ExpressCard applications

Application: Truck Diagnostics
Quatech Products Used: SSPXP-100, 1 port RS-232 serial ExpressCard Performance Series

Help isolate machine and truck problems with diagnostic software, a laptop and a 1 port serial PCIe-based ExpressCard by Quatech. Most software requires an RS-232 serial port to connect to the truck's onboard computer. In the past, laptops were equipped with a PC slot that fit PCMCIA cards. The evolution of technology has decreased the size of the PC card slot to fit a smaller, modular card that only allows 34/ExpressCards and 54/ExpressCards.

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Application: Troubleshoot HVAC systems
Quatech Product Used: SSPXP-200/300, 1 port RS-422/485 serial ExpressCard Performance Series

Enable field technicians to communicate with large HVAC installations, change configurations and troubleshoot malfunctioning units with a laptop running specially designed software interfaces to an RS-485 half-duplex link that has up to 64 HVAC unit controllers on it.

Using Quatech's 1 port SSPXP-200/300 serial Expresscard with a modular connector supplies the RS-485 connection for this system. The card fully supports the half-duplex network, and provides fast data rates of up to 921.6 kpbs, providing superior performance for this data-intense application.

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Application: Flight Data Retrieval
Quatech Product Used: SSPXP-200/300, 1 port RS-422/485 serial ExpressCard Performance Series

The flight recorder is responsible for recording what went wrong during a tragic flight, is also responsible for recording maintenance, structural, and engine data. Maintenance personnel download this data directly after each flight. Immediate maintenance can then be performed on the aircraft, reducing downtime and saving money for the aircraft fleets.

The recorder stores flight information and voice data in solid state memory. An operator uploads and downloads data to the recording system. The high speed ExpressCard interface allows data to be downloaded in minutes. The ExpressCard is connected to the recorder with a serial interface cable. This portable arrangement is advantageous because the same system can be shared among an entire fleet.

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Application: Vehicle Diagnostics
Quatech Product Used: SSPXP-100, 1 port RS-232 serial ExpressCard Performance Series

Mechanics and auto shops use a wide variety of diagnostic and control tools for automobile system scanning, fault code viewing and data logging. Diagnostic software is installed on a laptop and interfaces to the car's computer via a RS-232 serial interface.

Since many laptops do not have a built-in serial port, Quatech's SSPXP-100 serial ExpressCard adds the RS-232 port. In this instance, with a laptop and an ExpressCard, this is ideal for small workstations and mobile applications.

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Application: Automotive Paint Mixing Machine
Quatech Product Used: SSPXP-200/300, 1 port RS-422/485 serial ExpressCard Performance Series

Body shops are often tight on space, and by replacing large PCs with smaller portable laptops, they can conserve on work area space. However, these laptops often do not provide the number and variety of I/O ports available on a desktop PC.

Quatech's SSPXP-200/300 serial ExpressCard provides an RS-422/485 serial port - an option almost never standard on a laptop. In the depiction, the serial port is used to connect a paint mixing machine to the laptop to create an exact paint match for the car's exterior.

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Application: Portable Medical Testing Systems
Quatech Product Used: SPPXP-100, 1 port EPP parallel ExpressCard Performance Series

Because of the high speed EPP port made available by the SPPXP-100 parallel ExpressCard, it is an ideal choice for a variety of portable medical applications. In this example, a mobile EEG machine is connected with a laptop computer via the ExpressCard. The parallel port on many laptop computers will not function in EPP mode under Windows 95/98. However, Quatech's SPPXP-100 will, as it completely adheres to the IEEE 1284 EPP specification.

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Application: Embroidery Sewing with Security Dongles
Quatech Product Used: SPPXP-100, 1 port EPP parallel ExpressCard Performance Series

Many licensed software packages require keys, or security dongles, in order to operate. However, many laptops do not have built-in parallel ports. An ExpressCard, such as the SPPXP-100, functions exactly like a native bi-directional parallel port and solves this problem and enables the software keys to be used.

In this example, the SPPXP-100 EPP parallel ExpressCard is connected to a laptop that is running embroidery software on an electronic sewing machine. The software uses a security "dongle" that must be attached to a bi-directional parallel port provided by our card.

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