Matrix Orbital VK202-25 User manual

VK202-25
Technical Manual
Revision: 3.0

Contents
Contents ii
1 Getting Started 1
1.1 DisplayOptionsAvailable ................................... 1
1.2 Accessories........................................... 2
1.3 Features............................................. 6
1.4 ConnectingtoaPC....................................... 7
1.5 InstallingtheSoftware ..................................... 8
1.5.1 uProject......................................... 8
2 Hardware Information 9
2.1 DB-9Connector......................................... 9
2.1.1 Power Through DB-9 Jumper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.2 Power/DataConnector ..................................... 10
2.3 ProtocolSelectJumpers..................................... 11
2.4 GeneralPurposeOutputs.................................... 12
2.5 Dallas1-WireBridge...................................... 13
2.6 ManualOverride ........................................ 13
2.7 KeypadInterfaceConnector .................................. 14
3 Troubleshooting 15
3.1 The display does not turn on when power is applied. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.2 The display module is not communicating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.3 The display module is communicating, however text cannot be displayed. . . . . . . . . . . 16
4 Communications 16
4.1 Introduction........................................... 16
4.1.1 I2CCommunicationSummary............................. 16
4.1.2 SerialCommunication ................................. 17
4.2 Changing the I2CSlaveAddress ................................ 17
4.3 ChangingtheBaudRate .................................... 18
4.4 Setting a Non-Standard Baud Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
5 Text 20
5.1 Introduction........................................... 20
5.1.1 CharacterSet...................................... 21
5.1.2 ControlCharacters................................... 21
5.2 AutoScrollOn ......................................... 21
5.3 AutoScrollOff ......................................... 21
5.4 ClearScreen........................................... 22
5.5 ChangingtheStartupScreen .................................. 22
5.6 SetAutoLineWrapOn..................................... 22
5.7 SetAutoLineWrapOff..................................... 23
5.8 SetCursorPosition....................................... 23
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5.9 GoHome ............................................ 23
5.10MoveCursorBack ....................................... 24
5.11MoveCursorForward...................................... 24
5.12UnderlineCursorOn ...................................... 24
5.13UnderlineCursorOff...................................... 24
5.14BlinkingBlockCursorOn ................................... 25
5.15BlinkingBlockCursorOff ................................... 25
6 Special Characters 25
6.1 Introduction........................................... 25
6.2 CreatingaCustomCharacter.................................. 25
6.3 SavingCustomCharacters ................................... 26
6.4 LoadingCustomCharacters .................................. 27
6.5 Save Startup Screen Custom Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
6.6 InitializeMediumNumber ................................... 28
6.7 PlaceMediumNumbers .................................... 28
6.8 InitializeHorizontalBar .................................... 28
6.9 PlaceHorizontalBarGraph................................... 29
6.10InitializeNarrowVerticalBar.................................. 29
6.11InitializeWideVerticalBar................................... 30
6.12PlaceVerticalBar........................................ 30
7 General Purpose Output 31
7.1 Introduction........................................... 31
7.2 GeneralPurposeOutputOff .................................. 31
7.3 GeneralPurposeOutputOn................................... 31
7.4 SetStartupGPOstate...................................... 31
8 Dallas 1-Wire 32
8.1 Introduction........................................... 32
8.2 Searchfora1-WireDevice................................... 32
8.3 Dallas1-WireTransaction ................................... 33
9 Keypad 34
9.1 Introduction........................................... 34
9.1.1 I2CInterface ...................................... 35
9.1.2 RS232Interface .................................... 35
9.2 AutoTransmitKeyPressesOn................................. 35
9.3 AutoTransmitKeyPressesOff................................. 35
9.4 PollKeyPress.......................................... 36
9.5 ClearKeyBuffer ........................................ 36
9.6 SetDebounceTime....................................... 37
9.7 SetAutoRepeatMode ..................................... 37
9.8 AutoRepeatModeOff ..................................... 38
9.9 AssignKeypadCodes...................................... 38
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10 Display Functions 39
10.1Introduction........................................... 39
10.2DisplayOn ........................................... 39
10.3DisplayOff ........................................... 40
10.4SetVFDBrightness....................................... 40
10.5SetandSaveVFDBrightness.................................. 40
11 Data Security 41
11.1Introduction........................................... 41
11.2SetRemember.......................................... 41
11.3DataLock............................................ 42
11.4SetandSaveDataLock..................................... 44
11.5WritestheCustomerData.................................... 44
11.6ReadstheCustomerData.................................... 44
12 Miscellaneous 44
12.1Introduction........................................... 44
12.2ReadVersionNumber...................................... 45
12.3ReadModuleType ....................................... 45
13 Command Summary 46
13.1Communications ........................................ 46
13.2Text ............................................... 47
13.3SpecialCharacters ....................................... 48
13.4GeneralPurposeOutput..................................... 48
13.5Dallas1-Wire.......................................... 49
13.6Keypad ............................................. 49
13.7DisplayFunctions........................................ 50
13.8DataSecurity .......................................... 50
13.9Miscellaneous.......................................... 50
13.10CommandByNumber ..................................... 51
14 Appendix 52
14.1Specifications.......................................... 52
14.1.1 Environmental ..................................... 52
14.1.2 Electrical........................................ 52
14.2PhysicalLayout......................................... 53
14.3OpticalCharacteristics ..................................... 54
14.4Definitions............................................ 54
14.5ContactingMatrixOrbital.................................... 54
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1 Getting Started
Figure 1: VK202-25
The VK202-25 is an intelligent VFD display designed to decrease development time by providing an
instant solution to any project. With the ability to communicate via serial RS-232/TTL and I2C protocols,
the versatile VK202-25 can be used with virtually any controller. The ease of use is further enhanced by
an intuitive command structure to allow display settings such as brightness, and baud rate to be software
controlled. Additionally, up to thirty-two custom charaters, such as character sets for bar graphs, medium
and large numbers, may be stored in the non-volitile memory to be easily recalled and displayed at any time.
1.1 Display Options Available
The VK202-25 is complimented with a wide selection of filters including blue, green, grey and red. If the
VFD will be in direct sunlight, the grey filter will prevent the displayed text from ’washing out’. Extended
voltage, and temperature options are also available, to allow you to select the display which will best fit your
project needs.
Figure 2: VK202-25 Filter Options
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1.2 Accessories
NOTE Matrix Orbital provides all the interface accessories needed to get your display
up and running. You will find these accessories and others on our e-commerce website at
http://www.matrixorbital.com. To contact a sales associate see Section 14.5 on page 54 for
contact information.
Figure 3: 5V Power Cable Adapter
Figure 4: 12V Power Cable Adapter (V/VPT Models)
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Figure 5: Breadboard Cable
Figure 6: Serial Cable 4FT
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Figure 7: Communication and 5V Power Cable
Figure 8: Aluminum Mountings
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Figure 9: Keypad Mountings
Figure 10: Keypad Mounting
Figure 11: Mounting Kits
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Figure 12: 4X4 Keypad
1.3 Features
•20 column by 2 line text vacuum fluorescent display
•Selectable communication protocol, RS-232 or I2C
•Optional One-wire interface
•Six, 5V -20mA, general purpose outputs for a variety of applications
•Lightning fast communication speeds, up to 57.6 kbps for RS-232 and 400 kbps for I2C
•Default 19.2 kbps serial communication speed
•Extended temperature available for extreme environments of -40C to 85C
•Extended voltage and efficient power supply available
•Built in font with provision for up to 8 user defined characters
•Use of up to 127 modules on the same 2 wire I2C interface
•1-wire bus that is capable of communicating with many devices over a single wire plus a ground
refernce
•Fully buffered so that no delays in transmission are ever necessary
•Ability to add a customized splash / startup screen
•Software controlled brightness with configurable time-out setting up to 90 minutes and software con-
trolled speed
•Use of up to a 25 key keypad with a 10 key buffer
•Horizontal or vertical bar graphs
•Extended temperature option
•Fits Matrix Orbital’s mountings without any modifications
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1.4 Connecting to a PC
The VK202-25 connects seamlessly to a PC and it is an excellent means of testing the functionality. To
connect your display to a PC, you will require a standard RS-232 9-pin serial cable such as the one pictured
in figure 6 on page 3, as well as a modified 5V power adapter such as the one pictured in figure 3 on page 2.
In order to connect your display to a personal computer follow these easy instructions:
1. Plug the serial cable into the com port you wish to use.
2. Connect the modified 5V power adapter to a power lead from your PC power supply (you will have to
open your computer case).
3. Connect the serial cable to the DB-9 connector on the back of the display.
4. Connect the 5V power adapter to the 4-pin connector on the back of the display.
WARNING DO NOT use the standard floppy drive power connector,
as this will not provide you with the correct voltage and will damage the
display module.
Figure 13: PC vs Matrix Orbital Display Module Wiring
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1.5 Installing the Software
1.5.1 uProject
uProject was designed by Matrix Orbital to provide a simple and easy to use interface that will allow you
to test all of the features of our alpha numeric displays.
To install uProject from the Matrix Orbital CD, follow the following steps:
1. Insert the Matrix Orbital CD-ROM into the CD drive
2. Locate the file, uProject.exe, which should be in the “CD-drive:\Download” directory.
3. Copy uProject.exe to a directory that you wish to run it from.
4. Double click on "uProject.exe"
Be sure to check the information selected in the COM Setup the first time uProject is run. Once this infor-
mation is entered correctly the program can be used to control all functions of the graphic display.
Comport The serial port the display
is plugged in to.
Baudrate The communication speed
the display module is set
to. (Default 19,200)
Figure 14: uProject Settings
NOTES
•uProject and other alphanumeric software may also be downloaded from Matrix Or-
bital’s support site at http://www.matrixorbital.ca/software/software_alpha/
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2 Hardware Information
Refer to the following diagram for this chapter:
1DB-9 Connector 5Power / Data Connector
2Power Through DB9 Jumper 6Keypad Interface
3GPOs 7Protocol Select Jumpers
4Manual Override 8Optional Dallas 1-Wire Bridge
Figure 15: VK202-25
2.1 DB-9 Connector
The VK202-25 provides a DB-9 Connector to readily interface with serial devices which use the EIA232
standard signal levels of ±12V to ±12V. It is also possible to communicate at TTL levels of 0 to +5V by
setting the Protocol Select Jumpers to TTL. As an added feature it is also possible to apply power through
pin 9 of the DB-9 Connector in order to reduce cable clutter. However, in order to accomplish this you must
set the Power Through DB-9 Jumper.
Pin 2Rx \ SCL (I2C clock)
Pin 3Tx \ SDA (I2C data)
Pin 5GND
Pin 9PWR (Must solder Power Through DB-
9 Jumper. See table 1 on page 11 for
power requirements.)
Figure 16: RS-232 Pin out
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2.1.1 Power Through DB-9 Jumper
In order to provide power through pin 9 of the DB-9 Connector you must place a solder jumper on the
Power through DB-9 Jumper pictured in figure 17 below. The VK202-25 allows all voltage models to use
the power through DB-9 option, see table 1 on the following page for display module voltage requirements.
Figure 17: Power Through DB-9 Jumper
WARNING Do not apply voltage through pin 9 of the DB-9 connector
AND through the Power/Data Connector at the same time.
2.2 Power/Data Connector
The Power/Data Connector provides a standard connector for powering the display module. The VK202-
25 requires five volts for the standard display module, between nine to fifteen for the wide voltage (V)
and between nine to thirty-five volts for the wide voltage with efficient power supply module (VPT). The
voltage is applied through pins one and four of the four pin Power/Data connector. Pins two and three are
reserved for serial transmission, using either the RS-232/TTL or the I2C protocol, depending on what has
been selected by the Protocol Select Jumpers. Pins two and three may be reversed by changing the Legacy
Connector Jumpers in order to be compatible with previous PCB revisions.
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Pin 1PWR (See table 1)
Pin 2Rx \ SCL (I2C clock)
Pin 3Tx \ SDA (I2C data)
Pin 4GND
Figure 18: Power Connector and Pin out
Table 1: Power Requirements
Standard -V -VPT
Supply Voltage +5Vdc ±0.25V +9V to +15V +9V to +35V
Supply Current 148 mA typical
Inrush 250 mA
WARNINGS
•Do not apply any power with reversed polarization.
•Do not apply any voltage other than the specified voltage.
2.3 Protocol Select Jumpers
The Protocol Select Jumpers, pictured below in figure 19, provide the means necessary to toggle the
display module between RS-232, TTL and I2C protocols. As a default, the jumpers are set to RS-232 mode
with solder jumps on the 232 jumpers. In order to place the display module in I2C mode you must first
remove the solder jumps from the 232 jumpers and then place them on the I2C jumpers. The display will
now be in I2C mode and have a default slave address of 0x50 unless it has been changed. Similarly, in order
to change the display to TTL mode, simply remove the zero ohm resistors from the 232 or I2C jumpers and
solder them to the TTL jumpers.
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Figure 19: Protocol Select Jumpers
2.4 General Purpose Outputs
A unique feature of the VK202-25 is the ability to control relays and other external devices using a
General Purpose Output, which can provide up to 20 mA of current and +5Vdc from the positive side of
the GPO. This is limited by a 240 ohm resistor which is located directly above the positive pin as pictured
below in figure 23. If the device, which is being driven by a GPO, requires a relatively high current (such as
a relay) and has an internal resistance of its own greater than 250 ohms, then the 240 ohm resistor may be
removed and replaced with a Jumper.
-GND
+MAX: 20 mA, +5Vdc
Figure 20: General Purpose Output
WARNING If connecting a relay, be sure that it is fully clamped using
a diode and capacitor in order to absorb any electro-motive force (EMF)
which will be generated.
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2.5 Dallas 1-Wire Bridge
In addition to the six general purpose outputs the VK202-25 offers a Dallas 1-wire bridge, to allow for
an aditional thirty two 1-wire devices to be connected to the display. Please note that the display normally
does not come with the Dallas 1-wire bridge. It will have to be ordered as a custom. Please talk to your sales
representative if you would like this option. See Section 8 on page 32.
Figure 21: Dallas 1-Wire Bridge
NOTE This component is optional and must be custom ordered
2.6 Manual Override
The Manual Override is provided to allow the VK202-25 to be reset to factory defaults. This can be
particularly helpful if the display module has been set to an unknown baud rate or I2C Slave Address and
you are no longer able to communicate with it. If you wish to return the module to its default settings you
must:
1. Power off the display module.
2. Place a Jumper on the Manual Override pins.
3. Power up the display module.
4. The display module is now set to its default values listed below in table 2.
5. Edit and save settings.
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Figure 22: Manual Override Jumper
Table 2: Default Values
Brightness 0x03
Baud Rate 19.2 kbps
I2C Slave Address 0x50
Data Lock False
RS232AutoTransmitData True
NOTE The display module will revert back to the old settings once turned off, unless the
settings are saved.
2.7 Keypad Interface Connector
The VK202-25 provides a Keypad Interface Connector which allows for up to a five by five matrix style
keypad to be directly connected to the display module. Key presses are generated when a short is detected
between a row and a column. When a key press is generated a character, which is associated with the
particular key press, is automatically sent on the Tx communication line. If the display module is running
in I2C mode, the “Auto Transmit Keypress” function may be turned off, to allow the key presses to remain
in the buffer so that they may be polled. The character that is associated with each key press may also be
altered using the “Assign Key Codes” command, for more detailed information see the Keypad Section, on
page 34.
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Figure 23: Keypad Interface Connector
3 Troubleshooting
3.1 The display does not turn on when power is applied.
•First, you will want to make sure that you are using the correct power connector. Standard floppy drive
power cables from your PC power supply may fit on the Power/Data Connector however they do not
have the correct pin out as can be seen in figure 13 on page 7. Matrix Orbital supplies power cable
adapters for connecting to a PC, which can be found in the Accessories Section on page 2.
•The next step is to check the power cable which you are using for continuity. If you don’t have an
ohm meter, try using a different power cable, if this does not help try using a different power supply.
•The last step will be to check the Power / Data Connector on the VK202-25. If the Power / Data
Connector has become loose, or you are unable to resolve the issue, please contact Matrix Orbital,
see 14.5 on page 54 for contact information.
3.2 The display module is not communicating.
•First, check the communication cable for continuity. If you don’t have an ohm meter, try using a
different communication cable. If you are using a PC try using a different Com Port.
•Second, please ensure that the display module is set to communicate on the protocol that you are
using, by checking the Protocol Select Jumpers. To change the protocol used by the display module
see Section 2.3 on page 11.
•Third, ensure that the host system and display module are both communicating on the same baud rate.
The default baud rate for the display module is 19200 bps.
•If you are communicating to the display via I2C please ensure that the data is being sent to the correct
address. The default slave address for the display module is 0x50.
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NOTE I2C communication will always require pull up resistors.
•Finally, you may reset the display to it’s default settings using the Manual Override Jumper, see
Section 2.6 on page 13.
3.3 The display module is communicating, however text cannot
be displayed.
•A common cause may be that the brightness settings have been set to low. The solution to this problem
is to increase the brightness.
4 Communications
4.1 Introduction
The commands listed in this chapter describe how to configure data flow on the RS232/TTL and I2C
port.
4.1.1 I2C Communication Summary
The VK202-25 is capable of communicating at 100 Kbps in I2C mode, with 127 units addressable on a
single I2C communication line. However, in order to communicate via I2C you must first set the Protocol
Select Jumpers as can be seen in Section 2.3 and ensure that pull up resistors, with a nominal value of 1K
to 10K, are placed on the SCL and SDA communication lines coming from pins two and three of the Data /
Power Connector respectively. These pins are shared with RS232 and must be switched to I2C if this is how
the host will be communicating with the display. Data responses by the module are automatically output
via RS232, in case the host will be querying the module, it is necessary for the host to inform the module
that its responses are to be output via I2C. This can be done by sending command 254 /160 / 0 to turn off
auto transmission of data in RS232. This will keep the data in the buffer until the master clocks a read of
the slave. The I2C data lines operate at 5V. The VK202-25 uses 8-bit addressing, with the 8th or Least
Significant Bit (LSB) bit designated as the read/write bit, a 0 designates a write address and a 1 designates a
read address. The default read address of the display module will be 0x51, whereas the write address is 0x50
by default. This address may be changed by using cmd 254 / 51 / <address>. The VK202-25should only be
sent addresses that are even (LSB is 0). When the I2C master wishes to write to the display, the effective
address is $50 (0101 0000) , since the LSB has to be 0 for an I2C master write. When the I2C master wishes
to read the VK202-25, the effective address is $51 (0101 0001), since the LSB has to be 1 for an I2C master
read.
If we take a standard Phillips 7 bit address of $45 (100 0101), Matrix Orbital’s VK202-25 would describe
this Phillips I2C address as $8A (1000 1010). The read address would be $8B (1000 1011).
The unit does not respond to general call address ($00).
When communicating in I2C the VK202-25 will send an ACK on the 9th clock cycle when addressed.
Matrix Orbital VK202-25 16