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1. Transparent Channel
Trailer Identification Using 1-Wire Temperature Sensor Transparent Channel
Configuration

About the Functionality

The transparent channel provides the ability for RS232/RS485 devices to communicate with the
server using the tracking device as an intermediate.

Compatibility
This functionality is compatible with the following devices with the newest firmware version:

· HCV5
· LCV5
· Pro5
· FM-Tco4 HCV
· FM-Tco4 LCV
· FM-Pro4
· FM-Eco4 RS T

Document Changelog
Version Date Modification

1.0 2020-07-16 Initial issue.

1.1 2020-08-05 Updated: Compatible devices list.

Updated: Legal Information.

1.2 2021-02-12
Updated: Transparent Channel.

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Notations
The following notations are used in this document to highlight important information:

Bold text
Used to indicate user interface elements or for emphasis.

Italic text
Used to indicate items that belong to a list and can be selected.

Note

Used to indicate items that belong to a list and can be selected.

Caution

Used to mark actions that require caution when handling the product.

Warning

Used to mark actions that may cause irreversible damage if performed incorrectly.

Tip

Suggestions on how to proceed.

Trailer Identification Using 1-Wire Temperature Sensor Transparent Channel

Configuration

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1. Transparent Channel
Configuration
Transparent Channel Transparent Channel Connection
These functionalities require the use of the advanced configurator.

Starting the Configuration

To start the configuration, follow these steps:

1. Open the advanced configurator. Select the COM port to which your device is connected.
2. Click Connect.

Transparent channel
Follow these steps to configure the transparent channel parameters:

1. Click the Options button in the IO events section to open the IO settings window.
2. In the Interfaces section enable the required port (PortA, PortB, PortC).

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3. Select Transparent channel.

4. Click the Config button to open the Transparent channel window.

For Pro5 and FM-Pro4 devices only one port can be used for the transparent channel. HCV5,
LCV5, FM-Tco4 HCV and FM-Tco4 LCV can use two ports simultaneously.

The following transparent channel settings are available:

Settings for the RS485 device are identical as for RS232 device, but only one port can be used
for the transparent channel for all tracking devices.

Buffering settings (common to all ports)

Enable buffering Enables record storage, if a direct connection to the server is lost. In
this case data is preserved in the tracking device’s memory. You can
select the buffering message count (how many records will be stored).
For HCV5, LCV5, FM-Tco4 HCV and FM-Tco4 LCV devices, if two ports
are configured as transparent channels, the buffering space is shared
and is not extended.

Default value: Enabled, 16.

Oldest/newest records first Sets data transfer priority after the records were buffered. Oldest
record first is set by default.

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A maximum of 1024 messages can be stored (roughly up to 1 MB of data)

RS232 interface settings

Baudrate Data transfer speed (bits per second).

Default value: 115200.

Data bits Data packet length.

Default value: 8.

Parity Checks whether the data contains odd or even quantity of one bits to
avoid errors.

· Even - the data has to contain an even quantity of the one

bits.
· Odd - the data has to contain an odd quantity of the one bits.

Default value: None.

Stop bits Sets the stop bit length to a 1 or 2 bit period.

Default value: 1.

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Enable sending IO data to RS232 - this checkbox should be checked, if you want IO data to be
sent to the RS232 device. This is useful when you need the IO data collected by the tracking device
to be shown in the display of the RS232 device.

Key points:

· The IO data is sent to the transparent channel as soon as it is generated.

· The IO data is sent in HEX format.
· Packet structure: Length+Record header+Data+CRC.

Enable sending NMEA data to RS232 - this allows the tracking device to forward received NMEA
(National Marine Electronics Association) packets from the GNSS module to the serial port, which
uses the transparent channel feature. The following packet types are forwarded:

GGA The essential fix data, that provides 3D position and accuracy.

GNS The GNSS fix data.

RMC The essential GPS PVT (position, velocity, time).

GST Position error statistics.

Enable sending IMEI to RS232 – when enabled, the tracking device adds the IMEI (International
Mobile Equipment Identity) number to the NMEA packet and/or IO record and sends them to the
RS232 or RS485 devices via the transparent channel.

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The data packet structure is shown below:

In remote servers send data to RS232 or RS485 devices, the tracking device does not include
the IMEI in the data packets.

Enable sending IMEI to RS232 is available only when one of the Enable sending I/O
data to RS232 or Enable sending NMEA data to RS232 checkboxes (or both) are
ticked.

Parser settings - you can set the beginning and ending of packet symbols in order to divide the
data stream into packets. The symbols must be entered in HEX format.

Beginning symbols The length of beginning symbols can be up to 10.

Default value: 0.

Ending symbols The length of ending symbols can be up to 5.

Default value: 2.

Communication timeout Indicates the transfer time interval between adjacent symbols. If data
is received after this period, then the following bytes are stored in a
separate packet.

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Default value: 0 ms.

Remove identification If enabled, you will be allowed to remove the beginning and ending
symbols from payload
symbols from the payload of the package, which is sent to the server.
This way you get only data from the RS232 device and no
unnecessary entries.

Default value: Disabled.

For easier configuration, you can use any online HEX to ASCII converter.

0x7E is the universal ending symbol, no matter what is configured in the settings, 0x7E will be
interpreted as the end of the packet.

0x7D is the escape symbol, which means, that the 0x7D byte itself is ignored, but the next
byte coming after it is interpreted as the byte XOR 0x20. Example: If the following data is
sent through the transparent channel: 0x7D 0x11, the result will be 0x31.

More information is available in the Ruptela device protocol description. Please contact our
technical support for more details.

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Finishing the Configuration

To finish the configuration, close the IO settings window. Click Send CFG to send the
configuration to the device.

Transparent Channel Transparent Channel Connection

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1. Transparent Channel
Connection
Transparent Channel Configuration Trip Type Detection
To use the transparent channel functionality, transmitters have to be connected to
transmitters (Tx to Tx) and receivers have to be connected to receivers (Rx to Rx). This is
different from standard electronics conventions, where transmitters are connected to receivers
(Tx to Rx) and receivers are connected to transmitters (Rx to Tx).

A connection example is shown below:

Transparent Channel Configuration Trip Type Detection

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