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Dear RTCU User,
Time for another update from the good people at Logic IO!
It has been quite some time ago since the last Newsletter, but as
usual this is not due to inactivity or laziness!
This newsletter has a broad range of news, including the new Bluetooth
Smartantenna for the RTCU MX2i, the new Mobile Data Terminal MDT-200
with very important enhancements.
Also we have software news, including a new version of the Upgrade &
Deployment Server, a new RTCU IDE and firmware updates. Read more about these news and much more below...
Best regards,
The Logic IO Team |
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Bluetooth Smartantenna for the RTCU MX2i
.jpg)
The Bluetooth Smartantenna accessory is now available for the RTCU MX2i
and is a very small external antenna that connects and is powered
directly from the RTCU MX2i.
This exciting new product offers the following features:
-
Class 2 Bluetooth adaptor
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Serial Port Profile (SPP). Upto 4 simultaneous connections
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Hands-free Profile Audio Gateway (HFP-AG)
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Connects to SPP or HFP-AG compatible Bluetooth devices
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Headset / Handsfree connection
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High-level VPL library
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GSM voice call connection management
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Wireless cable replacement (RS232)
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Wireless transfer of data between RTCU MX2i and a laptop or PDA
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Connection to a broad range of devices: Printer, Barcode reader,
RFID reader etc.
The advanced features of the Bluetooth Smartantenna combined with a very
attractive price, makes the product extremely interesting as a RS232
cable replacement or for a flexible headset solution.
Mobile Data Terminal MDT-200.jpg)
It is with great pleasure, that we we are now
introducing the second generation of the popular Mobile Data Terminal.
The current product, the MDT-100, has really opened up for a broad range
of new and exciting applications.
With the MDT-200 the following major enhancements have been introduced:
- Considerable larger screen area, due to 1/4 VGA
resolution.
- 320 x 240 pixels resolution.
- 21 tactile keys and a 4 way cursor
- Full numeric keypad for easy entry of numbers/text.
- User defined characters for multilingual support.
- Wide viewing angle.
Applications already developed for the MDT-100
can easily be ported to the new MDT-200.
The new MDT-200 will be generally available during May,
2007 in versions for both the RTCU MX2i product and the RTCU M11i
Series.
For further information please visit our Products page
here
GPRS Upgrade & Deployment Server (UDS) V2.00
The GPRS Upgrade & Deployment Server
has been completely redesigned to run as a true Windows Service. This is
an important change for operating in a professional 24/7 server
environment. The architecture of the UDS is now similar to the GPRS
Gateway Professional in the separation of the Service itself and the
Monitor/configuration tool (GUI). In spite of the major changes and
improvements the "look&feel" are quite similar to the earlier version
making an upgrade as easy as possible.
The following features are available in UDS V2.00:
- Uses the RTCU
GPRS Gateway Professional to establish a
connection to remote units.
- Runs as a Windows Service. This means that the
UDS
service will start without Windows logon and can also be remotely
managed as a service.
- Remote access for
monitoring/configuration via the included Windows GUI tool.
- Upgrades firmware and
application automatically according to user-configuration.
- Firmware and
application can be upgraded during full
operation of the unit.
This unique feature minimizes downtime and the impact on the
user.
- Failed upgrade
attempts will automatically be resumed at the point of
interruption.
This unique feature will reduce the cost and time of
upgrading.
- Automatically or
application driven decision when to switch over to the new
application/firmware. All that is required to switch over to
the new firmware/application is a reset of the unit, which
will only interrupt the operation for 10-20
seconds.
- Up to 100
simultaneous upgrade sessions.
- Support applications that use VPL
upgrade notifications.
- Support for automatic programming of
un-programmed factory delivered unit.
- Comprehensive logging
and status features.
- Comes with full user documentation.
For more information, please download the
User & Installation Guide.
Please download this new version from
www.logicio.com
RTCU IDE 4.73
A new version of the RTCU IDE V4.73 has been released.
Probably the most important change is the support for Microsoft Windows
Vista. Changes in the on-line help format was necessary, due to lack of
support in Windows Vista for the otherwise well established .HLP format.
Another great new feature is the support for using a physical RS232 port
on the PC during simulation of a VPL programming using RS232
communication.
The complete list of news:
General Enhancements:
- Windows
Vista compatible!
The help system in the RTCU IDE now works under Windows Vista.
- Settings are now changed to use
tabs for more user friendly appearance.
- Tooltip over the project-name
now shows the complete project path name.
- Selecting a non-existing
project, will now remove it from the pick list.
- New feature to Cancel a
connection to a unit over GPRS, during the establishing phase.
- New functions added to wizard
and on-line help:
boardFaultLogGet, boardFaultLogClear, boardClearPassword,
pmSetVibrationSensivity,fsFileFlush and boardSetServicePortAlt.
- New function to control the contrast on the
MDT-100 added: mdtContrast().
-
+ smaller number of enhancements
Simulator enhancements:
- Support
for use of physical RS232 port in simulation
This feature allows testing and implementing protocols to
external devices using RS232 in the simulator
- CAN Loopback support. Allowing
rudimentary testing of CAN applications in the simulator.
- Feature to save the windows
layout of the simulator.
Convenient feature when working in different environment with
single/multi screen, different screen resolutions etc.
- Hex-edit control in the
SD-CARD dialog has been approved.
- New feature to delete files in
the SD-CARD dialog.
Bugs that has been fixed in this
release:
- Using negative values in CASE
statements now works correctly.
- Simulator. Mobile Data
Terminal. Could only show one highlighted block on each line.
- Mobile Data Terminal support
(in MDT.INC) was not thread-safe.
- + smaller number of bug-fixes
Please download this new version from
www.logicio.com
RTCU MX2i Professional Firmware V1.06
This important release of the firmware for the RTCU
MX2/MX2i
Professional includes the following improvements:
Enhancements:
- Bluetooth Smartantenna
support.
- Support for Compression and
Encryption. Requires the GPRS Professional Gateway.
Compression reduces cost of communication and Encryption
enhances the safety of communication.
- Uses the RACP2 "Logon with
optional encryption/compression" to logon to the GPRS Gateway.
Only supported by the GPRS Professional Gateway.
- New functionality to allow the
use of a secondary programming port: boardSetServicePortAlt().
Using the second serial port as programming port is
convenient when using f.ex. RS485 or the Bluetooth Smartantenna.
- A "boot-up" message included
in the SD-CARD Debug and GPRS log-files at unit start-up time.
- Debug/GPRS Console logging to
SD-CARD now flushes every 5. write operations to reduce loss of
messages in case of card removal.
- GPRS "boot-up" message to the
Upgrade & Deployment Server now transmitted after maximum 1
minute to initiate fast upgrade.
- Support for alternative
password, using the new function: boardSetPasswordAlt()
- boardClearPassword() added.
Unconditionally clears the password of the unit.
- gsmHangup() during an active
call improved to work even when gsmHangup() is called
immediately after gsmMakeCall() / gsmMakeCallX()
- pmSetVibrationSensivity()
called with 0 (zero) will now disable the vibration sensor.
- New functionality to operate
on the fault-log: boardFaultLogGet() and boardFaultLogClear().
- New function to force pending
writes to a file: fsFileFlush().
- Enhanced roaming support using
gsmSetProvider() / gsmGetProviderList(). Very long execution
time has been experienced with these functions
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+ other minor enhancements
Bug Fixes:
- Extra CR/LF removed in GPRS
console log on SD-CARD.
- "Garbage" in first message
after boot-up in SD-CARD GPRS Console log
- Spurious reset during GPRS
connect attempt, when incoming SMS is present without application
removing message.
- gsmHangup() did not always
work, when rejecting an incoming voice call.
- SD-CARD file access after a
pmWaitEvent() or pmDeepSleep() did not work.
- SD-CARD activity LED sometime
turned permanently RED, when card was ejected.
- TCP/IP socket problem (using
sockXXX functions). In rare cases, when socket was closed unit could reset or hang.
- RACP Memory vector read/write
with 16 bit or 32 bit values did not work correctly.
- Dynamic string input parameter
destroyed using sockGetIPFromName(), when no GPRS connection
available.
- canFilterCreate() parameter 'ext'
parameter changed name to 'xtd' to use a
consistent naming convention.
-
+ other minor bug-fixes
With this latest release of firmware for the MX2/MX2i Professional
Compression and Encryption are now fully supported for all
communication over the GPRS Gateway Professsional
With Compression enabled a saving of upto 25% of the communication cost
can be achieved!
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 A9i/M10/M11 Series Firmware V4.90
This important release of the firmware for the RTCU
A9i, M10 Series and M11/M11i Series version 4.90 (Large) includes the following improvements:
Enhancements:
- serFrameReceiver() with framing enabled and
overrun will move extra byte into new frame.
- GPRS "boot-up" message to the
Upgrade & Deployment Server now transmitted after maximum 1
minute to initiate fast upgrade.
- Support for alternative
password, using the new function: boardSetPasswordAlt()
- boardClearPassword() added.
Unconditionally clears the password of the unit.
- New functionality to operate
on the fault-log: boardFaultLogGet() and boardFaultLogClear().
- + other minor enhancements.
Bug fixes:
- M11Gi: Powerdown handling of
the GPS receiver improved, for reduced power-drain on the
on-board Lithium battery.
- serFrameReceiver() with SOF
disabled and EOF enabled and input stream larger than buffer
lost a byte.
- TCP/IP socket problem (using
sockXXX functions). In rare cases, when socket was closed unit could reset or hang.
- Dynamic string input parameter
destroyed using sockGetIPFromName() when no GPRS connection
available.
Due to a change in the firmware-file format, it is necessary after
upgrading to this firmware to use the RTCU IDE 4.73 or later for any
future firmware transfers.
Please download it from
www.logicio.com
RTCU D4/A5i Firmware V4.59
The RTCU D4, A5 and A5i
version 4.59 firmware includes the following changes:
Enhancements:
- Support for large memory SIM cards with
>32KB capacity.
- serFrameReceiver() with framing enabled and
overrun will move extra byte into new frame.
-
+ other minor enhancements.
Bug fixes:
- serFrameReceiver() with SOF
disabled and EOF enabled and input stream larger than buffer
lost a byte.
Please download it from
www.logicio.com
The Standard GPRS Gateway is now obsolete
With the continous development and the introduction of many new and
advanced features and technologies using our GPRS Gateway paradigm, it
has become necessary to cease the support and distribution of the
Standard GPRS Gateway product.
Users of the Standard GPRS Gateway can continue to use the product,
except with the latest RTCU MX2i firmware (see below) with
compression/encryption support. In addition the Upgrade & Deployment
Server is not available for Standard GPRS Gateway users.
For the future only the GPRS Gateway Professional will be officially
supported by Logic IO, and we highly recommend users of the Standard
GPRS Gateway to upgrade.
Minor updates...
This is updates which are too small to get a separate
section, but still worth mentioning.
The following new updates have also been released on
www.logicio.com:
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RTCU Communication Deployment Package (Version 6.00B)
Uses the latest version of MONNT2.DLL as distributed with RTCU IDE 4.73
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RTCU Programming Tool V5.04
Uses the latest version of MONNT2.DLL as distributed with RTCU IDE 4.73
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New revision: M11 Series Battery Backup Module Manual V2.00
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New revision: RTCU MX2i Professional Technical Manual V1.04
- This very small and compact "thumb" antenna with a SMA male connector.
Length is only 42 mm. Low cost.
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:
-
VGA Camera for the RTCU MX2i Professional
- RACP2 access to the file-system, allowing
RTCU IDE and remote access to the SD-CARD
- Various software
enhancements
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... and much
more!
Suggestions, comments and ideas to new features/products are always
welcomed.. |