Copyright 2011 Vicomp Ltd All Rights Reserved Touch the Ultimate Solutions in Automatic Document Reading. Portable Bluetooth Readers by Vicomp

Transcription

1 Copyright 2011 Vicomp Ltd All Rights Reserved Touch the Ultimate Solutions in Automatic Document Reading Portable Bluetooth Readers by Vicomp VPR451 & VPR451e OCR-ONLY OCR+RFID USER HANDBOOK Contents 1. Preparing for the first installation Installing the reader Writing terminal Bluetooth address to the reader Programming and custom application development.. 18 A1. Pairing the reader with Windows Mobile PocketPC 19

2 1. Preparing for the first installation It is assumed here that you ve got the reader along with batteries and, optionally, with a battery charger. By the way, although it s not cost-effective solution, it s possible to apply normal, non-rechargeable batteries. Anyway, if you haven t got a battery charger it is suggested to ask our technical staff to get one. If you haven t got suitable reader-related software for installing and testing the device, download fresh release of the software from our web site ( It s called Vicomp Readers Soft Center and is distributed as a single installation utility VcmpRdrSftCntrInst.exe. When the need arises to make some custom reader programming, contact us to get appropriate SDK tools. Let s start from charging batteries by means of a battery charger to assure they are in excellent condition. When ready, load the batteries into the reader. When you notice some day the LED is blinking red, this will be indication that the batteries are in poor condition and need recharging. Start your computer system (Windows XP/Vista/7). Make sure its Bluetooth radio communication is enabled (usually Bluetooth icon is visible somewhere in the task bar at the bottom-right of your screen). 2

3 Run the Vicomp Readers Soft Center installation executable (VcmpRdrSftCntrInst.exe). To avoid possible problems with Windows 7 security/permissions settings, start the installation utility in Run as administrator mode. It s suggested to accepting all default settings. After that, you are going to notice a new icon/shortcut at your computer screen. Although the procedure presented in next chapter demonstrates installation of our VPR451 or VPR451e Bluetooth devices in Windows Vista/7 operating systems (desktop workstations, laptops or tablet PCs) with Microsoft Bluetooth Stack, it is strongly suggested to read it in full regardless of your actual OS. Installation in XP environment is very similar and need no separate clarification. This is run-once procedure for a particular computer-reader pair. Actually, the process is called device pairing. In general, configuring Bluetooth connection is not a difficult task. However, when something goes wrong, it may become a horrible experience. Therefore, if possible, give the task to some advanced professional. Regardless of the type of a computer you are finally going to use with our Bluetooth reader for routine work (desktop, laptop, tablet PC, Windows Mobile Pocket PC), the reader configuration task must be performed on some Bluetooth-enabled desktop machine XP/Vista/7. In normal, working conditions it is our reader which initiates connection with a host machine after it collects OCR data (after the swipe operation). However, in order to do that, it has to know the Bluetooth address of a host computer. Therefore, before you can use the reader with your own computer, it s necessary to write host Bluetooth address to the reader. Thus, before continuing, find the address of the Bluetooth device in your computer and write it down for later use. 3

4 Address of your Bluetooth device, that you have to know, may be found in Properties dialog in Device Manager (or in some dialog of the Bluetooth configuration). 4

5 2. Installing the reader Start the Vicomp Readers Soft Center from desktop and select your particular device. Click the Install New Reader button and you will see the message shown below. Read carefully and follow above instruction. 5

6 In contrast to normal working conditions, during the setup phase, it is a host which initiates connection and the reader must be in a special state that we call a SERVICE STATE. To bring the reader into this state perform following steps: 1) remove batteries, 2) insert white sheet of paper into the reading slot and leave it here, 3) insert batteries. 6

7 The reader blinks green for 5 seconds and then starts blinking red for about 4 minutes. During this time it may be discovered by your Bluetooth-enabled computer. Now you should use appropriate Bluetooth tools in your system to initiate searching for a new device. Remember that successful discovery of the reader is possible only when the reader is in a special SERVICE STATE (the red led is blinking). If discovery was not successful and the 4-minute time elapsed the reader quits SERVICE STATE. To try searching again, you have to repeat all the above steps including battery removal, white sheet insertion etc. Several figures that follow serve as an example of the process, to give you an idea of how it should look. Note that, in case of your particular system and Bluetooth device, your dialogs need not to be exactly as shown here. However, they should provide the same functionality. 7

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11 After the reader is found by the system there are two virtual COM ports created. It is very important for successive steps to remember their types ( INCOMING / OUTGOING ) and names. If these ports were not created automatically, you have a problem which must be solved by creating them manually. Look at the Bluetooth tools in your system to do that. Although we have specified Don't use a passkey it may happen you are asked to supply one. Any time, when you are asked to specify an access key, select no access key or, if you must supply something, write '0000' (four zeros). If you were lucky and get both of your Bluetooth virtual serial ports it s time to go to the next step writing the Bluetooth address of your host to the reader. In general, the host need not be the same machine as the one you re using for configuring the reader. 11

12 3. Writing host Bluetooth address to the reader In the Vicomp Readers Soft Center locate and click Device Configuration Tools button. The Reader Configuration Utility (RCU) is starting. Choose 'Preferences/Select Reader Port...' from the main menu and select OUTGOING virtual COM port name (see previous page to get OUTGOING concept). 12

13 STOP NOW. Before you click 'OK' button take a look at the reader. Click 'OK' only if red light is blinking (reader is still in the SERVICE STAE). Otherwise, do not click 'OK' now but simply leave this dialog open and bring the reader into the SERVICE STATE as was described earlier (battery, white sheet etc.). Only after you have the reader blinking red click 'OK' to open the port and establish reader-host connection. You are supposed now to be asked by the system to supply an access key. It is normal in this moment. Write 0000 (four zeros). 13

14 The host connects to the reader which starts blinking green for about 4 minutes (or until it s disconnected / closed). Remove the white sheet from the slot. Return to the RCU screen. Press 'Get Config' and swipe any sheet through the reading slot. 14

15 After configuration is successfully retrieved and displayed, press Bluetooth button. Write Bluetooth address of your host device and close the BT Settings window clicking Ok. You will be reminded of writing the changes to the device.

16 Close the message box and and press 'Set Config' button. Swipe any sheet of paper through the reading slot. If the operation was completed successfully, the reader is ready to work with your computer. Close the RCU application. After you close the RCU the COM port is also closed. Now the reader is prepared and ready for normal, routine reading operations with your computer (and only with this one machine). Remember, in normal working conditions you get the data from the reader through the INCOMING virtual COM created during earlier configuration phase. It is this port name which must be selected in any receiving applications. Now, you can try the reader in real work. For this, click Read ICAO MRTDs button to launch Vicomp Security Gateway for Portables demo application. Select proper COM port. 16

17 The application reads optical MRZ and electronic data (DG1 containing electronic MRZ and DG2 with face image) from PLAIN (not protected) and BAC-protected edocuments. It is very important for BAC-protected documents to read OCR-B code-lines (MRZ) first. Only then, on the basis of OCR data, a chip access key may be computed allowing for electronic data retrieval. In case of any problems and/or question concerning reader installation and software issues write to: office@vicomp.com.pl or directly to darek@vicomp.com.pl who is responsible for and takes care of our software projects. 17

18 4. Programming and custom application development Most of the modern stationary readers are equipped with USB Plug and Play PC/SC drivers. In this case, device communication programming is relatively simple as the PC/SC API is part of Microsoft Windows SDK. Obviously, when we say simple here, we forget about many complicated cryptographic issues related to security and mutual authentication between a terminal (computer) and a smart card. However, there are several open software solutions available for different platforms that may be helpful when developing an edocuments inspection system. Unfortunately, things are not so easy when it comes to portable readers. It was already mentioned that one of the most important factor determining design and behavior of such a device is necessity to save energy. Therefore, the device should go to sleep whenever not used. This prevents designing a fully PC/SC-compliant driver and using standard PC/SC API programming tools. The only solutions for this are native programming interfaces (a native driver or a native API). See our site repository appropriate information (downloads) concerning APIs/SDKs dedicated either for Microsoft Windows or Google Android platforms. In case of any question concerning reader software issues (including SDK) write to: office@vicomp.com.pl or directly to darek@vicomp.com.pl who is responsible for and takes care of our software projects. 18

19 A1. Pairing the reader with Windows Mobile PocketPC Obviously, it is possible to use our portable Bluetooth reader in combination with some mobile device (handheld). There are several hints we put here to help you establish Bluetooth connection. However, it is assumed you have already configured the reader (it means, you have written correct handheld Bluetooth address to the reader hardware). If not, you have to walk through the previous chapters. Examples that follow are taken from Motorola MC75 EDA (Enterprise Digital Assistant), Windows Mobile 6.0 Professional. First, make your device Discoverable and Connectable. Adjust the View of BTExplorer, select Local Device and note Bluetooth address of the computer. 19

20 Activate Serial Port service, see its property to note Local COM Port assigned by the system to the service. This is the port you should select in all receiving applications (COM5 in our example). To check the setup is correct you can try any Terminal application that you can get from the net. The problem, however, may be that Bluetooth virtual COM ports may not be recognized by simple Terminal programs. Then, you can download and execute demo from our web site ( Let s take as an example our demo application. Download CAB installer and move it to your PocketPC device. Tap the file to start installation procedure. Finally, you ll get a shortcut in Programs folder (see screen snapshots below). 20

21 21 Tap the shortcut to start demo.

22 When started for the first time the program tries to open default (COM5) Bluetooth incoming port. If you get a message of successfully opened COM you don t have to select it from port combo box, just swipe an ICAO document to read its MRZ OCR-B code-lines. However, if your COM is different, select proper one from the list before you start reading documents. Please, do not put too fine a point on imperfections of our demo. After all, we re not going to refine it. It s only to check communication setup and basic reader functions. Any time you want it is possible to uninstall the soft through the Settings/Remove Programs. In case of any question concerning reader software issues write to: office@vicomp.com.pl or directly to darek@vicomp.com.pl who is responsible for and takes care of our software projects. 22