How to use Microvision ROV Barcode Scanners with Android - Update!

Bluetooth Data Acquisition on Android

Currently TEC-IT offers two Android apps for data acquisition with Bluetooth devices:

• GetBlue provides universal data acquisition and device communication with Bluetooth SPP, TCP and camera scanners. GetBlue communicates with serial Bluetooth devices (Serial Port Profile like SPP/RFCOMM barcode readers), TCP/IP devices and camera scanners. Captured data is displayed, saved (File, Google Docs), forwarded (HTTP, TCP) or injected as virtual keystrokes into Apps (GetBlue virtual keyboard).
• BluePiano extends all Apps with automated Bluetooth data acquisition. This new input method provides a Bluetooth-enabled soft-keyboard. This virtual keyboard captures data from Bluetooth SPP devices (serial port profile) and forwards the received data to input fields of arbitrary apps.

Microvision ROV Bluetooth Scanners

Problem:
Some users are experiencing the following issue: once a bar code is scanned with the Microvision ROV barcode scanner the bar code data is sent over and over again.
Cause:
This problem is because the scanner by default requires an acknowledgement of the receiving party (the Android device). The current versions of GetBlue and BluePiano do not acknowledge received data, thus you need to adapt the configuration of the Microvision device.
Solution:
The required acknowledgement can be switched off by configuring the scanner accordingly.
To do this please check out the Microvision ROV PDF user manual (page 74) for the configuration barcodes. You need to set the following values:

• ForceSerializationOverBT
  must be set to false to force compatibility mode and to disable serial numbers. Scan the Set FSOBT,0 = Force Serialization Over BlueTooth barcode.
• BCDataACK
  must be false so no ACK is required. Scan the Set Ack,0 = Bar Code Data Acknowledgement is False barcode.
• SeqNum
  must be false to disable serial numbers. Scan the Set Seq,0 = Sequence Number is False barcode.
• AutoDownload
  must be true to send scanned barcodes immediately to the Android device. Scan the Set ADl,1 = Auto Download is True barcode.

The Microvision ROV scanner user manual as compressed CHM file may also be of interest. Refer to this blogpost for displaying this file on Windows 7. Use the search function in the manual and search for Bar Coded Menu Cards.

Please note that the configuration information above was posted based on user feedback of TEC-IT's Android apps. If there are any problems let us know. Thanks!

Feedback

TEC-IT hopes this article is valuable for you. If there are any questions please feel free to contact us via email or MSN (support@tec-it.com).

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Mobile Data Acquisition Software Update: TWedgeCE V2.1.0

As from today an service update of our Mobile Data Acquisition Software (Mobile Software Wedge) TWedge V2.1.0 is available for download.

New in TWedgeCE V2.1.0

• Hot key support
  TWedgeCE now supports hot keys.
• Automatic screen orientation
  Depending on the screen orientation (portrait or landscape) TWedgeCE will automatically switch to the correct dialog layout.

Download TWedgeCE V2.1.0 Update

Juniper Systems adds TWedgeCE to its reference list of wedge software.

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TCP and Bluetooth Reader for Android™

TEC-IT joined the Android™ Community!

TEC-IT (http://www.tec-it.com) published GetBlue - its first free App for Android smartphones!

GetBlue is a smart application which communicates with Bluetooth and TCP/IP devices. The user is able to connect to arbitrary Bluetooth devices supporting the Serial Port Profile (SPP), receive and display device data immediately and finally to send manually entered data or control commands to the device. In addition to Bluetooth SPP GetBlue supports connectivity via TCP sockets.

We encourage you to give it a try! GetBlue is completely free and is intended as debugging/testing tool for Android users. When browsing the Android Market with your handset just search for the term GetBlue!

The screen-shot shows barcode data scanned with a Bluetooth barcode scanner paired with a Google G1. GetBlue is available for Android 1.5, 1.6, 2.0 or higher. It was tested with Google G1 and Motorola Milestone/Motorola Droid. For more information get in touch with us - visit www.tec-it.com.

UPDATE 09/04/2010:
We just released an update with the following new features:
- Save to File (save received device data to an arbitrary text file)
- Copy to Clipboard
- No more demo dialogs, this version of GetBlue is completely unlimited (and still free).

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New Mobile Data Acquisition Software from TEC-IT

Press Release

TEC-IT Datenverarbeitung GmbH (www.tec-it.com) released the new version of its data acquisition software for mobile devices.

The new release of TWedgeCE simplifies mobile data acquisition significantly. This software wedge provides application-independent data collection and data logging features for mobile devices. Once installed and configured, TWedgeCE captures data from arbitrary devices like bar code scanners, readers, RF-ID transponders and ID tags, electronic meters and sensors, balances, scales, weights, gauges and many more.

TWedgeCE forwards the captured device data automatically to target applications by simulating keystrokes. This mobile software wedge extends standard applications like Office Mobile, browser based front-ends and any other system with flexible and affordable data acquisition functionality. There is no need to modify the target applications.

Guenter Kriegl, the CEO of TEC-IT, emphasizes the strengths of TWedgeCE: „The new release of the mobile software wedge offers better interface support. The integration of native Bluetooth and the TCP/UDP server capabilities ensure reliable device connectivity. Besides simple configuration and easy deployment that is exactly what our customers are looking for.“

The new version of TWedgeCE offers unmatched communication capabilities. It collects data from serial (RS232, RS485), USB, TCP/IP, UDP and Bluetooth devices. Network connections may be operated in server- or in client mode. In addition, virtual COM port drivers are no longer required for Bluetooth devices.

On demand, TWedgeCE can be configured to restore lost connections automatically, to send I-am-alive packets, to suppress duplicate data packets and to modify the captured data by applying transformation rules. Numerous automation functions are available: TWedgeCE selects the required input field in the target application automatically, activates or starts applications on demand or simulate function keys based on the captured data.

Programming knowledge is not required for using this software tool. TWedgeCE is installed and configured easily. The complete configuration of TWedgeCE is stored in plain text files; this makes deployment to a large number of mobile devices extremely simple.

The current version of this keyboard software wedge can be downloaded from TEC-IT's Website. TWedgeCE is available for Microsoft Windows CE, Pocket PC, Windows Mobile and Symbol PPT 8800. Other platforms are available on request.

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Software for Mobile Data Acquisition

TEC-IT released the new version of TWedgeCE - a software wedge for mobile devices.

What is TWedgeCE?

TWedgeCE captures data from external devices and translates them into virtual keystrokes. It acts as middleware between arbitrary data acquisition devices (like scales, gauges, barcode scanners, RFID controllers, etc.) and software applications like Pocket Excel or Mobile Internet Explorer. TWedgeCE operates in the background of the mobile device and can be configured easily via simple configuration files.

Highlights:

Version 2.0 is able to work with devices via the following interfaces:

• Serial / RS232
• Bluetooth (native Bluetooth, no virtual COM ports required!)
• TCP/IP (client mode)
• TCP(IP (server mode)
• UDP (client mode)

TWedgeCE is able to check device connectivity (I-Am-Alive), it recovers lost connections automatically (this is especially of interest for WLAN or Bluetooth connections) and finally introduces an anti-jitter feature.

Availability:

The mobile software wedge is available for the following platforms:

• Pocket PC 2003 SE (Second Edition)
• Windows CE 5 / Embedded CE 6 (ARMV4I)
• Windows Mobile 5
• Windows Mobile 6

Related Software:

Also check out the universal data acquisition software TWedge for Windows operating systems. TWedge offers device connectivity, keystroke simulation, direct database access, direct file access and complete scripting features!

Free Download:

Mobile Software Wedge TWedgeCE, Universal Software Wedge TWedge (for Microsoft Windows)

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