AdvanStation-100

Introduction

AdvanStation is an encoding station for paper and hard RFID UHF tags.

AdvanStation easily and quickly encodes hundreds or thousands of RFID tags at retail stores, offices, distribution centers, warehouses, or other spaces.

AdvanStation includes:

• Internal RFID reader with embedded computer

• RFID antenna

• Barcode scanner

• Magnet for facilitating the placement of RFID hard tags

• Visual indicators

• Frame and casing

• Software drivers

Download DataSheet.

Getting Started

1. Bar code reader connection

Connect the bar code reader USB cable into the AdvanStation-100 USB port.

2. Power AdvanStation

AdvanStation-100 may be operated from 110 – 230 V (AC). Use the supplied cable to connect the MAINS port to a free power plug.

3. Encoding Test

Use the RFID test tags to test the encoding performance of AdvanStation.

  1. Generate an EAN-13 code: The EAN-13 code is formed by 12 numerical digits and one last control digit. This digit is generated automatically as it can be seen in the following web page (http://www.gs1.org/check-digit-calculator) when putting the first 12 digits.

  2. Print a bar code (only numerical). For example, the web page http://barcode.teEAN13c-it.com/en can be used. Configure it to use EAN/UPC and then EAN-13:

  3. Download the bar code and print it (printing the bar code is optional as the bar code reader can scan the bar code from the monitor or screen).

  4. Once there is a bar code to encode the RFID test tags, read the bar code with the bar code reader and after that put a RFID test tag above the point indicated in the picture. After this process, the tag should be written. In the next section, there will be an explanation of the LEDs which indicate if the operation was successful or not.

    • AdvanStation generates an EPC code from the bar code and writes this EPC in the RFID tag. The bar code can be extracted from the EPC.

Print an EAN-13 barcode

Read a barcode and place a RFID tag above the highlighted area to write it

The following video shows how to use it (each piece of cloth has an RFID tag):

4. Indicator LEDs

There are 3 LEDs of different colors to indicate the state of AdvanStation operation:

4.1. Loading AdvanStation application

4.2. Waiting for RFID tag and bar code

4.3. Waiting for RFID tag

4.4. Writting RFID tag

4.5. Successful writing

4.6. There is an error

4.7. When upgrading the configuration

5. Custom configuration

Out of the box, AdvanStation units come with a working configuration. This configuration suites most of the uses.

However, the configuration parameters can be changed by updating a customz file inside AdvanStation designed for handling custom configurations applied by users.

By default, the customz file is blank.

5.1. How to configure AdvanStation

Configuration commands are sent to AdvanStation via QR codes, like the following:

A QR code

Keep in mind the following notes before updating your device:

    • The configuration command is a single text line without any space, tabulation, line feed, ... either at the beginning or at the end.

    • When updating the customz file, previous configurations in customz are erased

    • The configuration file can be updated with more than one parameter.

    • Parameters must be separated by the pipe symbol "|".

The procedure to apply a new parameter is:

  1. Prepare QR: Enter in the following webpage (http://goqr.me/) and write the specific configuration command.

  2. Read QR with AdvanStation-100

  3. The 3 indicator LED will blink three times.

  4. Power cycle the device to apply the new settings.

5.2. Configuration Parameters

5.3. Read Power configuration example

To change the read power of AdvanStation, create a QR with the following configuration command and follow the steps explained in the section How to configure AdvanStation.

  • update|customy|r=1800

5.4. Tag Password configuration example

In RFID, the password is presented in Hexadecimal and the mandatory length is 8 Hexadecimal characters:

    • BAD passwords:

      • UE231111: The character 'U' is not allowed.

      • EF09987: The length of the password is 7 and it has to be 8.

      • 123456789: The length of the password is 9 and it has to be 8.

    • GOOD passwords:

      • FE231111

      • 0EF09987

      • 12345678

To change the password used to encode tags (for example, "bbbbbbbb", create a QR with the following configuration command and follow the steps explained in the section How to configure AdvanStation.

  • update|customx|f=bbbbbbbb

When a RFID tag is being written with a password, to re-write it, the password used will be necessary with any other system like AdvanPay, AdvanScan or the same AdvanStation

Advanced Configuration

Use TID

AdvanStation can be configured to use the TID of the read tags.

The parameter to configure this feature is the "k"

If the parameter "k" is:

    • true: reads and sends the TID. AdvanStation doesn't encode tags without TID.

    • false (DEFAULT): it doesn't read nor sends the TID.

update|customz|k=true

If the TID cannot be read, the tag is ignored

Factory Reset

To factory reset AdvanStation, create ALL the following QRs with the following configuration command and follow the steps explained in the section How to configure AdvanStation with ALL of the configurations. All this QR can be scanned from the monitor, it is not mandatory to print them.

  • update|customx|

  • update|customy|

  • update|customz|

Remember to power cycle AdvanStation after the three QR commands

IP Configuration

AdvanStation 100 can be accessed using SSH (putty). To change the IP config, the file /etc/network/interfaces has to be modified.

Example to change to DHCP

Example to set a static IP

Discover devices

Please see the discover devices for the 150 Series devices: series150/60-Discover-devices.

System features

Access real-time data

All system activity can be accessed at real-time by listening at TCP socket port 3177.

The protocol used is very similar to HTTP and the message format is xml. The following is a sample of message:

ADVANNET/1.0

Content-Length:318

Content-Type:text/xml

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

<msg>

<type>deviceEventMessage</type>

<deviceId>AdvanStation-100-eu</deviceId>

<serial>0030502::d0397240ef6</serial>

<ts>1409211928705</ts>

<status>OK</status>

<event>

<type>TAG_COMMISSIONED</type>

<sku>84058830452443</sku>

<epc>300800000000000000001111</epc>

</event>

</msg>

Important characteristics:

  • Header always contains

    • ADVANNET/1.0: protocol version

    • Content-Length: length of the message

    • Content-Type: type of the message

  • There is an empty line between the headers and the start of the message.

  • Line separators are CRLF characters: this applies to header lines and the empty line between headers and content. The content itself (in case of txt or xml type) may contain any form of line separator.

COMMISSIONING messages

ADVANNET/1.0

Content-Length:318

Content-Type:text/xml

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>

<msg>

<type>deviceEventMessage</type>

<deviceId>AdvanStation-100-eu</deviceId>

<serial>0030502::d0397240ef6</serial>

<ts>1409211928705</ts>

<status>OK</status>

<event>

<type>TAG_COMMISSIONED</type>

<sku>84058830452443</sku>

<epc>300800000000000000001111</epc>

</event>

</msg>

Downloads

Find the User Guide and other downloadable content below.