Janam AI4100 User manual

AI4100
Portable Reader
User Manual
March 2, 2015
Copyright 2015 Softrail
All rights reserved

AI4100 Portable AEI Reader
ii March 2, 2015
Softrail
1098 Venetia Road
Eighty-Four, PA 15330
Tel. [phone] (toll free US and Canada only)
Tel. [phone]
Fax. [phone]
E-mail [email protected]
Web Page www.aeitag.com

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Table of Contents
1.BRIEF OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................1
2.QUICK START..........................................................................................................5
2.1.Initial Startup .............................................................................................................5
2.2.Power Off ..................................................................................................................6
2.3.Reading AEI Tags.....................................................................................................7
2.4.Placing Rail Vehicles on Tracks................................................................................8
2.5.Ending Track Inventory ...........................................................................................12
2.6.Send Track Inventory..............................................................................................12
2.7.Manual Entry of Vehicle Identification .....................................................................15
2.8.Recording Serial Numbers ......................................................................................17
3.ADDITIONAL DATA FIELDS..................................................................................17
3.1.Vehicle Comments..................................................................................................18
3.2.Vehicle System Defined Fields................................................................................19
3.3.Vehicle User Fields .................................................................................................20
3.4.Rail Vehicle Data Field Display ...............................................................................21
3.5.Vehicle Serial Numbers...........................................................................................22
3.6.Rail Vehicle Associated Serial Numbers Display.....................................................23
4.SCREEN DISPLAYS ..............................................................................................24
5.SETUP FUNCTIONS ..............................................................................................25
5.1.Track Setup.............................................................................................................26
5.2.AEI RR TCP/IP Setup .............................................................................................31
5.3.Email Setup.............................................................................................................33
5.4.Email Addresses .....................................................................................................34
5.5.FTP Setup...............................................................................................................35
5.6.Automatic Clock Update..........................................................................................36
5.7.Sending AEI Tag Data in Real Time........................................................................36
5.7.1.Bluetooth Tag Data Transmission...........................................................................40
5.7.2.Bluetooth Pairing Instructions..................................................................................40
5.7.3.Network Tag Data Transmission.............................................................................43
5.8.Network Communications........................................................................................43
5.8.1.USB Connection to a Windows Computer...............................................................44
5.8.2.Wi-Fi Connection.....................................................................................................45
5.8.3.SmartPhone Connection .........................................................................................45
5.9.Contact Information Setup.......................................................................................46
5.10.Default Values Setup...............................................................................................47
5.11.Memorized Data Maintenance.................................................................................48
5.12.Portable Reader Identifier........................................................................................50
5.13.User Field Names Setup .........................................................................................51
5.14.Barcodes.................................................................................................................52
5.15.Setup Password......................................................................................................56
5.16.OEM Folder Setup...................................................................................................57
6.INVENTORY ...........................................................................................................58
6.1.View Track Inventory...............................................................................................58
6.1.1.Add Rail Vehicle......................................................................................................60
6.1.2.Delete Rail Vehicle..................................................................................................60

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6.1.3.Change Rail Vehicle Position on Track...................................................................60
6.1.4.View and Change Rail Vehicle Data.......................................................................60
6.1.5.Reverse Track Inventory.........................................................................................62
6.1.6.Email Comments.....................................................................................................62
6.1.7.Send Track Inventory..............................................................................................62
6.2.Move Track Inventory .............................................................................................63
6.2.1.Move Selected Rail Vehicles to Another Track.......................................................64
6.2.2.Move All Rail Vehicles to Another Track.................................................................64
6.2.3.Other Move Rail Vehicle Functions.........................................................................64
6.3.Find Rail Vehicle and Rail Vehicle Movement History ............................................65
6.4.Delete All Track Inventory.......................................................................................66
7.TRACK TAGS ........................................................................................................66
8.SPOT TAGS...........................................................................................................67
9.OEM FUNCTIONS..................................................................................................68
9.1.Accessing Tag Data................................................................................................68
9.2.Sending OEM Data.................................................................................................73
9.2.1.Email Transmit Request File...................................................................................74
9.2.2.FTP Transmit Request File.....................................................................................77
9.2.3.OEM Transmit Request Status ...............................................................................78
10.ABOUT...................................................................................................................79
11.MAINTENANCE AND COMMUNICATION LOGS .................................................79
11.1.Maintenance Log ....................................................................................................79
11.2.Communications Log..............................................................................................80
12.FILE MAINTENANCE.............................................................................................81
13.TEXT FILE FORMAT..............................................................................................82
13.1.EDI Text File Format...............................................................................................82
13.2.Excel Text File ........................................................................................................91
14.TCP/IP COMMUNICATIONS..................................................................................93
15.TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND UPDATES..............................................................96
16.SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS..................................................................................97

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List of Figures
Figure 1- AI4100 AEI Portable Reader.....................................................................................1
Figure 2 - AI4100 Side View.....................................................................................................2
Figure 3 - AI4100 Components ................................................................................................2
Figure 4 - AI4100 Portable Reader in the Cradle .....................................................................3
Figure 5 - AI4100 Buttons ........................................................................................................5
Figure 6 - AI4100 Information Display......................................................................................6
Figure 7 - Power Off Screen.....................................................................................................6
Figure 8 - AEI Tag Display.......................................................................................................7
Figure 9- Program List Screen.................................................................................................8 
Figure 10 - Start Track Inventory Menu....................................................................................9
Figure 11 - Start Track Inventory Dialog...................................................................................9
Figure 12 - Active Track Display ............................................................................................10
Figure 13 - Switch Track Button.............................................................................................11
Figure 14 - End Track Inventory Menu...................................................................................12
Figure 15 - Send Track Inventory Dialog................................................................................13
Figure 16 - Message Status Dialog........................................................................................14
Figure 17 - Manual Entry Dialog.............................................................................................15
Figure 18 - Manually Entered Vehicle Display........................................................................16
Figure 19 - Start Collecting Serial Numbers...........................................................................17
Figure 20 - Vehicle Comments Dialog....................................................................................18
Figure 21 - System Fields Dialog ...........................................................................................19
Figure 22 - User Fields Dialog................................................................................................20
Figure 23 - Rail Vehicle Data Field Display............................................................................21
Figure 24 - Serial Numbers Edit Dialog..................................................................................22
Figure 25 - Rail Vehicle Serial Number Display .....................................................................23
Figure 26 - Screen Displays...................................................................................................24
Figure 27 - Track Setup Dialog ..............................................................................................26
Figure 28 - Spot Name Setup Dialog......................................................................................27
Figure 29 - Rename Track Spot Dialog..................................................................................28
Figure 30 - T94 Track Data Dialog.........................................................................................28
Figure 31 - Send Track Inventory Setup Dialog .....................................................................29
Figure 32 - Email Comments Dialog.......................................................................................30
Figure 33 - AI4100 Portable Reader TCP/IP Setup................................................................31
Figure 34 - AEI RR TCP/IP Setup Dialog...............................................................................32
Figure 35 - Email Setup Dialog ..............................................................................................33
Figure 36 - Email Address Setup Dialog ................................................................................34
Figure 37 - FTP Server Setup Dialog.....................................................................................35
Figure 38 - Automatic Clock Update Dialog ...........................................................................36
Figure 39 - Bluetooth Real-Time Tag Transmission Setup.....................................................37
Figure 40 - Network TCP/IP Tag Transmission Setup............................................................37
Figure 41 - Adding Bluetooth Device......................................................................................40
Figure 42 - Found Bluetooth Device.......................................................................................41
Figure 43 - Bluetooth Serial Port Selection ............................................................................42
Figure 44 - New Bluetooth COM Port.....................................................................................42
Figure 45 - Assign Bluetooth COM Port.................................................................................43

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Figure 46 - Window Mobile....................................................................................................44
Figure 47 - Wireless Setup ....................................................................................................45
Figure 48 - Contact Information Dialog..................................................................................46
Figure 49 - Default Values Dialog..........................................................................................47
Figure 50 - Memorized Field Select Dialog............................................................................48
Figure 51 - Memorized Fields Data Dialog.............................................................................49
Figure 52 - Portable Reader Identifier Dialog.........................................................................50
Figure 53 - User Field Name Setup Dialog............................................................................51
Figure 54 - Barcode Setup Dialog..........................................................................................52
Figure 55 - Barcode Examples ..............................................................................................53
Figure 56 - Barcode Field Structure.......................................................................................54
Figure 57 - Barcode Text Translation Dialog .........................................................................55
Figure 58 - Barcode Add/Edit Dialog .....................................................................................56
Figure 59 - Setup Password Dialog .......................................................................................56
Figure 60 - OEM Folder Setup...............................................................................................57
Figure 61 - Inventory Menu....................................................................................................58
Figure 62 - Track Select Dialog .............................................................................................59
Figure 63 - Track View Dialog................................................................................................60
Figure 64 - Rail Vehicle Data Dialog......................................................................................61
Figure 65 - Rail Vehicle Data Pop-up Menu...........................................................................61
Figure 66 - Email Comments Dialog......................................................................................62
Figure 67 - Move Rail Vehicle From Dialog ...........................................................................63
Figure 68 - Move Rail Vehicle To Track Dialog......................................................................64
Figure 69 - Find Rail Vehicle Dialog ......................................................................................65
Figure 70 - Rail Vehicle History Display.................................................................................66
Figure 71 - About Display ......................................................................................................79

AI4100 Portable AEI Reader
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1. BRIEF OVERVIEW
The AI4100 Portable AEI Reader is a small, lightweight unit consisting of a Janam XM2
rugged mobile computer running Windows Mobile 6.5, an integrated AEI tag RF reader, and
a built-in 2-D imager for reading barcodes.
The AI4100 Portable AEI Reader can be used to verify AEI tag data, capture track consist by
reading the AEI tags on rail vehicles, and record barcoded serial numbers from seals,
products, or replacement parts.
Unlike previous portable AEI tag readers that have two separate components that must be
Bluetooth paired with each other, the AI4100 is a single-piece unit (see Figure 1).
Figure 1- AI4100 AEI Portable Reader

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The RF reader and antenna are permanently attached to the Janam XM2 mobile computer
(see Figure 2).
Figure 2 - AI4100 Side View
The AI4100 AEI Portable Reader is shipped with a charging cradle, which allows for a USB
connection to a computer, and a battery (see Figure 3).
Figure 3 - AI4100 Components
AEI Tag RF Antenna

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Even though the portable reader can read over 10,000 AEI tag on a single battery charge, we
recommend the purchase of a second battery for each portable reader. The cradle has a
separate battery charging position in the back of the unit for charging a second battery while
the portable reader is in the cradle and having its battery charged (see Figure 4).
Figure 4 - AI4100 Portable Reader in the Cradle
Because the Janam XM2 mobile computer has wireless network capabilities (both 802.11b/g
and Bluetooth), AEI tag data can easily be sent directly to other computer systems (see
Paragraph 2.6). AEI data is sent in a comma delimited text file or a file containing T94
(S9203A) records. Either of these file types can be attached to an email or uploaded to an
FTP server. The AI4100 Portable AEI reader can send AEI data files directly to as many as
seven email addresses in addition to four FTP servers.
Some of the other capabilities of the AI4100 Portable AEI Reader are listed below:
Displays AEI tag data in user-friendly format (see Figure 8).
Allows manual entry of vehicle identification information in the event an AEI tag cannot be
read (see Paragraph 2.7).
Allows vehicles to be assigned to a track or a spot on a track (see Paragraph 2.4).
Allows the user to assign track and spot names (see Paragraph 5.1).
Allows the scanning of two tracks at the same time (see Paragraph 2.4).
Battery
Charging
Position

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Allows for the scanning of special AEI tags that are programmed with track and spot
information to eliminate the requirement of entering this information manually (see
Paragraphs 7 and 8).
Allows additional data to be added about vehicles (see Paragraph 3). There are twelve
data fields available. The user can define and name seven of these fields. The other five
fields are: two Maintenance Data fields, a Status field, a Consist field, and a Comments
field.
Allows the use of special barcode labels to enter maintenance and status information
about a rail vehicle (see Paragraph 5.14). A barcode reader is integrated into the mobile
computer.
Allows up to 40 barcoded serial numbers to be entered for each railcar (see Paragraph
3.5).
Allows for the easy development of custom applications.
Enables other vendors (OEMs) to develop special applications for the portable reader
(see Paragraph 9). The portable reader allows other applications to easily access tag and
barcode data and send their generated data as files attached to emails or uploaded to an
FTP server.
Allows the portable reader to access data from other devices (scales, wayside sensors,
etc.) via a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection and associate this data with AEI tag reads.
Sends AEI tag data in real time to other devices via a Bluetooth or a network TCP/IP
connection (see Paragraph 5.7).

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2. QUICK START
2.1. Initial Startup
The AI4100 Portable AEI Reader is shipped with the power off. To power up the unit, press
the red power button in the lower left corner of the unit (see Figure 5). This will cause the
computer to boot up and automatically start the Softrail AEI Portable Reader program. This
program must be running and shown on the display for the system to read AEI RF tags and
barcodes. The AI4100 information display will first appear (see Figure 6).
Figure 5 - AI4100 Buttons
Power
Button
Read
Tag Read Tag
Read
Tag
Read
Barcode
Read
Barcode
Read
Barcode
Windows
Flag

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Figure 6 - AI4100 Information Display
2.2. Power Off
To power down the unit, press and hold the power button. A power off display will appear
(see Figure 7).
Figure 7 - Power Off Screen

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2.3. Reading AEI Tags
There are three buttons that can start the RF reading of an AEI tag. These are at the top on
the left hand side of the computer, at the top on the right hand side, and the large red button
just below the screen (see Figure 5). When any of these buttons is pressed and held, the
computer will turn on the AEI tag RF reader and attempt to read a tag. A “Reading Tag”
message will appear on the screen. It will continue attempting to read a tag until a tag is read
or the button is released. If a tag is read, the information in the tag will be displayed (see
Figure 8). If not, a “No Tag Read” message will appear.
Figure 8 - AEI Tag Display
Please note the following when attempting to read an AEI tag:
The Softrail AEI Tag Reader Software program must be on the screen. If not, press
the Windows Flag button on the left side just below the screen (see Figure 5). If the
program list screen (see Figure 9) does not appear, press this button again. Tap the
AEI Reader icon to start the program.
A second way to start the Softrail AEI Tag Reader Software is to power down the unit
by holding down the Power button until the Power Off screen appears (see Figure 7)
and then tap the Power Off button. Press the Power button again to power up the unit,
and the Softrail AEI Tag Reader Software will automatically start running.
The AEI tag is designed to be mounted against metal. If it is not mounted against
metal it will have a very short read range. The AI4100 AEI Portable Reader should be
able to read all tags mounted against metal that are within three feet of the antenna.
To read tags, point the portable reader at the AEI tag so that the portable reader’s
antenna surface is parallel to the surface of to the tag.

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If attempting to read tags at longer distances, wave the portable reader up and down.
Depress one of the three buttons referenced above until a tag is read or you no longer
want to attempt to read the tag.
Figure 9- Program List Screen
2.4. Placing Rail Vehicles on Tracks
Prior to reading rail vehicle AEI tags, track information should be entered into the portable
reader.
There are two methods for assigning rail vehicles to a track.
The first method for assigning rail vehicles to a track is to manually enter the track information
into the portable reader and then read the tags on the track. To manually enter information
about the track, tap the Menu button on the screen. This will cause a pop-up menu to appear
(see Figure 10).

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Figure 10 - Start Track Inventory Menu
Select the Start Track Inventory menu item by tapping on it. This will cause the Start Track
Inventory dialog to be displayed (see Figure 11).
Figure 11 - Start Track Inventory Dialog
In the Start Track Inventory dialog you will either select a previously entered track name, by
selecting a name from the pull down list (which appears when you tap on the down arrow
located on the right side of the Track field), or manually enter a new track name. To enter a
new track name, tap on the keyboard icon located near the bottom right of the screen. This
will cause a keyboard to be displayed. Tap on the characters of the new name.

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After you have entered a new track name, this name will appear in the Track pull down list
when this dialog is displayed again.
The orientation of the track's inventory can be entered by selecting a direction item from the
Inventory Orientation field's pull down list.
The default track inventory orientation can be set by going to the Default Values dialog (see
Paragraph 5.10).
Some tracks can assign spot names to individual locations on the track. If you want to assign
rail vehicles to individual track spot locations, check the Use Track Spots checkbox.
When this dialog is completed, tap on the OK button. This will cause the Active Track display
to appear (see Figure 12). Please note that the AI4100 Portable Reader allows up to two
tracks to be active at any given time. The process described above is completed for each
track on which tags are to be read, and the Active Track display shown below is for a case
where two tracks are active.
Figure 12 - Active Track Display
The second way to assign rail vehicles to a track is to read a special Track AEI tag before
reading the tags on the rail vehicles on the track. Track AEI tags are placed at each end of
the track and contain the same information about the track as with manual entry. See
Paragraph 7 on the format of the Track AEI tag.
When a Track AEI Tag is read, a display similar to Figure 12 will be shown. In the example
above a second Track AEI Tag has been read to allow rail vehicles on two adjacent tracks to
be scanned in the same session.
The AI4100 portable reader has a built-in compass. It uses this compass to determine on
which track the current rail vehicle is located by remembering in which direction the previous
tag was read.

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If the reader does not have a good compass reading or does not have prior information on
the direction of each track, the user can change the assignment of a vehicle from one track to
the other by depressing the Switch Track button shown in Figure 13 or by reading the same
vehicle's AEI tag a second time. Each consecutive reading of the same vehicle's AEI tag will
switch the vehicle from one track to the other.
Figure 13 - Switch Track Button
The portable reader will continue assigning the rail vehicles to either of the two active tracks
until one of them is deactivated by the reading of a second Track Tag on the track or until the
user issues a command to the portable reader to stop taking inventory on the track (see
Paragraph 2.5). The taking of inventory on the other track will continue until a second Track
Tag is also read on that track or until the user issues a command to the portable reader to
stop taking inventory on the second track.

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2.5. Ending Track Inventory
There are two methods to end taking track inventory. The first method is via the Menu
button. Tap on the Menu button, which will cause a pop-up menu to appear (see Figure 14).
Figure 14 - End Track Inventory Menu
Select the End Track Inventory item for the track on which you are done taking inventory.
This will end inventory for the track. All subsequent vehicle tag reads will not be shown on
the track until Start Track Inventory is again selected or a Track Tag is read.
When track inventory is ended, the portable reader will ask if you want to send the track
inventory to another system. If you respond "Yes", the Send Track Inventory dialog shown in
Figure 15 will be displayed.
If you are using Track Tags, reading the Track Tag at the end of the track opposite from
which the first Track Tag was read will also end taking inventory for that track.
2.6. Send Track Inventory
The Send Track Inventory dialog (see Figure 15) allows the user to enter the track inventory's
file format and how the track inventory will be sent.
The portable reader can send track inventory in three types of file formats. The T94
(S9203A) format is the standard format used for communication between wayside AEI
readers and railroads' host computers. Information about this format can be found in the
Association of American Railroads' AEI Standard S9203, which can be purchased from the
Association of American Railroads (www.aar.org).
The second format is a comma delimited text file. This format uses Electronic Data
Interchange (EDI) type records. This file has many different types of records and is generally

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used for computer-to-computer communications. For information about the format of this
type of file, go to Paragraph 13.
The third format is also a comma delimited text file. We refer to it as the Excel file format
since it was designed so that files in this format can be easily imported into most commercial
word processing, spreadsheet and database programs. For information about the format of
this type of file, go to Paragraph 13.
Track inventory in any of the file formats can be sent as an attachment to an email and/or a
file directly sent to an FTP server. To use either of these options the email server name or
FTP server name, user name, and password must be entered into the portable reader prior to
attempting to send inventory. Information on setting up the email or FTP functions can be
found in Paragraphs 5.3 or 5.5, respectively. Files can be sent to as many as seven email
addresses. For information on entering email addresses into the system, go to Paragraph
5.4.
Figure 15 - Send Track Inventory Dialog
The portable reader can also send track inventory to Softrail's AEI Rail and Road Manager
program directly via a TCP/IP connection (see Paragraph 5.2).
For more information about the AEI Rail and Road Manager software program contact
Softrail at 888 872-4612 or 724 942-1473 or go to Softrail's web page at www.aeitag.com.
Once the Send button is tapped the message or messages will be placed into a queue for
transmission. Up to 200 messages can be in the message queue waiting for transmission.
When the portable reader sees there are one or more messages to transmit it will attempt to
make a network connection. If a network connection is not available, the reader will store the

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message(s) until a connection is available and then automatically send all pending
messages.
To find the status of pending transmission messages, tap the View menu item near the
bottom of the screen and select the Message Status item. This will cause the Message
Status dialog shown in Figure 16 to be displayed.
Figure 16 - Message Status Dialog
The Message Status dialog shows the status of all of the messages that are waiting to be
sent and the last 100 messages that were sent.