48
microAeth
®
MA Series MA200, MA300, MA350
Operating Manual
microAeth
®
MA Series MA200, MA300, MA350
Operating Manual
49
AethLabs
AethLabs
5.8.4. On-board Status Indications
5.8.4.1. Serial Number
The on-board screen displays the serial number of the microAeth in the top left corner.
The on-board screen displays the percentage battery remaining in the top right corner.
5.8.4.3. Charging
When the instrument is connected to an external power source using the 5V barrel jack port and the
battery is charging, the on-board screen displays “P” to the right of the percentage battery remaining in
the top right corner. While the USB port can be used to charge the instrument, the charging indicator will
not be displayed.
5.8.4.4. Startup
The on-board screen displays additional status indications at startup when the instrument is turned on. At
startup, the following information is temporarily displayed:
AethLabs MA Series
Version: x.xx <Displays the firmware version>
Serial Baud: xxxxxxx <Displays the current serial baud rate value>
AutoSample:xxx <Displays the current AutoSample setting value>
5.9. Command Line Interface (CLI) for Polled Serial Data Mode
The command line interface (CLI) can be used to control and request status information and data from the
microAeth when the instrument serial data mode is set to polled.
The following default settings (as described in section 5.5.3. 3.3V TTL Serial) or the serial baud rate setting as
has been changed by the user are used to communicate with the microAeth through the serial port.
Baud Rate
Data
Parity
Stop
Flow control
1000000 (default)
8 bit
none
1 bit
none
(Xon/Xoff for firmware update)
The microAeth has a 4-pin serial port for communication through 3.3V TTL serial with external data
acquisition systems or for direct integration into another system. Communication though the 3.3V TTL serial
port can be established to a computer through a terminal emulator using the custom AethLabs 4-pin Serial to
USB converter cable.
NOTE: The serial baud rate can be changed using the on-board LCD interface and the Change Serial Baud
menu or using the microAeth Manager and the Baud rate setting under Serial and Communications.
5.9.1. AethLabs Serial Protocol
The following AethLabs Serial Protocol commands can be used in polled serial data mode:
AethLabs Serial Protocol
To issue a command, send c carriage return (<CR>, ASCII code 0x0D)
Name
Command Description / Response
Data request
dr
Requests most recent recorded data line. Most recent data line is
returned in either Verbose or Minimal serial data format depending on
instrument setting. See section 6.2. Serial Data Format Structures.
Measurement start /
stop
ms
Instrument starts or stops sampling and measurements depending
on current state of the instrument.
Check status
cs
Requests current status of instrument. The following is returned:
'firstId = <aaaaa>, nextId = <bbbbb>, currentId = <ccccc>, sampling
= <0=false or 1=true>' where aaaaa, bbbbb, ccccc = Whole
numbers.
Check battery
cb
Requests current remaining battery. The following is returned:
'Battery Perc : <xxx>' where xxx = Whole number (0-100).
Activate left button
ul
Simulates a physical push of the left button of the on-board user
interface.
Activate center button
uc
Simulates a physical push of the center button of the on-board user
interface.
Activate right button
ur
Simulates a physical push of the right button of the on-board user
interface.
5.9.2. Bayern-Hessen Protocol
This section describes Hessen network protocol as implemented in AethLabs’ MA Series instruments. The
MA Series instruments act as a slave to a remote host communicating over the MA Series instrument serial
port. The following AethLabs Bayern-Hessen Protocol implementation can be used in polled serial data
mode:
Requirements:
• Physical connection from host device to MA Series instrument serial port.
• Serial Baud configuration matching on both the Host and MA Series instrument devices
• Serial Data setting must be set to ‘Polled’
Bayern-Hessen Protocol Abbreviations Used
Message Field Length (bytes)
Description
<CR>
1
Carriage return (ASCII code 0x0D)
<STX>
1
Start of text character (ASCII code 0x02)
<ETX>
1
End of text character (ASCII code 0x03)
<BCC>
2
Block checksum characters
<SP>
1
Space character (ASCII code 0x20)
Bayern-Hessen Protocol Basic Command Structure
<STX>Command message<ETX><BCC>
OR
Command message<CR>
