SparkFun RFID Reader - M7E Hecto USB-C to serial connection not working

Sensors NFC & RFID
1

So I am trying to use the SparkFun M7E Hecto RFID Reader with the USB-C serial connection and the Universal Reader Assistant program, but after connecting the board to my computer via the USB-C cable and trying to connect to the proper COM port (mine is COM3) in the Universal Reader Assistant, I am getting the following error:

Unable to connect to USB-SERIAL CH340 (COM3). Please check if the device is properly connected or Device might be in use.

I have read through all of the listed documentation that I can find for this board, and I can’t figure out why the board won’t connect in the program. I have tried both positions for the USB-Serial UART switch, as well as I have updated my CH340 drivers on my computer.

This has been happening since I first took the board out of the box and tried to connect with the Universal Reader Assistant. I don’t know if there is something that I am forgetting to do / missing, or if there may be something wrong with the board itself.

2

keep the switch to UART and try another cable.

Instead of connecting from the first screen in the URA, try to connect in the main menu and turn on debug/tracing. See what exchange you get.

3

Not sure where I can enable the debug/tracing, unless you’re talking about the transport logs. Running from the main menu is now giving me this error:
Error connecting to reader: The reader received a valid command with an unsupported or invalid parameter.

The printout from the transport logs is:
07/11/2024 11:11:07.664 AM Sending
FF 00 03 1D 0C
07/11/2024 11:11:07.669 AM Received
FF 14 03 00 00 23 01 06 00 38 00 02 01 20 23 11
22 02 01 03 2E 00 00 00 10 30 6F
07/11/2024 11:11:07.669 AM Sending
FF 00 0C 1D 03
07/11/2024 11:11:07.672 AM Received
FF 01 0C 00 00 72 63 23
07/11/2024 11:11:07.672 AM Sending
FF 00 68 1D 67
07/11/2024 11:11:07.674 AM Received
FF 01 68 00 00 00 A4 BF
07/11/2024 11:11:07.674 AM Sending
FF 04 06 00 01 C2 00 A4 60
07/11/2024 11:11:07.678 AM Received
FF 00 06 00 00 E4 06
07/11/2024 11:11:07.678 AM Sending
FF 02 6A 01 12 2E 5C
07/11/2024 11:11:07.680 AM Received
FF 01 6A 01 05 01 D7 FD
07/11/2024 11:11:07.681 AM Sending
FF 02 6A 01 03 2E 4D
07/11/2024 11:11:07.684 AM Received
FF 03 6A 00 00 01 03 00 3D 44
07/11/2024 11:11:07.684 AM Sending
FF 01 61 05 BD B8
07/11/2024 11:11:07.687 AM Received
FF 03 61 00 00 05 01 00 61 DF
07/11/2024 11:11:07.687 AM Sending
FF 03 9A 01 09 01 A6 5C
07/11/2024 11:11:07.689 AM Received
FF 00 9A 01 05 A7 36

4

First the good news. the CH340 communication is working and so is the cable.

your tracing/ interaction shows the following :
********************************* SENDING DATA *********************************
ff 00 03 1d 0c

Sending request to get version info (0x03): TMR_SR_OPCODE_VERSION

******************************** RECEIVED DATA *********************************
ff 14 03 00 00 23 01 06 00 38 00 02 01 20 23 11 22 02 01 03 2e 00 00 00 10 30 6f

Received version information :
boot loader version 23 01 06 00
hardware version 38 00 02 01 TMR_SR_MODEL_UNKNOWN
firmware date 20 23 11 22 (yy yy mm dd)
firmware release 02 01 03 2e
protocol bits 00 00 00 10 supported protocols: PROTOCOL_GEN2

********************************* SENDING DATA *********************************
ff 00 0c 1d 03

Sending request to get current program number (0x0c): TMR_SR_OPCODE_GET_CURRENT_PROGRAM

******************************** RECEIVED DATA *********************************
ff 01 0c 00 00 72 63 23

Received information : 72 Application is running

********************************* SENDING DATA *********************************
ff 00 68 1d 67

Sending request to get power mode (0x68): TMR_SR_OPCODE_GET_POWER_MODE

******************************** RECEIVED DATA *********************************
ff 01 68 00 00 00 a4 bf

Received information : 00 TMR_SR_POWER_MODE_FULL

********************************* SENDING DATA *********************************
ff 04 06 00 01 c2 00 a4 60

Sending request to set baudrate to 115200 (0x06): TMR_SR_OPCODE_SET_BAUD_RATE

******************************** RECEIVED DATA *********************************
ff 00 06 00 00 e4 06

Received status word: 0x0000 (TMR_ALL_GOOD_OK)

********************************* SENDING DATA *********************************
ff 02 6a 01 12 2e 5c

Sending request to get reader optional parameters (0x6a): TMR_SR_OPCODE_GET_READER_OPTIONAL_PARAMS
Parameter action (12) TMR_SR_CONFIGURATION_PRODUCT_GROUP_ID

******************************** RECEIVED DATA *********************************
ff 01 6a 01 05 01 d7 fd

ERROR: status returned 0x105 TMR_ERROR_MSG_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE.
Details : ff 01 6a 01 05 01 d7 fd

********************************* SENDING DATA *********************************
ff 02 6a 01 03 2e 4d

Sending request to get reader optional parameters (0x6a): TMR_SR_OPCODE_GET_READER_OPTIONAL_PARAMS
Parameter action (3) TMR_SR_CONFIGURATION_ANTENNA_CONTROL_GPIO

******************************** RECEIVED DATA *********************************
ff 03 6a 00 00 01 03 00 3d 44

Does the reader use GPIO to select antenna.
Received: 0x00 (disabled)

********************************* SENDING DATA *********************************
ff 01 61 05 bd b8

Sending request to get antenna port information (0x61): TMR_SR_OPCODE_GET_ANTENNA_PORT
Parameter action (0x05): antenna detect option

******************************** RECEIVED DATA *********************************
ff 03 61 00 00 05 01 00 61 df

Received : Port = 0x01, Detected ? = 0x00

********************************* SENDING DATA *********************************
ff 03 9a 01 09 01 a6 5c

Sending request to set reader optional parameters (0x9a): TMR_SR_OPCODE_SET_READER_OPTIONAL_PARAMS
Parameter action (0x09) TMR_SR_CONFIGURATION_RSSI_IN_DBM
sending 0x01 (enable)

******************************** RECEIVED DATA *********************************
ff 00 9a 01 05 a7 36

ERROR: status returned 0x105 TMR_ERROR_MSG_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE.
Details : ff 00 9a 01 05 a7 36

I don’t own an M7E, but you have the latest M7E firmware (2.1.3). Do you have the latest URA version as well? Else check the setting in the URA.

5

I have version v5.1.103 which is not quite the latest version (v6.2 seems to be). Currently I am unable to install v6.2 though due to security on my work computer. What settings can I even modify to try and solve this within URA?

6

I don’t know which settings could change this. I expect it is a matter of testing. The firmware 2.1.X and up assumes that the URA has been compiled with the latest Mecury API. I have the M6E and that does work with the latest (and earlier) URA.

1 Like
7

Hi there,

I suspect the problem is that version of URA doesn’t support the M7E family of devices, I also had issues until I upgraded it. I don’t know the minimum version needed, but I think it’s v5.2 (that’s what I have on my machine currently). Although if you’re going to upgrade, may as well get the latest version (scroll down to here):

image
image1326Ă—315 11.6 KB

I understand that the security settings on your computer currently prevent you from installing it, so you’ll need to work around that. If that computer is provided by your organization, please ask your IT team for help.

Hope this helps!

1 Like