If you haven't already seen it yet, you can read all the details here:

     http://www.roboticsconnection.com/p-99-redbee-rfid-reader.aspx

While it provides a USB connection for a typical communication path, it also supports XBee and XBee Pro modules.  Additionally, we developed the Shared Serial Device Protocol (SSDP), which allows customers to communicate with multiple RedBee RFID Readers simultaneously, with a single connection from the PC.   SSDP leverages the XBee broadcast Personal Area Network (PAN) functionality.

So, very easily, you can have a wireless interface to multiple RedBee RFID readers!  How many readers? Well, the SSDP supports up to 255 Device Ids (or dids), but we've only tested up to 6 readers.  So, theoretically, 255 devices can communicate using SSDP, but realisitcally, customers will probably use fewer than 15 readers on the network at a time.  I will post another thread, speaking to specifics regarding communicating with multiple readers simultaneously in a few days.

So, the SSDP is cool and all, but did I just hear you say, 'Awww man...I don't want to have to write code to implement the RedBee RFID Reader AND SSD protocols....'). NO PROBLEMO!!! We wrote the RedBee RFID Reader .NET Library for you!  It implements the Basic RedBee RFID Reader protocol AND the SSD protocol!  So, all you have to do is create an RFIDReader object, and start using the interface. 

The RedBee RFID Reader .NET features several asynchronous events including:

• Tag swipes
• Tag Saves
• Tag Deletes
• GPIO pin changes
• Communication Start/Stop
• New RFID Reader Device (upon power up of a new device, or ping response)
• RFID Antenna Power enabled/disabled

You simply sign up to listen to whichever events you're interested in, and you'll be notified as they happen. You can then implement whatever actions you like.  You can read more about the RedBee RFID Reader .NET API here (also note the C# and VB .NET example apps).

      http://www.roboticsconnection.com/multimedia/libraries/RFID/documentation/

You will see that RedBee RFID Reader .NET Library API is VERY similar to our Serializer .NET Library.  So, Serializer customers should be right at home in using the RedBee RFID Reader .NET Lib!

For you Linux users, you can use the RedBee RFID Reader .NET Lib too!  Just run it using Mono, and develop your apps using MonoDevelop!

We've also put a lot of time into developing How-To documents to allow customers to get the readers configured quickly, and correctly.  Here are some of those documents (you can also find them on the main product page, under the 'User / How-To Guides').

• Shared Serial Device Protocol
• SSDP/XBee Multiple Reader Configuration How-To
• Xbee Configuration How-To
• RedBee RFID Reader User Guide
• RedBee RFID Reader .NET Library Quickstart Guide

We have provided several applications that allow you to immediately connect to your new RFID reader (via USB or XBee), and play with it.  We also included How-Tos for the applications as well!

• Tag Swiper Application How-To (single readers)
• SSDP Device App How-To (multiple readers)

The RedBee RFID Reader provides an Auto-Pulse feature for 4 GPIO pins, which allow you to automatically pulse those pins for a preconfigured duration, and pulse direction (0->1, or 1->0).  This makes it easy to interface relays to open/close door locks, and or control LEDs/Buzzers.  Auto-Pulse functionality can be disabled for any and all OUTX pins, and those pins can be used for direct input and/or output.  See the RedBee RFID Reader User Guide for schematics on interfacing LEDs, Relays, etc.

So, there you have it!  In addition to the website revamp in December/January, the RedBee RFID Reader is what's been taking up so much of our development time.  We're SOOOO GLAD it's finally finished, and ready for sale!  We hope you like it, and we look forward to hearing your feedback.   We'll be updating the Serializer next to leverage the SSDP! Woo-hoo!

Many thanks goes out to Amal Graafstra, who was out BETA tester, and who helped us flesh out SSDP!    Amal has also been working together with Trossen Robotics in parallel to put together a really cool RFID Reader Kit using the RedBee RFID Reader.  Amal has put together 5 RFID projects that will be included in the kit, and I can tell you are extremely cool!  Trossen doesn't have an exact date on the availability of the RFID Reader Kits, but it will be very soon!

Best Regards!

Jason Summerour
President,
Summerour Robotics Corporation
www.roboticsconnection.com