INFICON RQCM - Quartz Crystal Microbalance Research System User Manual
Page 82

RQCM – RESEARCH QUARTZ CRYSTAL MICROBALANCE
COMPUTER INTERFACE
7-6
1. Send RQCM hardware configuration (Code #0)
Instructs the RQCM to send its configuration data to the host computer. The following is a
description of the configuration data message:
Name
Length (bytes)
Message
Software Version
35 INFICON RQCM Software Version X.XX
Communication Port
1
(1=RS232, 2=RS-485, 3=IEEE488)
Sensor Board Status
1
(Bit0=Ch. #1, Bit1=Ch. #2, Bit2=Ch. #3)
Accessory Board Status
1
(Bit0 = Digital I/O, Bit 1 = Analog Input)
Total
38
bytes
Example: To instruct the RQCM to send the configuration data the computer would send:
Chr$(255)+Chr$(254)+Chr$(1)+Chr$(0)+Chr$(0)+Chr$(255)
2. Automatic Data Logging of Binary Values (Code #1)
This instruction allows the computer to setup the RQCM to automatically output selected binary
values to the communication port every 50 milliseconds. The values sent are determined by the
bit value of the message byte in the data logging instruction message.
Byte #
Bit #
Description
Length
bytes
Format
Range
Units
1
0
Message counter
1
Binary
0 to 255
1
Sensor
#1
Period
4
Binary
Counts/sec
2
Sensor #1 Resistance
2
Binary
0 to 65535
Counts
3
Sensor
#2
Period
4
Binary
Counts/sec
4
Sensor #2 Resistance
2
Binary
0 to 65535
Counts
5
Sensor
#3
Period
4
Binary
Counts/sec
6
Sensor #3 Resistance
2
Binary
0 to 65535
Counts
7
Analog Input #1
2
Binary
-33,333 to 33,333 --------
2
0
Analog Input #2
2
Binary
-33,333 to 33,333 --------
1
Analog Input #3
2
Binary
-33,333 to 33,333 --------
2
Analog Input #4
2
Binary
-33,333 to 33,333 --------
3
Analog Input #5
2
Binary
-33,333 to 33,333 --------
4
RTD Temperature
2
Binary
-33,333 to 33,333 0.1 °C or °F
5
Thermocouple Temperature
2
Binary
-33,333 to 33,333 0.1 °C or °F
6
Thermistor Temperature
2
Binary
-33,333 to 33,333 0.1 °C or °F
7
Discrete
Inputs
1
**
3 0
Discrete
Outputs
1
**
** The discrete input and output bytes indicate the status of the inputs and outputs such that bit 0
corresponds to input/output #1, bit 1 to input/output #2, etc.
All values are sent in Binary format with the most significant byte first. To convert binary values
to decimal, use the following formula:
Decimal Value = Sum of Byte[n]*256^(Y-n) where n goes from 1 to Y and Y is the total number
of bytes that make up the value.
For example, say you want to read sensor frequency. You first have to setup the RQCM to send
sensor period. Say you receive the four following bytes representing sensor period: