TFA USB-Temp User manual

USB devices made by TFA Dostmann
31.1026 „USB-Temp“ PC Thermometer
31.1027 „USB-Batt“ Battery module for „USB-Temp“
User Manual
Version 2.9.2
05.08.2003
TFA Dostmann GmbH & Co. KG
Zum Ottersberg 12
97877 Wertheim / Reicholzheim
www.tfa-dostmann.de

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Contents
1. Introduction................................................................................................................3
2. USB-Temp ..................................................................................................................4
3. USB-Temp and USB-Battery....................................................................................5

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1. Introduction
The TFA device is a USB device, connected with a 2 m USB cable. The device will be
detected automatically by Windows® ME, Windows® 2000, Windows® XP und
Windows® .NET. Windows® 98 will ask some questions (see special chapter).(®
Microsoft Windows is a registered trademark of the Microsoft Corporation). The TFA
device would also operate with some versions of Linux.
No device driver are needed to operate the TFA device with Windows®. The already
installed standard USB drivers is sufficient. This protects the stability of the PC.
Depending of the configuration of the PC, more than 100 USB devices could be
connected. In case of Linux, only 16 TFA USB devices are supported.
Every TFA USB device has its own unique serial number. This makes it possible to
identify a certain device even the position in the USB hubs have changed. The serial
number could also be used by user programs so the device may be used as a simple
dongle.
The controlling of all TFA devices is done by the program „TFA USBTemp Control“.
This program will also do the visualization of the measured values and states. The
supplied software is described in the software manual.
Caution: It is strongly prohibited to use any of the TFA devices, if the failure of the
product may harm people. Usage in any medical applications is also prohibited.

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2. USB-Temp
The housing of the sensor is made of black anodized aluminium. It is filled with casting
resin which complies with the best non-inflammability class V-O as per UL 94. The size
of the sensor is 25 mm x 15 mm x 40 mm. The USB cable is about 2 m long. The current
needed by this USB device is less than 20 mA.
To get the best results, the object to by measured should be placed at the position shown
above. The sensor is thermically connected with the aluminium housing so changes in
temperature will cause an immediate reaction.
The temperature is measured in steps of 0,0625° Celsius. The accuracy is at least +/-0.5°
Celsius. The sensor could be calibrated with the software “TFA USBTemp Control”.
Before delivery the USB-Temps are calibrated with an accuracy of 0,2° Celsius. The
operating temperature should be between -20° and +80° Celsius. Using it outside this
range may cause the destruction of the sensor. If temperature falls below 0° C the cable
must not be moved or bent.
The construction of the USB-Temp is very robust. Even hard conditions shown below do
not harm the sensor.
best place
to measure

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The casting resign protects the sensor against humidity. The sensor must not be located
under water for a long time, because the plastic may suck up water very slowly. There is
no warranty that the materials of the sensor will not react with components of wet or
aggressive environments. Attention for use inside aquariums.
The display of the measured values are done with the software “TFA USBTemp Control”.
This software could be configured to activate an alarm on several ways.
3. USB-Temp and USB-Battery
By USB-Temp recording of temperature values without PC is possible. This is done by
plugging the USB connector to the power supply USB-Battery. The sensor runs than with
battery power and is capable to record 4000 values. The values are stored permanently,
even if the sensor will be disconnected. They must be deleted explicitly by a command
from „TFA USBTemp Control“. The time slice between the measurements are also
defined in „TFA USBTemp Control“.
As shown on the picture, an USB-Battery could supply up to two devices with power.
After connecting the sensor, the USB-Battery will be turned on. The measurement will
start when pressing the right push button (see below). The start of the measuring will be
acknowledged with a short light on the LED. Then every taken value is signaled by
flashing the LED. If the LED is turned on constantly, an error was detected. The reason
for that is in most cases a full measuring buffer.
On the left side of the USB-Battery a battery low indicator and an power plug could be
found. The USB-Battery is delivered with an AC/AD adapter running at 230V.

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I
0
Battery power
switch
Start button
Left right
AC/DC adapter
Battery low

Software for the
USB device made by TFADostmann GmbH & Co.KG
User Manual
Software “TFA USBTempControl”
Version 2.9.2
30.09.2003
TFA Dostmann GmbH & Co. KG
Zum Ottersberg12
97877 Wertheim / Reicholzheim
www.tfa-dostmann.de
Germany

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Contents
1. Introduction................................................................................................................2
2. TFA USBTemp Control ............................................................................................3
3. Device Settings............................................................................................................5
4. Calibration (Sensors).................................................................................................6
5. Import of recorded values.........................................................................................7
6. Recorder settings (Sensor) ........................................................................................9
7. Switch Points (Sensor Actions).................................................................................9
8. Sensor Action „acoustic switch points“..................................................................12
9. Sensor Action „automatic emails“..........................................................................13
10. Sensor Action „Start program“.............................................................................15
11. Sensor Action „Event“.............................................................................................16
12. SystemSettings – automatic file save.....................................................................18
13. SystemSettings – Optimizing memory needed and speed ...................................19
14. SystemSettings – Systemtray ................................................................................20
15. SystemSettings –switching and measuring through the network.......................21
16. Export of the measured values................................................................................23
1. Introduction
For operation of the TFA devices this Windows program is included in the distribution. It
allows a verysimple and easycontrollingof the devices.

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2. TFA USBTemp Control
Every TFA USB device will be configured and controlled bythe application “TFA
USBTemp Control”. It will also do the visualization of values received from the devices.
The program window splits into two major windows. In the left tree based window the
connected devices and their properties are listed. The right data window displays
temperature curves.

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The entries in the left state window could be as follows:
sensor name
•device type temperature sensor
•current temperature
•minimal detected temperature
•maximal detected temperature
•State of recorder
•switch points (if any)
•refresh interval
•version of the sensor
•serial number of the sensor
A double click on the current temperature causes an immediate call for new temperature
data no matter of the state of the refresh interval.
The recorded values can be stored for later displaywith the menu „File“->“save“ and
„save as“.
When movingthe cursor inside the data window the values next to the cursor position will
be displayed. This will help to get information about a specific time.
The time scale could be compressed or expanded with the menu point “View”-
>”increase/decrease view” or with the buttons .
The recorded values could also be printed. The print out will use the same time scale as
the data view.

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The displaymaybe refreshed with the button to find new devices. Remote devices
will be added automatically.
3. Device Settings
The settings of the devices could be manipulated with the menu item “View”->”Device
properties” or bypressingthe button .
The device name has to be unique. The refresh interval must be in the range 1.5 to 3600
seconds. The refresh interval is the time between two probes. For most applications a
refresh rate of 10 to 60 seconds is recommended.
The colour of the curve can be changed with the button “Change colour”. After pressing
the button there is a dialogfor colour selection.
Bypressingthe button “Recorder” next to the button “Change colour” the recording
capabilities can be regulated.

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4. Calibration (Sensors)
If the displayed temperature is not correct, the sensor has to be adjusted. This is done by
pressingthe button “Calibration” in the device properties. A new dialogshows up:
First the current temperature must be fetched bypressingthe button “Get”. Then the
correct value must be entered in the field next the “Set” button. The calibration will be
done when in the third step the button “Set” was pressed. These three steps maybe
repeated to get a higher accuracy.
When the result is acceptable, the dialogcould be closed with the „Ready“button. Before
startingthe calibration it is recommended that the correspondingtemperature curve is
horizontal for a longer period.
The calibration is done inside the sensor and is independent from the used PC.

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5. Import of recorded values
After the double click, the menu for readingand assigningthe values pops up. Up to 4000
values could be recorded.Multiple record sessionseven with different timingare possible.
Everyrecord session reduces the total amount of values by4 peaces.
Because the USB-Temps lacks a batterybuffered real time clock, the start time must be
defined. The accuracyof the internal clock is about 1 %.
When the dialogappears,the import of the data starts immediately.It took up to 4 minutes
to read all data, dependinghow much values are recorded. The import maybe stopped by
pressingthe button “Stop reading”. The amount of recorded values are updated regularly.
Everyline contains the number of values, the distance between the measurements and the
state of the record.
When TFA USBTemp Control
detects recorded values inside the
USB-Temp, this will indicated in the
tree view. To read the records a
double click on this textwill start the
import menu.

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When all data was received the start time of the record must be defined. This is done by
selectingthe record, choosing the dayand time on the right and then pressingthe “set”
button.
After pressing “set” the computer checks the time and the duration of the record to avoid
conflicts with other records and alreadymeasured values. If all is ok, the time is displayed
in the left window. The assignment maybe deleted with the button “delete”.
The button “finish” closes this dialogand inserts the assigned records in the program. The
values in the sensor are still valid. To delete the records in the sensor, the button
“Settings” open the configuration dialogof the sensor described in the next chapter.

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6. Recorder settings (Sensor)
The time between two measurements in the recorder mode is defined in the recorder
settings. Press the “Recorder” button. After enteringthe time distance , the “set” button
programs the sensor appropriate. Anyavailable records will be deleted immediatelyafter
pressingthe button “delete records”.
Both buttons work immediately without further request.
7. Switch Points (Sensor Actions)
If the measured temperature is beyond a defined limit, different actions could be initiated
by TFA USBTemp Control. These temperature limits are called switch points. Every
sensor maydefine up to 256 different switch points.
Switch points will be added bypressingthe button „Add“ in the device settings. When a
switch point is selected in the list of switch points, this switch point can be deleted with
the “Delete” button or modified byeither pressing the “Modify” button or double clicking
on the item in the list.

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Different actions maybe defined at the same temperature. Everyaction will be taken
which condition is true. Once taken the actions point will be deactivated until the
condition changes again. So if an email will be send at 40 ° C, it will be send onlyonce. It
will be send again, if the temperature goes below 40 ° C and exceeds it again.
When pressingthe „Add“ or „Modify“ button, the followingdialogwill show up:

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Here the temperature andchange direction will be defined. Inaddition a second condition
mayoptionallydefined that demands a continuouslyfallingor risingtemperature. The last
condition will be evaluated with four values. If allvalues are greater than the first one, the
curve is defined risingand if all values are less, falling. With this condition a verysmooth
controller could be build.
Another condition that could case an alarm is the disappearance of the device. This
condition is the second entryin the dialogabove.
Five different actions (sound, continuous sound, emails, program start and event) are
possible. The fields and buttons in the action field of the dialogwill change dynamically
with the chosen action. The event action is available startingwith Windows 2000.

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The switch points will be drawn with a dotted line in the data window.
All temperature switch points are evaluated with a hysteresis to get a secure switching
behaviour. The used hysteresis is 0.25 °Celsius. Inthe example above, the Switch is
turned on at 29.0 °C and turned off when the temperature falls below 28.75 °C.
8. Sensor Action „acoustic switch points“
The acoustic switch point types are “Sound” or “Continuous sound”. The “Sound” is
created byplayinga sound file once. The “Continuous sound” is produced byplayingthe
file in an endless loop as longas the condition is true.
The field „Action“ is used to specifythe sound file (.wav). The button “Search” will open
the standard file open dialogto search and specifya sound file. The sound file maybe
played bypressingthe button “Test”.

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9. Sensor Action „automatic emails“
Another action is the automatic sendingof email. The PC must know the SMTP-Protocol
which is true in most cases with installed email. Unfortunatelythe standardWindows
installation lacks a tool for sending email from the command line. But other programs
maybe chosen to do the job. In the default installation of TFA USBTemp Control, the
public domain program “blat” is used. More information about this program can be found
at http://www.interlog.com/~tcharron/blat.html or in the file „Blat Readme.txt” in the
installation directoryof TFA USBTemp Control. If another program should be used the
action “Program execution” is the wayto go.
When settingthe action „Send email” for the first time, a dialogwill show up to do the
initial setting as of blat. The settingmaybe changed anytime bypressingthe button
“Mail address”.
The server name is the name of the computer used to send the emails. The correct values
could be found in the server settings of Netscape Messenger, Outlook … The field
“From” is used to define the email address of the sender.

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The field „Action“ is used to define the command line arguments used for the blat
program. The destination address is specified with „-t [e-mail]“. The mail
subject is defined with the option “-s”
At the time the action was be taken the email arguments are filtered and some text
substitutions will take place. The followingsubstitution pattern are possible:
%SN% Name of the temperature sensor
%T% actual temperature
%DT% actual date and time, e.g.02.05.2002, 11:54:23
%DA% actual date, e.g. 02.05.2002
%TI% actual time, e.g. 11:54:23
The button “Test” could be used to test if the email will reach the address .
The text of the email contains sensor name, temperature and time of the event. If may
look like this:
Temperature sensor: Server
Temperature = 22.0625 °Celsius
Time: 14:55:51