User's Manual

Page Center User Manual
Page 23
7 Serial Port Protocols
The PAGE CENTER 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
PAGE CENTER 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 PAGE
CENTER. The PAGE CENTER 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 PAGE
CENTER 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
PAGE CENTER 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 PAGE CENTER 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
PAGE CENTER
Action
Comment
<CR>
The Entry Device should send a <CR> at two second intervals
until the PAGE CENTER responds with the characters ID=.
The <CR> is an ASCII code 13h.
ID=<CR><LF>
The PAGE CENTER will respond within one second of the
<CR>, and it does not end the ID= prompt with a <CR> or a
<LF>.