Dakota Ultrasonics UMX-2 - Manual (Page 69)

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CHAPTER THIRTEEN
UPGRADING THE FIRMWARE
13.1 Introduction to Firmware
Firmware is the actual software, in the UMX-2 itself, that controls the functionality of
the gauge. A benefit of the UMX-2, is the ability to upgrade the firmware from your
desktop. When changes are made to the firmware, to add features or fix bugs, it can
be downloaded from our website and programmed from a remote location. This
offers our users additional support capability, as the gauge does not have to be sent
back to our facility to be upgraded. In this section, we’ll provide the necessary steps
to program your UMX-2.
Note: The sections that follow, assume that the firmware file has been downloaded
from our website, unzipped into a temporary file created on your desktop, and the
UMX-2 and all accessory cables are at your disposal.
13.2 Connecting to a PC
Now that the firmware file has been unzipped in a folder on your desktop, the next
step is connecting to a PC to flash program the UMX-2. There are 2 cables included
with the UMX-2 kit; LEMO to 9 pin serial and 9 PIN serial to USB.
Serial:
The LEMO to 9 pin RS232 cable can be connect directly to any serial port. However,
the serial port number must be known. The actual port reference can be obtained in
the device manager of a Windows® based operating system.
USB:
Both the LEMO to 9 pin serial and 9 pin serial to USB can be connected together to
use the serial to USB converter configuration. This option requires that a driver is
installed for the USB cable. The driver will automatically be loaded when DakView3
PC software is installed. However, the driver files will also be included in the
‘examples’ folder on your desktop. This folder is created by DakView3 when
installed.
The following procedure outlines the steps for connecting and programming the
UMX-2 with the latest firmware, as follows:
Connect & Program