Alien ALR-F800 User manual
ALIEN TECHNOLOGY®
ALR-F800
HARDWARE
SETUP GUIDE
November 2019
ALR-F800
Legal Notices
Copyright ©2017 Alien Technology, LLC. All rights reserved.
Alien Technology, LLC has intellectual property rights relating to technology embodied in the products described in
this document, including without limitation certain patents or patent pending applications in the U.S. or other
countries.
This document and the products to which it pertains are distributed under licenses restricting their use, copying,
distribution and de-compilation. No part of this product documentation may be reproduced in any form or by any
means without the prior written consent of Alien Technology, LLC and its licensors, if any. Third party software is
copyrighted and licensed from Licensors. Alien, Alien Technology, the Alien logo, Higgs, Squiggle, the Squiggle logo,
and other graphics, logos, and service names used in this document are trademarks of Alien Technology, LLC in the
U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. U.S. Government approval
required when exporting the product described in this documentation.
Federal Acquisitions: Commercial Software -- Government Users Subject to Standard License Terms and Conditions.
U.S. Government: If this Software is being acquired by or on behalf of the U.S. Government or by a U.S. Government
prime contractor or subcontractor (at any tier), then the Government's rights in the Software and accompanying
documentation shall be only as set forth in this license; this is in accordance with 48 C.F.R. 227.7201 through
227.7202-4 (for Department of Defense (DoD) acquisitions) and with 48 C.F.R. 2.101 and 12.212 (for non-DoD
acquisitions).
DOCUMENTATION IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED CONDITIONS, REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARANTEES, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-INFRINGMENT ARE HEREBY DISCLAIMED, EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT THAT
SUCH DISCLAIMERS ARE HELD TO BE LEGALLY INVALID.
FCC Compliance
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of
the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the
equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with instruction manual, may cause harmful
interference with radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful
interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his expense.
Any change or modification to this product voids the user’s authority to operate per FCC Part 15 Subpart A. Section
15.21 regulations.
Caution
Reader antennas should be positioned so that personnel in the area for prolonged periods may safely remain at least
24 cm (9.5 in) in an uncontrolled environment from the antenna’s surface. See FCC OET Bulletin 56 “Hazards of
radio frequency and electromagnetic fields” and Bulletin 65 “Human exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic
fields.”
ISED Compliance
This device contains licence-exempt transmitter(s)/receiver(s) that comply with Innovation, Science and Economic
Development Canada’s licence-exempt RSS(s). Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
1) This device may not cause interference.
2) This device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.
This device has been designed to operate with an antenna having a maximum gain of 6dBi. The required antenna
impedance is 50 ohms. To reduce potential radio interference to other users, the antenna type and its gain should be
so chosen that the equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) is not more than that required for successful
communication. Reader antennas should be positioned so that personnel in the area for prolonged periods may
safely remain at least 34 cm in an uncontrolled environment from the antenna’s surface.
L’émetteur/récepteur exempt de licence contenu dans le présent appareil est conforme aux CNR d’Innovation,
Sciences et Développement économique Canada applicables aux appareils radio exempts de licence. L’exploitation
est autorisée aux deux conditions suivantes:
1) L’appareil ne doit pas produire de brouillage;
2)L’appareil doit accepter tout brouillage radioélectrique subi, même si le brouillage est
Ce dispositif a été conçu pour fonctionner avec une antenne ayant un gain maximum de 6 dBiL. L’impédance
d'antenne requise est de 50 ohms. Pour réduire les interférences radio potentielles pour les autres utilisateurs, le type
d'antenne et son gain doivent être choisis afin que la puissance isotrope équivalente (PIRE) ne soit pas supérieure à
celle requise pour une bonne communication. Les antennes du lecteur devraient être positionnés de telle sorte que le
personnel opérant dans la region d’émission pendant des périodes prolongées peuvent rester en toute sécurité à au
moins 34 cm de la surface de l'antenne dans un environnement non contrôlé.
Legal Notices Continued
European Radio Compliance.
This Equipment has been tested and found compliant with the following Mandatory Specifications:
EN 302 208
Radio Frequency Identification Equipment operating in the band 865 MHz to 868 MHz with power levels up to 2 W and
in the band 915 MHz to 921 MHz with power levels up to 4 W; Harmonised Standard covering the essential requirements
of article 3.2 of the Directive 2014/53/EU.
EN 301 489
ElectroMagnetic Compatibility (EMC) standard for radio equipment and services; Harmonised Standard covering the
essential requirements of article 3.1(b) of Directive 2014/53/EU and the essential requirements of article 6 of Directive
2014/30/EU:
Part 1: Common technical requirements
Part 3: Specific conditions for short-Range Devices (SRD) operating on frequencies between 9 kHz and 246 GHz.
EN 62311:2008 Caution
Reader antennas should be positioned so that personnel in the area for prolonged periods may safely remain at least
25.5 cm, in an uncontrolled environment from the antenna’s surface. This is in accordance with EN50364 European
safety standards for Human exposure and exposure level radiation limits imposed by The Commission for Non-
Ionizing Radiation. ICNIRP
EN60950 / UL 60950 / IEC 60950
Safety of information technology equipment.
This radio must be used with the external mains to DC power adaptor powered by the UL and/or TUV Listed and IEC Certified
LPS or Class 2 external power supply rated: POE Output 56V/0.55A, 48V/0.4A or DC 12V/2.5A, supplied with the product.
IFT (Mexico)
Numero: PCPALAL-16 0356
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ALR-F800 HARDWARE SETUP GUIDE
DOC. CONTROL #8102141-000 REV F
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Alien Technology®
Hardware Setup Guide
ALR-F800
June 2017
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 1
RFID Reader Overview ................................................................................................................................. 1
EPC Class 1 GEN 2 UHF RFID Tags ........................................................................................................... 2
Requirements ................................................................................................................................................ 2
Specifications ................................................................................................................................................ 3
RFID Reader ........................................................................................................................................... 3
Mechanical: Reader Physical Size ........................................................................................................ 4
RFID Reader High Performance Circular Antenna ................................................................................ 4
I/O Port Terminal Interface ..................................................................................................................... 5
I/O Port Screw Terminal (Female) – Looking at Reader .................................................................. 6
RS-232 Port Pin-outs .............................................................................................................................. 6
RS-232 Connector (Female) – Looking at Reader .......................................................................... 6
USB Ports ............................................................................................................................................... 7
Power Supplies ....................................................................................................................................... 7
System Architecture ............................................................................................................................... 8
CHAPTER 2 READER HARDWARE INSTALLATION AND OPERATION ................................................ 9
Receiving the RFID Reader .......................................................................................................................... 9
Reader Antenna Panel ......................................................................................................................... 10
Reader I/O Panel .................................................................................................................................. 11
Diagnostic LEDs ................................................................................................................................... 11
Reset button ......................................................................................................................................... 11
Reader Antennas ........................................................................................................................................ 12
System Assembly and Bench Test ............................................................................................................. 12
Bench Test Configuration ..................................................................................................................... 12
Bench Test Procedure .......................................................................................................................... 16
Installation ................................................................................................................................................... 17
Requirements ....................................................................................................................................... 17
Hardware Installation Procedure .......................................................................................................... 17
System Operation: Software Control .......................................................................................................... 19
Reader Interface Guide ........................................................................................................................ 20
Demonstration Software Guide ............................................................................................................ 20
Alien RFID Academy ............................................................................................................................ 20
Approved High Performance Circular Antennas ......................................................................................... 22
APPENDIX A: OPERATING FREQUENCY AND POWER ...................................................................... 23
APPENDIX B: DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY ................................................................................. 24
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
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CHAPTER 1
Introduction
This Hardware Setup Guide provides instructions for installing and operating the
ALR-F800 RFID Readers.
This document is designed for use by RFID system integrators and software
developers - those who wish to develop software products and extended systems
that take full advantage of the RFID Reader's capabilities.
Included with each developer’s kit is a Download instruction that contains
additional information about RFID and the ALR-F800 including the following:
RFID Primer – an overview of RFID technology and a glossary of terms.
Reader Interface Guide – an overview of the communication interfaces
for the ALR-F800.
Quick Installation Guide – a quick start guide for installing and running
the ALR-F800 reader
Quick Reference – a quick reference guide summarizing the Alien
Reader Protocol command set.
Demo Software Guide – details installing and operating the Alien RFID
Gateway demonstration software.
Quick Upgrade Guide – briefly explains how to use the demonstration
software to upgrade the ALR-F800. The ALR-F800 can only be upgraded
through the LAN/PoE port.
Developer’s Guides, Application Programming Interfaces and Example
Code.
RFID Reader Overview
The Alien ALR-F800 RFID reader is designed to read and program any EPC
Class 1 Generation 2 tag and issue event reports to a host computer system.
The host computer can be locally connected to the reader via RS-232, serial over
USB or at a remote network location. It is designed to accept power through an
IEEE 802.3af compliant network or a conventional 12 Volt DC power source.
The RFID Reader is delivered with the following components:
One (1) RFID Reader
The RFID Reader Kit is delivered with the following components and
accessories:
One (1) RFID Reader
One (1) PoE power supply
One (1) AC power cord
One (1) standard network cable to connect the PoE power supply to the
reader.
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Additionally, the RFID Reader Developer's Kit includes the following items:
One (1) ALR-8696-C antenna
One (1) RS-232 serial cable (to connect to host computer)
One (1) Network cross-over cable
Download instructions for demonstration software, user guides,
documentation and the Alien RFID Gateway Application
Software APIs and example code
An assortment of Class 1 Gen 2 UHF tags
EPC Class 1 GEN 2 UHF RFID Tags
The Alien ALR-F800 RFID reader is designed to read and program any EPC
Class 1 Generation 2 tag and issue event reports to a host computer system.
Class 1 tags are “passive” devices meaning they do not have a battery or other
onboard power source. They are powered solely by the RF energy transmitted by
an RFID reader.
Tags communicate with the reader through backscatter modulation. The tags do
not transmit RF energy. Instead, they change their reflective characteristics in a
controlled way and reflect RF energy back to the reader. An analogy to this is the
way you can use a mirror to signal someone by reflecting light from the Sun.
Alien Technology manufactures user-programmable EPC Class 1 Generation 2
tags compliant with all key commercial and DoD mandates. Alien Technology
offers a variety of designs capable of delivering optimal performance worldwide,
including Europe and Asia.
For more information about RFID tags from Alien Technology, please visit our
website at:
http://www.alientechnology.com.
Requirements
To interface with the RFID Reader you will need the following:
A PC running Windows 98 or higher, with CD-ROM drive, an available
RS-232 serial port and/or Ethernet connectivity and/or USB.
An 802.3af compatible network connection, or
Standard 120/220 VAC 50/60 Hz outlet and the POE power supply
(provided with the reader kit) or DC power cable.
Note: Only these supplies may be used to power the ALR-F800.
Host software (Alien Gateway demo software, telnet terminal or your own
custom software)
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Specifications
Specifications for key components of the RFID Reader system are provided in
the tables below. Only these listed components may be used in the RFID reader
system.
The reader table refers to US or ETSI specifications only. Reader models
released for the other countries may have different power levels, frequency of
operation and channel spacing in compliance with local regulations where the
product is sold.
RFID Reader
Name Alien Multi-Port General Purpose RFID Reader
Model Number ALR-F800; ALR-F800-EMA
Architecture Point-to-multipoint reader network, mono-static
Operating Frequency 902.75 MHz – 927.25 MHz or 865.7MHz – 867.5MHz
Hopping Channels 50 USA or 4 ETSI
Channel Spacing 500 KHz USA or 600 KHz ETSI
Channel Dwell Time < 0.4 seconds USA or < 4s ETSI
RF Transmitter < 30 dBm at the end of 6 m LMR-195 cable
Modulation Method Phase Reversal – Amplitude Shift Keying (PR-ASK)
20 dB Modulation Bandwidth < 100 KHz
RF Receiver 2 Channels
Power Consumption <13 Watts (dependent on use model)
Communications Interface RS-232 (DB-9), TCP/IP (RJ-45) , USBB virtual Com
Inputs/Outputs 4 coax antenna, 4 inputs / 8 outputs (optically isolated), RS-232 com
port, USBB virtual Com, LAN / PoE, power, USBA, SD Card
Dimensions (cm) 19.1 x 20.2 x 2.8 (in)7.5 x7.0x 1.0
Weight Approximately 0.84 kg (1.85 lbs)
LED Indicators DC Power, RF ON, Read, Fault(red), Link, Active, Antennas 0-3
Operating Temperature -20°C to +55°C (-5 °F to +130°F)
Operating Environment Indoor operation only
Software Support APIs, sample code, executable demo app (Alien Gateway)
Protocol Support Comply with EPC Class 1 Gen 2 and 18000 – 6C
Compliance Certifications FCC Part 15; FCCID: P65ALRF800B;
IOC: 4370A-ALRF800B;
CE: CE2280
UL EN IEC 60950, CB Report
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Mechanical: Reader Physical Size
Figure 1 - Outline Drawing of the ALR-F800 (mm)
RFID Reader High Performance Circular Antenna
Model ALR-8696-C
3 dB Beamwidth E-plane: 65 degrees H-plane: 65 degrees
Frequency 865-960 MHz
Gain (dBi) 6.0 dBiL (maximum)
Polarization Circular
RF Connector 6 m LMR-195 with Reverse-Polarity TNC
VSWR 1.5:1
Dimensions (cm) 26 x 26 x 3.4 (in) 10.2 x 10.2 x 1.32
Weight 1.1 kg 2.5 lb
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I/O Port Terminal Interface
The ALR-F800 I/O port provides four digital inputs and eight digital outputs,
optically isolated from the reader circuitry for use in noisy industrial
environments. Opto-isolators have two basic elements: a light source (usually a
light emitting diode) and a photo-sensitive detector. These two elements are
positioned facing one another and inserted in an electrical circuit to form an opto-
coupler. The key property of an opto-coupler is that there is an insulating gap
between the light source and the detector. No current passes through this gap,
only the desired light waves representing data. Thus, the two sides of the circuit
are electrically isolated from one another.
This protects the circuitry inside the reader from damaging ground loops (when
the external device is at a different ground potential than the reader), and voltage
spikes.
The external device must supply the V+ and V- voltage references.
Alternatively, if isolation is NOT required an internal 12V power source is
supplied and can be routed to the V+ and V- pins with a jumper wire. This is only
available if the unit is powered by the DC source jack.
I/O Port Screw Terminal Connector
(Phoenix 14-pin header)
Pin 1 V+ (5-24 VDC External)
Pin 2 V- (Return External)
Pin 3 Output 0 (1.5A max; 7.3A total)
Pin 4 Output 1 "
Pin 5 Output 2 "
Pin 6 Output 3 "
Pin 7 Output 4 "
Pin 8 Output 5 "
Pin 9 Output 6 "
Pin 10 Output 7 "
Pin 11 Input 0 (5-24 VDC)
Pin 12 Input 1 "
Pin 13 Input 2 "
Pin 14 Input 3 "
Pin 15 Internal Fused 12.0 VDC
Pin 16 Chassis GND
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I/O PORT SCREW TERMINAL (FEMALE) – LOOKING AT READER
Figure 2 - Input and Output Circuits
RS-232 Port Pin-outs
RS-232 Connector
(Female DB-9F)
Pin 1 DCD Connected to Pin 6
Pin 2 TR1 Transmit Data (Output)
Pin 3 RC1 Receive Data (Input)
Pin 4 DTR Connected to Pin 6
Pin 5 Ground
Pin 6 DSR Connected to Pin 4
Pin 7 RTS Connected to Pin 8
Pin 8 CTS Connected to Pin 7
Pin 9 Not Connected
RS-232 CONNECTOR (FEMALE) – LOOKING AT READER
Figure 3 - RS-232 Connector
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