How to connect USB RFID reader to LabView

[Tagger]

Hi, I am a complete newbie to Labview. I want to use the software to process and respond to readings coming in from a RFID reader, which connects by USB. I have the drivers for the reader on my computer. How do I get Labview to find this device and take input from it? Can I do this directly, or do I need to use some kind of intermediate data acquisition platform?

Thanks

[Tom.]

Hello Tagger,

You will have to provide more details on your USB device. It may be possible to use this with our VISA technology without having to write a VISA driver especially for your device although this will depend on it being USBTMC type. If it isnt and you dont want to write a VISA driver you could use a .DLL file to drive the device if it is provided by the device's vendor, but this will require quite detailed information on how this would work.

If you post what the device is and more information about it we can take it from there.

Cheers,

Tom
NIUK

[Tagger]

Hi Tom,

The device is a small RFID tag reader which reads ID data from passive microtransponders. It is a prototype, so doesn't have a model number or anything like that.

I'm not sure if the reader is USBTMC compliant - am waiting to hear back from the manufacturer on that one. The driver is a .sys file rather than a .dll.

What other information do you need to know if it will be possible to connect it to LabView?

Cheers

[Tom.]

Hello Tagger,

While you wait for the manufacturer to get back to you about this you should take a look at ni.com/visa for more information about what VISA is and how it can help you. Also take a look at the following KnowledgeBase articles to better explain how you can interface your USB devices with VISA:

Communicating with Non-USBTMC USB Devices with NI-VISA

What is USBTMC and How Can I Communicate with my USB Instrument?

How Can I Communicate With a Device Using NI-VISA USB RAW Mode?

Hope this helps 🙂

Tom
NIUK

[Tagger]

Hi Tom,

when the manufacturer got back to me they said that it was possible to configure the device to output over TCP/IP, which changes things completely. Thanks for your help anyway!

I've followed the procedures given in "Basic TCP/IP Communication in LabVIEW" but I am getting Error 63 when I try to connect, although the firewall is inactive. Any pointers towards solving this problem gratefully recieved!

Cheers

[Tom.]

Hello Tagger,

If you wish to use TCP/IP to control this instrument as opposed to just having a Server/Client sort of relationship with it NI-VISA can also handle this. This KnowledgeBase article discusses it. It's difficult to try and guess what sort of setup you really have without you supplying me with the vendors information so I can look up the device myself in order to offer you further advice.

With regards to Error 63 this relates to the following:

LabVIEW:  Serial port receive buffer overflow.
=========================
LabVIEW:  The network connection was refused by the server. For TCP/IP, make sure the server is running and listening on the port you are trying to use. Firewalls can also cause a server to refuse a connection. For VI Server, make sure you have enabled VI Server from Tools>>Options>>VI Server:Configuration.

Also ensure you are actually on the same subnet as the instrument or if you are simply using a single ethernet connection between the computer and the device that it is a cross-over cable.

Hope this helps

Tom
NIUK

[Tagger]

Thanks Tom.

The knowledgebase article link doesn't work. What is its title?

I'm doing all this on the same computer, so there shouldn't be a subnet problem. The device I am using is a prototype and you will not be able to look it up, but if there is anything specific you need to know I can find it out.

Cheers

[Tom.]

Apologies - Here is the link

Tom
NIUK

[D60]

Hi all! I am new here, and I have a problem and I hope we will find the solution. So, I bought an RF ID Reader Specification: here: http://www.wontec.com.tw/images/jpg/PR-EM.pdf   my problem is, how to connect this device to LabVIEW? I tried the standard IO examples.... nothing happended... 😞  by the way, I bought 2 of RFID readers,... and my job is how to differentiate them? Thanx your help!!!!

[Samthorn]

This is what I was looking for. Thanks for the share.

~Sam