Elnec BeeHive204, User Manual

Page: 117 / 179

PG4UW
117
The bar-graph at the bottom of ‘Credit box' button also indicates status of credits on attached
Credit box(es) as next:
green bargraph 85% of total credits available
yellow bargraph credit box button 50% of total credits available
red bargraph credit box button 10%, of total credits available
no bargraph credit box button 0% of total credits available (depleted)
Information about available credits is periodically updated (also during opened Credit box info
window).
Work with devices belongs to 'Paid ISP support' category
According to requests and needs of customers, programmable devices are more and more
complex. Also, programmable devices range is more and more wide. As a result, we - as a
device programmers manufacturer - have to spend much more development resources for
implementation of new programmable devices support compared to past - simply because
complex devices support is more difficult to implement and number of devices we need to
implement is also much higher.
In case of off-line programming (in ZIF socket, using programming adapter), development
costs spent for implementation of new devices support are also covered by programming
adapters selling. But in case of programming in ISP mode, the customer buys only a
programmer and after-selling programmer support costs, included in new versions of software,
are covered by nothing.
To keep software update downloads for free also for devices programmed in ISP mode, we
come to conclusion to apply a very small fee for programming of those devices, where the
implementation of ISP support takes very long and/or for rarely used devices.
The system is simple. For work with such devices it is necessary to have the Credit box
attached to PC where device programmer is attached. The
Credit box is technically a small
dongle in USB port that contains some amount of credits, from 25 thousands to 500 thousands
- depending on the model. The micropayment for each such device programming is done by
decreasing of credits amount in the
Credit box .
The real fee for credit is very low, it starts at about 0.01 USD per credit for CB-25k version of
Credit box (= 25 thousands credits) and goes steeply down up to about 0.003 USD per credit
for CB-500k version of Credit box (= 500 thousands credits).
The validity of Credit box is limited to 10 regular versions of software. It means, once the
Credit box is activated at the time of first usage, it can be used by current and by next 9 regular
versions of software.
Example: activated by 3.01 version of software can be used by 3.01, 3.02... up to 3.10 version
of software (including all OnDemand versions).
Credit box status is displayed in main window of PG4UW and PG4UWMC software.