User’s Guide
RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) for the EasyCoder® PM4i Printer
Intermec Technologies Corporation Corporate Headquarters 6001 36th Ave. W. Everett, WA 98203 U.S.A. www.intermec.com The information contained herein is proprietary and is provided solely for the purpose of allowing customers to operate and service Intermecmanufactured equipment and is not to be released, reproduced, or used for any other purpose without written permission of Intermec. Information and specifications contained in this document are subject to change without prior notice and do not represent a commitment on the part of Intermec Technologies Corporation. © 2005, 2006 by Intermec Technologies Corporation. All rights reserved. The word Intermec, the Intermec logo, Norand, ArciTech, Beverage Routebook, CrossBar, dcBrowser, Duratherm, EasyADC, EasyCoder, EasySet, Fingerprint, INCA (under license), i-gistics, Intellitag, Intellitag Gen2, JANUS, LabelShop, MobileLAN, Picolink, Ready-to-Work, RoutePower, Sabre, ScanPlus, ShopScan, Smart Mobile Computing, SmartSystems, TE 2000, Trakker Antares, and Vista Powered are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Intermec Technologies Corporation. Throughout this manual, trademarked names may be used. Rather than put a trademark (™ or ®) symbol in every occurrence of a trademarked name, we state that we are using the names only in an editorial fashion, and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement. There are U.S. and foreign patents pending.
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RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User’s Guide
Contents Before You Begin............................................................................. v Global Services and Support............................................. v Who Should Read This Manual?...................................... v Related Documents......................................................... vi Patent Information ......................................................... vi Installation......................................................................................1 Introduction to RFID.....................................................................1 Applications of Use.........................................................................3 Media Recommendations................................................................3 RFID Operation in Fingerprint......................................................4 Limitations.......................................................................4 Printing............................................................................4 RFID Setup......................................................................5 Changing the Setup..........................................................7 Accessing RFID setup via TCP/IP....................................7 RFID Operation in IPL..................................................................8 Limitations.......................................................................8 Printing............................................................................8 RFID Setup......................................................................9 Changing the Setup........................................................10 Accessing RFID Setup via TCP/IP..................................11 Troubleshooting............................................................................12
RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User's Guide
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RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User’s Guide
Before You Begin This section provides you with technical support information, and sources for additional product information.
Global Services and Support Warranty Information
To understand the warranty for your Intermec product, visit the Intermec web site at www.intermec.com and click Service & Support > Warranty. Disclaimer of warranties: The sample code included in this document is presented for reference only. The code does not necessarily represent complete, tested programs. The code is provided “as is with all faults.” All warranties are expressly disclaimed, including the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.
Web Support
Visit the Intermec web site at www.intermec.com to download our current manuals (in PDF). To order printed versions of the Intermec manuals, contact your local Intermec representative or distributor. Visit the Intermec technical knowledge base (Knowledge Central) at intermec.custhelp.com to review technical information or to request technical support for your Intermec product.
Telephone Support
In the USA and Canada, call 1-800-755-5505. Outside the USA and Canada, contact your local Intermec representative. To search for your local representative, go to the Intermec web site and click Contact.
Who Should Read This Manual? This document is for the person who is responsible for configuring and operating the EasyCoder PM4i equipped with an RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 Mhz). This document provides you with information about the features of the RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 Mhz) and how to configure, operate, maintain, and troubleshoot it.
RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User's Guide
Related Documents Document Title
Part Number
EasyCoder PM4i User’s Guide Fingerprint 8.70.0 Programmer’s Reference Manual IPL Programmer’s Reference Manual
1-960583-xx 1-960582-07 006396-012
The Intermec web site at www.intermec.com contains our documents (as PDF files) that you can download for free.
To download documents 1 Visit the Intermec web site at www.intermec.com. 2 Click Service & Support > Manuals. 3 In the Select a Product field, choose the product whose
documentation you want to download.
To order printed versions of the Intermec manuals, contact your local Intermec representative or distributor.
Patent Information This product is covered by one or more of the following U.S. patents: 4,739,328; 4,786,907; 4,864,158; 4,888,591; 4,999,636; 5,030,807; 5,055,659; 5,280,159; 5,504,485; 5,521,601; 5,550,547; 5,673,037; 5,763,867; 5,777,561; 5,825,045; 5,828,318; 5,828,693; 5,850,181; 5,850,187; 5,942,987; 5,995,019; 6,078,251; 6,121,878; 6,122,329; 6,172,596; 6,195,053; 6,249,227; 6,280,544; 6,286,762; 6,286,763; 6,288,629; 6,360,208; 6,384,712; 6,404,325; 6,429,775; 6,486,769; 6,501,807; 6,525,648; 6,639,509; 6,645,327; 6,677,852; 6,768,414; 6,784,789; 6,816,063. There may be other U.S. and foreign patents pending.
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RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User’s Guide
Installation The kit comes either factory installed or can be installed on-site by an authorized service technician. Please acknowledge the following important notice: If you open the electronics cover, you will void the warranty and may cause damage to the internal components. Opening the electronics cover exposes the user to shock hazards which may result in injury or death.
Introduction to RFID The term RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) describes the use of radio frequency signals to provide automatic identification of items. RFID is a flexible technology that combines advantages not available with other identification technologies. It is convenient, easy to use, and well suited for automatic operation. RFID does not require contact or line-of-sight to operate, it can function under a variety of environmental conditions and provides a high level of data integrity. Radio waves transfer data between an RFID reader and an item to which an RFID tag is attached. The tag can contain data about the item, such as what the item is, what time the device traveled through a certain zone and so on. RFID tags can be attached to virtually anything—from a vehicle to a pallet of merchandise. RFID is similar in concept to bar coding. Bar code systems use a reader and coded labels that are attached to an item, whereas RFID uses a reader and special RFID tags that are attached to an item. Bar coding uses optical signals to transfer information from the label to the reader; RFID uses radio frequency signals to transfer information from the RFID tag to the reader. However, an RFID tag can hold significantly larger amounts of data and can be rewritten many times which are obvious advantages.
RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User's Guide
RFID technology uses frequencies within the range of 50 kHz to 2.5 GHz. As shown in the illustration, an RFID system typically includes the following components: • RFID tag or transponder that contains data about an item. • Antenna used to transmit the RF signals between the reader and the RFID tag. • Reader with RF transceiver that generates radio frequency signals and receives RF transmissions from an RFID tag. In addition to this basic RFID equipment, an RFID system includes application-specific software. Reader with Transceiver
Write to Tag
Label with RFID Tag
Read from Tag
Inform ation
System & Application Hardware & Software
Antenna
RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User’s Guide
Applications of Use The RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) is an optional device for the EasyCoder PM4i that provides the printer with capacity to read and write to RFID tags. The internal RFID radio module operates on the UHF band at 869 or 915 MHz depending on region. The RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869 MHz) uses an EPCglobal Gen 2-certified IM5 Module (86X MHz RFID frequency band). The RFID Kit (Gen 2, 915 MHz) uses an EPCglobal Gen 2-certified IM5 Module (915 MHz RFID frequency band). The RFID interface board occupies one of the slots for optional interfaces at the back of the printer and features an extra RS-232 serial interface. For printers running Fingerprint, this is referred to as "uart2:", "uart3:" or "uart4:" depending on which slot is used and what other optional devices are installed. Please note that the 9-pin connector is not functional when the board is installed in an IPL printer. Your printer should be fitted with either Intermec Fingerprint v8.70.0 (or later) or IPL v2.70.0 (or later), or RFID functionality cannot be guaranteed.
Media Recommendations To ensure complete functionality of the EasyCoder PM4i equipped with an RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz), we strongly urge you to use Intermec recommended RFID media only. Printers with factory-installed RFID kits come with a sample roll of 4x6" RFID media. General media recommendations and order information is provided through an Intermec web page: go to www.intermec.com. Choose Products > RFID, and then click Tags, Inserts and Smart Labels.
RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User's Guide
RFID Operation in Fingerprint The information in this section concerns users running Fingerprint firmware on their PM4i printer. Be sure to also keep the EasyCoder PM4i User’s Guide and the Fingerprint 8.70.0 Programmer’s Reference Manual handy, for additional information on procedures and RFID commands.
Limitations Note: When calling the TAGFIELD command, the start and length parameters must be set as even numbers.
Printing General Recommendations
The RFID inlay (or tag), which consists of a chip and an antenna, is glued to the back of the label (between the label and the liner). Even though the inlay is very thin, the label will be slightly thicker in the inlay area. This may affect the printout quality and therefore a high-quality ink ribbon, such as the TMX 2304, is recommended to use in conjuction with RFID media. The TMX 1500 would be a suitable low-cost alternative to this product. If results are not satisfactory, avoid printing on the inlay altogether (if the media allows it). As a starting point, set the ribbon constant to 80 and the ribbon factor to 25 when printing on RFID media (refer to the EasyCoder PM4i User’s Guide for information on these procedures). Depending on the media type, it may be necessary to change these values. This information can also be found via the web link given in the “Media Recommendations” section. Note 1: In order to achieve faultless read/write operations, some manual tweaking may be required to ensure that the RFID labels are properly aligned with the antenna. This involves modifying the Tagadjust variable in RFID Setup mode. Refer to the RFID Setup section for further details. Note 2: Each new RFID media type loaded in the printer must be identified electronically. This can be done either by restarting the printer, or by running a TESTFEED.
RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User’s Guide
Printing a Test Label
Once the printer has been loaded with RFID media, we recommend that you print an RFID test label to verify that everything is working correctly. When the command is issued, the printer will attempt to access the next tag on the media roll, and if successful, it will print the tag type name on the label. There are two ways to produce an RFID test label: 1 On the printer console, press the Setup button. Navigate your way to
Print Defs > Testprint > RFID Test Label. Press Enter.
2 Acquire the printer’s internal IP number (Setup > Network > IP
Address), open your web browser and enter the number into the address field. This brings up the printer’s "home page". Click Printer > Web shell and select RFID Test label from the drop-down menu.
RFID Setup Once installed, the printer automatically recognizes the RFID module and adds RFID options to the setup tree. The setup tree as viewed from the console is shown in the illustration below. SETUP: RFID
These menus will only be displayed when an RFID module is installed.
RFID: MODE MODE: ENABLE
MODE: DISABLE
RFID: RETRIES
RFID: VOIDTEXT
RFID: TAGADJUST
RFID: FIELDSTRENGTH
RETRIES: [1]:
VOIDTEXT: [VOID]: Read-Only
TAGADJUST: [0]:
FIELDSTRENGTH: [100]:
RFID,MODE,ENABLE|DISABLE Must be set to ENABLE to use RFID commands. This is the default setting when an RFID module is installed. RFID,RETRIES Specifies the number of labels the printer will retry to access after a failed read or write operation. The default is 1, and allowed values range from 0 to 10. Before moving the label roll to try accessing the next tag, the text string specified by RFID,VOIDTEXT will be printed on the failed label. If all retries fail, the printer will position the current label below the antenna with STOPADJUST and signal error 1321. RFID,VOIDTEXT Specifies the text to print on labels with faulty tags. The length of the RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User's Guide
string must be no more than 16 characters. Default text is VOID. The text is centered on the label, written with the "Swiss 721 Bold BT" font, and resized to cover 80% of the label width. You may enter an empty string as "". RFID,TAGADJUST Specifies the distance (in number of dots) the label will be moved to align the tag under the antenna to enable successful read and write operations. The label is moved before the printer attempts to access the tag. A negative value will retract the label, while a positive value will cause the label to be moved forward prior to RFID operations. Default is zero, and only absolute values equal to or smaller than the max label length are allowed. To ensure the media is not retracted past the printhead, the maximum backward motion is restricted electronically.
Note: For most types of RFID labels, you will not be required to change the Tagadjust variable. 4x2-inch labels however are the exception. In this case you should set Tagadjust to -104 (printhead resolution 203 dots/inch) or -153 (printhead resolution 300 dots/inch). Be sure to check the recommendations for your RFID media, as these values may vary slightly between different types of media. RFID,FIELDSTRENGTH This parameter (a value between 0 and 100) indicates the level of the field strength that the antenna applies in order to communicate with the RFID tag. By default, this is set to the maximum value. You should not change this parameter unless it is explicitly stated in the recommendations for your RFID media.
RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User’s Guide
Changing the Setup All RFID setup values can be changed directly on the printer’s console (except VOIDTEXT, which is a string and cannot be entered on the numeric keypad). The following example sets TAGADJUST to 50 dots, retries to 3 labels and VOIDTEXT to "Bad label". Example
10 SETUP "RFID,TAGADJUST,50" 20 SETUP "RFID,RETRIES,3" 30 SETUP "RFID,VOIDTEXT,Bad label"
Accessing RFID setup via TCP/IP The printer’s RFID setup parameters can also be changed via a TCP/ IP communication channel. Acquire the printer’s IP address from the console (Setup > Network > IP Address), open your web browser and enter the number into the address field. This opens up the printer’s home page. In the main menu, select Configuration. This brings up a list of folders on the left-hand side of the window. Select Printer > RFID.
RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User's Guide
RFID Operation in IPL The information in this section concerns users running IPL on their PM4i printer. Be sure to also keep the EasyCoder PM4i User's Guide and the IPL Programmer's Reference Manual handy, for additional information on setup procedures and RFID commands.
Limitations Note: When writing to the RFID tags, you must set the first byte and length parameters of the RFID tag field setup command (a) as even numbers.
Printing General recommendations
The RFID inlay (or tag), which consists of a chip and an antenna, is glued to the back of the label (between the label and the liner). Even though the inlay is very thin, the label will be slightly thicker in the inlay area. This may affect the printout quality and therefore a high-quality ink ribbon, such as the TMX 2304, is recommended to use in conjuction with RFID media. The TMX 1500 would be a suitable low-cost alternative to this product. If results are not satisfactory, avoid printing on the inlay altogether (if the media allows it). As a starting point, set the sensitivity number to 565 when printing on RFID media (refer to the EasyCoder PM4i User’s Guide for information on this procedure). Depending on the media type, it may be necessary to change this value. This information can also be found via the web link given in the “Media Recommendations” section. Note: In order to achieve faultless read/write operations, some manual tweaking may be required to ensure that the RFID labels are properly aligned with the antenna. This involves modifying the Tagadjust variable in RFID Setup mode. Refer to the RFID Setup section for further details.
Printing a Test Label
Once the printer has been loaded with RFID media, we recommend that you print an RFID test label to verify that everything is working correctly. When the command is issued, the printer will attempt to access
RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User’s Guide
the next tag on the media roll, and if successful, it will print the tag type name on the label. To print a test label, press Setup on the printer’s console. Go to Test/Service > Testprint > Config > RFIDlabel.
RFID Setup The printer automatically recognizes the RFID module, and adds RFID options to the setup tree. The setup tree as viewed from the console is shown in the illustration below. SETUP: RFID
These menus will only be displayed when an RFID module is installed.
RFID: MODE MODE: ENABLE
MODE: DISABLE
RFID: RETRIES
RFID: VOIDTEXT
RFID: TAGADJUST
RFID: FIELDSTRENGTH
RETRIES: [1]:
VOIDTEXT: [VOID]: Read-Only
TAGADJUST: [0]:
FIELDSTRENGTH: [100]:
RFID,MODE,ENABLE|DISABLE Must be set to ENABLE to use RFID commands. This is the default setting when an RFID module is installed. RFID,RETRIES Specifies the number of labels the printer will retry to access after a failed read or write operation. The default is 1, and allowed values range from 0 to 10. Before moving the label roll to try accessing the next tag, the text string specified by RFID,VOIDTEXT will be printed on the failed label. If all retries fail, the printer will position the current label below the antenna and signal error 61. RFID,VOIDTEXT Specifies the text to print on labels with faulty tags. The length of the string must be no more than 16 characters. Default text is VOID. The text is centered on the label, written with the "Swiss 721 Bold BT" font, and resized to cover 80% of the label width. You may enter an empty string as "". RFID,TAGADJUST Specifies the distance (in number of dots) the label will be moved to align the tag under the antenna to enable successful read and write operations. The label is moved before the printer attempts to access the tag. A negative value will retract the label, while a positive value will cause the label to be moved forward prior to RFID operations. Default is zero, and only absolute values equal to or smaller than the max label length RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User's Guide
are allowed. To ensure the media is not retracted past the printhead, the maximum backward motion is restricted electronically.
Note: For 4x3" and 4x6" labels you will be required to change the Tagadjust variable. Set Tagadjust to +112 (for printhead resolution 203 dots/inch) or +166 (for printhead resolution 300 dots/inch). Be sure to check the recommendations for your RFID media, as these values may vary slightly between different types of media. RFID,FIELDSTRENGTH This parameter (a value between 0 and 100) indicates the level of the field strength that the antenna applies in order to communicate with the RFID tag. By default, this is set to the maximum value. You should not change this parameter unless it is explicitly stated in the recommendations for your RFID media.
Changing the Setup RFID setup values are changed with the following commands: Jn,m,p where n: is 1 for RFID,MODE,ENABLE and 0 for RFID,MODE,DISABLE
m: TAGADJUST value in dots.
p: number of RETRIES.
Kn
10
where n: is the VOIDTEXT string.
RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User’s Guide
Accessing RFID Setup via TCP/IP The printer’s RFID setup parameters can also be changed via a TCP/ IP communication channel. Acquire the printer’s IP address from the console (Setup > Network > IP Address), open your web browser and enter the number into the address field. This opens up the printer’s home page. In the main menu, select Configuration. This brings up a list of folders on the left-hand side of the window. Select Printer > RFID.
RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User's Guide
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Troubleshooting Problem: "No tag found" is displayed when a TESTFEED is attempted.
Possible Causes and Suggested Remedies: • The inlay could be broken. -
Replace the label.
• You are not currently using RFID media. -
Load the printer with RFID media.
• The current TAGADJUST value is incorrect. -
Align the label with the edge of the tear bar (Fingerprint) or press the Feed button to position the label at the start-of-print point (IPL). Leave the lid open and measure the distance between the middle of the inlay and a point orthogonally right below the antenna. Convert the distance to dots.
TAGADJUST = Distance * TPHresolution(mm)
Enter the TAGADJUST value in the SETUP menu with the command:
SETUP "RFID,TAGADJUST,"
J1,
Example:
TPH (Thermal Printhead) resolution 203 dpi DISTANCE 15 mm TAGADJUST = 15 * 203 / 25.4 = 120 dots
(Fingerprint) (IPL)
Problem: An application writing to RFID tags produces a large number of VOID labels.
Possible Causes and Suggested Remedies: • Verify that the TAGADJUST value is set correctly. -
Follow the procedure as described above
• The printer has not yet identified the RFID media type. 12
RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User’s Guide
-
Fingerprint users: run a TESTFEED, either via the console (Shift+Feed) or the printer's home page. On IPL printers, the media is identified automatically when you lower the printhead and press the FEED key.
• The output power to the antenna could need adjusting. -
Check the recommended field strength for your specific media (see “Media Recommendations”). Adjust the parameter accordingly.
Problem: None of the RFID commands work. The message "RFID inactive" is displayed.
Possible Causes and Suggested Remedies: • RFID Mode has been disabled. -
Enable it with the following commands:
SETUP "RFID,MODE,ENABLE"
(Fingerprint)
J1
(IPL)
Problem: Printing on non-RFID media is slow and printing is halted in between labels.
Possible Causes and Suggested Remedies: • RFID mode is enabled. -
Disable it with the following commands:
SETUP "RFID,DISABLE"
(Fingerprint)
J0
(IPL)
Problem: After the printer has been loaded with a new roll of RFID media, it is unable to write to the tags.
Possible Causes and Suggested Remedies: • The printer has not yet identified the RFID media type. -
If RFID media is changed without the printer having been
RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User's Guide
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turned OFF, it resets the inlay type and waits for a TESTFEED to identify the new RFID media. A TESTFEED should take care of this problem.
Problem: RFID operations yield "Not supported by tag type" error messages.
Possible Causes and Suggested Remedies: • A command tries to access a tag data segment that is not available on the current RFID media. -
Example: Performing TAGWRITE or TAGREAD operations on the EPC segment of a tag that is not a Gen 2 tag.
• A command is referring to a tag format that is not available on the current RFID media. -
Example: using TAGFORMAT "NUM" for Class 1 media, or trying to write an EPC-96 format to a 64-bit tag.
• A command is used together with a "level" that is not allowed for a particular tag type. -
Example: using TAGPROTECT "UNLOCKP" on Class 1 media or TAGPROTECT ”ON” for Gen 2 tags.
Problem: Data can be written unlawfully to a write-protected ISO 18000-6B tag.
Possible Causes and Suggested Remedies: • For some ISO 18000-6B tag chips, the functionality to protect the tag memory from being rewritten has not been implemented. -
Switch to tags with a different chip that have this functionality implemented.
Problem: TAGWRITE commands yield “Tag format error” error messages.
Possible Causes and Suggested Remedies: • The user is trying to store an excessively large amount of data in the tag's memory. • An invalid value has been entered, such as an uneven number of 14
RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User’s Guide
characters for one of the "HEX" formats or an incorrect number of digits for a parameter defining an EPC-format.
Problem: TAGREAD commands yield "Tag format error" error messages.
Possible Causes and Suggested Remedies: • The number of required parameters depend on what TAGFORMAT has been defined for the read operation. -
See the manual for Fingerprint v8.60 or later. Additional information can be found in the EPC Tag Data Standard (v1.1, revision 1.27) document available via http://www.epcglobalinc. org/standards_technology/specifications.html.
Problem: The message "Error in filename" (Fingerprint) or "No RFID support" (IPL) is displayed when attempting to enable RFID mode through setup, for example by calling the command SETUP "RFID,MODE,ENABLE".
Possible Causes and Suggested Remedies: • No RFID kit is installed in the printer.
Problem: ISO 18000-6B tags work fine, but reading Class 1 tags yield a "No tag found" error message.
Possible Causes and Suggested Remedies: • ISO 18000-6B tags are addressed with the IM3 or IM5 RFID reader. For these modules, Class 1 support has not been implemented yet. Class 1 tags require an MPR6100 RFID Radio Module. -
An MPR6100 can be ordered from Intermec Sales as part of an upgrade kit ("RFID Kit (Class 1, 915 MHz").
RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User's Guide
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Problem: "RFID" does not show up in the SETUP tree.
Possible Causes and Suggested Remedies: • The printer is not communicating properly with the RFID hardware. -
Contact Intermec Support (see the “Before You Begin” section).
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RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User’s Guide
Intermec Technologies Corporation Corporate Headquarters 6001 36th Avenue West Everett, WA 98203 U.S.A. tel 425.348.2600 fax 425.355.9551 www.intermec.com
RFID Kit (Gen 2, 869/915 MHz) User's Guide
*1-960653-01* P/N 1-960653-01
