Readings from Simultaneous RFID Tag reader - data format

I am very new to RFID technology. I have mounted SRTR on top of the Redboard and connected to Raspberry PI using a USB cable. And in Node-Red workflow, I have the serial in node and is configured with serial port = /dev/ttyUSB0:9600-8N1

A message debug node is also connected.

I get the msg.payload as …

A5PinSet_results_part1 0: 1

A5PinSet_results_part1 1: 1 etc A5PinSet_results_part1 5: 0

and continues to give A4TEST: 0 A5TEST: 0 A0-4: 1023 A1-4: 1023 etc …

Not sure about any of these.

Can someone explain the basics here and the data format the serial in node is showing

Thanks

As described in other topics, the way you want to connect the Simultaneous RFID reader to your Raspberry PI is not how it should be done. The best / preferred way is to use a separate USB to serial converter. I use the https://www.sparkfun.com/products/14050

Other people tried (and like me) failed to get the connection working with the RFID reader on an Arduino- variant. Recently I have done a project to understand WHY it does not work and created a work-around. I have documented that on https://github.com/paulvha/ThingMagic/t … assthrough.

Thanks Paul, while I am trying to test this through Audrino hat and connected to USB on laptop, using the sketch as in an example directory(C:\SparkFun_Simultaneous_RFID_Tag_Reader_Library-master\SparkFun_Simultaneous_RFID_Tag_Reader_Library-master\Example1_Constant_read.ino), I get the error : Module failed to respond. Please check wiring

I have tried different baud rates like 9600, 38400 …

I have followed all the soldering instructions etc.

Any ideas?

lots of questions. but starting with the basics: after 10-15 seconds : is the led on the Arduino blinking or steady high ?

How did you define (in the sketch) & connect the reset-blocker line ?

Try to use the baudrate that is the same as CON_SPEED_SER in the sketch?

How did you set the switch on the SRTR board (HW/SW). If software, make sure

Arduino led steady high

switch is in Software side

I am using the skecth as below. and I do not find CON_SPEED_SER

Edited by moderator to add code tags

/*
  Reading multiple RFID tags, simultaneously!
  By: Nathan Seidle @ SparkFun Electronics
  Date: October 3rd, 2016
  https://github.com/sparkfun/Simultaneous_RFID_Tag_Reader

  Constantly reads and outputs any tags heard

  If using the Simultaneous RFID Tag Reader (SRTR) shield, make sure the serial slide
  switch is in the 'SW-UART' position
*/

#include <SoftwareSerial.h> //Used for transmitting to the device

SoftwareSerial softSerial(2, 3); //RX, TX

#include "SparkFun_UHF_RFID_Reader.h" //Library for controlling the M6E Nano module
RFID nano; //Create instance

void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(9600);
  while (!Serial); //Wait for the serial port to come online

  if (setupNano(38400) == false) //Configure nano to run at 38400bps
  {
    Serial.println(F("Module failed to respond. Please check wiring."));
    while (1); //Freeze!
  }

  nano.setRegion(REGION_NORTHAMERICA); //Set to North America

  nano.setReadPower(500); //5.00 dBm. Higher values may caues USB port to brown out
  //Max Read TX Power is 27.00 dBm and may cause temperature-limit throttling

  Serial.println(F("Press a key to begin scanning for tags."));
  while (!Serial.available()); //Wait for user to send a character
  Serial.read(); //Throw away the user's character

  nano.startReading(); //Begin scanning for tags
}

void loop()
{
  if (nano.check() == true) //Check to see if any new data has come in from module
  {
    byte responseType = nano.parseResponse(); //Break response into tag ID, RSSI, frequency, and timestamp

    if (responseType == RESPONSE_IS_KEEPALIVE)
    {
      Serial.println(F("Scanning"));
    }
    else if (responseType == RESPONSE_IS_TAGFOUND)
    {
      //If we have a full record we can pull out the fun bits
      int rssi = nano.getTagRSSI(); //Get the RSSI for this tag read

      long freq = nano.getTagFreq(); //Get the frequency this tag was detected at

      long timeStamp = nano.getTagTimestamp(); //Get the time this was read, (ms) since last keep-alive message

      byte tagEPCBytes = nano.getTagEPCBytes(); //Get the number of bytes of EPC from response

      Serial.print(F(" rssi["));
      Serial.print(rssi);
      Serial.print(F("]"));

      Serial.print(F(" freq["));
      Serial.print(freq);
      Serial.print(F("]"));

      Serial.print(F(" time["));
      Serial.print(timeStamp);
      Serial.print(F("]"));

      //Print EPC bytes, this is a subsection of bytes from the response/msg array
      Serial.print(F(" epc["));
      for (byte x = 0 ; x < tagEPCBytes ; x++)
      {
        if (nano.msg[31 + x] < 0x10) Serial.print(F("0")); //Pretty print
        Serial.print(nano.msg[31 + x], HEX);
        Serial.print(F(" "));
      }
      Serial.print(F("]"));

      Serial.println();
    }
    else if (responseType == ERROR_CORRUPT_RESPONSE)
    {
      Serial.println("Bad CRC");
    }
    else
    {
      //Unknown response
      Serial.print("Unknown error");
    }
  }
}

//Gracefully handles a reader that is already configured and already reading continuously
//Because Stream does not have a .begin() we have to do this outside the library
boolean setupNano(long baudRate)
{
  nano.begin(softSerial); //Tell the library to communicate over software serial port

  //Test to see if we are already connected to a module
  //This would be the case if the Arduino has been reprogrammed and the module has stayed powered
  softSerial.begin(baudRate); //For this test, assume module is already at our desired baud rate
  while (softSerial.isListening() == false); //Wait for port to open

  //About 200ms from power on the module will send its firmware version at 115200. We need to ignore this.
  while (softSerial.available()) softSerial.read();

  nano.getVersion();

  if (nano.msg[0] == ERROR_WRONG_OPCODE_RESPONSE)
  {
    //This happens if the baud rate is correct but the module is doing a ccontinuous read
    nano.stopReading();

    Serial.println(F("Module continuously reading. Asking it to stop..."));

    delay(1500);
  }
  else
  {
    //The module did not respond so assume it's just been powered on and communicating at 115200bps
    softSerial.begin(115200); //Start software serial at 115200

    nano.setBaud(baudRate); //Tell the module to go to the chosen baud rate. Ignore the response msg

    softSerial.begin(baudRate); //Start the software serial port, this time at user's chosen baud rate

    delay(250);
  }

  //Test the connection
  nano.getVersion();
  if (nano.msg[0] != ALL_GOOD) {return (false);} //Something is not right

  //The M6E has these settings no matter what
  nano.setTagProtocol(); //Set protocol to GEN2

  nano.setAntennaPort(); //Set TX/RX antenna ports to 1

  return (true); //We are ready to rock
}

I am following this one and not the one from your your post

I have dropped you a PM. This sketch is for reading directly the tags on the Arduino. It should work straight forward. All it does is try to read device info and expect a readable answer. you could try to add, before calling SetupNano from setup add a line: nano.enableDebugging(). This will show debug messages (sent and received ) with the Nano. also carefully move the switch between SW/HW communication couple of times. Had one time bad contact myself with that switch.