Asyst Technologies VersaPort 2200, Technical Manual

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Page 180 2000-1252-01 Released Rev. C
VersaPort 2200 Technical Manual
Appendix B: Communications Software
ASCII Serial Text Interface
a
ASCII Serial Text Interface
An ASCII serial text interface is provided to the Host as an alternative to the SECS format
for communication with a Load Port. This text interface is made up of ASCII commands
specifically designed for Hosts that do not support SECS protocol. With this interface, a
Host can have access to more than eighty percent of the available Load Port commands,
including status inquiry, event/alarm reporting, and read/write of Load Port configuration
data.
ASCII protocol is set up through the COMM_PROTOCOL option (ECID 38) in the Load
Port, with the following modes:
• 3 (text interface with echo on),
• 4 (text interface without echo), or
• 5 (text interface with echo off, and a two byte checksum on the text message).
If the value of COMM_PROTOCOL is 0 or 1, the mode will be the same as 4 (non-echo).
The COMM_PROTOCOL data is stored in the Load Port's battery-backed NOVRAM and
the data is retained even after power is removed from the Load Port.
ASCII Port Parameters
Communication port:
The serial text interface is available through the ASCII host port by configuring ECID 37.
See
Table 20, Data Dictionary, on page 150 for the description of possible values for
ECID 37.
Communication parameters:
• 9600 bauds
• 8 Data bits
• No parity
• 1 Stop bit