Laipac StarFinder Lite User manual

StarFinder Lite
User’s Manual & Reference Guide
Revision 1.2 – 2012
©1999-2008 by Laipac Technology, Inc. All rights reserved – The Specifications and information regarding the products in this manual are subjected to change without
notice. All statements, information, and recommendations in this manual are believed to be accurate but are represented without warranty of any kind, express or implied,
users must take full responsibility for their applications of any Products - Reproduction of the contents of this manual, in whole or in part, without written permission of
Laipac Technology, Inc. is prohibited.

Laipac Technology Inc. StarFinder Lite User’s Manual & Reference Guide
© 2012-2021 by Laipac Technology Inc. All Rights Reserved. Page 2
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Statement
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,
pursuant to part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection
against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and
can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does
cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning
the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or
more of the following measures:
-Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
-Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
-Consult the dealer or an experienced installer for help.
You are cautioned that changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void your authority to operate the equipment.
FCC RF Radiation Exposure Statement:
FCC RF Radiation Exposure Statement:FCC RF Radiation Exposure Statement:
FCC RF Radiation Exposure Statement:
1. This Transmitter must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or
transmitter.
2. This equipment complies with FCC RF radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled
environment.
3. This equipment should be installed and operated with a minimum distance of 20 centimetres
between the radiator and your body.
CE Marking
This device has been tested to and conforms to the regulatory requirements of the European Union
and has attained CE Marking. The CE Mark is a conformity marking consisting of the letters
“CE”. The CE Mark applies to products regulated by certain European health, safety and
environmental protection legislation. The CE Mark is obligatory for productions it applies to: the
manufacture affixes the marking in order to be allowed to sell his product in the European market.
This product conforms to the essential requirements of the R&TTE directive 1999/5/EC in order to
attain CE Marking. A notified body has determined that this device has properly demonstrated that
the requirements of the directive have been met and has issued a favorable certificate of expert
opinion. As such the device will bear the notified body number 0560 after the CE mark.
The CE Marking is not a quality mark. Foremost, it refers to the safety rather than to the quality of
a product. Secondly, CE Marking is mandatory for the product it applies to, whereas most quality
markings are voluntary.
Marking: The product shall bear the CE mark, the notified body number(s) as depicted to the right.
CE0560.

Laipac Technology Inc. StarFinder Lite User’s Manual & Reference Guide
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Additional regulatory conformance
Specific details about compliance to the following standards and regulatory bodies may be
obtained from Laipac Technology Inc.
•PCS Type Certification Review Board (PTCRB)
•Based on Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA) Over the Air (OTA)
performance tests
•EN 301 511, EN 300 440, EN 62311, EN 301 489-1-3-7 and 60950-1 testing.

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Table of Contents
1INTRODUCTION 5
2FEATURES 6
3INITIAL SETUP 7
3.1 What you will need 7
3.2 Setup Summary 8
3.3 Installing the StarFinder Lite Software 8
3.3.1 Introduction to utility software 8
3.3.2 Installation of utility software 8
3.3.3 Installation of USB driver 8
3.4 Configuration of StarFinder Lite 10
3.4.1 Start configuration of your device 10
3.4.2 Basic Configuration 10
3.4.3 Save setting into or read setting from the device 14
3.4.4 Acquire setting from or save setting into a configuration file 15
4 ADVANCED CONFIGURATION AND FEATURES 20
4.1 Setup Settings 19
4.2 System Settings 19
4.3 Input / Output Settings 24
4.4 Application Settings 29
5 HARDWARE DETAILS & LAYOUT 33
5.1 Specifications 34

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5.1.1 GPS Engine Specs 34
5.1.2 GSM Modem Specs 34
5.1.3 GPS Antenna Specs 35
5.1.4 GSM Antenna Specs 35
5.2 Installation 36
5.2.1 Required Hardware 36
5.2.2 Installing your Starfinder Lite 36
5.2.3 Considerations 36
5.2.4 Other Options 36
5.2.5 Power Connector 37
5.2.6 Buttons Input/Output 37
5.2.7 Analog Input 38
5.2.8 Optically Isolated Inouts 38
5.2.9 Three Relay Output 39
6 OPERATION 40
6.1 LED Operation 40
6.2 Position Reporting by Event 40
6.3 Position Reporting by Request 41
6.4 Serial Port 41
6.5 Function and its configuration method

Laipac Technology Inc. StarFinder Lite User’s Manual & Reference Guide
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1 INTRODUCTION
The Starfinder Lite is a robust platform designed for remote vehicle tracking and security. The
Starfinder combines both GSM/SMS and GPRS (Global System for Mobile Communications/
Short Messaging Service and General Packet Radio Service) communications with ultra-sensitive
GPS technology to provide a rugged yet precise and reliable tracking platform. The Starfinder Lite
can be used to report positions or events in real-time, as well as log positions for local or remote
downloading. The Starfinder Lite comes standard with two optical inputs for connecting to alarm
systems or other sensors, one analog inputs, and three output relays for ignition disabling and
remote door unlocking. A backup battery is also included.
Each Starfinder Lite can be programmed with a unique device ID and can send data to any static
or dynamic IP address or SMS base station. Configuration of the unit can be done locally, via the
Starfinder Lite configuration utility in Windows™, or over the air via GPRS or SMS. We
currently offer our web-based tracking application www.LocationNow.com for tracking and fleet
management. For custom applications, we can provide our ADK kit with confidential protocol to
software developers for platform integration.

Laipac Technology Inc. StarFinder Lite User’s Manual & Reference Guide
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2 FEATURES
•Worldwide GSM/GPRS Quad band 850/900/1800/1900MHz
•Multi-mode ready for SMS only, GPRS only or SMS + GPRS
•High Sensitivity GPS Receiver of 20 Ch.
•GPS Accuracy 3 – 5 m
•Dimension 9.7 x 5.9 x 2.6 cm
•Built in jacks for SPK and MIC
•Panic button and Dial button ready
•Supply voltage range: 9 to 36VDC
•Internal Li-Ion backup battery able to provide approximately 10h life from a full charge
•Low operating power consumption (less than 1W after battery is charged)
•Both configuration utility and unit are able to have accessing control (option)*
•Operation Temperature -30C to 65C°
•USB Port for configuration
•Compatible with Mobile Data Terminal
•2 Optically Isolated digital inputs
•3 Outputs with relays
•1 Analog input available
•Multiple Geo-Fence capability with in/out fence alert
•Data logger capability built in with 2500 positions memory to record time stamp, speed,
location, and event state.
•3 Axial motion G-Sensor to report impact, accident, crash or towing event.
•Real time dynamic position report based on time interval or distance traveled
•Mileage report and over-speed alert
•3 Emergency call numbers with fail over capability
•Power-saving options available (option)*
•WAAS / EGNOS (optional)*
•3.7V, 900mAh internal backup battery
•External panic button and call-in answer button
Note:
For features with (option), please check with Laipac Technology Inc to know about their
detail.

Laipac Technology Inc. StarFinder Lite User’s Manual & Reference Guide
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3 INITIAL SETUP
This section will help you setup and configure your Starfinder Lite GPRS tracking device.
3.1 What you will need
To begin your evaluation, you will need the following:
•Starfinder Lite
•Power and I/O harness cables complete with Voice and Panic buttons
•GSM patch antenna (3 meters cable length)
•GPS magnet mount antenna (5 meters cable length)
•GPRS data enabled SIM card with known APN settings (2G and TDMA compliant)*
•Your Identity Leaflet provided in the Evaluation Kit*
•9-36V DC power supply
•USB A to USB Mini B cable
•PC with Windows XP™ or later Microsoft Operating System
*GPRS operation assumed

Laipac Technology Inc. StarFinder Lite User’s Manual & Reference Guide
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3.2 Setup Summary
The setup summary is an outline of what must be accomplished in order to operate the device.
Detailed descriptions of these steps will be listed in the next sections.
1. Install the latest version of utility software
2. Complete pre-installation of USB driver on computer
3. Insert the valid SIM card into the SIM Card Tray on the front of the unit
4. Power on Starfinder Lite with DC power supply (12V)
5. Connect the Starfinder Lite to the computer and reset the unit with reset button
6. Install USB driver on computer
7. Run utility and reset unit with reset button
8. If unit is not activated (locked), activate (unlock) it
9. If the existing firmware does not meet the request of utility, update firmware
10. Configure the unit and save the settings to unit
11. Disconnect Starfinder Lite with computer
12. Connect the GPS and GSM antennas
13. Press reset button to valid the configuration and make the device start working

Laipac Technology Inc. StarFinder Lite User’s Manual & Reference Guide
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3.3 Installing the Starfinder Lite Software
3.3.1 Introduction to utility software
Utility “setupAIO” is coming as a stand-alone software package. Currently, this utility is able to
provide the two major functions below
●Configuration
●Firmware Update
User can use the web link below to download its latest version, such as “setupAIO20120518”.
http://www.laipac.com/sflite201update.htm
By using the same link, user can also download the following 3 documents, which will be great
helpful for user to know about how to set up and use SF-Lite quickly.
●Utility and Firmware Release Note, such as, “Release Note (BE) RN-V1.34”
●Quick Start manual, such as, “Quick Start Manual (BE) V2.0”
●Firmware Update Manual, such as, “Firmware Update Manual (BE) V2.0”
It is strongly recommended that user should go through “Utility and Firmware Release Note” first,
before he updates his device’s utility or firmware.
3.3.2 Installation of utility software
Refer to Quick Start Manual’s section 1 to 3.
3.3.3 Installation of USB driver
Depending on what kind of Microsoft Windows Operating System being used on user’s computer,
the installation of USB driver procedure is different. User could find all those detail in Quick
Start Manual’s section 4.

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3.4 Configuration of StarFinder Lite
3.4.1 Start configuration of your device
Refer to Quick Start Manual’s section 5.
3.4.2 Basic Configuration
To ensure user’s unit is able to access remote server, such as Laipac’s LocationNow service
platform, some basic setting items are requested and described in this section.
a. SETUP 

Device Info
Fig. 3.4.2.a
Device ID: Specific unit identifier that identifies your device for online tracking. You
can locate the Device ID on your Identity Leaflet or more accurately in your
user account on the website www.LocationNow.com.
Password: Used to protect the StarFinder Lite from other people affecting its operation
with SMS commands. You can locate the Password on your Identity
Leaflet.
GSM Band: This is for setting a frequency that your GSM provider network operates at.
The North American network bands are 850/1900 and the European network
bands are 900/1800. If user is not sure what frequency his carrier operates
at, please contact them for the correct setting.
SIM PIN Number: If your SIM card is password protected, enable this option and input the PIN
code. The PIN code tells the Starfinder Lite to use the user defined PIN
code when communicating with GSM

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b. SETUP 

Services
Fig. 3.4.2.b
Wireless Data Plan This section governs the default GSM connection settings or what the unit
will connect to first.
GPRS: If you are using LocationNow tracking services, this must be enabled.
GPRS mode tells the device it will be transmitting its information across the
internet.
SMS: If you are tracking service based on Short Message System rather than
LocationNow, SMS mode should be enabled. It tells the device to transmit
its information to another SMS device.
Wireless Voice Plan This section initializes the voice option in the StarFinder Lite
Voice: Originally, this setting is designed to tell unit if the existing SIM card is with
voice calling enabled. Currently, unit has enabled this setting actively. Of
course, if you are using SIM card without Voice Plan, no calling or voice
communication can be accomplished.
Incoming Call: This setting determines whether or not the unit will automatically answer
incoming calls. As prerequisite, Voice must be enabled first.
Fall Back Mode This section is used to decide how the unit will react in the event there is no
GSM coverage.
GPRS -> SMS: In the event GPRS communication is lost, the unit will automatically switch
to SMS mode. While GPRS becomes reacquired, the unit will automatically
switch back to GPRS mode of operation.

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Note:
1. If user is operating his device exclusively in SMS mode, he may skip this step.
2. In the event that GPRS fails and SMS ‘Fall Back Mode’ has been set, unit will immediately try
its SMS connectivity. If there is no SMS connectivity, the unit will keep switching between
SMS and GPRS until the unit synchronizes with one of these 2 modes. It is noted that GPRS
takes priority if both SMS and GPRS connection exist.
c. SETUP 

Network
Fig. 3.4.2.c
Wireless Carrier This section covers the information required by the unit to access your
carrier’s Access Point.
GPRS APN: The Access Point Name is used by your SIM card to connect to the GPRS
network. The Access Point is the carrier’s server through which the traffic
becomes converted from GSM to GPRS Internet traffic. Check with your
SIM Card provider for this item.
User Name: The user name authorises your SIM card to access your carrier’s Access
Point. It could be blank in most of case.
Password: The password authenticates your SIM card to access your carrier’s Access
Point. It could be blank in most of case.
Server This section governs the destination end point for the GPRS traffic
Domain Name 1a: This is the domain name of the remote server. For www.LocationNow.com,
it will be ‘laipgw1.com’.
Port 1a: This is the Port used by the remote server with Domain Name 1a. For
www.LocationNow.com , it should be ‘1688’.

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Note:
As a rule, if both Domain Name 1a and Static IP 1a are set, unit will try to communicate with
remote server through the domain name first, IP address second. If both Domain Name 1a and
Static IP 1a are inaccessible for any reason, then, unit will turn to try its back-up server,
Alternative Server, if it exists. Unit will try domain name of Alternative Server first, IP address
second.
It is suggested that user does not fill in Domain Name 1a and Domain Name 2a with Static IP
address.
Warning:
If unit has a ‘Fall Back Mode’ setting, along with Primary Server and Alternative Server, when it
loses its GPRS connectivity with its remote servers, both Primary and Alternative Server, unit will
initiate its action of ‘Fall Back Mode’. Refer to introduction to Fall Back Mode.
ALTERNATIVE SERVER
Configuration of the Alternative Server is optional.
Alternative Server is a backup server and used when the primary server is not unavailable. For its
configuration parameters, Domain Name 2a and Port 2a, as well as Static IP 2 and Port 2,
please refer to introduction to Server.
DNS SERVER
DNS IP 1 and 2: Allows you to specify DNS servers by using the IP address. Since unit’s internal
GSM module does this already, these settings are optional.

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d. System 

Report
Fig. 3.4.2.d
Report and its setting:
This option allows you to specify how frequent the unit will send a position update. You can
specify the report by time value in hours, minutes, and seconds. Also, user can specify the report
by distance value in kilometres, miles, or yards.
3.4.3 Save setting into or read setting from the device

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Save setting into unit and valid it
Once user complete the configuration, he should click “Save All Setting to Device” button to save
the edited setting into unit if this saving process is OK, Operator should see the pop up window
with prompt “Writing new setting … Success”.
To valid this configuration, user needs
●Disconnect computer with unit
●Insert a valid SIM card into unit and power up the unit with DC power supply (12V)
●Reset unit with reset button to start running application
Read the setting from units
By clicking “Read Setting from Device” button, user can read the reside configuration from the
unit, which being connected to the running utility.
If unit has never been configured and valid its configuration, this reading configuration operation
will be failure.
3.4.4 Acquire setting from or save setting into a configuration file
Acquire setting from a configuration file
User can acquire a set of configuration from a saved configuration file
a. Click “FILE” “Open”, see Fig. 3.4.4a and 3.4.4b
Fig. 3.4.4a

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Fig. 3.4.4b
b. From the existing files to select a prefer one, such as, configuration-1, then click “OK”
If reading file is successful, user can see a pop-up window with prompt “Success”.
Save a set of configuration into a configuration file
User can save the current edited configuration into to a configuration file follow the steps below
c. Click “FILE” “Save”, see Fig. 3.4.4c and Fig. 3.4.4d
Fig. 3.4.4c

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Fig. 3.4.4d
User should type in the name of this new configuration file, such as, “configuration-3”, then, click
“OK”. If saving operation is successful, a pop-up window will appear with prompt “Write Config:
File is created”, see Fig. 3.4.4e
Fig. 3.4.4e

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4Advanced Configuration and Features
This section introduces all other configuration settings not covered by section 3.4.2 Basic
Configuration. Those settings can be categorized into 4 major parts: SETUP, SYSTEM, I/O, and
APPLICATION. Among them, SYSTEM settings are concerned with reporting and voice setup.
I/O settings are used for customizable I/O functionality. The APPLICATION settings are used
for other types of event messages.
4.1 Setup Setting
SETUP 

NEMA
NMEA Baud: NOT IMPLEMENTED
WAAS / EGNOS: This setting enables the compatibility for Wide Area Augmentation System
and European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service for added GPS
accuracy. For unit with application firmware V1.34 and up,
automatically, this function has been always enabled by unit. User can
skip this setting.

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4.2 System Setting
SYSTEM 

Report
Report and its setting: This option allows you to specify how frequent the unit will send a position
update. You can specify the report by time value in hours, minutes, and
seconds. You can specify the report by distance value in kilometers, miles,
or yards.
Waypoints per Report: This is a user defined value used for report bursting and is governed by
report by time. An example is if the number of waypoints per report is set to
5 and the report by time interval is set to 1 minute, in 5 minutes, the
receiving server will receive 5 waypoints.
Smart Log Report: The smart log report option allows the unit to automatically log its position
and alert information into internal memory in the event there is no GPRS
connectivity. When the Starfinder Lite reconnects to GPRS, the saved
messages will be sent to remote server actively. Automatically, this
function has been always enabled by unit. User can skip this setting