OPERATOR MANUAL

BT T.A.R.G.A.

SECTION II: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

CHAPTER 4
4. Software: Serial Communication:
Page: 2
BT T.A.R.G.A. <-> Host Computer

Biotecnica Instruments S.p.A.

Via Licenza, 18
00156 Rome – ITALY

Section II Chapter 4 Serial Communication Index BT T.A.R.G.A. Rev.0, Soft Ver. B4

4. SOFTWARE
4.1. SERIAL COMMUNICATION: BT T.A.R.G.A. <-> HOST COMPUTER

The analyzer TARGA BT 2000/3000 is able to communicate with every host computer
through a serial port RS232C in asynchronous instructions.
The serial communication will be active is the parameter RS232 in the menu System -
System Parameters will be set on ON.

TECHNICAL FEATURES

Signals EIA RS 232 C

Rate 9600 Baud
Connector Standard Cannon "D" 25 contacts 'NULL MODEM' (see figure)
Characters 1 start, 8 data, 1 stop, no parity

The program must control the Hand-Shake Hardware (CTS/RTS).

COMMUNICATION PROTOCOL

The instrument will transmit data in ASCII format (patient code, test results, etc.)

It will operate in Receipt or Transmit Mode.

In the Receipt Mode will be possible to receive from the host computer the patient code, the
tests (routine or STAT) to be performed.
In the Transmit Mode will be possible, instead, send to a host computer the test results.
To start with the transmission you have to send the character <STX> = ASCII 02 and then
you have to wait for the character <ACK> = ASCII 6. Received the <ACK> you are able to
send the data adding at the end of the transmission the character <EOT> = ASCII 4.
It is possible to transmit one string at a time.
After the character <EOT> at the end of the transmission to the TARGA you will have the
reply:

'Y' + <Position> if all is OK

'N' + <Error> if there are some problems

<Position> and <Error> are composed by a single byte.

<Position> shows the position on the sample plate where the sample is located;
<Error> see the relative table.

Section II Chapter 4 Serial Communication BT T.A.R.G.A. Rev.0, Soft Ver. B4 Page 2 of 5

 SYNTAX

RECEIPT MODE:

Routine test receipt: (CODE 'P')

Code routine test [01 character 'P' ]
Serum/Urine [01 character 'S' o 'U' ]
Patient code [10 characters ]
Clone [01 character 'Y' o 'N' ]
Cup position [02 characters '00' - '40' (*) ] '00' ==>unknown position
Test # [02 characters ]
Test code [03 characters ] one for each test

STAT receipt (CODE 'U')

STAT Code [01 character 'U' ]
Serum/Urine [01 character 'S' o 'U' ]
Code patient [10 characters ]
Clone [01 character 'Y' o 'N' ]
Cup position [02 characters '00' - '40' (*) ] '00' ==>unknown position
Test # [02 characters ]
Test code [03 characters ] one for each test

(*) Modified in the Rev. 1G1320

TRANSMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

Result transmission: (CODE 'T')

Patient Code [10 characters ]
Test # [01 byte ]
Test Code [03 characters ] repeated for each test
ABS blank [06 characters ] repeated for each test
ABS initial [06 characters ] repeated for each test
Concentration [06 characters ] repeated for each test

Example: If we have to perform a BUN and a Glucose as STAT for a patient having the
code ANDREA0001, the host computer must send:
<STX>USANDREA0001N0002AZOGLI<EOT>
Being the field as '00', the analyzer will decide the serum position in the sample plate.

Section II Chapter 4 Serial Communication BT T.A.R.G.A. Rev.0, Soft Ver. B4 Page 3 of 5

ERROR CODES: MEANING

01 Unknown command
02 Syntax error
03 Test not present
04 All the tests are not present in the protocol
05 Wrong parameters
06 Patient working list full
07 Unknown patient
08 Standardization in progress
09 Patient in progress
12 Not found position
56 Clone not possible

CONNECTIONS TO THE INTERFACE RS 232 C

1 1 IBM

2 2

3 3

4 4

5 5

6 6

7 7
.
8 .
.
9 20
F F .
TARGA BT 3000 RS232

1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4
5 5
6 6
7 7
8 8
9 9
IBM
TARGA BT 3000 RS232

Section II Chapter 4 Serial Communication BT T.A.R.G.A. Rev.0, Soft Ver. B4 Page 4 of 5

Transmission of a patient procedure:
1. Send the start transmission character (STX)
2. Wait for the acknowledgment character (ACK)
3. Send the patient (i.e. PSANDREA0001N0002AZOGLI)
4. Send the end of transmission character (EOT)
5. Wait for the reply (“Y+Position” or “N+Error code”)
NOTE: the points 1 to 5 must be executed for the transmission of each patient

Receipt of a result procedure:

At the end of a patient transmission, after the serial transmission of the start transmission
character (STX), if the host computer is connected and if it is able to receive the result, it is
necessary to observe the following procedure:

1. Send the acknowledgment character (ACK)

2. Wait for the results (Code “T”)
3. Wait for the end of transmission character (EOT)

At this point if the instrument has another patient to transmit it will send again the STX and
will follow the transmission of a patient procedure. But, if the host computer is not
connected to the instrument during the elaboration of the results, the instrument after the
first sending of STX, having not received the ACK, stops the transmission.
When the host computer is ready for the connection, it must follow the receipt of a result
procedure and the transmission will continue without any problem.

If the transmission fails, it will be sufficient to enter into the menu System⇒ ⇒System
Parameters⇒ ⇒RS232⇒ ⇒Send Patients Again to repeat the last transmission (not
necessarily the last patient); or, after the storage of the results in the archive, enter into the
menu System⇒ ⇒Archive⇒ ⇒View and Print select the desired date and, following the help
line in the bottom of the screen, send the patient at the moment edited or the full archive
(this procedure is valid for whatever archive).

NOTE:
♦ if the serial port is enabled and the host computer is not present, the instrument will
continue in storing the results that must be transmitted until the transmission can be
executed or until the hard disk is full. To delete these data enter into the menu
System⇒ ⇒System Parameters⇒ ⇒RS232⇒ ⇒Delete Append Results.
♦ If the host computer is not connected for a long period, we suggest to disable the serial
port.
♦ The instrument sends by serial port every result - patient programmed manually or
through serial port, control, batch (excluded the standards) -: the host computer will
have to select the required information.

Section II Chapter 4 Serial Communication BT T.A.R.G.A. Rev.0, Soft Ver. B4 Page 5 of 5