64 lines
2.5 KiB
Plaintext
64 lines
2.5 KiB
Plaintext
The IoT Protocol
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- 20kdc, 2017
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One of the core uses of Copper is network-connected small devices.
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These have a set list of requirements:
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1. The device itself can't be forced to do much in the way of work,
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at least for simple cases.
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2. The protocol needs to be relatively flexible.
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The protocol is multi-part, each part noting a different aspect of the system.
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Part 1. General Mainport Packet Description
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The "Main port" is port 4.
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This port is the port via which most data exchange happens.
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First things first - in case of error, do nothing at all.
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If it's possible to just ignore a protocol violation, do so.
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For example, a get request with data should be treated as a get request without it.
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In all packets on the main port,
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the first byte's upper 2 bits indicate what kind of packet this is -
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the lower 6 bits is the 'variable number'.
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The remainder of the packet is the parameter data.
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00: Request: Get (This has no further data.)
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01: Request: Set (The data is the new variable contents.
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Success is determined by checking acknowledgement, then performing a Get.)
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10: Perform Action: (The data is the parameter.)
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11: Response: Get (The data is the variable contents.)
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Part 2. Variable Types
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Variable types indicate to the program what values are expected in variables.
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Firstly, the upper bit being set indicates an Action - only the lower bits actually give the variable type-code.
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Secondly, if it's not an Action, the second-to-upper bit indicates if it can be set.
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They are, as follows:
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0: Void (Only useful for Actions. Think 'ignore anything out of here'.
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1: Human-Readable String (Generic string that a user could feasibly type. No special characters.)
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2: Boolean (Length > 0 means true, otherwise false. Odd definition, but also convenient.)
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3: Float (See Human-Readable String, but translated to a number by the device.)
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4: Descriptor (See Part 3.)
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Part 3. Discovery & Description
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Upon the receipt of any unreliable packet on port 1 that is addressed to "*" or the IoT device name,
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it should send a packet back on port 4 formatted as a Get response packet for variable 0.
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Variable 0 is always the Descriptor, which describes the variables and actions available.
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The Descriptor is simply a list of variable types and 7-byte variable names,
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starting from variable index 1 (as 0 is always the descriptor)
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It's recommended the variable names are in camel-case.
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Example descriptor for a networked lightbulb:
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"\x42lActive"
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Example descriptor for a networked turtle (Lua-escaped):
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"\x80turnLft\x80turnRgt\x80forward\x80backwrd\x02fwd!air"
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