RoboteQ AX3500 Entering RS232 from R/C or Analog mode, Data Logging String in R/C or Analog mode

Serial (RS-232) Controls and Operation

Power up prompt from main MCU

Hardware Code of main board

Power up prompt from encoder MCU

Hardware Code of Encoder Module

FIGURE 94. Hyperterm session showing power up messages from both MCUs

After this information is sent, the Encoder’s MCU will “listen” for approximately 100ms and will enter the In System Programming mode (ISP) if the letter “Z” is sent to it. While in the ISP mode, new software can be loaded into the Encoder’s MCU via the controller’s main serial port.

Details on software updating are given in section “Updating the Controller’s Software” on page 199.

Entering RS232 from R/C or Analog mode

If the controller is configured in R/C or Analog mode, it will not be able to accept and recog- nize RS232 commands immediately.

However, the controller will be “listening” to the serial port and will enter the serial mode after it has received 10 continuous “Enter” (Carriage Return) characters. At that point, the controller will output an “OK” message, indicating that it has entered the RS232 mode and that it is now ready to accept commands.

Note that for improved safety, the RS232 watchdog is automatically enabled when entering the RS232 in this way. See “RS-232 Watchdog” on page 142.

When reset again, the controller will revert to the R/C mode or Analog mode, unless the

Input Mode parameter has been changed in the meantime.

Data Logging String in R/C or Analog mode

If the controller is in the R/C or analog mode, immediately after reset it will send a continu- ous string of characters (one character every 8ms, one entire string every 200ms) contain- ing operating parameters for data logging purposes.

This information can be safely ignored and the controller will still be able to switch to

RS232 mode upon receiving 10 continuous Carriage Returns as described above.

The format of the data logging string and it content is described in Figure , “Analog and R/C

Modes Data Logging String Format,” on page 170

140 AX3500 Motor Controller User’s Manual Version 1.9b. June 1, 2007