Parallax USB RFID?

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) Hardware Interfacing
1

Hello,

Can anyone help with getting a Parallax USB RFID talking to my Diecimila?

Thanks,
Jay

2

Basically no. This reader has a USB output. It is a USB slave. You need to use a device with a USB host capability. The Arduino can't do this.

However, if you can get the schematics it should be possible to hack into the circuit before the signal gets converted into USB and then extract that at TTL level and inject it straight into a serial input of the Arduino.

3

Thanks, but I just figured this out - using Processing:

Serial.setDTR(true);   // enable the RFID reader

then initialize a connection to the Arduino's serial port from Processing and send the bytes there.

// assuming the first item in the list is your Parallax RFID USB device
// and the third item in the list of serial devices is your Arduino
rfidPort = new Serial(this, Serial.list()[0], 2400);
arduinoPort = new Serial(this, Serial.list()[2], 2400); 

while (rfidPort.available() > 0) {
    int inByte = rfidPort.read();
    arduinoPort.write(inByte);
  }

:wink:

4

That's cheating. :wink:

It means you always have to have your computer running and you can't make a stand alone system.

5

Agreed!
Until the new USB Host shield comes out :slight_smile:
http://www.circuitsathome.com/mcu/arduino-usb-host-shield-build-log-part-2

Ooolala.:smiley:

6

Jaypozo, can you post your full Arduino & Processing code for your USB workaround? I mistakenly ordered the Parallax USB instead of the serial device. With your approach, are you simply reading the RFID from another USB port?
Thanks.