Can data be read into LabView from a GPS through the USB?

[JSlane]

I have a DeLorme Earthmate GPS receiver. It connects to my computer via a USB port. I'd like to use LabView to record latitude, longitude, and altitude from it. Can this be done?

[Robert M]

Hello JSlane,

There is a tutorial on National Instruments website for communicating with a USB device in LabVIEW using VISA. In order to use this method, however, you will need to know what commands need to be sent to your GPS receiver.

One other option is making calls from LabVIEW to a .dll file used by your device. There is also a tutorial for doing this.

If none of these suggestions help, or if I�m not correctly understanding your issue, please post the software and versions you are using, the applicable portions of your code, and any other
information that may help, and I�ll be happy to look further into it.

Have a nice day and good luck!

Robert M
Applications Engineer
National Instruments

[JSlane]

Robert,

I am using a Garmin GPSMap 60c set to a NMEA output format, 4800 baud. I viewed the tutorial on communicating with a USB device using NI-VISA. However, when I connect the Garmin to my laptop, the device does not show up in NI MAX Devices and Interfaces.

I have Labview 2013 operating on a Windows 7 OS.

Thanks,

Jean

[Dennis_Knutson]

How does the device appear in Windows device manager? You say it is set for 4800 baud and that implies it is a virtual com port and would appear in MAX as such. Don't bother with the VISA Wizard unless you have the very low level protocol from the vendor.

[JSlane]

It doesn't appear at all.

[Dennis_Knutson]

If it doesn't appear in Windows device manager, then the driver from the vendor is not installed.

[JSlane]

It does appear in the Windows device manager at this location: Port_#0003.Hub_#0004

It does not appear as a USB device in MAX.

[Dennis_Knutson]

Your answers are confusing. How does it appear in device manager? What driver is it using?

Unless it's a serial port emulator, USBTMC, or you use the wizard, it's not supposed to appear in MAX.

[JSlane]

Sorry, I misunderstood a previous questons. My Garmin GPSMax 60c does appear in the Windows Device Manager. See attachment.

I would like to be able to read data from the GPS into a Labview VI and am trying to figure out how to communicate with it.

[Dennis_Knutson]

I still don't know anything about the Windows driver you are using.

In any case, if it's not emulating a serial port, your comment about baud rate does not make any sense. You can attempt to get the very low level protocol spec from garmin and use the wizard or get the specs on the existing driver and call that with the Call Library Function Node.