SMS Messaging

Table of Contents
SMS MESSAGING ........................................................................................................... 1
About SMS messaging................................................................................................................. 2
Using SMS Messaging................................................................................................................ 3
SMS Message Conditions and Elements...................................................................................... 4
Creating SMS Messages & Variables .......................................................................... 5
Message Properties ........................................................................................................... 6
SMS: Scan ................................................................................................................................... 8
SMS: Send................................................................................................................................... 9
SMS Variables ........................................................................................................................... 10
Sending SMS messages from a GSM cell phone ................................................................. 12
Writing SMS messages in your cell phone................................................................ 12
Sending the message to the PLC ................................................................................ 12
Checking that the PLC has received the SMS message ...................................... 12
Modem SBs, SIs and Error Messages ................................................................................... 14

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 About SMS messaging
SMS messaging is a feature offered by cellular telephone services. SMS-enabled
controllers can use SMS messaging to send and receive data to and from a cell phone or
other cellular device. Both fixed text and variable data can be communicated. This feature
can be used to transmit data and for remote diagnostics.
SMS messaging is featured in several sample applications; these may be found by
selecting VisiLogic Sample Projects from the Help Menu.

In order to use this feature, you must connect an SMS-enabled PLC to a modem that
supports connection to a cellular network.
SMS messaging is subject to the limitations of cellular networks, such as network
availability.
Note that SMS messages are limited to the English character set.

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Using SMS Messaging
To enable a controller to use SMS
messaging, you must use a modem that
supports connection to a cellular network.
SMS messaging operations are located on
the FBs menu.

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 SMS Message Conditions and Elements

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SMS: Configuration
An SMS Configuration contains a list of SMS messages with attached variables and a
phone book that is unique to that configuration. SMS Configuration is also where you define
Message Properties.

Creating SMS Messages & Variables

A single SMS message can be up to 140 characters long, and can contain both fixed text
and up to 10 variables. Note that although the PLC can send Binary Text, Numeric, and List
of Texts variables, it can only receive Numeric variables.

Binary Variable
This type of variable displays different text in the SMS variable field according to the status
of a bit operand.

Number Variable
A Number Variable enables you to:

Show any numeric value within a message.

Control the format in which that value is shown, including the placement of a decimal

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 point and leading zeros.

Use Linearization to show a converted value, such as an analog temperature
converted to degrees Celsius.

List of Texts: by Pointer

This type of variable contains numbered lines of text. You link the Variable to an operand.
The value within that operand 'points' to the number of a line within the list. When the
operand value is equal to a particular line number, the text of that line is shown in the
Display.

Message Properties
This defines how the PLC deals with a specific SMS message that is received by the
system. Note that a SMS Scan FB must be placed in the Ladder to enable the PLC to
check a specific SMS Configuration for received messages.

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 SMS: Scan
To enable the PLC to check a specific SMS Configuration for received messages, place an
SMS Scan FB in your Ladder application..

When the PLC scans the SMS configuration, the Message Properties of each message
define how the PLC deals with that message.

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SMS: Send
To send an SMS, place an SMS Send operation in your Ladder application. Before you
can send an SMS, you must initialize a Com port to use a GSM modem, create an SMS
Configuration, and set conditions as explained in Using SMS Messaging.

Note that you can send only one SMS message at a time, but that you may send it to
multiple phone numbers.

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 SMS Variables
A single SMS message can contain both fixed text and up to 10 variables. Note that SMS
variables are not related to HMI variables.
Although the PLC can send Binary Text, Numeric, and List of Texts variables, it can only
receive Numeric variables.

Binary Variable
This type of variable displays different text in the SMS variable field according to the status
of a bit operand. The value currently visible is the last value sent.

Number Variable
A Number Variable enables you to:

Show any numeric value within a message.

Control the format in which that value is shown, including the placement of a decimal
point and leading zeros.

Use Linearization to show a converted value, such as an analog temperature
converted to degrees Celsius.

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List of Texts: by Pointer
This type of variable contains numbered lines of text. You link the Variable to an operand.
The value within that operand 'points' to the number of a line within the list. When the
operand value is equal to a particular line number, the text of that line is shown in the
Display.

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 Sending SMS messages from a GSM cell phone
To send SMS messages from your cell phone to your PLC, you must:

Create and download a project to your PLC that includes SMS Configurations, set
Message Properties, and define conditions as described in Using SMS Messaging.

Write an SMS message in your cell phone.

Send the message to the PLC's GSM modem
Note that you can only send messages that are already part of an SMS Configuration in the
PLC. In addition, if the Limit to Authorized Phone Numbers option is selected in the SMS
configuration, the cell phone number must be in the list .

Writing SMS messages in your cell phone

You write an SMS message using your cell phone keypad. Make sure that:

The fixed text in your cell phone is identical to the message in the PLC's SMS
Configuration in every detail: spaces, characters--and note that characters are case-
sensitive.

You bracket variable values with number signs (#) as shown below. These signs '#'
do not count as spaces.

The variable field in the SMS message is big enough to hold the value.
The figure below shows the same SMS message: as it appears on a cell phone display,
and as it appears in the PLC's SMS Configuration.

When you send this message from your cell phone, the value 110 will be written into the
variable in the PLC.

Sending the message to the PLC

Enter the number of the PLC's GSM modem exactly as you would enter any .1
GSM cell phone number, then send the message.
Checking that the PLC has received the SMS message
You can check if the PLC received your message by using the Acknowledge feature:
1. Select 'Acknowledge' in Message Properties, the ACK box is checked as shown
below.

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 2. Use your cell phone to send the message "Holding Temperature:#110#" to the
PLC.

3. The PLC receives this SMS message; AutoAcknowledge causes the PLC to
immediately return the message to your cell phone, together with the current variable
value.
4. You can now view this SMS message on your cell phone display, together with
changes in the variable value.

Note that although the PLC can send SMS messages that include Numeric, Binary, and
List variables, the PLC can only receive Numeric variables.

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 Modem SBs, SIs and Error Messages
System Bits & Integers
Modem status can be checked via the System Bits listed below.
SB Description

80 Modem Initialized: COM 1

81 Modem Initialization Failed: COM 1

82 Modem Initialized: COM 2

83 Modem Initialized Failed: COM 2

84 Modem Initialized: COM 3

85 Modem Initialized Failed: COM 3

Modem Status and Error Messages may be found in the System Integers listed below.
SI Description

80 Modem Status: COM 1

81 Modem Error Code: COM 1

82 Modem Status: COM 2

83 Modem Error Code: COM 2

84 Modem Status: COM 3

85 Modem Error Code: COM 3

Modem Status Messages (SI 80, 82, 84)
Value Message

0 Modem idle

1 Initialization in progress

2 Initialization: successful

3 Initialization: failed

4 Hang-up in progress

5 Dial in progress
Error Messages (SI 81, 83, 85)
Value Message

0 No error

1 TimeOut time exceeded: no reply

2 Reply Error

3 Wrong PIN number

4 Registration failed

5 PUK number needed

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 SMS Error Messages
The error code will be placed in the Error Status MI.

Value Message

0 No error

1 Phone number is not in book, or is not in the correct format

2 Non-existent SMS message index number

3 SMS received from unauthorized phone number

4 The SMS received does not exist in the SMS configuration

5 TimeOut time exceeded: no reply

6 The variable received does not exist in the SMS configuration, or is not in the
correct format

7 Modem Reply Error

8 Unknown Modem Reply

9 SMS is in the incorrect format and may not be transmitted

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