1. May 1, 2020
   

1. App Installation

Download from Apple App Store:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/zenconfig/id1513854657

An iPhone 7 or higher with iOS 13.0 or higher is required to download and install this app.

Download from Google Play app store:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zenseio.smp_configurator

A smartphone with Android 4.4 or newer and NFC support is required to use this app.

The app has to be installed and opened on the phone before reading the 

2. General Info

The app uses NFC radio for communicating between the smartphone and Zenseio device. NFC has been developed to read low-cost, passive tags, such as subway tickets. Unlike Bluetooth, it is ultra low power technology, highly secure, and unambiguous as to which device is being communicated with. However, to prevent eavesdropping by hackers, it requires very close proximity to function. Therefore, please be aware of some guidelines on how to use it. In general, you will first read the device by tapping on it with the phone, then lift the phone, next, check settings and status on the screen and modify accordingly, and, lastly, tap again with the phone to write the new settings. It's a very easy process, and the following sections will show you how to do it.

3. Reading device

When the app loads, press on the Read tab to make it read a Zenseio device. 

Simply, tap the phone on the large silver sticker. Different phones have NFC antennas in different locations on the back or edge side. For example iPhone has NFC antenna on the top edge. The NFC antennas in the phone and on the device have to be aligned to make the communication reliable. You may need to experiment to find the best position. If you are successful, you will hear a brief sound and feel a slight vibration when the app reads Zenseio devices. 

Once the device is successfully read, “Write” and “Status” become available.

LSMP2/CSMP Device (NFC antenna on the front cover)

LSMP1 Device (NFC antenna on the back)

GPI-Multi device (NFC antenna on the front)

4. Showing Device Status

The app screen now shows device configuration options and status tab

To see status information about the device press on “Status” tab. Among other things, it lists the device serial number, firmware version, type of soil moisture probe connected (if any). You may need to scroll to see everything. To get back to the configuration screen, touch the “Config” tab.

5. Configuring Options

There are multiple configuration options that define how the device functions. You can fine tune the device to better work with your application. Depending on device type, there are general settings, SDI-12 settings, GPI (General Purpose Input) settings, and other settings if the version of the device supports it. Not all options may be available as shown below if a device version does not support it.

5.1 Activity Schedule Settings

Transmit Interval - for recurring, periodic events, it defines how often the device transmits sensor readings to the cloud. Setting this value too low will provide more frequent updates, but it will create more loading on the LoRaWAN and gateway cellular network. In general, for normal operation, keep this setting at or above 1 hour to avoid potential overage charges and to reduce the drain on the battery.

Sensor Read Interval - for recurring, periodic events, it defines how often the device reads (polls) sensors. Normally, this setting should be the same as Transmit Interval, so when the new sensor value is read, it is also transmitted. However, when this interval is shorter than Transmit Interval, the sensor readings will be buffered in the internal memory and sent out in a burst on the following Transmit Interval. If this setting is not displayed on the menu, because it is not supported by a given device type, the device will read sensors at the same rate as “Transmit Interval”.

Sensor Alert Check Interval - it defines how often the device checks some sensors connected to general-purpose inputs if they exceed user-defined alert thresholds when “Threshold Alert” setting is enabled. When an alert condition occurs, an alert message will be transmitted immediately, without waiting for the next periodic Transmit Interval. The shorter this interval is, the sooner the alert will be generated when the threshold is exceeded.

Heartbeat Interval - the device can transmit a special heartbeat message periodically. When received, it indicates that the device is alive and in network coverage. The message contains some vital information, such as firmware version and battery level. This interval defines how often this message should be transmitted.

General notes on interval settings:

• Transmit Interval selection determines the valid values for other interval types. Only valid options will be selectable for those interval menus.

5.2 SDI-12 Probe Settings (LSMP device only)

SDI-12 Enable - when turned off, SDI-12 probe/sensor will not be read and transmitted to the cloud. If this sensor interface is not used, it is recommended to turn it off to reduce battery consumption.

Settling Time - Sets the amount of time (in milliseconds) to wait after power is applied to the SDI-12 probe/sensor before reading it. Consult with the SDI-12 probe/sensor specification to set this value correctly. If this value is longer than the sensor specification, the reading will still be correct, but battery life will not be optimal. On the other hand, if this value is set to less than what the spec calls for, the sensor reading may be corrupted or the probe might not be detected at all. Most popular probes require settling time 1000 ms or less, so 1000 ms value is a safe choice.

5.3 VAUX Settings (LSMP/CSMP device only)

If the device is equipped with auxiliary voltage generator inputs, VAUX pin provides output voltage to power or bias an external sensor.

Generated Output Voltage - sets the power supply voltage for the connected SDI-12 probe or other types of external sensors. The voltage depends on the requirements of the used sensor. In general, the lower the voltage, the lower the battery consumption. For example, 8V works well for most popular soil moisture probes, but this voltage may need to be increased for long cable runs if the probe reading is not working correctly. The available choices are 5V, 8V, 9V, and 12V. Please consult with the probe/sensor specification to see what is the lowest voltage that can be applied.

5.4 GPI (General Purpose Input) Pin Settings

If the device is equipped with one or more GPI inputs, it will allow you to configure it for different functions. Note that different GPI inputs may have different capabilities, so not all I/O Mode options may be available. For example, for LSMP-2103:

I/O Mode - selects the functionality of the input:

• Off - the input is ignored

• Digital - a weak pullup voltage is supplied by device on the GPI input, and the input is sampled at Sensor Read Intervals. If the voltage is pulled externally close to 0 V (or short-circuit to ground/GND), it will be classified as LOW (binary 0), and if it is above 0V (or open-circuit to ground/GND), it will be classified as HIGH (binary 1). It does not generate any alert messages.

• Low Level Trigger - a weak pullup voltage is supplied by device on the GPI input. A transition on the input from this pullup voltage to 0V (or short-circuit to ground/GND) will immediately transmit “input closed” alert message. Additionally, the input is sampled at Sensor Read Intervals, as in “Digital” mode.

• High Level Trigger - a weak pullup voltage is supplied by device on the GPI input. A transition on the input from 0V to this pullup voltage (or open-circuit to ground/GND) will immediately transmit “input opened” alert message. Additionally, the input is sampled at Sensor Read Intervals, as in “Digital” mode.

• Any Level Trigger - a weak pullup voltage is supplied by device on the GPI input. A transition on the input either from 0V to this pullup voltage (open-circuit to ground/GND) or from this pullup voltage to 0V (short-circuit to ground/GND) will immediately transmit “input opened” and “input closed” alert messages, respectively. Additionally, the input is sampled at Sensor Read Intervals, as in “Digital” mode.

• Pulse Counter - a weak pullup voltage is supplied by device on the GPI input. Any transition from this pullup voltage to 0V (a pulse) will be counted. The accumulated count will be transmitted and cleared at Transmit Intervals. This input has no debounce filtering for maximum count frequency, so the input should not have any glitches. This mode is meant for open-collector type of flow meters. 

• Pulse Counter (debounce) - the same behavior as Pulse Counter, but there is a debounce (ie. anti-glitch) filter. Maximum pulse frequency will be reduced, but input glitches will not be counted. This mode is useful when the sensor has slow changing pulses with glitches, such as mechanical switches or relays, such as tipping bucket rain sensors.

• Voltage - this mode measures input voltage level and is sampled at Sensor Read Intervals

• 4-20mA - this mode measures 4-20 mA current loop and is sampled at Sensor Read Intervals

• Resistance - this mode measures resistance of the input circuit and is sampled at Sensor Read Intervals

• Thermistor (1-Wire) - this mode measures ambient temperature with external 1-Wire sensor and is sampled at Sensor Read Intervals. (Note: only Zenseio approved thermistors are supported.)

Some I/O Modes have Threshold and Settling Time options.

Threshold Alert - when set to “On”, actively monitors input if it exceeds threshold values measured at Sensor Alert Check Intervals, as defined by start, stop, and step threshold values. 

When "Start Threshold Value" is greater than "Stop Threshold Value", low range will be monitored, that is, for example, when the temperature drops below "Start Threshold Value", an alert message will be sent. When "Start Threshold Value" is less than or equal to "Stop Threshold Value", a high range will be monitored, that is when the temperature goes above "Start Threshold Value", an alert message will be triggered. When the sensor values cross "Delta Step Values", alert messages will be triggered at each level, until the "Stop Threshold Value" level is reached. Once beyond "Stop Threshold Value", no more alerts will be triggered.

Note: the units of threshold values are the same as that of the expected input. For example, for voltage, the units are Volts, for current - they are mA, for temperature - they are degrees Fahrenheit.

Example of high range alerts

Example of low range alerts

Settling Time - defines the delay (in milliseconds) between when the power is applied to the sensor and when it is read. The longer this settling time, the more reliable sensor reading is, but also the shorter battery life. Therefore, please consult the sensor specification for the minimum value that should be used. This parameter may also be referred to as sensor power up time, sensor preparation time, power up delay, etc.  

Supply VAUX? - specifies if VAUX power supply should be activated during sensor measurement in order to power it. Some sensors (for example pressure transducers) might not have independent power supply, and, consequently, rely on Zenseio devices to provide it. VAUX voltage level will be defined according to VAUX settings. Note: there is only one VAUX generator, so, if it is shared among different GPI and SDI-12 sensors, the voltage level must be set to not exceed the minimal and maximal values for all sensors, or malfunction or even damage may occur. As a consequence, some sensor combinations might not be compatible. Always review sensor specifications before connecting them to VAUX output. 

5.5 General Settings

These settings are at the bottom of the page:

Trigger Immediate Uplink - When “Yes”, it will trigger a message transmission upon NFC write. It is equivalent to touching around the magnetic sensor with a magnet.

Standby Mode - when turned on, the device will enter a low power state suitable for long-term storage, to reduce the battery drain. LoRa radio will be turned off and the probe/sensors will not be read.

Reboot Device - when turned on, the device will restart and re-join the LoRa network. This is equivalent to unplugging and replugging the battery. If there is no LoRa network coverage, the device will retry network join on every recurring update interval. The network rejoin process uses more battery power than normal operation after successful network join, so it’s better to Hibernate the device until LoRa network coverage is provided. Please be aware that the devices with magnetic sensor (or user button) option will remember their configuration through the reboot. To clear the configuration to the factory setting, hold a magnet at the magnetic sensor location (or push user button) during the reboot procedure. The clearing of the configuration will be activated by simultaneous blinking of both Green and Red status LED’s.

5.6 Motion Sensor Settings

Devices containing motion sensor will display these options.

Threshold - Sets sensitivity threshold to detect motion of the device. The higher the threshold the less sensitive detection is, which means the device has to move more abruptly before detecting motion. Conversely, the lower the threshold, the motion detection alerts will be triggered more easily. Good value to use is around 20. Note, the motion sensor uses an accelerometer, so the detection is based on acceleration of the device, such sudden movement. Devices moving at constant velocity will not trigger the motion alert.

5.7 GPS Sensor Settings

Devices containing GPS sensor will display these options. Please note the device uses a GNSS sensor which is more robust than GPS since it uses more satellite constellations. However, this feature is referred to as GPS here, as it is a more familiar term.

Enable -  turns on/off GPS function. When off, the device skips reading GPS on a regular sensor read interval.

Timeout (seconds) - Defines how long the device will keep the GPS sensor on to acquire satellite signals before quitting. If the satellite signals are too weak to determine the position below the required error margin (as defined in the next settings) after the Timeout time ends, the device will report 0 satellites in the next uplink message. The longer the Timeout value, the larger negative impact on battery life will be since the GPS sensor uses considerable power when it’s operating. So this setting should be set carefully, as necessitated by the application requirements. When the device is used in a new location or after the update interval longer than 3-4 hours (when the ephemeris gets invalid), the acquisition time will be the longest. Subsequently, as long as the update interval is less than 3-4 hours and the device has a clear view of the sky, the acquisition times should be much shorter.

Max Horizontal Error (meters) - Defines the maximum geometric horizontal error radius that is allowed to qualify the location as valid. If the acquired horizontal location uncertainty is larger than this value, the device will report 0 satellites in the next uplink message. The larger this value, the more uncertainty about the current location is tolerated, but the quicker the position acquisition will be. Making this value too small (below 30 meters) may make the acquisition times longer, requiring increasing Timeout value (and more frequent battery replacements). So this setting should be set carefully, as necessitated by the application requirements.

Max Vertical Error (meters) - Defines the maximum vertical (altitude) error that is allowed to qualify the location as valid. If the acquired vertical location uncertainty is larger than this value, the device will report 0 satellites in the next uplink message. The larger this value, the more uncertainty about the current altitude is tolerated, but the quicker the position acquisition will be. Making this value too small (below 100 meters) may make the acquisition times longer, requiring increasing Timeout value (and more frequent battery replacements). So this setting should be set carefully, as necessitated by the application requirements.

Tracking Mode Enable - turns on/off location tracking function. When on, any triggered motion alert from the motion sensor will immediately turn on GPS sensor to acquire and send the current location at Tracking Interval period until the motion ends. This allows it to see and document the path that the device is moving along while it is within LoRaWAN network coverage. This option requires Motion Sensor to be enabled.

Tracking Interval (minutes) - defines the time between sending location updates while the device is moving.

6. Writing Configuration

After you finish modifying the device configuration settings, it has to be written to the device to take effect. To do this, touch the “Write” tab. A dialog box will appear asking to tap the device with the phone NFC antenna. Place the phone on the device at the same location as during reading the device). On Android phones, do not lift the phone until a popup window appears, indicating successful write, and the phone vibrates slightly twice. Lifting the phone too early may corrupt the device configuration (requiring a magnet swipe to trigger an uplink). To ensure the configuration has been written correctly, read the NFC tag again and review the configuration.

8. Support

For help, please contact your reseller, dealer, or distributor you purchased the device from.