User's Manual

OSMAC Base User Manual
Page 24
Manu.01_0405
7 Serial Port Protocols
The OSMAC Base paging transmitter supports three different serial port communication protocols.
Each protocol has its own uses, and the correct one for one application may not be the correct one for
another. The OSMAC Base must be configured to support the desired protocol, and only one protocol
may be used at a time. The three protocols supported are:
TAP (also called IXO) The Telocator Access Protocol is an industry standard protocol for
communications between paging entry devices and a paging terminal.
Individual pagers can be sent individual messages.
COMP1 This protocol is a simple way to send data to one pager. It is designed to
allow a person with a simple computer terminal to type a message into the
OSMAC Base.TheOSMAC Base must be pre-configured with the
CAPCODE of the pager to send the data to, and all data sent into the
serial port of the OSMAC Base will be sent to that one pager.
COMP2 COMP2 is similar to COMP1, except each page requires two lines of text
to be entered. The first line is the pager number to send the page to, and
the second line is the alpha or numeric message to send to that pager.
7.1 TAP
The Telocator Alphanumeric Protocol, or TAP protocol as it is called, is used to send pages to
communicate paging information to a transmitter. It is a sequence of characters sent over a serial
interface to a transmitter. The transmitter must parse the commands, and take the appropriate
actions.
The following sections describe how the TAP protocol works. It assumes that the device
communicating to the OSMAC Base Station is directly connected to it via a serial cable. If other
means are used (i.e. modem) then the modem connection must first be established. For the purposes
of this manual, the OSMAC Base is assumed to be the transmitter, and the device connected to its
serial port is the "Entry Device". Typical entry devices are computers, paging terminals, and alarm
monitors. Characters listed in brackets <xx> are ASCII codes, and the values for them are listed at
the end of this document.
Initiating a Page
Entry Device OSMAC Base Action Comment
<CR> The Entry Device should send a <CR> at two second
intervals until the OSMAC Base responds with the
characters ID=. The <CR> is an ASCII code 13h.
ID=<CR><LF> The OSMAC Base will respond within one second of
the <CR>, and it does not end the ID= prompt with a
<CR> or a <LF>.