Trimble Introduces Autonomous Operation Support in its ThingMagic Mercury API

Latest Software Also Includes Full Support for the New ThingMagic Nano RFID Module

Trimble announced today an updated version of its ThingMagic® Mercury® API software development kit to include full support for the ThingMagic Nano embedded UHF RFID module. The software update also includes expanded functionality to allow customers to set Autonomous Operation functions directly through Mercury API. This functionality, available for ThingMagic's Micro and Micro-LTE embedded UHF RFID modules, enables hardware read triggers and savable configuration settings in the module. Previously, autonomous operation could only be deployed using the Autonomous Configuration Tool.  

"By allowing customers to configure Autonomous Operation through a ThingMagic Mercury API application, Trimble is continuing its mission to invest in making its products easier to use," said Michael Klein, director of customer support and system engineering for Trimble's ThingMagic Division. "The Autonomous Operation functionality works as it did before but now customers can write their own autonomous configuration tools using the Mercury API to automate the configuration of Micro and Micro-LTE during their product provisioning stage. Configuration is no longer limited to being done through the Autonomous Configuration Tool."

Customers currently using the ThingMagic Micro and Micro-LTE modules in their existing RFID products use the Mercury API to write applications to control the module. The MercuryAPI supports Java, .NET and C programming environments. The Mercury API Software Development Kit (SDK) contains sample applications and source code to enable developers to get started demonstrating and developing functionality. With the latest release of Mercury API users can save configuration settings such as RF power, duty cycle and read triggers as well as which antennas are searchable, among many others. 

In addition, the Micro and Micro-LTE can be configured to start reading and outputting tag data on power up or on change of state of a general purpose input (GPI) line. The new saved settings options can be configured using the Mercury API or using the Autonomous Configuration Tool. In addition, this mode of operation results in decreased power consumption because the "read on power up" mode allows the reader to only consume power when it is on. There is no power consumption if the device is off, making it an ideal solution for a battery-operated device such as a handheld reader. 

Pricing and Availability

The ThingMagic Nano module and the latest version of the Mercury API are available now.