Elster Solutions URF01 URFI User Manual

Elster Solutions, LLC URFI

Contents

User Manual

UNIVERSAL RADIO FREQUENCYINTERROGATOR (URFI) USER’S MANUAL(PRELIMINARY VERSION)AMERICAN METER COMPANYAUTOMATED SYSTEMS BUSINESS UNIT107 ERSKINE LANESCOTT DEPOT, WEST VIRGINIA 25560
OverviewThe Universal Radio Frequency Interrogator® (URFI®) is a portable radio transceiverused in conjunction with any customer-supplied handheld or portable computer toprovide remote meter reading of Trace® system transponders. The Trace system isdesigned to convert the mechanical index reading of a utility meter to a duplicateelectronic register reading. This electronic register reading is transmitted via radiofrequency (RF) signals to the URFI. The URFI reads each transponder by means of anRF interrogation that consists of a unique serial number along with a commandrequesting the contents of the electronic register. The meter reading route data, whichcontains the street address and serial number of each transponder that is to be read, isstored by the computer, as is the actual meter reading following a successfulinterrogation; no data is stored in the URFI itself.The URFI is controlled by a number of commands sent from the computer. Primaryfunctions controlled by the computer’s route-reading application are: initiation ofinterrogation; setting of receiver channel; and setting of power up/down modes.A typical interrogation sequence consists of the following.1. The computer powers up the URFI and the URFI performs its initialization routine,which includes programming the receiver and transmitter frequency synthesizers.2. The computer sends the serial number of the transponder to be interrogated to theURFI through a serial port connection.3. The URFI transmits a synchronization data pattern followed by the transponder serialnumber. This transmission is approximately 1.5 seconds in length.4. A transponder ‘wakes up’ at some point during the URFI’s synchronization datapattern transmission, hears the serial number and replies with the meter reading dataif the serial number heard matches its own. Otherwise, the transponder goes back tosleep.5. The URFI receiver listens for the transponder reply. If no valid data is detected, thereceiver scans a range of adjacent channels for valid data. In this way, the receiverfinds a drifted transponder signal, and the URFI sends the transponder channel to thecomputer; the URFI then re-interrogates with its receiver set to the new channel.6. When the URFI receiver receives a valid transponder reading, this data is passed fromthe URFI to the computer for storage.
URFI System ComponentsReceiver415MHz,FSKTransmitter451.35MHz,AMRF BoardDigitalBoardBattery(12VDC, 2.0AH)PC Device(Handheld, VID, Laptop)URFISerialPort
ConnectionsThe URFI has four ports which need to be connected to peripheral devices.1. Transmit BNC connector. The transmit BNC connector is the connector on the leftside of the front face of the unit. This shall be connected to an antenna having anominal 50 Ohm impedance at 451 MHz. Three antennas are available fromAmerican Meter: 1) roof mount antenna for mobile use; 2) right angle 5/8 wavelengthantenna; and 3) right angle 1/4 wavelength antenna.2. Receive BNC connector. The receive BNC connector is the connector on the rightside of the front face of the unit. This shall be connected to an antenna having anominal 50 Ohm impedance at 415 MHz. Three antennas are available fromAmerican Meter: 1) roof mount antenna for mobile use; 2) right angle 5/8 wavelengthantenna; and 3) right angle 1/4 wavelength antenna.3. Serial port connector. The nine-pin serial port, located on the bottom of the unit, isconnected to the appropriate serial port (COM port) of the user’s computer via a serialcable.4. Power connector. The DC power connector, located on the bottom of the unit, isconnected to the right angle plug of the power cord supplied with the unit. The otherend of the power cord shall be connected to the supplied 12VDC battery for portableuse or directly to the cigarette lighter receptacle of an automobile for mobile use.IndicatorsTwo light emitting diodes (LEDs) are located on the top end of the unit.The green LED indicates that the URFI is powered on. For the URFI to be powered, itmust have a sufficient DC supply and a logic level ‘high’ on the DTR pin (pin 4) of theserial port, which is supplied by the computer.The red LED indicates that the URFI is in the transmit mode.
SpecificationsPower source: 12 VDC vehicle power or sealed, rechargeable 12VDC leadacid batteryTransmit frequency: 450 – 460 MHz (determined by customer’s FCC licensedfrequency)Transmit power: 2 Watts average power into 50 Ohms at antenna connector(factory set)Transmit modulation: Double-sideband, large carrier AM; 85% nominalmodulation indexReceive frequency: 412 – 416 MHz, wideband FSKReceive bandwidth: 200 kHzReceive sensitivity: -100dBm typ. (50 Ohm source at antenna connector)Operating temperature: -30ºC to +60ºC (-22ºF to +140ºF)Storage temperature: -40ºC to +85ºC (-40ºF to +185ºF)Size: 6.25 x 4.25 x 2.00 inches (does not include connectorprotrusion)Weight: 2 lbs. (approximate)FCC compliance: Part 90 (FCC ID: G8JURF01)

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