Product category:
PCs and Embedded Systems
News Release from: Contec Microelectronics | Subject: RP-COM(FIT)
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 11 October 2004
Windows host controls serial devices via
Ethernet
RP-COM(FIT) provides Windows hosts to control serial devices located virtually anywhere through a TCP/IP Ethernet connection.
RP-COM(FIT) provides Windows hosts to control serial devices located virtually anywhere through a TCP/IP Ethernet connection Applications include industrial/factory automation, automatic warehouse control and hospital/laboratory automation The RP-COM(FIT)GY bridges the gap between Ethernet LANs and non-Ethernet serial devices
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 11 Nov 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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By using the RP-COM(FIT)GY, serial devices now appear as Ethernet LAN attached equipment.
These device servers are ideal for use in Industrial network applications where legacy serial devices need to communicate with the Ethernet LAN.
The RP-COM(FIT) can be used with the following operating systems: Windows XP, 2000, NT, 98/Me.
The driver installs a virtual COM on windows which maps the virtual COM port to the IP address of the RP-COM device across the network, enabling the Windows applications to access remote serial devices over Ethernet.
RP-COM(FIT) can function as a server or client for TCP connection.
The application scenarios are through mode, virtual COM mode, modem mode and terminal mode.
Through mode transfers data directly from the RS232C device connected to the RP-COM(FIT) to the RP-COM(FIT) with the same device ID or with the specified device ID.
This means communications can be performed in the same way as if the one-to-one connection via an RS232C cable had been replaced with a wired network.
Existing applications that operate using RS232C can continue to be used without any changes.
Virtual COM driver mode for Windows converts COM data to LAN data to control the RS232C port on an RP-COM(FIT) via the LAN.
This has the effect of extending a one-to-one RS-232C cable connection to operate via the LAN and allows existing applications that use RS232C to continue to be used changed.
Modem mode performs RS232C communications on a packet-by packet basis using special commands to control the RP-COM(FIT).
As the device ID is added to the transmitted packet data, communication can be performed with multiple RP-COM(FIT) devices.
Terminal mode is used to access the RP-COM(FIT) via the RS232C port to perform maintenance using the utility software or modem commands.
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