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 Merlin Mobility
Solution
Merlin Mobility software product was built from the very successful Wizard Software Series Solutions. Based mainly on Omega’s RF~Wizard product suite.
The Merlin Mobility product suite is a solution to quickly and easily generates applications for portable terminals. Specifically designed for non-programmers, Merlin Mobility has the complete functionality needed to collect, validate report and export information as batch application, as real-time WLAN applications, or dynamic part-time connections using Batch, WLAN, or cellular WAN application.
Features
The Merlin Mobility product suite offers features that provide a powerful, versatile and extremely reliable data gathering solution.
- Explorer styled GUI that allows ease of use when designing and maintaining data capture applications.
- Comprehensive set of validation rules and branching rules based upon data for application flexibility
- Host application transaction server providing background communications for all connected portable terminals.
- Supports mapping of collected data to other software applications through ODBC compliant connections.
- Supports Microsoft Windows operating systems, including XP Pro and 2000 Pro/Server and 2003 Server.
- Supports Microsoft SQL Server 2000 database applications, where Merlin Mobility user programs and collected data are stored in a fully accessible database maintained by the Merlin Mobility application.
PC Requirments
The PC software requirements are as follows:
- Microsoft Windows XP Pro or Windows 2000 Pro/Server or 2003 Server
- Microsoft SQL Server 2000 or later required for data transaction and synchronization to the PC for all portable terminals.
- IP Addressable via Internet Service Provider or VPN supported connection
- Does NOT require Microsoft ISS or any internet server applications
The minimum PC hardware requirements are as follows:
- Intel 2.8 GHz or better
- Min RAM requirements for effectively running current Microsoft OS (i.e. 3 Gb)
- Hard-disk drive with minimum of 80 GB of available hard-disk space, although actual requirements will vary based on selection of features and user's current system configuration.
- One CD-ROM drive
- VGA graphics card or compatible video graphics adapter at 256 color or later
- Parallel printer port if printing reports is desired.
- Keyboard
- Microsoft Mouse or compatible input device
Terminal Support
The following wireless network devices are supported:
- Symbol Pocket PC 2002 and Windows Mobility 2003 series
- Intermec Pocket PC 2002 and Windows Mobility 2003 series
- LXE Pocket PC 2002 and Windows Mobility 2003 series
Wireless LAN and WAN Network Requirements
The following wireless network types are required:
- 802.11b,g and a
- GSM/GPRS and CDMA
MM~Designer
PC application that creates and maintains the Mobility applications; interface requirements to all external business application.
MM~Monitor
PC application to monitor transactions between PC and connected portable terminals; start and stop MM~Server and provides options and parameters and system settings.
MM~Server
PC application that performs the real-time data transaction services between the connected portable terminals and the MM~Server mapped database transactions.
MM~Clients CE Device and PC
Device clients that are installed locally on the Window CE portable terminals which executed communications with the MM~Server and the Mobility applications.
A PC application that emulates the portable terminal to test the user created applications is also included.
MM~Designer
PC application that creates and maintains the Mobility applications; interface requirements to all external business application.
This is the design tool that provides the means to:
- Add or modify business rules that pertain to data capture, validation, and displaying.
- Add or modify data rules that control reading and writing to multiple data sources.
- Create Forms used by hand held portable terminals.
- Create Data Fields to contain/process special barcode labels such as AIAG, UCC128, or PDF417 barcode standards.
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MM~Monitor
PC application to monitor transactions between PC and connected portable terminals; start and stop MM~Server and provides options and parameters and system settings.
It has a monitor tool that displays for administrators and support personnel the event activity that has occurred by all connections to the MM~Server application.
The monitor tool displays the activity for the connected portables and the state of the MM~Server.
It allows the viewing of all attempted SQL commands for debug and performance analysis, and viewing of the state of each portable that had been connected and the number of system errors encountered (if any).
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It controls the properties used by the MM~Server that pertain to its installation configuration. It allows the starting and stopping of the MM~Server.
It also provides a quick launch menu/button to execute the MM~Designer and MM~Client PC applications for development and debugging efforts.
MM~Server
PC application that performs the real-time data transaction services between the connected portable terminals and the MM~Server mapped database transactions
A dedicated PC will be used by Merlin Mobility applications as the “MM~Server” which handles all communications and business logic for the Portable Terminals. This application must be executed on the PC in order for the hand held portable terminals to execute the installed RF applications.
It has the ability to connect as a single user to all ODBC compliant database servers and database files. The tested SQL servers include: MS-SQL, MySQL, Oracle80i, DB2, Providex, and Pervasive SQL.
This software was development as a 32-bit multi-threaded application for sole purpose of providing a high-level of: performance, scalability, and control over all connected clients.
Each connected client runs independently within its own application thread thereby allowing individual performance results based on the work done by each client. The main thread for memory resource usage and processor control manages all client threads.
It automatically adjusted workloads between connected clients so that a single client transaction performance does not tie up the server’s processing of all other client transactions.
MM~Client PC
It has a virtual PC portable client that can be used to test and debug application designs. It can be used on wired or wireless PC and Laptop computers for fixed station solutions without the need for actual hand held portable terminals.
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The MM~ClientPC behaves just like a hand held portable terminal so that all design requirements can be tested before put to use.
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