Front Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright -- Contents -- Introduction -- Acknowledgments -- 1: Options and Choices -- When to use a Serial Port -- Advantages -- Limits -- System Components -- The Computers -- The Physical Link -- Programming -- Applications -- Example Systems -- Managing Communications -- Special-purpose Modules -- 2: Formats and Protocols -- Sending Serial Data -- Asynchronous and Synchronous Communications -- Word Formats -- Bit Rate and Baud Rate -- System Support for Low-level Protocols -- Sending Bits -- The Format -- The Need for Accurate Timing -- Autodetecting the Bit Rate -- Autodetecting a COM Port -- Data Formats -- Binary Data -- Text Data -- ASCII Hex -- Application-specific Protocols -- Preventing Missed Data -- Flow Control -- Buffers -- Event-driven Programming and Polling -- Acknowledgments -- Error Checking -- 3: COM Ports on PCs -- Port Architecture -- Device Manager -- Port Resources -- Serial Servers -- Accessing Ports -- Drivers -- Identifying Ports -- GUIDs for COM Ports -- COM Port Numbering -- INF Files -- Options for Application Programming -- 4: Inside RS-232 -- The Hardware Interface -- Signals -- Voltages -- Timing Limits -- Converting Voltages -- Interface Chips -- Short-range Circuits -- Port-powered Circuits -- Using Outputs as a Power Source -- Regulating the Voltage -- Alternate Interfaces -- Direct Connection -- Other Unbalanced Interfaces -- 5: Designing RS-232 Links -- Connectors and Adapters -- Connector Options -- Adapters -- Using Microcontroller Development Boards -- Cables -- Length Limits -- Surge Protection -- Isolated Lines -- Ways to Achieve Isolation -- About Grounds -- Power Supply Grounds -- Optoisolating -- Debugging Tools -- Using a Breakout Box -- Monitoring with a Voltmeter -- Oscilloscopes and Logic Analyzers -- 6: lnside RS-485 -- About RS-485 -- Balanced and Unbalanced Lines.

Voltage Requirements -- Current and Power -- Speed -- Internal Protection Circuits -- Interfacing Options -- Chips -- Adding a Port on a PC -- Converting 3.3/5V Logic -- Converting RS-232 -- Controlling the Driver Enable -- Re-enabling the Driver -- Software-assisted Control -- Hardware Control -- 7: Designing RS-485 Links and Networks -- Long and Short Lines -- When Is a Line Long? -- Calculating Line Length -- Choosing a Driver Chip -- Line Terminations -- Characteristic Impedance -- Adding a Termination -- Effects of Terminations -- Reflections -- Series Terminations -- Terminations for Short Lines -- AC Terminations -- Network Topologies -- Biasing the Line -- Open-circuit Protection -- Short-circuit Protection -- Cable Types -- How a Wire Picks Up Noise -- Twisted-pair Cable -- Selecting Cable -- Grounds and Differential Lines -- Ensuring a Common Ground -- Isolated Lines -- Using Multiple Buses -- Adding a Repeater -- Implementing a Star Topology -- 8: Going Wireless -- Media and Modulation -- Using a Carrier Frequency -- Spread Spectrum Technology -- Ensuring Reliable Transfers -- Infrared -- Transmitters and Receivers -- IrDA -- Radio Frequency -- Complying with Regulations -- Choosing an RF Band -- Implementing a Link -- Using Other RF Standards -- 9: Using .NET's SerialPort Class -- Gaining Access to a Port -- Finding Ports -- Opening a Port -- Timeouts -- Receive Threshold -- Closing a Port -- Transferring Data -- Transferring Bytes -- Transferring Text -- Using Stream Objects -- BinaryReader and BinaryWriter -- StreamReader and StreamWriter -- Saving a Port and Parameters -- The Application Settings Architecture -- Combo Box Example -- 10: Managing Ports and Transfers in .NET -- Receiving Data -- Setting Timeouts -- Detecting Received Data -- Collecting Received Data -- Ensuring Efficient Transfers -- Sending Data -- Avoiding Timeouts.

Sending without Blocking the Application -- Preventing Buffer Overflows -- Ensuring Efficient Transfers -- Flow Control -- Selecting a Method -- Monitoring and Controlling the Signals -- Handling Errors -- Exceptions -- The ErrorReceived Event -- Verifying Received Data -- Structuring an Application -- Defining a ComPorts Class -- Setting Parameters with Combo Boxes -- Defining Application-specific Events -- 11: Ports for Embedded Systems -- A Microcontroller Serial Port -- About the PIC18F4520 -- The Enhanced UART -- Registers -- Configuring and Accessing the Port -- Setting the Bit Rate -- Interrupts -- Basic Operations -- Accessing a Port -- Configuring the Port -- Sending Data -- Receiving Data -- Using Interrupts -- Using Flow Control -- Adding Ports -- Multiple On-chip UARTs -- Firmware UARTs -- External UARTs -- 12: Network Programming -- Managing Traffic -- Steps in Exchanging a Message -- Protocols -- Using Existing Protocols -- Debugging Tips -- Addressing -- Assigning Addresses -- Detecting Addresses -- Reserving Address Values -- Defining a Message Format -- 9-bit Format -- 13: An RS-485 Network -- Connecting the Nodes -- Transceivers -- Terminating and Biasing -- Cabling -- Example Protocol -- Addresses -- Message Format -- Commands -- Reading a Byte -- Writing a Byte -- Polling the Nodes -- Configuring the Driver-enable Line -- Sending Commands -- Responding to Polls -- Auxiliary Routines -- Decoding Received Data -- 14: lnside USB -- Hosts and Devices -- Assigning a Driver on the Host -- Requirements -- Host Responsibilities -- Device Responsibilities -- Speed -- Endpoints -- USB Transfers -- Transfer Types -- Transactions -- The Data Toggle -- 15: Using Special-function USB Controllers -- Inside the Chips -- Serial Interface (FT232R) -- Parallel Interface (FT245R) -- Prototyping Modules -- Using the Controllers -- Drivers.

Adding Vendor-specific Data -- Implementing a Virtual COM Port -- Converting from RS-232 to USB -- 16: UsingGenericUSB Controllers -- The Communication Devices Class -- Documentation -- Overview -- Device Controllers -- Host Drivers -- Using the Abstract Control Model -- POTS Models -- Virtual COM Ports -- Requests -- Notifications -- Maximizing Performance -- Descriptors and INF Files -- Device Descriptor -- Configuration Descriptor -- Communication Class Interface Descriptors -- Data Class Interface Descriptors -- String Descriptors -- The INF File -- Composite Devices -- Index.