use PDA to comunicate with instrument via usb?

[tokohanz]

Hi

if that I have PDA with usb host, is it possible that i use it to communicate with the bench top instrument by using labview pda module?

any PDA models recommended?

thanks

~toko~

[stanthetiger]

Hi Tokohanz,

The PDA module is able to do serial communication. If you're able to see the usb port as a serial device on the PDA then you can use VISA VIs to communcate with your bench top instrument. This link shows you how to implement serial commmunication on your PDA.

As far as recommendation, anything running Windows Mobile 5 or above should work. We recommend PDA that uses either x86 or ARM processor (which pretty much covers all PDAs running Windows Mobile 5 or above)

Regards,
Stanley Hu
National Instruments
Applications Engineering
http://www.ni.com/support

[tokohanz]

Stanley Hu,

I'm using HTC 3600i now. How do i know that usb is the serial device? is that only the NI Visa PDA version support for Agilent bench top instrument? is PDA module able to do with PDA built in usb host?

Thanks,

~toko~

[stanthetiger]

Hi Tokohanz,

LabVIEW PDA does not support USB communication natively.  I do not think your USB host would show up in VISA.  If you already have LabVIEW PDA,  then you can run VISA Find Resouce VI on your PDA to see if your USB device can be seen as a VISA resource.

Also, is your Agilent instrument is USBTMC compliant? If so, then you should see your Agilent instrument as a VISA resource. Bascially, if you're able control your instrument through your USB port on your computer using NI VISA, then most likey you're able to do so on the PDA using NI VISA as well.

Finally, there is some discussion on how to make calls to external dll to do USB communication. I have not tried this myself, so I cannot guarentee that it would work for you.

Regards,
Stanley Hu
National Instruments
Applications Engineering
http://www.ni.com/support

[echarry]

Hi Stanley,

I read some of your messages in threads about USB comm in PDA/Smartphones. I just wanted to confirm with you a couple of requirements, as it seems you're the right person to ask to. I am trying to communicate our device with a HTC Kaiser PDA via USB. My OS is Windows Vista 32-bit, the handset's is Windows Mobile 6 and I am using the Mobile module.

The VI, in order to see the miniUSB port on the PDA as serial (VCP - virtual com port), you say that:

1) The PDA has to be USB HOST (or more precisely OTG) ;

2) The VI will see it as serial (I imagine then, there must be a sort of FTDI chip doing this translation USB-Serial - how else could this translation be implemented?)  

Is this correct? 

I want to test first the communication between the HTC and the PC. Other questions are then:

1) If I write data to the mini USB using VISA to a serial port in the VI, looking at the signals on the CRO, they should look like USB NOT SERIAL correct (after the translation)?

2) If the signals are USB then I will have to connect it to the USB port on the PC. However I quite don't see how I am going to talk to the device, as on the handset side I will have COM ports and on the USB side I will have USB endpoints, which have completely different characteristics. Any suggestions?

3) Let's assume the USB controller on the HTC side has NOT host capabilities. Is not possible in any way that my VI could see the port still as serial and send/receive data (just waiting for a host to power up the line and start the communication)??

4) The INF generator using the Driver Wizard for Windows Mobile 6, together with the VISA API wouldn't work for the case the VI doesn't see the port as serial? And then I could use the VISA interrupt blocks etc...?

As I wrote many questions, if you'd like a phone call could be undertaken to ease things, as I certainly need to clarify those questions..

Thanks for the time.

Best regards,

Edgar Charry  

[Zinnium]

Is the PDA running Windows?????? 

[echarry]

Hi Zinnium,

quite not sure if the question was to me but.. : I have just updated the ROM to Windows Mobile 6.1!

Thx

Edgar Charry