Axel RS-USBX User manual

RS-USBX user manual - 2009/03/16 SP09002 Page 1 of 12
User manual
RS-USBX
Programmable serial RS485/RS422/ LL interface
Specification document n. SP09002
Version Date Notes
Rev. 0 2009/03/16 First version

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1 IN RODUC ION
1.1 PRODUC FEA URES
RS-USBX is a programmable serial P interface for connecting a P to a serial line with the following
communication standards:
–RS485 (half-duplex)
–RS422 (full-duplex)
–TTL (full-duplex)
The serial connection is allowed by means of a D-sub 9 pin female connector (see § 4.2.1). Appropriate links on
the connector allow to insert the 120 Ω termination for RS485 or RS422 lines.
Working in RS485 or RS422 is mutually exclusive and should be set with the appropriate software option. TTL
connection is always available.
The line driving for the RS485 half-duplex communication is automatically carried out by the interface.
The interface is equipped with a high-performance microprocessor that carries out all the communication tasks
and data buffering. The same microprocessor can optionally execute application software directly on the interface.
1.2 SOF WARE
The installation D contains the following software:
–device drivers for Windows version 2000, XP and Vista;
–libraries for interfacing the RS-USBX to Windows application programs;
–two software tools for basic operations with RS-USBX;
–firmware upgrade tool with a copy of the standard firmware module.
All software above will be automatically installed on the P by executing the setup program contained into
the D.
The following optional software is available on request:
–embedded Modbus RTU master;
–IE 61131-3 runtime for writing application with the LogicLab development environment;
–toolkit for language firmware development.
1.3 SUPPLY
The standard supply includes:
–the RS-USBX interface;
–the D with software drivers, software tools, code samples and documentation (user manual and
software programming manual);
–USB cable.

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2 QUICK GUIDE O INS ALLA ION
2.1 IN RODUC ION
What you need to install the RS-USBX module is:
•P
•the setup D
•USB cable of type A/B
•the RS-USBX device
2.2 INS ALLA ION
Follow the steps below to install the RS-USBX tools:
•Execute RS-USBXTools.exe.
•The setup program has few options. The most important are:
- install drivers (always recommended, it has no effect on up-to-date P s);
- install VB runtime (needed to run software tools, recommended).
•The following message may appear on P s running Windows XP, when the setup program begins to
install the USB drivers:
Ignore this message and continue with installation.
•onnect RS-USBX to your P through the USB cable.

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2.3 USAGE WI H WINDOWS XP
During the first usage of the interface, it should be possible that a driver search message will appear. In this
case follow the below procedure.
1) Install a driver from a specific
location
2) Don't search the driver
3)
Select the compatible
hardware (appears only one
choice)

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4) Ignore Windows Logo
messages
5) omplete the procedure
6) The procedure has to be repeated twice because the RS-USBX has two different device drivers.

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3 SOF WARE
3.1 LIBRARIES
The RS-USBX interface can be used in conjunction with any application program (Excel, LabView etc.) or
programming language (VisualBasic, ++, Delphi etc.) that supports standard OLE interfacing.
The DeviceCommLibs.pdf (included with the documentation) contains detailed informations about the
structure and the usage of the Axel communication libraries.
The most relevant characteristics of the communication libraries are:
–layered software structure;
–low level data exchange layer;
–data protocols layer (including Modbus RTU);
–communication channel sharing with locking features for simultaneous application execution.
3.2 PC OOLS
The setup program installs two sample programs for using the RS-USBX interface. Both programs are
furnished with the complete source code in Microsoft VisualBasic 6.0.
The main purpose of these programs are:
–to supply the customer with very basic tools to work with RS-USBX on RS485, RS422 or TTL serial
lines;
–to show, with very simple code, how to use RS-USBX and the relative support libraries with
application programs.
3.2.1 RS-USBX ool
RS-USBXTool allows to send and receive data bytes over the serial line. This tool uses the low-level
communication layer of the software libraries.
To use RS-USBXTool follow the instructions below:

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1) Select the proper communication parameters (baud rate and parity) and the connection mode
(RS485 or RS422) if needed (TTL mode is always working independently from these settings).
2) heck that the interface is properly connected to the P (green led on) and press the “Open” button
to start the communication.
3) Data to be transmitted should be written byte by byte in the apposite “Data to send” text-box. Data
bytes are intended to be in hex format separated by spaces.
4) Received data is automatically displayed in red into the apposite monitor box.
5) Transmitted data is displayed in blue.
6) The timer option allows to periodically send the data out. The period duration can be set in the
relative text-box.
3.2.2 RS-USBXModbus
RS-USBXModbus allows to exchange holding registers between the P and one or more Modbus RTU slave
devices. This tool uses the protocol-level communication layer of the software libraries.
To use RS-USBXTool follow the instructions below:
1) Select the proper communication parameters by using the “ onfiguration” button or by editing
directly the “ onnection string”.
2) heck that the interface is properly connected to the P (green led on) and press the “Open” button
to start the communication.
3) Six rows are available to read and write holding registers to/from the devices. “Slave” indicates the
Modbus address of the device and “Register” is the index of the holding register to read or write.
4) The “Type” field indicates how to interpret the data. With LONG and REAL data type, two contiguous
holding registers are exchanged.
5) Each row has an “Exec” button to perform the selected operation once and the “Timer” option to
perform the selected operation with a fixed execution period.
6) The monitor window logs the result of each operation. For error codes, refer to the relative
documentation in the libraries manual.

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3.3 FIRMWARE UPGRADE
Follow the steps below to upgrade the firmware on RS-USBX:
1. onnect RS-USBX to an USB port of your P
2. Launch the program from the system menu: Start → Program → Axel PC Tools → RS-USBX Tools
→ RS-USBX Firmware Update.
3. Select the RS-USBX (this tool makes it possible to also upgrade the firmware of other Axel
products).
4. Press the “Browse” button to select the .SRE file in C:\Programmi\Axel PC Tools\RS-
USBX\Firmware\RSusbx vxpxx.sre.
5. Push “Load firmware” and wait while the firmware is downloaded.
6. When finished, press “Done” to exit the program.

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4 HARDWARE
4.1 VOL AGE SUPPLY
Voltage supply is fed to RS-USBX from the P through the USB port.
4.2 CONNEC ORS
RS-USBX is equipped with a 9-pole female D-SUB connector for connection to serial line network and with a
B-type USB socket for connection to P .
4.2.1 Serial connector
Pin Signal
1 120 Ω (1)
2 TXD (TTL)
3 A/TX+ (485/422)
4 RX- (422)
5 GND
6 RXD (TTL)
7 B/TX- (485/422)
8 RX+ (422)
9 120 Ω (1)
(1) The termination on a RS485 line will be obtained by connecting the pins 1 and 4.
The termination on a RS422 line will be obtained by connecting the pins 1 and 4 (RX) plus the pins 9
and 7 (TX)
4.3 LEDS
There is three led at right side of the serial line connector, showing the status of RS-USBX:
LED 1
(yellow)
LED 2
(yellow)
LED 3
(green) Description
OFF OFF OFF Interface not powered
OFF OFF ON Interface connected to USB port, waiting for the connection with an
application program.
Blink Blink ON Interface connected with an application program. LED2 monitors the RX/
TX activity over the serial line.
ON Blink ON Firmware update running
able 4-1 LEDs

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5 VERSION HIS ORY
Firmware version history
RS-USBX_V1p00.sre First version released
able 5-2 Version history

SP09002-RS-USBX-Man-Eng_reva.odt - 17/03/09 SP04002 Pagina 12 di 12
ABLE OF CON EN S
1 IN RODUC ION ........................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 PRODU T FEATURES .......................................................................................................................... 3
1.2 SOFTWARE ............................................................................................................................................ 3
1.3 SUPPLY .................................................................................................................................................. 3
2 QUICK GUIDE O INS ALLA ION ............................................................................................. 4
2.1 INTRODU TION ..................................................................................................................................... 4
2.2 INSTALLATION ....................................................................................................................................... 4
2.3 USAGE WITH WINDOWS XP ................................................................................................................. 5
3 SOF WARE .................................................................................................................................. 7
3.1 LIBRARIES ............................................................................................................................................. 7
3.2 P TOOLS .............................................................................................................................................. 7
3.2.1 RS-USBXTool ................................................................................................................................... 7
3.2.2 RS-USBXModbus ............................................................................................................................. 8
3.3 FIRMWARE UPGRADE .......................................................................................................................... 9
4 HARDWARE ............................................................................................................................... 10
4.1 VOLTAGE SUPPLY .............................................................................................................................. 10
4.2 ONNE TORS .................................................................................................................................... 10
4.2.1 Serial connector .............................................................................................................................. 10
4.3 LEDS ..................................................................................................................................................... 10
5 VERSION HIS ORY ................................................................................................................... 11
INDEX OF ABLES
Table 4-1 LEDs...............................................................................................................................................10
Table 5-2 Version history................................................................................................................................11