regulation Information Communication Regulation Information EMC FCC 47 CFR, Part 15 Industrie Canada RSS-210 Federal Communication Commission Interference Statement This 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.
Communication Regulation Information any additional compliance requirements required with this module installed (for example, digital device emissions, PC peripheral requirements, etc.). Note In 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.
Communication Regulation Information Industry Canada Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device. To reduce potential radio interference to other users, the antenna type and its gain should be so chosen that the equivalent isotropically radiated power (e.i.r.p.) is not more than that permitted for successful communication.
Communication Regulation Information 12
Mercury6e Introduction The ThingMagic® Mercury6e® (M6e) embedded module is an RFID engines that you can integrate with other systems to create RFID-enabled products. Applications to control the M6e 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.
Mercury6e Introduction
Hardware Overview The following section provides detailed specifications of the M6e hardware including: Hardware Interfaces Power Requirements Environmental Specifications Assembly Information Hardware Overview 15
Hardware Interfaces Hardware Interfaces Antenna Connections The M6e supports four monostatic bidirectional RF antennas through four MMCX connectors: labeled J1 through J4 on the module. See Cables and Connectors for more information on antenna connector parts. The maximum RF power that can be delivered to a 50 ohm load from each port is 1 Watt, or +30 dBm. Note The RF ports can only be energized one at a time. Antenna Requirements The performance of the M6e is affected by antenna quality.
Hardware Interfaces amp per pin rating. which mates with Molex housing p/n 51021-1500 with crimps p/n 63811-0300. See Cables and Connectors for more information on typical cable parts.
Hardware Interfaces TTL Level TX V-Low: Max 0.4 VDC V-High: 2.1 to 3.3 VDC 8 mA max TTL Level RX V-Low: -0.3 to 0.6 VDC V-High: 2.2 to 5 VDC (Tied to ground through a 10kOhm pull-up resistor. It is not harmful, but not recommended to drive the input above 3.3 V.) A level converter could be 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.
Hardware Interfaces General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) The four GPIO connections, provided through the M6e Digital Connector Signal Definition, may be configured as inputs or outputs using the MercuryAPI. The GPIO pins connect through 100 ohm resistors to the high current PA0 to PA3 pins of the AT91SAM7X processor. The processor data sheet can be consulted for additional details. Pins configured as inputs must not have input voltages that exceed voltage range of -0.3 volts to +5.5 volts.
Hardware Interfaces defeated if the module is held in the boot loader by Reset Line being held low. Lines configured as outputs consume no excess power if the output is left open. Specified module power consumption is achieved for one or more GPIO lines set as output and left open. Users who are not able to provide external pull ups or pull downs on any given input, and who do not need that GPIO line, may configure it as an output and leave it open to achieve specified module power consumption.
Power Requirements Power Requirements RF Power Output The M6e supports separate read and write power level which are command adjustable via the MercuryAPI. Power levels must be between: – Minimum RF Power = +5 dBm – Maximum RF Power = +30 dBm (+0.0/- 0.5 dB accuracy above +15 dBm) Note Maximum 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.
Power Requirements Power Consumption The following table defines the power/transmit mode settings and power consumption specifications for the M6e. Additional details about Power/Transmit Modes can be found in the Power Management section. M6e Power Consumption RF Transmit Power Setting (dBm) Operation Power/Transmit Mode Max Power1 (Watts) Transmit CW Transmit Mode = DRM 7.52 5.0 +/- 5% 1400 +30 Tag Reading Transmit Mode = DRM 7.52 5.0 +/- 5% 1400 +30 Tag Reading Transmit Mode = Low Power 5.
Environmental Specifications Environmental Specifications Operating Temperature Clamshell temperature must not exceed 70 degrees C. Heat sinking will be required for high duty cycle applications. Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) Specification Specifications to be determined.
Assembly Information Assembly Information Cables and Connectors The following are the cables and connectors used in the M6e Developer’s Kit interface board: Digital Interface The cable assembly used consists of the following parts: 2 Connector Shells [Molex 51021-1500] with 15 Crimp Contacts each [Molex 500798100] 1 Wire (#28 AWG 7x36 - Black, Teflon) for Pin 1 connection [Alpha 284/7-2] 14 Wires (#28 AWG 7x36 - White, Teflon) for other connections [Alpha 284/7-1] Note Pin numbers and assignments are sho
Assembly Information M6e Mechanical Drawing Hardware Overview 25
Authorized Antennas Authorized Antennas This device has been designed to operate with the antennas listed below, and having a maximum gain of 6 dBiL. Antennas not included in this list or having a gain greater than 6 dBiL are strictly prohibited for use with this device. The required antenna impedance is 50 ohms. Manufacturer 26 Manufacturer Part Number Max. Linear Gain (dBiL) Laird S9025P 4.3 Laird S8658WPL 6.0 MTI Wireless MTI-262013 6.0 MTI Wireless MTI-242043 6.
Firmware Overview The following section provides detailed description of the M6e firmware components: Boot Loader Application Firmware Custom On-Reader Applications Firmware Overview 27
Boot Loader Boot Loader The boot loader provides low-level functionality. This program provides the low level hardware support for configuring communication settings, loading Application Firmware and storing and retrieving data to/from flash. When a module is powered up or reset, the boot loader code is automatically loaded and executed. Note Unlike previous ThingMagic modules (M4e and M5e) the M6e bootloader should effectively be invisible to the user.
Application Firmware Application 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 M6e Applications to control the M6e module and derivative products are written using the high level MercuryAPI. The MercuryAPI supports Java, .NET and C programming environments.
Custom On-Reader Applications Custom On-Reader Applications The M6e does not support installing customer applications on the reader. Continuous reader, tag streaming, scripting and other methods of configuring the module to operate in an autonomous or semi-autonomous reading modes maybe supported through the MercuryAPI but custom application cannot be installed on the module.
Communication Protocol The following section provides an overview of the low level serial communications protocol used by the M6e.
Serial Communication Protocol Serial Communication Protocol The serial communication between a computer (host) and the M6e 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.
Serial Communication Protocol Reader-to-Host Communication The 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.
User Programming Interface User Programming Interface The M6e does not support programming to the serial protocol directly. All user interaction with the M6e 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.
Functionality of the Mercury6e The following section provides detailed descriptions of the M6e features and functionality that are supported through the use of the MercuryAPI.
Regulatory Support Regulatory Support Supported Regions The M6e 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. Supported Regions Region North America (NA) Regulatory Support FCC 47 CFG Ch. 1 Part 15 Industrie Canada RSS-210 The regional functionality is set using the MercuryAPI.
Protocol Support Protocol Support The M6e has the ability to support many different tag protocols. Using the MercuryAPI ReadPlan classes the M6e can be configured to single or multi-protocol Read operations.
Protocol Support Protocol Specific Functionality See the MercuryAPI Programmers Guide and language specific reference guides for details on supported Gen2 command functionality. I-PX Protocol Configuration Options The M6e supports multiple I-PX profiles including the ability to specify the Return Link Frequency, encoding and modulation scheme. The two profiles are treated as distinct protocols, the individual parameters are not configurable as with the other protocols.
Antenna Ports Antenna Ports The M6e has four monostatic antenna ports. Each port is capable of both transmitting and receiving. The modules also support Using a Multiplexer, allowing up to 16 total logical antenna ports, controlled using two GPIO lines and the internal physical port J1/J2/J3/J4 switching. Note The M6e does not support bistatic operation.
Antenna Ports GPIO 1 & 2 Used for Antenna Switching Logical Antenna Setting GPIO Output 1 State GPIO Output 2 State Active M6e Physical Port 1 Low Low J1 2 Low Low J2 3 Low Low J3 4 Low Low J4 5 Low High J1 6 Low High J2 7 Low High J3 8 Low High J4 9 High Low J1 10 High Low J2 11 High Low J3 12 High Low J4 13 High High J1 14 High High J2 15 High High J3 16 High High J4 If only one GPIO Output line is used for antenna control, the combinati
Antenna Ports Logical Antenna Setting GPIO Output 1 State Active M6e Physical Port 3 Low J3 4 Low J4 9 High J1 10 High J2 11 High J3 12 High J4 Note The “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 4 and 8 both result in GPIO1=Low and M6e port J4 active.
Antenna Ports reader/antenna/settlingTimeList, respectively. The order the antennas settings are defined does not affect search order. Note Settling 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 Handling Tag Handling When the M6e 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 Streaming mode [Not Yet Implemented]. Tag Buffer The M6e 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 1024 96-bit EPC tags in the TagBuffer at a time.
Tag Read Meta Data Tag Read Meta Data In addition to the tag EPC ID resulting from M6e 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: Tag Read Meta Data Meta Data Field Description Antenna ID The antenna on with the tag was 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.
Power Management Power Management The M6e 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 M6e 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 M6e is idle.
Power Management DRM Compliant Mode This mode maximizes performance in dense reader environments, minimizing interference when used with other M6e or similar DRM-compliant readers, and is fully compliant with the Gen2 DRM spectral mask. Power Save Mode (non-DRM Compliant) This mode reduces the power consumption during RF operations but is not 100% compliant with the DRM spectral mask. This can result increased interference with other readers and reduce overall systems performance.
Performance Characteristics Performance Characteristics Event Response Times The following table provides some metrics on how long common M6e 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.
Save and Restore Configuration Save and Restore Configuration The M6e supports saving module and protocol configuration parameters to the module flash to provide configuration persistence across boots. See the MercuryAPI Programmers Guide and sample applications for details on saving and restoring reader configuration.
Appendix A: Error Messages Common Error Messages The following table lists the common faults discussed in this section.
Common Error Messages FAULT_INVALID_OPCODE – (101h) Cause The 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. Solution Check 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.
Common Error Messages Solution Check 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) Cause A message was received by the reader to set the frequency outside the supported range Solution Make sure the host does not set the frequency outside this range or any other locally supported ranges.
Common Error Messages Solution Check the HW specifications for the supported powers and insure that level is not exceeded. The M6e supports powers between 5 and 30 dBm. FAULT_UNIMPLEMENTED_FEATURE - (109h) Cause Attempting to invoke a command not supported on this firmware or hardware. Solution Check the command being invoked against the documentation. FAULT_INVALID_BAUD_RATE - (10Ah) Cause When the baud rate is set to a rate that is not specified in the Baud Rate table, this error message is returned.
Bootloader Faults Bootloader Faults The following table lists the common faults discussed in this section. Fault Message Code FAULT_BL_INVALID_IMAGE_CRC 200h FAULT_BL_INVALID_APP_END_ADDR 201h FAULT_BL_INVALID_IMAGE_CRC – 200h Cause When 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.
Flash Faults Flash Faults The following table lists the common faults discussed in this section.
Flash Faults FAULT_FLASH_UNDEFINED_ERROR – 302h Cause This is an internal error and it is caused by a software problem in module. Solution When this occurs make note of the operations you were executing, save FULL error response and send a testcase reproducing the behavior to support@thingmagic.com. FAULT_FLASH_ILLEGAL_SECTOR – 303h Cause An erase or write flash command was received with the sector value and password not matching.
Flash Faults Solution When this occurs make note of the operations you were executing, save FULL error response and send a testcase reproducing the behavior to support@thingmagic.com. FAULT_FLASH_VERIFY_FAILED – 306h Cause The module received a write flash command that was unsuccessful because data being written to flash contained an uneven number of bytes.
Protocol Faults Protocol Faults The following table lists the common faults discussed in this section.
Protocol Faults FAULT_NO_TAGS_FOUND – (400h) Cause A 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 dead Solution Make sure there is a good tag in the field and all parameters are set up correctly.
Protocol Faults Solution This 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 – 403h Cause During 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.
Protocol Faults FAULT_PROTOCOL_WRITE_FAILED – 406h Cause An attempt to modify the contents of a tag failed. There are many reasons for failure. Solution Check that the tag is good and try another operation on a few more tags. FAULT_NOT_IMPLEMENTED_FOR_THIS_PROTOCOL – 407h Cause A command was received which is not supported by a protocol. Solution Check the documentation for the supported commands and protocols.
Protocol Faults FAULT_GENERAL_TAG_ERROR – 40Ah Cause This 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. Solution Make a note of the operations you were performing and contact ThingMagic at http:// support.thingmagic.com FAULT_DATA_TOO_LARGE – 40Bh Cause A command was received to Read Tag Data with a data value larger than expected or it is not the correct size.
Protocol Faults FAULT_PROTOCOL_BIT_DECODING_FAILED - 40Fh Cause Attempt to operate on a tag with an EPC length greater than the Maximum EPC length setting. Solution Check the EPC length being written. FAULT_PROTOCOL_INVALID_EPC – 410h Cause This 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. Solution Check the EPC value that is being passed in the command resulting in this error.
Protocol Faults Solution Check 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 423h Cause This is an error returned by Gen2 tags. The specified memory location does not exist or the PC value is not supported by the Tag. Solution Check the data that is being written and where its being written to in the command resulting in this error.
Protocol Faults FAULT_GEN2 PROTOCOL_NON_SPECIFIC_ERROR - 42Fh Cause This is an error returned by Gen2 tags. The tag does not support error specific codes. Solution Check 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 - 430h Cause This is an error returned by M6e when no more error information is available about why the operation failed.
Analog Hardware Abstraction Layer Faults Analog Hardware Abstraction Layer Faults FAULT_AHAL_INVALID_FREQ – 500h Cause A command was received to set a frequency outside the specified range. Solution Check 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 – 501h Cause With LBT enabled an attempt was made to set the frequency to an occupied channel. Solution Try a different channel.
Analog Hardware Abstraction Layer Faults Solution Connect a detectable antenna (antenna must have some DC resistance). FAULT_TEMPERATURE_EXCEED_LIMITS – 504h Cause The module has exceeded the maximum or minimum operating temperature and will not allow an RF operation until it is back in range.
Analog Hardware Abstraction Layer Faults Solution Use the correct antenna setting or change the reader configuration.
Tag ID Buffer Faults Tag ID Buffer Faults The following table lists the common faults discussed in this section. Fault Message Code FAULT_TAG_ID_BUFFER_NOT_ENOUGH_TAGS_AVAILABLE – 600h 600h FAULT_TAG_ID_BUFFER_FULL – 601h 601h FAULT_TAG_ID_BUFFER_REPEATED_TAG_ID – 602h 602h FAULT_TAG_ID_BUFFER_NUM_TAG_TOO_LARGE – 603h 603h FAULT_TAG_ID_BUFFER_NOT_ENOUGH_TAGS_AVAILABLE – 600h Cause A command was received to get a certain number of tag ids from the tag id buffer.
Tag ID Buffer Faults Solution Send a testcase reproducing the behavior to support@thingmagic.com. FAULT_TAG_ID_BUFFER_NUM_TAG_TOO_LARGE – 603h Cause The module received a request to retrieve more tags than is supported by the current version of the software. Solution Send a testcase reproducing the behavior to support@thingmagic.com.
System Errors System Errors FAULT_SYSTEM_UNKNOWN_ERROR – 7F00h Cause The error is internal. Solution Send a testcase reproducing the behavior to support@thingmagic.com. FAULT_TM_ASSERT_FAILED – 7F01h Cause An unexpected Internal Error has occurred. Solution The 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 testcase reproducing the behavior to support@thingmagic.com.
Appendix B: Getting Started - Devkit Devkit USB Interfaces USB/RS232 The USB interface (connector labeled USB/ RS232) closest to the power plug is to the RS232 interface of the M6e through an FTDI USB to serial converter. The drivers for it are available at http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm Please follow the instructions in the installation guide appropriate for your operating system.
Devkit USB Interfaces 6. Mercury6eUltra” should now be shown under the Model list. Select it and click Next then Finished. Note The M6e driver file has not been Microsoft certified so compatibility warnings will be displayed. These can be ignored and clicked through. 7. 72 A COM port should now be assigned to the M6e. 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.
Demo Application Demo Application A demo application which supports multi-protocol reading and writing is provided in the MercuryAPI SDK package. The source code for this example is included in the MercuryAPI SDK package under /cs/samples/M6e-Read-Write-Demo-Tool. See the MercuryAPI Programming Guide for details on using the MercuryAPI. Demo Tool Notes The region is only changed upon initialization. You must disconnect the reader, change the region, and then “Initialize Reader” to change this value.
Demo Application 74 Appendix B: Getting Started - Devkit
