Acces I/O products USB-FLEXCOM4 User manual

10623 Roselle Street, San Diego, CA 92121 [phone] Fax [phone]
[email protected] www.accesio.com
MODEL USB-FLEXCOM4
USB to Four RS-232/422/485 Serial Ports
and
MODEL USB-COM232-4A
USB to Four RS-232 Serial Ports
USER MANUAL

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FILE: MUSB-FLEXCOM4.C3

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Notice
The information in this document is provided for reference only. ACCES does not assume any
liability arising out of the application or use of the information or products described herein. This
document may contain or reference information and products protected by copyrights or patents
and does not convey any license under the patent rights of ACCES, nor the rights of others.
IBM PC, PC/XT, and PC/AT are registered trademarks of the International Business Machines
Corporation.
Printed in USA. Copyright by ACCES I/O Products, Inc. 10623 Roselle Street, San Diego, CA
92121. All rights reserved.
WARNING!!
ALWAYS CONNECT AND DISCONNECT YOUR FIELD CABLING WITH THE
COMPUTER POWER OFF. ALWAYS TURN COMPUTER POWER OFF BEFORE
INSTALLING A BOARD. CONNECTING AND DISCONNECTING CABLES, OR
INSTALLING BOARDS INTO A SYSTEM WITH THE COMPUTER OR FIELD POWER
ON MAY CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE I/O BOARD AND WILL VOID ALL WARRANTIES,
IMPLIED OR EXPRESSED.

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Warranty
Prior to shipment, ACCES equipment is thoroughly inspected and tested to applicable
specifications. However, should equipment failure occur, ACCES assures its customers that prompt
service and support will be available. All equipment originally manufactured by ACCES which is
found to be defective will be repaired or replaced subject to the following considerations.
Terms and Conditions
If a unit is suspected of failure, contact ACCES' Customer Service department. Be prepared to give
the unit model number, serial number, and a description of the failure symptom(s). We may suggest
some simple tests to confirm the failure. We will assign a Return Material Authorization (RMA)
number which must appear on the outer label of the return package. All units/components should
be properly packed for handling and returned with freight prepaid to the ACCES designated Service
Center, and will be returned to the customer's/user's site freight prepaid and invoiced.
Coverage
First Three Years: Returned unit/part will be repaired and/or replaced at ACCES option with no
charge for labor or parts not excluded by warranty. Warranty commences with equipment shipment.
Following Years: Throughout your equipment's lifetime, ACCES stands ready to provide on-site or
in-plant service at reasonable rates similar to those of other manufacturers in the industry.
Equipment Not Manufactured by ACCES
Equipment provided but not manufactured by ACCES is warranted and will be repaired according to
the terms and conditions of the respective equipment manufacturer's warranty.
General
Under this Warranty, liability of ACCES is limited to replacing, repairing or issuing credit (at ACCES
discretion) for any products which are proved to be defective during the warranty period. In no case
is ACCES liable for consequential or special damage arriving from use or misuse of our product.
The customer is responsible for all charges caused by modifications or additions to ACCES
equipment not approved in writing by ACCES or, if in ACCES opinion the equipment has been
subjected to abnormal use. "Abnormal use" for purposes of this warranty is defined as any use to
which the equipment is exposed other than that use specified or intended as evidenced by
purchase or sales representation. Other than the above, no other warranty, expressed or implied,
shall apply to any and all such equipment furnished or sold by ACCES.

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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 6
Features.......................................................................................................................................................... 6
Applications ................................................................................................................................................... 6
Functional Description..................................................................................................................................6
RS422 Balanced Mode Operation............................................................................................................. 6
RS485 Balanced Mode Operation............................................................................................................. 6
COM Port Compatibility............................................................................................................................. 7
Communication Mode................................................................................................................................ 7
Figure 1-1: Block Diagram (Only one full serial channel shown)................................................................8
Baud Rates.................................................................................................................................................. 8
Ordering Guide...............................................................................................................................................9
Model Options ............................................................................................................................................9
Special Order..............................................................................................................................................9
Included with your board .......................................................................................................................... 9
Optional Accessories ................................................................................................................................ 9
Figure 1-2: ADAP9 Screw Terminal Accessory.......................................................................................... 9
Chapter 2: Installation.....................................................................................................................................10
Software CD Installation .............................................................................................................................10
Installing the Adapter..................................................................................................................................10
Chapter 3: Hardware Details ..........................................................................................................................11
Option Selection ..........................................................................................................................................11
Figure 3-1: Jumper Labels........................................................................................................................ 11
Terminations ................................................................................................................................................11
Figure 3-2: Simplified Termination Schematic..........................................................................................11
Figure 3-3: Option Selection Map .............................................................................................................12
Default Shipping Configuration..................................................................................................................13
Connectors and Indicator Functions.........................................................................................................13
Chapter 4: USB Address Information............................................................................................................14
Address Map ................................................................................................................................................14
Chapter 5: Programming ................................................................................................................................15
Sample Programs ........................................................................................................................................15
Figure 5-1: WinRISC Windows Terminal Program Screen Shot .............................................................. 15
Chapter 6: Connector Pin Assignments .......................................................................................................16
Table 6-1: DB9M Connector Pin Assignments..........................................................................................16
Table 6-2: 10-Pin Header Connector Pin Assignments ............................................................................16
Chapter 7: Specifications ...............................................................................................................................17
Appendix A: Application Considerations .....................................................................................................18
Table A-1: Connections Between Two RS422 Devices............................................................................18
Table A-2: RS485 Data Cable Wiring .......................................................................................................18
Table A-2: RS422/485 Specification Summary.........................................................................................19
RS485 Data Transmission........................................................................................................................... 20
Figure A-1: Typical RS485 Two-Wire Multidrop Network.........................................................................21
Customer Comments......................................................................................................................................23

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Chapter 1: Introduction
This flexible serial communications adapter was designed for effective multipoint
transmission in any one of three modes on each channel. These modes are RS232, RS422
and RS485 (EIA485) protocol. There also is an RS-232 only version available.
Features
•Four-port serial communications adapter for USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 host ports
•Supports field selectable RS-232, RS-422 or RS-485 protocols, per port
•Includes a quad high speed USB to UART with 2k bytes TX/RX FIFO data buffer per port
•Speeds up to 921.6kbps simultaneously in RS-422 and RS-485 modes
•Power LED and port activity LEDs visible next to the USB and each COM connector
•All required power drawn from USB port, no external power adapter required
•Compact, low profile enclosure
Applications
Multiple peripherals such as POS, barcode scanners, scales, date-entry terminals, data
acquisition modules, and automation equipment will benefit from the small size, low cost,
reliability and simplicity of this product.
Functional Description
RS422 Balanced Mode Operation
The board supports RS422 communications and uses differential balanced drivers for long
range and noise immunity. The board also has the capability to add load resistors to
terminate the communications lines. RS422 communications requires that a transmitter
supply a bias voltage to ensure a known "zero" state. Also, receiver inputs at each end of
the network should be terminated to eliminate "ringing". The board supports biasing by
default and supports termination by jumpers on the card. If your application requires the
transmitter to be un-biased, please call us.
RS485 Balanced Mode Operation
The board supports RS485 communications and uses differential balanced drivers for long
range and noise immunity. RS485 operation involves switchable transceivers and the ability
to support multiple devices on a single "party line". The RS485 specification defines a
maximum of 32 devices on a single line. The number of devices served on a single line can
be expanded by use of "repeaters".
This board also has the capability to add load resistors to terminate the communications
lines. RS485 communications requires that one transmitter supply a bias voltage to ensure a
known "zero" state when all transmitters are off. Also, receiver inputs at each end of the
network should be terminated to eliminate "ringing". The card supports biasing by default
and supports termination by jumpers on the card. If your application requires the transmitter
to be un-biased, please call us.

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COM Port Compatibility
The FT4232H is FTDI’s fifth generation of USB devices. It generates a USB protocol engine
which controls the physical universal transceiver macro cell interface and handles all
aspects of the USB 2.0 high speed interface. It also includes 2K bytes TX & RX data buffers
per port.
The driver/receiver used (SP491 in non-RS232 modes) is capable of driving extremely long
communication lines at high baud rates. It can drive up to +60 mA on balanced lines and
receive inputs as low as 200 mV differential signal superimposed on common mode noise of
+12 V to -7 V. In case of communication conflict, the driver/receivers feature thermal
shutdown. The driver/receiver used in RS232 mode is the ICL3243.
Communication Mode
The board supports Half-Duplex communications with a 2-wire cable connection. Half-
Duplex allows traffic to travel in both directions, but only one way at a time. RS485
communications commonly use the Half-Duplex mode since they share only a single pair of
wires. RS-232 suffers from a maximum usable distance of 50 feet, as only one side of the
line is actively driven with a common return. RS-422 and RS-485 are both capable of
operating without error at up to 4000 feet as both communication lines are actively driven
instead of just one as in RS-232.
Half-Duplex mode:
RS-485 multi-drop (32 transmitters/receivers allowed on a single twisted pair)
Full-Duplex modes:
RS-422
RS-232
Differential communication modes:
RS-485
RS-422
Single-ended communication mode:
RS-232

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Figure 1-1: Block Diagram (Only one full serial channel shown)
Baud Rates
Baud rates up to 921.6kbps are supported in RS-422 and RS-485 modes while RS-232 has
a limit of 230.4kbps.

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Ordering Guide
USB-FLEXCOM4 USB to four port RS-232/422/485 serial adapter
USB-COM232-4A USB to four port RS-232 serial adapter
Model Options
•-OEM Board only version with no enclosure
•-HDR 10-pin male headers instead of DB9 connectors (only available on -OEM version)
•-DIN DIN rail mounting bracket for integrating into legacy and industrial environments
•-RoHS Call for pricing, then add this suffix to the model number on a faxed or e-mailed PO
•-T Extended operating temperature of -40 to +85˚C
•-PR Regulated +5VDC external power option
•-WI Wide input power supply voltage range of 7VDC to 30VDC
•–RI Enables Ring Indicator per specified port on USB-FLEXCOM4 versions only
•-LK Substitutes standard USB 2.0 type A to B cable with a type A to locking B cable
•-PLK Substitutes standard DC power input jack with a latching Molex connector
Special Order
Custom baud rates are achievable by using a different integrated circuit chip. Contact
factory with your requirement. Other examples of special orders would be conformal coating,
un-biased transmitter lines, etc.
Included with your board
The following components are included with your shipment, depending on options ordered.
Pleasetake the time now to ensure that no items are damaged or missing.
•USB Module in labeled enclosure with an anti-skid bottom
•6' USB 2.0 cable
•Software Master CD
•USB I/O Quick-Start Guide
Optional Accessories
•C104-10F-12 Ribbon Cable Assembly, 12” with 10 pin female headers on each end
•STB-10 Screw Terminal Board, 10 pin male header
•DIN-SNAP6 DIN-rail mounting for one STB-10
•ADAP9 Screw Terminal Adaptor with a Male DB9 connector and 9 screw terminals
Figure 1-2: ADAP9 Screw Terminal Accessory

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Chapter 2: Installation
A printed USB I/O Quickstart Guide is normally included and packed with your hardware for
shipment. It provides all the straight-forward steps necessary to complete your software and
hardware installation.
Software CD Installation
The software provided with this board is contained on one CD and must be installed onto
your hard disk prior to use. To do this, perform the following steps as appropriate for your
operating system. Substitute the appropriate drive letter for your drive where you see d: in
the examples below.
WIN98/Me/2000/XP/2003
1. Place the CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2. The install program should automatically run. If not click START | RUN and type
, click OK or press .
3. Follow the on-screen prompts to install the software for this board.
4. Leave the CD in the drive as it may be needed for driver installation once you plug
the hardware into the USB port.
Installing the Adapter
Before installing the adapter, carefully read the OPTION SELECTION section of this manual
and configure the adapter according to your requirements. In Windows, the SETUP.EXE
program will lead you through the process of setting the options on the board. The setup
program does not set the options. These must be set manually by jumpers on the board,
within the case of the adapter.
To Install the Adapter
1. Remove the four screws on the sides of the enclosure. Slide the lid to one side then
pull the side of the lid out to clear the DB9 connectors. Once cleared, pull the
cleared side of the lid upward to remove it.
2. Print the Option Selection Map to make notes on. Determine what protocol each port
(A-D) will communicate in (RS232, RS422 or RS485 etc.). Record these details on
your printout.
3. Install jumpers for each port following either the Option Selection section of this
manual or the suggestions of the SETUP.EXE software program.
4. Re-install the lid and four screws.
5. Plug the USB cable into the device and the USB port then follow the new hardware
wizard to complete the driver installation.