Table of Contents  MOBOTIX Online Help

The Serial Interface

Table of Contents
The Serial Interface
Selecting the Operating Mode
The Data Operating Mode
The Modem Operating Mode
The Weather Operating Mode
Weather Variables

Open the Serial Interface and Modem Setup dialog to select the interface type, its mode and to set the parameters of the serial interface.

You can use the serial interface either as signal in-/output for controlling external devices (e.g. alarm bell and light using a relay), for transferring data via a modem or mobile phone, as a web terminal for controlling/monitoring machines or to retrieve data from one of the supported weather stations.

Selecting the Operating Mode

Select how you would like to use the serial interface in the Operating mode drop-down box:

Operating Mode

Description

Data

The serial interface operates as as terminal or as enhanced signal in-/output

Modem

The serial interface is connected to an analog or GSM/GPRS modem.

Weather

The serial interface is connected to a weather station.

Off

The serial interface is deactivated.

Notes

  • Depending on the selected operation mode, additional parameters are displayed.

  • If the serial interface had been deactivated before, it will be only available after rebooting the camera.

The Data Operating Mode

In the Data operating mode, you can use the camera as web-based data terminal for controlling, monitoring and remotely maintaining machines or to control other devices via the enhanced signal in-/output.

Parameter

Description

Speed

Select the data transfer speed supported by your modem.

Bits

Number of data bits per character.

Parity

Type of check for a transferred bit sequence:

N

No checks are performed.

E

The sequence is checked for an even number of single bits.

O

The sequence is checked for an odd number of single bits.

Stop Bits

Required number of stop bits.

Flow Control

Off

Flow control is deactivated.

If you are not sure which type of flow control your modem supports, do not change this setting. The factory default setting is Off.

CRTSCTS

Hardware flow control

Note

Xon/Xoff (software flow control) is currently not supported.

Echo

Certain devices do not repeat the string that has been sent. For this reason, this string cannot be displayed in the web terminal. Set the Echo parameter to On in order to display the strings sent.

End-of-line character

The end-of-line character varies between devices. Select the correct line end character(s) for your device:

None

No line end character(s) are being added.

LF

Line feed.

CR

Carriage return.

LFCR

Line feed/carriage return.

CRLF

Carriage return/line feed.

Buffer Size

All incoming characters are stored in a buffer prior to being displayed in the web terminal. Set the buffer size (max. 100 kByte).

Timestamp

If you set this parameter to On every line is preceded by a timestamp.

The Modem Operating Mode

In the Modem operating mode, the camera can communicate with analog modems, GSM/2G and UTMS/3G devices in order to establish data connections.

Note

As modems, GSM/2G and UMTS/3G devices strongly vary in their use of AT commands, it is recommended that you have the manufacturer's documentation ready when setting the following parameters.

Parameter

Description

Speed

Select the data transfer speed supported by your modem.

Flow Control

Off

Flow control is deactivated.

If you are not sure which type of flow control your modem supports, do not change this setting. The factory default setting is Off.

CRTSCTS

Hardware flow control.

Note

Xon/Xoff (software flow control) is currently not supported.

Modem Type

Analog

Analog telephone modem.

GSM

GSM/2G modem (mobile phone with data transfer, e.g. Siemens MC35, Nokia 30).

GPRS

GPRS/2G capable cellular modem.

Null

A null modem is a special RS232 cable that has certain pins connected in a manner that a modem connection is simulated. In this cable, certain (at least the send and receive pins) or all pins are cross-connected.

Modem Mode

In

You can dial into the camera using the modem.

Out

The camera can dial out, e.g. for transferring images to the Internet.

In/Out

You can dial into the camera or the camera can dial out.

Note

Only one channel is available so that dialing in and out does not work simultaneously.

Termination Reboot

If you set this parameter to On, the camera will reboot every time after it has dialed out. This means that the internal image storage is deleted and local network connections are interrupted.

Note

It is recommended to use this setting only if the camera does not send images frequently.

Dial Timeout

The maximum time the camera should wait for a connection to be established.

Modem Init Selection

Enter the AT commands that your modem needs for initializing an outgoing call. Precede each quote character by a backslash (\").

Modem Init Call-In

Enter the AT commands that your modem needs for initializing an incoming call. Precede each quote character by a backslash (\").

Modem disconnect

Enter the AT commands that your modem needs for terminating a call. Precede each quote character by a backslash (\").

Phone Number

Enter the telephone number that you want the modem to use for dialing out.

Dial Mode

Tone

The selected numbers are transferred as tones. This is the factory default setting.

Pulse

The selected numbers are transferred as pulses. This is an old-fashioned method.

None

The dialing method preset by the manufacturer is used.

IP Address Camera

The IP address used by the camera. If you do not enter an IP address, the factory default IP address is used.

IP Address Peer

The IP address that is assigned to the device dialing in. If you do not enter an IP address, the factory-preset IP address (172.16.23.202) is used.

IP Address Outgoing Gateway

When having dialed out successfully, the called device transmits the IP address of the gateway. The IP address entered here must not be identical to either the camera's IP address or a local address. If you do not enter an IP address, the factory-preset IP address (172.16.23.203) is used.

Authentication

Select the authentication protocol of your choice to be used when establishing a connection. Other than PAP, CHAP encodes the user name and password prior to transfer. The factory default setting is PAP.

Note

Both parties need to use the same protocol.

Camera Login

User name and password used to dial into the camera. Enter the password twice.

Remote Login

User name and password used by the camera for dialing out. Enter the password twice.

Idle Time

If no data traffic is recognized for the period of time set here, the camera terminates the connection.

Echo Interval

Period of time after which the camera checks whether the connection has been interrupted.

Recommended value: 10 seconds.

Echo Fails

Number of retries checking for interruptions. The connection is terminated when the selected value has been reached.

PIN Code

PIN code for using the GSM card. If no PIN is necessary, leave this box empty.

Caution

Entering an invalid PIN may result in a locked GSM card!

PIN delay

Period of time that the camera waits after the PIN has been entered.

Recommended value: 15 seconds.

The Weather Operating Mode

When operating in Weather mode, the MOBOTIX camera can poll the data from a weather station and it can display and archive the data.

The current software version supports the weather stations from Reinhardt System- und Messelektronik GmbH and the "Vantage Pro" family of weather stations from Davis Instruments.

Parameter

Description

Weather station

Select the weather station type.

Speed

Select the data transfer speed supported by your weather station.

Flow Control

Off

Flow control is deactivated.

If you are not sure which type of flow control your weather station supports, do not change this setting. The factory default setting is Off.

CRTSCTS

The camera uses the hardware flow control of the attached device.

Note

Xon/Xoff (software flow control) is currently not supported.

Text

Enter the text to be displayed in the camera image. Enter the corresponding weather variables to display the data from the weather station. In order to display the text in the image, make sure that either the ^S# or the ^s# comment variable has been set in the Text & Display Settings dialog.

Information on positioning the weather variables is contained in the Weather Variables section on this help page.

Rain Conversion Factor

The unit of the rainfall amount measured by Vantage Pro stations. Make sure that you are using the proper volume per unit for the rain collector so that the displayed rainfall amounts are correct.

Update Interval

The camera actively polls new data from the weather station at the interval set in this parameter. Set this parameter to Off if the weather station sends its data automatically.

Raw Data Log

The camera can record the data from the weather station and can archive the data on an FTP server. Select how many records the camera should archive. Selecting 1 will archive every record, Off deactivates this feature.

Raw Data Log Size

Set the number of records to collect before uploading the file to the server defined in the FTP profile.

Timestamp

The camera can add a time stamp to every data record of the weather station. This allows having precisely timed data even if the weather station itself is not capable of adding timestamps to the data records.

Off

The camera does not add timestamps.

On

The camera adds a timestamp to every record it records.

FTP Profile

Select the FTP profile that should be used for transferring the weather data to an FTP server.

FTP Directory

The camera will upload the raw data log file into this directory on the server specified in the FTP profile.

Weather Variables

In order to display the weather variables used in the Text field in the camera image, make sure that either the ^S# or the ^s# comment variable has been set in the Text & Display Settings dialog.

The Text field of the Text & Display Settings dialog should also be used to set the vertical position of the data in the image (e.g. by using the ^gx,y; placeholder):

^g0,3;^S2 shows the weather station's data left-aligned, starting in the third row from the top on two lines with white text color and the default background color (the data from the serial interface is always left-aligned).

Note

Unlike the other variables, the weather variables cannot be used in other dialog boxes (Email Profiles, FTP Profiles, etc.).

Weather Variable

Description

Reinhardt (Parameters)

Vantage Pro

$(meteo.barometer.mmhg)

$(meteo.barometer.inhg)

$(meteo.barometer.mb)

$(meteo.barometer.hpa)

Barometric air pressure in millimeters of mercury (mmhg), inches of mercury (inhg), millibar (mb) or hectopascal (hpa).

X

(DR)

X

$(meteo.bartrend)

Barometric trend: "/" rising, "//" rising fast, "-" stable, "\" falling, "\\" falling fast.

-

X

$(meteo.tempin.c)

$(meteo.tempin.f)

$(meteo.tempin.k)

Inside temperature in degrees Centigrade (c), Fahrenheit (f) or Kelvin (k).

X

(TK)

X

$(meteo.tempout.c)

$(meteo.tempout.f)

$(meteo.tempout.k)

Outside temperature in degrees Centigrade (c), Fahrenheit (f) or Kelvin (k).

X

(TE)

X

$(meteo.tempextra1.c) - $(meteo.tempextra7.c)

$(meteo.tempextra1.f) - $(meteo.tempextra7.f)

$(meteo.tempextra1.k) - $(meteo.tempextra7.k)

Seven additional temperatures in degrees Centigrade (c), Fahrenheit (f) or Kelvin (k).

-

X

$(meteo.tempsoil1.c) - $(meteo.tempsoil4.c)

$(meteo.tempsoil1.f) - $(meteo.tempsoil4.f)

$(meteo.tempsoil1.k) - $(meteo.tempsoil4.k)

Four ground temperatures in degrees Centigrade (c), Fahrenheit (f) or Kelvin (k).

-

X

$(meteo.templeaf1.c) - $(meteo.templeaf4.c)

$(meteo.templeaf1.f) - $(meteo.templeaf4.f)

$(meteo.templeaf1.k) - $(meteo.templeaf4.k)

Four leaf temperatures in degrees Centigrade (c), Fahrenheit (f) or Kelvin (k).

-

X

$(meteo.humin)

Relative inside humidity in percent.

-

X

$(meteo.humout)

Relative outside humidity in percent.

X

(FE)

X

$(meteo.humextra1) - $(meteo.humextra7)

Seven additional relative humidity values in percent.

-

X

$(meteo.moistsoil1.hpa) - $(meteo.moistsoil4.hpa) $(meteo.moistsoil1.cb) - $(meteo.moistsoil4.cb)

Four ground humidity values in hectopascal (hpa) or centibar (cb).

-

X

$(meteo.wetnleaf1) - $(meteo.wetnleaf4)

Four leaf humidity values from 0 to 15.

-

X

$(meteo.windspeed.ms)

$(meteo.windspeed.kmh)

$(meteo.windspeed.knots)

$(meteo.windspeed.mph)

Wind speed in meters per second (ms), kilometers per second (km), sea miles per hour (knots) or (land) miles per hour (mph).

X

(WG)

X

$(meteo.avgwindspeed.ms)

$(meteo.avgwindspeed.kmh)

$(meteo.avgwindspeed.knots)

$(meteo.avgwindspeed.mph)

Average wind speed of the current measurement interval in meters per second (ms), kilometers per second (km), sea miles per hour (knots) or (land) miles per hour (mph).

X

(WD)

X

$(meteo.windpeak.ms)

$(meteo.windpeak.kmh)

$(meteo.windpeak.knots)

$(meteo.windpeak.mph)

Highest wind speed of the current measurement interval in meters per second (ms), kilometers per second (km), sea miles per hour (knots) or (land) miles per hour (mph).

X

(WS)

-

$(meteo.winddir.grad)

$(meteo.winddir.de)

$(meteo.winddir.en)

Wind direction in degrees (grad). Usually with North = 0 degrees, increasing in clockwise direction or in eight steps when using German (de: N,NO,O,SO,S,SW,W,NW) or English (en: N,NE,E,SE,S,SW,W,NW) abbreviations.

X

(WR)

X

$(meteo.avgwinddir.grad)

$(meteo.avgwinddir.de)

$(meteo.avgwinddir.en)

Average wind direction in the current measurement interval in degrees (grad). Usually with North = 0 degrees, increasing in clockwise direction or in eight steps when using German (de: N,NO,O,SO,S,SW,W,NW) or English (en: N,NE,E,SE,S,SW,W,NW) abbreviations.

X

(WD)

X

$(meteo.rainrate.mmh)

$(meteo.rainrate.inh)

Current precipitation in millimeters per hour (mmh) or inches per hour (inh).

-

X

$(meteo.rainday.mm)

$(meteo.rainday.in)

Precipitation of the current day in millimeters (mm) or inches (in).

X

(RE)

X

$(meteo.rainmonth.mm)

$(meteo.rainmonth.in)

Precipitation of the current month in millimeters (mm) or inches (in).

-

X

$(meteo.rainyear.mm)

$(meteo.rainyear.in)

Precipitation of the current year in millimeters (mm) or inches (in).

-

X

$(meteo.rainfree.mm)

$(meteo.rainfree.in)

Precipitation variable for rain values of a different interval.

X

(RD)

-

$(meteo.solar)

Sun shine in watts per square meter.

X

(SO)

X

$(meteo.uvidx)

Index value of ultra-violet radiation.

-

X

$(meteo.sunrise.24h)

$(meteo.sunrise.12h)

$(meteo.sunrise.ampm)

Time of sunrise in 24-hour format (24h), 12-hour format (12h) or 12-hour format with added am and pm indicators (ampm).

-

X

$(meteo.sunset.24h)

$(meteo.sunset.12h)

$(meteo.sunset.ampm)

Time of sunset in 24-hour format (24h), 12-hour format (12h) or 12-hour format with added am and pm indicators (ampm).

-

X

$(meteo.bat1)

Current voltage of power supply in Volts.

X

(VI)

X

$(meteo.miscvalue1) - $(meteo.miscvalue3)

Additional sensors 1 to 3.

X

(ZA,ZB,ZC)

-


Storing the Configuration

Click on the Set button to activate your settings and to save them until the next reboot of the camera.

Click on the Factory button to load the factory defaults for this dialog (this button may not be present in all dialogs).

Click on the Restore button to undo your most recent changes that have not been stored in the camera permanently.

Click on the Close button to close the dialog. While closing the dialog, the system checks the entire configuration for changes. If changes are detected, you will be asked if you would like to store the entire configuration permanently.

 In order to enable these settings, you need to store the configuration and reboot the camera!


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