
Manual EKS Electronic-Key Adapter USB
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Subject to technical modifications
2094485-05-07/19
8 Operating the Electronic-Key System with the aid of the virtual
COM port
8.1 Special features of the USB interface
The USB interface is designed as a virtual serial COM port. The communication is exactly the same as for the
device with serial RS232 interface.
If there is an Electronic-Key within the operating distance of the Electronic-Key adapter, the LED on the front
changes from green to yellow. At the same time, the
CTS
handshake signal changes from inactive (0) to active
(1). This signal corresponds to the CTS / OUT signal with RS232 level on the Electronic-Key adapter with serial
interface. This signal can be used for control purposes to detect whether there is an Electronic-Key in the
Electronic-Key adapter.
8.2 Communication
This chapter primarily describes communication between a PC and the Electronic-Key adapter.
Communication with the Electronic-Key adapter is performed via a virtual COM port. The commands are given
over this COM port. It is possible to communicate with several devices over different COM ports. In principle
COM 1 to COM 128 can be used.
The transfer messages for the commands
Program (write) Electronic-Key
Read Electronic-Key
are based on the transfer protocol 3964R [1]
Integration of the device with USB interface into the user’s PC application is supported by an optionally available
ActiveX
module (order no. 098708) (usable for ActiveX
-capable user programs under MS Windows
). The
EKS can thus be used in conjunction with process visualization, for example.
The ActiveX
module is used as
a protocol driver for the 3964R data transfer protocol described in the following.