WinCE Serial Over USB

Technical Support
, , , ,
1

We are designing and developing an external case to host a Bluetooth module, the PAN1780AT, that would be connected to our WinCE6 VF61 powered device.
Our device provides through the external case connection to either the USB Slave port (that is used to connect to the PC, and we would rather keep it for that) or one USB Host port (that would be the most ideal choice for connecting ).

We need it to connect our device to external accessories, that will have that same module as well (Placing the BLE module directly on our custom board together with the VF61 is currently not a viable option).

From our application, I see we already use COM ports, but they are all referring to internal components, none of them connected through the USB Host (so it is a bit of a first time for me to work with).
The module supports the USB2.0 interface. I need to communicate through a serial connection.
The module would be recognized and configured as a virtual COM port when connected to a W10 PC.

How can I make it so that it becomes recognized the same way from our WinCE6 VF61 when connected through the USB Host port?

For now, I do not yet have the chance to try it myself with a sample, so let’s assume it goes either way:

  • The module does not recognize it and prompts to ask the user for a driver location:

    • there is no driver, as I have been said;
    • I understand from this post that I should retrieve VID/PID info and set up the registry to refer to the USBser.dll. I also understand that it can as well not work fine.
    • to be able to use that solution, do I need to see a registry folder in the “ClientDrivers” named “USBSER”? Because I don’t have any! I only see “HID”, “Mass_Storage_Class”, “netrtwlanu”, “Printer_Class”, and “USB8023”. I hope this is not a problem.
    • any additional suggestions?

  • The module eventually recognize it.

    • what does it actually mean? How can I come to know that vital piece of info: the COM number?
      • also, should i refer to it as “COM n:” (as for COM1 and COM2 in our devices) or “\$device\com0” (as for com0) ?
      • do I get to set up the expected COM number so it doesn’t change? maybe in that same Load_Clients registry?

Alternatively, we actually started with the idea to use a Bluetooth adapter (dongle) instead, plugged in the USB host port of our device. But I don’t understand a few points to reach an implementation:

  • Are there any adapters that You specifically know that are compatible?
    I saw here that the LM506 might be, do you reckon if it is compatible also with WEC6? Or maybe you know of another device (must be BLE)?
  • And also, how should it work? Is the OS expecting any driver to be either native or added, or is it detected by the usbser.dll or another dll to become a vCOM? Do I need a Bluetooth framework of some sort? Do you know anyone that we could use on WEC6?

Thank you in advance.

WinCE6 BSP 1.5
Colibri VF61 256MB IT V1.2B
Custom Board

2

  1. If you want to communicate to your BT though serial interface you can use a USB to serial adapter like FIDI or Silicon lab. You need to get driver from the chip manufacturer and install it Some info available here.

  2. Your BT module supports USB interface as well. If you wish connect it as a USB device you need to obtain driver for WinCE from module manufacturer.

  3. You can use LM506 with our modules if they run Linux. Unfortunately module manufacturer has no drivers for WinCE