uFR Readers Tool – µFR series reader/writer setup software

µFR Readers Tool

uFR Readers Tool is a unique software tool designed for the µFR hardware setup. This is the only software capable of completely resetting the µFR device and restoring its factory default settings. Even if you previously locked your device and forgot the password or you’ve changed its baud rate by mistake, you can “bring it back to life” in just a few steps with the µFR Readers Tool.

Software overview

Software functions:

• Reader Reset
• Reader Soft Reset
• Check Reader Connection
• Factory Reset
• Baud Rate Setup
• Boud Rate Reset
• Reader Signalization Setup
• Sleep Mode Setup
• Communication Speed Setup
• Reader Lock/Unlock

Available programming languages:

• C++ source code & executable software tool

Supported operating systems, platforms, and environments:

• Cross-platform

Supported hardware:

• µFR Series Devices

Software manual

1. µFR Readers Tool – Main Software Commands

Download: ufr_reader_tool

The first group of commands at the top of the µFR Readers Tool software GUI refer to the connection establishment and the hardware reset functions.

1.1 µFR Readers Tool – Reader Open

Click the Reader Open button to connect the device. This function will automatically search for the first available µFR Series device attached.

If any µFR device is detected, the software will display its basic info (serial number, hardware version, firmware version, device type).

1.2 µFR Readers Tool – Reader Reset

The function Reset Reader simply resets the hardware. The infobox at the software bottom will display the device current info.

1.3 µFR Readers Tool – Reader Close

The function Reader Close simply closes the communication with the currently connected device.

1.4 µFR Readers Tool – Reader Soft Restart

Reader Soft Restart reloads the device connection through the software.

1.5 µFR Readers Tool – Reader Check Connection

The function Reader Check Connection checks for connections to the attached µFR devices.  If the device is physically attached to the computer but not detected by the µFR Readers Tool software, this indicates that there may be a problem with the hardware installation (missing drivers, corrupted firmware, damaged USB cable, etc).

1.6 µFR Readers Tool – Reader Factory Reset

To reset the µFR Series device to the factory defaults, simply click the Factory Reset button. This function will overwrite all the device settings, including the device lock/unlock Keys.

1.7 µFR Readers Tool – Reader Open Ex

This function allows you to open the Reader in several ways. It can be used to establish communication with COM port, as well. The file uFCoder.h file contains the enumeration E_READER_TYPE with values:

enum E_READER_TYPE
{
AUTO = 0,
UFR_TYPE = 1,
UFR_RS232_TYPE = 2,
BASEHD_UFR_TYPE = 3,
UFR_ONLINE_TYPE = 4
};

This enumeration values are the reader_type parameters for the ReaderOpenEx function.  For the automatic search use the value 0.

If the specified reader_type value is 4, the software will search for the μFR Online Series devices only. For the port_name add the IP address of the device or its serial number (egg 192.168.1.123 or ON101390), and for the port_interface add value ‘U’ for UDP, ‘T’ for TCP, or 0 for the operating mode automatic search. In the field of additional argument (additional) enter the μFR device serial number to open it on 1Mbit/s (egg “UN123456”) or 0 for automatic search.

Note: If you have more than one μFR device attached and use the automatic search option (value 0), the software will discover and connect to the first available μFR device.

Find detailed instructions in API Docs.

2. µFR Readers Tool – Baud Rate Settings

The first group of commands refers to the connected µFR device serial port is capable of transfer. It includes the baud rate set and reset function.

2.1 µFR Readers Tool – Change Baud Rate

• To set the new baud rate of the serial port with the uFR device connected, select the new band rate from a dropdown list of the Band Rate Settings panel and click the button Enter New Bound Rate to confirm the change.

• When the baud rate changes, after you restart your device or the software tool, the status bar will display the reader opening error, as shown on the screenshot below.

This is an expected error and nothing to worry about. Since the Reader baud rate is changed, it’s no longer paired to the computer rate. To establish the connection again, use the Bound Rate Reset commands of the software right panel.

• To set the new baud rate of the serial port with the uFR device connected, select the new band rate from a dropdown list of the Band Rate Settings panel and click the button Enter New Bound Rate to confirm the change.

2.2 µFR Readers Tool – Baud Rate Reset

To reset the µFR device baud rate, you need to enter the communication parameters manually. Search your computer system for the µFR device COM port name.  Fill in the COM Port field by specifying the device port number, including its prefix COM. Also, take a look at the µFR Series API to find two other parameter values. Specify the Reader Type value, and Port Interface value, both defined by API.  The 0 value for any of these parameters will run an automatic search. Still, have in mind, when it comes to the band rate change, the auto search function might fail. Instead of 0, we recommend you specify the exact Port Interface value (e.g. value 2 for FTDI driver).

Click the button Reset Baud Rate To Default to confirm the baud rate reset.

If all parameters are correct, the status bar will display the message Reader Open status is OK.

NOTICE: The µFR Series devices baud rate can be also reset in a few steps by the special Digital Logic console tool – ufr-baud_rate_change_console.

3. µFR Readers Tool – Reader Signalization

The group of commands under the Reader Signalization section refers to the µFR device beeper and LED light signal setup.

3.1 µFR Readers Tool – Reader Light Signalization Setup

Select the desired behavior (Light dropdown list for the light signals and Beep dropdown list for the audio signals). Click the Set Signalization button to confirm new settings

3.2 µFR Readers Tool – Red Light Reader Signalization

To enable/disable the constant red light signal on the reader, click the Turn Read Light On/Of button. While the option is enabled, the device will keep the red LED light on.

4. µFR Readers Tool – Sleep Mode

The group of commands on the interface left side, under the Sleep Mode section, contain the µFR device sleep mode setup options.

4.1 µFR Readers Tool – Enable/Disable Sleep Mode Manually

To function buttons at the top of this section allows you to enable or disable the sleep mode on your µFR device manually. Click the Enter Sleep Mode button to activate, and the Enter Sleep Mode button to deactivate the sleep mode of the connected reader.

4.2 µFR Readers Tool – Auto Sleep Mode Setup

Instead of activating the µFR device Sleep Mode manually, you can set the automatic Sleep Mode activation by defining the standby period before the device will turn into the Sleep Mode. To set this function, fill in the Auto Sleep After filed by entering the standby interval in seconds to precede the Sleep Mode activation. Click the Set Auto Sleep button to confirm the new settings.

4.3 µFR Readers Tool – Check The Auto Sleep Mode Settings

To check if the Auto Sleep mode is set on the connected µFR device, and to get the preset number of seconds before Auto Sleep Mode activation, click the Get Auto Sleep Seconds button. This function will display the predefined number of seconds for the current reader. If the Auto Sleep After field value on the left is 0, this indicates that the Auto Sleep Mode on the connected device is not enabled.

Note: Regardless of whether Sleep Mode on the connected device is activated manually or automatically, it can be canceled by clicking the Leave Sleep Mode button.

5. µFR Readers Tool – Communication Speed

Thie set of commands allows you to set the communication speed between the connected µFR device and the card/tag used.

5.1 µFR Readers Tool – Change Communication Speed

To adjust the communication speed between your NFC RFID hardware, select the desired speed on the dropdown menu. Then click the Set Speed button to save the new settings.  

To set the different speed for data transmission and data receiving, select different values from the TX and RX dropdown many.

Note: Once you’ve changed your µFR device communication speed, these new settings will remain until you reset the speed again. Consequently, the connected µFR Reader will not be capable to establish the communication with cards/tags that operates on any other than the currently defined µFR device speed. To enable communication with those card/tag types, you need to set the µFR device communication speed to the value equal to the card/tag speed. 

5.2 µFR Readers Tool – Get Communication Speed

To check your connected µFR device predefined communication speed, click the Get Speed button. The field of this button left side will display the device currently set communication speed.  

6. µFR Readers Tool – Reader Key

To prevent the hardware misuse, you can lock your µFR device by 8-bytes Reader Key password. 

6.1 µFR Readers Tool – Set Reader Key

To set the access Key for your device, enter the desired 8-byte password into the Reader Key field. Then click the Lock Keys button to save the Key into the reader.  

6.2 µFR Readers Tool – Unlock The Reader

To access the locked µFR device features, enter the preset 8-byte password in the bottom Reader Key field, and click the Unlock Keys button to unlock the reader.  

This manual presents the executable software with source code in the C++ programming language. Source code SDK s also available.

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