Logic IO Newsletter
September 28, 2007

 

Dear RTCU User,

This is the late-summer Newsletter coming to you from Logic IO!

In the bag this time we have several interesting releases, including the brand new RTCU Communication Support Package (RTCU CSP). The RTCU CSP is the successor to the, already very popular RTCU Communication Deployment Package, but sports the capability to handle multiple simultaneous communication sessions.

The RTCU IDE is now available in version 4.76, with important enhancements such as conditional compilation and defining an user defined encryption key for completely confidential GPRS Gateway Professional communication.

In a short time another Newsletter will be knocking on your door, with new products announcements including Ethernet/WiFi support for the RTCU MX2i and the new low-cost MX2i version, the RTCU MX2i ECO. Finally we have great news about a prestigious price received by Logic IO for its successful business in 2006.

Until we reveal more about all this, please enjoy the current news below...


Best regards,


The Logic IO Team

RTCU IDE 4.76

A new version of the RTCU IDE V4.76 has been released. Probably the most important news is the support for conditional compilation.

The new conditional compilation directives allow sections of code to be selectively included for or excluded from compilation, depending on programmer-specified symbol (name) being defined or not. It is usually used as a portability tool for tailoring the program code to different hardware variants, or to build multiple versions of an application with different functionality.
Another common use of conditional compilation is for temporarily omitting code. This is often done during testing and debugging when the programmer is experimenting with suspected areas of code. Although code may also be omitted by commenting its out, this approach does not work if the code already contains comments, because such comments cannot be nested.
A conditional compilation name can either be defined with the #DEFINE directive or it can be defined in the Project Settings.
Defining a name using the #DEFINE directive or from the Project Settings has the same effect, but the latter is a more user friendly approach that does not require modification or even access to the VPL source code itself (encrypted include file).
For more information please read on the RTCU IDE 4.76 Users Manual.

The complete list of news:

General Enhancements:

  • Support for conditional compilation using: #DEFINE, #UNDEFINE, #IFDEF, #ELSE and #END_IF
  • Project settings extended to include defining/undefining symbols without changes to the source code.
  • Support for setting the Encryption key in a connected unit (requires MX2i firmware 1.08).
  • + smaller number of enhancements

Simulator enhancements:

  • crcCalculate support added (also see the MX2i Firmware release section)

Bugs that has been fixed in this release:

  • Simulator did not include the zero terminator in text VSMS messages sent over the GPRS Gateway.
  • No text was written in the MDT-100 simulator if the IDE was started with the MDT-100 selected.
  • MDT simulator display dimensions was not updated in mdtGotoXY, when switching between MDT-100 and MDT-200.
  • + smaller number of bug-fixes

Please download this new version from www.logicio.com


RTCU MX2i Professional Firmware V1.08


This release of the firmware for the RTCU MX2/MX2i Professional includes the following improvements:

Enhancements:

  • Support for user defined encryption key for communication over the GPRS Gateway Professional.
  • New crcCalculate() function offers very flexible and powerfull CRC calculation capabilities.
  • Bluetooth device pairing API introduced: btPairClear() and btPairClearAll().
  • Bluetooth function to control the bi-colour LED present on the Bluetooth Smartantenna: btSetLED().
  • + other minor enhancements

Bug Fixes:

  • LED 4 unexpectable turned OFF due to sharing with the SD-CARD status LED.
  • Rare cases of initialization problems with the Bluetooth Smartantenna or the Camera Module.
  • + other minor bug-fixes
     

With this latest release of firmware for the MX2/MX2i Professional an user defined Encryption key can now be used for truly safe and confidential communication using the GPRS Gateway Professional

Encryption supports applications where sensitive data are to dangerous to send in raw form over GPRS and the Internet. The Encryption algorithm used is the Rijndael Block Cipher, as chosen by the NIST as part of the AES (Advanced Encryption Standard).

Please download this new version from www.logicio.com


RTCU Communication Support Package V1.00

The RTCU Communication Support Package (RTCUCSP) is the successor of the already popular and well established RTCU Communication Deployment Package.
The primary motivation for releasing this new package is the added support for multi-session.
Multi-session support lets users connect with multiple RTCU units simultaneous via a combination of Cable, CSD (data call) or GPRS Gateway. This effectively means that for example on one session an upgrade over GPRS of an unit can occur and at the same time on another session a datalog can be retrieved over a CSD  connection.

The RTCU CSP maintains the same API as the RTCU Communication Deployment Package, but to support the concept of multi-session a new session-handle parameter has been added to almost all functions. There has also been a general cleanup of function interfaces. Fewer structures are used, as similar ones have been merged, and unused parameters have been removed.

Finally, full support for Encrypted communication (with an user defined key) using the GPRS Gateway Professional has been added.

Migration of an application to use the RTCUCSP will be quite easy when the minor documented differences are taking into account. The package includes a small sample program and the source code for the complete RTCUProg programming tool version 6.00 (see below).
Sample programs is developed in Microsoft Visual Studio C/C++ 2005.
 

Please download it from www.logicio.com


RTCU GPRS Gateway Professional V1.15

The RTCU GPRS Gateway Professional V1.15 has been released with the primary enhancement to support using an user defined encryption key for truly confidential GPRS Gateway Communication.
Smaller enhancements are the possibility to control the service start-up type from the Control Panel and more efficient handling of many simulatanous client logon requests.

Please download it from www.logicio.com


GPRS Gateway Protocol Reference Implementation V5.00

This is the GPRS Gateway protocol (RACP2) reference implementation in standard C and shipped as a buildable Visual Studio 2005 C/C++ project.
To understand this implementation, and for further information about the GPRS Gateway Protocol, please read the "RTCU GPRS Gateway Protocol" document as part of the "RTCU Communication Protocol Documentation Set" (see below).
The implementation is made with focus on portability as all platform dependent features, such as creating a thread and a semaphore, are defined by easy to implement standard C macros.

The GPRS Gateway Protocol is available for implemenation by users that require the core protocol, instead of using the "pre-made" Windows DLL's already available.

Please download it from www.logicio.com, but request a ZIP file password from Logic IO.


RTCU Communication Protocol Documentation Set

This Documentation Set describes the protocols used for communicating with the  RTCU unit using a serial line (cable or modem) or over a GPRS connection using the GPRS Gateway Professional.

This Documentation Set is composed of the following three documents:
                   * RTCU GPRS Gateway Protocol (V2.01)
                   * RTCU Serial Line Remote Access Protocol (V2.20)
                   * RTCU RACP Transaction Specification (V1.13)

Please download it from www.logicio.com, but request a ZIP file password from Logic IO.


RTCU Prog V6.00

Stand-alone tool for transferring projects/applications and firmware to all RTCU units.
Support for encrypted programs for programming of the RTCU MICRO units.
Connection to an unit can be done via cable, CSD (Data call) or through the GPRS Gateway.

Version 6.00 includes full support for encryption, including an user defined encryption key.
Now uses the new RTCU Communication Support Package (RCSP).

The full source code for the RTCU Prog tool is included in the RTCU Communication Support Package mentioned above.


RMA Procedures

For customers sending repairs directly to us, we have earlier released our new web based RMA system. The goal is to make the repair process more efficient and faster by the use of a web-based form, where all relevant information can be submitted to us as easy as possible.

Please visit our Support/RMA page for additional information


...under development

Logic IO is always busy working on new enhancements and products.
Currently we are working on the following:

  • Wi-Fi and Ethernet support for the RTCU MX2i Series.
  • RTCU MX2i ECO.
  • ... and much more!

Suggestions, comments and ideas to new features/products are always welcomed..

For further questions or enquiries:


Logic IO ApS
Holmboes Allé 14, 1
8700 Horsens
Denmark
Telephone: +45 7625 0210
Fax: +45 7625 0211
info@logicio.com
www.logicio.com

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